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Are you on an endless quest for the perfect night’s sleep? And do you want to make your bed into a haven of luxury? Your pillow can definitely help. The Simba Hybrid pillow brings us breathable, cooling and adjustable luxury with a distinctly different feel from standard pillow types. Our Simba Hybrid pillow review looks into what’s so special about this much-hyped wonder pillow.
So how is Simba’s pillow so different, and why does it cost £109? The B Corp bedding brand kindly let me try it out to see for myself.
The Simba Difference
If you’re like most of us, you probably think that pillows fall into three categories: memory foam, standard synthetic or feathers/down. You may well have ruled out a down or feather pillow for ethical reasons and not like the sound of the other two. So step in Simba!
This pillow features an adjustable Nanocube® foam system, cooling technology, sustainable materials and a soft washable cover. Here’s the low-down:
Simba Hybrid Pillow Features
Adjustable thickness
Above all, what makes Simba’s superstar pillow different is its adjustable thickness. This is achieved through their use of removable Nanocube® foam blocks. The system lets you take out foam cubes to your liking (and store them in the handy drawstring bag they provide) to adjust how full or thin your pillow is.
Simba gives recommended weights for a firm, medium or low pillow and tells you how many handfuls to take out. Perfect for side, back and front sleepers alike.
This is genius. I personally like the fuller feeling of a pillow under my head, but as a side sleeper, I also cuddle another pillow to go to sleep.
I want my cuddle pillow to be slightly less full. I’ve been able to experiment, taking out different quantities of the Nanocubes® each night, until I finally created my perfect side sleeper cuddle pillow!
Perfect for Everyone
The adjustable feature of the Simba Hybrid pillow also makes it ideal for kids who need significantly less padding than adults. My 4-year-old is a convert, although I have hidden the cube take-out method from her and her two-year-old sister, or the house would be covered in foam chaos.
I’m looking forward to trying out the pillow on guests too. Not only does it look and feel extremely luxurious, my guests will be able to decide how thick they want their pillow. We all know how it feels to wake up with a stiff neck after sleeping on someone else’s pillows that aren’t quite right for you.
Non-toxic CertiPUR-certified foam blocks
As I cover non-toxic bedding items heavily on Good Maker Tales, I want to know that I’m resting my head (and my family’s heads) on something that isn’t going to be off-gassing and poisoning me/us. The fact that Simba’s Nanocubes® are CertiPUR certified makes me feel very happy about laying on a pillow with foam.
CertiPUR is a voluntary certification specifically applying to polyurethane foams in bedding and homewares. It includes a set of stringent requirements including restrictions on substances that can negatively affect health or the environment. Qualifying companies have their foams retested every year to continue using the label. So it’s a trusted certification in my book.
Removable cooling cover for maximum breathability
The CertiPUR blocks are held together in a zippable knitted bag. This is covered in a washable and padded cotton cover with a Stratos® finish and a side mesh panel.
The cotton cover and mesh panel allow the pillow maximum breathability and a dreamy soft feel. What’s more, it’s cushioned with polyester fibres giving a plush comfy feel.
Simba’s patented Stratos® finish on one criss-cross marked side is temperature-regulating and noticeably different to the other side when you touch it. This gives a cool feeling, even through a pillowcase, so you won’t overheat when your head is on a Simba.
I love that you can wash the cover to keep it fresh. Plus, with its maximum breathability and Stratos® finish I definitely didn’t feel hot while sleeping on this pillow.
Feeling of down luxury with memory foam support
Something that surprised me when I received the pillows was how much they reminded me of a down pillow. I would not have believed that they consisted of memory foam, however, they do and they offer a memory foam-like support.
I say memory foam “like” support because it isn’t exactly the same. You can still mould your pillow under your head, in my case, I like more support under my neck so I mould it under there.
Shape retention
On the same topic, I can’t leave out of this review how springy and shape-retaining the Simba Hybrid pillow is. It looks like you’ve just plumped it up, except you haven’t, and will never have to again (although Simba does suggest giving it a shake every couple of weeks).
Have I already mentioned luxurious? This lovely “plumped-up-ness” just adds to the feeling and look of luxury you get when you put one of these things on your bed.
Breathability
I’ve already mentioned the breathable cover, but it’s worth mentioning the breathability of the pillow as a whole. The Nanocube® system allows air to circulate through your pillow and heat to leave it. Combined with the cooling cover, Simba has really addressed the overheating problem often associated with memory foam.
Menopause friendly
I was surprised to see on Simba’s website that their bedding has the GenM Menopause Friendly symbol. This is a shopping symbol that shows products friendly to women experiencing some of the 48 possible symptoms.
Menopause is little talked about and I never gave it a second thought in my 20s and 30s (it was just something my mum had). Now though, in my late 40s, it is fast approaching and affecting several of my friends, and me. Menopause and perimenopause, though, affect 15.5 million women in the UK and 1 billion women globally right now so Simba is right to think about it.
