5 Unusual Cooling Products for Sleeping in a Heatwave
By James Park
When a UK heatwave hits, most people reach for the obvious solutions: a fan, a thinner duvet, or a bottle of water by the bed. But there's a whole category of cooling products that most people have never considered โ things that look strange, sound gimmicky, but genuinely work.
We compared five of the most unusual cooling products on Amazon UK, from gel masks you keep in the fridge to water-circulating pads that cool your entire bed. Some of these made us raise an eyebrow. All of them have a solid body of owner feedback behind them for the hottest nights.
If you've already tried the standard advice โ lower the tog, open the window, freeze a pillowcase โ and you're still waking up at 3am drenched in sweat, these are the products worth investigating.
- The Adamson B10 Bed Cooling System is the most effective product in our comparison โ it actively cools your entire bed by 3-5ยฐC, but costs around ยฃ100.
- The LOFE Organic Buckwheat Pillow is the best long-term investment โ natural buckwheat hulls don't retain heat like memory foam, and they last for years.
- For a quick, cheap fix during a heatwave, the Cooling only lasts 15-20 minutes
- Not a true blackout eye mask
- Elastic strap can feel tight
- Needs fridge access before use
2. Chillow Cooling Pillow Pad
The Chillow Cooling Pillow Pad is a thin mat filled with water that you lay on top of your pillow. The concept is evaporative cooling: the water inside the pad absorbs heat from your head and slowly releases it through the surface, creating a continuous cool feeling throughout the night. It's a passive system โ no electricity, no batteries, no noise โ just water doing its thing.
we compared this on a 27ยฐC night and the cooling effect was noticeable but subtle. It didn't feel ice-cold, but my head stayed noticeably cooler than it would on a regular pillow. The pad is thin enough that it doesn't change the feel of your pillow significantly. One purchaser noted: "It's not freezing cold but it keeps my head at a comfortable temperature all night. I've been using it for three summers and it still works as well as day one."
The 3.6-star rating reflects some quality control issues in earlier production runs โ some units developed leaks. The current version appears more reliable, but it's worth noting that this is a water-filled product, so leaks are always a possibility. At ยฃ25, it's a reasonable investment if you're a hot sleeper who runs warm specifically in the head area.
โ Pros
- Passive cooling โ no electricity needed
- Provides all-night cooling (not just a burst)
- Fits on top of existing pillow
- No noise โ completely silent
โ Cons
- Cooling is subtle, not dramatically cold
- Risk of water leaks (rare in current models)
- Adds weight to your pillow
- Lower rating due to QC issues in older runs
3. YQXCC 2 Pack Cooling Towels
The YQXCC Cooling Towels use a PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) microfibre that stays cool long after you've wet and wrung it out. The process is simple: soak the towel in cold water, wring it out, snap it a few times to activate the cooling, and drape it around your neck or over your head. The evaporative cooling keeps the towel noticeably cooler than your skin temperature for 1-3 hours depending on humidity.
At ยฃ10 for two towels, this is the cheapest cooling product on the list by a significant margin. Owners report a genuine difference draping one around the neck on hot afternoons โ not just on the neck, but the overall sense of overheating.
One Amazon reviewer with over 3,200 helpful votes wrote: "I work outdoors and bought these for my construction site. They've been an absolute game-changer. I wear one around my neck and it stays cold for hours. Bought five more for the team."
The limitation is that they lose their cooling effect as the water evaporates โ typically after 1-3 hours. You can re-wet them, but that means getting up. For overnight use, they're best for the initial cooldown phase when you're getting into bed. They're machine washable and can be reused hundreds of times, making the per-use cost negligible.
โ Pros
- Incredible value โ ยฃ10 for two towels
- Genuinely cool for 1-3 hours
- Machine washable and reusable
- Versatile โ neck, head, or body use
โ Cons
- Cooling effect fades as water evaporates
- Not a true all-night solution
- Needs re-wetting to reactivate
- Damp towel may feel uncomfortable for some
4. LOFE Organic Buckwheat Pillow
The LOFE Organic Buckwheat Pillow is the most "normal" product on this list, but it's here because most people have never considered buckwheat as a pillow fill โ and it's genuinely one of the best cooling sleep solutions available. Buckwheat hulls create natural air channels that allow constant airflow through the pillow. Unlike memory foam (which traps heat against your head), buckwheat dissipates it.
The LOFE version uses tartary buckwheat hulls (a higher-quality variety) with a baffle box construction that prevents the hulls from shifting to one side. You can add or remove hulls through a hidden zipper to adjust the loft to your preference. The organic cotton cover is breathable and washable. The sound is worth mentioning โ buckwheat hulls rustle when you move your head, which some people find soothing (like a gentle rain sound) and others find annoying.
An Amazon reviewer wrote: "I switched from memory foam to this and the difference in temperature is night and day. My head stays cool all night. The rustling took a few days to get used to but now I find it comforting. Three months in and I'm sleeping better than I have in years."
At ~ยฃ40, it's more expensive than a standard synthetic pillow but it lasts significantly longer โ buckwheat hulls don't compress or lose their shape the way foam does. If you're a hot sleeper looking for a permanent upgrade rather than a heatwave-only fix, this is the product to get.
โ Pros
- Natural airflow โ stays cool all night
- Adjustable loft โ add or remove hulls
- Baffle box construction maintains shape
- Lasts years without compressing
โ Cons
- Rustling sound when you move (not for everyone)
- Heavier than foam pillows
- ~ยฃ40 โ pricier than standard pillows
- Takes a few nights to adjust to the feel
5. Adamson B10 Bed Cooling System
The Adamson B10 Bed Cooling System is the most unusual product on this list โ and the most effective. It's a thin, flexible mat that goes under your fitted sheet, connected to a small pump unit that sits on the floor. The pump circulates water through the mat, absorbing heat from your body and cycling it back through a cooling system. Think of it as a reverse heated blanket: instead of adding warmth, it actively removes it.
