When you think “pillow,” you probably think down, feathers, and maybe even memory foam. What you might not have thought of is a “hyperelastic polymer mesh.” But the purple pillow review guide today to expand your pillow worldview and introduce you to the Purple pillow, its super-elastic polymer mesh, and why it’s famous.
In this purple pillow review guide, I’ll review the build and feel of the purple pillow, and, based on my testing experience, offer some honest advice for anyone who should consider buying it. Will a purple pillow be your new favorite pillow? Read on to find out.
1. What is purple?
Purple started out as a mattress company before branching out into pillows. Purple emphasizes that its products are safe and non-toxic, and are certified by CertiPUR-US and Clean Air Gold. All of its products come with 100-night home trials. Purple not only makes mattresses but also offers a variety of pillows.
2. Overview of purple pillows
Customers love Purple’s soft gel mesh. It feels soft to the first touch, but when you apply pressure, it feels firm and firm. You’ll find this material in all of Purple’s mattresses, and it’s a major component of the Original Purple Pillow. There are two boosters included in the original model, as opposed to one in the Purple Harmony and Purple Plush pillows.
With these, you can easily adjust the height and adjust the pillow to your desired loft height. But will this pillow meet all your sleep needs? Continue reading the purple pillow review guide.
3. Purple pillow structure and design
As we begin our purple pillow review, we must point out that it weighs a whopping 10 pounds. This is the heaviest pillow we’ve reviewed so far, and frankly, it’s way too heavy. The pillow has about 3.25 inches of loft when uncompressed, but when you rest your head on the pillow, the loft drops to about 2.75 inches.
The pillow itself is made from a proprietary gel-like material called a superelastic polymer. You’ll see this on all Purple mattresses, and it’s why so many people flock to Purple products. Hyperelastic polymers have many advantages and disadvantages:
- It’s highly responsive, allowing you to easily switch between sleeping positions at night.
- It also has a tight, moldable feel, which makes it difficult for the pillow to move.
- Additionally, the purple pillow does not need to be fluffed, so it stays the same height and shape throughout the night. This is one of the main marketing points Purple uses when promoting this pillow. This is a durable pillow that combines pressure relief and support.
The hyperelastic polymer material is also laid out in a grid format, which helps with airflow, which we’ll discuss in more detail later. The Purple Pillow is a one-sided pillow, which means you cannot flip it over. There is a zipper at the bottom through which you can open the pillow to wash the cover.
Another noteworthy pillow is a powder-covered superelastic polymer material. Purple says it’s non-toxic and 100% safe. I don’t want to make a big fuss because it’s obviously completely harmless, but if you do remove the cap it just makes a mess. From a health standpoint, we don’t really care about it, but having to clean up the powder is kind of tiresome for us.
Again, this powder is completely safe according to Purple, but it can make a mess. So, the moral of the story is, if you really want to wash your purple pillow cover, be sure to move it outside first.
4. Are purple pillows right for you?
After a purple pillow review, here is a review of whether purple pillows are suitable.
1) Who should try purple pillows
- The purple pillow is suitable for all three sleeping positions — back, stomach, and side — making it a great choice for a combination sleeper that switches between multiple positions.
- Purple is a good choice if you prefer a firmer feel to your pillow. It’s strong but still supports your head and neck for contouring.
- Heat sleepers should love the cool sleep of purple pillows. The purple mesh allows for plenty of airflow and the cover is breathable, so that should keep heat from getting trapped.
2) Who shouldn’t try purple pillows
- I wouldn’t recommend the purple pillows if you like softer pillows. I found it too firm for my taste as I like pillows that are soft enough for me to sink into.
- In addition, if you like more traditional pillows, you may not like the feel of purple plaid. It doesn’t have the soft, moldable feel of down, or the snug, sinking feel of foam—it’s really unlike any other pillow I’ve tried. However, if you want a more traditional pillow that still features Purple technology, I would recommend the Purple Harmony Pillow.
- The Purple Pillow only comes in one standard size, so if you want a king-size pillow, it might not be the best choice for you.
