Wirecutter supports readers. When you make a purchase through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission. learn more

I am one of those people who are always cold. So when I was a teenager, my stepfather installed a lock box on our thermostat to prevent me from taking us to the brink of financial collapse every time the heating bill came. As I get older, I make sure that every room in my house has a blanket within reach. But seven years ago, I married my opponent-a grumpy man.

The incompatibility of sleep temperature between husband and wife is a long-standing story. My husband Carter and I spent several years trying to find a compromise. It is easier to warm me up than to cool him, so we mainly focus on him. We tried an inexpensive cooling mattress pad, and the strange thing was that it produced the exact opposite effect. Although built-in spring mattresses usually sleep cooler than foam mattresses, we didn't notice the difference after switching between the two. Finally, we started to sleep on the breathable linen sheets, Carter sometimes pointed a small fan directly at his head, and I buried myself under several layers, including a 20-pound blanket. This is not ideal for snuggling, but it works well.

In other words, until last year, Carter's night sweats turned into speeding. Although his doctor could not find out what was wrong with him, he would get soaked quickly every time he fell asleep. He would wake up from time to time throughout the night, grumpy and uncomfortable, and I had to wash the sheets every morning. Therefore, when Wirecutter's sleep team called for someone to test the ChiliPad (with Cube sleep system), I voluntarily chose Carter.

Electric blankets and heated mattresses have been around for decades, but cooling devices like ChiliPad and BedJet are newer innovations. Wirecutter has been skeptical of their claims in the past. For this test, we are not excited about BedJet, partly because it works by spraying cold air under the lid through what looks like an industrial duct. ChiliPad is described as a "reversible hydraulically driven mattress pad", at least it seems to be designed to distribute its temperature settings more evenly. Its system consists of two parts: a machine washable mattress pad with a silicone tube filled with water. And an independent control unit circulates the water and regulates its temperature. ChiliSleep is a company that sells ChiliPad and Cube systems. It makes another system Ooler, which is essentially a ChiliPad with additional features, such as an application that allows you to pre-cool your bed. All of these systems are expensive. ChiliPad’s single pad starts at $700, which is only half the size of a queen-size bed.

ChiliPad lies flat under your bed sheet. It is reversible. One side of the mesh is designed for cool sleep, and the other side is made of cotton-polyester blend fabric, suitable for people who like warm beds (like me). Sleep with a blanket as usual. The cushion ensures that the temperature around your body is consistent throughout the night. The remote control allows you to adjust the temperature in the bed-any temperature between 55 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Looking at those three-digit numbers, I had to force myself to remember that this test was for Carter.

It took us less than 15 minutes to set up, and the cushion easily slipped over half of our mattress and secured it in place with two thick elastic bands. The control unit is not as obtrusive as I expected from the photos, a few inches less than 1 cubic foot, and there is a screen that displays the temperature. You add approximately 12 ounces of water to the control unit, open it so that the water is drawn into the tube, and then slowly pour in additional water until the unit is full again (approximately 24 ounces in total). ChiliSleep encourages the use of distilled water to avoid potential deposits in the pipeline over time.

We set the Cube to the coldest setting, then put our hands on the ChiliPad and feel it start to work. It began to cool at an alarming rate, reaching 55 degrees in about five minutes. Then we climbed onto the bed. I buried myself in a normal blanket and watched Carter's face filled with a smile. "It feels good," he said. My bedside stayed warm, because the control unit made a soothing hum that we all thought was almost imperceptible on the white noise machines we were already using. The control panel lights turned off after a few minutes, eliminating any halos.

Carter woke up with dry body the next morning and said that he had slept more than he remembered. I rolled on the surface of the ChiliPad, and I could clearly feel the tubes under the cushion, but he claimed that he barely noticed them while drifting. At that time I found several coin-sized spots on our sheets, running along one of the tubes along a short edge of the mat. I am worried that we will leak, even though the company claims that the pipe is strong enough to withstand the puncture of animal claws.

