It’s well documented that our sleep needs change as we age, but as someone going through perimenopause, I’ve been surprised by just how much that can be the case. Between bouts of hormone-induced insomnia and waking up – when I finally do fall asleep – drenched in night sweats, finding the right pillow can feel like an impossible mission.

So I didn’t need to be asked twice when The Fine Bedding Company invited me to test the HoneyFoam™ Adjustable Pillow and see how it performs. Is it one of the best pillows money can buy, or a gimmick? Read on to find out whether removable memory foam clusters hold the key to a better night’s sleep when getting some shut-eye suddenly feels much harder than it once did.

HoneyFoam™ Adjustable Pillow – at a glance

• Type: Customisable pillow filled with removable memory foam pieces
• Best for: Side, back, front and combination sleepers
• Firmness: Dependent on filling level
• Cooling: No, but the filling is more breathable than solid foam
• Eco features: Biomass Balance foam, recycled cover, renewable energy factory
• Washable: Yes (cover only)
• Trial / returns: 30 days (unused)

First impressions

The HoneyFoam™ Adjustable Pillow arrives in a distinctive honeycomb-shaped box, which sets the scene for the cleverly designed pillow you'll find inside. Once unboxed, you're greeted by a quilted outer cover which feels delightfully plush, with a smart honeycomb pattern, making this pillow seem like a luxury item from the get-go.

Inside, an inner pillow case holds countless little pieces of honeycomb-shaped memory foam that you can add or remove to achieve your perfect pillow thickness. A word of caution: they spill easily, much like packing peanuts, and gathering them all back up again is neither a quick nor easy task. That said, the effort pays off. The result is a pillow tailored precisely to your preferred level of comfort and support.

Composition

Instead of a single solid block of foam, the HoneyFoam™ pillow contains memory foam pieces made from Biomass Balance PU foam, using renewable raw materials and a system that replaces fossil-based materials with biomass alternatives. The removable outer cover is made from recycled polyester and is washable at 40°C, which is good news for both pillow hygiene and longevity.

Who would it suit?

The customisable filling makes this a remarkably versatile pillow that can be adjusted to suit side, back, front, or combination sleepers. This makes it ideal for anyone like me who changes position multiple times during the night or whose sleep patterns are in flux.

I’ve been fiercely loyal to a traditional memory foam pillow for the past 30 years, but since entering peri-menopause, I toss and turn more than ever before – and I’ve noticed that I often end up casting my pillow off my bed mid-sleep. But with the HoneyFoam™ Adjustable Pillow, I can easily shuffle the pillow filling around to suit me throughout the night, no matter which sleep position I'm in.

This pillow is also a good choice for anyone dealing with neck stiffness, shoulder tension, or other aches and pains that make getting a comfortable night’s sleep a challenge.

What is it like to sleep on?

Honest answer – sleeping on this pillow takes a little bit of getting used to. Adjusting the filling to my preferred level wasn't a one-and-done endeavour – I had to take more pieces out and pop some back a few times over until the pillow felt just right, as Goldilocks might say.

It does take patience (and a bit of trial and error) to get the amount of filling just right, but once you find your sweet spot, it’s worth the effort. I noticed that this felt supportive without being rigid or brick-like, which is a common criticism of other memory foam pillows made from a single, uncompromising block of foam.

I think there's something soothing about the way the foam pieces cluster around my head and neck rather than holding me in one fixed position. I also felt my spine was better aligned than with a standard memory foam pillow, particularly when sleeping on my side, and I found the pillow held its shape all night without needing any fluffing.

Is it cooling?

This isn't a cooling pillow, and memory foam isn't the coolest of materials to sleep on. That said, the cluster design – with gaps between the foam pieces – seems to allow air to circulate more freely, making this noticeably less sweat-inducing than many solid memory foam pillows I've tried. So, on balance, I think this is still a good choice if you like the supportiveness of a memory foam pillow but are experiencing nighttime overheating or temperature fluctuations.

However, if you specifically require a pillow with active cooling properties, the TheraPur® Memory Foam Ice Pillow is our pick of the best cooling pillows.)

What are the eco-credentials?

Impressive for a memory foam pillow – it's made in The Fine Bedding Company’s European eco-factory in Estonia, which runs on 100% renewable energy and operates with zero waste. The foam has a carbon footprint approximately 50% lower than standard foam, and it's made using 37% renewable materials, making it a compelling option for anyone keen to make more environmentally responsible purchases without compromising on comfort.

How does it compare?

Compared to traditional feather or down pillows, the HoneyFoam™ pillow offers much greater control over firmness and height. Adjustability is what sets this pillow apart – it's reasonably easy to fine-tune it to suit your exact preferences, which is helpful for anyone experiencing changes in comfort needs or sleeping patterns.

How we test

The procedure for how we test pillows is a rigorous one. I've slept on this pillow every night for the past eight weeks, adjusting the fill to try it in different sleeping positions and paying close attention to neck support, comfort over long nights, temperature control and ease of care. For this review. I also considered how simple it was to customise and how well it maintained its shape with regular use, as well as whether I'd consider it good value for money.

Should you buy it?

This isn’t a budget pillow, so most people will want some reassurance about whether it's an investment worth making before they buy. The best way I can't think to answer that is to tell you that I've had to go hunting around my house for this pillow on numerous occasions. Word of its wonders spread quickly in my house, and numerous family members have since taken a shine to it.

Is it right for you? If you like memory foam pillows and are drawn to the idea of a pillow you can truly customise, this will feel like money well spent. But I think the real value of this pillow lies in the fact that you can adjust the height and firmness over time as your sleep needs shift, making it a smart investment for anyone happy to fine-tune things to find their ideal sleeping setup. If you’re serious about improving your sleep – rather than simply looking to replace an old pillow – this one deserves a spot on your bed.

A tip - side sleepers will benefit from keeping more filling in for extra neck support, while back sleepers should remove a small amount to maintain neutral alignment. For front sleepers, try reducing the fill more significantly for a softer, lower-loft.

You might not have thought about investing in an actual silk pillow, because people still aren't talking about them as much as they are silk pillowcases. That's why I'm here to tell you that they deliver the luxury, hotel feel with facial-like results for your skin and hair. In short, they're a dream.

You'll have heard lots of good press around the best silk pillowcases and what they can do for your skin and hair, but I'm sure you won't have heard as much about their luxury sibling, the silk pillow. I hadn't either until I saw The Fine Bedding Company's Boutique Silk Pillow, but it has well and truly changed my life.

I'm a hot sleeper with curly (crazy) hair and combination skin, which makes finding the perfect cooling pillow a real challenge. However, after sleeping on a silk pillow, I think I've finally found my perfect pillow. And now I have to share it with you.

Who would the The Fine Bedding Company Silk Pillow suit?

The Fine Bedding Company's Boutique Silk Pillow markets itself as the "hotelier's choice" for its luxury feel and sumptuous loft. There's no escaping that this is a premium investment, but it's also practical too.

Silk is brilliant if you're focusing on your hair and skin health. Direct contact with silk can help to reduce friction and moisture loss, enhancing the beauty benefits more than a silk-blend pillow alone. That said, The Fine Bedding Company’s Boutique Silk Pillow has advanced Smartfil® technology and a soft cotton cover that still provides excellent breathability and comfort, ensuring a luxurious sleep experience even with a standard pillowcase.

The Fine Bedding Company says "many people associate silk with luxury but don’t realise its functional benefits. Silk helps to retain hydration, keeping skin and hair in better condition overnight. It’s also naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, making it a fantastic option for allergy sufferers."

What's also special about The Fine Bedding Company’s Boutique Silk Pillow is that they've used silk and Smartfil® fibres, so it keeps its shape and support, which most silk pillows don't manage.

Unboxing the The Fine Bedding Company Silk Pillow

The Fine Bedding Company’s Boutique Silk Pillow comes in a neat storage bag. It's part-material, part-plastic, making it perfect for storing your old pillow or some bedding in. It's certainly not designed to be thrown away as some single-use packaging, which I think is important in this day and age.

When you pull it out of the bag, you'll see that the pillow outside is covered in classic, wide stripes. It looks like a really premium silk pillow - and it is.

Composition of the The Fine Bedding Company Silk Pillow

There are a few different aspects that make up The Fine Bedding Company’s Boutique Silk Pillow. The subtly striped cover is crafted from 100% cotton, which is great if you want a natural fibre that'll be moisture wicking and naturally cooling too. If you want to reap the rewards of silk, I'd recommend that you invest in a silk pillowcase to go on the outside of your pillow, but that's something to tackle later down the line.

The inside of the pillow is filled with silk and Smartfil® fibres, which delivers on the naturally cooling, hypoallergenic characteristics of silk. Thanks to The Fine Bedding's special blend, this holds its shape and support really well, especially in comparison to standard silk pillows.

What was the The Fine Bedding Company Silk Pillow like to sleep on?

I've mentioned already that I am a hot sleeper, with sensitive skin, and frizzy hair, so you can only begin to imagine how hopeful I was when I found the Fine Bedding Company’s Boutique Silk Pillow. I've been sleeping on it for a couple of weeks, alternating between using a cotton pillowcase and a silk pillowcase.

The first thing I noticed was just how soft this was to lie my head on. The pillow itself is really lofty and plump, but you get that wonderful, hotel-style sink-in feeling when lying on it.

I switch between lots of different positions when I sleep, but I found that I was more often on my back or side (instead of my front) with this one, just because it's more comfortable. I naturally do sleep more on my front, but that's not particularly healthy, so I was grateful for the prompt to change my sleeping pillow.

Throughout the night I can get quite hot, but I found that I was only waking up once or twice and I wasn't as unbearably hot as I sometimes can be. I expected a pillow that soft and lofty to be a bit clammy and insulating, but the silk and cotton cover did a wonderful, natural job at making sure I could get back to sleep when I woke up.

From a skin and hair perspective, I found better results when I used my silk pillowcase over my cotton one, but that's no surprise. Generally, my hair was a lot smoother (and less frizzed up and bed-heady) in the mornings and my skin actually wasn't as dry as it can be. So, if I can go off a few weeks of sleeping, this delivers on its promises.

To pressure test the cooling technology, I handed this over to my mum, who suffers from night sweats. She is the one who gave me my curly (I call it frizzy) hair and so I thought she would be a great person to test it. After her first night of sleeping on the pillow, she called me and the first thing she said was "did you say it's a pillow that luxury hotels use?" I wasn't sure which direction our conversation was going in, so I dragged out a hesitatnt "ye-es". Apparently she already knew that it was because her sleep was such a treat. I got a long string of sentences about how soft and comfy the pillow was. And, whilst it wasn't the most cooling pillow I've handed her, she said it still did some work towards keeping her skin feeling more refreshed when she woke up.

How does the The Fine Bedding Company Silk Pillow compare?

If you're on the hunt for a pillow that'll look after your hair, skin, and night sweats, this is the only one I've found that ticks all of the boxes (without you having to buy a silk pillowcase too). It's a luxury investment, but it also delivers on hotel-quality sleep, which I didn't think was something that you could buy until I came across the Fine Bedding Company.

On the other hand, if you already have a silk pillowcase to look after your hair and skin, you might find a cooler night's sleep on the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. This is another luxury buy, but it has both mine and my mother's approval as the most effective pillow at helping you to regulate temperature through the night. It'll help you to get cool and then keep you there.

Should you buy the The Fine Bedding Company Silk Pillow?

If you want a pillow that covers your skincare, haircare, and cooling sleep needs, The Fine Bedding Company's is perfect. It delivers on the luxury hotel sleep experience and then some. In my opinion, it's worth the splurge.

How we test

At woman&home, we have a rigorous process for how we test pillows. I make notes on everything from what the packaging, storage, and cleaning of your pillow is like right through to the loft, feel, and whether it's cooling to sleep on. Every body and sleep style is different, which is why I hand the pillow around to lots of different testers so that I can make sure we're giving you a good idea of what the pillow is like to sleep on.

If you want to find out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test pillows.

If you want an icy cold pillow under your head at night, look no further than the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow. It does exactly what it says in the name — and then some.

Some of the best cooling pillows are subtle: you don’t realise that they’ve regulated your temperature until you wake up with fresh-feeling skin. Other cooling pillows take a different tact, feeling cool, or even cold, when you press a hand against them. And that's exactly what the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow does. You can throw away your bowl of ice.

It's been a whole year since I declared this the woman&home winning pillow for night sweats and hot flushes. We've tested over 50 different pillows since, from copper and silver threaded pillows to natural latex alternatives and none (I repeat none) have delivered just an instantly cool touch like this pillow. I’ve passed it round hot sleepers and women who have night sweats and we all agree. This is one special pillow.

Who would the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow suit?

The beauty of the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow is that it's actually really versatile. The pillow itself feels medium-firm, which is great if you're a back or side sleeper. However, if you have a pillow fill that you already know and love, you can unzip the cooling outside pillow case and wrap it around your preferred pillow. It's really clever.

It's also one of the best pillows for giving that instantly cool feeling. As soon as your head hits the pillow, you'll feel the cooling effects of the Silentnight. And, whilst it won't stay cool all night long, when you do find a cool patch, it'll be more extreme than any other pillow you've slept on.

There are, of course, other neat benefits, including the hypoallergenic fill and reasonable price tag, but this is really tailored to hot, back and side sleepers.

Unboxing the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow

The Silentnight comes in a useful storage bag. It’s crafted from thick plastic and polyester, so it’s robust enough to hold onto as a storage bag for old pillows or sheets. You’ll see some simple care instructions and information printed on the Silentnight bag, so it’s packaging that does everything in one. I like it.

There's nothing else that you need to do to get this ready for bed. It comes plump, cool, and ready for a good night's sleep.

Composition of the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow

The Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow has a few different elements that combine to make this the perfect cooling pillow for hot sleepers. Front, centre, and right under your head, you’ve got the gel pad. This is almost like bubble wrap across the whole top surface. It feels generally cool to touch, but with a deeper, more intense patch of coolness in the middle. The other side of the pillow is polyester, which just makes a neat, low maintenance case.

I wouldn’t recommend flipping the pillow and sleeping on this side, because polyester is actually really insulating. I imagine Silentnight have it there as a way to bring down the price of the pillow, whilst ensuing its hypoallergenic too.

Then, inside you’ll get a standard pillow filling. I’ve been using this for two weeks and have had to swap it out for one of my thinner pillows, transforming this into more of a pillow cover than a pillow. It was too lofty for me, as a side and back sleeper. I’ve read reviews that this flattens over time, which can be perceived as good or bad, depending on your sleep position. Overall, I think it’s good to hang on to your old pillow just in case you want to re-stuff it.

What was the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow like to sleep on?

I’m a sensitive sleeper, which is a blessing for testing, but also a curse for me when I change up my regimented sleep routine. The first night that I used the Silentnight Cool Touch pillow I loved how instantly cooling it was around my face. However, as a side and front sleeper the medium firm, and slightly solid gel underneath me, became a bit too supportive and resistant to keep me comfortable.

The next night, I removed the insert and placed my thin pillow inside the case, which did a lot of work to remedy my discomfort. With the new case on my trusty old pillows I had the perfect balance of cooling gel and my personal support. If you like a lofty pillow, you’ll be able to embrace the full thickness of the Silentnight Cool Touch. If not, you can treat this like a clever cooling case. It’s what I’ve ended up doing.

In fact, in the year since testing it, I've taken the case with me on holiday. It served me well in the South of France, kept me icy cool in Italy, and even came on long weekends during heat waves last year. It's certainly stood the test of time and worked hard to earn its place in my suitcase.

Is the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow cooling?

The gel outer case is immediately cooling, which is great if your head often feels hot as soon as it hits the pillow. This is what I’m like and it’s often the reason that I struggle to sleep, so the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow worked its magic from my perspective.

My mum, who suffers from night sweats, is the opposite to me. She can drift off feeling an easy, breezy temperature and she will wake up hot and sweaty. She found shifting her head on the gel pillow helped her to find a new, more extreme patch of coolness, which was helpful, but she still had to go through the pillow-flipping-face-shifting rigmarole. “It’s much better than my current pillow,” she says, “but in an ideal world, my pillow would stay cool underneath me anyway. I loved getting a blast of the gel coolness through and I definitely wouldn’t say no to another night on here.”

In the interests of real life testing and total transparency, mum and I ended up stealing this from each other so frequently, we bought a second one a few months after testing this. Whilst we were both enjoying icy slumbers, we recommended it to some other hot sleepers, including my brother, who lives in the French Riviera. The nights get even hotter over there and he's also a hot sleeper (it must be a genetic thing). When he tested mine on a visit to the UK, he placed a next-day delivery order so he could take a case back to France with him. If my family is anything to go by, you've got some solid evidence that the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow is everything that it promises to be - and more.

How does the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow compare?

As far as cooling gel pillows go, this is one of my favourites. Most brands use a full gel pillow, which can be very dense and firm. A zippable cover means that you can enjoy the feel of a typical pillow, but with the added benefit of some cooling gel. If you don’t mind a little extra density and firmness, the Luff Gel Pillow is a seriously thick piece of kit. It’ll keep you cool, but only buy it if you know you really want a gel pillow: it’s expensive and I cannot stress the density enough.

I've tried a Silentnight variation on the gel pillow, which is their copper pillow. It works a lot like the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow: the case does all the hard work. Here, it's the copper fibres that are supposed to keep you cool, as well as offering benefits for skin firmness and health. I do love the copper pillow, but definitely found the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow to have more of an icy blast behind it.

This is an important place to point out that you don’t have to have a gel pillow to keep cool. My coolest night of sleep (and the favourite amongst women suffering from night sweats) continues to be the Woolroom Deluxe Wool Pillow. You can adjust the filling inside to make it the perfect height for you, a feature that the Silentnight really missed, and it naturally regulates your temperature overnight, so you’ll spend a lot less time in the early hours trying to find a cold patch on your pillow.

Should you buy the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow?

If you want a pillow that has an instantly icy feel, the Silentnight Cool Touch Pillow is perfect. It's amazing for a cool blast and you can pick it up at a really reasonable price. However, if your night sweats are more slow and steady, you might want to opt for a wool pillow instead.

How we test

At woman&home, we have a rigorous process for how we test pillows. I make notes on everything from what the packaging, storage, and cleaning of your pillow is like right through to the loft, feel, and whether it's cooling to sleep on. Every body and sleep style is different, which is why I hand the pillow around to lots of different testers so that I can make sure we're giving you a good idea of what the pillow is like to sleep on.

If you want to find out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test pillows.

The Cloudpillo is the new kid on the block in the world of pillows but this customisable, ergonomically-designed pillow filled with offcuts of shredded memory foam is already a best-seller in the Netherlands - which is home to the world's best sleepers. More than a million Cloudpillos have been sold since the company's launch in 2021.

If you’re searching for the best cooling pillows, it’s probably safe to assume that you, like me, are familiar with the torture of getting hot and bothered at night. I'll be 49 on my next birthday, so my sweaty state is officially due to perimenopause. But whether night sweats are caused by a health condition or just overheating easily makes little difference - the mere mention of a cooling pillow is like a soothing balm to us sleepless souls who just can't seem to keep our cool at night.

However, like many menopausal women, my first reaction to hearing of a product that could help with hot flushes is usually a raised eyebrow and a deep sense of scepticism. We're bombarded with everything from bras to sleepwear that promise to reduce body temperature and improve sleep, but there's little evidence to support such claims. What's more, products with cooling properties often come at a higher price point, and nobody wants to pay more for something that doesn't live up to expectations.

I've been a shopping editor for more than a decade so I'm not easily taken in by hype, and with a 5 am wakeful period that frequently requires a fresh set of pyjamas and a cold drink, I jumped (sleepily) at the chance to put the Cloudpillo to the test. Is this dual-sided cooling pillow yet another gimmick marketed at desperate, knackered women like me, or did it bring relief to my early morning meltdowns? The answer might surprise you...

Cloudpillo Original review

Specifications

RRP: £69.95

Size: 74 x 48 cm (fits a standard pillowcase)

Sleep position: Back, side or stomach (but I'm a front sleeper and loved it)

Filling: Memory foam

Firmness: Customisable

Trial: 100 nights

Guarantee: 2 years

First impressions

The Cloudpillo Memory Foam pillow is full of surprises, and the first is how it arrives. I was expecting a pillow-shaped package, but instead, I took delivery of a long, rectangular box. The pillow was inside, tightly rolled in a vacuum-sealed package. Once I’d prised it from its confines, it sprang into more of a pillow shape, but it was still a long way from soft or fluffy.

