Why our sleep experts loved it
The Simba Sleep Hybrid Duvet from Bensons for Beds ticks a lot of the right boxes on paper. Recycled fibre fill, cotton cover, a cool-touch Stratos technology on one side, mid-weight 10.5 tog and even MTick accreditation to help with night sweats if you are going through the menopause. In use it also feels nicely put together: soft, slim, well made. It just also costs the earth.
At £199.99 before delivery from Bensons for a mid-weight synthetic duvet, this is at the expensive end of the spectrum. If you are a committed Simba fan or need something that you can chuck in the washing machine without worrying, then a lot of what it offers makes sense. If you are just looking for a decent 10.5 tog duvet for a standard UK bedroom, you can get more affordable alternatives that will be 90% there in comfort for a fraction of the price.
Construction & materials Straight off, this is a single-layer mid-weight 10.5 tog duvet. No poppers, no extra layers or two 6.5 tog halves with a zip, so no complicated 3-in-1 duvet configuration to deal with. It should be straightforward and easy for anyone who just wants to put a duvet on a bed and leave it there.
The filling is Simba Renew, a 100% recycled polyester fibre made from plastic bottles. The fibres are combed into loftier layers to mimic the cloud-like volume of down, rather than the flat or slightly lumpy appearance of hollowfibre. This should in theory make for a softer, fluffier hand and more drape across the body than a basic synthetic fill.
The cotton cover is interesting in that there is a plain 100% cotton side, for a soft, breathable hand, and a cotton face treated with Simba’s Stratos technology. This is a kind of cool-touch finish that is designed to help keep you cool, and regulate temperature by absorbing some of your body heat.
You cannot actually see the Stratos as such, but in practice you can usually tell which side is the 'special' one, because it does feel slightly cooler to the touch.
The casing is sewn through in a box pattern. This can help to keep the fill evenly distributed, rather than ending up with a cold, saggy corner and an overstuffed central patch. It is not unique to this duvet and is fairly standard at this kind of price, but it is worth pointing out because it does a lot of the groundwork in terms of even warmth and avoiding clumping.
Comfort & feel In the showroom or looked at spec, the Simba Hybrid Duvet is designed to feel light, smooth and more high-end than the average big-brand supermarket or catalogue offering. It also has that familiar Simba cloud-soft, drapey look: not huge puffiness but a gentle loft, a nice way of falling over the bed rather than plopping on top like a marshmallow.
The Renew fill is there to replicate a soft down duvet and, yes, it broadly delivers on that. It does feel plush and cosy and does have a noticeably softer and more cocooning effect than a basic polyester duvet. Overall, it does give a sense of luxury, but there is also an awareness that this is not feather or wool. You may even notice a faint rustle or slightly plasticky hand as you move about, which is a common feature of tightly woven cotton over a synthetic fill and not unique to Simba.
In terms of weight across the body, this is more in the light to medium bracket. It will probably feel cosy enough in winter to give you a sense of being tucked in, but it is not an especially weighty, fancy hotel-style duvet either. If you want that proper blanketing, heavy feel, you may find this slightly too airy. If you are more of a floaty, ethereal duvet person, you are more likely to like it.
Temperature regulation Stratos is the big headline act in terms of comfort and this is a Simba ‘signature’ that you will see on this and other Simba duvets. The idea is that one side of the cotton casing is finished with the Stratos cool-touch treatment, which does indeed feel cooler to the touch at first and has temperature-buffering properties, designed to absorb some of your body heat before gradually releasing it again. This, together with the loose, airy Renew fibres and the cotton casing, is meant to help keep you in a comfortable zone of not too hot, not too cold.
In reality, it performs like an all-rounder rather than a specialised cooling duvet. I would generally describe it as comfortable across spring and autumn and a fairly average British winter, and most people would be fine in milder summers too. If you are a hot sleeper, you can still overheat under a 10.5 tog duvet even with the Stratos finish, especially in a well-insulated modern home or an upstairs bedroom that feels like an oven in summer.
MTick menopause-friendly accreditation is also genuinely interesting. This is not a Simba special, but independent accreditation of duvets that can help with night sweats thanks to their breathable filling and temperature-buffering covers. Again, important to see this as a comfort feature, rather than a treatment. If night sweats are severe, bedding changes will only go so far and you should always speak to a health professional as well.
In sum, I would see the Simba Hybrid Duvet as a good all-season duvet for UK conditions, rather than a specialist cooling bed layer. The cool-touch face is actually quite pleasant as you first get into bed, but if you are a seriously hot sleeper you will still want a lighter summer duvet, or to drop to a sheet on very hot nights.
Practical features & care Machine washability is one of the stronger selling points of the Simba Hybrid Duvet. This is one where you can clean the whole thing rather than just the cover, because the entire duvet goes in the machine at 40°C. For anyone with allergies, children, pets or who simply prefers the idea of being able to refresh their duvet at home rather than paying for specialist cleaning, that is a big tick.
Drying advice for comparable Simba duvets is usually to tumble dry on a low setting in a large drum, and to avoid very high heat that might damage fibres. In practice, if you have a small home dryer, you may struggle with larger sizes. You are likely to need a launderette-style machine, and that is true of most modern duvets, not just Simba.
You also get a reusable storage bag with the duvet, which is handy if you want to rotate bedding seasonally or store it dust free when not in use. The duvet itself comes with a 1 year guarantee through Bensons. It is not bad and reassuring to see, but not especially generous at this price either, given that mid-to-high-end duvets are normally expected to last considerably longer in normal use.
