With the emergence of online shopping, it has become incredibly easy for both existing and startup brands to market their wares to a much larger crowd. When searching online for the elusive pillow comfort that works with your mattress for a proper night’s sleep, you’ve most likely been assaulted with the many ads and gimmicks it brings with it. There is also a plethora of reviews to sift through, and specific product claims that all state to being the best you could ever own.
The MyPillow Company is no exception, and even though you may be more prone to skipping past fast ads to explore a more trusted brand name, this is one pillow that gave us pause here at The Sleep Judge in our research of popular pillow comfort. We decided to purchase the MyPillow Premium Pillow in order to determine if it did, in fact, stand up to its claims. And through our own experiences have included it as one of our pillow lineups we feel consumers should take a closer look at.
MyPillow Premium Specs
Filling – Shredded Poly Foam
Loft – ~ 6 inches
Comfort Positions – Available for any position
Warranty – 10-year warranty, 60-day trial
Breakdown of the MyPillow Company
The MyPillow Company was started by an entrepreneur who was frustrated with flat pillows and was looking for a way to take advantage of the growth of internet startups. It was then decided that the sleep industry was an excellent place to start due to a lack of innovative newness surrounding sleep products. This combination of ideas meet progress and ended up being the perfect combination that allowed the founder, Mike Lindell, to market effectively a patented pillow fill that became the trademark comfort of the MyPillow construction design.
He ran a one-man show- sewing and filling his own pillows until gaining the overhead to open a manufacturing building. Today, he runs a profitable company with many ties to charitable groups, including support for overseas troops as well as pillow donations to areas affected by natural disaster.
The company has since branched out into other sleep industry production, such as mattresses, sheets, and various pillows for different uses.
The MyPillow Premium Pillow
The MyPillow Premium Pillow is the most recent design that upgrades the original Classic version that can now only be purchased in brick and mortar stores (more on that later). The Premium includes a gusseted sidewall for easier fill manipulation, washable and dryable durabilities, and a guarantee that your pillow will never go flat with proper care and consistent plumping.
Shredded foam filling provides malleability, and a cotton casing helps increase proper air flow to provide a cooler night’s sleep. Plus, when ordering, you can take advantage of their color-coded system and helpful online guide to determine which custom fit sizing is best for you.
Ordering and Unpacking
After ordering my pillows ( I say ‘pillows’ because I thought I was originally ordering a Classic and Premium to compare them), I had a shipping notification within 48 hours, and they were on my doorstep within a week. They came in a nondescript box, which is nice because I really do not like my delivery drivers or neighbors to know what is sitting on my porch until I get home.
Fluffing
Upon unpacking, I had 3 ( I took advantage of their buy one, get one deal) tightly rolled, rather small looking pillows. They were marked with different colors to indicate comfort levels- I’ll explain below and what I thought was to help distinguish between the Classic and Premium versions. When I opened them, they immediately unrolled into flat, lumpy, rather sorry looking pillows. BUT, I followed the instructions to plump them in the dryer for at least 15 minutes before use (many people DO NOT do this it turns out, and then complain about how flat they are), and I was very impressed with what they morphed into.
First Impressions
Although very thin and lumpy when opened, once I had the pillows all plumped up I looked to separate them into the different versions I thought I had ordered. This is when I became slightly confused and went back to the original packaging to match it up with the marks I had made on the tag to indicate which was which after unwrapping. At this point, it became apparent I had 3 of the same Premium, albeit different comfort level, pillows.
After looking at my receipt which yielded nothing but numbers to my eyes and reviewing the website, I contacted customer service via email to explain my confusion.They were literally back to me within minutes of sending my email. After a bit of back and forth- about 20 minutes total time, I had my answer:
Customer Service
The Classic is not sold online anymore and is only available in stores that carry the brand. This is not indicated on their website, however, and it is easy to become confused through how their ordering system is set up and their visuals to think you are possibly purchasing different types of pillows (although never anywhere on their website is the Classic pillow even mentioned).
To me, this is slightly misleading as you can easily spend more than you plan to IF you want different versions of the pillow – and in fact, the company has had a few complaints surrounding this by those thinking they were ordering online what they had purchased in a store. On the flip side, the company also offers many deals and discounts to take advantage of. My advice is to contact customer support if you are at all confused as they were excellent in getting me the info I needed in lightning quick time.
Features & Benefit Claims
After reviewing literally dozens of pillows, I have quickly learned that the most known brands and quality feel does not always equal comfort or even hold up to the claims made about it. Obviously, pillows are a personal product and, although, should be matched to your sleep position– what works for one person may not work for another. This is a pillow The Sleep Judge felt held up to its claims, which is a good indicator of its overall quality even if personal preferences became an issue.
