In Reflections on a Year with HomeKit (December 17, 2021), I wrote about using an electric heated mattress pad with a Meross Smart Wi-Fi Plug mini smart socket as part of our bedtime scene, which provides the appropriate nighttime lighting. The mattress pad warms the bed for about 20 minutes while Tonya and I brush our teeth and get ready for bed. We appreciate this little piece of home automation every night when the outside temperature drops.
Unfortunately, the Beautyrest Black Dual Zone Heated Mattress Topper I purchased in 2021 became a Single Zone Heated Mattress Topper a month ago after one side failed. When replacing the controllers and connectors, it was discovered that the break was inside the mattress topper itself, meaning no repair was possible. The issue only affected Tonya's side, so I didn't notice it until she asked about it. I then rotated the mattress topper 180 degrees so that it could be on the warm side. (Who says chivalry is dead?) Plus, slipping into a cold bed every night gave me incentive to replace the mattress topper.
Annoyingly, I couldn't find the warranty information where I usually put such things, and since there was no guarantee of getting a replacement quickly that way anyway, I decided to look for a new one.
Even a few months later, the model I purchased in 2021 wasn't immediately available and I was a bit dissatisfied with Beautyrest because it seemed to be failing early. However, in my research, I couldn't determine whether heated mattress pads from another manufacturer would work with a smart plug. The problem is that turning it on using the power supply – rather than using the built-in controls – may not work or could prevent operation with saved temperature settings.
This time I found out that Beautyrest makes a line of heated mattress toppers that cost between $60 and $130. The key is that all of Beautyrest's mattress toppers say they are “compatible with automatic timers and smart home plugs.” I ended up ordering the Beautyrest Cotton Deep Pocket Heated Mattress Topper on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond; Amazon also carries Beautyrest products, so you can see which one has a better deal.
The new mattress topper looks and functions almost exactly like our previous model, although the controllers offer a customizable shut-off timer, which I set to 1 hour. This was attractive because Siri would occasionally misinterpret a HomeKit command during the day as an instruction to turn on the mattress pad, causing the bed to become far too warm to be comfortable before bed. After this happened a few times, I set up a HomeKit automation that loudly plays Glenn Frey's “The Heat Is On” on our HomePods when the mattress pad turns on at inappropriate times of day. This is a potentially useful way to alert yourself to a device that is activating unexpectedly.
At the end, our bed is automatically warmed up again, which represents a significant improvement in the quality of life. If you're looking for a low-profile way to experiment with HomeKit, a smart plug and heated mattress pad might be a good place to start. Be sure to keep your warranty information and proof of purchase – the new mattress topper comes with a 5-year warranty – in case Beautyrest's workmanship does not meet the warranty promises.