Simba Pillow review – How I found the right pillow for my neck pain

A customisable pillow from SIMBA

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*I was given the product free of charge for the purposes of review. I did not receive payment for this post, though links in this post are affiliate links, and I may receive a small referral commission if you make a purchase using them. All opinion, words, and imagery are my own, and I really do love this pillow – I’m still taking on trips with me even in 2020.

I have found the perfect pillow. I swear I am the Goldilocks of pillows. I have tried them all: the thin ones, the thick and bouncy ones, the squidgy memory foam ones, the S-shaped ones, the rollneck ones, and the expensive, stuffed to the brim with feathers ones. None of them were quite right. My bedroom resembles that of the princess and the pea, I have that many soft cushions stashed in piles around my room, none of them able to make me comfortable. But I think the Simba pillow might actually be perfect for everyone. Here’s why:

Why I think the Simba pillow is perfect

It’s a bold statement, but I’m happy making it. Of course, as you’d expect from the people claiming to have created the perfect mattress for a good night’s sleep, the Simba pillow has all the ingredients you might expect: memory foam, high quality down, anti-allergen layers, and a premium jaquard covering. But here’s the big difference:

The perfect pillow: the Simba pillow is stuffed with memory foam 'nanotubes' that you can use to change the height of your pillow.

“What the heck is that?!” I hear you asking. Well, nanotubes, actually. And not just any old nanotubes. These little hollow pieces sit in the middle layer of your pillow. They’re made of memory foam so that in theory they will adjust as you sleep to keep your head perfectly supported. But the genius bit is that they’re adjustable depending on how you like your head to be positioned. Each pillow comes with hundreds of nanotubes in the central layer, that you can unzip, removing or replacing tubes until your pillow is just the right height for you. Simba even give you a little bag so you can store your unused nanotubes while you’re figuring out your perfect plumpness. It’s so simple, I can’t  believe no-one has thought of it before now!

The simba pillow has a breathable mesh side panel to help circulate air - the perfect pillow

On one side of the pillow is a microfibre layer that’s super light and feels really soft. On the other, Simba have rather cleverly used OUTLAST® technology, developed by NASA. It’s a seriously high-tech pillow! What it means is that this layer should proactively regulate your temperature while you sleep, storing and releasing heat as needed during the night. So no more sweaty necks and damp foreheads in the morning. Add in this breathable side panel, and you begin to see why this might be the perfect pillow.

 

How does the Simba pillow work?

So how did it work for me? It took me a few nights to sort it, I’ll admit, but then that’s to be expected from a customisable pillow. I have a very dodgy neck, and I often wake up with a painful shoulder muscle from having slept awkwardly. (To the young man who commented on my Simba mattress review that I was a hypochondriac, I’m pleased you sleep well sir, but one day you will be old, and you might understand what it means to have a perfect mattress, or indeed, a perfect pillow)! Pain is almost an inevitability as you age, but I’ve found that having the perfect sleeping position really helps. I have removed quite a lot of the nanotubes from their zipped compartment, and have finally found the perfect position, where my head is supported, but my neck is at a good angle as I sleep.

 

Simba pillow FAQs

How much is a Simba pillow?

So, what do you think the perfect pillow costs? Well, it’s not cheap, but at £95 it’s not ludicrous either. So are Simba pillows worth it? I would say yes; after all, I probably have three times that cost in previous pillow experiments sitting right beside my bed. I won’t need to buy any more for a good while.

Do you put a pillowcase on your Simba pillow?

Yes. You’ll definitely want a pillowcase. The pillows are a standard size, so most UK standard pillowcases will fit, and you can use your regular bedlinen. 

Can you wash Simba pillows?

No. Neither the outer casing, nor the pillow insert or nanotubes are washable, so you’ll want to change your pillowcase regularly to avoid staining. You can periodically sponge clean the outside of the pillow with a solution of hydrogen peroxide, bicarbonate of soda and washing up liquid. Just dab it on and leave to air dry.

Can you buy extra filling for a Simba pillow?

Yes, Simba have an Amazon shop where you can purchase extra nanotubes, as well as mattress protectors and  the rather wonderful Simba sleep spray

Where can I buy a Simba pillow?

You can buy online here. If you’re also considering a Simba mattress, read my review  here.

If anyone needs a pillow, I have several going begging…

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See what's inside a Simba pillow. We deconstruct a Simba pillow so you can see what's inside, and review it for comfort.

24 thoughts on “Simba Pillow review – How I found the right pillow for my neck pain”

  1. I struggle so much finding a pillow that enables me to get some sleep. I dread to think how many pillows I’ve got through in my search

    Reply
  2. I’m really concerned about the off gassing with Simba products. Our mattress is going back tomorrow after 4 weeks and still giving off a very strong smell – making my son nauseous and giving him headaches. The pillows have been airing for the same amount of time and still smell so we haven’t used them. Unfortunately Simba won’t refund these after 14 days. Did you have any problems with the smell?

    Reply
    • Gosh, I’m sorry to hear that. We honestly haven’t had any problems like that with ours. I vaguely remember the mattress having a slight odour to begin with, but after a few days that was gone. And the pillow hasn’t caused any problems at all. Sorry you haven’t had the same experience.

      Reply
  3. This could have been written by me! I fly through pillows thinking I have found the perfect one only to be uncomfortable again in a few days. I shall have to try this one

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  4. Ooh, this sounds really interesting – love the idea that you can add or remove the nanotubes to deflate or inflate! What a clever idea.

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  5. I am so fussy with pillows as well! I get arthritis pains in my back and neck so need a comfy pillow. I love that you can change this one to suit you

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  6. The pillows are segmented in the outer cover this can make the material bunch up and feel funny.
    They also sold out in the Black Friday sale which they never told there customers. When you go through to check out it lets you choose next day delivery but they don’t actuwlly have any stock. My next day delivery on my sleep bundle has been promised now on four separate occasions. the mattress part was meant to be delivered again today. But once again just had a call saying the delivery truck has broken down. Sick of the dishonesty with then. Why aren’t they advertising they are temporarily out of stock? They delivered only one of my two pillows. What good is that? God knows when o will receive the other and hey have no duvets until the 18th December. None of that is mentioned anywhere on their adds.

    Reply
  7. I really, really want to try this pillow. I can never get comfy in bed and have changed pillows 3 times in the last few months to try and get one the right height and squishyness. I have a shoulder condition that makes it difficult for me to lie down properly, so night times aren’t very fun. I think this might actually be the perfect pillow.

    Reply
    • Yes I’m similar, shoulders and neck really have to be in the right place or I do have a lot of pain. Anything adjustible has to be good, right?

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  8. Not cheap, but definitely worth it if it suits you. My issue with pillows is that I find they always got flat fairly quickly, despite various promises by the manufacturers.

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    • Yes, me too. I’ll be interested to see how the Simba pillow fares, but I’m guessing because there’s memory foam and these tubes, it will probably last longer.

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  9. I would only buy this if I could try before I buy, like the mattress (which we bought for precisely that reason and are very happy with). I have a cupboard full of pillows I’ve bought and couldn’t get on with. Like others, I’m the Goldilocks of pillows! So, without being able to try this one, I won’t be getting one, I’m afraid, however tempting it looks. Unfortunately, John Lewis don’t even seem to have a sample pillow to try in their stores.

    Reply
    • Yes I’m not sure how they can do a trial with a mattress but not a pillow – I’m guessing it’s a hygiene thing?

      Reply

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