Recently, I made the mistake of buying a new pillow for my bf as a birthday gift. He was complaining about his current pillow which I noticed had ripped at the seam. The polyfill was coming out, making the pillow very lumpy and uncomfortable.
(The pillow itself wasn’t expensive, as I purchased it in the States, but I was a bit disappointed about the quality since I got it only 1-1.5years ago. Not long ago.)
Anyway, the replacement pillow that I purchased was a buckwheat pillow that is traditionally Japanese, stuffed with buckwheat hulls. Unlike conventional pillows, the hulls are supposed to be ergonomic and not to heat up like other materials.
Despite my best intentions, the pillow was rejected within a couple of minutes because it was “too hard”. Yes, even though there’s a zipper on the side so that you can remove some of the stuffing.
Lesson Learned: Never buy someone else a pillow as it’s something that’s a personal preference!
So this past weekend, we went to find a replacement for the replacement and I was completely overwhelmed with all the pillow options out there: back/side-sleeper, soft/firm, down/polyester/the newer Tempur?
At some point of the shopping, I just sat on a fake bed, letting my bf make his own decision. There was no way that I was spending any more energy on this search!
So what’s your pillow profile? What kind of filling do you prefer? And how long do you switch your pillows out?
My husband likes a medium pillow. Usually buy him Serta. Believe it or not but Sears has an excellent selection of pillows. There is something for everyone.
I sleep with a down filled pillow, I can shape it and fluff it to my needs. I would suggest buying a good down pillow though so you dont get poked by feathers.
I recently ordered 2 memory foam, orthopedic pillows via Teambuy.. so we’ll see if that fits me! 🙂 otherwise I have been sleeping on $10 Superstore pillows for the past 4-5 years. I have noticed the increase in neck pains tho :\
Memory foam forever…switching out..never. I put pillow protectors on them. Those pillows were dang expensive. I’ve had them since 2005 and they are just as great now. They are Sealy Posterpedic like my mattress.
I have 3 different pillows I switch thru on a regular basis. A buckwheat, a feather, and a side sleeper. I also have a cheapie fiberfill and a body pillow that I will use. Just depends on my needs during the night.
I use to have 2-3 pillows to be able to fall asleep. I used to be just a side sleeper but now I only need one pillow and I sleep on my stomach with my right hand under the pillow and my right leg slightly flexed…or in that 45 degree angle. This helps me sleep because it immobilizes me, keeps me from tossing and turning. I love those cotton pillows but my head just sinks to it. Now I use latex foam pillows we got from sleep country. They say its antimicrobial and lasts long…they are bit expensive though esp. we got the king size.
My pillow is filled with gel! Before that I just had a reg old pillow from loblaws a while back when they were cheap… Now it is dbf’s fave pillow. He hugs his pillow when he sleeps…. I need to buy a him a body pillow (lol)
Forgot to mention my gel pillow is from home sense it was almost $50 but a complete investment.. Its come to montreal, niagara falls and cuba with me..
I bought ObusForme medium pillows when they were 40% off at Sears. They are great for my use, but tend not to fluff up too much after the 6-month mark. Good for daily use and can tuck one pillow along my back to keep me warmer during the cold months (works best when using flannel sheets).
A family member bought two contoured foam pillows. Fumes from the pillows have affected a third person so the new pillow is not in use. Foam can have latex–I assume Tempur has latex in its pillows?
Down pillows-the sharp parts of the feathers (quill ends) tend to poke through a regular pillow when I fluff it up. Like advised by another poster, a pillow protector is a good idea. Not for all persons.
My fave by far, after years of searching for the perfect pillow, are the ones at Costco. Memory gel pillows for $27!! And you can’t go wrong because with Costco’s return policy you can return it for any reason!! I’ve tried an $80 Tempur-pedic, $150 side sleeper Sunset collection from Sleep Country, and a water-filled one from my chiropractor’s office. I could’ve purchased a dozen pillows from Costco for the price I’ve paid for numerous pillows over the years.
I sleep like a baby no matter what the pillow so I usually opt for the cheapest 5 dollar ones 😛
Down or down and feather combo. Never noticed feather ends poking through the covers, though! Ikea or Sears are great places to get them. I like to replace them every 5 or so years as they become soft and don’t fluff up so well after awhile.
I received two bonus goose down pillows with a duvet I ordered from the Shopping Channel, years and years ago. I gave them away last year since they were so old and now I have not been able to find anything I can sleep with comfortably. I need 2 pillows (I sleep on my side, kinda on my stomach) and they have to be soft around my head but hold my head up as well. Memory foam is too hard, feathers are too pokey, filled only stay puffy for a short time and I can’t afford good down pillows. I kick myself every night for getting rid of the perfect pillows.