I’ve personally experienced a couple of night wakings soaked in sweat, so cooling bedding is a very welcome invention for me. I’m happy to say that I’ve not had any since I started sleeping on the Simba pillows or under the Simba duvet. Although it hasn’t been that long yet, I’m reassured going forward.
Comfort
No Simba Hybrid pillow review would be complete without a discussion of comfort. So, the pillow is described as offering soft-medium support, which I’d agree with, but you can obviously take out blocks to make it feel less firm.
I asked my other half to give me his description after sleeping on the pillow himself: “Very comfy” he said. So I’ll try to be more descriptive.
I agree that this pillow is very comfortable. It offers a down-like feeling, is very plush and has a lot of bounce. It also gives great support and this, of course, is the best feature of the pillow.
Sustainability & Ethical Considerations
I’ve talked about the Nanocubes’ ® CertiPUR certification but I also had a look into Simba’s B-Corp status and their use of Better Cotton.
Better Cotton
The cotton used for the Hybrid Pillow’s cover is made from Better Cotton. Although this does not mean the cotton is organic, it is better than standard cotton.
The Better Cotton Initiative educates farmers about cotton-growing techniques. They work with them to try to reduce the use of pesticides, genetically modified seeds and water and to increase soil biodiversity. The organisation also promotes decent work standards for farmers and their workers.
B Corp status
Simba is also a certified B Corporation. Becoming a B-Corp is no mean feat, it measures a company’s social and environmental impact and earns the firm much more trust in my eyes.
Average companies have a median score of 50.9 on the B-Corp scale and it takes a score of 80 to be classified as a B Corporation. Simba have an impressive B Impact score of 97.5 so they are well ahead of the curve.
You can also look further into their score, which is precisely what I did.
B Corps are scored on five metrics: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. They are not necessarily weighted equally so it’s hard to easily compare scores.
That said, I was very impressed to see Simba score its highest two scores for Workers and Environment. Within its 30.9 points for Environment, 9.9 are for Toxin Reduction/Remediation.
Scoring highly on anything to do with reducing toxins is a great sign in my opinion. This is especially true when we’re talking about things you put in your bedroom, where we spend a huge chunk of our time.
Simba also takes care to give back and has donated 623 mattresses and 550 pillows so far to UK homeless charity EveryYouth.
It also supports the Sleep Charity and are setting up an incredibly worthwhile new initiative the Simba Sleep Dream Space. This will provide children living in bed poverty (estimated to be 11% of children in the UK) with their own bed and bedding bundle.
Pricing & Trial period
At £109 per pillow, Simba’s Hybrid Pillow is well into the premium price category and not cheap whichever way you look at it. However, when was the last time you bought a pillow? Maybe I’m in the minority but I keep my pillows for years, and I sleep on them every night.
You could argue that you will get more use out of this pillow than any expensive item of clothing, and maybe your health and well-being will thank you too. The customizability, cooling features, and durable construction may well justify the cost.
I should also mention, Simba offers a 30-night trial period for pillows and bedding. So you can try them out risk-free and if you don’t like them simply send them back. They’ll refund you in full minus your original shipping fees.
Pros & Cons
OK, let’s cut to the chase, what are the pros and cons of this hybrid pillow?
Pros:
- Customizable height for any sleeping position
- Temperature-regulating cover and better airflow for a cooler slumber
- Non-toxic memory foam for head and neck support
- Plush and luxurious feel and look
- Feels like down but animal-free and no need to plump it up
- B Corp company
Cons:
- Higher price point than standard pillows
- May take time to adjust the foam cube system to the right height
- Some synthetic materials used
Customer Reviews & Awards
Don’t just take my word for it, no Simba Hybrid Pillow Review would be complete without checking out what everyone else said too.
Simba prides itself on being the world’s most 5-star rated mattress brand. I checked out the review page for their pillows and they have a staggering 32,000 reviews! These give their pillows an average 4.7 rating which is a great score after that many reviews.
Customers talk about how supportive and comfortable the pillows are, how easy to adjust, how they help them sleep better and even that they help with neck pain.
They also hold some impressive awards including the Circular Economy Silver award for their efforts to minimise waste, Eco Brand of the Year awarded by Real Homes in 2022 and commended and recognised by the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap Showcase.
The pillows themselves have been rated as best buys by Which, The Independent and The Telegraph and rated and approved by many more expert publications.
Final Review Verdict: Should You Shell Out for the Simba Hybrid Pillow?
The Simba Hybrid Pillow is quite unlike any other pillow I’ve ever seen. It’s a great choice for those who want to invest in their sleep hygiene and put a bit of luxury on their bed.
If you’re looking for a customizable, supportive, and cooling pillow for a restful night’s sleep it has it all. It’s ideal for hot sleepers, side, front and back sleepers and eco-conscious buyers. It carries a fair old price tag but the durability, adjustable comfort and support make it a worthy investment.
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