My Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow review tests this unusual-looking pillow to see how it compares to the best pillows on the market. *Spoiler alert*: if you're looking for the best pillow for a side sleeper, you'll want to read on.
In a nutshell
The Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow is an adjustable pillow that has an inner core filled with memory foam clusters that can be added or removed to make it the exact right height for your sleep preferences.
I usually sleep on the Simba Hybrid pillow, which offers a similar style of adjustable memory foam fill, so I was interested to see how the HoneyFoam pillow would compare, and overall, I found it plumper and softer.
As a side and occasional back sleeper, I enjoyed having the option to change the height and firmness of my pillow to get a custom fit, and I found my head stayed nicely cradled in one place throughout the night. That meant that during my four-week testing period, I've been waking with a less stiff neck and shoulder.
I also found that the HoneyFoam's temperature regulation was surprisingly good for a memory foam pillow, and I like that it has a removable and machine-washable cover to help keep things fresh.
Plus, thanks to its HoneyFoam fill being partially made from renewable raw materials, Fine Bedding says that this pillow has a 50% lower carbon footprint versus standard memory foam made from fossil fuels. And, to help reduce waste and prolong the life of the pillow, you can buy replacements for both the clusters and outer cover when the time comes.
In my opinion, the only thing this pillow lacks is the option of a sleep trial, and at £99, it isn't cheap. However, the fact that you can adjust the filling means it's likely to work for you whether you're a side, back, or front sleeper, and I think that makes it a great buy.
Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow review
Specifications
- Best for: side, back and front sleepers
- RRP: £99
- Heights available: various
- Dimensions: 74 x 48cm
- Feel: adjustable depending on fill level
- Materials: recycled polyester outer, biomass balance PU foam filling
- Care instructions: the removable quilted cover is machine-washable at 40°c, the foam clusters can't be washed
- Manufacturer sleep trial: none
Comfort
For as long as I can remember, I have always been a side and occasional back sleeper. I'm pretty sure I end up in the recovery position on some nights, too. And yet, despite everything I know about how to choose a pillow, I've always struggled to find a pillow that I'm 100% happy with. That was until I tested the Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow.
A good night's sleep isn't one-size-fits-all, and the brand knows this. The HoneyFoam pillow is soft yet supportive, and filled with memory foam clusters that can be added or removed to adjust the pillow's feel and height.
I found that the pillow arrived with just the right number of HoneyFoam clusters to slip into the inner cover and give the pillow the height I need to sleep comfortably on my side. That makes it about 20cm high.
I also found it to be the perfect height when I was lying on my back, and although I'm not a front sleeper, it's easy enough to remove about half of the memory foam clusters to make it into a comfortable stomach sleeping pillow.
Handily, the HoneyFoam pillow arrives with a storage bag for any clusters you'd like to remove, and if you want to replace or add more clusters for a firmer feel, these can be bought separately.
As of writing, extra Adjustable HoneyFoam Clusters cost £20 for a 300g bag on the Fine Bedding website. I found I had more than enough provided, but it's good to know there's the option to add more, and to replace any filling that becomes a little flattened over time, without having to replace the whole pillow.
It's also worth noting that my mattress (the TEMPUR Ease) is a memory foam mattress. My body sinks into this, as my head does on the pillow. Side sleepers who sleep on a firmer mattress may find they need to add more HoneyFoam clusters to achieve a comfortable pillow height.
As I've mentioned, I'm used to sleeping on the Simba Hybrid Pillow, and in comparison, I found the Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow doesn't feel as dense. Instead, I found it feels plump and squishy, yet supportive.
Full credit for that squishiness doesn't all go to the filling. The super soft, quilted cover with cute honeycomb-shaped detailing provides a cushioned layer of comfort on top of the HoneyFoam clusters inside.
Temperature regulation
I have to admit, I am a cold person. I only really seem to get hot (and bothered) when I'm doing some cardio, or when I'm on the school run, and by the time I've resumed my 'normal' resting status, I start to feel the cold again.
This is especially true at bedtime, and I often climb into bed wearing my dressing gown to warm up. I haven't quite gotten to the point of wearing a hat in bed, but my head usually stays at a consistent temperature through the night, and I'm not prone to overheating.
However, when I sleep on my Simba Hybrid pillow, I do find I need to flip or rotate it every so often, as, despite its cooling tech, I find it can get warm sometimes. I was expecting the same with the Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow, especially as it has a polyester outer cover. I usually prefer natural materials for breathability and sustainability reasons, but during testing, I actually found this pillow slept pretty cool.
The brand says that the 'hexagon-shaped clusters promote better airflow' than a standard memory foam pillow, and that seemed to be the case. I found there was a lot less heat built up around and underneath my head during the night.
All in all, this pillow exceeded my expectations of maintaining a comfortable temperature overnight.
Ease of care
The memory foam clusters of the HoneyFoam Pillow can not be washed, but the outer cover can be unzipped and popped in the washing machine at 40°C.
This is also a standard-sized pillow, which makes adding a pillow protector and a pillowcase much easier.
From time to time, you may wish to 'fluff up' or redistribute the memory foam clusters to keep the pillow plump, or replace these clusters to keep the pillow fresh.
Sleep trial
While The Fine Bedding Company offers a 30-day returns service if you change your mind about this pillow before sleeping on it, this is not the same as a sleep trial that allows you to test out a pillow by actually sleeping on it for a set period of time.
Unfortunately, a sleep trial is something that the brand doesn't offer yet, which is a shame, because at £99 this pillow isn't cheap, and it can take a good few nights to find out if a pillow is really the one for you.
However, the fact that you can unzip the cover and remove the desired amount of foam clusters means you can adjust the pillow to your optimal height and firmness. It also offers the flexibility to adjust whether the pillow feels soft, medium or firm. That means there's much more likelihood of it being the perfect fit compared to your average pillow.
Value for money
The Fine Bedding Adjustable HoneyFoam Pillow costs £99, which isn't cheap. However, I have tested a lot more expensive pillows, and a lot that are far less expensive, and many of them haven't offered good value for money in one way or another, whereas I do think that the HoneyFoam Pillow does.
Because you can personalise the height and firmness, it's one of the very few pillows that can be made suitable for front, back and side sleeping positions. And that adjustable filling means you can choose whether your pillow has a firm and plump or loose and soft fill.
You can also prolong the life of this pillow with replacement HoneyFoam clusters and outer covers, which will keep it out of landfill for longer, and these are cheaper than buying a new pillow from scratch. Experts recommend replacing your pillows every two years, so that expense can soon add up.
Overall, I think this pillow certainly offers enough bang for your buck that it provides good value for money.
How I tested
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.