My favorite pillow ever unfortunately was one I only had for 10 nights. The resort I was at in the Mayan Riviera in August had a pillow menu. Being allergic to pillow I thought I would try a sponge one piece pillow ergonomic (or whatever the “nomic” is for your neck). the bottom of the pillow had a “hill” that sat in your neck to fit your head and neck but still was not hard as rock. I have been told they are not tough to find, so as soon as I can find a second where I am not busy with the 4 little ones I will go out and get one, I figure that will be in 10-15 years, but damn its gonna be a great sleep come that point….. of course they’ll all be teenagers so I will probably be too nervous to sleep because of what stupid things they will be doing then.
We don’t use feather or gel, just regular pillows. I tend to buy mid priced pillows and hubby likes hard and I like moderate and my daughter likes big and fluffy. haha. I change the pillows every year, and put the date on a side tag so I know how old they are and they never last more than 12 months. I think it’s important to change them every year for the “ick” factor….you spend 6-10 hours a night on them (6 for me and 10 for daughter) every night……slober and hair and all. It’s just my ick issue though…..when we go away for extended periods I go and buy us pillows or at the very least pillow cases.
I know……..everyone has their thing and this is mine.
I don’t remember what type my pillow is…I know it’s foam and it’s one of those ones that is curved in the middle, and one end is higher then the other end. I think it’s supposed to help support your neck. At any rate, they were purchased at Costco a few years back. I LOVE it, I have such a hard time sleeping with a regular pillow now, I usually bring mine along if I go anywhere. I think only time I will switch is to either buy another one just like it or upgrade to memory foam, but only if it’s curved like mine is.
Pillows have a shelf life, and I can’t recall if it’s 6 mos or 1 year…
If you want to find out, or disgust yourself, go to
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/dustmites.php
I couldn’t read it. Ew.
^meh, my pillows have anti dust mite protection at at 150 a pillow they are staying on my bed for a long time.
I have been searching for the “perfect” pillow for YEARS! Sounds like everyone likes something different. I will continue to sleep on my flat-as-a-pancake pillow until I find my true pillow love. I refuse to settle….despite my sore neck, lol!
my husband has these 4 year old pillows that are completely flat and they stink..its so gross.my fantasy is throwing them out but he will kill me.i just want him to get some new pillows…ugh…
for me it has to be fluffy.i like down,from ikea is the best.they have to be cold at all times..i have put mine in the fridge a couple times…
my husband needs to let those moldy pillows go…
@tudorchick – Just show your hubby Stephanie’s link about dust mites and he’ll throw those dm collectors out, ASAP…YUMMMM!
i got my bf a pillow from sears called a down around pillow last year for christmas – it was about $80, which seemed crazy to me at the time, as i used to go for 5 dollar pillows, but with those after a year all you are left with is a flat lump. So i loved his new pillow so much that i stole it everytime I went to bed first! I finally got my own a couple of months ago when they went on sale and I’m so glad I did. It;s a 2 section pillow (like a pillow within a pillow) that has a dnece feather centre and a down outer layer. Super comfy, firm , fluffy, soft and custom moldabel all at the same tome! I highly recommend them! Used to keep pillow about 2 years, but hopefully this one will last 5 or more 🙂
When I was in the United States (Chicago), my girlfriend works at a store called Brookestone, likely not available here in Canada. But she had purchased me a “BioSense Memory Foam Shoulder Pillow with Better Than Down Cover”. Now something I should say is I am a troubled sleeper, I have about 5 pillows I had to switch from during the night and I either had 3 pillows or just one depending on how I was feeling. Now the first night I slept on this pillow, I didn’t wake up a single time to find a different pillow, I couldn’t believe it. I would recommend anyone that can get their hands on this pillow to give it a try. The price is a little expensive, but very much worth it.
I always buy the cheapest, as I chuck them after a year. For a real ick factor, weigh your pillow after 6 months of use. That extra weight is dead (and living) dustmites, hair, skin, sweat, drool, etc.
I have to have 4 pillows on the bed in order for me to sleep at night, but I only actually use two. no kidding.
I use the Zellers brand pillows two of them olders and flatter the other ones nice and fluffy and they are perfect for me!
My boyfriend on the other hand rarely uses a pillow.
Can anyone suggest where I can find a buckwheat-filled pillow at a reasonable price? Years ago, I found a small one at Winners that cradled my head perfectly, while still supporting my neck. Ever since the seams split and the hulls spilled out, I haven’t found another pillow that lets this decades-long insomniac sleep well.
Thanks in advance for the help!
The BEST pillow is a WATER pillow…..I can’t remember the brand but they sell them in the pharmacy dept in SObeys…..about $50. awesome and trust me I have tried tons. I have one at home and one in my motorhome ☺
@Mee – I bought mine via this Amazon.com seller:
http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Buckwheat-Pillow-Twin-Standard/dp/B0006HU7VO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319516468&sr=8-3
The catch is that the pillow cannot be shipped to Canada, so I had to get it shipped to Buffalo, and pick it up at the UPS Store. So if you live near the border, this may be an option.
