The Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow is almost too pretty to put a pillowcase on top of it. The boxy shape stands out in a crowded field of pillows that tend to look the same. But this is more than just a uniquely-shaped pillow – it’s also quite functional. Made of an AirFoam blend that’s designed to be responsive and provide gentle contouring, the pillow can comfortably support your head and neck, while relieving pressure. On the firmness scale, it’s a medium – but on the softer side of medium. The AirFoam material is temperature-neutral, so it won’t trap heat. In addition, the zippable cover is washable and makes the pillow easy to care for.
We slept on a pair of Nolah Cooling Foam Pillows for over two weeks to see how they would compare to the rest of the best pillows on the market.
Our full Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow review is below so you can see how we tested it – and then decide whether it will meet your needs or not. And if you want to boost your sleep comfort further, take a look at our guide to the best mattress for all budgets.
Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow Review in Brief
The Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow is a rather luxurious choice that reminds us of sleeping at a hotel or resort. The boxy shape immediately stands out, and honestly, we were in no hurry to put pillowcases on top of the pillows and hide the stylish design and piping trim surrounding the pillow.
Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow at a glance
Type: Foam: Nolah AirFoam and Outlast fibers; Cover: 100% cotton and Outlast fibers
Best suited to: Back sleepers, but also side and stomach sleepers
Trial period: 30 days
Warranty: 2 years
Using AirFoam, which is Nolah’s proprietary polyfoam, the pillow is designed to be temperature neutral, so it stays cool while you’re sleeping. In addition to cooling features, it’s a contouring pillow, so it can provide support for your head and neck. The medium density – on the softer side – provides the right level of support to make it a great choice for back sleepers, although it can also be used by side and stomach sleepers.
And even though the pillow contours to your head and neck, it also springs back to its original shape, so you won’t have to worry about the pillow sagging and needing to be refluffed every morning.
It’s not one of those pillows that you can unzip and then add or remove fill as desired. Also, it doesn’t come in different loft sizes (low-loft, mid-lift, or high-loft) – although we would consider this a high loft pillow – and it may be too high for petite sleepers. In addition, it doesn’t come in both standard and king sizes like some other pillows.
However, the pillow has a zip closure, which serves three purposes. First, it’s made of cotton infused with Outlast fiber, which keeps you from sweating. The cover also helps to keep the pillow clean, and since the cover can be removed and easily laundered, it also makes the pillow easy to care for.
Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow review: price and deals
- One of the two top of the line pillows
- Currently on sale for $20 off
- Includes a 30 day trial and a 2-year warranty
Nolah sells three types of pillows, and the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow is one of the two top of the line choices. A queen size pillow retails for $99.
The Nolah Squishy Pillow, which also has a MSRP of $99, has a more traditional shape, and is filled with removable foam, so you can increase or decrease the pillow’s loft. On the other hand, the Nolah AirFiber Pillow, which retails for $79/Sale $69, and also has a traditional shape, is made of a down-alternative AirFiber and also has an active cooling cover. All of the pillows are only available in queen sizes.
Compared to other pillows on the market, the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow is considered a luxury pillow choice. It’s less expensive than the Layla Kapok Pillow, which is $109 for a queen size option – and that pillow also comes in a king size. The Layla has memory foam blended with kapok fiber and is designed to have a down-like feel. Also, the microbial copper-infused cover is designed to be breathable. The Layla also has adjustable fill that can be added or removed, which makes it more customizable – and the pillow has a 5 year warranty. However, the cover is not washable, which makes it more difficult to clean the pillow.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for something less expensive, the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is only $59 for a two pack, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious consumers. The pillow is available in both queen and king sizes, and has a gel fiber filling. It can also be machine washed and tumbled dry, which makes it even easier to care for than the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow. However, it doesn’t have any cooling properties, and there’s no warranty provided.
Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow review: design and materials
- Supportive and comfortable
- Temperature neutral AirFoam
- Temperature-regulating Outlast fibers
The Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow has an unusual and attractive design that makes it look luxurious. Beyond first appearances, we were pleased to see that the pillow is made of AirFoam, which is free from the viscoelastic chemicals often found in foam pillows. The AirFoam contours to the user’s body and provides pressure relief. The foam also has perforations that make the material breathable and temperature neutral.
The pillow’s cover also has cooling features. It combines cotton with Outlast fibers that absorb and release heat, which regulates temperature all night as you sleep.
