To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more
- Comfortable
- Plump and substantial loft
- Cool-to-the-touch sleep surface
- Pricey
- Not a huge amount of difference between the two sides
- Spot clean only
I’m pretty sceptical when it comes to “double sided” bedding – those products designed to offer different levels of firmness or “feels” depending on which side you sleep on. A lot of what I’ve reviewed in the past, such as Emma’s now-discontinued Flip Topper, has been underwhelming when it comes to this customisable feature.
That’s not to say that it’s not good bedding; some of these products have been pretty outstanding otherwise. But, when you’re reviewing something like a mattress topper or pillow, the difference between the two sides is rarely substantial – nor do I think it’s a feature that’s all-that-useful.
Such has been my experience with Dual Comfort Ice Pillow from Dreams’ Hyde and Sleep range. It’s a substantial pillow that offers a good amount of support and plush comfort, even if the nuances in its double-sided design could be more pronounced.
Dreams Hyde & Sleep Dual Comfort Ice Pillow: What do you get for the money?
The Dual Comfort Ice Pillow has a kind of hybrid construction, with its dual-sided design giving you memory foam on one side and a polyester microfibre filling on the other. The “Ice” in the pillow’s name refers to the foam’s “cooling” surface, while the flipside has a plain knitted microfibre cover. I’m loath to buy too much into sleep brands’ claims about cooling tech, but I found this does have some merit to it (more on this below). The cover is not removable and can’t be machine washed – instead, Dreams recommends using “warm soapy water” to clean it.
There are two versions of the Dual Comfort Ice Pillow: a medium and a firm variant, the former of which I tested. Both models cost £70, which is verging on the premium end as far as memory foam pillows are concerned. It’s the same price as some of our favourite foam options – including the Otty Deluxe Pure, Otty Adjustable and Eve Hybrid Side Sleeper – and is just £10 more expensive than our current “cooling” pillow: the REM-Fit Cool Gel pillow. It’s a fair bit more expensive than the Panda Memory Foam Bamboo pillow (£45), which is still our undisputed favourite foam pillow where value for money is concerned, as well as Dormeo’s Octasmart pillow.
What did we like about it?
I found the Dual Comfort Ice pillow comfortable, regardless of which side I was sleeping on. It’s a pretty lofty and substantial pillow, and I felt supported when sleeping on my side or on my back. I’d say the “Medium” label is accurate here: I’ve noticed some customer reviews complaining that the pillow is too hard, but this was far from my experience with it.
The pillow’s cool surface does indeed feel cool-to-the-touch. Admittedly, some of this sensation is lost once you’ve put a pillow case on and have been resting your head on it for a prolonged period. However, I didn’t feel like I was overheating while sleeping on the Dual Comfort Ice Pillow, which is arguably the most important thing. And whether it performs similarly well in hotter climes is a question I’ll have to address in a few months.
What could be improved?
For a start, the Dual Comfort Ice Pillow is pricey, and it’s not going to be suitable for all budgets. Compared to many of the other memory foam pillows I’ve reviewed, I wasn’t all that shocked – particularly considering a lot of its rivals I mentioned above also cost around £70. However, at this price point, I hoped that the pillow would have a cover that can be removed and machine washed. The omission of this is a real shame.
As for the pillow’s “dual-sided” design, I’m not totally convinced. I’d be lying if I said both sides felt exactly the same: there’s a noticeable difference, with the microfibre side feeling softer and more plush than the memory foam. But it’s a marginal one, and feels like a bit of an underwhelming gimmick on which to base a pillow’s marketing. As I mentioned in the beginning, I don’t think it’s a feature that’s all that useful. Most customers have at least a vague idea of what they want in a pillow, and to offer two contrasting “feels” seems unnecessary. I’ll admit that it might be beneficial to offer the choice to those who are on the fence about what they’d prefer. But unless you’re using this as a guest pillow, the chances are that only one side is going to be used.
Should you buy the Dreams Hyde & Sleep Dual Comfort Ice Pillow?
Ultimately, I suppose any sort of customisation and flexibility is a good thing, particularly in the world of bedding. I’m usually a fan of adjustable pillows, such as the Otty Adjustable or the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool pillow, so it stands to reason that I should at least be in favour of the dual-sided design here. But unfortunately, the flexibility offered is just not that substantial.
That aside, the Dreams Hyde & Sleep Dual Comfort Ice Pillow is a comfortable option that might be the right choice for you if you’re after a lofty and plump yet supportive option. And if you’re looking to give both memory foam and microfibre a shot without going all-in on one or the other, then go for it. Just don’t put too much stock in the pillow’s dual-sided USP.
