Simba Hybrid Pillow Review: Tune It to Your Exact Height

Out of the box the pillow comes fully filled, which is its firmest and highest setting. Trusted Reviews found it firm and very high at that point, so expect to remove some fill before it suits most people. Simba's own guidance, as reported by T3, is to leave all the cubes in for a firm feel, take out four to six handfuls for medium, and eight to ten handfuls for a low pillow.

The removed cubes go into a storage bag, so you can add them back later if you overdo it. Woman & Home weighed the full fill at 640g. The practical advice from owners is to change it a handful at a time and give each setting a night or two: the cubes shift as you sleep, and the feel settles after a shake.

The other side of that design is that the cubes move. Trusted Reviews found the pillow could sag a little after a few nights and needed plumping to redistribute the fill, and a Mumsnet owner describes giving it a shake every time the bed is changed. It is a small, regular chore rather than a fault, but a solid-foam pillow will not ask it of you.

One side of the cover has Simba's Stratos finish, marked by coloured piping. Simba claims it is up to 3°C cooler than untreated fabric, based on HeiQ testing in November 2020; that is a brand claim rather than an independent measurement. Trusted Reviews' thermal-camera test did find heat dissipated well on the Stratos side, which fits what most owners report: it takes the edge off the stuffy warmth foam can build up, without feeling cold.

The loose-cube core helps too, since air moves between the pieces in a way it cannot through a solid foam block. Even so, it is still a foam pillow. If you run very hot, a pillow designed around airflow, or simply a cooler bedroom, will do more; our bedroom temperature guide covers what to aim for.

Side sleepers gain most from the adjustable loft, because the gap between shoulder and head varies so much from person to person. But fit depends on your frame. Ideal Home had two testers try it: a smaller-framed side sleeper found it excellent, while a 6ft, broad-shouldered side sleeper found it too low and soft even with every cube in. One Mumsnet owner bought an extra bag of cubes for the same reason.

Back sleepers usually want the medium setting, and front sleepers the low one, which is where being able to remove most of the fill matters: a fixed-height pillow is often too tall to sleep on your front. Because the fill is foam and fibre, it also suits people allergic to feathers who want something that springs back rather than staying flattened.

The outer cover is machine washable at 40°C and can be tumble dried on low. The Nanocubes are not washable, so you unzip and remove the inner bag first. T3 noted the supplied storage bag may not hold every cube while the cover is in the wash, so have a spare bag or pillowcase to hand. A pillow protector cuts down how often the cover needs washing at all.

Simba lists the single Hybrid Pillow at £109 at the time of writing; reviews from 2020-2022 quote a £99 RRP, so the price has crept up. Simba runs frequent sitewide sales, and Mumsnet reported its 2026 Black Friday event as due to start on 27 November, so it is worth checking for a discount before paying full price.

Trial and warranty terms are reported inconsistently. Simba's 200-night trial banner runs across its whole site and is not confirmed for pillows; Mumsnet's 2026 review lists a 30-night trial and a one-year warranty, while Woman & Home's 2020 review said there was no extended trial. Check the terms on the Simba product page or the retailer before you buy, and keep the packaging until you are sure.

Do not confuse it with the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow (RRP £159), which uses three removable layers including an Aerocoil spring layer instead of loose cubes.

The Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow is the one to weigh it against: firmer, fixed in height and cheaper, with a breathable bamboo cover. Choose the Simba if you need to set the height yourself; choose the Panda if you already know you like a firm, standard-height pillow. Both feature in our best cooling pillow guide.