Best Feather Pillows
Feather down pillows are long-lasting, easy to care for, very lightweight and give the sleeper an experience of comfort and luxury. Down is a luxurious material and creates a malleable pillow that cradles your head in comfort. In order to find the best one, you will want to consider your sleeping habits and the construction of the pillow. You will want to make sure that the shell of the pillow is finely constructed. If it doesn’t have strong seaming the tiny feathers could begin to work their way out of the shell and dust and oil can work their way in. Purchase a 100% cotton fabric shell with a thread count of 300 or higher to ensure quality construction. The material is highly breathable providing excellent insulation for all-season comfort.
| Rank | Product | Highlights |
| #1 |  Casper Sleep Down Pillow
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| #2 |  Canadian Down & Feather Co
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| #3 |  puredown Natural Goose Down Feather White Pillow Inserts
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| #4 |  Royal Hotel’s Down Pillow
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| #5 |  Pacific Coast Double Down Queen Set
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You might want to read: Best Feather Mattress Topper
Duck or Goose, Feathers or Down:
Down comes in both duck down and goose down. Goose down is a more expensive fill as geese are larger animals so their down clusters are larger. There is a higher population of ducks versus geese and that makes duck down more readily available and thus it costs less than goose down. If budget is a concern, investigate purchasing a pillow with a blend of down and feathers. Feathers are larger than down and are easier to obtain so they cost less than down. A mix of the two will help to lower the overall cost. However, each feather has a quill that can poke out of the pillow so look for a feather core that is surrounded in down for ultimate comfort on a budget. You can minimize the poking by using a protector or thick pillowcase to shield yourself. The feather-filled types are often combined with down to make them softer.
Sleeping styles:
Down fill is also very malleable so you can create the shape and support you need for your specific body. Knowing what is important for the kind of sleeper you are will help you choose the level of fill firmness from a down pillow. Side sleepers should consider a firm down pillow. This type of pillow will offer support for your neck and head that your body needs. If your body type is more slight and you have narrow shoulders, a pillow of medium softness may be all that you need. What you are looking for is the amount of distance between your bottom shoulder, when lying on your side, and your neck. This will help determine how much support you need. If you are a back sleeper, purchase a down pillow with medium softness. This will offer a little more head and neck support when lying on your back. If you are a stomach sleeper you will want a soft down pillow that will lightly support your head, but it won’t strain your neck by lifting your head out of alignment. No matter what your position, there is a down pillow that will work for you and not only provide the support your body needs but the snuggly comfort of down that we all deserve.
Down and fill power:
You will want to identify the pillow’s fill power. Down comes in clusters of tiny soft feathers and the fill power refers to the loft, or fluff of the comforter. It is tested by measuring the amount of space one ounce of down takes in one cubic inch. The more space it takes, the higher the fill power. A fill number of 600 indicates a standard quality pillow, while a fill number of 800 is reserved for high quality down.
Cost:
Expensive pillows are typically defined by their filling. When buying pillows many people are looking at down versus feather and wonder why down is so expensive. Down comes from both duck down and goose down. There is much less down than there are feathers on any given goose or a duck, and that translates into higher prices.
Goose down is a more expensive fill because geese are larger animals and so their down clusters are larger and they cost more. There is a higher population of ducks versus geese which makes duck down more readily available and thus it costs less than goose down. Feather pillows tend to have issues with the hard feather shafts poking through which is something you won’t find happening with the soft down clusters.
Down pillows are long-lasting, easy to care for, and are very lightweight. They also are highly breathable with excellent insulating properties for all-season comfort. Down fill is an excellent choice for pillow shaping and support for whole body pressure relief. Down is considered a true soft experience, creating a firm foundation for the head and neck topped off with a snuggly sleeping experience.
Best Down Pillows
1. Casper Sleep Down Pillow
SPECS:
- Dimensions: Standard and Queen size options
- Weight: Varies with size
Best Ethically Sourced Down Pillow
If you’re an animal lover who wants to ensure the products you buy are cruelty-free, then the Casper Down Pillow definitely fits that bill.
The Casper Down Pillow contains five chambers of ethically sourced white duck down and feathers, and has been awarded the Responsible Down Standard Certification proving no materials have been harvested from live animals, there has been no forced feeding, and that third-party auditing has been available for every stage of the supply chain cycle. The pillow’s complex inner design has five individual chambers. The chambers have a mix of down and feathers in a 60/40 ratio, which provides the support you need while the outer chambers have a plush blend of 80/20 down and feathers giving you the fluff you look for in a down pillow. The construction has a two-inch gusset that helps to provide neck and back support. The outer shell is made of pure cotton while the inner panels are polyester and can be washed and dried in a home machine. The pillow is backed by a one-year warranty.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who should buy this down pillow:
If you are an animal lover that is looking for a quality cruelty-free down pillow, the Casper down pillow comes with a Responsible Down Standard Certification certificate.