Size
MyPillow Premium has two available sizes: a standard/queen that measures 16.6 x 26 inches, and a king that measures 16.5 x 32 inches. These are actually 4 inches smaller than the industry average measurements, although I honestly do not notice that much of a difference. Plus, the way the casing is constructed provides enough room for the spreading out of the filling, making it seem slightly larger than what it actually is.
3 – Piece Interlocking Shredded Polyurethane Foam Filling
I’m a bit of a fan of shredded memory foam filling as I like how it conforms and can be shaped. I was curious to see what this shredded poly foam was about and was intrigued by what they meant by the “3 – piece interlocking” phrase.
It turns out that polyfoam is less dense than memory foam, so although it does not actually conform to you like a memory foam does, it does provide excellent contouring and underlying support. When I compared a Bamboo shredded memory foam pillow to this one, the immediate difference noted was how much lighter in weight the MyPillow was.
The 3- piece interlocking bit describes the three different sizes of foam that are included to allow them to ‘interlock’ together when under compression. Meaning, the smaller foam pieces fill the spaces left between the large pieces. It actually provided a bit of a more firm down and feather combination feel.
Custom Fit Sizing Guide and Interactive Chart
Pillows are rarely a true one size fits all comfort, and this fact is recognized by the MyPillow company by creating a differing series of comfort levels to better meet the needs of your body type as well as personal preferences. Because of this, they have created a custom fit sizing guide and an interactive chart that takes into account whether you are an adult or child, your sleep positions, your t-shirt size, and whether you used to sleep on a down or feather pillow. From there, they make their suggestions to which ‘color’ pillow is best for you. They use 4 colors to classify comfort levels starting with yellow as the softest to blue as the most firm.
I ended up with both yellow and white (the next level up) and a stomach combo sleeper. It is also suggested to go down in a level if you like down and feather pillows, so I went ahead and ordered two different fills to get a good idea of what the differences between the two might feel like.
Comfort Choices
The white, soft pillow feels rather similar to a down and feather in how it shapes to you, and its airy loft. The yellow feels what I expected, a slightly heavier pillow in that it had more fill in it- but yet still a softer, albeit slightly thicker, pillow. I would assume that each pillow would increase slightly in its fill and firmness as you go up the chart. This adaption of a 4 step gradation is a nice touch since many pillow companies only offer 2 or 3 comfort choices when choices are offered at all.
100% Cotton Cover
The 100% cotton cover is pretty nondescript. It is stamped with the brand name, has double stitched seams, and is overall well constructed. Cotton is a popular fabric choice for pillows as it allows for excellent airflow, and it naturally wicks away moisture from your skin surface to let you sleep cooler.
Loft
Although this pillow was seriously flat upon opening, it plumped up considerably very quickly. Loft is the height of the pillow when rested upon a flat surface. Both the white and yellow lofts were comparable at about 6 inches when plumped and allowed to relax. Loft is not a good indication of firmness or even of how much fill is found within the pillow. In my experience, the loft measurements give a better indication of how easy it is to plump and provide air flow. It seems if you can plump your pillow with ease then it generally sleeps cooler as well and doesn’t permanently compress over time as easily either.
The pillow also has a 2-inch gusset which helps the pillow keep an overall shape and provide the room for an even fill distribution when in use. Gussets are extremely useful for side sleepers to provide a thicker height to fit up against your shoulder and under your neck. They are often a mark of a well constructed, quality product in my experience.
Machine Washable and Dryable
It’s always nice to see when you can machine wash and dry your pillow since accidents are bound to happen eventually- especially if you have children like I do. Foams do not always take liquids well because if they are not properly dried out they can begin to break down at a cellular level. Having experience with washing shredded foam pillows, I will admit they take quite a bit of time to get dry (think about 4 dryer cycles), but they do dry out and plump back up very nicely.
When washing you will want to make sure you balance your load with either two pillows or heavier materials, such as towels. When drying be sure to use a higher heat, and you may want to avoid using dryer balls according to the company, although I could figure out why. Avoid using fabric softener as well.
10-Year Warranty, 60-Day Money Back Guarantee
This seems fairly unbelievable, but it is true. You do have a full 60-day sleep trial experience and may return it for a full refund minus shipping. After this, you then have a full 10-year warranty against flaws in workmanship. This also includes the pillow going flat as long as it cannot be re-plumped.
Consumer Reviews
As mentioned before, there have been some complaints surrounding confusion when ordering the pillows. Because of this, ordering the pillow through trusted 3rd parties seems to label what exactly you are getting, a bit better. Other complaints surrounding how flat the pillows are- BUT, when looking into these comments, it seems that these consumers never bothered to place their pillows in the dryer to plump. Therefore, their complaints are understandable but completely unwarranted.
Since shredded foam materials are used, they can be felt through the cotton casing. This does lead to a slight lumpy effect, which is even less noticeable once you place your own pillowcase over it. But those sensitive to those kinds of things have made note of it as well. Personally, it was not at all noticeable when I was sleeping on it.
