A good pillow is worth its weight in gold, and one that can help support a variety of sleep positions and comfort preferences is a rare find indeed. Despite the importance of a pillow can lend to your overall spinal health each night, finding one that works well for you can be a rather impressive challenge.
With literally hundreds of pillows available in the current sleep industry, we have taken it upon ourselves to review some of the most popular to determine if they are worth a closer look. The Casper Pillow, created by the Casper Mattress Company, is one we took a personal interest in and purchased in order to take a closer look. Below are our personal findings and detailed reviews.
Casper Pillow Specs
Filling – Polyester Microfiber Fill
Loft – Adjustable
Comfort Positions – All
Warranty – 3 years
Casper Company History
Casper began as a mattress company in 2014, and it quickly succeeded as a new warehouse to door startup company. As a quickly growing consumer brand, the company continues to break profit margin goals and has applied their innovative techniques to expand their sleep product line to include items such as sheets, pillows, and even dog beds. Their philosophy surrounds the application of technological engineering to outrageously comfortable mattresses, as well as any other products that support this design.
Breakdown of the Casper Pillow
The Casper Pillow is a unique pillow in pillow design made to provide both support and plush, soft comfort.The poly fiber fill is blown into both pillows as individual clusters to provide a uniform feel and keeps the pillow from clumping. The overall design is supposed to provide proper neck support and cervical spinal alignment. It also lends itself well to a cooler night’s sleep and is highly washable for freshness that lasts.
Unpacking
My Casper Pillow arrived less than a week after ordering and came in a fairly nondescript brown box. It did have a tape securing the box stamped with the Casper logo, but it was small and not incredibly noticeable. The box was overall quite small for a pillow, and upon opening, it held a cylindrical box. The pillow was rolled within the plastic bag, and upon opening, it quickly fluffed up. It also came with some informational material, as well as a lot of information about the features of the pillow on the box as well.
First Impressions
I honestly didn’t expect a squishy and soft a pillow as I found it to be, and I immediately had to check to see if the pillow was actually a down and feather pillow as it felt incredibly similar to one. Since I generally prefer a down and feather fill due to how well it conforms and provides support despite being soft, I was pretty excited to try it out.
It also felt pretty cool to the touch, and the fabric covering was very soft. I also quickly noticed that the zipper went along two lengths of the pillow, and upon unzipping to expose the pillow within, I found that the outer pillow was actually sandwiching the inner pillow and was nicely double-sided to provide a plush, responsive surface to lay my head upon.
Related: Casper Mattress Unboxing
Features and Benefits
The features and benefits of a pillow are important to research as these are the details that can help you decide if the pillow is worth taking a closer look at. Below, each of these is outlined along with the comfort claims and support each provides, as well as our own impressions after spending a few nights with it.
Size
Although the pillow is technically two in one, each measures approximately the same size. The Casper pillow is available in both a standard and king size with each measuring 18 x 26 inches and 18 x 34 inches, respectively. They both boast a 2-inch gusset to allow for proper fill distribution and allow for the neck to be well supported.
Pillow size is important to check because there is a standard acceptable pillow size in the industry to best-fit pillowcases. For the most part, pillows fit within these approximate measurements so you don’t have to worry about an added expense.
Pillow in Pillow Design
This entirely new pillow within a pillow idea was born from the want to better meet the needs of a wider variety of sleepers. Combination sleepers often require a malleable pillow to provide better support for each position that requires different thicknesses for the head and neck. Stomach and back sleepers need a thin pillow, but a neck support is also needed when on your back. Side sleeper’s head and neck should be in alignment with the spine, as you lay along your side and so require a thickness on a proper level.
The design allows for a soft, plush, outer gusseted cover to sandwich a slightly more dense, albeit thin and soft, inner pillow in order to provide variances in thickness and support to the sleeper. I was actually really impressed with the overall design and material quality, and I loved how easy it was to remove the inner pillow. The fabrics used also help support airflow and keep the inner pillow where it belongs so it doesn’t shift around. You can either use the pillows together or as a separate depending on your needs.
Check our best soft pillows here.
Polyester Microfiber Filling
Polyester fibers are a popular fill to use with pillows for a variety of reasons. They are very durable and thin- making them an ideal choice to promote airflow. They also spring back to shape very easily after being compressed and do not flatten out as quickly as other fibers do. Plus, they are washable- which is always a perk for such a personal item.