2. Canadian Down & Feather Co
SPECS:
- Product Size: Available in Standard, Queen and King
- Weight: 2.75 pounds
Best Budget Down Pillow
The Down Perfect Pillow from Canadian Down & Feather Company is a hybrid down pillow that delivers long-lasting comfort and support through its three-chamber design. The core chamber is filled with goose feathers that provide stability for the pillow. Meanwhile, the two outer chambers are packed with fluffy goose down that gives the product a perfect balance of density and cushion. The pillow is surprisingly affordable given its quality of construction and materials, including its 100% cotton outer shell. The pillow should be dry cleaned and the manufacturer offers a full refund on unused pillows returned within 30 days.
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Who should buy this down pillow:
If you long for the luxury of a down pillow but are on a budget then the Canadian Down Pillow will provide you the night’s sleep you have been craving without hitting you in the wallet.
3. puredown Natural Goose Down Feather White Pillow Inserts
SPECS:
- Product size: 20 x 26” Standard Size
- Weight: 32 ounces
Best Hypoallergenic Pillow
Looking for a pillow that offers the softest cushioning you can only dream of? Want a pillow that looks and feels luxurious without paying those high-end prices? Then check out the puredown Natural Goose Down Feather Pillow. These pillows have been designed with the sleeper in mind, not the profit margins.
The materials used in the construction of this pillow have been expertly selected and disinfected for the upmost quality. Have you heard that down filled/feather pillows can cause discomfort when the feather end pokes through the pillow and nicks the skin? Well these pillows use inner polyester layers to prevent that from happening.
The natural support system contours to the body and cradles the head/neck for a relaxing and peaceful slumber that leaves you refreshed for the day ahead.
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Who should buy this down pillow:
The puredown Natural Goose Down Feather White Pillows are marketed towards a consumer base made up of people that want comfort and cushioning in their pillows without a firm layer of foam.
4. Royal Hotel’s Down Pillow
SPECS:
- Size: 20 x 28”
- Weight: 3 pounds
Best Luxury Pillow
Who doesn’t love a five-star hotel experience? With the Royal Hotel Down pillow you can give yourself that same luxury every night at home. This exquisitely soft pillow has a 500 thread count, 100% cotton cover that has a high fill power of 750 with 90% white goose down and 10% goose feathers. This provides you the support for a deep night’s sleep without sinking into a pillow that is too soft and losing its shape. The manufacturer uses purified white down that won’t cause problems for sensitive sleepers or those with allergies. The quality construction creates a highly durable pillow that will last you for years. Available in standard and king sizes
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Who should buy this down pillow?
If you love the luxury of a five-star hotel, this down pillow will bring that feeling home to you.
5. Pacific Coast Double Down Queen Set
SPECS:
- Product Size: 24 x 18 x 6.5 inches
- Pack Size: 2.8 pounds
- 30 day sleep guarantee
Best Down Pillow Set
If you have slept on a down pillow and loved the fluffy feeling of the pillow but hate the lack of support the down pillow gives you throughout the night then Pacific Coast Double Down Around Queen Pillow set has a construction design that solves that problem. The Pacific Coast down pillow’s inner core is filled with feathers that create more support and it is surrounded with down fillings that give you the bounce that you crave. It uses all-natural duck down and feathers so it is almost like a pillow within a pillow. The pillow provides medium support, so it works for most sleepers. You get two pillows in the set, each filled with a power of 550. The pillows are machine washable and hypoallergenic. Pacific Coast also offers a 30-day sleep guarantee, so you can return the pillow for any reason and get your money back if you are not satisfied.
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Who should buy this down pillow:
If you are looking for a supportive pillow set the Pacific Coast provides both luft and support for luxury and comfort.
Last Words:
Feather down pillows are a luxurious staple to a bed set. They are well made, long-lasting and easy to care for. Down fill is also very malleable so that you can shape the pillow to support your specific body needs. They come in a range of fill and firmness but even the thinnest pillow provides a puffy cloud of comfort for a good night’s sleep. Down pillows also are highly breathable and have insulating properties for all-season comfort.
If you are deciding between a down pillow and a feather pillow, consider that down is fluffier, softer, and has a more insulating and much more luxurious feeling. Down is a high-quality fill because it is much smaller than feathers and more is required to achieve the desired comfort effect. Because of this, they often have a higher price range than a feather or feather blend product, but the quality is reflective of this as well. When compared to a down alternative pillow, down pillows are known for their durability and will retain their comfort and support for longer than down alternative pillows. Down pillows provide the softest support and the closest you will get to feel you are sleeping on a cloud. The most serious drawback is if you suffer from extreme allergies. Even though the filling goes through various cleaning processes you may want to look deeper into the claims to make sure this purchase would be right for you as an allergy sufferer.