Cool the bed, not the house.
In short: a cooling pillow can mean three things. Gel feels cool to the touch at first and then warms up. Phase-change material (PCM) takes up warmth for longer, until it is full. Breathable pillows and covers do not feel cold, but they hold on to less warmth all night. Light bedding, a summer duvet and a bed fan change what happens around the pillow. None of them cools the room.
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Gløde does not sell cooling pillows, bedding, summer duvets or bed fans (yet). This article compares types on how they work and on what manufacturers state. It is not a test and we did not try the products. It is about comfort on warm nights.
The options compared
| Type | How it feels cooler | How long | Power | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gel pillow or gel pad | A gel layer feels cool to the touch | Short: gel warms to your own temperature | None | Turn it over for a fresh side |
| PCM pillow or cover | The material takes up warmth while it changes state | Longer than gel, until the material is full | None | Resets when it cools down again |
| Breathable pillow | Air channels or a loose filling hold on to less warmth | All night, but mild | None | Never cold to the touch |
| Bedding in linen, percale or bamboo viscose | Lets air through and takes up moisture | All night, but mild | None | The weave matters as much as the fibre |
| Summer duvet | Less insulation on top of you | All night | None | Usually 1 to 4.5 tog in the UK and Ireland |
| Bed fan | Moves room air between the sheets | As long as it runs | Electricity | Moves air, does not cool it; check the noise |
Cooling pillows: gel, PCM or breathable
Gel
A gel layer feels cool the moment you touch it. Gel takes up warmth until it is as warm as you are. Then the cool feeling fades. Turning the pillow gives you a fresh side.
Phase-change material
PCM takes up warmth while it changes state, a little like wax that softens. It sits in the cover or the top layer. The effect lasts longer than gel, but once the material is full, it stops. It resets when it cools down again. Stated durations differ widely, so we give no number.
Breathable pillows
Ventilated foam, loose fillings and mesh covers do not feel cold. They let air move and hold on to less warmth. That keeps working all night.
What to look for
Height and firmness come first. Then check the cover: is it washable, and is the cooling layer on one side or both?
Interested? We'll let you know.
Gløde is considering adding a cooling pillow. Leave your email and we'll send you one message if we launch it. No newsletter unless you ask for it.
We only use your email to send you one message about this. More in our privacy policy.
Cooling bedding and pyjamas
Bedding does not cool. It lets warmth and moisture out, or keeps them in.
- Linen is made from flax. It takes up moisture and has an open, textured feel. It creases.
- Cotton percale is a plain, tight weave that feels crisp and matt. Sateen, the other common cotton weave, feels smoother and a little warmer.
- Bamboo viscose is viscose made from bamboo pulp. It feels smooth and soft and drapes close to the body.
The weave and the weight matter as much as the fibre. A light, open fabric lets more air through than a heavy, dense one. The same goes for pyjamas: light and loose.
Summer duvet: read the tog
In the UK and Ireland duvets carry a tog rating. The scale runs from about 1 to 15, and a lower number means less insulation. A summer duvet is usually between 1 and 4.5 tog. Where tog is not used, look for a lightweight or summer-weight duvet.
On the warmest nights, many people use only a flat sheet or an empty duvet cover.
Interested? We'll let you know.
Gløde is considering adding a summer duvet. Leave your email and we'll send you one message if we launch it. No newsletter unless you ask for it.
We only use your email to send you one message about this. More in our privacy policy.
Bed fan: moving air under the covers
A bed fan stands at the foot of the bed and blows room air between the sheets. It moves air and does not cool it. Many people find that pleasant.
Three points matter. Noise: you lie right next to it, so look for a low setting. A timer, so it stops later in the night. Who feels it: some models aim at one side of the bed only. A desk fan across the room is the simple alternative; see our portable fan comparison.
Interested? We'll let you know.
Gløde is considering adding a bed fan. Leave your email and we'll send you one message if we launch it. No newsletter unless you ask for it.
We only use your email to send you one message about this. More in our privacy policy.
Mattress topper and protector
Cooling toppers and protectors use the same three ideas: gel, PCM or a breathable layer. The same limits apply.
Which for which situation?
- Only your head feels warm: a breathable pillow, or a PCM cover on the pillow you already like.
- You want the cold side of the pillow: gel. Accept that it fades.
- The whole bed is too warm: a summer duvet and linen or percale bedding first.
- Two people, two temperatures: two single duvets, or a bed fan aimed at one side.
- During the day: a neck fan or neck cooler goes where you go.
What Gløde offers today
Nothing in our range cools. We make heated clothing for the other half of the year. What carries over is power: our power banks supply 5 V USB. A small fan built for 5 V USB can run from one. Check the fan's stated input first; we make no promise for other brands' devices.
All sizes are in our power bank collection. More on staying cool is in our guide to cooling clothing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cooling pillow?
It depends on what you want to feel. Gel feels cold at first touch but warms up. Phase-change material stays cool for longer. A breathable pillow never feels cold, but holds on to less warmth all night.
Do cooling pillows stay cool all night?
Gel and phase-change materials do not. They take up warmth until they are full, and then the cool feeling fades. Breathable pillows let air move, and that keeps going all night.
What is the coolest bedding material?
There is no single answer. Cotton percale feels crisp and linen feels textured; both let air through. Bamboo viscose feels smooth and soft. The weave and the weight matter as much as the fibre.
What tog is a summer duvet?
In the UK and Ireland a summer duvet is usually between 1 and 4.5 tog. The scale runs from about 1 to 15, and a lower number means less insulation.
What is a bed fan?
A fan that blows room air between your sheets from the foot of the bed. It moves air and does not cool it. Check the noise and whether it has a timer.
Does Gløde sell cooling pillows or bedding?
No, not at the moment. Leave your email in one of the forms on this page and we will send you one message if we launch that product.
All our comparisons and guides →
Gløde — warm the person, not the room.