On closer inspection, I learned that I needed to unzip the inner case and remove handfuls of the shredded memory foam to create a pillow with my preferred level of plushness. However, this is not an exact science, and I found it hard to know how much filling to remove at first. (I've since discovered that the Cloudpillo adjustment guide, which is a handy way to determine how much filling to remove, based on whether you're a front, back or side sleeper and whether you prefer a soft or firm pillow.)

One drawback - you have to store the spare filling somewhere. Cloudpillo recommend keeping it in the box that the pillow was packaged in, but it's a fairly sizeable box, so it’s currently taking up precious space in my tiny wardrobe. I wish the Cloudpillo came with a fabric storage pouch or something more compact to pop the spare filling in.

My first attempt at removing the filling wasn’t a great success. I didn't take enough out, so the pillow felt overstuffed. I tried to coax family members into testing it for me, but we all found ourselves put off by the thought of sleeping on such a bulky, rigid pillow. I even took it to bed with the best intentions for two nights in a row but woke up to find I had thrown it to the floor by morning. Eventually, I realised I should try removing more filling to create a less dense pillow. At last, after a bit of trial and error, my Cloudpillo finally had the perfect level of plush. Then everyone wanted to borrow it.

Composition

The CloudPillo Original Pillow is composed of a blend of materials - memory foam, which moulds to the shape of your head and neck to provide support, and microfiber, which gives it both its firmness and its plushness.

The Cloudpillo comes with a washable secondary outer cover with cooling fabric (made from polyethylene and recycled polyester) on one side. But to get the full benefit of the cooling fabric, it's best to use the Cloudpillo without an additional pillow cover. This means leaving the rather utilitarian cover exposed rather than popping the pillow in a pillowcase of your own. This, I feel, is a price worth paying for the benefits of the pillow's cooling properties at 5am, but it will put some people off, especially those who have curated a beautiful bedroom aesthetic.

Like many memory foam pillows, there is a bit of a smell to the Cloudpillo that takes a little time to wear off. It didn't put me off using the pillow altogether, but there's an initial chemical whiff that isn't the most relaxing fragrance. However, if such things bother you, I recommend using a pillow spray - I love L'Occitane's Relaxing Pillow Mist (£22.50, L'Occitane), which contains a blend of essential oils of lavender, bergamot, mandarin, sweet orange and geranium.

Who would it suit?

Memory foam is a bit like the Marmite of the pillow world. Some people love that it offers a personalised level of support, thanks to the way it moulds to the shape of your head, neck and shoulders, plus it's a good choice if you're looking for a pillow to reduce pain since it helps distribute weight evenly, reducing pressure. Others think memory foam pillows resemble rigid bricks or unforgiving blocks.

Broadly speaking, memory foam pillows are better suited to side and back sleepers because of the neck support and spinal alignment they provide, but less suited to front sleepers because the bulkiness can position the neck at an awkward angle.

That said, I've spent most of my life sleeping on my front (except during three pregnancies, which forced me into very uncomfortable back and side sleeping), and I found the CloudPillo Original Pillow to be easily one of the most comfortable pillows I've ever slept on. Its biggest selling point, to my mind, is the fact that you can choose how much filling to remove, which means you get the perfect memory foam filling to suit all your preferences, from which type of sleeper you are to how firm or soft your pillow is.

However, if cooling properties are your biggest priority when choosing a pillow, then the Dreams TheraPur Memory Foam Ice Pillow is the best of the best, according to Homes Ecommerce Editor Laura Honey, who tested most of the cooling pillows in our guide and found it "the perfect balance of support, comfort and cooling technology" because it offers "all the sink-in softness and contouring of an orthopaedic pillow without the heat of foam".

What is it like to sleep on?

Much to my dismay, it's fairly common for me to wake a couple of times at night, thanks to perimenopause. But while I was testing the Cloudpillo, my over-riding thought at those moments wasn't how hot I was or even how knackered I felt, but how astonishingly comfy my pillow was - genuinely. A pillow that helps take my mind off the misery of being awake when I don't want to be is one I'm hanging onto.

The Ice Silk cover is a nice extra touch. I don’t think it’ll soothe hormonal night sweats but I did notice that the cooling side helped me to feel calm and relaxed at bedtime. Much better than other pillows I’ve used which have me overheating before I’ve even settled down for the night.

I’m a dedicated front sleeper, as I've mentioned, and this was almost impossible to achieve comfortably when I still had too much filling in the pillow. But once I had worked out just how much filling to remove to suit me, I found it offered the perfect balance between comfort and support, even as a front sleeper.

The absolute best bit about this pillow, however, is how comfy it is to prop behind your back as you sit up in bed - ideally with a hot cup of fresh coffee before it’s time to get up. As a remote worker, I am always in a hurry in the morning to get to my desk by 8 am. But once I’d realised how comfy this pillow is to lean against while lingering in bed, I found myself considering working from my 'boffice' (bedroom office) for the rest of the day. Seriously, the Cloudpillo has helped me finally master the art of starting my day more slowly with a leisurely mindfulness practice or a spot of journalling before rushing headlong into the day. And if I ever have a planned stay overnight in hospital, I’ll definitely try sneaking the Cloudpillo in with me for added comfort.

Is it cooling?

This is tricky to answer because it depends a lot on your expectations when it comes to cooling pillows. On a very hot summer holiday when I was a kid, my mum popped a towel in the freezer and laid it on my pillow to help bring relief during the sweltering night, and I half expected cooling pillows to be something like that. They’re not.

Yes, the Cloudpillo Memory Foam pillow definitely counts as a cooling pillow, thanks to its dual-sided extra cover - the blue side is made of Ice Silk fabric, which feels like a cool cotton sheet, compared to the white side, which is more like a fluffy, cosy blanket. The idea is that you choose which side to sleep on or reverse the pillow according to your needs.

That said, the Cloudpillo isn’t going to rid you of night sweats - no pillow can. But being able to flip it over to the cool side was a genuine comfort when I woke in the night due to a hot flush. One of the toughest things about night sweats, for me, is that my worst overthinking tends to happen when I can’t sleep at night. This means that waking in a hot sweat is often accompanied by a rising sense of panic, but there was something truly soothing about the act of flipping my pillow over to the cooling side in that moment instead of tossing and turning.

What are the eco-credentials?

This isn't the most eco-friendly pillow you could buy - those tend to be ones made with recycled materials such as plastic bottles - but neither is it meant to be - its main feature is the cooling dual-sided cover.

Like many women of my age, I try hard to choose products with eco-credentials wherever possible, and memory foam doesn’t fit that category because of how difficult it is to dispose of. But I was glad to learn that Cloudpillo source the shredded memory foam for their pillows from mattress offcuts, so I guess by choosing a Cloudpillo you'll at least be saving some waste from going to landfill.

How does it compare?

The Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is another pillow with a removable filling that you can add and remove until you find the perfect firmness. The cover is naturally cooling too.

Should you buy it?

Is this the perfect pillow for you? It’s a resounding yes from me if you’re a fan of memory foam pillows. I love being able to adjust the stuffing, and can’t see myself ever settling for any other pillow after the joy of adjusting this one to suit my perfect level of plushness.

That said, not everyone is a fan of memory foam. That's with good reason, because it responds to your body temperature, so it can get a little hot. Our Homes Ecommerce Editor, Laura Honey, is our resident pillow expert, and she generally doesn’t recommend memory foam pillows for hot sleepers, unless you're willing to pay the price for the benefits that memory foam can bring to aching joints.

How we test

At woman&home how we test pillows is a robust but creative process. For this review, I've slept on the Cloudpillo every night since I took delivery of it almost 12 weeks ago. (And there's no chance of anyone else in the family getting their hands on it now, no matter how much they beg...) I thoroughly tested the cooling side every time I woke up due to a hot flush in the night, and I experimented with removing different levels of filling until the pillow had a Goldilocks standard of 'just rightness' for me. I've spent hours reading in bed, propped up on this pillow, and I've laundered the removable cover and can report that it washes well and dries quickly. In other words, I've subjected it to every kind of hands-on real-life testing I could think of, and my old pillow has now been officially relegated to the spare bedroom.

With a name like the 'Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow', you should know exactly what you're getting yourself in for: hotel-quality softness, natural materials, and a chemical-free experience. The Floks does all of that and at a reasonable price tag too. So, what's the catch?

My short answer is that there isn't one, which is why the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow has to make our shortlist of the best cooling pillows on the market. It was a dream to sleep on and rivals the likes of Woolroom and Putnams to no end.

So, if you want to find out more about what this is like to use as well as why wool is actually a very clever way to stay cool when you sleep, here are all the answers.

First impressions

As you might expect from the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow, this arrives packaged in all recyclable cardboard, with a canvas bag. The top zips across, with large handles that easily loop over the shoulder. It's so robust and simple, I'm almost tempted to swipe it to add to my 'shopping totes' collection, but I think the idea is that you'll keep it to store your old pillows or sheets in. This kind of packaging is what sets the Floks apart from cheaper brands that opt for plastic and non-recyclables.

Alongside the pillow, you'll get a cardboard leaflet that tells you a little more about your Floks bedding and how to care for it. I'll give you more detail on each aspect of the composition and care further down this review, but it's also nice to have laid out for you at the beginning. You can peruse it now if you have the zoom function to hand.

Composition

I'm afraid that there are no prizes up for grabs if you guess what the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow is stuffed with. The traceable British wool is perfect for people who need a hypoallergenic, temperature-regulating pillow as wool naturally ticks both of those boxes. You get to choose whether you want your pillow filled to a soft or medium firmness, unlike some other wool pillows which zip open to let you remove or add extra wool.

The case also plays an important role in keeping your pillow together and keeping you cool. The organic, unbleached cotton outside doesn't look crisp and white like some pillows, but that's because it's not been treated with chemicals. It only goes to reinforce the hypoallergenic, gentle, naturally cooling properties offered up by the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow.

Who would it suit?

There are two key demographics that I see the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow suiting and both have a large overlap. The first is those who are looking for sustainable, eco-conscious pillows to sleep on. Floks is a certified B-Corp that prioritises using all-natural materials, hence the traceable British wool and unbleached organic cotton. You won't get a pillow that scores higher for sustainability than this one. The lack of chemicals and unusual materials also makes it very naturally gentle on the skin, so if you have allergies or sensitive skin, these pillows are perfect.

As a result of all the extra-special, natural extras, the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow comes at a cost. If you're in the market for a luxury pillow and ready to invest in your rest, this won't be a problem, but savvy shoppers might need to look for alternatives (although you won't find a wool pillow with these credentials for any less money).

You have the option to choose a soft or medium pillow in regular, large, or square, which means that just about every sleep style and position is covered, except for front sleepers who will need very thin pillows or a wool pillow with adjustable filling (more on that later). As you can see though, this has a lot to offer.

What is it like to sleep on?

As a newly converted back sleeper, I opted for the softer pillow, because I still chop and change my position in the night and I wanted to keep spinal alignment in all positions. Generally, I'd recommend the average back sleeper goes for a medium firmness pillow, because the soft filling really delivered a sink-in feeling.

Each night, I felt my head cushioned in the pillow, which would normally make me feel very hot and uncomfortable, but the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow actually kept me pretty cool. After a whole month on this, it's been comfortable, cushioning, and supportive, helping to keep me in my routine of back sleeping.

I consider myself to be a hot sleeper at the best of times, so when I didn't have any issues come up with the pillow I wanted to check that I wasn't having a freak reaction. My mum suffers from night sweats badly, so I handed this to her for two weeks and she loved it. "I definitely felt cooler in the night, even when the weather was warming up and our heating got stuck on hot. Normally, my head is the first part of me to feel hot and that keeps me awake when I'm up, but this kept me at a normal temperature, so when I woke up in the night, I was more aware of the rest of my body being hot. That's a problem for another part of my bedding though, isn't it?" Luckily for her, I was also testing the Floks Wool Mattress Topper, so she got to use that too.

Is it good for the environment?

You'll have already guessed that this gets top marks for its sustainability, but I want to give you some more information, because Floks really goes above and beyond. Their traceable British Cheviot wool and organic cotton is top quality, 100% renewable, and it doesn't come with the same air miles that wool flown over from New Zealand might. On their site, you'll also see that Floks buys through the Traceable Wool Scheme, which means that farmers get a fair price for their wool and they're not forced into using synthetics, harmful chemicals, or anything else that could be harmful. There's no compromise on these biodegradable, recyclable, and naturally hypoallergenic pillows.

How does it compare?

I've mentioned a few other brands that make wool pillows, because they're seeing a bit of a boom at the moment. The Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow scores top marks for its sustainable credentials, but these are identical to that of Woolroom's Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. The key difference, is that Woolroom's pillow is almost always more expensive (unless you can find a discount). I can see why the Woolroom is more expensive: the case is removable and washable, which makes cleaning it a lot easier, and you can adjust the fill yourself. This means that you can buy one pillow and essentially customise it to suit your exact sleeping needs. The Floks is fixed, which is fine if you know exactly what you want, but it doesn't leave much wiggle room.

If you like the idea of a cooling, natural pillow, but wool sounds a bit too soft for you, I'd recommend having a look at this latex pillow. I didn't realise that latex could be 100% natural (made from freezing and heating tree bark), but it can be and it's almost as cooling as wool. Again, it's a little more expensive than your average polyester pillow, but it's incredibly good.

Should you buy it?

If you want an all-natural, gentle, sustainable, cooling pillow, the Floks Luxury British Wool Pillow will undoubtedly be money well spent. Whilst it's not customizable like some more expensive options, it naturally kept me well-supported, cool, and comfortable all night long.

How we test

Some might say that testing pillows is just an excuse to nap on the job, while others think it’s bringing work to bed. For me, it’s the perfect combination of both. As someone passionate about all things sleep, I love putting the latest innovations to the test—and the Levitex pillow certainly stands out.

Every pillow I review goes through a series of in-depth tests to assess comfort, support, and overall performance. I also do plenty of research to determine who it’s best suited for and whether it’s worth investing in. If you're curious about our testing process, check out our dedicated page on how we test pillows.

The Dreams TheraPur Memory Foam Ice Pillow offers all the sink-in softness and contouring of an orthopaedic pillow without the heat of foam. It's the perfect balance of support, comfort and cooling technology.

Any pillow that has the word 'ice' in the name sends shivers down my spine -- in a good way. When you're hot at night and feel like you're losing your mind, having ice for a pillow is what you'll dream of. Whilst the Therapur Memory Foam Ice Pillow isn't quite like having a cold shower, it is still one of the best cooling pillows on the market.

There's not one simple secret that lies behind this pillow, but rather lots of careful designs. Therapur has designed a layer of cooling ActiGel foam for pressure relief and temperature regulation, an ActiCool cover, and a responsive memory foam core. It's every ice queen's dream, especially mine.

First impressions

Most memory foam pillows have a smell when you first open them, but this didn't. I don't know if I was lucky, or whether Dreams have been careful, but I'm not complaining. The TheraPur® Memory Foam Ice Pillow comes in its own storage bag, which you can use for your old pillow, for storing your sheets, or for anything else. It would be a waste of energy and resources just to bin the bag.

Composition

I don't think that people look inside their pillows enough. There's a whole host of clever things going on behind that zip and it's important to know about them. The most important aspect of the TheraPur Memory Foam Ice Pillow is the memory foam core. Memory foam is the blanket name for all chemical foams that respond to your body's heat. It's hypoallergenic, cushioning, and great if you suffer from joint pain. However, it can make you feel quite hot when you're sleeping, which is why TheraPur have thought carefully about the other aspects of the Memory Foam Ice Pillow's composition.

The pillowcase is crafted from an ActiCool material. According to Dreams, this cover is designed to disperse heat using "an open cell structure to optimise breathability and touchable coolness as well as providing pressure sensitive support through the responsive layer of memory foam."

To enhance the cooling technology even further, there's also a cooling layer of ActiGel foam. I've tried to deep dive into what exactly this is and I can't say that I've had much success. All I know is that it feels cool to sleep on, which works for me.

Who would it suit?

There are a few factors that will easily help you to work out whether this is for you. First of all, the memory foam core. This spongy texture is designed for people suffering very specifically with back, neck, shoulder, and hip pain. Memoery foam responds to the heat of your body, softening around heavy points, cushioning and shaping to keep you in proper alignment. It's a favourite amongst those with joint pain (big win if that's you), but the cushioning does mean that these are naturally a lot hotter than your average pillow. Even with the cooling technology, I wouldn't recommend this unless you need memory foam.

In the context of memory foam pillows, this is pretty firm. It's not lofty with the firmness, don't worry about hurting your neck, but that does make it a better option for side sleepers over any other position. That goes hand in hand with the memory foam, but I always make sure to point it out just in case.

There are some other neat features to the TheraPur: it's hypoallergenic (great for sensitive sleepers), guaranteed for one year, and crafted with a cooling case. As far as memory foam pillows go, this is an icy luxury. You won't get any memory foam pillows as cooling as this (save for the Levitex), so if you're struggling with night sweats and joint pain, this isn't a bad place to start.

What is it like to sleep on?

I'll go into the cooling details in the next section, but would still like to give the ActiCool cover a special shout out. It feels cool to touch and kept my head feeling fresh and well-ventilated as I was reading in bed and then drifting off to sleep. Given that I'm judging this as a cooling pillow, that's a great start.

For a memory foam pillow, this is surprisingly firm. Generally, I felt it was supporting my head and shoulders really well. Other memory foam pillows can overdo it and end up tilting your head and shoulders too much: this struck the perfect balance.

I tested out different sleep positions each night on the pillow (I can chop and change between them) and found that the comfiest, by far, was sleeping on my side. This is an absolute no for front sleepers, I was not well aligned or ventilated with the TheraPur, but on my side, I felt I had found perfection. The support, firmness, and cooling powers worked together to give me a good night's sleep. In fact, it was such a hit that my TheraPur Memory Foam Ice Pillow has now been stolen by my partner. We're both hot sleepers, him more so than me, and he claims that he now can't sleep without this. When he's away, I steal it back for some ice bliss. And he wonders why I keep booking him on solo weekend trips away.

Is it cooling?

The 'ice' in TheraPur's Memory Foam Ice Pillow name sets it up for cooling success. Sometimes, I second guess whether I'm getting a placebo cooling effect, but this really is amazing. I could do a blind test touching all the pillows in my house (thanks to product testing I have enough to re-build my house out of pillows) and instantly tell you which is the TheraPur. You know when you climb onto fresh sheets and they have that cool feeling? That's exactly how this feels.

I alternated sleeping on the TheraPur Memory Foam Ice Pillow and my other normal memory foam pillow and found that there was a notable difference in how I slept. I was definitely cooler on the TheraPur and my skin felt fresher too. It was breathable and airy, which is remarkable for a memory foam pillow.

I'd say that the best part of the cooling properties will be felt at the beginning of the night. I still warmed up as I slept, but I didn't get too hot or sweaty, just a little warm. With that in mind, this isn't a bad choice for hot sleepers.

Is it good for the environment?

There's no escaping that memory foam isn't the best material to invest in when you're thinking about the environment. The main issue lies in how you dispose of memory foam: it doesn't break down well. However, you can help to mitigate the footprint by looking after your pillow and using it for as long as is healthy.

Dreams offers a one year guarantee on the pillow, but you could keep yours for much longer. Keep cleaning the case and make sure you maintain good sleep hygiene.

How does it compare?

As far as memory foam pillows go, this is one of the best for cooling. My other favourite sink-in pillow alongside the TheraPur® Memory Foam Ice Pillow is the Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow. This is technically memory foam too, although it's a special type that only Levitex makes. It's thinner and comes in a range of sizes, so you can customise the size based on your sleep position and weight. It's a similar price, so if you want something that'll help to support your sleep, go for the Levitex. If you need to prioritise cooling power, go for the Therapur.

