At this time of year, those of us living in the northern reaches of the planet once again struggle with a recurring First World problem – getting into a bed that has cold sheets. People located farther south, meanwhile, are faced with the opposite situation – getting too hot in bed. The Bedjet is designed to address both problems, while also allowing users to run their furnaces or air conditioners at lower settings overnight.
Created by ex-NASA spacesuit engineer Mark Aramli, the device consists of a main heater/blower unit that sits on the floor at the foot of the bed, along with a flexible hose that delivers either heated or room-temperature air between the sheets. A receptacle inserted under the mattress holds the hose in place, while a flattened angled nozzle directs the air stream.
For warming up cold beds, the idea is that users will run the device for three to five minutes on the Heat setting before getting in. That should raise the temperature in the bed by 30ºF over room temperature, at which point the Bedjet will automatically turn itself off. Users then maintain the coziness via their own body heat. In cases where it's too hot under the sheets, the Bedjet can be left running in the Cool setting throughout the night.
Users control the device using either an included RF remote, or a dedicated app on their smartphone.
An electric blanket is certainly one alternative for warding off the chills, although Aramli states that his 1,500-watt device delivers heat much quicker and more evenly, plus it doesn't incorporate a network of heating wires that could get broken. When it comes to cooling, on the other hand, potential buyers might also want to check out the similar Bed Fan.
Mark is currently raising production funds for the Bedjet, on Kickstarter. A pledge of US$249 will get you one, when and if they're ready to go. The estimated retail price is $399.
More information is available in the pitch video below.
Sources: Bedjet, Kickstarter
