I've just tested the IKEA pillow that's designed to 'hug' your neck – personally, I loved being cuddled to sleep *and* it kept me cool

This double-sided ergonomic pillow from IKEA claims to offer a cooler night's sleep while gently supporting your neck. I put it to the test to see how it compares to the best pillows on the market.

In a nutshell

The IKEA KLUBBSPORRE pillow is aimed at back and side sleepers, and it has an ergonomically shaped arc that's designed to offer space for your shoulder whilst you sleep. I liked this feature during testing; it meant the pillow wrapped around my neck nicely and kept me comfy all night.

The KLUBBSPORRE is made of memory foam, and although I found it softer than most of the best memory foam pillows we've tested, I enjoyed sinking my head into its squishier texture.

Memory foam is well known for not being the most cooling of fillings, but IKEA has addressed that with a two-sided design; one side is plain memory foam, and the other is topped with a cooling gel layer. This offers a different feel on each side, and I found it really did the trick at keeping me cool at night.

Overall, I found this pillow comfortable. I would have liked to be able to adjust its height, as I found it a little low for side sleeping, and for me it felt too soft (but then I do like a very firm pillow), but at £49 I think it's a good price as long as it suits your build and comfort preferences.

IKEA KLUBBSPORRE pillow review

Specifications

• Best for: side sleepers
• RRP: £49
• Feel: medium-soft
• Heights available: 1
• Dimensions: 13 x 50 x 80cm
• Materials: polyester and memory foam
• Care instructions: insert: do not wash; cover: machine wash at 40º, tumble dry on low
• Manufacturer sleep trial: none

Comfort

As a combination sleeper, meaning I move from sleeping on my side to my back throughout the night, I'm probably the perfect person to test a pillow that's specifically designed for side and back sleepers. I've also been professionally testing sleep products for more than five years now, so I know all about how to choose the right pillow.

However, I’ve long conceded that I like a firmer pillow than many sleepers. I am a self-confessed Simba CustomFlex pillow stan, but it’s a bit of a Marmite pillow as it is so firm.

In terms of feel, I'd describe the KLUBBSPORRE as medium-soft. It has a memory foam core, which usually means a fairly firm feel, but I found that this pillow had a nice squishiness to it and felt pleasantly responsive and springy under my head. It feels very comforting to sink into, and I was pleased to note that it didn't cocoon me as some memory-foam products can do.

Would I have preferred it to feel firmer? Yes, but that's personal preference and some will love its softer feel.

The other slight bugbear I encountered during testing is that the KLUBBSPORRE is one height only. Many pillows offer the ability to change the height (often referred to as “the profile” in the sleep world) of the pillow. Not so with this IKEA number – you get what you’re given.

At 13cm high, it’s going to be comfortable for most people, but those with broad shoulders might find it lacking. I found I shoved my arm underneath it while I was sleeping to give it more height. So yes, personally, I would have loved more height. And if we’re being real for a second, it looks flat when the bed is made – it was not giving “hotel fluffy vibes”.

However, what I did love was the curved bottom of the pillow. It feels a bit like being cuddled.

I sometimes like to sleep with my pillow at a 45º angle, as I like my whole face and chin to be on the pillow. The KLUBBSPORRE sort of answered this problem as it curved around my shoulder when I lay on my side. I really liked this shape and the comforting feeling of being gently hugged. It also meant I didn’t wake to shuffle my pillow around in the night, as it was always in the right place.

While testing, I wore an Oura 4 ring, which is a piece of sleep tech that reports on all kinds of sleep metrics. When I reviewed my sleep data, it told me I actually had a less deep sleep than usual when using this pillow, but my sleep ranking was still “good” – it’s usually “optimal” (well, I am an expert sleeper).

However, I’m not sure it’s fair to put all this down to the pillow. I had a sore shoulder during testing (that, ironically, I suspect was caused by sleeping on the wrong pillows one night while away from home), so there were almost certainly other factors at play here.

The KLUBBSPORRE didn't solve my shoulder issues – I am off to the physio next week – but it was a pre-existing condition, so perhaps I was asking for a lot in thinking a pillow might cure it.