If memory foam isn't your idea of fun, there is a natural alternative. The Woolroom Latex pillow is crafted from tree sap. It's slightly more elastic and springy than memory foam, but still offers the memory foam softness and support. I found it was just as breathable and cooling, if not more than the Therapur. It doesn't quite have the same level of pressure relief, but I still liked it.

Should you buy it?

If you need the contouring and comfort of a memory foam pillow, but you're concerned about how hot these tend to be, the TheraPur® Memory Foam Ice Pillow is the answer to all your sleepless nights. It's one of the coolest memory foam pillows you can buy.

How we test

Some people call testing pillows sleeping on the job and others say you're taking work to bed with you. I say, it's a dream come true. As a self-confessed sleep geek, I love nothing more than testing out the latest and greatest pieces in sleep innovation and Levitex ticks a lot of boxes.

As you can see, to get a review up and running, our pillows go through a series of rigorous tests. I do a lot of research before coming to a conclusion on who a pillow suits, whether you should get it, and why. If you want to find out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test pillows.

When Silentnight called their latest release 'The Perfect Pillow' things could have gone two ways. In scenario one, they deliver on every sense of the name, creating a game-changing sleep essential. Or, they set a bar that's too high to meet. I'm relieved to say that it's definietly the former.

On my hunt for the perfect pillow (not exclusively Silentnight's), I've slept on a lot of different options. Memory foam, buckwheat, wool, feathers, gel - you name it, I've given it a go. Whilst some of the most premium models offered some degree of customizability, none mastered it quite like Silentnight.

With three different inserts to adjust the loft and firmness of The Perfect Pillow, this really does have something to offer every kind of sleeper. Not only is this one of the best cooling pillows on the market, it's a pretty universally impressive product.

First impressions

Silentnight sends The Perfect Pillow in, you guessed it, the perfect packaging. This means that you get a plastic storage bag to put any spare inserts, your old pillow, or some spare linen in. If you're going to make use of it, this is a great, sustainable way to package your pillow. If you'll throw it out, it's a waste of plastic, so try to find some use for it.

You can see in the picture that the packaging was almost bulging with the fill from the The Perfect Pillow. It's sent with three inserts of the same loft and dimensions, so when you pack the pillow with all three you can see that it's firm, plump, and lofty. It unzips in an L-shape, so you can easily take these out and load them in. I'll go deeper into the details of the filling in the composition section, but my first impression of this is that its going to be a good, dare I say perfect, pillow.

Composition

The outer case for the pillow feels soft and stretchy to touch. It's woven from microfibre which gives a very cosy, luxurious feeling. This is a good choice for a pillowcase if you want a soft, affordable option and it's also helpful if you want a low-maintenance, easy care fabric. The only downside of microfibre is that it can be quite hot to sleep on, so if you're struggling with night sweats and overheating, this might not be the most helpful choice.

The zip runs around two sides of the pillow, the top and side, which makes it easy to unzip the case and take a peek inside. You'll see three pads inside, which Silentnight fills with their "signature soft and springy fibres". There's no denying that they do feel both soft and springy, but if you look into the fill, it's polyester. This isn't unusual; polyester is a good fill choice if you want a soft, fluffy, hypoallergenic feel. It's low maintenance too. but the only things to note are that it can clump over time and that it can be quite hot to sleep on in comparison to wool and gels. I've been sleeping on The Perfect Pillow for nearly a year and I haven't found it clumps or gets particualry hot, but that's because I use a cooling bamboo pillowcase to balance out the polyester fill.

Who would it suit?

The beauty of The Perfect Pillow is that it suits a lot of people. Three inserts are perfect for a back sleeper looking for medium-firm support, whilst one insert suited me, a front sleeper, really well. I don't think it does the extremes: a very firm or a very soft pillow as perfectly as it does versatility, but if you're not sure what you're after, this is a safe place to start.

The polyester and microfibres are a good choice from a maintenance and price perspective: they're easy to clean, naturally hypoallergenic, and not too expensive. However, they can be quite hot is you suffer from night sweats, so keep that front-of-mind when you're thinking about which pillow to choose. I found that I could balance out the heat with a cooling pillowcase (bamboo is a good choice), but if you get night sweats, it's not a coducive choice.

What is it like to sleep on?

I tested all the different pad options so that I could give you feedback on the different lofts and firmness options. I found that The Perfect Pillow did have great range from just the three pads.

I'm a front sleeper who generally likes a thin pilllow, so I started out with one pad. This was really perfect for me. The soft fill had enough give to keep me aligned and it wasn't too tall or firm. If you're a front sleeper or you need a thin pillow, this is brilliant.

After having two weeks of great sleep on the single pad, I added another. For this to be comfortable, I needed to sleep on my side and back. It was still a very soft pillow, but with a little more loft. I'd recommend it for people who want a feathery sink-in softness without having to pay the price of more expenisve down pillows.

The final fill, which is all three pads is very lofty and it's quite firm too. I could only sleep on my back with this fill and it was great for when I was reading. It's not the firmest, tallest pillow that I've tested, but it's up there. Personally, it's too tall for me to keep using, but the height is great for back sleepers who need a lot of lift.

Is it cooling?

The Perfect Pillow doesn't claim to be cooling, but I always cover this section in my pillow reviews for those who have night sweats, hot flushes, or for generally hot sleepers. The microfibre case and polyester filling get cosy. In the winter, it was actually nice to have a pillow that kept my head at a good temperature, but when I was getting hot in the night, this only really enhanced it. It's a good choice for a winter pillow, but if you're using this in the summer, I'd recommend picking up a silk or bamboo pillowcase to help keep you cooler.

What are the eco-credentials?

It's not very fair to judge the eco-credentials of this against products such as the Woolroom Washable Deluxe Wool Pillow, but for those who are interested, here's my take. The Perfect Pillow comes with a two-year guarantee, but I think yours, if properly cared for, should last a lot longer. The polyester isn't biodegradable, but the same applies. If you use yours a lot and keep it as plump as possible, you'll be doing the best that you can for the environment.

How does it compare?

There are lots of customisable pillows creeping onto the market. Where Silentnight's Perfect Pillow used to stand alone, you'll find a few more competitors. None come with the easy pads of Silentnight's, so this wins top spot for how easy, clean, and convenient adjusting the firmness is. It's also low maintenance and very versatile, so I'd recommend it to anyone not sure on what they want from their pillow.

If you are a hot sleeper, however, we can do better than Silentnight. The polyester is naturally a very hot fibre, so you'll want an adjustable wool pillow. Generally, I'd recommend the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. It's twice the price, but it's all natural and really effective at helping your body naturally regulate its temperature. You're worth the splurge.

Should you buy it?

I'd sleep soundly on The Perfect Pillow. The name is apt for just how customisable and versatile this is. The different pads make this low maintenance and clean, plus the price point is really competitive in the world of customisable pillows. My only word of warning is that it'll get quite hot to sleep on if you struggle with night sweats.

How we test

No pillow passes our tests without some serious sleeping. At woman&home, every pillow that we review is used by our experts for at least one month. The Perfect Pillow, as we speak, has been on my bed for nearly a year. I use it in rotation with some of our other pillows, but, safe to say, it's had a good trial.

When I'm sleeping on it, I track my sleep using apps and health trackers. I also make notes on how well rested I feel, any aches and pains, and whether I feel hot. I'll then get a second, third, and fourth opinion on the pillow, passing it round different sleepers going through different times in their lives. I always make sure that the pillow has been tested by at least one hot sleeper, because there's nothing more frustrating than a sweaty and sleepless night.

There's a lot of thought and time that goes into how we test pillows, so you can read more about it on our site, or you can ask me all your sleep-related questions. I love sleepy chatter.

As someone who makes sustainability a priority in my life, I'm no stranger to compromise. So, you can imagine my joy when I found out about Naturalmat's The Wool and Down Pillow: it's a blend of comfort, cooling fibres, and support that promises a dreamy night's sleep.

Wool is a staple of lots of the best cooling pillows, especially the natural varieties. If you've slept on one of these, you'll know that they're soft and also often ethically sound, but they're not quite the same as a down or feather pillow. That's why Naturalmat chose to create a supportive and cooling wool core for their pillow, which they encased in irresistibly soft duck down.

Pack in some organic credentials here and a 'handmade in the UK' there and you have yourself a very special pillow. It sounds perfect on paper, but what is it like in practice?

First impressions

If you're not already familiar with Naturalmat, it's a bedding company to behold. They've been making all-natural (hence the name) sleep products for over 25 years, from the fresh air of the Devon countryside. They have all the ticks for organic, B-corp, and local sourcing that you could dream of. What I particularly love is that it's not just a front either. You can often trip up brands that claim to care about the environment when you look at their packaging or instructions. Naturalmat are true to their ethics through and through. It's refreshing.

You'll see that The Wool and Down Pillow arrived in a reusable cotton drawstring bag. Naturalmat says "no plastics or other single-use materials are used at all. Your pillows make their way to you in their own protective drawstring bag which can then be reused as any number of things (we think they make amazing laundry bags!)" They do. The bag feels robust, it looks smart, and it hangs like an expensive laundry bag would in a luxury countryside cabin. I was impressed right from the outset with this.

Composition

It's really important to know what's going on inside your pillow as well as what it looks like. Given that this has a down layer, it's more delicate than lots of other wool pillows, so you can't just unzip it and pull out the filling. Instead, you have to trust Naturalmat and feel what the pillow is like from the outside.

If you were to take a knife to your pillow and split it open, you'd find that it has a hand-stuffed organic wool core. As I've mentioned, wool is the perfect filling for a cooling pillow, because it's a natural temperature regulator. The beauty of wool in particular is that it can be quite firm and supportive, especially in comparison with feathers and polyester. So, if you often get back, neck or shoulder pain, this could be your answer. 

Naturalmat explains this with a little more technical advice. They say "wool is an incredibly clever natural insulator that can keep you warm or cool when you need it to, thanks to tiny pockets of air within each wool fibre that provide both insulation and breathability. It is also naturally moisture-wicking and antimicrobial, which makes it particularly inhospitable to bed bugs and dust mites, and also provides far greater odour resistance compared to synthetic fibres."

The cherry on top of the wool credentials are that it's organic wool. It's also OEKO TEX 100 certified, which means that it hasn't been sprayed with any nasty chemicals. I think this is really underrated with most pillows because you spend 1/3 of your life asleep. If you've opted for a harsh, synthetic pillow, that means you spend 1/3 of your life breathing in a load of artificial chemicals. No, thank you.

The only downside of wool is that it doesn't have that same squish (the technical term is firmness) as a down pillow would. Naturalmat has anticipated this and created a cosy duck-down cover to snuggle around the wool. You get all the support and cooling structure of the wool, but when you press into the pillow there is an unmistakable down softness. I double-checked the down's origins and it's NOMITE, Downafresh, EDFA-certified duck down. This means that it's the best of the best, of course.

Even little extras, such as the case are thoughtfully crafted. The cover is 100% cotton cambric, which helps with the theme of natural, temperature-regulating properties. It's pretty perfect.

Who would it suit?

I always recommend this kind of pillow to hot sleepers, first and foremost. Wool is a brilliant temperature regulator and the Naturalmat doesn't falter. Both my mother and I found that it helped to keep our skin fresh throughout the night. Even though down can get a bit hot and cosy, the wool and cotton balanced it out really nicely.

The Naturalmat Wool and Down pillow is a lot softer than the other wool pillows that I've tested. I'd just come off sleeping on Putnam's and Woolroom's pillows, so I thought I knew what to expect, but this has a lot more cushioning around the head and neck. If you like being swaddled in your pillow, you'll love this.

Of course, it's also perfect for the eco-conscious. The wool, down, and cotton is all naturally sourced and it ticks off just about every sustainable credential in the book. You can sleep soundly on this one. 

What is it like to sleep on?

I've already given you a little insight into what this was like for me to sleep on. As soon as I gave the pillow a little push with my hand, I could feel that it was going to deliver that luxury hotel feeling. The first night that I slept on it, I was convinced that the pillow was more down than wool. And yet, unlike with down pillows, I didn't wake up too hot in the night. In fact, I was sleeping right through and waking up feeling fresh too. 

I'm normally a front or side sleeper, but the softness of this pillow makes it a firm favourite for back sleepers. So, I tried to adjust the way that I sleep. Remarkably, I found this was supportive in all the right places. It's pretty soft, so I didn't feel too much strain in my shoulders or neck, although I did need to roll onto my side after a few hours of reading, because my neck began to ache a little. Unless you're a front sleeper like me, you probably won't experience this.

Is it cooling?

I handed this over to my mother, who's a hot sleeper at the best of times. She's been trialling these out with me because she's going through menopause. I think it's really handy to have her insights, because sleep is simultaneously important and seemingly impossible around this time.

For me, a generically hot sleeper, I found the Naturalmat to be a little warmer than the other wool pillows that I tested, but it's still much cooler than the average pillow. If you normally wake up with a sheen of sweat, you're not going to wake up cold, but your skin will feel fresher and more like it's able to breathe.

My mother had pretty similar results to me, but a little more extreme. She said, "I always wake up in the night, but where I would normally be throwing everything off the bed, the Naturalmat didn't feel like a source of heat like my normal pillow. Don't get me wrong, I was still hot, but not in that unbearable, crazy state that I'm normally in. It's good."

What are the eco-credentials?

You'll have seen in the composition section that this scores highly for sustainability and environmental responsibility. The organic wool core is one of the best examples that I can give: it's chemical-free (protecting the ecosystem) and wool is a natural, biodegradable product too. 

Naturalmat is also based in Devon, which means that your pillow isn't packed with air miles. They source locally and have Soil Association certified from farms local to Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset. This means that the farmers are paid fairly and the wool is ethically harvested too.

There are lots of other big ticks for Naturalmat's eco-credentials: they're B-corp certified, Queen's Award winners and a Living Wage Employer. They get full marks here.

How does it compare?

I've mentioned another couple of wool pillows that I've slept on and I think you'll find it really helpful to know what happens when you remove 'The Down' from 'The Down and Wool Pillow'. It's actually a surprising amount. I've said that the down enhances the comfort factor of the pillow significantly: I sunk into The Down and Wool Pillow a lot more than I did the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. However, I actually felt cooler and comfier on the Woolroom.

The beauty of the Woolroom is that the fill can be removed and added until you find the perfect firmness, so it's a pillow for all sleepers really. The cover is naturally cooling too (it's filled with wool) and so you end up with a really breathable pillow. Whilst it's not as soft as the Naturalmat, it's certainly much more cooling. You'll know better than me where you're willing to compromise, so the choice is yours. 

Should you buy it?

If you want the hotel pillow feeling, but without all the insulation, this is the perfect pillow. The down gives a soft sink-in feeling that you won't get on any other wool pillows, whilst the core keeps everything breathable and light. It's a perfect balance that feels like sleeping on proper luxury. 

How we test

At woman&home how we test pillows is a special process. You need to have at least two weeks of sleep in the bank to be able to tell whether a pillow makes any difference, so we double it and sleep on these pillows for a month. I track my sleep, so I look at the statistics for how deeply I've slept, how consistently, and I also check in with myself about comfort and cooling technology. I pass on the pillow to different sleepers to find out what they think. For example, my mum is going through menopause, so I tasked her with testing out the cooling features on each pillow. I also deep dive into the composition and comfort of the pillow, so you know everything you'd need before making the investment. If you still have questions, don't hesitate to send them over. I'm a proper sleep geek. 

If you've ever come across buckwheat, it will have been in a healthy salad or an expensive bread. I'd bet my expensive buckwheat breakfast cereal that you'd scoff at the idea of stuffing that buckwheat scattered in your bowl into your pillow. t I'm here to tell you that you should reconsider.

When I first stumbled across buckwheat pillows, I was sceptical. However, after nearly a month on the Putnams Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow, I'm convinced that this isn't a trend. This is genuinely one of the best cooling pillows you'll ever sleep on, if you can withstand the firmness.

You don't just have to take my word for it. Buddhist monks have been using them since the 15th century in Japan. Those are some pretty zen, well-rested people and I think we've just cracked into their eco-friendly secret. It's quirky, but an absolute game-changer.

First impressions

Putnams sends their Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow in a storage case. This is really handy for a number of reasons: you can put your old pillow in it, you can use it to store linen, or you can keep all your extra buckwheat hulls in it too. It's a good bag to keep to hand.

What'll strike you first and foremost is the weight of this pillow. It is, essentially, a sack of grains, so it feels like carrying a huge bag of flour around. I quickly normalised this, but when I pulled out the next pillow that I was testing (which was a memory foam pillow, so it sits at the opposite end of the spectrum), I was struck by the contrast. The Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow feels dense and solid, whereas the memory foam pillow felt like a bag of air.

Composition

I can't resist getting into the composition of this one, because it's just so unique. The buckwheat hulls are encased in two covers, an internal and an external one. Both of these are crafted from undyed, unbleached cotton, so they're gentle on the planet and gentle on your skin. Cotton is the perfect material for wicking moisture and heat away from your face, whilst also offering a soft and comfortable surface to sleep on.

As you might have guessed, the Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow is filled with - drumroll please - organic buckwheat hulls. These are gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and  grown and harvested without any chemicals. Putnams says "we use these materials to keep our Japanese-style buckwheat pillows as natural as possible. They're both renewable and biodegradable at end of life as well as being hypoallergenic and ust-mite resistant." They tick a lot of boxes.

I couldn't resist unzipping the pillow to see what the hulls looked like. I have a very sensitive sense of smell, so I could instantly pick up a light woodiness coming from the pillow. This disappears once the over is on and none of the other six people who I asked to smell the pillow could pick up on the scent. Putnams says its natural and will fade quicky - it faded so quickly that I didn't even notice it that night.

The buckwheat look mesmerising. It's almost like looking into a bag of coffee beans except that these are tiny. You can take out and remove as many of these as you like, but that's information for another section and we'll come to that after I talk about who this pillow would suit.

Who would it suit?

One of the main features of the Putnams Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow is its firmness. These little triangular hulls lock themselves into solid structures. When you move, these will rustle around and adjust to your head, but there's no escaping that this is a firm pillow. 

If you have neck, back, or cervical pain, this can be a brilliant feature. The pyramids can move around to shape themselves exactly as you want them, but they'll also naturally give a little when you toss and turn. As a result, you get the movement and responsiveness of memory foam, but from an all-natural source. There's more too. 

Given that the pillow is essentially filled with husks, you can scoop out or add in as much as you want. This means that side, back, and front sleepers can all customise the loft of their pillow to get the perfect amount of support. I'm a notoriously fussy front sleeper and even I managed to get this into the perfect pillow shape for me. 

I could go on and on. The natural husks make the pillow hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant and they're also much cooler than foam, polyester, and lots of other fillings that you might opt for. I'll go deeper into the details, but this certainly ticks the boxes for being one of the best cooling pillows on the market.

Finally, it goes without saying that this is the perfect pillow for eco-conscious sleepers. Buckwheat us a renewable, biodegradable resource, so you can sleep a lot easier knowing that your pillow has steered clear of chemicals and factories and stayed much closer to fields and local sources. Even the pillow itself is handmade in Devon.

What is it like to sleep on?

I couldn't resist unzipping both covers of the pillow to take a peep inside at the hulls. They looked beautiful and as they rustled around over each other, they sounded a little like ocean waves. It sounds like I was going delirious, but I can tell you, even after a month's good sleep on this pillow, I still thought the buckwheat hulls had something distinctly coastal about their sound.

As a front sleeper, I needed to remove about two thirds of the buckwheat hulls to get the right position for my shoulders and back. I kept all of these close by, because I knew I'd need them for future use and I also carved out a little dip in the middle of the pillow for my head. This was set to be one of the most easily customisable pillows that I've ever tested. 

The first night that I slept on the Putnams Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow, I had to adjust to the beanbag rustle of the hulls. I now love them, but it's worth pointing out. As someone who likes a firm surface for sleep, I relished in the solid buckwheat pillow and the pressure relief that it offered my neck, head, and shoulders. Night after night, I climbed into bed and my head hit the pillow with a satisfying 'ahh'. I gradually carved out the perfect shape for my head to nestle into and, unlike memory foam, it didn't disappear when I lifted my head up. It might not look like the adverts where the person's head looks like it sinks into the pillow for eternity, but this felt supportive to me. I always woke up with fresh, open shoulders, rather than my aches and pains.

