Origin Coolmax Pillow review: super cool, but there's a catch

The Sun

5 days ago

WE all know how evasive sleep can be on a warm night.
It's too hard to sleep with a duvet, but somehow, it doesn't feel right to sleep without one; having the window open makes it cool, but occasionally noisy; a fan somehow makes some body parts too cold while others gently roast.
Origin's Coolmax Latex Pillow claims to "keep you cool and supported all night" at a lower price than its biggest rivals, so I've put it to the test to see if it can deliver on its promises.
Coolmax Latex Pillow, £98 from Origin
Pros
Noticeably cooler than a traditional pillow
Really supportive — you won't need any extra pillows
Slightly cheaper than the priciest options on the market
30-day trial period
Cons
It might be too firm and bulky for some people
At this price point, it'd be nice to have adjustable height
It's not as much of a bargain as Origin claims
Rating: 6.5/10
How I tested the Origin Pillow
As a product reviewer, it's jackpot territory when you can quite literally get your job done in your sleep.
I traded my ride-or-die Simba pillow for the Origin Coolmax at the start of April, and for the last six weeks or so — which have, conveniently, been defined by scorching weather — have been testing whether it delivers on its promises.
Origin Pillow review: Quickfire Q&A
How much is the Origin Pillow? It's £98, which Origin claims is an £80 saving on rival brands. I'm not convinced by that claim, though — while Simba's most premium pillow is £159, Emma, one of Origin's biggest competitors, sells its most expensive pillow for £82.
Who's it best for? Back sleepers who like a big, bulky, supportive pillow. It's on the firmer side, so if you like sinking into a soft, mallowy pillow, you might want to look elsewhere. It's also not ideal for side or stomach sleepers.
What we loved: Origin has thrown everything at making sure this pillow delivers on its cooling promises, and it is noticeably cool to the touch. It's also super supportive — I'm usually a two-pillow guy, but the Coolmax is the only pillow you'll need.
What we didn't: It is quite a big piece of kit, and some people might be put off by its bulkiness. It's also not quite as much of a bargain as Origin claims, and while it might sound obvious, this is not going to solve all of your problems if you're a warm sleeper.
Origin Pillow review: The Nitty Gritty
First impressions
Coolmax Latex Pillow, £98 from Origin
This thing is a unit.
It comes neatly rolled up in a fairly small box, but as soon as I unravelled it, I could tell that you get a lot of pillow for your money.
So much so, in fact, that it's quite tough (but not impossible) to fit it into a regular pillowcase.
While stuffing it into a pillowcase, I did notice that it's noticeably less floppy than a standard pillow; if you've used a memory foam pillow before, you'll be used to this, but it's also harder than the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow that I'd been using before.
Aesthetically, there isn't too much to remark on — it's got a cool stitched geometric design, but it'll obviously be getting covered by a pillowcase.
Does it deliver?
The answer to this question depends on your expectations, as well as the sort of sleeper you are.
In terms of its cooling abilities, I was surprised and impressed.
Origin has thrown a lot at making sure it delivers in this sense; it's made using latex (which has natural cooling properties) infused with a cooling gel and generally designed to be super breathable.
The result is a pillow that doesn't necessarily feel cool to the touch, but stays cool during the night.
I find that normal pillows — especially in warm weather — become really stuffy while I sleep, which isn't an issue the Origin Pillow suffers from.
However, don't expect any magic results; you won't feel an overwhelming sense of refreshment when you climb into bed, but if you find yourself overheating in the middle of the night, this could certainly help to remedy that.
Coolmax Latex Pillow, £98 from Origin
BUY HERE
I alternate between my back and my side when I sleep, and when I was on my back, I found the Coolmax Pillow super supportive.
However, on nights when I spent most of my time on my side, I often woke up with a neckache; what felt supportive when I was on my back simply became uncomfortable when I was on my side.
I tried adding an extra pillow beneath, but I struggled to replicate the comfort of my Simba Hybrid Firm pillow.
I'm not sure if it was something to do with its height or the use of latex, which helps the pillow's cooling abilities but has a little less give and, well... memory than memory foam.
Latex is a form of rubber, and unsurprisingly, you get a few of its properties when you use it in a pillow.
What I like about memory foam is that, while it's initially firm, you slowly sink into it, making for a supportive but comfortable sleep. With latex, there's none of that; my head just sort of rests on top of the pillow, rather than sinking into it.
Having said that, 143 reviews on the Origin website (at the time of writing) have given the Coolmax Pillow a very respectable 4.3 star rating, with customers praising it for being comfy, cooling and supportive.
How much is the Origin Coolmax Latex Pillow?
The Coolmax Pillow is £98 at the time of writing.
Origin claims that price makes it £80 cheaper than similar products sold by rival brands.
It's reached that conclusion using a "Total Value" system, which it explains on its website: "We identify three or more comparably built products and periodically track the actual prices they are sold for – not the price 'they' claim they are worth."
I'm not sure which "comparably built products" it's used for this calculation, but it's tough to find one pillow costing £178, never mind three.
The Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow I've been using for a couple of years comes close at £159, but it has adjustable firmness, which the Coolmax can't compete with, and in my opinion, it's generally comfier.
But other than that, you'll find that the Origin is actually one of the more expensive options on the market.
Where to buy the Origin Coolmax Latex Pillow
As far as I can tell, the Coolmax Latex Pillow is available exclusively from Origin's website.
Origin Coolmax Latex Pillow alternatives
Most big sleep brands worth their salt have a pillow available these days, meaning there's no shortage of choice.
However, few place as much emphasis on cooling as the Origin Coolmax.
Silentnight's Cool Touch Pillow also features cooling gel and is currently on sale for £26.25 on Amazon.
I've not tried it myself, but Amazon reviewers have given it a pretty decent 4.1-star rating, with one writing that it "stays so much cooler than a standard pillow".
Emma has a couple of pillows with cooling properties. They're also on sale, offering a decent saving on the Origin pillow.
The Premium Foam Pillow is designed for people who prefer medium-to-firm support, while the Premium Cloud Pillow is better for people who want something softer.
We're big fans of Simba at Sun Shopping, and have tested out two of the brand's pillows. You can read our thoughts in our Simba Hybrid Pillow review and Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review.