Pillow people: Your recommendation please.

June 1, 2021 1:14 PM

I want to find a genuinely soft (smushy) down or feather (or blend of the two) pillow for (side) sleeping. But where?

I've gone through three purchases recently––two online and one from a store. And returned them all.

The first two were newfangled things by Purple or Casper or some company like that, can't recall now. But all involved some highly touted revolutionary fibers or fillers or 'smush', etc. Not happening.

I no longer am interested in anything synthetic, etc. I've had feather and down pillows in the past and those have always been my favorites. But those are like, oy, thirty years old now and it's time to retire them.

But how/where to find a pillow that isn't all bloated up. I need something that's looser and sort of smushy and soft. And from down or feathers.

Anyone in the hive have a favorite brand or recommendation that meets that criteria?

posted by zenpop to Shopping (9 answers total)

I JUST bought some new pillows -- still waiting for them to arrive. I bought from Nest and Parachute, and will keep the ones I like. I consulted this from Wirecutter.

I was also considering this place, which offers a mix of down and feathers. I think pillow preferences are idiosyncratic, but fortunately, most places let you send them back if you're not happy.
posted by swheatie at 2:23 PM on June 1, 2021

I've been eyeing the down pillows from Feathered Friends for a while, but just haven't pulled the trigger (they're not cheap). I'm not sure if good down wouldn't be too lofty for you, though?
posted by praemunire at 3:31 PM on June 1, 2021

I got some down/feather combo pillows from Overstock.com in 2009 and they're still going strong!
The exact ones I got aren't there anymore, but these look similar--they have a feather chamber inside with down surrounding it so it's very smushy but the down doesn't all collect at one end.
posted by exceptinsects at 4:18 PM on June 1, 2021

I bought this down and feather pillow from Room and Board and I like it!
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2021

The down pillows from cult Japanese retailer MUJI are very soft and very pliable and very durable; I’ve gone through two pair in 15 years. They don’t sell them online, but if you’re ever down in Portland, there’s a MUJI store where you could go try them in person.
posted by minervous at 5:16 PM on June 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

I've been eyeing the down pillows from Feathered Friends for a while, but just haven't pulled the trigger (they're not cheap).

I have way too much stuff from Feathered Friends, including a jacket and multiple sleeping bags I use for alpine climbing, booties, comforters, and a pillow. Everything has been great except the pillow, which barely has any loft left. FF is great, but that pillow has been a disappointment. My Room and Board pillow has held up much better.
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 10:23 PM on June 1, 2021

Have you ever stayed in a hotel and loved their pillows? I realized after a work stay at a four seasons that I didn’t notice their pillows, which is a big deal for me. So I get my pillows from them.
posted by dpx.mfx at 1:23 AM on June 2, 2021

I got mine at IKEA a few years ago, and it's doing great. They have (or at least used to have) different levels of squishiness available and a good testing station.
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:23 AM on June 2, 2021

Best answer: I have a Pacific Coast down pillow and a down-and-feather pillow, and I'm still happy with them three years later. Even though they're on the firmer side of this company's soft-to-firm options, they're still smushy and soft.
posted by desuetude at 1:08 PM on June 2, 2021