The Putnams Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow was also surprisingly cool to sleep on. I'll give you a full breakdown of those details in the section below, because buckwheat is actually really cooling.

Is it cooling?

Buckwheat hulls are a natural choice for hot sleepers, especially women who are struggling with night sweats and hot flushes. These hulls, whilst solid, are naturally very breathable and they're impressive dissipaters of heat. I'm a naturally hot sleeper, but in the full month that I slept on the buckwheat pillow, my sleep was deep and undisturbed. I did still wake up hot on occasions, but the frequency with which that happened was at least a third of what it is on a normal pillow.

I passed this onto my mum who suffers from hormonal night sweats (she thanks the menopause for that one) and she said "it's amazing. I wouldn't really go for a pillow this firm, but the way that it helped my skin's surface feel fresh and relatively cool was amazing. I've also found that I can be quite sensitive to pillows. I put that down to menopause and this natural one is great. I haven't had any flare-ups at all. I've been telling all the girls at ladies' night that buckwheat is the solution to our night sweats, but I think they're all thinking that I'm going crazy." She isn't, by the way. 

We've passed on the buckwheat baton to other hot sleepers and we've got a unanimous thumbs up for the temperature regulation. It's brilliant.

What are the eco-credentials?

Organic buckwheat hulls have some seriously impressive eco-credentials. Buckwheat, first and foremost, is a renewable resource. They're the byproduct of food production, so using them in pillows is actually making use of waste. 

They're also simultaneously durable and biodegradable. Yours will last you for a long time, as long as you look after it properly, and then once you're finished up, the buckwheat and the casing will biodegrade and naturally decompose. It's a real feel-good cycle.

There are also some extra special touches added by Putnams. The cotton and buckwheat are both organic, so they're completely chemical-free, which is great for the soil health and ecosystems from which they're harvested as well as for your skin. 

Putnams also handmakes all of the pillows in Devon, so when it comes to the final stage of transport, everything is kept local. It's a great way to lessen the airmiles of your pillow.

How does it compare?

I have no hesitation in saying that this is the firmest pillow that I've slept on. You won't do better save for buying a block of wood or a bag of flour and dumping it onto your bed. If you like the idea of that firm, pressure relief, you'll also be looking at memory foam pillows. 

Lots of reviews for the Putnams Organic Buckwheat Hull Pillow include references to memory foam alternatives. Putnams is better than all the memory foam pillows that I have tested from a cooling and from a sustainability perspective. However, if you want the pressure relief with a little more give, it's worth looking into Woolroom's Natural Latex Pillow. This has great eco-credentials (it's made from sap) and yet it feels almost identical to memory foam. It's more cooling than memory foam and has more spring than buckwheat. It's the perfect middle ground, except for the fact that it isn't heigh-adjustable. 

If a cooling height-adjustable pillow is what you're after, I've got some options for you there too. Putnams actually makes a wool height-adjustable pillow, but so does Woolroom too. Both of these are brilliant at naturally helping you to stay cooler as you sleep, but they're a lot softer. You don't get the same pressure relief, but you do get some sink-in softness that buckwheat pillows don't quite deliver. There are plenty of options out there: the choice is yours.

Should you buy it?

If you want a firm, cooling, adjustable option, you can't beat Putnams Organic Buckwheat Hull pillow. There's something very boast-worthy about sleeping on a pillow like this: it feels like a back-to-your-roots humbling experience that Putnams has somehow managed to make simultaneously luxurious. I'm sold on the trend, so if you see me pinching buckwheat pieces out of a salad next lunchtime , don't question it.

How we test

At woman&home, we have a rigorous process for how we test pillows. Physiotherapists say that it takes two weeks to notice a change in your sleep setup, so before I even start to think about a review, I sleep on a pillow for a month. I track my sleep, monitor changes in by body and mood and make notes on specific pain points and issues of the pillow, so that you know what it's like to sleep on at all stages of the month.

If a pillow claims to have special properties, such as cooling capabilities of pressure relief, I make sure to hone in on this. I'll find special testers who can verify whether this really can solve an issue or whether it's going to be a frustrating waste of money.

I like to also cover the composition, packaging, and any extra features that might be relevant to you and your sleep experience so that you know exactly what you're getting in for when you pick up this pillow. If you still have questions, please send me an email. I'm always happy to geek out on all things sleep.

The minute my head first hit a memory foam pillow, I knew it had to have been some sort of magic dreamt up by the sleep gods. You sink in, you feel supported, you feel held. Suddenly, the possibility of sleepless nights feels like they’re a long way away. 

The only catch that comes with memory foam pillows and their warm embrace is exactly that, their warm embrace. Hot sleepers like me know that no matter how cool you try to make your sleep set up perfect if you haven’t got a pillow that’s working with you, there’s no chance. Enter, Soak & Sleep’s Cooling Memory Foam Pillow.

Most of the best cooling pillows are made from gels and wool, not warm memory foam. And yet, Soak & Sleep promises to have devised a way to enjoy the memory foam feeling without waking up covered in sweat. It sounds great on paper, but what’s it like in the sheets? I took this pillow to bed to find out what it’s really made of. I think you’ll be interested to hear how it went. 

First impressions

The Soak & Sleep Cooling Memory Foam Pillow comes in a special storage bag. It’s a premium touch that helps keep the packaging both robust and good for the environment. Keep hold of this bag, because you could use it to store your old pillow, spare bedding, or anything else that might need a robust case. 

Once it’s unzipped from the sleeping bag case, the pillow looks smart. The soft, quilted case is tempting enough to sleep straight on. Couple that with the sink-in memory foam softness that even foam sceptics would dream about and you’ve got a heavenly promise for your sleep set-up. 

Composition

Soak & Sleep makes it easy to know what’s going on inside your pillow. One option that you have is to simply unzip it. The ultra-fine zip whizzes back to reveal the perfect memory foam pillow inside, so you can see for yourself exactly what you’re sleeping on. 

If you’re interested in the composition, Soak & Sleep sends all the details. Whilst the pillow is designed in Denmark, the outer casing is a combination of polyester and elastane, which is why it feels so classically soft and stretchy. There’s also a thin layer of cooling gel lining the case to help balance out the warmth of the memory foam. You can’t see it and it’s a Soak & Sleep special recipe, so you’ll just have to trust the process with this one. 

Aside from that, Soak & Sleep promises that  “this pillow has gone through some serious testing. It's made and tested to EN standards with a special focus on the fill quality and the foam is accredited by Certi-PUR.” Even if yours smells a little chemically, rest assured that the filling has been tested and approved by the experts.

Who would it suit?

Memory foam is a classic option for those suffering from neck, shoulder, back, and hip pain. The first people to create memory foam were scientists at NASA, looking to help relieve pressure up in space. Sleep experts took the concept to bed and now, the heat-reactive material softens when it touches your warm skin or your heavy head, cradling it in the exact place that you need comfort. 

If you have to use a memory foam pillow, but you struggle with overheating or night sweats, this is one of the best options on the market. Soak & Sleep have devised a special gel and open structure that helps airflow. Whilst I wouldn't say the pillow is actively cooling, it's the best of a very hot bunch of memory foam pillows. 

By virtue of the size and height of the pillow, this is best suited to back sleepers. Front sleepers might find all the sink-in softness a little too intense and I'd even be cautious about recommending this to all side sleepers, but you'll be the best judge of whether this can keep your spine, shoulders, and hips in good alignment.

What is it like to sleep on?

The good news is that this doesn’t smell. You often have to let memory foam “de-gas” because it can develop some chemical scents in manufacturing that need to be aired out before you sleep. I still stuck mine in some fresh air for a couple of hours to be on the safe side, but you’d be fine to wrap a pillowcase around the Soak & Sleep before heading straight to bed. 

I’ve slept on a few memory foam pillows in my time and I have to say that this is one of my favourites. My head sunk deeply and slowly into the pillow, just like you see in adverts, and I felt the pillow adjust itself to all the places where my head needed pressure relief. I’d normally sleep on my front, but that’s a no-go with a pillow like this, so I forced myself to sleep on my back and side while I was testing this.

I found that I ended up sleeping mostly on my back, that’s just how it was comfiest for me, and I got some decent sleep. For me, the Soak & Sleep Pillow is a little too firm, but the fault is all mine. I’m a thin pillow sleeper over everything else, so by the end of the month, I was in a routine of reading with the Soak & Sleep pillow, drifting off to sleep on it, and then throwing it off the bed in the middle of the night. That’s actually the longest that I have been able to tolerate a memory foam pillow for. Normally, they’re too thick for me to even read on. 

I passed the pillow to my mum to test; she needs much firmer pillows and she loved this. “I’ve not felt proper spinal alignment for a while and I often struggle with back pain,” she says, “but this is the comfiest night sleep I’ve had. If it’s possible, I felt like my posture was better when I woke up. I didn’t feel all creased, crinkled, and crumpled up.” You heard it here first folks, this pillow works like an iron. 

Is it cooling?

I’m a naturally hot sleeper, so I was very apprehensive about sleeping on memory foam. However, the Soak & Sleep Cooling Memory Foam pillows is one of the best nights of sleep that I’ve had on a foam-based pillow. I was still hot in the night, but where I would be sweaty and very uncomfortable, I merely felt warm sleeping on the pillow. 

Soak & Sleep’s website says that there are “air channels within the pillow for breathability and to increase airflow to your head and face, while a layer of cooling gel in the case provides extra freshness.” When it's written like that, the technology sounds amazing. There's definitely more airflow than your average memory foam pillow, but I wouldn't say that I feel a breeze around my face.

So, if you have to have a memory foam pillow for pressure relief, this is the coolest option you’ll have on offer. If you need a cooling pillow and you’re simply dancing with the idea of memory foam, go for something that starts off with a cooler baseline, you’ll have much better results.

What are the eco-credentials?

I added this section to our reviews so that I could shout out when brands did some extra special work to help the environment. With memory foam, it’s hard to make a good case for the eco-credentials. It’s synthetically made, but if you keep hold of yours and use it well, it’ll last a long time. Make sure you dispose of it sensibly and you’ll have done the best that you can.

How does it compare?

It’s not a bad idea to cover other products on the market after looking at the Soak & Sleep Cooling Memory Foam Pillow’s eco-credentials, because there is an alternative that looks a little better on the sustainability front. Panda London uses bamboo to make their own spin on a memory foam pillow. It’s designed to be cooling and, in my experience, falls into the same category as the Soak & Sleep. Whilst it isn’t actively cooling, it’s much cooler than memory foam, so it’s the best cooling option available to you if you need some pressure relief. Panda London’s pillow is cheaper and a lot firmer than the Soak & Sleep. You still sink into the pillow, but the block shape is too firm for me to use, even for reading. For my mum, who needs a firm pillow, the Panda London was her favourite shape. 

If you’re in need of pressure relief, but all the talk of synthetics and chemicals has you wheezing, don’t worry. I tested the Soak & Sleep Memory Foam Pillow against Woolroom’s Natural Latex pillow too. this has the spongy soft-yet-firm feel of memory foam, except that it’s made from tree sap, so it’s 100% natural. It feels a little more springy and less responsive than memory foam, but I actually found this was better for keeping me cooler at night. The cover is also crafted from organic, unbleached cotton and Chatsworth wool, so it’s naturally cooling all over. As you might expect, it’s more expensive, but not enough that it knocks itself out of the running. The Woolroom is one of my favourite naturally cooling pillows on the market. 

Should you buy it?

If you need a memory foam pillow, but you want the naturally insulating properties of foam to be balanced out, the Soak & Sleep Cooling Memory Foam Pillow is perfect. Your head will feel like it’s resting on the clouds, except that these clouds have a layer of cooling gel around them. That's the stuff of dreams. 

How we test

At woman&home we take our work to bed with us. That’s not in a horrible bloodshot-eyes-scraggly-hair overworked and up at all hours kind of way, it’s a good thing. I sleep on all these pillows every night. They’re in a rotation, so that I can keep giving you updates on all the pillows that we review throughout all the month as well as all the seasons and weather. 

There are lots of nuances to our pillow reviews that mean that they’re more than just a simple ‘it’s good’ or ‘it’s bad’, even if you think that’s what sleep looks like. We test pillows for specific problems, in this case night sweats and overheating, but we also think about sleep issues, positions, and any other factors that you might need to account for when you go to bed. I track my sleep to check on how much the pillow helps or hinders my sleep patterns and I also research details including composition, cleaning, and eco-credentials. You’ll be spending a third of your time snoozing on one of these, so it’s an important investment to make. There’s not a single wink of sleep that goes unnoted or recorded, so that when the time comes for you to hit the hay, you’ll know exactly what to expect. If you still have questions about the pillow that I’ve tested, please email me. I’m a sleep geek, so I’ll take any excuse to chat about my slumbers. 

To find out more about how we test pillows, you can visit our dedicated page.

I don't know about you, but when someone says latex to me, my mind goes to Madonna wiggling around on stage in a shiny, skimpy black one-piece. However, if you sat a sleep geek down, they'd skip past all the "Like A Virgin" riffs. They'd go straight to the bedroom and all they'd be thinking about is sleep. Latex is considered to be a cooling sleep essential and lots of luxury brands have started to offer latex pillows. It's crazy, but it's true and I'm fascinated with the latex rebrand. 

"How on earth can latex form the basis of the best cooling pillows?" I hear you ask. Thank you, you've taken my bait. It actually makes a lot of sense when you look into the science. Natural latex (slightly different from Madonna's outfits) is made from the sap of rubber trees. Luxury, eco-friendly brands such as Woolroom harvest, freeze, and bake this sap so that it forms an open sponge-like texture. The resulting pillow feels like memory foam and cools like wool. It's like a prayer was sent up to the sleep gods and they answered with this.

For all the excitement that latex pillows induce, I recommend that you proceed with caution. There aren’t many natural latex pillows that I’d recommend. Lots of companies disguise synthetics and cheap shortcuts with jargon, but the one brand that does latex the right way is Woolroom. Their organic, unbleached cotton and wool cases enclose a night-sweat saviour of a latex pillow. Ladies, if you’re struggling with hot sleep it might be time to reach for the latex (pillow). I did and here's what happened.

First impressions

The full name of the pillow that I tested is the Woolroom Natural Latex Washable Wool Pillow, which is a bit of a mouthful, so I'll probably just call it the Woolroom Natural Latex Pillow for the rest of the review — assume the rest is implied. 

For this section, however, I won't be ignoring the 'washable wool' part of the name, because it's an important part of the first impression that this pillow makes. Woolroom delivers the full luxury experience with their pillow. It arrives in completely recyclable packaging and then, once you've opened the box, you'll see an unbleached organic cotton bag cradling your pillow. This is perfect for storing the pillow, carrying it around, or for using it to store old linen or an older pillow in. It's a touch that tells you this is a premium pillow. You don't get storage bags from every brand, trust me.

Once you've unzipped the bag, you'll see the Woolroom Natural Latex Pillow inside. It's encased in quilted material, which feels cool to the touch and it looks smart too. I'll explain more about this in the composition, but it's a clever little extra that Woolroom throws in to make sure that your pillow is keeping you as cool as possible during the night.

You'll also spot in my picture that there are a few cards. Woolroom offers care advice and gives you some notes on the pillow that you've bought, what it's made of and what to expect from it. I'll go into the composition in the next section. It's exciting.

Composition

I’ve already given you a bit of a backstory into natural latex and I’ll go into more detail in the eco-credentials, but if you get one of these, I urge you to unzip your pillow and take a look inside. 

Woolroom includes a note that explains the ‘perfectly imperfect’ look of the natural latex. They say:  Our latex pillow is made from Talalay natural latex, sourced from Hevea brasiliensis trees in FSC-certified forests. Each pillow is made individually in a mould, where it's expanded through a vacuum, flash frozen and 'baked' to form the best latex pillow and the secret to a good night's sleep." As a natural product, there's a lot of variability in how these bubbles form and appear, so if yours looks unusual and a bit, well, holy, that's normal.

Now, because you can’t do this through a screen — and because I’m still a child inside — I gave the latex a squeeze. It feels exactly like you would expect a rubber sponge to. It’s firm and springy, but I could still imagine feeling some glorious softness and pressure relief from it at the end of a long day. It won’t surprise you to know that’s exactly what latex is good for — it comes with all the benefits of memory foam but without the chemicals or insulating properties. Magic.

It’s also worth noting that the latex pillow comes in one of Woolroom’s signature washable cases. These are crafted from 200 thread count organic, unbleached cotton, which means that you get lots of lovely, natural materials on the outside of your pillow, which are also quilted and packed with a light layer of wool. 

Because it’s Woolroom, this isn’t any old wool. It’s all traceable grown and farmed on the Chatsworth Estate. This means that it’s local, OEKO TEX 100 certified and naturally hypoallergenic. In a nutshell, it’s the best that you can buy. And, as we’ll get into, wool is also a natural thermal regulator, so it’s really helpful if you have a pillow that is dedicated to every part of itself to cooling properties. 

Who would it suit?

If you suffer from back or shoulder pain, lots of people will recommend latex to you. It has all the properties of memory foam: pressure relief and good support, but without the chemicals. Woolroom says that the pillow "offers greater pressure relief and spinal alignment through its elasticity as well as being hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial."

It’s also a natural choice for eco-conscious sleepers because natural latex is essentially just sap from a tree that’s been baked into a shape. Woolroom is transparent about all aspects of the manufacturing process, so you’ll know exactly what you’re putting your money towards.

I also knew, from my first night of sleeping on the Woolroom Natural Latex Pillow, that it would’ve got a spot in my buying guide for the best cooling pillows. I’ve never experienced this kind of firmness and texture without having a pillow that’s as hot as sleeping in a big bundle of blankets. Woolroom has bucked the trend and I'm very happy about it.

What is it like to sleep on?

I just gave the game away with what this is like to sleep on for one night, but there’s a lot more that you’ll enjoy hearing about, I’m sure. I’m naturally someone who prefers a thin pillow, so I was a little apprehensive about sleeping on a pillow as firm as this. It was great for when I wanted to be propped up, reading in bed. The firmness gave me great support without feeling like I was leaning against the headboard. If you’re a back or side sleeper who normally opts for memory foam and thicker pillows, you’ll love this. For me, a side and front sleeper (we're a rare breed) it was just a little too high. Nonetheless, I got some great sleep on this, especially from a temperature regulation perspective. 

I’ve never had memory foam comfort without ending up feeling a bit sweaty. The combination of wool, cotton, and latex worked a treat. However, I’ve got a whole section on what this was like with thoughts from me, a hot sleeper, and my mum, who gets proper night sweats. She doesn’t mind me sharing it with you, don’t worry.

Is it cooling?

I’ve already given you a little insight into what this was like for me, a hot sleeper. My skin felt fresh when I woke up in the morning and I didn’t have the same clammy or sweaty feelings that I often get from normal pillows. I expected this because the case felt cool to touch anyway, but it’s nice to have a treat this rare: a memory foam pillow without the chemicals or the heat. 

Once I had slept on this for a while I, rather reluctantly, passed the pillow-shaped baton onto my mum who tells me that she hasn’t had a sweat-free sleep in decades.She’s always liked firmer pillows than me and tends to sleep on her back or her side and I can’t emphasise how hard it was to pry this back off her when our tests were done. 

“It’s done everything that I would want my pillow to,” she beamed at me, “I love the balance of firmness and squishiness. Should I find a more technical term?" For the pedants, it's loft, but who's keeping score? Mum, or Sally to you, carried on, "I have never felt better in my shoulders and neck. Normally I wake up with crick or ache somewhere in my upper body, but I actually felt younger and much more mobile.”

 When I asked her to keep a score of how she felt heat-wise, she said “oh I should have started with that. It’s amazing. It doesn’t cool me like a fan or a bucket of ice would, but I didn’t get as many hot flushes in the night and there were even some evenings where I didn’t wake up at all.” I think that should tell you all you need to know about the Woolroom Natural Latex Pillow.

What are the eco-credentials?

Natural latex has some impressive eco-credentials in and of itself and Woolroom only enhances how well this comes off. The unbleached, organic cotton case gets a big tick from me. Most brands would choose plastic for their material, so chemical-free cotton is a wonderful alternative. 

