The ChiliSleep OOLER Sleep System is a water-based bed climate control system that cools or warms the surface of your bed to provide year round comfort.
The system consists of the main OOLER control unit that pumps heated or cooled water through tiny tubes in the Chilipad cool mesh pad. The pad goes on top of your mattress and then you put a fitted sheet over it.
We tested the ChiliSleep OOLER sleep system in our home for two weeks and found it is an excellent choice for hot sleepers and people who experience night sweats. The water-cooled & heated mattress pad does an outstanding job of precisely maintaining the set temperature all night long, and the unit is surprisingly quiet.
Keep reading for our full review of the Chilipad OOLER system.
Note: If OOLER is not what you are looking for, check out our reviews of other bed cooling systems.
How Does the ChiliSleep OOLER Work?
The OOLER control unit contains a reservoir where you add water. The control unit cools or warms this water and then pumps it to the mattress pad on your bed.
The ChiliPad mesh pad contains thin tubing that carries this water and spreads it throughout the pad. Depending on your temperature settings, the water will either warm you or absorb excess body heat to cool you.
You can adjust temperature via the OOLER app. You’ll need to first connect your phone to the control unit via Bluetooth to use the app.
Note that the OOLER sleep system will not always achieve the temperature you set. How cool the Chilipad gets depends on ambient air temperature and humidity.
The warmer the bedroom is, the harder it’ll be for OOLER to keep you cool. ChiliSleep says the OOLER system can cool you up to 15 degrees lower than the ambient temperature in the room.
That’s why OOLER and other bed climate control systems in general are not replacements for air conditioning.
Keeping your AC on allows the OOLER sleep system to work at its best. But you can set the thermostat a few degrees higher than usual to save energy.
Who Should Buy The ChiliSleep OOLER Sleep System?
The OOLER sleep system is best for:
- Anyone who sleeps uncomfortably hot, or lives in a warm climate. You can use OOLER to keep your bed cool, regardless of the weather outside.
- Anyone who sleeps cold or lives in a cold climate. You can set OOLER to keep the bed warm and cozy.
- Anyone who experiences night sweats or hot flashes. By setting a cool temperature on your OOLER system, you can keep your body from getting too hot, which also reduces sweating. OOLER is especially beneficial for menopausal women.
- Anyone who has tried passive bed cooling systems like a cooling mattress pad or topper without much success. OOLER is an active cooling system and is much more effective than a foam or latex cooling topper.
Best Features Of The OOLER Sleep System
1. Efficient Cooling & Heating
Because of water’s thermal properties, hydrocooling as opposed to air-based cooling used in the BedJet is more efficient. This is because water absorbs far more heat than air.
For extra-hot sleepers and those with hot flashes, the ChiliSleep OOLER system will keep you cooler compared to BedJet or a bed fan.
Another advantage of using water is that it can get much cooler compared to room temperature. So even when the room is fairly warm, OOLER keeps you cool.
As for heating, the ChiliSleep OOLER warms you easily and quickly.
Tip: To improve the efficiency and performance of the OOLER system, keep the Chilipad covered with a blanket or duvet. This cools or warms the bed faster and helps maintain a consistent bed temperature.
2. Easy Temperature & Fan Control
The OOLER sleep system doesn't come with a remote control (which, as we explain a bit later on, is a bad idea). Instead, you download an app and connect your phone to the control unit.
With the app, you can set temperature anywhere between 55 and 115 degrees. As we mentioned, you typically won’t achieve the lowest temperature.
With your home thermostat at between 60 and 70 degrees, OOLER stays at around 58-62 degrees, which is cool enough for most people.
You can also adjust fan speed. Options are silent, normal and boost. The higher the speed, the faster the system cools you and the cooler it can get. But if you prefer a quieter sleeping environment, select the lowest speed.
We found during our testing that the ‘normal’ setting provided the best balance between noise and performance.
3. Custom Scheduling & Warm Awake
Using the app you can set your sleep time and wake time with preferred temperatures for each.
You can also plan temperature changes at specific times of the night. This is handy if you tend to get colder as the night progresses. You can schedule OOLER to bump up the temperature.
As you customize your schedule, you’ll see an option for turning on warm awake. This works like a silent alarm. OOLER will gradually increase the temperature as your wake up time approaches, helping you wake up gently and refreshed.
4. Comfortable Mattress Pad
Some people may have qualms about having a mattress pad with tubes underneath them.
Worry not – the Chilipad cool mesh pad doesn't change the feel of your mattress.
The tubes are thin and cushioned by a polyester layer, so you won’t feel them. The pad also doesn't make your mattress feel any softer or firmer than it was.
By the way, the mattress pad is machine washable so it’s easy to keep it clean and hygienic. Just make sure you follow the cleaning and drying instructions in the user manual.
5. Split Option For Couples
The ChiliSleep OOLER sleep system is available in a one- or two-person configuration.
The one-person option includes a single control unit and a half Queen, half King or half Cal King Chilipad.
If you opt for the two-person configuration, you’ll receive two control units and a split Queen, King, or Cal King Chilipad. Each control unit connects to one half of the pad.
The split option allows couples to control temperature, fan speed, and scheduling for their side of the bed.
Issues & Limitations Of The OOLER Sleep System
Price
While active cooling systems like OOLER and BedJet work a lot better than mattress pads and toppers, they can be expensive.
A Queen size OOLER system is the same price as a quality memory foam or hybrid mattress, for example.
