12 Best Cooling Pillows 2021, including Simba, Therapur and JML

THE combination of long, bright evenings and warm, sticky weather can make sleep a challenge for many of us in the summer months.

We’ve rounded up a selection of the best cooling pillows to help keep your sleeping environment dry and comfortable during the warmer weather.

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According to the Sleep Council, our body temperature peaks in the evening and then slowly drops as we wind down for bed, with its lowest level occurring when we are fast asleep.

The ideal temperature for a good night’s sleep is a cool 16-18°C which explains why you can have trouble dropping off to sleep when you feel too hot in bed.

Once asleep, any temperature higher than 24°C is likely to cause restlessness, which can leave you feeling tired and hot in the morning so it’s worth doing what you can to make sure your bed and sleeping environment remain cool to ensure you get the best possible night’s sleep.

We’ve rounded up a selection of cooling pillows to help keep your head, face and neck feeling fresh while you sleep, so you’ll wake up with a spring in your step in the morning!

This article and featured products have been independently chosen by Sun journalists. It contains links which are ads, and if you click a link and buy a product we will earn revenue.

1. The Most Luxury Pillow: The Simba Hybrid

The Simba Hybrid pillow is adjustable

The Simba Hybrid Pillow, £99 from Simba – buy here

The Simba Hybrid pillow has been cleverly designed to regulate your temperature and increase airflow.

It incorporates astronaut-inspired temperature regulation, which absorbs, stores and releases heat as and when you need it, which means that on a hot summer’s night it’ll absorb the heat and keep you cool – ideal.

With over four thousand 5-star reviews, we decided to put one to the test and see what all the fuss was about.

The pillow is filled with breathable and lightweight nanocubes, which can be removed to adjust the height and firmness of your pillow.

Whilst we loved the idea of this feature, it took a little bit of getting used to, as somehow knowing that we could change the size of the pillow, made us overthink whether we needed to add or remove more cubes.

It seems we were pretty much alone with this issue though, as most reviews raved about its adjustability, and to be fair, once we found the right firmness we swiftly found ourselves amongst the army of Simba pillow lovers.

Whilst this is the most expensive pillow in our roundup, the overwhelming opinion of those who have tried it is that it’s worth every penny.

2. Best Cooling Pillow from Snuggle-Pedic

You can add or remove the soft foam filling to customise this pillow to perfection.

(AD) Shredded memory foam pillow, £116.94 from Amazon – buy here

Imported from the USA, this shredded foam-stuffed pillow isn’t cheap, but with several thousand five-star ratings on Amazon, it’s certainly worth a look.

Unlike down, memory foam doesn’t flatten out over time and because it’s enclosed in a zippable inner case in this pillow design, you can add or remove the foam to customise the pillow to your perfect level of neck and head support.

The vented bamboo cover and fluffy foam allow air to circulate throughout, for a fresh, breathable feel that will have you nodding off before you know it.

3. Best Cooling Pillow from Woolroom

Wool makes a naturally breathable pillow filling.

(AD) Natural wool pillow with cotton outer, £34.99 from Amazon – buy here

If you’re concerned about the chemicals contained within foam bedding, why not try something a little more natural? Wool offers a natural alternative that’s both hypoallergenic and temperature-regulating.

This Woolroom pillow is stuffed with balls of 100% British wool to create loft, and encased in breathable cotton percale to help dissipate heat and moisture, setting you up for a good night’s sleep.

4. Best Cooling Pillow from Kally Sleep

Cooling foam and hollowfibre pillow, £39.99 from Kally Sleep – buy here

If you like medium-firm head support and tend to sleep on your back or side, then this standard-sized cooling pillow might help you to sleep more easily.

It features an air-permeable foam core wrapped in high-quality hollowfibre with air vents to allow the pillow to breathe, and a 100% cotton cover.

5. Best Cooling Pillow from Therapur

This memory foam pillow is a good choice for back and side sleepers.

TheraPur cooling memory foam pillow, £49 from Dreams – buy here

This comfy memory foam and microfibre pillow are covered in an innovative technical Outlast fabric.

Outlast fabrics are made from so-called PCM (Phase Change Materials) that help to absorb heat when you are too hot and release it when you are too cold, helping to keep you cool and comfortable all night long.

6. Best Cooling Pillow from JML

At just £9.99, this cooling gel insert is a must-buy for warm weather holidays.

(AD) JML Chillmax pillow cooling insert, £9.95 from Amazon– buy here

For those who don’t want to replace their pillow or who only feel hot in bed occasionally, this pillow offers some flexibility.

Placed into your pillowcase (or even under your feet), the gel insert reacts to your body temperature, drawing away excess heat to help keep you feeling cool and fresh while sleeping.

It’s also thin enough to be rolled up and popped into your suitcase for warm weather holidays. We think the price tag is very pleasing on the purse too!

7. Best Cooling Pillow from Slumberdown

Slumberdown climate control pillows are made in the UK.

Slumberdown climate control pillow, £10.50 for two from Sleep Seeker – buy here

Receiving glowing reviews on the ASDA site and priced at just £8 for a pair, these Slumberdown pillows are the biggest bargain on our list.

They are filled with a Dacron hollow-fibre filling which is soft and supportive, and will gently regulate your temperature throughout the night to keep your head and face cool and flush-free.