Our tester tends to sleep hot – and under a weighted blanket – and found that the perforations in the foam, combined with the fibers in the cover, definitely played a role in her ability to sleep cool and avoid waking up feeling like she’s just gotten off her treadmill.
The pillow doesn’t come in a choice of lofts, but our tester found the higher loft comfortable. Petite sleepers may find it too cushy to provide the right level of support.
The pillow has a cotton cover, which keeps the pillow clean. And since the cover zips off, it’s also easy to remove and wash the cover in warm water and then put in the dryer on the tumble-dry setting.
Our tester only had one problem with the design: there’s a Nolah emblem on the front of the pillow, and then a Nolah tag on the side, and then the “official” pillow tag on the side. It feels like the Nolah emblem and tag were a bit of overkill.
Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow review: performance
- Contouring feature fits like a soft glove
- Provides pressure relief
- Temperature regulation
For over two weeks, we slept on a pair of the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillows, and tested them for performance in key areas, such as support, comfort, and temperature regulation. We also slept in various positions to see if the results were the same each time. Here’s how we got on…
Setup
4.5 out of 5
A pair of Nolah Cooling Foam Pillows arrived in a rather beat-up shipping box but thankfully the pillows were individually wrapped in plastic so they were intact. Some companies, like Casper, include individual boxes inside of the shipping box, but we’re not taking points off because Nolah didn’t.
Since the pillows were shipped full-size, we didn’t have to go through an unfolding and expansion process. We merely needed to take the pillows out of the plastic and place them on the bed.
While off-gassing is a problem with some foam-based bedding items, we didn’t experience that problem with these pillows. Nolah even included an instruction sheet (it was generic and for pillows and mattress toppers), which warned that we might notice a distinct scent typically associated with new foam, and recommended allowing the product to air out by itself in a well-ventilated space for at least 24 hours. We left the pillows alone for a day just to be on the safe side, but again, we (thankfully) did not experience any off-gassing smells.
Temperature regulation
5 out of 5
There were no hot nights (well, not that type of hot night) with the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillows. For over 2 weeks, we are happy to report that the pillows did an excellent temperature-regulation job. They weren’t “cool to the touch,” per se, but never claimed to be. The pillows were temperature-neutral, meaning they didn’t get hot like many foam pillows do.
The AirFoam, which has perforations throughout, kept the pillows from trapping heat. Instead, the pillows remained breathable. The cover, which is made of cotton, and includes Outlast fibers (which are also temperature-regulating) also contributed to the lack of heat while sleeping.
Firmness and support
5 out of 5
The Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow is a high-loft model that was not too soft and not too firm. It’s in the medium range, but on that scale, it was closer to soft than to firm. Our tester thought it provided the right level of support and comfort regardless of the position.
When sleeping on our back, the contouring pillow was ergonomic enough to keep the head and neck in alignment, preventing neck and shoulder pain. We slept deeply since there was no tossing and turning.
However, when sleeping on the side and even face down, the pillow still maintained its contouring features and was soft yet supportive.
Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow review: user reviews
In addition to our experience with the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow, we also looked through user reviews from customers.
Nolah is not on Amazon. However, the pillow has a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Nolah’s website. Customers in various age groups, who slept on their side, back, and stomach called it a great pillow that was comfortable, and stated that it was supportive. Many stated that they slept better and no longer had aches and pains when they woke up. We did find a handful of reviews from people who stated that they returned the pillow – but didn’t say why, and noted that Nolah’s customer service was excellent during the return process.
Should you buy the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow?
We tested the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow for over two weeks, and we were very pleased with the results. The stylish design is just one of the reasons we like it.
The combination of contouring and support make it a good choice for back sleepers in particular, but we found it comfortable in every position. The AirFoam also made it a temperature-regulating pillow that kept us cool and comfortable as we slept. The Outlast fibers in the cotton pillow cover only add to this cooling effect.
However, we know that consumers have different preferences. So, one alternative is the Layla Kapok Pillow, which provides more customization since the fill is adjustable, so you can unzip the pillow cover and then add or remove the fill to your heart’s desire. Another choice is the Purple Harmony Pillow, which is available in three different heights: low, medium, and tall, so you can choose the exact one that’s best for your needs.
However, the Nolah Foam Pillow, while being a luxury choice, is certainly not as expensive as many competitors, and is a good choice for a good-looking pillow that provides contouring, support, comfort, and temperature regulation.