Temperature regulation

I tend to be a hot sleeper, even in winter. My children and husband report that heat “radiates” off me (thanks guys, love you too). So I am always a bit fussy about the bedding I sleep on and under having good temperature regulation.

My go-to sleep set-up features a lot of natural fibres – the wool-filled Hypnos Origins mattress, a feather and down duvet, the Woolroom Deluxe Wool mattress topper, organic linen sheets. I am fussy and then some. The only thing man-made I regularly sleep on is the aforementioned Simba CustomFlex pillow.

Memory foam is not a famed temperature regulator, and I've overheated on plenty in my time testing the best mattresses, so I was a little concerned about how I would fare with the KLUBBSPORRE's memory foam core. Memory foam is often too dense to allow decent air flow, so hot air is trapped next to your body. Some older memory foam even reflects heat back up to your body – ick.

To solve this potential problem, the KLUBBSPORRE pillow has holes drilled through the middle of the pillow to allow for better airflow and to wick away sweat. (Fear not – the pillow does not appear hole-y and it has a thick zip-off cover over the top to provide an even sleep surface).

IKEA has also added a cooling gel layer on one side of the pillow for good measure. You can tell which side is which (with the pillow case off) because the gel side is blue.

During testing, I found the gel side did feel discernibly cooler than the non-gel side. I’ve tested several cooling pillows, and I’d say this is up there as one of the best cooling pillows I’ve tried. My cheek felt cool when it hit the pillow, and I didn’t wake up hot at all during the night.

It’s also worth noting that the non-gel side didn’t overheat me either – although not as actively cooling as the gel side, it did the job of keeping me 'just so' all night long.

Ease of care

Like most memory foam pillows, the core of the KLUBBSPORRE pillow cannot be washed at all. Although you could air it outside on a bright sunny (dry!) day. This will allow fresh air to circulate around it, and the sunlight should deodorise the pillow and banish dust mites and bacteria.

In fact, you might want to do this as soon as you unpack it, as I found that the pillow had quite a powerful off-gassing scent that took a while to fade.

However, the cover can be unzipped and machine-washed. Simba advises washing at 40ºC and then tumble drying on low.

That said, it is worth noting that 40ºC isn’t hot enough to kill dust mites or many bacteria. You need a 60ºC wash for that. However, it will freshen up the pillow nicely and eliminate odours.

Sleep trial

Unfortunately IKEA doesn't offer a sleep trial on this, or any of its pillows. That's a bit of a downside as it can be difficult to tell if a pillow is for you before you have a few nights sleeping on it.

On the plus side, most of us aren't *too* far from an IKEA store, and it's usually possible to test out most of the brand's bedding in-store if you want to lay your head on this pillow before you invest.

Value for money

Having tested pillows of all budgets, I think this IKEA pillow is decent value for money. Some may baulk at paying £49 for a pillow, but you only need one.

(Although, as I mentioned, this pillow does look a bit flat on the bed, so if aesthetics are a concern for you, you could beef up your bedscaping with much fluffier, cheaper pillows and then sleep on this pillow.)

I haven’t tested this pillow for long enough yet to be able to assess its durability (I'll keep you updated), but as it has a softer feel, I do just wonder if its memory foam core is more likely to compress over time than firmer options. That said, the general advice on the lifespan of pillows is to replace them every two years anyway (probably a lot more often than most of us do!).

If you’re a side or back sleeper and like memory foam and/or want a cooling pillow, then overall I think this is a solid choice at a good price point. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty decent.

This firm pillow lover isn't ready to swap my Simba CustomFlex pillow for the IKEA KLUBBSPORRE just yet, but if you're a side or back sleeper who prefers a medium-soft feel and you want a pillow that will keep you nice and cool, I think this is a good value buy.

How I tested

Zoë Phillimore

I’m Zoë, an experienced product tester who helps the Ideal Home team sleep-test mattresses, duvets, pillows, and toppers to find our top recommendations. I'm usually a side and back sleeper, and I tend to prefer a firm pillow. For this review, I put the IKEA KLUBBSPORRE Ergonomic Pillow through its paces.

In order to test out this pillow, I slept on it for two weeks on my own bed to assess its comfort and temperature regulation. I also assessed its ease of care, any sleep trials available, and how it compares to similar products on the market to see if it offers good value for money.