Loop Dream review: super soft earplugs to help you snooze soundly, even if you’re a side sleeper

They say you can’t put a price on a good night’s sleep. Which explains why so many of us are happy to fork out a small fortune on the best mattresses, best duvets and best pillows. But how much are you willing to spend on earplugs? That’s the question up for debate in this review of the new Loop Dream earplugs, specifically engineered to help you sleep more soundly.

Belgian lifestyle brand Loop have been redefining how we think about sleep earplugs in recent years, not only as a method of protection from harmful noise levels but as an everyday self-care tool designed for modern lifestyles – and that includes helping us to catch some quality ZZZ’s.

Since launching in 2016, Loop earplugs have more recently been busy upgrading their OG Quiet, Engage, Experience and Switch models, giving us new and improved versions such as the Loop Switch 2 and the Loop Quiet 2 Plus, the latter of which I gave a full five stars for delivering side-sleeping comfort and effective sound-muffling.

So, when I heard about the launch of the new, even pricier Loop Dream earplugs, I was interested to find out how they could top the Loop Quiet 2 Plus and justify the price hike. Read on to find out if they do.

LOOP DREAM REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The Loop Dream is now available to buy in three colour options – Black, Lilac, and Peach – for a recommended retail price of £44.95 / $49.95 / AU$69.95 from Loop UK / Loop US / Loop Australia.

Loop recommends you should replace your Dream ear tips every 100 days, and a pack of four pairs is now available in your choice of size and colour for £14.95 / $14.95 / AU$19.95.

LOOP DREAM REVIEW: UNBOXING

As with all Loop products, the Dream earplugs arrive in sleek and slim packaging with an instruction manual and a QR code inside the lid which, when scanned, takes you to several videos on how to correctly insert the ear plugs and find the best fit. You’ll also find a roomy, non-slip carry case housing the Dream earplugs - already fitted with Medium ear tips - and Extra Small, Small, and Large ear tips in a separate box.

LOOP DREAM REVIEW: DESIGN AND FEATURES

Unlike all of Loop’s other reusable and easy to clean models that feature a plastic or silicone loop attached to an ear tip, the Loop Dream earplugs boast a new ‘innovative closed-loop’ shape for sleep-specific comfort, made from a super soft silicone to reduce pressure on the ear.

This highly flexible body works in harmony with the uniquely oval-shaped ear tips made from memory foam and silicone, which are designed to follow the ear’s natural shape for a snug, secure fit that stays comfortably in your ears, even when you’re sleeping on your side.

As certified hearing protection devices, the Dream earplugs provide users with a ‘powerful noise reduction’ level of 27 dB [SNR], which is the highest level of sound reduction offered by Loop, and exactly the same level of sound reduction you get from the Loop Quiet 2 Plus ear plugs.

Loop says this level provides a significant reduction for many sounds, but it won’t eliminate noise entirely. For clarification, they explain that ‘soft sounds like breathing, the hum of a fridge or a dishwasher will most likely be inaudible’, while medium sounds, such as a ‘TV in another room, distant traffic, or a flushing toilet’ will be reduced to faint murmurs.

Loud sounds like sirens, a dog barking, or fireworks will still be audible, they say, but the sounds will be at a much lower volume. And when it comes to snoring partners, Loop states that while soft snoring may be completely blocked out or barely heard, louder snoring (which can reach up to 100 dB), will still be noticeable, although less intense.

Image 1 of 2

LOOP DREAM REVIEW: PERFORMANCE

I spent a lot of time playing around with my Loop Dream earplugs in testing to find the perfect fit while also comparing them to regular foam ear plugs and the Loop Quiet 2 Plus to see how they measured up in terms of all-night comfort and noise reduction.

I did that because I wasn’t especially blown away by the sound reduction offered by the Dream ear plugs initially. Early on, I swapped my medium ear tips for the large ones in the hope this would increase noise reduction, but the larger tips made my ears ache, and I had to take them out fairly quickly.

However, after returning to the medium ear tips and re-watching the ‘how-to’ videos, I realised there is a bit of a technique involved for inserting the Dream earplugs correctly to create a good seal that stays in place when you move your jaw from side to side (being able to hear yourself talking more loudly is also a sign of a good seal).

I also noticed that the thin layer of foam in the ear tips takes longer than the recommended five seconds to fully expand after it’s been squished between your fingers prior to insertion, so I began pressing them in place for up to 30 seconds, as I would with regular foam earplugs.

Thereafter, I was very happy with the noise reduction the Loop Dream’s provided, and they provided a great balance between muffling my snoring dog and noise from passing traffic while still allowing me to hear my alarm go off in the morning.

However, if you’re looking for noise cancelling capabilities, you should manage your expectations and look for something else, because the Loop Dream earplugs only muffle sounds. Hoping for anything more will result in disappointment.

Initially, I also thought the Dream earplugs offered a similar comfort factor to the cheaper Quiet 2 Plus earplugs, but by alternating between the two on different nights, I realised the Loop Dream are far superior.

Ultra-soft and squishy, they never gave me earache once I found my perfect fit, and I always found them sitting firmly in my ears when I woke the next morning, meaning they never fell out and I never removed them in the night due to discomfort. They’re also far comfier than standard foam earplugs that tend to be quiet long in shape and noticeably poke out of your ears.

One thing I will say is this: I’m glad that Loop have listened to customer feedback about the previous cost of replacement Dream ear tips, which they recommend should be changed every 100 days. Until recently, you could only buy a pack of four pairs of tips in mixed sizes of XS, M, L and XL, meaning users were forking out £14.95 to get just one pair in their size. Plus, you could only get them in Black, which meant they wouldn’t match your earplugs if you’d bought the Lilac or Peach colourways.

Buying three sets over a year at £15 a pop would naturally become very costly, and I was honestly getting ready to knock a few points off my overall verdict in protest. However, Loop have now made packs of replacement tips available in your choice of size and colour, so I’ll let that one slide.

Overall, I’m seriously impressed with my Loop Dream earplugs, but there’s no escaping the fact that they cost £15 more than the Loop Quiet 2 Plus earplugs. Personally, I’d say if you’ve already got a pair of the latter, and you’re happy with them, you should stick with them and save your money.

But if you’re in the market for some new ultra-comfy earplugs that will send you to the land of nod in peace and style - and you’re willing to spend nearly £50 on them - I doubt you’d regret it (although there is a 100-day risk-free trial if you do).

LOOP DREAM REVIEW: VERDICT

Stylish, reusable, and easy to clean, the Loop Dream earplugs are specifically designed to help you sleep more soundly by effectively muffling noisy disturbances by up to 27 dB [SNR].

Unique oval-shaped, dual-layer memory foam ear tips follow the ear’s natural shape to deliver a snug, secure fit that won’t budge or fall out overnight, while a new ‘closed-loop’ shape made from soft, squidgy silicone reduces pressure on the ear. Providing blissful comfort, even for side sleepers, they might not be cheap but they are worth every penny if you prize peace and quiet at bedtime.