5. What does the purple pillow feel like?
As mentioned, this pillow is unlike any other I’ve tried…but how does it actually feel? I slept on the Purple pillow for a few nights to get a good feel for how it felt, but keep in mind that this feeling is subjective so your experience may be different than mine.
Feels like you’re lying on a softer gel/rubber material. It’s comfortable and pretty, but it’s certainly not for everyone. If you want a more traditional pillow – like the Helix Pillow – then you definitely don’t want the Purple Pillow.
But if you’re open to new things and interested in the responsive, supportive, stress-relieving features of Purple Pillow, who can I stop? Just know that it’s unlike any other pillow on the market (for better or worse, depending on your personal preference).
1) Purple Pillow Hardness
When it comes to pillow firmness, my rule of thumb is that side sleepers do best with firmer pillows, side sleepers with softer pillows, and back sleepers need a middle pillow. When I tested the Purple pillow, I was surprised at how firm it felt. When I touched the pillow with my hands, the purple lattice felt soft, like jelly, I thought the pillow would be super soft, but when I actually put my head on it, I realized how firm it was.
The mesh supports your head and neck a bit, but not the way the memory foam fits you or sinks you down. Each triangular pocket of the mesh wraps around you, keeping your head and neck elevated on the pillow’s surface. This makes the pillow super supportive, but not very fluffy or comfortable.
2) Purple Pillow Loft
A general rule of thumb for pillow lofts is that side sleepers should choose a higher loft, back sleepers should choose a medium loft, and stomach sleepers should choose a low loft. The loft of a pillow refers to how high it is and is key to keeping your spine aligned and preventing neck pain. If you’ve ever felt like a pillow is stretching your neck upwards, the loft may be too high for you. Or, if you feel insufficient neck support, your loft may be too low.
The purple pillow is three inches from the attic, lower. However, it does come with two pillow boosters with adjustable lofts. One foam riser is 1 inch tall and the other ½ inch tall, so you can raise your loft up to four and a half inches if needed. You can also buy extra boosters from Purple if you want a higher loft.
Now that we understand the firmness and loft of the purple pillow, let’s take a look at how I think this pillow works for different sleeping positions.
Side sleepers: I think purple pillows are great for side sleepers. Its sturdy feel is great for side sleepers, and the mesh does a good job of elevating your head and neck, but I definitely recommend adding a booster to boost the loft of most side sleepers.
A higher loft will ensure that your neck is properly aligned. People with larger frames might even want to buy some extra boosters since four and a half inches is more of a mid-loft than a true high loft.
Backrest: Purple pillows are also a solid choice for back sleepers. The 3″ loft works fine for me when I’m on my back, but some people who prefer to sleep on their backs might want to add a booster or two to get a true medium loft, depending on your body type. I also think the firm feel is good for a supine as I feel my head and neck are well aligned – this is more of a personal preference.
Stomach: I was surprised to find that purple pillows are great for stomach sleeping. Low lofts are ideal for crunchers to keep their spine aligned. While softer pillows are generally better for stomach sleepers, and the purple ones are on the firmer side, I didn’t feel my neck go up when laying on them. In my opinion, this is the most important factor when choosing a pillow, so for a prone person, a firm feel should be fine.
Underarms: I think purple pillows are fine for sleeping under your arms, but generally, I prefer something softer and more huggable than this one.
Between the legs: the purple lattice firm and flexible support work well for sleeping between the legs, but I’d just caution against using it as this pillow weighs close to 11 lbs, which will be heavy on your calves Heavy.
6. Purple pillow structure
Let’s take a closer look at the materials used for purple pillows. The materials used in this pillow are hypoallergenic and certified by CertiPUR-US and CleanAir GOLD to be free of harmful chemicals.
Pillowcase: Pillowcase is made from a blend of 88% polyester, 9% spandex mesh, and 3% nylon. It’s a super-stretch fabric with a mesh that breathes well. There is a removable and machine-washable cover.
Core: The core of the Purple Pillow is the Purple mesh, the super-elastic polymer used in many Purple products. The grill has a non-toxic polyethylene copolymer powder coat to prevent the grill from sticking to itself.
Booster: The adjustable pillow booster is made of polyurethane foam covered in 100% polyester fabric.