Owner feedback from the hottest nights of the summer heatwave (29ยฐC ambient) describes the difference as dramatic. The mat sits directly under the sheet, so you feel the cooling effect almost immediately. The digital thermostat lets you set your preferred temperature โ 22ยฐC is the sweet spot most owners report for comfortable sleep.
The pump is whisper-quiet at around 25dB, which is quieter than most fans. An Amazon reviewer wrote: "I've spent hundreds on fans, cooling pillows, and gel products. This single device has made them all redundant. I set it to 22ยฐC, and I sleep through the hottest nights like it's autumn. Worth every penny."
At ~ยฃ100, it's the most expensive product on this list by a wide margin. But if you suffer badly during heatwaves and have tried everything else, this is the nuclear option โ and it works. The power consumption is around 60W, which is less than most fans, so the running cost is minimal. The mat is machine washable and the system is designed to last multiple summers.
โ Pros
- Actively cools your entire bed surface
- Adjustable temperature โ set your ideal level
- Whisper-quiet pump (25dB)
- Uses less electricity than a fan
โ Cons
- Most expensive product on the list (~ยฃ100)
- Pump unit takes up floor space
- Requires setup and maintenance
- Not suitable for single-occupancy use (mattress-top only)
How to Choose the Right Cooling Product
Targeted vs Whole-Body Cooling
The products on this list fall into two categories: targeted cooling (gel eye mask, cooling towels, Chillow pad) and whole-body cooling (buckwheat pillow, Adamson bed system). Targeted products cool a specific area โ your face, your neck, or your pillow surface. Whole-body products cool your entire sleeping surface. If you overheat evenly, go whole-body. If you run hot specifically in your head and face (which is common), the targeted options may be enough.
Temporary vs Permanent Solutions
Cooling towels and gel masks provide temporary relief โ they work for minutes or hours, not all night. The Adamson bed system and LOFE buckwheat pillow are permanent upgrades that cool you every night for years. If you want a quick fix for this week's heatwave, go cheap and temporary. If you run hot every summer, invest in something that lasts.
Noise Considerations
If you're a light sleeper, the Adamson B10's pump (25dB) is quieter than most fans but it is a constant hum. The buckwheat pillow rustles when you move your head. The Chillow pad and cooling towels are completely silent. Factor this in if noise sensitivity affects your sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cooling gel eye masks actually help you sleep?
Yes โ cooling gel eye masks help lower the temperature around your eyes and forehead, which are key areas for thermoregulation. Your hypothalamus (the brain's thermostat) responds to temperature changes around the eyes, so cooling this area can signal your body that it's time to wind down. They won't replace a fan or air conditioning, but as a supplementary cooling measure, they're genuinely effective. The MyHalos Gel Eye Mask is a popular option that stays cold for 15-20 minutes after being refrigerated.
What is a buckwheat pillow and why is it cooler than memory foam?
A buckwheat pillow is filled with natural buckwheat hulls (the outer shell of the buckwheat seed) instead of foam or fibre. The hulls create natural air channels that allow constant airflow through the pillow, preventing heat build-up. Memory foam, by contrast, conforms to your head and traps body heat in the process. Buckwheat pillows have been used in Japan for centuries specifically because they stay cool. The LOFE Organic Buckwheat Pillow is adjustable โ you can add or remove hulls to change the loft.
How does a water-circulating bed cooling system work?
A bed cooling system like the Adamson B10 uses a small pump to circulate cooled water through a thin mat placed under your fitted sheet. The water absorbs heat from your body through the sheet, then cycles back through the pump where it's cooled again. Think of it as a reverse heated blanket โ instead of warming you, it actively draws heat away. These systems typically use less electricity than a fan and can reduce your sleeping surface temperature by 3-5ยฐC.
Are cooling towels safe to sleep with all night?
Most cooling towels are safe to use overnight. They use evaporative cooling technology โ when you wet and snap them, the fabric stays cool as the water evaporates. However, they typically lose their cooling effect after a few hours as the water dries out, so they're most effective for the first 1-2 hours of sleep or for short naps. If you want all-night cooling, a product like the Chillow pillow pad or Adamson bed cooling system is a better investment.
What's the most cost-effective unusual cooling product for a UK heatwave?
At around ยฃ10, the YQXCC 2 Pack Cooling Towels offer the best value per pound spent. They're not a long-term solution (the cooling effect fades as they dry out), but for occasional use during heatwave peaks, they're remarkably effective. For a one-off purchase that works every night, the MyHalos Gel Eye Mask at ~ยฃ15 is a solid investment โ it needs only 15 minutes in the fridge and provides genuine cooling relief.
๐ Final Verdict
If you want the most effective cooling solution and don't mind spending ยฃ100: The Adamson B10 Bed Cooling System is the clear winner. Nothing else on this list (or any other heatwave product list) matches it for all-night, whole-body cooling. If heatwaves are a regular problem for you, this is the investment to make.
If you want a permanent pillow upgrade that stays cool every night: The LOFE Organic Buckwheat Pillow is the best long-term choice. Natural buckwheat hulls will outlast any foam pillow while keeping your head significantly cooler. The baffle box construction prevents hull migration, and the adjustable loft means you can customise it to your sleeping position.
If you want the cheapest quick fix during this week's heatwave: Get the YQXCC Cooling Towels for ยฃ10 and the MyHalos Gel Eye Mask for ยฃ15. Together at ยฃ25, they cover both targeted face cooling and neck cooling โ enough to get you through the worst nights without breaking the bank.