Carter guessed that the problem might be condensation; he pointed out that the pipe was colder than the air in our room, and there was some natural humidity in the room. ChiliSleep's public relations representative confirmed his suspicion and stated that this is a common experience for many ChiliPad users. After waking up every morning a few months later to see the damp human shadow on Carter’s side of the bed, I was not worried about some tiny water stains, and I equipped our mattresses with waterproof covers a long time ago.

Carter woke up with a dry body, saying that he had slept better for years than he remembered.

For the next few weeks, Carter continued to sleep soundly, waking up completely dry, rested and cheerful in the morning. He swears that this thing is more effective than any technology we have tried in the past, but he does complain about the beauty of medical equipment. "Seeing those pipes running up from the bedside and under the quilt makes me think we are old and broken," he said.

Leaving aside the existential crisis, so far, I think ChiliPad has been a success in our home, but there are several aspects that let us stop. First, ChiliSleep recommends cleaning the mat every 1 to 3 months, and using the ChiliSleep System Cleaner, which is worth $8, to clean the machine once a month. This solution is sold separately and is described as a "special blend of basic antibacterial ingredients" without bleach. But monthly usage of it amounts to nearly 100 US dollars per year, I think we will tend to try DIY methods.

After I first noticed the wet spots, it took me five days to get a response from the company's customer support hotline. Considering the price of ChiliPad, this is unforgivable (although the manual and the troubleshooting section of the website are very clear about the possibility of condensation, I should check first).

We tested 14 types of protection pads and found that SafeRest high-quality mattress pads can best keep the mattress dry while still sleeping comfortably.

If you or someone in your life has uncontrollable night sweats, start by seeking medical attention. Your doctor may discover and treat underlying health problems. If not, ChiliPad may be a way of relief. Neurologist Chris Winter is the chairman of the Center for Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the author of two books on how to get a better sleep. He did not get financial compensation from ChiliPad, but it may be because The compliments he gave it. "If you like cold beds, this thing is great," he told me in an email. Winter also said that he has recommended ChiliPad to many professional athletes who sweat a lot. He doesn't know that there is one person who doesn't like it. He told me that a colleague found it helpful for menopausal patients.

On the other hand, Winter said that its slight buzzing may make some people feel uneasy-I have seen some comments expressing the same complaint, and they like to sleep in a quiet room. And, of course, Winter mentioned that high cost is a big negative effect. But at least ChiliPad is cheaper than most "cooling" mattresses. If you want to try it without promises, please make sure to carefully follow the specific conditions of its 30-day free sleep trial so that you can return the ChiliPad easily.

Despite our success on ChiliPad, there are two members of our family who don't want to have anything to do with it-our cat. They had always liked Carter's body temperature, but were puzzled by the mysterious cold surrounding him now. From the first night we set up the system, they started to embrace me, so I think ChiliPad is a win-win situation.

This is Wirecutter's chill week! Read more about how to cool down and make the most of summer.

Joshua Lyon is the editor of Wirecutter's emergency preparedness and home improvement topics. He has written and edited for numerous media including Country Living, Modern Farmer, New York Times, V and VMAN, Marie Claire, Jane and Food Network Magazine. He is also a writer and ghostwriter nominated for the Lambda Literary Award. Learn more on jklyon.com.

We compared dozens of cribs, mattresses and monitors, and talked with doctors Harvey Karp and Bill Sears to find the best option for a good night’s sleep.

The following are tools to encourage good sleep hygiene, from staying hydrated to limiting time spent online at night.

Our sleep and travel editors recommend equipment to deal with insomnia caused by travel, which have been tested for hours and reviewed by years of personal experience.

All the sleep headsets we tested were inadequate to some extent, but we still made three suggestions for different uses and budgets.

You can also send us a note.

© 2021 The New York Times Company Wirecutter, Inc.