I read about buckwheat hull pillows a long time ago, and always kept half an eye open for them in the bedding section of retail stores. I couldn't figure out why I never found them, and eventually just purchased this one on an impulse.I now understand why they don't exist at target. The box that arrived was three feet tall and weighed about ten pounds! That's not how pillows are supposed to work.
The pillow arrives a bit overstuffed. I think you're supposed to open it up and scoop out some of the hulls to be added back in when the pillow eventually starts collapsing. Scooping, storing and remembering a big bag of buckwheat hulls is a tall order, and you're not going to do it. It's okay. More hulls are easy to order online once the included hulls start to lose their elasticity. Scoop out a quarter of the old ones, add in a similar amount of new ones, mix it up and you're set. These pillows are much more upgradable and futureproof than $10 pillows with synthetic filling. From what I've read, it takes a couple years before replacing the hulls is something you have to worry about. One point buckwheat.
Sleeping on the pillow is a little bit strange for the first night, but you quickly get used to the texture and sounds that it brings to your bed. It supports you much like a memory foam pillow, but with a more breathable filling that provides nice ventilation. The sound of the hulls is by no means loud, and shouldn't keep anybody up at night. It's a lot like that beanbag chair that you used to fall asleep on as a kid. There's a bit of rustling when you reposition your head, but it's otherwise silent and supportive.
My first night sleeping at a hotel after getting this pillow was a little bit disappointing. I missed my buckwheat hull pillow, and really noticed the sensation of my head sinking into the hotel pillow. I think that night was the first affirmation that the buckwheat hull pillow was a nice thing that I wouldn't want to give up.
This is a very polarizing pillow. Either it makes a big difference in the way you sleep and you love it, or the buckwheat hulls are too noisy and noticeable, making you hate the thing. Fortunately, the very small amount of one-star reviews on this pillow are a very good indicator that most people fall into the first camp. $35 is an extremely small price to pay for what could potentially be much more satisfying nights of sleep.
Price: It is a bit pricey, but not too bad. Most pillows aimed at side sleepers have bizarre shapes/functions and can get pretty expensive. It seems like good quality for the money.
Smell: Many people have mentioned the smell of the pillow as being a huge con. I left it out for one afternoon but was impatient and wanted to sleep on it right away. It did have a funky smell, but it was not too overpowering or chemical at all, and in time I even started to enjoy it. Now I bury my face in it occasionally to see if I can still get a whiff of it. It's become a very soothing feature.
Size: I went for a Queen size pillow even though I have a full sized bed. Because these pillows are so moldable, it fits the full size pillowcase with no issues.
Noise: Yes, it is a bit noisy. I was used to it by the second night, but it still sometimes disturbs my boyfriend if I move too much. However, I toss and turn so much less now that he's willing to deal with it.
Comfort: Okay, here's the big one. As other reviewers have mentioned, this is NOT a fluffy, squishy pillow. It's VERY firm, and holds its shape strongly as you sleep. My (poor guinea pig) boyfriend tried it out for just a few minutes and he couldn't stand how firm it was. This is the exact reason why I fell in love with this pillow so completely: I can lay on it, shift it around a bit, and it forms itself *perfectly* to my neck and shoulder area and supports me throughout the night (I imagine I must look like one of those cartoons showing "proper sleep alignment"). If I need to turn over, I just shift it again and it reforms to my new position. I have spent many years waking up with cricks in my neck, or sore shoulders, or just general aches, and to have almost complete relief from that is something I never thought could happen. I really had just resigned myself to accept the pain (for the record, I'm 30). I still manage to sleep in funky positions from time to time (thanks, cats) but the soreness is largely gone.
Miscellaneous: When it arrived it did seem under stuffed, but after running upstairs to lay on it immediately (I'm an instant gratification kind of person) I ended up scooping out about 8 cups of buckwheat to save for later. I was pleased to see that cheap refills are also readily available.
****This is a four star review for 2 reasons****
1. The case shrank a bit after one wash. Not too much, but I had to remove a bit more of the buckwheat to compensate.
2. The zipper on the edge (to remove buckwheat filling) does not go all the way to a corner. It's a smallish opening that's kinda in the middle of the side. When I had to empty it to wash it this was a bit annoying to mess with.
OVERALL, after trying many pillows (including my last rendezvous with the Allstar Products Group Neck and Back Pillow, SideSleeper Pro which was previously my favorite...until the stitches on the inside all fell apart and after four months the entire thing went flat) to try and get some relief from these stupid neck cramps, I'm ready to declare myself officially in love with this one!
Wordy review? YES. But I love getting GOOD SLEEP!
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I wanted a buckwheat husk pillow because regular pillows seem to always flatten out. These pillows are filled with hollowed out buckwheat husks and are surprisingly comfortable. The husks offer firm support yet, allow air circulation which keeps it a bit cooler. It takes some getting used to as the husks crunch with even slight movement. I would have given a higher score if the pillow was 'more full' of husks...it feels kinda half full. I would also be curious if getting a size smaller than the queen pillow would result in a more full pillow. In all fairness though, an actually full queen pillow would be too heavy to ship as these pillows are quite heavy. I like the buckwheat better than memory foam which I have also tried.The first night I used it I thought it was too heavy and I could hear the buckwheat crackle. After a couple of nights the crackle went away. You can mold this almost any way you want and it will stay that way. I use it with a CPAP breathing mask on when I sleep. I have bought a couple of other pillows designed to work with the mask but this one is head and shoulders above them. Very comfy, I love this pillow.I have had chronic neck pain for over a year and nothing has helped relieve the pain very well -not even medications. I invested in this buckwheat pillow and my neck pain is 70% gone. It helps out very much and I would highly recommend it for anyone who has chronic neck pain and stiffness.Save 46% Off
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