Woolroom Deluxe Wool Pillow: Natural and extremely comfortable

When it comes to comfort and waterproofing to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, wool is the perfect sleeping material. Simba, for example, uses wool layers in many hybrid mattresses.

No prizes for guessing what the main ingredient in Woolroom’s range of mattresses and bedding is. The Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is filled with “100% British wool traced back to UK farms”. It’s a comfortable, fully adjustable option that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to those looking for a luxurious, natural pillow – as long as you’re happy to fill it regularly.

Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow: What do you get for the money?

The filling of the Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is made of a smooth, 200-thread-count cotton cover, which itself has a thin layer of wool sewn into it for coverage. Available in three sizes – Standard (48x74cm), Kingsize (48x90cm) and Euro (60x60cm) – priced at £95, £116 and £120 respectively. I was sent the Standard size to review.

You can adjust the height of the pillow by removing as much or as little of the filling as you like. Unlike the Otty Adjustable Pillow, it doesn’t come with a bag to store any wool you remove: this is available for an extra £26, plus 250g of extra wool if you want to push the pillow up.

The Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is really washable. But to do this, you will need to separate the wool filling from its bag before you put it in the washing machine. According to the pillow’s care label, this can be washed at 40°C but you should wash it on the wool cycle using a mild detergent, and it cannot be ironed or tumbled.

What did we like?

Woolroom’s Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow offers a good amount of comfort without compromising on support. The wool eliminates the problem I had with the Odd Company’s Luxury Feather Pillows, which were so soft that they fell under my head without enough support. You might think that all that fur might feel like burying your head in a big fluffy sheep but, while it’s very cozy, it’s way denser than feathers and down.

I would argue that the Deluxe Washable Pillow offers a medium feel, which tends towards medium firmness. I tend to sleep on my side and back, and find it comfortable in both positions – although those who prefer the comfort of a sink may find it too cramped. You will also benefit from regularly changing this pillow. Woolroom recommends opening it before use and loosening the wool filling where it meets, but giving it a quick wash in the morning and evening should be enough afterwards. This may annoy some, but it is by no means a huge responsibility.

After reviewing many microfiber and memory foam pillows over the years, it’s nice to get my hands (and head) on natural bedding like the Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. Although wool may not be eco-friendly, the pillow feels more thoughtfully made than one filled with polyester and polyurethane. The 100% cotton cover is soft and the pillow feels breathable. I did notice a “sheep” smell when I unzipped it to check the filling, but this is very minor and certainly not as irritating as removing the memory foam.

I found the pillow loft to be comfortable without needing to do any adjustments, but I have to admit that the adjustment of Woolroom’s Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is excellent. Given the arrangement of the pillow’s “wool balls”, you can take out as much or as little as you like, providing a great amount of flexibility – which is what makes the Otty Adjustable Pillow so appealing. Of course, Woolroom doesn’t give you a little bag to put spare pieces in, but the calico bag that comes with the pillow itself is a decent enough place to stand.

What can be improved?

The biggest disappointment is that you don’t get a spare filling included with the pillow. As I mentioned above, £26 will get you an extra 250g of fleece in a small drawstring bag. This isn’t a huge expense to bear, but add to what is already a significant pillow investment and you’re looking at paying quite a bit at £121 all told.

This steep price will put many people off the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. Also, let me compare it to the Otty Adjustable Pillow, which – although not a budget option – is relatively cheap at £70. Of course, bedding made from natural materials is often pricier than synthetic options, and you can make a convincing argument that it’s worth the investment. For example, our favorite down pillow – the Scooms Hungarian Goose Down pillow – will cost £100. On the other hand, natural pillows are not always expensive: the Piglet in Bed British Wool Pillow is priced at £65, while the Odd Company’s Luxury Pillow bundle, made from feathers and cotton, is £120 for two pillows.

However, I noticed that Woolroom always offers discounts on their bedding, so there’s a good chance you won’t have to worry about paying full price for the Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. In fact, at the time of writing, a 30% discount brings the price down to a very competitive £66.

A minor issue I had with the pillow is that the zipper does not have a tag, which makes opening and closing the cover difficult. You will also need to take care when doing this, as wool balls tend to get caught in the teeth of the zipper.

Should you buy the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow?

Finally, I can look past the wrong zip, which leaves the main question: is the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Pillow worth £95? With the quality of its materials, the comfort of its washable cover and the flexibility of its fully adjustable design, I would say yes. If you’re going to invest in something, why shouldn’t it be something you’ll be lying on your face for seven hours every night?

It was Benjamin Franklin who said: “The bitterness of a low price lasts long after the pleasure of a low price is forgotten.” Yes, the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow is expensive. Potential discounts aside, thankfully it won’t contribute to most people’s budgets (in that case, we’ve reviewed many of the best options). But it’s also a very good quality pillow, and if you have the means, I highly recommend it.