The fact that the wool filling is farmed in the UK on the Chatsworth estate is also another feather in the cap (if we're on the wool, feather theme) for the Woolroom Natural Latex Washable Wool Pillow. The wool does a great job of thermal regulation, but it's also completely naturally produced and biodegradable.

Now, for the latex. As you might have expected, not all latex is natural or biodegradable. However, Woolroom's natural rubber latex is certified as free from toxic chemicals and sourced from FSC-certified forests. Woolroom also says that "no harmful chemicals or fire retardant sprays are used in the pillows", which is why they're OEKO TEX 100 Certified. 

How does it compare?

Woolroom also, as you may have guessed from the name, makes a wool pillow. The outside, which is a washable case is identical, but the filling is more of the traceable Chatsworth wool. You can adjust the filling much better, so those who think they might want a flatter pillow will be better off with this one. It’s also a great temperature regulator and I found it comfier to sleep on, especially on my side, but if you want more spring and support, you’re better off with the latex pillow. 

On the other hand, if you're not fussed about temperature regulation there are some great memory foam pillows on the market. In particular, the Soak & Sleep Cooling Memory Foam Pillow. This has the iconic memory foam pillow: your head will sink into it whilst it cradles your neck and shoulders. It's not particularly cooling in comparison to the wool pillows, but it's cooling for a memory foam pillow.

Should you buy it?

Before sleeping on the Woolroom Natural Latex Washable Wool Pillow, I thought of latex only in the context of squeaky, sweaty outfits that I've always regretted wearing. However, after one month of sleeping on this natural latex pillow, I'm a convert. Woolroom is proving that it's the best alternative to memory foam, especially for hot sleepers. Latex is back and it's better than ever.

How we test

At woman&home every pillow that you read about has been slept on by at least two of us. We're all sleep geeks who like to get more than our forty winks, so if someone promises us a way to improve the quality or depth of our sleep, we'll jump at it.

The review is structured on my in-person experience of sleeping on the pillow for one month. Physiotherapists recommend waiting for two weeks before you announce any amazing results, so I double it to make completely sure that the pillows can work magic. It also means that I've used the pillow throughout all stages of the month.

If a pillow promises to address pain points, I always make sure to test those. In the case of the Woolroom Natural Latex Washable Wool Pillow, I wanted to pressure test the cooling properties of the pillow. It's important that this can really help you, especially if you have night sweats.

My reviews also cover composition, eco-credentials and other factors that I think are important to making the review as comprehensive as possible. If you want to find out more, please don't hesitate to email me or you can check out our page, which is dedicated to how we test pillows.

A good pillow keeps you aligned, supported, and it'll relieve any pressure on your neck, shoulders, hips, and back. An even better pillow will be chemical-free, naturally hypoallergenic, and a good thermal regulator. The best pillow will do all of those, whilst also looking after the environment. What's it called? Putnams Height Adjustable British Wool Pillow. It's a bit of a mouthful, but you'll want to get familiar with it.

Finding a pillow that ticks every box for your sleeping needs is a task tough enough to warrant some sleepless nights. However, whilst I've been on the hunt for the best cooling pillows on the market, I've come across pillows that you'll want to pack into your suitcase and carry around. Forever. This is certainly one of them.

The Putnams Height Adjustable Wool Pillow ticks all of my boxes: the wool comes from Devon, it's top-quality, and a dream to sleep on. Where pillows with similar promises get expensive, this is reasonable value, especially when you consider what’s on offer. I’m smitten.

First impressions

This section is really all about how the pillow arrives and what kind of care the brand has put into the packaging. The Putnams Height Adjustable Wool Pillow arrived in what looks like a plastic bag, but it’s actually completely biodegradable. Putnams include some little notes on maintenance, care, and the origins of the cushion too, which is a handy touch.

The pillow was in perfect condition: the quilting on the washable wool external case was immaculate and cool to touch. I placed a hand in the middle of the lofty pillow and pushed down, feeling air woosh out of the sides as my hand sunk into the soft filling. What's nice about the pushness of the pillow is that it still felt supportive. Balancing softness and support can be tricky, but this has the balance just right. We'll get deeper into those details further down the review though.

There was a slightly earthy smell coming from the pillow, but Putnams says this is very normal for a wool pillow. It is. I've tested my fair share of wool pillows and it would seem that they're like cheese in that the stinkier ones are the better ones. The only difference is that cheese will keep you up at night and these will keep you sound asleep.

Composition

I unzipped the pillowcase to have a peep inside and could see that the pillow was filled with fluffy wool — that explains why this feels so gorgeous. You can easily reach in and scoop some of the wool out, or add some in, if you want to adjust the firmness of the pillow, which is really nice to have as an option. 

You can see that the pillow filling is almost made up of six blankets of wool that help to keep the shape of the pillow even as you take layers to change up the loft and firmness. This is a great sign that the Putnams is a high-quality wool pillow, as the very best options let you customise your loft and firmness.

Putnams doesn’t sell extra bags of their wool, because they send it to you at the firmest that they believe the pillow should be. If you want the firmest wool pillow possible, you can buy extra wool filling. This won't be from Putnams, but Woolroom, who make a very similar pillow do. All of their wool comes from the Chatsworth Estate too, so you know it’s good quality.

The Putnams wool is all British and then the pillows are made in Devon, so you’re keeping things very local as far as pillows go. The good news is that the wool is all hypoallergenic and OEKO TEX Standard 100 certified, so it’s safe and gentle to use on even the most sensitive skin. If you're not familiar with OEKO TEX Standard 100 certification, it means that the wool has been tested and verified as free from harmful substances at all stages for production. It's a globally recognised award that the materials are safe for human health, environmental standards, and allergy sufferers.

The outer case of the pillow has lovely quilting. It’s crafted from pure cotton, which helps to keep your pillow breathable, a big plus if you suffer from night sweats. We've got more on that later on though.

Who would it suit?

The Putnams Wool Pillow has a few main appeals: it’s wool, it's adjustable, it’s all made in the UK, and it’s affordable when you account for the two former factors. Let’s work through them one at a time.

Wool is a popular choice for hot sleepers because it naturally helps to regulate your body temperature. It’s often the filling of choice that’s recommended by industry experts, so it’s seeing a huge surge in popularity for women who are going through menopause and suffering from night sweats. The beauty of wool is also that it’s easy to adjust the filling of your pillow by just pulling out or adding in handfuls.

The Putnams pillow is particularly special because you can take and remove six different layers of wool. This means that you can make it really thin, perfect if you're a front sleeper like me. Or, you can pack it full and have it medium-firm, which is quite unusual for a wool pillow.

It’s quite hard to find sleep products that are made in the UK — we’re only a little island — but if you are looking for that it’s probably because you’re thinking about the environment (this is a great pillow for the eco-conscious sleepers) or because you’re trying to keep things local. This is great for both.

To get a natural pillow that’s cooling and made in the UK can be tricky. It’s even harder to find one at a reasonable price. Of all the research that I’ve done, this is one of the lowest prices that you’ll find without having your compromise on where your pillow has come from or the quality of the wool. By that standard, I think things are going well here.

What is it like to sleep on?

Now, we get to the good part — sleeping. The first time that my head hit the Putnams pillow, it felt wonderfully soft. However, it didn’t take long for my head to feel a little overly supported when I was lying on my side or on my back. This actually isn’t a problem for the Putnams pillow, because I just took three pieces of the wool out for the next night. I spent the week shuffling layers of wool in and out of the pillow until I found my perfect filling — which is about one-third of what they gave me.

It’s highly likely you’ll find good comfort and support with more filing; I need thin pillows to keep my body aligned and comfortable. This got me thinking though. Lots of pillows become redundant when you can’t sleep on them because you don’t have any control over the filling. The versatility on offer from the Putnams was really helpful for me — I liked having choice and I liked how soft and even the pillow felt under my neck. I have a whole section dedicated to whether this is cooling or not, but I managed to enjoy some deep, uninterrupted sleep with the Putnams pillow, which says a lot: I’m a hot and very fussy sleeper.

Is it cooling?

Compared to a normal, feather pillow, this felt like magic. I’m a hot sleeper and I often wake up feeling like my skin is a little bit clammy, but with the Putnams my skin always felt refreshed. In fact, I found that I was staying more still and getting much better quality sleep, which is a nice change for me. 

I am just a generically hot sleeper though, so what if you’re suffering from night sweats? I pass the baton onto my mum for this bit, as it’s an issue that keeps her up at night. She tested out the Putnams and moved it to the top spot in her rankings for me. “When I first felt how soft and squishy this was, my instant response was just no. I thought that my head would just be sat in a warm pile of wool, but it surprised me. I found that, whilst I was still hot in the night, the severity and frequency with which I was waking up reduced by a lot. It’s nice and I definitely won’t be going back to my old pillow now.” She re-emphasised my sentiments of her skin feeling 'fresher' and cleaner when she woke up which, let's face it, is a big win for any hot sleeper.

What are the eco-credentials?

You've probably already guessed from the biodegradable packaging that Putnams are a brand that keep the environment as front-of-mind as they do sleep. Wool is eco-friendly by default, as it's a natural alternative to synthetic fillings, so just choosing one of their wool pillows is, by default a good choice. You've also go the fact that the pillows come from Devon, so they've not got any air miles winging their way to your home.

On their site, Putnams says "wool is sustainable, environmentally friendly, and biodegradable at end-of-life", which is good reassurance for sustainable sleepers. They'll also plant a tree for every order over £60, which is a little more than the cost of one pillow, but if you're buying two for your bed, you're also planting a tree, which is nice to know.

There are some tiny tweaks that really fussy people might point out. For example, the cotton casing, whilst natural, isn't listed as unbleached and organic, so there will have been some chemicals involved in the process. However, that's real nit-picking. This is, after all OKEO TEX 100 certified, which means that there aren't any damaging chemicals lurking inside your pillow. All in all, this scores well as a sustainable pillow.

How does it compare?

There are lots of wool pillows popping onto the market and the price points really vary. I’ll pick up two for you so that you can see where this sits in the market.

The more expensive alternative to the Putnams pillow is Woolroom’s. This is almost double the price, but it was my mum’s favourite for helping her out with her night sweats. “It just takes the edge,” she says,” because I had some nights where I felt sane — no night sweats, no nothing.” You also get a few nice extras, including a storage bag and a really nice quality pillowcase.

Your other alternative is to switch out a wool pillow for an alternative filling. If you want the support of the full wool pillow, you could look at Soak & Sleep's Cooling Memory Foam Pillow. Whilst this is cooling in the context of memory foam, it's not a particularly cool sleep compared to the wool pillow. However, the pressure relief that it offers is second-to-none.

Should you buy it?

If you want an all-natural cooling pillow that's safe for sensitive skin, I can't recommend the Putnams Height Adjustable Wool Pillow enough. It's one of my favourite pillows of all time, because it feels like you can really personalize the firmness without having to pay for a custom-made price. It might not look like a bargain, but this really is.

How we test

At woman&home we have a rigorous process for how we test pillows. I'm always on the lookout for the best cooling pillows, whether they're making use of the latest gels and structures or going back to basics with some natural options. I speak with the sleep experts and triple-check every claim made by a brand before putting a popular pillow to the test.

To get a review, I sleep on these pillows for at least one month. Physiotherapists say it takes two weeks to see results, so I double it to make twice as sure that what I'm telling you is accurate. I look for support, alignment, and comfort as the three basic factors that a pillow should cover. Then, once those are covered, I'll have a think about the sleep position that the pillow suits as well as the ailments and issues that it would be helpful for. In the case of the Woolroom, I'm looking for a cooling pillow, so I dedicate a special section to thermal regulation. However, I'll also be thinking about neck and back pain too. 

Aside from the practicalities, I'll also look into the composition and eco-credentials, so that you know everything that you'd possibly need to before coming to a conclusion about whether the pillow is worth investing in. If you still have questions, don't hesitate to email me. That's exactly why I am a sleep geek.

As someone who gets subtle fillers in her top lip and chin, I always advocate for aesthetic treatment transparency and zero shame. There is still so much judgement surrounding injectables, which I really resent; at the end of the day, modern feminism means being able to do what you choose with your appearance, as long as it is what you truly want rather than coming from societal pressures or outside influences.

However, as much as I fly the flag for enjoying what the world of injectables can offer, I do acknowledge that a certain phenomenon has been on the rise: something that's been coined "pillow face". Pillow face can result from the injection of too much filler, or filler that has been injected into the wrong areas. This can lead to a feeling of uniformity, where everybody begins to look "the same" and our sense of unique individuality goes out the window.

If this sounds like something you’re concerned about when going for fillers – or if you already feel like you may be seeing the effects – I spoke to two industry experts for what can be done about it.

Everything to know about 'pillow face', according to experts

What is ‘pillow face’ and how does it happen?

Dr. Christine Hall, A&E doctor and aesthetic doctor at the Taktouk Clinic explains that pillow face “is the direct reference to the appearance of a face that has been overfilled with dermal filler or [when] the filler has been placed incorrectly.” She adds that this often leads to end results that are defined by “puffiness and swelling” and “a more rounded face that can resemble a pillow” – hence the name.

Master facialist Katie White, founder of the award-winning re:lax Skin Studio, adds that this phenomenon can also take place “if filler has built up and potentially migrated over time, or it can be a case of existing filler retaining water. One of the primary compounds in dermal fillers is hyaluronic acid, therefore filler acts as a humectant and attracts water to it. This can lead to a puffy appearance, hence the term ‘pillow face’.”

For those who have a diet high in salt or alcohol, water retention may be even higher, which makes you more susceptible to pillow face, according to White.

What should you do if you experience pillow face?

From an aesthetic doctor’s point of view, there are a couple of approaches that can be taken to lessen the effects of ‘pillow face,’ either immediately or if you have a little more patience. The first, says Dr. Hall, is to do nothing and wait it out. “Dermal filler doesn’t last forever; reassess it in six months and see if the situation is improving,” she says. “Often, this is the route that patients take, particularly if they aren’t too bothered about the appearance.”

If this is what you choose to do, White says that going for regular facials with the right practitioner can really help to ease any puffiness in the meantime. “Facial massage, manual lymphatic drainage, facial cupping, gua sha and microcurrent treatments are amazing for reducing water retention and pose no harm to the positioning of the filler,” she explains. “They work by manually moving the fluid or lymph towards the lymph nodes and draining them away from the face, ready to be excreted by the body. They leave you looking toned, sculpted and the opposite of ‘pillowy’.”

If you are more concerned by the effects, you have options. Dissolving your filler – and, if you so choose, starting again with a different injector or amount of filler – is usually a step you can take. “The majority of dermal filler these days is made from hyaluronic acid, which can be broken down by Hyaluronidase or Hyalase,” says Dr. Hall.

Dissolving filler comes with its own risks and drawbacks, so be sure to go to a reputable doctor or qualfied injector with medical training. “Hyalase works very quickly to dissolve filler but its limitation lies in the fact that it is non selective; it can’t differentiate between the hyaluronic acid in the filler and your natural [levels], and so there is a risk that while you dissolve your filler you dissolve some of that natural HA as well.” This can mean, in many cases, “you often need to refill the area subtly after dissolving.”

How can you avoid experiencing pillow face in the first place?

As Dr. Hall says, “prevention is better than cure” in this case. Finding a reliable, trusted and well-recommended injector is crucial for so many reasons – including to avoid experiencing unwanted effects such as pillow face.

“The important thing here is to find an injector who has your best interests at heart, is happy to guide you as to which treatment is best and ultimately, where needed, will say no sometimes,” she says. “An injector that gives you a long list of treatments or tells you that you need ‘X, Y, Z’ done is probably a red flag when it comes to trying to avoid pillow face. Remember that while dermal filler has many uses, its primary goal is in replacing volume in areas where volume has been lost.”

As well as finding the right person to inject your filler, you also need to manage and maintain your own expectations and ensure you don’t get pulled into a "more is more" approach, where you lose sight of what your initial goal was. This is where "perception shift" comes in, says Dr Hall: “This is the phenomenon that sees patients desiring multiple aesthetic procedures as their perception of themselves changes, with the end result looking like a person that no longer resembles you.”

She continues: “Lip filler is a classic example – patients will often come in after a few months stating that their lip filler has gone completely and that they need more. This is where a comparison with ‘before’ pictures is invaluable as, more often than not, it becomes clearly apparent that the lip filler hasn’t gone at all – the patient has simply grown accustomed to their new lips and when they get to see this firsthand they are happy. They then realise that their lips remain fuller and that they don’t necessarily need more [filler].”

Looking at older pictures can help in another way, too: “showing your injector photos of what you looked like 10, 20, 30 years ago can work so that the treatments that they perform are there to maintain or restore your natural appearance, but not make you look like someone else.”

Lastly, just remember that filler isn’t always the answer (at least, not all in one go, right away). “Listen to your aesthetic practitioner and come up with a treatment plan that directly addresses your concerns,” says Dr. Hall. “It may not be filler [that is the best course of action] at all.”

Pillows have been made from feather and down for centuries, but much of this traditional filling was typically a byproduct of the meat industry or harvested cruelly. The EarthKind Feather & Down Support Pillow, handmade in Britain, instead uses only recycled feathers (85% of the filling) and down (15% – down are fluffy, insulating feathers). Meanwhile, the naturally breathable cotton cover gives back to farmers, via Better Cotton.

To make the pillows' fillings, EarthKind diverts pre-loved pillows and duvets containing feather and down fillings from textile waste, sorting, sterilising and heat treating the contents. This filling is rigorously quality-checked before being used. You get something ethical and environmentally friendly but just as good as new.

If you're a fan of traditional feather and down pillows, and sustainability is an important factor, this could this be one of the best pillows for you. I rigorously tested the pillow for several nights to find out what it was like to sleep on.

EarthKind Feather & Down Support Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £37 (or £60 for two)
• Size: 48x74x19cm
• Sleep position: Back
• Filling: 85% recycled feather, 15% recycled down
• Firmness: Medium
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 5 years

First impressions of the EarthKind Feather & Down Support Pillow

I grew up sleeping on feather pillows for years – usually yellowing ones that had seen better days – but at some point I moved over to synthetic. An ex-partner had an allergy, which might have been a factor.

You can’t tell in any way that the EarthKind pillow uses recycled filling; it just feels like a new feather and down pillow. This means that it boasts a bounce-back that’s far more gentle than a hollowfibre pillow.

If you’re used to synthetic fillings, you’ll find it a bit flat. Hollowfibre is the new normal as it’s the default in hotels – easy to machine wash and anti-allergen. I was surprised to find out that the EarthKind can be machine-washed too.

What's the EarthKind Feather & Down Support Pillow like to use?

I expected to like this pillow but, having tried a wide range of different types of pillows and pillow fillings, I wasn’t grabbed.

It sunk under my head but didn’t bounce back enough for my tastes. I felt gently supported when lying down but, if I shifted in the night, I had to flip it over for a fresh start. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just not springy enough.

How does the EarthKind Feather & Down Support Pillow compare?

If you like feather and down pillows, you’ll love this. It’s a very nice pillow and ethically sound. But it’s a matter of personal taste and I preferred the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow, which is also a natural and cruelty-free filling.

There are numerous options if you want a good-quality synthetic filling but the one that I keep coming back to is the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow, which actually feels like how I imagine sleeping on a cloud would feel.

If you want a luxe-feeling hollowfibre pillow, then consider the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow.

EarthKind also makes a synthetic pillow for half the price, the EarthKind Recycled Polyester Pillow, which is filled with hollowfibre that's 100% made from recycled plastic bottles and in a 100% recycled polyester case. Both styles of pillow can be machine-washed at 40°C.

Should you buy the EarthKind Feather & Down Support Pillow?

This is a good, ethical and environmentally friendly option if you love the feel of feather and down pillows. And there are environmental reasons for sticking with natural fillings. They’re chemical-free and biodegradable at the end of their life. I applaud the use of recycled feather and down… but I liked the wool-filled Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow even more.

Read our guides on How to choose a pillow, and the different types of pillow explained if you'd like further information to help you decide which pillow to buy.

This is an interesting pillow aimed at allergy sufferers. Its fibres are surface coated with HeiQ Allergen* Tech, a natural probiotic treatment which uses bacteria to break down inanimate allergens such as dust mite matter, pollen and pet dander. So what's it like to sleep on?

