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- Offers very firm support
- Washable cover
- Well-priced
- Bad for front sleepers
- Very stiff
- Heavy
When it comes to memory foam pillows, prices vary quite a lot and there are some very expensive ones out there, but the Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow is one of the budget-friendly options. Since it came from such a well-known brand, I was interested to see how this pillow’s firm feel measured up to its competition.
Given memory foam pillows are well-known for being effective relievers of neck and back pain. Having tested the pillow for a week, I’m not entirely sold. It’s certainly supportive, and the memory foam is sturdy, but I didn’t feel it provided much cushioning. That being said, my other half found it pretty comfortable sleeping on his back. What’s more, the pillow is hypoallergenic, has a washable cover and a sensible price point, which is a bonus. However, for reasons I’ll go into below, I can only recommend it to people who want incredibly firm support.
Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow review: What do you get for the money?
The Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow costs £39. It’s made of firm “pressure-relieving” memory foam, which responds to your sleeping position by moulding itself to the contours of your head. This foam aims to relieve aches and pains for front and side sleepers by providing firm support for your head. The pillow doesn’t come with any other cushioning or non-foam layers (such as, for instance, the Simba Hybrid pillow), so you’ll have to be certain you’re comfortable with the feel of memory foam before you commit.
Since it’s an all-foam pillow, both sides offer the same level of comfort and support. Helpfully, it has a removable, machine-washable cover that protects the pillow from dust, dirt and oils on your skin.
Many bed-in-a-box brands offer lengthy trial periods that allow buyers to try out mattresses and bedding – such as toppers and pillows – with the option to return them for a full refund if they’re not happy. Sadly, Silentnight only offers a trial period on its mattresses, which means there’s no way to test out this pillow if you’re unsure without going into a store. The pillow does, however, come with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty, which covers any defects in the pillow’s construction within that period.
Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow review: What does it do well?
As I mentioned above, I found the Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow incredibly firm in my tests. This wasn’t surprising, since foam pillows are typically firmer than their feather or hollowfibre counterparts, and Silentnight is clear in its advertising that this option is firm. It initially feels hard when laying on the pillow, then softens while leaving your head completely supported. If your current pillow isn’t offering any support whatsoever and you regularly wake up with aches and pains in your neck and back, this level of support should be a welcome improvement.
I typically prefer a softer pillow since (against advice from sleep experts) I sleep on my front, but in my tests, I could see the appeal of using firmer memory foam to support your body when sleeping in other positions. I found the pillow offered ample support when lying on my back, raising my head just enough to achieve proper spinal alignment. Similarly, when lying on my side, the pillow could support my head and neck while leaving just enough space for my shoulders to rest comfortably. Furthermore, the pillow’s solid foam construction means it shouldn’t go lumpy over time, as a feather pillow would.
Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow review: What could be improved?
Sadly, testing this pillow wasn’t all sunshine and roses. While the support it offered was brilliant, I found the pillow wasn’t quite lofty enough to make side sleeping completely comfortable. Similarly, the pillow’s shape was incredibly stiff and heavy. Unlike other pillows I’ve tried, this pillow cannot bend at all, giving it a distinctly brick-like feel – especially around the edges, which were very stiff and not malleable: unfortunate for someone who likes a pillow to mould around their shoulder.
The pillow also takes a few seconds to settle into its most supportive shape. That means, if you’re prone to fidgeting like I am, it can be annoying to wait for the pillow to adapt every time you move around. Once the memory foam has settled into its shape, the pillow offers very little cushioning or softness. Instead, it felt rather rock solid underneath my head. I would prefer it if the pillow had a layer of cushioning around the firmer foam to provide that extra bit of comfort – although this might make the pillow feel warmer, spelling bad news for hot sleepers.
One minor issue I noticed was that the pillow had a very distinctive smell when it first arrived. Namely, I couldn’t sleep on or near the pillow without noticing a strong chemical smell, not at all dissimilar to stinky feet. At first, I almost blamed my wonderful partner for this smell until I realised my new Silentnight bedfellow was the culprit. Thankfully, the stench dissipated after around three days – not too much time, but if you’re urgently after a pillow you can use right away, I’d suggest looking elsewhere.
Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Pillow review: Should you buy it?
Memory foam pillows can be incredibly pricey investments but at £39, this option from Silentnight is very sensibly-priced. And while my own personal preferences are for something softer, it’s a decent, hypoallergenic option for those who want a very firm support. The removable cover is also brilliant and saves you needing to use a dedicated pillow protector. As long as you want the edges of your pillow to stay stiff while you sleep and can put up with a few days of whiffiness, I recommend it.
That being said, for those who want a supportive but slightly softer memory foam option, I can recommend the £49 REM-Fit Cool Gel pillow. As someone who prefers a little more cushioning, I found the REM-Fit offered a far better balance than this pillow.
However, it’s difficult to recommend either pillow to someone who has no idea what level of support they want. If you’re on the fence about trying memory foam to help with pain relief while you sleep, I would suggest heading to a local bedding store to have a feel before you fully commit. Either that or buy a pillow that comes with a generous trial period and money-back guarantee.
