There are 100 firmness levels to choose from with the Balance Pro, and it also features the softest memory foam top layer of all its mattress offerings. I ended up leaning toward firmer levels to offset this softness, landing at 60, while my husband opted for 80. It took about a week to fine-tune our preferences and establish a baseline, as the Bryte app outlined during installation.
Another marquee feature of smart mattresses, aside from customizable firmness, is compatibility with adjustable bases. Adjustable bases enable a smart mattress head and foot to move to different positions, whether to help with snoring or to kick your feet up. We tried the Balance Pro on an adjustable base and ultimately decided against it, which was not the case with other smart mattresses I’ve tested.
We found that the Bryte Balancers were so rigid that we didn’t want to risk material breakdown from simply wanting the head and foot of the mattress to move up and down. I reached out to Bryte’s team to cross-confirm whether it was indeed adjustable-base-friendly, and they said it was. But given how pricey the bed is and how the initial attempt went, I’m breaking out in a sweat about trying again. Bryte’s team also let me know that it works great with a traditional flat-bed frame, and I am here to tell you: Please go this route instead. Maybe even grab a Thuma Classic Bed frame to create an all-out hotel aesthetic at home.
As time went on, though, I actually didn’t mind that we were technically missing out on this typical smart bed feature. The Bryte Balance Pro can adjust its firmness across various zones, and I could detect the change seamlessly when I made an adjustment. I’m not sure I’d be able to make that same discernment if I had an adjustable frame propped up into zero-gravity and other angles.
Do the Wave
I’ve never been one for massage settings, which usually come with smart mattresses. Technically, this feature is achieved through tricked-out adjustable bases rather than the mattress itself. To me, they usually feel like I’m trying to reenact a small earthquake as opposed to winding down. Not to mention, the vibration generated by this setting isn’t exactly quiet.
ScreenshotBryte App via Julia Forbes
All Bryte mattresses, including the Balance Pro, offer a library of settings focused on meditation, falling asleep, waking up, and even light massage. It’s not as extensive as the Calm app, but its effectiveness and integration into the bed’s design impressed me. Each zone of the bed’s Bryte Balancers is activated to mimic waves, which Bryte calls “BryteWaves” that gently roll down the body, head to toe, like a gentle ocean wave. Playing around with the settings, you can add audio to guide you through meditative breathwork and nature soundscapes, such as thunderstorms and acoustic music, to accompany this soft rolling. My favorites, ironically, ended up being two massage settings: “Rhythmic Wave” and “Back Release,” in which the Bryte Balancers would gently press under my shoulder blades before working their way down to my lower back. It’s not a full-body massage by any means, but it quickly became my preferred way to fall asleep.
The Bryte Balancers also have a “Silent Wake” setting that gently rolls you awake without the need for an alarm clock. However, this was a hit-or-miss setting for us. Some days I would notice it, but others I was already awake and moving before the time I had programmed it to begin. For deep sleepers, like my husband, they likely won’t notice it at all.