Casper also stuffs their pillows in individual clusters rather than all at once. This helps bring a uniformity of shape and fill to the pillow and helps keep it from clumping up through use. I mentioned that the fill felt very much like a more natural down and feather fill, which was the goal of the company. Except the difference is that the polyfill should provide a longer lasting product without flattening, as well as allow instant bounce back – whereas a feather and down need constant fluffing to regain loft.
100% Cotton Cover with Polyester Fabric Lining
Each pillow is covered in a highly breathable, 100% cotton casing with the outer pillow design also having a poly fabric liner within. The materials are soft and durable feeling and have well sewn double-stitched seams. The zipper also lays flat and wraps around 2 sides of the pillow to provide easier access and proper placement of the inner pillow to avoid bunching.
The two-inch loft is well placed and helps hold the overall pillow shape very well. You can tell that it allows for the displacement and movement of the fiberfill when being shaped and compressed, and it also keeps the pillow from bunching or from going too flat.
Comfort Claims
The Casper Pillow is considered highly adaptive to respond to your nocturnal movements. Foam filling types were avoided on purpose to ensure that you receive a cooler night’s sleep, and feather and down were avoided to keep your head upon a springy surface- which helps with overall support. With two pillows to provide multiple comfort options, you can choose from plush softness for thinner surfaces, or a more malleable, responsive, thick pillow for better support.
Related: Best Firm Pillows Buyers Guide
Care: Machine Wash and Dry
A pillow that can be washed has my heart. With two children in the house, no matter how clean you keep things, knowing you can toss a pillow in the washer and dryer provides peace of mind. Polyfiber washes extremely well without clumping, and it fluffs back up very easily as well. Plus, you can always toss these types of pillows in the dryer for a quick fluff and refresher. Just be sure to follow the instructions to get the cleanest pillow possible and to avoid unneeded stress along seams. It is also always important to ensure it is dried completely through.
Warranty: 3 Year
Not only does the pillow come with a 100-night guarantee, you also have a 3-year warranty to protect against material defects and poor construction. Sleep trials for pillows seem to be a growing trend as more and more companies pick up on it. Despite it being a very personal product, this helps support the idea that if the company stands behind the product, you can rest assured you are getting something of quality.
Consumer Reviews
With only a few years of business under their belts, this company has racked up thousands of positive reviews surrounding their sleep products. The pillow is no different with negative reviews only relating to personal preferences and the fact that no pillow is a true one-size-fits-all purchase. Softness and lack of thickness seem to be the biggest issue for some sleepers, which results in a lack of support. These sleepers tend to be side sleepers and struggle to adjust the pillow for decent support.
These are not surprising reviews as different body types, weights, and heights will all play a part in whether a product works for you. Most companies are well aware they cannot please everyone, even if those people do recognize the workmanship and quality of the product. This is why seeing a sleep trial being offered is such a great thing. If you have high expectations but can’t make it work, being able to return it hassle-free will make you much more likely to at least try it out.
Most consumers praise the softness, the unique design, and the ability to make adjustments for proper sleep position support. How well it can support the neck and head, ease pressure points, and reduce neck pressure and upper back stiffness are also mentioned many times. And, like myself, it is often compared to a feather and down pillow in feel and comfort.
Opinions
Because I like to see what other people I know have to say about a product, I shared this pillow with a back and side combination sleeper to see how well it worked out for them. I’ve passed on feather pillows to this same trial sleeper in the past, and I was curious to see if they found it to be as similar to them as I have. Plus, since I am not much of a back sleeper, I was curious to see how well it provided support.
My second trial consisted of a male, 6’ 1”, and of average build. This trial run ran a few nights, and I specifically asked him to see how well the pillow worked for him as he moved from back to side sleeping positions WITHOUT removing the pillow from inside for separate use. Because of the design, I was curious to see how well it worked for a taller, larger body, as well as the support it lent.
His results were favorable and yielded some great information. The first thing he asked was if it was a feather pillow, which is exactly what I originally thought as well. He loved that it supported his neck when laying on his back and provided a cool surface that he could shape to fit where he needed it. To sleep comfortably on his side, he had to bunch it up under his neck. This is pretty typical for a looser, shapeable fill. However, it is not always preferable to the sleeper. Whereas he doesn’t mind having to do this since he often changes position through the night, he made the comment that a person who sleeps only on their side may find a pillow that keeps its shape indefinitely to be more comfortable.