Weight: An extra heavy pillow at 11.7 lbs.
Height/Loft: Depending on which booster you use, the height of the pillow can be anywhere from 3 inches to 4.5 inches.
7. Highlights of the Purple Pillow Show
After a purple pillow review, here are the pros and cons of purple pillows.
1) Advantages
- Pressure Relief: Like the Purple Mattress, the Purple Pillow is designed for unrivaled pressure relief. Polymer material conforms to your head and neck like memory foam, but it’s cooler and more responsive.
- ADJUSTABLE: Purple Pillow includes a 1-inch and 0.5-inch booster cushion. Boosters give you the freedom to increase or decrease height until you achieve the proper level of neck support. This feature is especially useful for side sleepers.
- Sleep Safe: Purple uses hypoallergenic food-grade materials in its pillows. Their foams are made in the USA and are CertiPUR-US and Clean Air GOLD certified.
- DURABLE: Super elastic polymer is more durable than typical pillow filling. It retains its shape after repeated use, while polyester or cotton fill may flatten and memory foam may leave an impression.
- Neutral Temperature: There are open channels in the purple mesh that increase breathability, which prevents hot air from getting trapped beneath your head.
2) Disadvantages
- SIZE OPTIONS: Purple pillow comes in standard sizes only, it may be smaller than your preferred pillow size.
- Messy Construction: Some customers have complained that the pillow gets messy when you remove the cover.
- Heavy: Purple pillows are heavier than regular pillows, making it difficult to move around in bed.
- Price: The price of the purple pillow is quite high compared to other pillows in the market.
8. Purple pillow sizes, dimensions, and prices
Purple only offers standard-size pillows. It comes with two foam boosters, and you can buy an extra set for an extra fee.
- Size: Standard
- Price: $134
9. Customer testimonials and reputation
There are many likes and dislikes. We think 50% of people will absolutely love this pillow, and the other 50% will think it’s definitely not for them. After a purple pillow review, we don’t think most back sleepers will like it, smaller side sleepers might like it, but back sleepers looking for a supportive yet unique feel will love this pillow the most.
One of the best features of the Purple Pillow is that it is a cooling pillow. The temperature is well controlled by it. It doesn’t have any active cooling technology, but it does allow for ample airflow thanks to the super-elastic polymers built into a grid.
The mesh format allows air to circulate and limits how much the pillow heats up. It’s not technically a cooling pillow, but it’s definitely on the shortlist for hot pillows. Purple is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which gives the company an A+ rating. Purple is rated 4.21 out of 5 stars by customers.
On Trustpilot, Purple has an average customer rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars. Positive reviews from both sites indicate that the company’s customer service is prompt and helpful, and its products are of high quality. Several reviewers reported not experiencing as much pain after using the purple mattress, pillows, and cushions.
However, negative reviews mentioned that it was difficult to return the product under warranty. Others said they experienced shipping delays and that the products didn’t last as long as they expected.
10. Common purple pillow complaints
Most customers left positive reviews on Amazon, but a few had some issues. In most of the 1-star reviews, customers complain about how uncomfortable it is for sleepers. As we mentioned above, this pillow is tall. Because of this, people doing sit-ups are likely to elongate their necks, causing their necks to deviate from the correct direction.
If you primarily sleep on your stomach, consider purchasing a purple plush pillow. Others found the pillows too hard. While this can help side sleepers maintain proper alignment, some people don’t like the extra support.
11. How does the purple pillow compare to other pillows?
Purple Pillow is truly unique, so it’s hard to compare it to competitors’ offerings. Instead, we’ll take a closer look at how the original compares to Purple’s other pillow models.
1) Original purple pillow vs purple plush
While the Original Purple Pillow has the company’s gel grid, the Purple Plush doesn’t. This pillow is filled with interlocking poly fiber balls. The company calls the unique material “Smart Fluff,” and it feels lightweight and stretchy. On the outside, Plush has a cover made of Lyocell hybrid material. It’s naturally moisture-wicking and breathable.
The Original Purple pillow has a firm feel and is perfect for larger people. With plush, customers have some customization options. This product has zippers on both sides. Zip up and the pillow feels firm. Unzip it and you get some extra softness. You can customize the height of the Original Purple Pillow, but not its overall feel.
