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There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
The Product on Trial
The Tester
Erica Murphy, a hot sleeper who has never found the right cooling bedding product
The Brief
Sleep is one of those essential things you need for a productive, high-quality life. If you’re not getting enough, you lose cognitive abilities, your health struggles, and your overall happiness can struggle, too. There are some people who hit the pillow, get snuggled in their covers, and sleep through the night. Then there are others, like myself, who go to sleep snuggled, but then wake up in the middle of the night with the covers thrown off, drenched in sweat. This might seem extreme, but it’s a regular occurrence for me, no matter the time of the year.
Since I started using the OOLER, I’ve had comfortable, cool, blissful nights of rest that I never thought was possible.
So, what is it?
Placed between your mattress and your sheets, the OOLER is a sleep system that uses water to help regulate temperature. The control unit pumps water through small tubes that live inside a mattress pad-like product, which you can't feel whatsoever. The system itself is about the size of a toaster oven, and it gets placed on the floor in your bedroom. A tube attaches from the system to the mattress pad, and water flows from the system through the tubes.
On top of the OOLER unit, there's a digital screen and a few buttons that allow you to set your desired temperature. While the system is on, it pumps water at that set temperature all throughout the night — keeping your body cool. The system does have a fan, but there are three different settings, so you can adjust according to how much sound you want. If you use the high setting, it serves as a soothing white noise machine, while the low setting is pretty much inaudible, making this a suitable product for light sleepers who run hot, too.
What’s the setup like?
In total, the OOLER probably takes about 5 minutes to set up, and, all in all, it's pretty easy to assemble. There are essentially three pieces to install — the control until, the tube, and the mattress pad. The system and the tubes are easy to attach, and the mattress pad slips onto the bed pretty easily. There are two size options — a single or a double. I have the single and it stays in place really well.
Once you hook everything up, the next step is to add water. The system has a tank for water, and it holds 30 ounces. It’s best to use filtered water (pro tip: don’t mistake a smoothie for a water glass — you won’t love the outcome). Because of evaporation, condensation, etc., you need to add water regularly to the unit in order to keep it full. A little water droplet will show on the unit’s screen, which indicates that it’s ready for a refill (I refill my unit roughly every 2 weeks).
My one gripe with the system is that because the water droplet indicator is so small, refills can easily go unnoticed. As a solution to this design flaw, you should set yourself a reminder to help stay on top of it. The system also has an app that you can connect to via Bluetooth that allows you to adjust the temperature from the app and set an automatic schedule (like a time to turn on at night and a time to turn off in the morning). It would be great if the app also alerted you when you needed to refill the water tank, but that feature doesn’t exist yet.
What makes it so great?
When the unit is working properly, its cooling features work wonders. The temperature you set stays at that temperature throughout the whole night — and it’s nothing short of wonderful. The first night I used my OOLER, I remember waking up in the morning thinking that it truly is a life-changing product. I can finally sleep cozied up with my covers on without waking up with a sweat-soaked shirt. Thanks to the OOLER, I also no longer throw all of my covers onto my boyfriend and make him wake up sweating, which, as you can imagine, has made him a believer in this product too. I no longer need to leave my windows open at night anymore, either — which has, in turn, kept flies, bugs, and mosquitos at bay (shout out to my New York rental for having no window screens).
However, the OOLER is a tech product, and like any tech product, you can run into some issues. The software can fail, or the unit can stop cooling. There are a few ways to reset the unit, but if that doesn’t work, you’ll have to contact customer service to get a replacement unit. (The good news is that they are very willing to replace your unit, which is great since it costs $800.)
And while we’re on the topic, let’s talk about price. At $800, there’s no doubt the OOLER is an investment. But when you think about how important sleep is, it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re a hot sleeper. There are lots of cooling bedding products out there (which also aren’t cheap), but this is the only product that actually regulates your temperature through technology. Even if my unit breaks and customer service won’t send me another replacement, I would buy another one in a heartbeat— it’s that life-changing.
Anything else to know?
In order to find the right temperature for your preference, it does take some trial and error. I never thought I’d say this, but there were times when I set the temperature too cold and woke up shivering (this is a sign of how well it works). For me, I find the best temperature is between 62 and 65 degrees, depending on the temperature outside, for optimal sleep. The unit itself can range from 55-115 degrees Fahrenheit.
As far as cleaning goes, the mattress pad is machine-washable, and it’s recommended you wash it once a month. It’s also wise to empty out the unit every once in a while, let it dry out, and give it a good cleaning. ChiliSleep sells a cleaning solution, which they recommend you run through the unit once a month as well. Also, a pro tip is to unplug it when you’re traveling, so you don’t waste 8 hours of electricity if you have a routine set up.
The Conclusion
For hot sleepers, the OOLER sleep system is genuinely life-changing. Just one night of using it makes a difference, and you’ll feel that its steep $800 price tag is well worth it.
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Erica is the Senior Director of SEO and Content and has been with the team since 2017; Prior to joining BP, she worked at New York Magazine and Levo League, where she received several bylines on various topics like finding your dream job, being spontaneous, and how women think about perfection. Outside of work, Erica can be found running around Central Park, browsing the cheese selection at Murray’s, or playing soccer at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