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My Sleep Trial Experiences
I’m of shorter stature and average overall size for a woman but naturally sleep on my stomach, although I consider myself a combo side and stomach sleeper. This does present a bit of a problem as stomach sleepers need little to no loft, whereas side sleepers do need the thicker surface for proper head and neck support. A shapeable pillow generally solves that problem for me as I can bunch it up to use as I need to or allow it to compress and thin out when on my stomach. Of course, this pillow also provides the two in one design that provides both thicker, and thinner options.
Back
Although I don’t do much more than just nap when on my back, I found the inner pillow, once removed from the outer, to be the best support for my size. The microfiber filled the gap left by my neck quite well, and my head was allowed to relax back into a thinner surface to stay in better alignment with the rest of my spine. Although it was an initial comfortable fit with both pillows in use, I felt that over time it would eventually be too high and possibly cause some neck stress.
The inner pillow was cooling, comforting, and really perfect for my height and length. My shoulders were also propped comfortably against the pillow. My head had just enough firmness underneath without flattening out the pillow, and the filling didn’t loft up around my ears. I also found that I could slightly bunch up the edge of the pillow under my neck for even more support if needed.
Related: Best Pillows For Back Sleepers
Side
I love being able to bunch up a pillow under my head, and since I also like to place my arm under, this type of filling is a perfect match. I’ve mentioned how malleable this pillow is, and the benefits of that particular detail can be illustrated here. Folding, bunching, or squishing different parts of the pillow allow you to shape to exactly what you need to be comfortable. I easily provided the height needed for my head, as well as the material needed for my neck to relax with both pillow intact and a few seconds worth of adjusting. For me, this was a perfect fit, and it easily allowed me to transition to my stomach when needed.
Related: Best Pillows For Side Sleepers
Stomach
For my stomach trial, I wanted to take advantage of both pillows. Since, realistically, as a combo sleeper, I need the added loft for when I am sleeping on my side. As you can see, it really very much ‘poofs’ up, and honestly, it probably does lift my head higher than it should even if I take advantage of the sides where there is less fill. I did not find this uncomfortable, as it was not lofted up around my face at all, but I am better off using only one of the pillows rather than both when sleeping on my stomach.
For a larger or heavier sleeper, this may work quite well with both pillows – especially since I never did feel uncomfortable like this. In fact, I slept well with both pillows, and I never did wake with any unexpected strain or stress. If anything, it may have influenced me to stay more on my side since it was so comfortable that way- which is a healthier sleep position anyway.
Trial Conclusions
I found the claims this pillow makes to be a good match for any type sleeper to be a true statement. This is a pillow that can be easily manipulated, and through my own trials, second trial opinion, and the reviews I read- the design seems to lend itself well to a wide variety of people. It is easy to adjust and manipulate, and although no pillow is a true one size fits all, the unique design seems to be well liked by a pretty decent size population of different body shapes and sizes to be used in one way or another.
The pillow is extremely soft, and although does lend a very supportive firmness underneath the plush exterior, I wouldn’t consider it a thick pillow. The shaping and construction of it definitely support folding, bunching, smooshing, etc… for added height and firmness, but if left just as is, you basically have a thinner, plush pillow design.
The polyfill really does spring back to shape immediately after compression is removed. Although fluffing is a great way to help your fill resettle and to allow for increased airflow, the pillow does not lose its shape easily. This is a step up from a feather and down choice, as you basically always have to fluff those types of pillows as a general rule to gain back your loft after use.
Overall Sleeping Rating: 4.7
Not everyone likes to have to shape their pillow, and so if you just want a no fuss (although we are only talking seconds here) pillow that rests on your bed to lay your head down upon, this might not be your first choice. If you want firm, thick pillow, then this may not be the best choice- although you can adjust it to work better for you. But if you understand the benefits of the two pillow design, appreciate the options it provides, and look forward to shaping a pillow for your perfect, customized comfort- then this is definitely the pillow to pick.
You might want to check also: Casper Wave Hybrid Review
Conclusion
True plush pillows that provide a good underlying support can often be difficult to find, so when a quality product hits the market as The Casper Pillow seems to be, it is worth checking out. The unique design, adjustable lofts, and easy shaping provide an opportunity for all sleep positions to take advantage of. Our results yielded favorable ratings, and even though we do recognize that not one pillow will truly work for all sleepers, we highly recommend looking over the details of the pillows we review to see if they might be a decent match for you. Plus, with a 100-night sleep trial, what do you have to lose?
Related: How To Choose A Pillow, A Buyers Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What sleep position is this best suited for?
All.
What is the loft?
Adjustable.
Adjustable Will I experience a lot of offgassing?
Minimal.
Is it organic?
No.
What’s the warranty?
3 years.