These pillows are also machine washable at 40 degrees and fine to tumble dry, making them perfect for allergy sufferers.

8. Best for Adjustable Filling: The Eden Pillow

The Eden Pillow by Coop, £122 from Fish Pond- buy here

Want a pillow with adjustable filling? Then why not try The Eden Pillow! Its ultra-tech fabric bamboo-derived viscose rayon will help stop the dreaded sweaty bed head and its poly fibres to prevent the foam filling from clumping together or getting too compact. The zippered inner and outer cover gives you quick and easy access to add or remove filling depending on how full you like your pillow. Waking up refreshed never felt so good!

9. Best Breathable Cooling Pillow: Silentnight Geltex

Silentnight Geltex Pillow, £28.58 at Wayfair – buy here

This super-ventilate pillow is great for increasing breathability and airflow – so stops you from overheating while you sleep.

The pillow has a lovely, soft and bouncy support making it perfect for a comfortable night’s sleep.

This hypoallergenic cooling pillow is best suited to sleepers who enjoy a medium to firm pillow that provides gentle support.

10. Best Supportive Cooling Pillow: Cooling Chamber Standard

Cooling Chamber Standard Pillow, £30 from Soak&Sleep – buy here

This medium to firm pillow offers great support and is easy to clean. It features a constructed neck support and has an incredibly cooling case.

The pillow’s synthetic material is 30 per cent more cooling than cotton counterparts and helps to draw heat and moisture away from the head and face, so you can sleep coolly and comfortably.

11. Best Bargain Cooling Pillow: Slumberdown Cool Summer Nights

Slumberdown Cool Summer Nights Pillow Pair, £10 from Matalan – buy here

Talk about a bargain! This pack of two cooling pillows is just £10 – working out at a super cheap and cheerful £5 each. What’s not to like?

These light, fluffy pillows are specially formulated using a breathable filling, working hard to keep you cool throughout the night.

They offer a medium support, but still feel quite soft.

12. Best for Side Sleepers: Slumberdown Memory Cool Firm Pillow

Slumberdown Memory Cool Firm Support Side Sleeper Pillow, £17.89 at Wayfair – buy here

If you sleep on your side and prefer a firmer pillow, this is a great cooling pillow option for you.

This comfy, supportive pillow helps to support the head, neck and spine using a cooling cover that gently wicks away moisture.

It’s especially great for side sleepers as it helps to bridge the gap between your head and your neck.

How does a cooling pillow work?

A cooling pillow is used mainly in the warm summer months to prevent heat retention and provides a cool surface when sleeping.

The design of the pillow is made to increase airflow to stop heat retention while the materials used in the pillow are often breathable and derived from natural products including bamboo. Some pillows also may contain water or gel pouches which help to cool the skin also.

Do cooling pillows work?

Cooling pillows do work, but the effectiveness of each pillow depends on the type you purchased.

If you’ve purchased a cooling pillow featuring a water or gel insert, these inserts only work for a limited time – this is because they quickly absorb the heat energy from your body, so warm up as this happens.

If you let the pillows cool back down again, they cooling effect can then be enjoyed once more.

How to make your pillow cool

The way cooling pillows stay cool depends on which variety you choose to buy – but generally speaking, you don’t have to do much.

To make gel filled cooling pillows colder, you can put the gel pack in the fridge for a few hours before bed or try flipping the pillow once one side has become warmer.

If you don’t have a cooling pillow, you can make a regular pillow cool by inserting a frozen, reusable gel cooling pack inside your pillowcase.

How to wash a cooling gel pillow

Always make sure you read any included instructions on how to wash your cooling gel pillow – these may differ from brand to brand.

But, in most cases, you can simply use a clean cloth and a soap and water mix to wipe the pillow down, then gently use paper towels to press the pillow dry (water will be in the foam, this helps to soak it back up) – to get it perfectly dry, you can then leave a towel on top of your pillow overnight.

Where to buy cool pillows

You can buy a wide range of cooling pillows from a selection of retailers.

Amazon is full of options and Dunelm, Boots, Argos and Wayfair also offer cooling pillow options.

Are cooling pillows safe?

Some varieties of cooling pillow can contain volatile organic compounds (or VOCs), depending on what they’re made from.

Purchasing a cooling pillow that’s OEKO-Tex certified or CertiPUR-US certified can help make sure that these VOCs are only found in small doses.

In smaller amounts, VOCs aren’t dangerous to your health, although they can be irritating to those who suffer with allergies or respiratory problems.

VOCs are present numerous foam products and quite often can have unpleasant smell when they are first purchased – however this typically disappears between 24 to 48 hours after unpacking and leaving to breathe – so just make sure you air your pillow before use.

Do you put pillowcases on cooling pillows?

Pillowcases help to keep everything clean – and are especially handy for using on cooling pillows (which often cannot go in the washing machine).

Using a pillow case on your cooling pillow makes it faster and easier to clean, protects it from excessive wear and tear and keeps it fresh.

Enjoyed our round-up of the best cooling pillows for summer? We’ve got loads more recommendations for your house in Sun Selects home.

If you want to make your bed feel even more comfortable, take a look at our round-ups of the best lightweight duvets and the best cooling mattresses.

Or why not get out of the house to enjoy the warm weather with our selection of the best garden furniture for summer 2021?