If you are on a tight budget, consider exploring cheaper options such as a cooling pad or topper. You can also try a bed fan.
If you do want an OOLER, ChiliSleep offers the option of financing your purchase through Affirm or Splitit. Visit the official ChiliSleep website to pre-qualify.
Cooling Limitations
The ChiliSleep OOLER sleep system does not use air conditioner-style compressor cooling, it uses forced air cooling.
So the lowest temperature is limited by your ambient room temperature and humidity.
That said, this is not an issue for most people since most homes don't get too hot. We found that as long as the room temperature is in the mid-70s, the OOLER system worked just fine.
Noise Level
If you want to get ChiliSleep OOLER as an alternative to BedJet because you think it’ll be quieter, sorry to burst your expectations.
The OOLER control unit relies on a fan to cool the water. And because the control unit is located right beside the bed, you’ll probably hear the fan.
It can be pretty loud when on the highest setting. The two slower settings are quieter, though they reduce cooling performance.
The trick is to pre-cool the bed by setting the lowest temperature and the highest fan speed. Once you get into bed, turn down the fan to make it quieter.
No Remote Control
If you prefer leaving gadgets out of the bedroom, that’s not an option with ChiliSleep OOLER. It doesn't come with a remote control. You have to use the app.
And since it connects to the system via Bluetooth, you have to have your phone in bed to adjust various settings.
Where To Buy
The best place to purchase the Ooler is on ChiliSleep's main site, where you will get their latest offer – you can also buy it on Amazon.com (if they are out of stock).
ChiliSleep OOLER vs. ChiliSleep Cube
ChiliSleep sells two main sleep systems, the OOLER and the slightly less expensive Cube.
Both consist of the main control unit connected to a Chilipad mattress pad. They also use water to cool and warm the bed.
The temperature range is similar in the OOLER and Cube systems – 55F to 115F.
Price-wise, OOLER is the more expensive option. So if you are on a budget, consider the Cube system. It cools and warms the bed just as well as OOLER.
Another big difference between the two is control and features. The OOLER system doesn't come with a remote control. The only way to control it is via an app.
On the upside, the app provides more features including custom scheduling, fan control, and warm awake.
The ChiliSleep Cube system uses a traditional remote control that has just three buttons for up, down and power. There are no additional features.
If you like the idea of custom sleep temperature schedules and a silent alarm, go with ChiliSleep OOLER.
If you just want a system that cools or warms you, ChiliSleep Cube does that well. It’s also the best choice if you are on a budget or prefer not to go to bed with your smartphone.
ChiliSleep OOLER vs. BedJet 3
BedJet is very different from OOLER in that it uses air instead of water to cool and warm the bed.
There’s a main unit that goes under or beside your bed. It heats or cools the air. A fan then forces the air through a hose and under your sheets.
The cooled or warmed air blows directly on you.
Cooling & Heating
One of the biggest advantages of BedJet’s air system is how instant it is. With water, you have to wait awhile for the bed to get cool or warm.
With BedJet, you feel the difference as soon as you adjust the temperature. This is handy if you want rapid cooling or heating.
BedJet is also great for night sweats. Cool air blowing directly over you dries sweat and cools you faster compared to water in tubes.
BedJet falls slightly behind ChiliSleep OOLER when it comes to overall cooling performance and efficiency.
BedJet has a smaller temperature range – 66 to 104F – compared to the 55-115F range of ChiliSleep OOLER.
BedJet’s performance is also affected more by ambient room temperature and humidity.
Remote Control & Features
When it comes to temperature control and other features, BedJet 3 and ChiliSleep OOLER have plenty of similarities. They both offer customized sleep schedules, fan speed control, a Bluetooth app, and a silent alarm.
We love BedJet’s remote control. It has all the features available in the app (including a display), so you don't need to use your smartphone, if you don't want to.
In contrast, OOLER doesn't offer a dedicated remote control – only an app.
Price
As for price, ChiliSleep OOLER is the pricier system. But both BedJet and OOLER are expensive compared to a basic cooling mattress topper or pad. This is especially the case if you want the split options for couples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ChiliSleep OOLER leak?
There have been a number of complaints regarding OOLER leaking. This can happen at multiple points including the pad, the control unit, or tube connections.
That said, it appears that only a minority of customers are experiencing this issue. Most are able to get help from ChiliSleep – either they get new parts or the company repairs the problematic components.
How long does the ChiliSleep OOLER take to cool?
It depends on the ambient temperature. But generally, it takes 10-20 minutes to achieve the set temperature.
Is OOLER loud?
OOLER is a bit loud when you’ve set fan speed to the highest level. But the lowest and middle settings are quiet enough for most people to sleep comfortably.
Can you feel the tubes in OOLER?
The tubes in the OOLER Chilipad are thin and are covered by polyester padding. Most people say they do not feel the tubes at all.
Is ChiliSleep OOLER worth it?
It depends on how badly you are sleeping right now. If you only get mildly hot or cold at night, try cheaper solutions such as a cooling pad or a warmer duvet. You can also try a bedside heater or a bed fan.
But if you get really hot at night or have serious night sweats, then the ChiliSleep OOLER is definitely worth it.
As a degreed engineer, I love new technology as much as you do (perhaps more). I also understand how to sort the best products from the rest. My team and I spend dozens of hours each week reviewing the best & latest products for your bedroom. Many are tested in-house, and others we break down based on our technical understanding. Whether you need a bed-cooling system, an adjustable bed, or a new CPAP machine – we've got you covered.