I did want to buy “local”, but with some research, no Canadian manufacturer made it to the same specification. The US seller apparently monitors his own buckwheat farm, so he knows what goes into it. There’s also a zipper on the side to remove some hulls if the pillow is too hard.
Good luck!
I’m down filled all the way. I need something super soft because I move around so much that I need something that cradles my head and at least keeps that in a decent position. I’ve tried regular pillows but then I find them far too hard. I also can only sleep with white pillow cases. They have to be a thin cotton fabric and completely white. I can’t sleep if they’re any other colour or fabric because they just don’t hold the cold like the white ones do!
so many people is saying how grouse pillows can get but really it is not like you don’t put a cover on it and a pillow protector, not everyone drools at night and hair doesn’t go so easily though the layers. lets face it pillow can last you for a long time depending on how often you clean and do the laundry. It is not like you change your mattress every year because of the same grouse factors? if we would be thinking like this it would also mean that you should wear disposable underwear and pajamas lol. You won’t though out money even though it is the dirtiest thing you have ever touch in your entire life now will you. They did the research last winter which proves that ATM machines are dirtier than public toilet yet people have no problem with touching those so whats the point of being so obsessive about a pillow. It is your pillow so it also means it is your sweat, your drool and your hair you are sleeping on.
@Jeff. I googled your pillow. It’s available at Amazon.com for $79.95. I’m going to try it. Thanks!
I use a water pillow. Suffer from cervical arthritis, it’s the best!! Purchased one for my husband too, he loves it!!
After years of dealing with not finding the right foam pillows, we went to feather pillows a few years ago, and they are awesome!
Believe it or not the Side Sleeper Pro is a fantastic pillow for me. I bought it in the states and it was only $16. No more neck kinks and I really enjoy the back support. The only negative thing I can say about it is the pillow case it comes with is really cheap. It was difficult, but I have sewed my own version. I don’t think it will stay fluffy for long but, like someone mentioned above, it is smart to replace your pillow once a year.
I have a feather pillow. I have have bought and given away at least a dozen pillows before I found one that is comfortable for me. The only problem is the feathers sticking out. I put a quilted pillow protector on it and still they stick through that. A fried suggested a water pillow. She said it’s the only pillow she found comfortable so I’ll try it and might like it as long as it doesn’t leak.
I agree with Anna to a certain extent. I washed my previous pillows a couple of times a year but I don’t think my feather pillow would dry enough and it would likely harbour mildew. 🙁
I like the obus form pillow. Very comfortable. Sears does have a good selection and price is fair. I say we change our pillows out every year.
Pillows can be washed in pairs in a washer (balance load evenly or upright washer will make clunking sounds). In the dryer, toss in a clean tennis ball with the pillows to help keep the pillow loft up.
In the summer, drying the pillows in the sunshine gives a wonderful scent to them but manual fluffing during the drying cycle has to be done a few times.
My husband is the pillow fanatic! He is surrounded by them at night for hugging, between his knees, etc. He never got a good night’s sleep and his mission was to find the perfect pillow for his head. We tried all of the Sealy posturpedic ones from Sears, a down filled from winners, etc. Then he came home with a latex pillow from sleep country Canada. I couldn’t believe he spent over $100 on this thing. I tried it one night and LOVED it. He then bought me a similar one, I think from the brick, and we will never go back to a conventional pillow. They stay cool and don’t lose their shape. Money well spent. The other pillows get washed in the washing machine and for those who have had their pillows for years, I think they need to be tossed out every 3 hrs or so!
Mandy….do you find the side sleeper pro the wrong size for your ear? I can’t reach the special ear dent in it, it’s too high. I was a little disappointed in the firmness too, I just can’t seem to get comfortable on it. I was really disappointed because I thought this would finally be the pillow for me. Oh, well I’ll keep looking.
I bought an expensive memory foam pillow from the brick. It was $120 and worth every penny. I’m a side sleeper and love a firm pillow. I accidently left it at a hotel and had a rough sleep until I was able to return a month later to get my pillow. I had even considered buying a new one after a few days cause I couldn’t sleep well.
You have too much time on your hands if you seriously are asking this question. Why do you care about other people’s pillow preference? You should really ask your partner about their pillow preference and not worry about the rest of the world – unless you are going to buy everyone who answers the pillow of their choice. You should replace your pillow every year or two anyway – because half of the fill is really dust mites after a year of use. I heard that on Oprah.
Thanks very much for your help, Stephania! I’m in Toronto, but don’t drive, so a trip over the border isn’t possible at the moment. I’ll continue checking Winners periodically (and, now, Homesense) for another of those lovely buckwheat pillows.
I owned one of those pillows and loved the comfort, but my DH Hated it because he said it sounded like snakes. (the husks rustle as you move) Yikes!
latex!!! amazing. Doesn’t compact and squish your ears, never gets hot, never gets lumpy. best pillows ever.