Still, others mention that it can become compressed with use, and over time, it seems to do so more easily than when they first got it. But again, this is remedied by placing it in the dryer, which is also commented on multiple times by those who love the pillow as well. Overall, this is a pillow that received high ratings overall, especially if those surrounding its improper use are weeded out. It is noted that despite its simple design, it is a surprisingly comfortable pillow.
My Trial Experiences
I was very happy when the incredibly flat pillows came out of the dryer looking fat and soft as I had my reservations initially, whether or not it was even possible. Although the shredded foam can be felt within the pillow, it truly is not an issue once your own pillowcase is added, and you are using it. I did wonder if it would feel or become lumpy, but I did not find that to be the case at all. I did, however, begin to notice that it was flattening out after a few weeks use- which just took a toss back in the dryer to get it back in shape.
Stomach Trial
I naturally turn towards sleeping on my stomach through the night and, therefore, often prefer a softer, thinner pillow. Feather and down fills are amongst my favorite, but I have become a bit of a fan of bamboo pillows as well. This is because although these pillows plump up rather lofty, they do not usually poof up around your face when you lay on your stomach and place your head on them.
I used both the yellow (softer) and white pillows for this, and I found that for my size and shape I preferred the softer pillow. This is mostly because although the pillow is soft, the foam provides a springy cushioning under your head- so less fill is best. I am also happy to report that the pillow does not loft up around your head at all, and the material within distributes nicely outwards under a weight application.
Back Trial
My weekend indulgence after a long week of work is at least an afternoon nap. I love to fall asleep on my back in this position because although restful, I’ll eventually want to shift positions, which wakes me up so I don’t sleep away the afternoon. Again, I tried out both pillows for this and found both of them to be excellent for back sleeping. The foam fills the space under your neck well, and it cushions your head easily without lifting it too high or letting it drop too far back.
Related: Best Pillows For Back Sleepers
Side Trial
This is actually another position I roll into easily each night so I prefer a bit more support to help keep my head and neck aligned than what the yellow pillow could provide. I used the white fill for this and found it to be just right although I wouldn’t have minded something just a little more firm- which would have been the next step up in color (the green).
As it was, the white was very acceptable and comfortable. It was easy to shape, provided great support and was a squishy comfort that I prefer. I found I could manipulate just the right amount of fill under my neck and head to rest upon, and I was able to tuck my arm under the pillow as well without feeling like I was crushing it. No doubt about it: the foam forms well around your body and provides a good cushion.
Related: Best Pillows For Side Sleepers
Other Uses
Due to the construction and softer feel of the yellow pillow (and even the white in some cases), this is a pillow that can be used to support various other body parts. Often, back sleepers can benefit by using a pillow under their legs and stomach sleepers in their hips. These are good pillows for this job due to how the shredded foam truly provides an excellent contour and allows for joint pressure relief.
Conclusion
In using the pillow, I found it to be surprisingly comfortable. I had my reservations at first due to the packaging and the feel of the shredded foam- and had been worried about it getting lumpy through use. But that wasn’t that case at all, and I found it felt both soft and supportive where needed thus preventing possible spinal and neck pain after a night’s sleep. The fact that you have 4 choices of fill is a win-win in my books, especially since each is versatile in and on itself to meet the needs of more than one sleep position.
I slept truly great with these, and in my research of what others felt, most people agree with me. Despite the pillow needing constant care like ‘plumping’, consumers were happy with their sleep experiences. Poor and negative reviews ran strongly to a lack of reading instructions or commented on not getting the pillow they were expecting.
This is actually what reflected in our overall rating: confusion over what we were purchasing, unclear online ordering directions pertaining to this, and the fact that their classic pillow isn’t even available through online order, anymore. Their setup is slightly gimmicky overall, which is what had me reserved at first concerning the product, but their claims are substantiated; they do produce a pretty decent pillow. Plus, their customer service via email was the best I’ve ever experienced in getting my questions answered.
Looking for a new pillow to match your needs can be a tedious process and riddled with disappointment. Of the hundreds currently available on the current market, we are happy to provide you with personal reviews of those pillows that are considered top rated in the industry and have stood up to the claims made by the company who manufactures them.
The MyPillow Premium is no exception and is a plush, supportive choice for a variety of sleep needs. Whether you use it under your head, knees, or hips, the shredded foam is plush and supportive to provide contouring where needed. And it doesn’t hurt that it is completely machine washable and can be continually plumped to keep it useful for years to come.
Related: MyPillow Mattress Topper Review
Frequently Asked Questions
What sleep position is this best suited for?
Side, Stomach, and Back.
What is the loft?
6 inches.
Will I experience a lot of offgassing?
No.
Is it organic?
No.
What’s the warranty?
10 years with 60 day trial.