Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow review: A neck-cradling adjustable sleep accessory for side sleepers

As I’ve gotten older – and tested more and more sleep-related products for T3 – I’ve really come to value a good pillow. I’m very particular about what I lay my head on at night, especially as I’m a side sleeper, so I need extra cradling and structure for my neck and shoulders. This search led me to Groove Pillows.

I tried the original Groove Pillow back in 2023, and in all honesty, I didn’t get on with it very well. Rather than relieving my neck pain, I found its firmness to be too much for me. However, my husband loved it and still uses it every night to this day, and I rarely hear him complain about neck and shoulder aches.

After my first test a few years ago, I concluded that Groove Pillow was a marmite-type of situation, where you either love it or you hate it. But I was willing to give their new Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow a try to see if my opinion had changed – here’s what happened.

Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow review: price and availability

The Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow is available to buy for £45 / $85 at Groove Pillows. On the website, you can get a bundle deal where you get two pillows for £80 / $125.

Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow review: design and features

The Groove Adjustable Pillow has a similar shape and design to the first Groove Pillow I tried in 2023. It has a long rectangular shape with high sides and a dip in the centre which is designed to cradle the neck and head. It's made of layers of memory foam, including a 100% PU bamboo memory foam ergonomic foam upper, and 2cm thick memory foam adjustable layers.

To separate the ‘main’ pillow from the four layers, the Groove Adjustable Pillow has an inner and outer cover. The inner cover is made from poly-cotton and the quilted outer layer is made from bamboo and stretch polyester.

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Measuring 60cm long and 35cm deep, you can remove the memory foam layers of the Groove Adjustable Pillow to get a petite, regular or tall height. Petite height is between 4cm - 9cm, regular height is 6cm - 11cm, and tall height is 8cm - 13cm. To remove the layers, you simply unzip both the outer and inner cover and remove one or all of the memory foam layers.

This adjustability is designed to adapt to your body, frame and sleeping style. The Groove Adjustable Pillow is said to help ease shoulder and neck pain, and while aligning your spine to relieve pressure while you sleep. It has five combinations to choose from to suit you.

Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow review: performance

The Groove Adjustable Pillow came rolled out very tightly in a box, much like a bed-in-a-box mattress. It immediately expanded to size and it didn’t have a strong off-gassing smell so I could start using it right away. As mentioned, I still have a Groove Pillow as my husband sleeps on it, and I did notice a difference between it and the Groove Adjustable Pillow in terms of material.

My first Groove Pillow is three years old, so it’s only natural for its material to be a bit faded, but the fabric of the Groove Adjustable Pillow felt nice and springy to the touch. It’s still a very firm pillow at all heights, so it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and may take time to get used to.

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I sleep on my side, and found the dip of the Groove Adjustable Pillow to be extremely cradling around my neck and head. I found it to be most comfortable on my side but not so much on my back. The raised edges did come in handy with my alignment. I tend to sleep curled up like a pretzel, but I did notice less strain on my back when using the Groove Adjustable Pillow.

Adjusting the Groove Adjustable Pillow was very easy if a bit fiddly. I preferred using it as its tallest height rather than at its petite height. With the latter, I experienced some neck pain. Putting the layers back in was a little fiddly, too but it’s nice to have an option to change the height of my pillow.

In terms of neck pain, I didn’t notice much difference between using the Groove Adjustable Pillow and the pillow I was using before. It didn’t cause me any neck pain, but while I was using it, I did hurt my neck from whipping my hair a bit too aggressively at a wedding! I was hoping the pillow would help ease this pain but I still woke up with an achy neck and shoulder a few days after it.

Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow review: verdict

The Groove Adjustable Pillow is definitely an improvement to its older pillows, but I still think it’s not for me. I prefer a medium or softer pillow, and even at its smallest, I felt that the Groove Adjustable Pillow was a bit too firm for me. It was great for cradling my neck and shoulders, though, which was an issue I had last time.

Being able to adjust your pillow is especially handy, so I’m sure lots of people will enjoy using the Groove Adjustable Pillow. Its materials feel very luxurious, breathable and cosy, and it’s an affordable option, too. My husband will definitely love it but for me, it was a bit too firm and fiddly.

Groove Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow review: alternatives to consider

If an adjustable pillow is what you’re after, the Fine Bedding Company Honeyfoam pillow lets you add or remove hexagonal foam clusters to create your perfect height and firmness. It’s also made from sustainable materials, and it’s a softer option than the Groove Adjustable Pillow if you’re like me and don’t like firm pillows.

A medium-firm memory foam option, the DreamCloud pillow is a great option for side and back sleepers. It’s quite thick and can’t be adjusted, but DreamCloud is a luxury, reliable brand and this pillow offers good support and cooling qualities.

Another memory foam pillow we love is the Soak&Sleep Shredded Memory Foam pillow which is affordable, supportive and doesn’t give that sinking feeling you get with memory foam.