It’s designed for home washing at 40°C and even tumble drying. Just don’t bleach, dry clean or use laundry sanitiser – the aim is to keep the good bacteria alive to eat up allergens. The treatment is durable for more than 20 washes.

It's also one of the more affordable best pillows that I've tested, with an RRP of £30 per pillow (see below for today's current best deals). After testing the pillow for several nights, I can reveal how it was to sleep on, and whether it might be right for you.

The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £30
• Size: 48x74x19cm
• Sleep position: All
• Filling: Synthetic
• Firmness: Medium
• Trial: No
• Guarantee: 2 years

First impressions of the The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow

The pillow feels plump and pleasant, with lots of bounce-back. It feels like the sort of pillow you get in a hotel (like the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow did). It looks like any other pillow too, so it will fit into a standard size pillow case. If your partner has a hollowfibre pillow, you will struggle to tell which one is which without looking at the label.

It has a ‘silky-smooth Smartfil Cluster fibre filling’ but it feels the same as hollowfibre to me.

What's the The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow like to use?

The plump, pleasant pillow feels nice to rest your head on, but I didn’t sleep brilliantly on it. When I got up, the area where my head had been was left slightly depressed but bounced back up promptly.

It was ok, but essentially just the same as any other affordable hollow fibre pillow. It really only comes into its own for allergy sufferers.

How does the The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow compare?

If you don’t need the anti-allergy treatment then consider the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow which is a good hollowfibre pillow with a luxe feel. I slept better on it. And I slept far better on the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow, which actually feels like how I imagine sleeping on a cloud would feel.

But if you have allergies then it’s absolutely worth trying the Fine Bedding Allergy Defence Pillow. I’d also recommend getting one of the best air purifiers in your bedroom. Make sure it’s switched on, working, cleaned regularly and gets its filters replaced on time. The Dyson Purifier Hot + Cool is expensive, but comes highly recommended by our Homes eCom editor as the best air purifier she's tested.

Should you buy The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow?

If you have allergies, this pillow is absolutely worth a try as tackling them will improve your sleep. But I’d say that a good-quality air purifier in your bedroom is important too.

Read our guides on How to choose a pillow, and the different types of pillow explained for more help on deciding which pillow to buy.

The handmade Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is filled with 580g of 100% traceable British wool, sustainably sourced from the Chatsworth Estate in Devon (so you might also see it sold online as the Woolroom Chatsworth Collection Washable Wool Pillow).

Wool might be a type of pillow you are less familiar with, as was I, before testing this one. Some benefits of wool pillows are around sustainability and health; as well as regulating temperature, the wool in this pillow is hypoallergenic, and Allergy UK certified, so could help allergy sufferers to sleep more comfortably.

If sustainability and natural materials are a priority for your home, this could be one of the best pillows for you. I found it took some getting used to, as someone not used to sleeping on this more old fashioned-style pillow, but I liked it by my second night and enjoyed the thermoregulating properties of the natural fibres. You might find this low-tech approach appealing if you're looking for one of the best cooling pillows that will also keep you warm enough when the temperatures drop. Read on to find out what it was like to sleep on, and for my full and unbiased review.

Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £84.99
• Size: 48x74x15cm
• Sleep position: All
• Filling: British wool
• Firmness: Medium
• Trial: 30 nights
• Guarantee: 2 years

First impressions of the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow

Wow this pillow is interesting but I didn’t like it at first. It feels old, heritage, like a chair cushion in a stately home. When you lean on it, it dips but doesn’t spring back as much as a modern foam pillow.

Unusually, there’s a discrete, tabless zip in the pillow that you can open to adjust the amount of filling, to tailor it for you. The pillow comes in a calico bag that you can store extra wool in. And if you want your pillow even plumper, you can buy extra filling.

The cover is unbleached, organic, 200-thread-count cotton. And while the cover is machine-washable, the makers recommend removing the filling first. Woolroom also sells a more affordable wool pillow, but it’s dry-clean only because it’s sealed. This also means that the filling can’t be adjusted. Before testing it, I quizzed Woolroom on moths and they said they’d never had an issue with moth infestations and that the pillows are covered in an outer cotton, so moths wouldn't be able to get inside.

What's the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow like to use?

I didn’t like the Woolroom pillow on the first night but I warmed to it. However, it didn’t warm to me. One of the things about natural fillings like wool is that they naturally regulate temperature – sheep would boil otherwise. So this is one pillow that won’t give you a hot head.

I liked it from the second night onwards but it still took some getting used to. Surface in the night and there’s a divot where your head was resting. You can stick with it or flip it over and start again.

So it felt like an old pillow, yet it was surprisingly supportive. It didn’t feel bare or past its best. The filling didn’t vanish, it was there when I needed it.

I didn’t feel like I was in a posh hotel (like the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow did), I felt… like I was visiting family. And that was a nice, cosy vibe.

It’s softer than foam but firmer than down or synthetic pillows. You’d periodically want to fluff it up, like you would a down pillow. And of course, the fact you can open it means you can get inside and really fluff it up.

How does the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow compare?

Is wool the right filling for you? It’s natural and sustainable, and cruelty-free. Best of all, this pillow comes with a free 30-night trial, so you can try it for yourself.

I was impressed with it, but you must suspend your expectations of what a new pillow feels like and give it a try. It doesn’t have the bounce-back of a hollowfibre pillow or the firmness of foam. It’s something altogether different.

If you prefer feather and down then consider the EarthKind Feather & Down Medium Support Pillow, which uses ethical, recycled fillings. If you’re ok with synthetic then there are many good ones to choose from but my personal favourite is the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow, which actually feels like how I imagine sleeping on a cloud would feel.

Should you buy the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow?

You should give it a try if sustainability is your priority. I liked it more than feather and down. This traditional pillow is ethically sourced and British made. You’ll be counting sheep before you know it.

The Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow is certainly an unusual shape. It's described by the manufacturer as a “four-notch cloverleaf” but I’d call it X-shaped. The reason for its non-rectangular shape is that it’s designed for front sleepers and pillow huggers, with the notches at the sides being where you can rest your hands.

Similar to a few of the best pillows I've tested, such as my favourite Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow, it's made from the trusted Tempur memory foam – made in Denmark, born from NASA technology. Filled with Tempur Adapt Material micro-cushions, its ability to adapt to your exact profile promises to offer pressure relief.

Also like the Dreams pillow, Tempur's Ombracio SmartCool pillow has a SmartCool cover that's designed to be cool to the touch, and to absorb excess body heat – so could it be one of the best cooling pillows?

Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £199
• Size: 50x60x14cm
• Sleep position: Front (and pillow huggers)
• Filling: Memory foam
• Firmness: Medium
• Trial: 30 nights
• Guarantee: 3 years

First impressions of the Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow

The Tempur Ombracio feels super-squishy, like a marshmallow. When I unpacked it, I was genuinely excited at the prospect of sleeping on it. And the cover feels soft and cool to the touch.

The shape is striking. But the pillow is small (I measured it at more like 50x45cm) so it wouldn’t fill a pretty pillowcase anyway, even if it was the right shape.

What's the Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow like to use?

If you sleep on your front, the best option is… to stop. Even if it seems comfortable, it’s doing your spine no favours. I spoke to sleep posture experts including Levitex founder James Leinhardt, who explained that you should avoid any ‘provocative’ position that sees both your knees touch the mattress.

So if you sleep on your side, don’t let the top leg roll forward, and sleeping on your front is a no-no. You can read James’s advice in more detail in my Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow review, but in a nutshell, you should get the right pillow and posture instead of sleeping on your front.

Thankfully, despite its X-shape being designed for front-sleepers, the Tempur Ombracio does seem useable in all positions.

I found its (removable, washable) cover very cooling and, especially considering the funny shape, would be tempted to buy a second cover and not bother with a standard pillowcase at all.

How does the Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow compare?

The Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow is a regular-shaped pillow with the same filling and same SmartCool cover as the Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow. And I much preferred it.

If you’re determined to sleep on your front, by all means go for the Ombracio, it’s a good pillow. But the Cloud Air is a better all-rounder, with the same delightful filling. It actually feels like how I imagine sleeping on a cloud would feel.

Should you buy the Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow?

I did like the Tempur Ombracio SmartCool pillow… yet I’d say if you're a front-sleeper then it’s better to correct your sleep posture and get the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow instead. It’s actually cheaper and I can’t see any advantage in the Ombracio’s quirky shape, once you’ve got the right posture.

Either way, it’s worth keeping an eye on the Tempur Outlet page where you can find some pillows half price. Not all pillows are on there but be patient, as stock changes daily. The outlet pillows have the same three-year guarantee but only a 14-day free trial instead of 30 days. Still, it brings the price down tremendously. You can see today's best deals from other retailers below.

We've all experienced nights where we've struggled to drift off to sleep due to feeling uncomfortably hot – whether it's on a hot summer night, when having hot flushes, or even when staying at your in-laws’ generously heated house.

The Luff Sleep The Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow is designed to solve this problem, with one side of this foam pillow covered with a cooling layer of gel beneath an "ice fabric", and the other made of bamboo fabric. It also claims to offer "orthopaedic qualities" due to the firmness of its CloudTec filling. Of course, firmness is a factor that's personal to all of us when choosing the best pillow, and something that varies among the best cooling pillows on the market, so I made sure to consider this in my testing process.

It's an expensive pillow but is sometimes discounted, so it's worth keeping an eye out on the prices below for the best current offers. It also comes with a generous 100 day trial period, which is a competitive offering. I tested it to see if it really was as cool as it claimed.

Luff Sleep The Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £129.99
• Size: 40x60x11cm
• Sleep position: Side, back
• Filling: Solid CloudTech foam
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: 100 nights
• Guarantee: 10 years (when bought direct)

First impressions of the Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow

The Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow looks hi-tech even before you remove it from its clear bag. One side is covered with a bright blue gel layer. It’s this side that’s cooling to sleep on. Though if you don’t like the feel of the gel, you can flip the pillow over and sleep on the soft bamboo fabric instead.

And the gel really is cooling; impressively cooling. I made sure to test it on a hot night, and I could honestly imagine I was resting my head on ice.

Meanwhile the foam is CloudTech, which promises “all the benefits of memory foam, with none of the drawbacks”. When quizzed about this claim, the makers said the main improvements are its pillow's heat retention (regular memory foam can leave you with a hot head, but the Luff’s cooling layer avoids this) and an initial smell of foam (which its bamboo pillow cover combats).

What’s the Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow like to use?

I was really impressed with the cooling power of Luff’s gel. Each time I lay my head on it for testing purposes, I felt like taking 40 winks, which is a good sign. But once you do fall asleep, the cooling power only lasts so long. I slept soundly but, when I woke up, I found myself moving my head to a new cool patch. I wasn’t overheating, it had just lost that lovely ice feeling.

Also I found that adding a pillowcase dramatically cut its cooling properties. The Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow has a washable cover, so the smartest move is to just stick with that. The cover is organic bamboo, breathable and washable. It washes and dries quickly, or you could buy a second one. But if you really want to make the most of this pillow’s cooling qualities then it won’t be in a pillowcase that matches your duvet cover.

The foam pillow is firm but I found it very comfortable as a side-sleeper. It’s too thick to be comfortable for back-sleeping though. It’s officially 11cm deep but I measured it at 13cm.

How does the Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow compare?

The closest comparative pillow I've tested is the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow. The Bensons is a really good memory foam pillow that offered perfect support for me as a side sleeper, and subtly helped me regulate my temperature. Bensons explained its "phase change crystals" inside the iGel can store or release energy, to cool you when you’re hot and warm you when you’re cold.

In comparison, the Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow offered a much more cooling experience that helped me to fall asleep in comfort, even when I tested it on hot nights.

Should you buy the Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow?

If you want one of the best cooling pillows, then look no further. It is pricey, but worth it if you need a cooling pillow. This is a brilliant tool for coping with the hot nights we’re increasingly getting in the summer, and the hot flushes that most women endure during perimenopause and menopause. When I first laid my head on the pillow, it really felt like I was resting it on a block of ice. But when I surfaced, I did need to move my head to feel the benefit again. Or flip the pillow over to sleep on the bamboo side.

Also it’s sometimes discounted. At the time of writing, it was £67.99, down from £129.99. At that price, it’s absolutely worth it. And with a long trial period of 100 days, you can’t go wrong – there's plenty of time to return it if it’s not right for you.

The Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow offers targeted support and pressure relief with a contoured design so it's ideal for side sleepers. Caramel Quin reviews for all you need to know.

Investing in one of the best pillows for neck pain can transform the quality of your sleep, but with so many choices among the best pillows available, finding the perfect pillow can be a challenge.

The Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow has an ergonomic design to support your head at the right angle, not just to relieve neck and shoulder pain but also to align airways for better breathing and less snoring. Its firm memory foam is supportive and won’t lose shape. The soft, knitted cover can be removed and machine-washed.

Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £40
• Size: 30x50x12cm
• Sleep position: Side, back
• Filling: Memory foam
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 2 years

First impressions of the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow

The first thing I noticed about the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow is its surprising size. It’s noticeably smaller than most pillows - to the extent that it's likely to rattle around in any standard-size pillowcase. It’s not tiny or travel-sized by design but it’s certainly diminutive and doesn’t pass for a regular pillow.

For this one to work for you, you may need to buy a smaller pillow case - or be happy for your pillow to rattle around in the case. Although, as my reviewers told me, it can work as an advantage for some people.

What is the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow like to use?

Neck pain is such a personal thing, so finding the right pillow is subjective. I recruited three testers to try the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow, each with different reasons for their neck pain. I also tested the pillow myself.

It was tester Laura’s second favourite choice, after the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow. She felt the Silentnight was the budget version of this top choice, being half the price, but still comfortable. Laura also found the small size an advantage – she’s tall and the smaller pillow let her sleep further up the bed.

Saira disliked the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow's small size and Lucy doesn’t like memory foam pillows. Personally, I slept well but felt it smelled a bit of foam - and it was definitely weirdly small. My review sample measured just 48cm wide, whereas a standard UK pillow is 75cm wide.

How does the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow compare?

The Silentnight was OK but I much preferred the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow and felt it was worth paying the extra for a good night’s sleep and a happy neck. Also, the Back in Action pillow comes in three sizes, so if you get advice before buying (in-store or on the phone), it should be a better fit to help deal with neck pain.

If you suffer from neck pain, you need a supportive pillow that will help align your spine, hips, and neck. You don’t want something soft and insubstantial. The Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow does a great job of this. It comes in four sizes and uses a unique type of foam that is both soft and supportive.

I also really liked the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow which feels soft but is secretly very supportive as well. Alternatively, if you want something with a soft upper that won’t break the bank, consider the unusual Mediflow Water Pillow.

Should you buy the Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow?

If you like ergonomic, memory foam pillows then it’s a good buy at decent price point. But, I can't get away from the fact that it's weirdly small so in this case, I'm going to say that it's worth investing a bit more in one of the many alternatives instead.

You spend a third of your life with your head on a pillow, might as well make it a good one.

The Mediflow Water Pillow is a quirky choice that lets you control the thickness and firmness by filling it with water. Caramel Quin puts it to the test.

A good pillow can make a huge difference in alleviating neck pain, but even if you opt for one of the best pillows money can buy, there is no guarantee that it will truly ease your pain. So, to help you find a pillow that will support your neck and (hopefully) improve your sleep quality, we put a selection of the best pillows for neck pain to the test.

I didn’t have a water-filled pillow on my bingo card when I agreed to test pillows. I’d never heard of such a thing. It sounds innately daft – what if it springs a leak? But then waterbeds were popular in the 1970s and 1980s, so this seems a small risk in comparison.

The idea behind the Mediflow Water Pillow is that you can add or remove water to adjust the thickness and firmness of the pillow. The water fills the lower layer of the pillow, and there’s a softer hollow-fibre layer on top, so you don’t feel the water sloshing around underneath your head.

Mediflow Water Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £40
• Size: 41x67x16cm
• Sleep position: All
• Filling: Hollowfibre, water
• Firmness: Adjustable
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 2 years

First impressions of the Mediflow Water Pillow

The Mediflow Water Pillow comes with clear instructions as well as a tool which you use to unlock the cap and then screw in for use as a funnel. Next, you pour tap water in, with more water making for a firmer pillow. They recommend between 2 and 4.5 litres, so I went with 3 litres.

You hold the pillow upright to fill it, so resting it on a chair is a good idea. I'll admit it felt weird pouring water into a pillow, but there were (thankfully) no spillages.

Once you add the water, you use your hands to flatten the pillow to remove the air pocket. Rather like filling a hot water bottle, you want to minimise air at the top. You then put the cap back on firmly.

The water can stay in the pillow for up to a year without needing to add any chemicals. Surprisingly, you can machine wash (cold) the empty pillow and even gently tumble dry it.

What is the Mediflow Water Pillow like to use?

I filled it to ‘medium firm’ but woke the next day with a backache that suggested it was too full (the pillow was too plump) so I tipped a bit out. It turned out that emptying it (which you would rarely do) was harder than filling it, with more risk of spilling.

Laying my head on this felt good. It's a big pillow but it felt soft beneath me, and though it was loud and swishy when I picked it up and moved it, it wasn't like that when I was lying on it. Plus, I didn’t feel like it might leak.

Neck pain is a personal thing, and finding the right pillow is subjective so I recruited three other testers (Laura, Lucy, and Saira), each with different reasons for their neck pain, and handed them the Mediflow.

Laura liked that it looked like a normal pillow - unlike some other options for neck pain such as the Silent Night Therapy Contour Pillow. It didn’t end up being the perfect match for her, but she was a fan of how it felt - soft on top with a nice bit of firmness underneath. Despite trying to make it slosh around or feel strange, she found it felt pretty much like a normal pillow. However, the water at the bottom is cold and heavy, so you can’t adjust the pillow easily and you certainly can’t turn it over.

Both Lucy and Saira rated the Mediflow highly and wanted to keep it. Using water as a pillow filling is odd - yet it works and it's a clever way to adjust the pillow’s firmness.

Lucy (who gets postural neck pain) found she woke less while using this pillow and didn’t get the dead arm that she often gets at night. She also liked that it looked like a normal pillow but she was a bit nervous about the water and was worried she’d lose the funnel. She thought it was worth the money but wanted to know more about the materials and sustainability.

Saira also thought the water pillow idea was weird, so she found it hard to relax while using it. She was constantly aware of the water and worried that the pillow might leak. However, she found it surprisingly comfortable and wanted to keep trying it.

How does the Mediflow Water Pillow compare?

No one expected to love this pillow, including myself, but it was quite a hit in the end. It’s soft on top and supportive underneath, thanks to the water filling. It's also an affordable option.

If you experience neck pain, you need a pillow that offers proper support, not something too soft or flimsy, to help keep everything aligned. The Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow does a great job of this. It comes in four sizes and uses a unique soft and supportive foam.

Another great option is the pricey Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow which feels soft but is secretly very supportive.

Or if you’re ok with the firm feeling of memory foam, the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow is well worth considering.

Should you buy the Mediflow Water Pillow?

Quite possibly, yes. We were unsure of the water pillow idea at first but it certainly works. The ability to easily adjust the pillow’s firmness and thickness by changing how much water you add is a plus point, and we like that it looks like a regular pillow too.

However, this is a heavy pillow and the fact that you can't turn it over is a definite disadvantage.

The Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow is an expensive option but it's the pillow we'd buy everyone we know if we could. Caramel Quin, who tested it, explains why...

In our quest to find the best pillows for neck pain, we tested a range of the best pillows all designed to support and relieve tension, so you can easily pick the one that will bring you the most comfortable night's sleep.

Rather than being ergonomically sculpted, the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow has the shape of a traditional pillow, and the soft case has a pleasing texture. The idea is that it supports you however you lie. I tested the medium-firm pillow but there’s also a soft version.

Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £149
• Size: 50x75x12cm
• Sleep position: All
• Filling: Memory foam
• Firmness: Medium (soft also available)
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 3 years

First impressions of the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow

Wow! This pleasantly normal-looking pillow has a wonderful ‘Goldilocks’ feel. It's not too soft like down or hollow fibre but not as firm as foam either; it’s just right. When I rested my head on it for a midday test, I instantly wanted to drift off to sleep.