If you really like the company’s unique mesh material, we recommend buying the original. However, this one does cost more than a stuffed animal, so if you’re on a budget, it might not work as well.
#1. Who deserves the original purple pillow
- Fan of firmer pillows
- Those who like Purple’s gel lattice
- Those who want to adjust the height of the pillow
#2. Who deserves the purple plush
- Fans of traditional fluffy pillows
- Those who want to adjust the firmness of the pillow
- People who want to save money
2) Original Purple Pillow vs Purple Harmony
Both pillows contain the company-bought soft material but in varying amounts. In the original, you’ll find this soft-soft, supportive mesh in 3-inch-thick layers. The Purple Harmony has a thin layer of fabric sewn inside the stretchy hood.
The Purple Harmony Pillow also has a core made of airy Talalay latex foam. Thanks to its tiny air pockets, this pillow feels extra cool and airy. A great choice for larger people and side sleepers is the Original Purple Pillow.
The Purple Harmony Pillow feels medium-firm, so it’s perfect for combination sleepers. Because compared to the comparison, this pillowcase is indeed a little expensive.
#1. Who deserves the original purple pillow
- Hard pillow lovers
- Side sleepers
- Larger person
#2. Who should get the Purple Harmony Pillow
- Combination sleepers
- Those who prefer medium-firm pillows
- Those who prefer the memory foam feel.
12. Purple pillow policy and FAQ
Below are the Purple Pillow Policy and answers to frequently asked questions.
1) How to ship the purple pillow?
Ships in purple are free within the continental United States. Hawaii and Alaska customers will be charged an additional shipping fee.
2) Does Purple Pillow offer a sleep trial?
Yes, Purple is offering a 100-night sleep trial of this pillow. This means you can try the pillow at home for 100 nights, and if it doesn’t work best for you, you can return it for a full refund.
3) Is there a warranty for the purple pillow?
Yes, Purple Pillow comes with a 1-year warranty.
4) Can the purple pillow be machine washed?
The Purple cover is machine washable, but the Purple lattice is not. However, you can hand wash in warm water.
5) Did you put a pillowcase on the purple pillow?
up to you! The cover of the purple pillow is removable and machine washable so you can sleep right on if you want. But you can pair the sham with purple pillows.
6) Will the purple pillow flatten?
One of the best features of the purple grid is how well it holds its shape. In my experience, purple pillows have not flattened at all. And because it’s made from a super-elastic polymer material rather than foam or down, it doesn’t require any fluffing either.
7) Are purple pillows worth it?
It’s definitely worth the money if you’re a big guy looking for significant neck support. The polymer material conforms to your body and relieves pressure well. But if you like sleeping on your stomach, then you’ll want a purple plush pillow.
8) Which purple pillow is the best?
The answer depends a lot on your body type and sleeping position. Larger people will appreciate the firm feel of the Original pillow. This product features 3 inches of the famous purple mesh, making it one of the best pillows for heavyweights. People who like to sleep on their stomachs will prefer purple plush toys.
This pillow has two side zippers. When zipped up, the pillow feels firm and supportive. After unzipping, the pillow feels soft and bouncy. It’s important to note, however, that the pillow doesn’t have the company’s Smart Comfort Mesh.
If you want classic purple plaid but love the feel of a foam throw pillow, the Purple Harmony is for you. Perfect for back and side sleepers, this versatile pillow strikes a great balance between comfort and support.
9) How long can the purple pillow be used?
It comes with a one-year warranty, but it should be used for at least three years before it needs to be replaced.
10) Our Purple Pillow Rating
Finally, here is the overall score for Purple Pillow: 4.3
- Support: 4.5
- Cooldown: 4.5
- Durability: 4.5
- Warranties: 3
- Sleep trial period: 5
13. Conclusion
For some, purple pillows can provide the perfect balance of support and comfort. As with other sleep products, choosing the right pillow requires trial and error. Everyone has unique needs and preferences, so they may need to try different products to find the best option. Anyone with persistent sleep problems should see a doctor who can help them sleep better.