The short answer
A firm, gusseted memory foam pillow with cooling beads that absorb heat. The review says side sleepers benefit from its extra height, and warns that some buyers found a newer version inferior to older ones.
The microscopic Phase Change Material (PCM) beads sense whether the body's mean temperature is too warm or too cool. If the body's temperature is too warm, the product absorbs heat and feels cool in order to regulate body temperature.
Check price on Amazon for Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow (opens in a new tab)Coop Home Goods – Premium Adjustable Loft Pillow
It provides just the right balance between support and comfort for the most restful sleep you’ll ever experience.
Check price on Amazon for Coop Home Goods – Premium Adjustable Loft Pillow (opens in a new tab)Xtreme Comforts Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Xtreme comforts combines the power of Kool-Flow Microvented Technology with Bamboo to create a cover that is soft as a cloud and provides superior air circulation and breathability.
Check price on Amazon for Xtreme Comforts Shredded Memory Foam Pillow (opens in a new tab)
Features of SleepBetter Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow
Perfect design
The pillow’s cover is made from 100% cotton surfaces joined with an all-around gusset. Instead of being made from the traditional 2 pieces of fabric, this cover is made from 3. From the first look at the design, you suspect there may be some firmness to the structure and this is borne out when you hold it and when you rest your head on it.
The over-stitched joins give a feeling of rigidity which will take some getting used to at first. However, if you are a confirmed side sleeper, you’ll benefit from the additional height and from the tighter edge that allows you the shoulder to place your head closer to the heart of the pillow.
Take care that your existing pillowcases can cope with this if you are going to add them to your sleep comfort package. You may need to upgrade them to cope with this pillow.
Visco-elastic memory foam
Inside, the Sleep Better Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow is filled with visco-elastic memory foam supplemented with microscopic Phase Change Material (PCM) beads. These little pieces of micro-magic, sense whether your body’s average temperature is higher or lower.
If you warm up, the beads absorb heat and feel cool in order to help regulate your temperature. If you are too cool, they slowly release heat and feel warm to give your body a more temperate sleep experience. These are unusual features and work well unless conditions are very extreme.
These Outlast™ beads are used extensively in pillows available for a much higher price. It’s unusual to find them at this end of the price range: a nice nod to the deluxe.
Advantages
It’s the shape of this Sleep Better Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow which gives it its biggest advantage… as long as that’s what you are looking for! It is so unique that it won’t be everyone’s favorite. It doesn’t respond well to being squidged around.
It is more in the style of a rigid cushion rather than the softness and squashability that you find with a more traditionally shaped pillow. When sleeping on your side this is the kind of feature you may be looking for Therefore this may be an ideal option for you.
The magic microbeads are this pillow’s biggest hidden secret. They are very effective in helping you keep cool while you sleep. They encourage air to flow through the pillow itself which has the effect of keeping your head cool allowing you to get the best night’s sleep possible.
Keeping a cool head in bed is recognized as being one thing to aim for and this is a big benefit if you have trouble sleeping. The firmer structure also supports this approach since your head is not enveloped in the same way it would be in a soft, luxury feather & down pillow.
Disadvantages
It’s the shape of this pillow that gives it its most distinct disadvantage. If you are looking for something in this shape, it is a good choice. However, it behaves very differently from most pillows you will have used before.
Related Products
When purchasing this item, you have a range of options to consider. As well as the “side sleeper” option we review here, you can also choose a standard shape pillow or a contoured version. The manufacturer also has available 2-packs of each of its pillows for saving on the price of items purchased individually.
SleepBetter offers a range of pillows, cushions, and mattresses in their product set. Many of these make use of the same IsoCool technology to help you sleep cool. They also offer mattress toppers made from memory foam to provide cheaper upgrade options for your existing mattress.
Conclusion
One warning on purchasing this pillow comes from disgruntled purchasers who bought the same item several years ago. When looking to purchase another item exactly the same (because they were so pleased with the previous purchase), they have found that today’s offering is inferior to the one which was available several years before, despite the manufacturing leading them to expect the same item.
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