What is the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow like to use?

Personally, I loved this pillow. It was my favourite of all the pillows I tested – I slept like a baby on it. Neck pain is a personal thing though, which makes finding the right pillow very subjective. For that reason, I recruited three testers (Lucy, Saira, and Laura) each with different reasons for their neck pain, and I tested the pillows myself.

Lucy didn’t like it - but she doesn’t generally like memory foam pillows and had some concerns about the material’s sustainability.

Saira, on the other hand, found it very comfortable: “It moulded to my head easily," she said. "It was slightly firmer than the others, so I felt like I had something under my head to rest on.”

Finally, Laura thought it felt fancy - and I agree. “It looks like a pillow, it’s shaped like a pillow, but it's really heavy. It didn't seem quite as firm as other memory foam pillows, and it seemed to have a pleasant movement to it, a softness as well as support. It squishes down more like a normal pillow. I got used to it quickly and I liked sleeping with it. If I was rich, I might buy these pillows for everybody I know.” In other words, she loved it - but not as much as she loved the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow.

How does the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow compare?

I really like this pillow. It’s the one I wanted to keep using and it’s one of my favourite pillows for easing neck pain. It feels soft but it’s secretly very supportive.

If you suffer from neck pain, you need a supportive pillow that will help align everything. You don’t want something soft and insubstantial. The Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow does a great job of this. It comes in four sizes and uses a unique type of foam that manages to be both soft and supportive.

Or if you’re ok with the firm feeling of memory foam, the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow is well worth considering.

But if you want something with a soft upper, that won’t break the bank, consider the unusual Mediflow Water Pillow.

Should you buy the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow?

Giving five stars to the most expensive product we tested wasn’t an easy decision. I know how important value for money is, especially with today’s cost of living. But considering we spend a third of our lives with our head on a pillow, investing in one that will last for years, if not decades, feels justified. If you can splurge on this pillow, go for it. Whether you have neck pain or not, it’s lovely, and I’m confident it’ll stay that way for a long time.

We reviewed the pillow from Dreams but note that you can get a 30-day free trial if you buy direct from Tempur. It’s also worth keeping an eye on the Tempur Outlet page where you can find pillows at half-price. Not all pillows are on there but be patient, as stock changes daily. The outlet pillows have the same three-year guarantee but only a 14-day free trial. Still, it brings the price down tremendously.

"The harsh truth is that we're all sleeping wrong and we have been for a long time" James Leinhardt smiles at me. It's clear that this isn't the first time that he's delivering this news. In fact, if you track back James' rich history as a sleep posture specialist, he's been telling us this for decades. It's just that now, with the help of TikTok and his mini skeleton, the word is spreading.

I thought I had my sleep set-up sorted. I've selected and tested enough mattresses to find the perfect firmness for me. I've invested in some nice, cooling bed sheets and sorted out the tog of my duvet. However, James promised me that I wouldn't be getting restful, refreshing sleep without the right pillow. If what you're sleeping on right now is a lump of feathers (I was once guilty of this too), chances are, what's waking you up in the night or making you feel achy in the morning is your guilty pillow.

This is where James comes in. He founded Levitex out of necessity back in 2016. James worked with critically injured, chronically ill, and in-firm patients for over ten years and it became quickly clear that we need to rethink the comfort, pressure relief, support, and posture of our pillows. He calls Levitex "a cheat to getting a good night's sleep", but I think that's modesty. Having slept on mine for a month, I think it's genius. In fact, I think it's one of the best pillows of all time, including pillows for neck pain.

Specifications

• RRP: £75
• Size: 60x40cm, thicknesses of 8, 10, 12 or 14cm
• Sleep position: Side, back
• Filling: Levitex foam
• Firmness: Medium firm
• Trial: 44 nights
• Guarantee: 3 years

The background

Before I could get my hands on one of these, I spoke with James, the founder of Levitex. If you're on TikTok, you'll have seen his friendly face and heard his even friendlier Northern accent delivering the kind of facts that make you sit up a little straighter (as well as the ones that'll help you sleep a little better).

James talked me through the Levitex story, so I knew what I was expecting. I think it's worth understanding a little bit behind what brought Levitex to market, because there was a lot of work. James and Dr Liebeman researched, created, and patented this special type of foam. They quickly started sleep studies (which have now delivered impressive results) and then, in 2021 they started using the Levitex for Covid-19 patients to create a Conscious Patient Kit to help the most severe, hospitalised cases with their breathing.

Essentially, James' message, promoted through Levitex, is that your pillow needs to offer pressure relief, postural management, and propioception. And most pillows don't. With the Levitex, James promises that this is possible. If you're a side or back sleeper, you can consult a chart on the website that will show you what to do with your Levitex pillow and where to put your old pillow to assume the perfect sleeping position. If, like me, you're a front sleeper, there's a little more work to do.

By virtue of sleeping on your front, you end up turning your head one way or another. As a result, the mobility in your neck becomes really uneven. I hadn't noticed this until James got me to look from side to side and I realised that I can turn much further left than I can right.

James compares this to when you sit at a table and cross one leg over the other. James explains “ you probably have a favourite way to cross your legs, which is great. However, this is something that you do when you're awake and conscious in the daytime. So, if one leg begins to feel a little numb or painful, you'll flatten your legs or shift in your seat. When you’re sleeping, you won’t notice the pain until it wakes you up. Even then, you probably won’t know that it was your poor posture that woke you up, you’ll just feel a bit achey.” James and I devised a way that the Levitex might be able to help me out of my front sleeping habit and into something a little healthier and more gentle. It sounded like a tall order, but it's one I was willing to take on.

First impressions

I was off to a great start with the Levitex. After speaking with James, I was seeing pillows from a whole new perspective. How have we all been getting it wrong for so long? The Levitex seems to offer the chance to completely change the way we sleep. I'm not exaggerating.

The Levitex arrived promptly after my call with James. I was using a size small (because I am actually small and quite light). There's a guide to choosing the right size for you as well as advice on returns and sizing (which I have broken down in the section below).

All of the packaging is completely recyclable, which gets a big thumbs up from me, and the box had lots of useful information printed across it, which I love. When a brand makes use of the little things, you know they've put a lot of thought into the product.

Inside the box, the Levitex was wrapped in tissue paper, so it felt like I was opening a proper gift up. And, in many ways, this is a gift.

Composition

The inner foam is made from Levitex, which is both the brand and material name. This is essentially a form of polyurethane, which takes the best bits of memory foam and latex and blends them together. It feels like latex, but it's lighter and cheaper. The similaritieis to memory foam are the pressure relief that it offers, except this has enough firmness not to mess up your posture.

There are clinical trials around Levitex which offer some solid support for how this performs. On the website, Dr Matthew Dickinson, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, says "Levitex performs exponentially better than anything else on the market", which is always a good thing to hear about your pillow.

If you're a statistics person, Levitex, says that when the pillow is compressed by 25% of its original size it "is soft, comfortable, and pressure relieving. However, at a force of 65% compression, it becomes firm and resistant". This perfectly serves the sleep trifecta of pressure, posture, and proprioception.

After all that geeky stuff, the cover of the pillow is simple. It's 100% nylon, which is low maintenance and cool to touch. As one final cherry on top of the cake, the pillows also contain an inherent antimicrobial treatment called AMP:PM so that bacteria, mould, and mildew can't grow inside the foam.

Who would it suit?

The Levitex promises to optimise your sleep posture, which can help a whole host of different sleepers. James says, "I've seen this help to decrease snoring, reduce back pain, help to utilise lung capacity, improve core strength, and boost your energy levels. Above all else, you'll finally get the good nights sleep that you dream of whilst your bad pillow keeps you up at night."

James tells me that in trials 67% of snorers will stop or reduce their snoring if they sleep properly on their side in an optimised sleep position. In theory, this is what the Levitex does, so it should help you to stop snoring.

That sounds a lot for a whole pillow to achieve, but in my experience, it does a decent job. I'm not a snorer, nor do I struggle to use my full lung capacity, but this did help me get deeper sleep and it got rid of my neck pain. Most importantly though, it stopped me from being a front sleeper. That's a fate I never thought I would escape.

What is it like to sleep on?

Before I give you the details of my experience, it'll be helpful for you to know a little context about how I sleep. As a front sleeper, I normally don't have a pillow. If I do, it'll be a blanket stuffed under my head. I lie on my side at the start of the night and will eventually roll onto my front, which is appalling for my breathing and my neck health, but it's the comfiest position for me.

As soon as my head hit the Levitex, I could see what the fuss was about. The pillow lifted my head enough that I could feel space between my lower shoulder and head. There wasn't any strain, tension, or pressure anywhere. The pillow felt soft and comfortable, but firm at the same time (is that even possible?). Overall, I felt comfier than I had in a long time. Let me tell you, it felt good.

That night and the night after and the night after and the night after (you get the picture) I slept really well. Normally, I wake up in the night a few times, but I found that I was sleeping right through. James posited that we're all waking up in the night, not because we need the toilet, but because our sleep positions are actually making us so uncomfortable that they pull us out of sleep. That tracks for me. My neck pain disappeared with the Levitex and so did waking up in the night. Coincidence? I think not.

It's been a month now, so physiotherapists would let me make my conclusions about how good this has been (experts generally say to wait for two weeks to see a change). The first piece of evidence I have for you is that I've stopped sleeping on my front (hooray). I've not been getting too hot in the night and have generally felt comfortable. I think the missing piece in my sleep routine has finally fallen into place.

I didn't just use the Levitex though. James recommended a few adjustments for me to achieve the perfect sleeping position (known as the Dreamer, although he says "an optimised back sleeper is a decent position to be in too"). To sleep in the Dreamer position, James recommends "sticking your old pillow between your knees and ankles. This will help your hips to remain neutral and will help you achieve the optimum sleep posture." You'll be on your side with your legs bent, a little like the foetus position.

James also added, "there's a chance that some sleepers might need two pillows to give them enough support, but I always recommend giving it fourteen days before you make the call."

How does it compare?

On its own, the Levitex scored top marks for me, a front sleeper. Anyone like me, who’s been looking in to foam pillows will have come across the Panda London Memory Foam pillow.

You’ll almost be able to predict what I’m going to say about how these two compare just from the image above. Aside from the foam composition, which is different anyway, these feel like pillows for completely different sleepers. The Panda London Pillow feels like classic memory foam. It’s actually made from bamboo, which is a nice touch, but aside from doing your research, you wouldn’t know that it was bamboo just from lying on it. This memory foam is much more spongy and elastic than the Levitex. Paired with the one-size thickness of the Panda, this is a very firm and plump pillow. It’s actually the one that I was testing before the Levitex and, whilst it’s great for being propped up in bed, the firmness can make it difficult to get good alignment if you’re a small side or back sleeper like me. The Levitex, on the other hand, feels almost softer, but because it’s so thin, this isn’t soft to the point where I would worry about overheating.

Is it cooling?

There's nothing about the Levitex that promises to cool you down as you sleep, but it doesn't affect your temperature as you sleep. Most foams are well-known to insulate, so this is a great option if you want the softness and ergonomics of foam, but you hate the idea of all that heat heading your way.

I'd still say that the pillows thinness made it feel cool to touch and sleep on. If you have a bamboo or a silk pillowcase, I think you can get a large amount of cooling power behind you (or as much cooling power as many pillow can offer).

What are the eco-credentials?

Foam is notoriously not quite the climate-friendly substance that tree-huggers will want on their bed. However, Levitex, as with their completely recyclable packaging have kept an eye on this. For each pillow sold, they plant two trees, which technically makes the pillow carbon negative. I'd certainly be able to sleep a little easier knowing that.

Returns and trial period

The Levitex Pillow comes with a sheet that explains your returns and trial period options. Of course, they hope that the size is right the first time around. However, they point out that physiotherapists recommend testing all sleep products for two weeks before you'll see any results, good or bad. For that reason, Levitex has extended the 30-day statutory returns period to 44 days, so you'll have plenty of time to sleep on your decision.

There's a guide to finding the right size for you, but if you need a refresher, here's the headlines.

• Small (8cm) suits side sleepers below 5’2″
or back sleepers below 6’2″
• Medium (10cm) suits side sleepers 5’3″ to 5’8″ or for back sleepers 6′3″ and above
• Large (12cm) suits side sleepers 5’9″ to 6′2″
• Extra large (14cm) suits side sleepers over 6′3″

Levitex says "if your pillow is the right size, it will feel like you want to push your head into it, but can't. If it's the wrong size, it will feel like your neck is angled up or down."

Should you buy it?

If you're struggling to shake some bad sleeping habits, this is the way you're going to fix them. Don't be shy of asking Levitex for their advice and tips on what to do with your pillow and how to use it. I did and I managed to overhaul my unhealthy sleep style. It's a miracle worker.

How we test

Some people call testing pillows sleeping on the job and others say you're taking work to bed with you. I say, it's a dream come true. As a self-confessed sleep geek, I love nothing more than testing out the latest and greatest pieces in sleep innovation and Levitex ticks a lot of boxes.

As you can see, to get a review up and running, our pillows go through a series of rigorous tests. I do a lot of research before coming to a conclusion on who a pillow suits, whether you should get it, and why. If you want to find out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test pillows.

While there's no solution like expert help for neck pain, having a pillow that can support you through the night is the next best thing. Here, tech and health writer Caramel Quin reviews the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow to see if it passes the test.

Finding the best pillows for neck pain is no easy task - and I've been looking out for one for a while. Reportedly, eight in 10 people experience neck pain at some point in life (according to a report published in The BMJ), so I know I'm not alone in this.

The Back in Action Memory Foam pillow has an indent for your head and the memory foam moulds around the neck for a high level of support. It's just one of two pillow types sold by ergonomic specialists Back in Action - each comes in three sizes and they’ll advise you on which size to try in person or over the phone. So if you're looking for an easy pillow to buy on Amazon, look away now - but if you're looking for a pillow that may ease neck discomfort, read on.

There's neck pain from sleeping in a funny position once and then there's neck pain, often caused by the wrong kind of pillow keeping you in a position that makes you feel stiff and awkward for the rest of the day, week, and month. If that's ringing any bells, it might be time to rethink what you're resting your head on.

Finding the best pillows for neck pain is no easy task - and I've been looking out for one for a while. I know I'm not alone in this either. Reportedly, eight in 10 people experience neck pain at some point in life (according to a report published in The BMJ). That's where the Back In Action Memory Foam Pillow caught my attention. Designed with a head-shaped indent and supportive memory foam that moulds gently to the curve of your neck, it promises a tailored fit rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Sold by ergonomic specialists Back In Action, it’s one of just two pillow types they offer, each available in three sizes. They’ll even help you choose the right one in person or over the phone. So no, it’s not a quick Amazon buy, but if you’re serious about finding a pillow that could help ease neck discomfort, it might be worth the extra effort.

Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow review

• RRP: £89 to £99
• Size: S 31x52x8-11cm - M 31x60x9-12cm - L 33x58x12-15cm
• Sleep position: Side, back
• Filling: Memory foam
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 2 years

First impressions of the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow

On opening the packaging, I was intrigued to see that where many pillows develop a dent where your head has rested over time, this one has one already. It's a funny shape with a hollow for your head, a groove for your neck, cutouts for your shoulders, and grooves for airflow.

The first thing I did when I unwrapped the pillow was look up the picture on the website to check which way round it needed to go.

Lovers of soft pillows look elsewhere - to the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow as one of the best pillows instead, for example. This memory foam (also known as visco) pillow is unashamedly firm, but rather than being a solid block, it's at least sculpted to support you in all the right places, to support your head and spine.

I also like that it comes in three sizes. Each has a different depth to suit different bodies. There’s no size guide but Back in Action encourages customers to consult in store or on the phone to pick the right size. This might be a deterrent for some but it's worth doing to truly get your money's worth.

What is the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow like to use?

Neck pain is such a personal issue so finding the right pillow is subjective. I recruited three testers, each with different reasons for their neck pain, as well as testing the pillows myself.

Lucy and Saira found it too solid and hard to get used to. As a particularly unique design, this didn't exactly surprise me. However, this is why it's best to get 'fitted' for this pillow in person so you can test out what it's like before you buy. Unlike some other pillows, there's no 'free trial' period where you can use the pillow and send it back if it's not for you. At £89 per pillow, that's quite a risk to take.

However, some people do have success with it - like my tester Laura, who is tall and has nerve pain from herniated discs. On sleeping with the pillow for one night, she declared that it was the first time she’d had no neck pain in ages. “It feels really firm, but you sink into it gradually, and it takes the shape of you. The unusual shape and firmness weren't an issue. I was able to spin over on my side and shift about without noticing any difference," she says.

"The design seems to keep my head up slightly higher and feels unnatural at first because of firmness, and then you realise that the spaces between your vertebrae seem bigger and it’s really good for you - like the feeling of a yoga stretch when you get it right.”

I don't suffer with neck pain very often and prefer one of the best pillows for side sleepers myself, but I also found this pillow to be comfortable and supportive enough for daily use, cradling my head and neck well. It is a little odd in shape and I question the washing methods, but it did the job well. I liked the ridges in the pillow that relieve pressure and aid airflow as memory foam pillows can feel a little warm sometimes.

So, for some, the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow can be a relief from neck pain - finally. But for others, it will be an immediate no-go. If you can, check out this pillow in person before you buy to see what category you fall into. They have shops in London, Bristol, Amersham, and Marlow.

Cleaning the Back In Action Memory Foam Pillow

When it comes to cleaning the pillow, I immediately noted that this pillow can only be wiped, rather than washed. Having recently tested the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow and the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow - both of which are machine washable at 40 degrees, although not specifically designed for those with neck pain - it was a surprise to see. The pillow does come with a free CoolMax Summer Cover though, which you can machine wash. Still, it's something to bear in mind.

How does the Back in Action Memory Foam Pillow compare?

This is one of my favourite pillows for neck pain but like Marmite, you'll either love it or hate it so it's worth considering the other options too. I'd suggest looking at the Dreams Tempur Cloud Air SmartCool Medium Pillow - although pricier, it has a softer feel.

If you suffer from neck pain, you need a pillow that’s supportive and will help align everything. You don’t want something soft and insubstantial. A good mid-priced option that impressed our testers is the Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow. This one comes in four sizes and uses a unique type of foam that manages to be both soft and supportive.

But if you want something with a soft upper, that won’t break the bank, consider the unusual Mediflow Water Pillow.

Is the Back in Action Memory Foam pillow worth buying?

I'm hesitant to say that this pillow is a good choice for everyone. Lucy and Saira's experience speaks to that. However, it was very hard to get the Back in Action Memory Foam review sample back from Laura. "I've fallen in love with it. At first it looked to me reminiscent of a chopping block used to behead Anne Boleyn and now I don't want to sleep with anything else," she says.

It’s a shame there’s no free trial and because of this, I'd recommend buying the pillow in person if you can - but if you’re up for the firm support of memory foam then the Back in Action won’t disappoint.

How we test pillows

At woman&home, we have a standardised way of testing pillows. Before we even start to get any shuteye, we do our research. Our experts look for the latest and greatest as well as trusted and reliable pillows for neck pain and we deep dive into the details on what they're like. Once we decide it could be for you, we take them to our homes and give them a proper in-person test.

The tests start with packaging and unboxing the pillow, because the way that it arrives at yours will tell you a lot about the thought that a company has put into it. We'll comment on sustainability and how easy it is to get ready on the bed, as well as any off-gassing or smells that you might spot.

Then, all of our testers have at least two weeks sleeping on the pillow. This is how long physiotherapists say that it takes to notice a physical change in your body. Often, our testers will use a pillow for a month, if not longer, so we keep you updated here with anything that we find.

After that, we'll talk about what the pillow is like to clean and how it compares to other models in terms of value-for-money. By the end of the review, you should have a really good idea of what the pillow is like and whether it's for you. However, if you want to find out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test pillows.

The Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow proves you don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get good support as a side sleeper. At under £20 for two, this is a budget-friendly buy worth adding to your basket, says Susan Griffin.

One of the best pillows for side sleepers, the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow is a synthetic pillow with a 'core block for strong support', surrounded by a softer filling. It's made in the UK, machine washable at 40 degrees, and very affordable. What more could you ask for?