One practical detail that does affect the value judgement is delivery. Bensons delivery charges on single high-value bedding items can be surprisingly high and this duvet sits bang in the marginally-too-expensive-for-my-comfort bracket. Unless it is part of a larger furniture or mattress order where delivery is already sorted, that is a fairly significant extra to bolt onto an already premium duvet.
Value for money This is where it all gets a bit sticky. At Bensons, the Simba Sleep Hybrid Duvet is generally positioned somewhere in the £200 bracket, depending on size and available promotions. Other retailers and Simba’s own pricing usually also lands it in this range, with singles in the low hundreds and larger sizes scaling up from there.
Against that, bear in mind that it is possible to buy a perfectly decent 10.5 tog synthetic duvet from mainstream brands for £30 to £70, and it is also possible to get some very respectable feather, down or wool alternatives for under or around the £200 mark in king size.
Even within Simba’s own range, the more complex 3-in-1 Hybrid duvet with separate layers and adjustable tog can sometimes come in at similar prices when on offer.
Seen from that perspective, it is hard to argue that Bensons’ recommended price represents good value if all you are paying for is warmth and comfort per pound. With the Simba Hybrid Duvet, you are paying for a suite of features: recycled fibres, Stratos cool-touch, cotton casing, machine washability, the cachet of the Simba name and the MTick menopause-friendly label.
For me, personally, I would only buy this duvet at or near to the price points it sometimes hits in wider promotions. That would mean singles in the low hundreds or even under, and other sizes 20 to 35% off the headline figures. At full Bensons price, especially with delivery tacked on top, it feels like too much money for what remains at the end of the day a very well-made synthetic duvet.
Who it suits Eco-conscious shoppers who prefer synthetic to down If you want to avoid animal-based fillings but still like the idea of something that feels down-like and fluffy, the Renew filling makes sense. It is made from recycled plastic bottles and does have a reasonably plush loft without being overpuffy.
People who struggle with the odd night sweat or run a bit warm The breathable Renew recycled fibres, cotton casing and especially the Stratos cool-touch face will not solve hot flushes, but it should make for a less stuffy-feeling bed than a basic budget duvet, especially in a centrally heated home. The MTick menopause-friendly accreditation might also speak to anyone who feels more comfortable with an independently recognised option for this use.
Allergy sufferers and anyone who prioritises easy washing If you prefer or need to wash your duvet regularly, this style is far more practical than most natural fillings. You can throw it in a standard 40°C wash, and the sewn in box casing means the fill is less likely to migrate and clump as it ages.
People who want one duvet to use all year For many, 10.5 tog is a sensible compromise for all-year use, especially if you then tweak your PJs and use blankets to fine-tune. If you like the idea of having one duvet that lives on the bed all year, this is one that ticks that box.
Who it does not suit Bargain hunters or anyone on a tight budget If your initial reaction to “nearly two hundred pounds for a synthetic duvet” is along the lines of ‘What? !’, you are not alone. It is objectively pricey compared to other mid-weight synthetic options and even some luxury natural-fill duvets, and the delivery charge can only push that gap further.
Very hot sleepers or anyone in a very warm home Despite the cool-touch face, this is still a 10.5 tog duvet and you can still overheat under it in summer or in a very well-insulated modern home. If you routinely sleep with a fan on, or you are in a top-floor flat that bakes in July, you are likely to be better off with a lighter tog duvet or one designed to be cooling.
Fans of a really weighty, luxury hotel-style duvet The Simba Hybrid Duvet is deliberately light and airy. If you equate luxury with being super weighty and want that seriously enveloping, suffocating feeling, it is unlikely to meet that need. A very high fill power down duvet or wool option might be more your thing.
Anyone who expects a long guarantee A 1 year guarantee looks short on a duvet this pricey. At this price level, you might reasonably expect a stated lifespan on something that is being pitched as an investment piece.
Final verdict The Simba Sleep Hybrid Duvet from Bensons for Beds has a lot going for it. On paper and in use, this is a well-made, thoughtfully spec’d synthetic duvet with a number of nice features: soft recycled filling, breathable cotton casing, clever cool-touch Stratos technology, machine washability and even MTick accreditation to help with night sweats. On the bed, it looks and feels like a premium product. There is no question that many people will find it a comfortable duvet for much of the year.
The sticking point is not the performance, it is the price. At around £200 before delivery at Bensons for a mid-weight synthetic duvet, this is at the more expensive end of the market. If you are a committed Simba fan or have a particular need for something you can chuck in the washing machine without worrying, then much of what it offers makes sense. If you are looking for a decent 10.5 tog duvet for a standard UK bedroom, you can get more affordable alternatives that will do 90% of the comfort job for a fraction of the price.
My honest opinion is that the Simba Hybrid Duvet only really makes sense if you can snap it up at full or near full price as part of a bigger Simba or Bensons package where discounts and delivery are already factored in. At or near full Bensons price for a single item and delivery on top, it is hard to justify, especially for anyone who is not paying top dollar for the specific mix of menopause accreditation, eco credentials, brand name and washability.
If you are happy to buy a basic, affordable 10.5 tog duvet that will keep you warm and cosy, you can get far cheaper options that will do that perfectly well. If you are absolutely set on Simba’s technology and eco-story, I would wait for wider Simba sales and bundles, rather than pay top price for this duvet on its own.
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