I've tested many of the best pillows as a tech and health writer, and this one should be applauded for its green credentials. The company’s synthetic fillings save more than 750 million plastic bottles from landfills and the brand is accredited with manufacturing with zero waste to landfill. Truly impressive.

Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: 2 for £17
• Size: 48 x74x15cm
• Sleep position: Side
• Filling: Synthetic
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 1 year

First impressions of the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow

I'll be honest - I did not expect to like this pillow based on my first impressions. It looked plump but squashed down easily and I couldn't feel the 'core block in the middle like I expected to. It just felt like a soft, hollow fibre pillow.

I was preparing for a bad night's sleep - but as it turns out, first impressions can be wrong. This pillow was actually incredibly comfortable to sleep on with enough support to align the spine and neck when I was lying down on my side.

What is the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow like to use?

I was impressed with the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow from my first night. Although the pillow was flattered by the weight of my head when I used just one pillow, meaning it wasn't thick enough for good support, it was perfectly supportive with two.

With one, it felt like the pillow just wasn't quite plump enough as my head tilted down towards the bed - but I thought that two would be too many, as it normally is.

How wrong I was. Two pillows may have looked and felt like a lot, but they dipped down under my head's weight to put my spine in a good position after all. So the fact that the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow comes in a pack of two for a very keen price was perfect.

When it comes to storing this pillow, the Slumberdown comes in recyclable packaging made of thin plastic. Given the brand's eco-friendly credentials, this is hardly surprising. However, it does mean that storing this pillow when it's not being used is harder. Many other pillows - including the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow - come in thicker, reuseable plastic packaging that would keep the pillow clean and dry in storage. So, if you're looking to fit out a guest bedroom with a new set of pillows, it may be better to opt for another pillow instead.

How does the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow compare?

Sure, the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow isn't the perfect pillow. In my eyes, that's the Simba Hybrid Firm Support Pillow. This is my favourite pillow for side sleepers as you can adjust its thickness and firmness to suit your sleep style - but it’s pricey. One of the biggest wins for the Slumberdown is its budget-friendly price tag.

The Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow costs half as much as the Simba and is impressive - so long as you exclusively sleep on your side. For affordable and comfortable, the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow is good – on par with the Slumberdown, but in testing, I found I didn't need to use two pillows.

Should you buy the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow?

Even though you need both pillows for good support, I found this to be an impressive pillow. For me, it hit the sweet spot of being soft yet supportive. It’s affordable and it feels nice and soft. One is enough if you sleep on your back.

However, other pillows are more versatile if you shift position in the night, as many of us do.

The Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is a 5-star find for side sleepers, says tester Caramel Quin. Its unique design and premium materials make it a versatile and supportive option for anyone happy to invest in better sleep.

As a side sleeper (who sometimes also sleeps on their back), I've struggled to find the perfect pillow. Often, one isn't enough and two is too many. But, having tested several of the best pillows for side sleepers, I think I've found 'the one'. This unusual pillow contains three layers inside a zipped case. You can move them to adjust the thickness to what’s comfortable: typically two layers for a back sleeper and three for a side sleeper. You can adapt the pillow's firmness to suit your preferences as well.

So, if you're looking for one of the best pillows, I've got you covered. I tested the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow for several nights, assessing the quality of the material, support, and most importantly, comfort of the pillow for anyone who sleeps on their side.

Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £159
• Size: 45x70x21cm
• Sleep position: Side, back
• Filling: Simba Renew Bio, includes fibres made from recycled plastic bottles
• Firmness: Medium to firm (adjustable)
• Trial: 30 nights
• Guarantee: 1 year

First impressions of the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow

This is one plump pillow if you use all the layers included in the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow. In fact, of all those I tested, it was the hardest to get into a pillowcase comfortably. It's also the pillow that looks the most hi-tech, right down to the print on the fabric and the mesh sides - it looks like it would be right at home in a space station.

But I immediately loved the versatility of this pillow. Not every type of pillow works for every person and having tested other pillows designed for side sleepers (like the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow recently), it became clear to me that adaptability was very important. I could adjust the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow to suit the way I sleep.

I set about testing it in every version, stacking the separate layers in various ways - there are five if you allow for two or three layers and always include the springy layer.

Two inner pillows are made of soft recycled fibres (called Simba Renew) and one of tiny, foam-enclosed Aerocoil springs of titanium alloy. If you like firm pillows, put the springy layer at the top. If you like soft pillows, put the springy layer at the bottom, and if you like medium pillows - you guessed it - use it as a middle layer.

What's the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow like to use?

In one word: versatile. I loved that there are five versions of this pillow in one - hopefully, this means there's something for everyone. Even though I'm a side-sleeper, I found it was just too plump with all three layers so I settled on using two.

The pillow comes with a cloth bag to store the extra layer in. While helpful and good for keeping the layer clean, it does mean you need it store it, taking up extra space where many other pillows would not.

I slept well on my two-layer pillow. And, of course, with one layer being springy and the other soft, I could simply flip it over to change between the two options to my heart's content. My head didn't overheat, so I didn't need to flip the pillow for that reason - only to experiment with the firmness.

How does the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow compare?

The Simba is great for versatility - and there's a trial period too so if you don't like the pillow, you can return it within one month for a full refund. Terms and conditions apply, but many brands don't offer this guarantee, making investment purchases a little riskier.

It’s my favourite pillow for side sleepers. You can adjust its thickness and firmness to suit your sleeping style, but there's no getting away from the fact it’s pricey. The Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow costs half as much and is impressive so long as you sleep on your side, but it's not versatile like this one. You need to be sure that's what you want.

For affordable, consider the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow which you only need one of, or the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow which you need two of if you’re a side-sleeper.

If you’re interested in Simba pillows, we’ve also reviewed the Simba Hybrid Pillow, which is differently versatile. It’s filled with loose cubes of memory foam and you can take some out, or add more, to adjust the pillow’s thickness and firmness.

Should you buy the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow?

Yes, if the budget can stretch, this pillow is an excellent option. I loved the way I could adjust the firmness and depth of the pillow. It's also comfortable, a big win, and the final point that earns the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow a 5-star review in my eyes.

If you can afford to spend this much on a pillow, you won’t be disappointed. The 30-day trial period also means it’s risk-free - you have enough time to experiment with all the stacking combinations and return the pillow if none of them work for you. I think one of them will though.

The struggle of the side-sleeper is one I know well: one pillow isn't enough and two is too many. Yet, with the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow, I think I've cracked the code to getting a good night's sleep.

I'm always on the lookout for the best pillows for side sleepers - and this one ticks all the boxes and more. From my first look, I could tell it was going to be good for side sleepers like me thanks to the high-tech memory foam in the pillow (called iGel Advance). This offers gentle pressure relief that supports the head and aligns the spine with a depth deeper than other pillows I've tried to achieve that alignment.

This is certainly one of the best pillows around. Here, after several nights of testing, I reveal why it's worth buying and what you need to know about this premium pillow before you invest.

Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £79.99
• Size: 48x70x20cm
• Sleep position: Side
• Filling: Memory foam and foam blend
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 1 year

First impressions of the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow

This is one bulky pillow. It's heavy and considerably deeper than most - even walled pillows like the Snuggledown Luxurious Hotel Side Sleeper pillow. So, on removing the pillow from the packet, I could tell this would be a pillow of interest to anyone like me who finds that sleeping on one pillow isn't supportive enough.

From the moment I lay my head down, the memory foam conformed to my shape, providing gentle, firm, and comfortable pressure relief. And while it's not ice cold to the touch, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the iGel offers cooling properties that wick away moisture. While it may not be the best choice for some in cooler seasons, it's a great option for any side sleepers looking for one of the best cooling pillows as well.

What is the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow like to use?

Crucially, this pillow is very comfortable. After a few nights sleeping on this pillow, I could see it becoming a regular on my bed. It doesn't do anything radical and its techy materials are invisible - you can feel them, rather than see them - but I consistently slept well with it. I can't say the same for every pillow I've tested over the years, so that's saying something.

However, I do occasionally sleep on my back. I don't toss and turn but I do change position - and this pillow really is only right for exclusively side sleepers. It didn't ruin my sleep by any means but when I would naturally sleep on my back for a time, I felt my pillow was too high and rolled to one side or the other. I didn't wake up - but it showed me this is a side-sleeping-only pillow.

Per Bensons for Beds, this pillow transfers heat seven times faster than standard foam, helping regulate your body temperature and wicking away moisture. Its "phase change crystals" can store or release energy, to cool you when you’re hot and warm you when you’re cold, they say. I didn't find the pillow ice cold to the touch like the Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow - but I didn't wake up with a hot head either, so it does help to regulate temperature but in a subtle way. For anyone experiencing night sweats as a perimenopause symptom, this could be a good choice.

I did notice it smelled a bit of foam, a phenomenon called "off-gassing". I didn’t like the smell but it doesn't last and, being CertiPUR labelled, the pillow should at least be free from harmful substances.

How does the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow compare?

Of all the pillows I've had designed for side sleepers, this is my second-favourite - my top choice being the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow but at double the cost, this is a very close second. The Bensons pillow is a great choice, so long as you sleep on your side.

For affordable options, consider the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow which you only need one of, or the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow, which you need two of if you’re a side-sleeper.

Should you buy the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow?

This is a pillow suitable only for those who sleep on their side - and if that's you, then this is a good buy. The thickness is perfect for aligning the spine, the materials feel premium, and the temperature regulation is an unexpected benefit.

If you struggle with finding a pillow to sleep on your side with, for the price, this is truly one of the best choices.

The Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow is a must-have if you sleep on your side with a premium feel and comfortable filling. Caramel Quin reviews for all you need to know.

Having one of the best pillows for side sleepers can make all the difference to your night's sleep in this position. But finding the right one among all the top-quality best pillows out there can be difficult - as I often find, one pillow is not enough and two is too many. Luckily, there are good options specially designed for sleepers like us.

The boxy shape of the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow is reminiscent of the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow. In theory, it costs a little more, but in practice, it was reduced from £25 to £15 online at the time of writing, so look out for bargains. It’s UK-made and very good value.

Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £25
• Size: 40x60x10cm
• Sleep position: Side
• Filling: Hollowfibre
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 1 year

First impressions of the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow

My first impression of the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow was one of surprise - at £25, it's not the cheapest pillow around but it's still undoubtedly a budget-friendly pillow (especially if you can find it in the sale). Yet, it has a real premium feel before you've even put it into a pillowcase.

The Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow is filled with hollow fibre, giving it has a light, springy, and cushioned feel. When pressed with head or hand, it softens under the weight but is firmer than other pillows I've tried designed for side sleepers, so your head ends up higher off the mattress. For me, a side sleeper, this was a good sign.

The pillow has a deep-walled design, meaning it's the shape of a cuboid with flat edges on every side. On seeing this, I was initially sceptical - my first two nights with the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow still lingered in the back of my mind. I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up on the first morning.

What is the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow like to use?

While sometimes I find it takes a couple of sleeps to get used to the feeling of a new pillow, that wasn't the case here. From the first night, the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow felt firm, fitting nicely into the space between my head and neck. It offered enough support to keep my spine aligned while I was asleep on my side and kept its shape all night. What more can you ask for?

I'm also someone who pivots to sleeping on their back during the night sometimes - and I found this pillow was also perfectly fine for this too, supporting the back of my neck in the same way.

However, when I woke up in the morning, I did notice the pillow felt warm against my head. Given that I've been testing these pillows in the transitional period between summer and autumn, this gave me a good idea of how the pillow would fair in the warmer months - and 'not great' was the conclusion I came to. If you're a warm sleeper or struggle with night sweats in menopause, this may not be a good option for you. Instead, try one of the best cooling pillows.

How does the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow compare?

My closest point of comparison is the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow, which I tested a few nights before this one. Comparatively, this pillow from Dreams wins out. At 16cm in depth, it's thicker than the Snuggledown and much firmer, offering better support to keep my spine aligned during the night. Waking up on my first morning with the Snuggledown, I experienced some pain between my shoulder blades and it took a couple of nights before it became comfortable, so I consigned the pillow to the guest bedroom. Not with the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow.

This is a good, affordable buy. If you like using a single pillow that works well for side-sleeping. It’s also worth considering the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow though, which is squishier, so you need one pillow if you’re a back-sleeper and two as a side-sleeper.

At £25, this isn't the cheapest pillow I've had, but it's relatively budget-friendly for what you get. If you're happy to spend a little more, my favourites are the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow and the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow.

If you suffer from neck pain, you might be better suited to a thinner option though - perhaps one of the best pillows for neck pain.

Should you buy the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow?

Yes, the Dreams Side Sleeper is hard to fault. At under £30, it's an inexpensive option compared to others on the market offering similar quality and support. It's also very comfortable from the first night, thanks to the premium filling and 230 thread count cover.

There are hi-tech pillows you might love even more - and it’s a shame that the Dreams doesn’t come with a free trial period - but it’s great value and will work well for most people.

There's nothing more luxurious than the feeling of laying your head on a hotel pillow. Now, imagine having that premium feel and comfort at home. Enter, the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow.

This deep-walled pillow has been designed for side-sleepers. It uses hollow fibre - a synthetic polyester material made from hollow thin strands - for a plush feeling and pillow that springs back into shape when you lift your head. What's more, it's anti-allergenic, machine washable, and can even be tumble dried - and this practicality is exactly why you’ll find this pick of the best pillows for side sleepers in hotels.

It's also one of the more affordable options in our round-up of the best pillows overall. At the time of writing, it was £19.99 for one and £29.9 for two pillows - even more of a bargain. Having tested this pillow for several weeks, here's what I learnt.

Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow review

Specifications

• RRP: £19.99, two for £29.99
• Size: 38x64x17cm
• Sleep position: Side, back
• Filling: Hollow fibre
• Firmness: Firm
• Trial: None
• Guarantee: 1 year

First impressions of the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow

When I first opened the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow, I immediately noticed that it was boxier than other side-sleeper pillows I've had before. Luckily, it still fits in a standard pillowcase without too much of a struggle, but it's deep-filled with hollow fibre, making for a thick, bulbous pillow, perfect for side-sleepers like myself.

I was impressed with the eco-credentials of this pillow too, being made in Lancashire in a zero-to-landfill factory.

The pillow has a deep-wall construction, meaning it has all flat edges rather than one seam joining the top and bottom cover, giving it a cuboid shape. This felt super plush from the moment I put it on my bed but usefully, for appearances if nothing else, when you push it down with your head or hand, it bounces right back up again. So, no need to spend ages fluffing your pillows in the morning.

What's it like to use?

The plush feel of the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow certainly evokes posh hotels - but I was initially disappointed. The first two nights I used it, I woke up feeling sore in my upper back between the shoulder blades. As a side sleeper, it felt like the pillow wasn't fat or firm enough to keep my spine in a straight line.

It’s guilty of that classic pillow problem: one pillow’s not enough and two’s too many. For me, it didn’t feel quite right for side or back-sleeping.

That said, after day three, the ache was gone and I settled into liking the pillow. I didn’t love it - hence my 3.5-star review. Some pillows, you lie on them and you just don’t want to have to get up (trust me, this is a challenge when testing pillows). This isn’t one of them - but I did warm to it at least.

My favourite thing about this pillow is its plush feel. With the 230 thread count cotton cover (sustainably sourced through the Better Cotton initiative), it's rightly billed as a 'hotel' pillow. It feels luxurious: posh, plump and premium.

Practically, it’s also great that the whole pillow is machine-washable at 40° and can be tumble-dried. Plus, being hollow fibre, the materials in the pillow are unlikely to cause allergies to any visiting guests in your home.

How does the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow compare?

By the end of my third night, I had few complaints about this pillow but everything it offered was done a bit better by the Dreams Side Sleeper Pillow, which is a similar style and can be found for a similar price. Of the two, I'd go for the latter.

It's also worth considering the Slumberdown Super Support Firmer Pillow. This one is squishier though, so you need one if you’re a back-sleeper and two if you’re a side-sleeper.

If your budget is bigger, my absolute favourites are the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow and the Bensons for Beds iGel Side Sleeper Deep Pillow for their luxurious feel and support to match. It was a 5-star experience from the first night with these pillows.

Should you buy the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow?

In my opinion, the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow will be a worthwhile buy if you find a thinner pillow works for you as a side sleeper. There's also no denying it feels hotel-level luxe and is a versatile buy for different sleeping positions, making it a great buy for the guest bedroom.

If you're on a limited budget or looking to give your guests a decent option, the Snuggledown Hotel Luxurious Side Sleeper Pillow is worth buying. Although, I found this pillow to be a bit thin for strict side or back sleepers so I'd only recommend it to those who vary between the two positions.

When it comes to securing a good night's sleep making your bed as comfortable as possible is key. But do pillow protectors really help or are they just an unnecessary bedding addition?

Now, you may already own the best pillows money can buy, be it the best cooling pillows or best pillows for neck pain, but is your bed set-up truly complete without pillow protectors? 

Whilst you may not have ever considered pillow protectors a key element in your bedding collection, they have several benefits.

To get to the bottom of whether these added layers are really necessary we spoke to sleep and bedding experts to determine if pillow protectors are worth it. 

Are pillow protectors worth buying? 

Although ensuring you have one of the best mattresses is definitely top of the priorities list, there are smaller components to your bedding that you'll want to invest in too. 

"I highly recommend purchasing a pillow protector to improve your sleep quality and extend the overall lifespan of your pillows. While pillowcases offer comfort and style, protectors provide an extra layer of defence to keep your pillows safe from potential harm," says Hafiz Shariff, founder of sleep wellbeing company Owl + Lark. 

Hafiz goes on to explain that pillow protectors essentially act as a barrier against allergens, dust mites and spills which leaves you with a cleaner more hygienic sleeping environment. This is super important as increasing your sleep hygiene can make a huge difference in your overall health.

It's also helpful to have a protector on your pillows as they prevent stains and odours from setting in, this means you can avoid figuring out how to remove yellow stains from your pillows sooner than you'd like.

Our top Pillow Protector picks

FAQs

What are the benefits of a pillow protector? 

Now you know that buying pillow protectors is just as important as having one of the best mattress protectors, what are the other benefits? 

"I believe pillow protectors are vital for maintaining good sleep hygiene and mitigating the risk of gradual wear and tear," says Hafiz. "Investing in premium pillow protectors can be a very cost-effective method of safeguarding your sleep space, especially if you have allergies or sensitive skin."

It's also important to keep your pillowcases and protectors clean, Hafiz says this can lead to healthier sleep habits in the long run. Clair Watkin, CEO of Fine Bedding explains that it's best to clean your pillow protector in a wash of 60 degrees as this will ensure all the nasties that layer has caught are killed and removed from the material. 

Does a pillow protector replace a pillowcase? 

You may have asked yourself in the past, which do I need more a mattress topper or a mattress protector and the answer was both. This is the exact same situation, pillow protectors and cases are not interchangeable. 

Claire explains, "The short answer is no. They serve different purposes. The pillowcase is there to provide comfort and aesthetics primarily while the pillow protector does what it says and protects your pillow from allergens, dirt, wear and tear, excess moisture and more extending the life of the pillow." 

So if you don't want to have to buy new pillows every few years, picking up a protector to work alongside your case is the only way forward. 

Is it okay to sleep without a pillow protector? 

Luckily there's no bedding law that says you have to use a pillow protector it's just very much recommended by the experts. In the same vein, you don't have to follow the recommended timeframe for how often you should change your pillows, it's best for your sleep hygiene that you do. 

"There are no hard and fast rules and while it’s not essential, for all the reasons above we would recommend it. However, a good pillow case, washed regularly will also have some of the same hygiene benefits," says Claire. 

"It is also possible to buy wash at-home pillows, remember not all pillows are washable (see our guide on how to clean a pillow). They may however take up a little more room in your washing machine and there is the extra water usage, added drying time and reduced life of the pillow to consider too," she continues. 

In the end, it's strongly recommended you have both a pillow protector and a pillowcase to ensure a better night's sleep. 

If you're in the market for some new pillows then there are a few things to consider when it comes to how to choose a pillow. You'll want to think about how many pillows you need to sleep with depending on your sleep style and of course preference. But remember to pick up some protectors for them.