Memory Foam Pillows?

[Nick]

Anyone have any experience with the space-aged, uber-expensive foam pillows? I purchased a Tempurpedic foam pillow from Brookstone as a Christmas gift for someone. Three days later, it was returned to me with the explanation of "Yeaaahhhh, uuuuh, I tried it, I'm never using it again." Well, I figured it couldn't be that bad, so I decided to give it a whirl, and after about 40 days, I finally returned it yesterday. The thing just simply remained hard as a rock (and before anyone asks, I did sit on it for extended periods, several times to try to break it in).

I'm interested to see if anyone has one, uses it, thoroughly enjoys it, and thinks it's worth the exorbitant price tag. It's soft enough that I could see why people might buy the memory foam mattresses, but as for pillows, I'll stick with my feather stuffed pillows from Costco.

-Nick

[rtaylor61]

I've never tried the Tempurpedic products. My parents have a "mattress cover" from them and swear by it.

Randy

[dubes]

My wife has the Brookstone pillow and loves it, except that she has the opposite problem, where the foam turns to mush after a few months use (it's supposed to have a multi-year warranty).

That said, she wanted to get one of those foam pillows for me, but I tried hers once when she was out of town on business, and I switched back to my normal pillow after about 20 minutes. There was just no way I was going to fall asleep on that thing!

Mike

[dubes]

BTW, I should mention that my wife has several fused vertebrae in her neck and upper back. She was getting a lot of pain sleeping on normal pillows and was pretty desperate to find something that worked better for her. Much different situation from me (and, I'm guessing, you, Nick).

Mike

[DoubleE]

I have searched for the Holy Grail of pillows for years now! I have a Temperpedic pillow that's been in my closet now for the past year or so. I tried and tried to make it work but I just couldn't adjust to it. I agree, too hard! The roll on the end kept pushing my jaw to the side it seemed! I tried another similarly shaped pillow but somewhat softer, still the same.

We also bought the Temperpedic 4 inch topper and slept on it for 3 months but again, just too hard for my liking. We tried to give it to my son last night and he didn't want it either. For the two, that's around $500.00 that could have gone to shaving gear.

Jerry

[Rich]

Oddly, we have a Tempurpedic bed which we absolutely love, but I can't use the pillows without waking up with a stiff neck. On the other hand, my wife sleeps with the Tempurpedic pillow, but sleeps on it rotated 180 degrees (normally the higher side of the pillow goes under your neck). She likes is so much that we have one at each of our parents homes for when we visit. Anyone who still has one laying around might want to try rotating and/or flipping it over.

On another note, we have tried the mattress toppers before, and it isn't quite the same experience as the full Tempurpedic mattress, and, in our experience, is fairly useless if placed over a soft mattress; it really needs a firm base in order to mold to you. I will add one warning, my younger brother complains that the Tempurpedic mattress retains too much heat and makes his back sweat (talk about a waste of money!). I haven't had a problem with it, but I keep the windows open most of the winter (until I see icicles forming on my wife's nose).

Best,
Rich

[rustyblade]

Try a latex pillow, they are soft, yet firm and retain their shape forever unlike regular foam and feather pillows. They usually come with wool padding around them and the latex has tubes or holes so they breath and don't have that rubbery feel. Make sure you buy a quality one though, I have seen cheap latex pillows that are too firm and high. They are also hypoallergenic as a bonus.

[Cliff]

My wife has a Temperpedic pillow and she loves it. I've tried it and find that it makes me sweat, it's too hot for me to sleep on. I absolutely love a good down pillow, even though they are expensive. I got a great pillow from Scandia Down and never looked back.
http://www.scandiadown.com/

Cliff

[Scotto]

I have some cheapo pillow I have used for years. It is so flat that my wife jokes that she is going to throw it away and replace it with a sheet of paper.

[rtaylor61]

I have some cheapo pillow I have used for years. It is so flat that my wife jokes that she is going to throw it away and replace it with a sheet of paper.

Scotto,

Don't let that happen...you might get a papercut and someone would think you cut yourself shaving! It just wouldn't make sense..."How'd you get that nasty cut?" "Oh, I cut myself "SLEEPING"!

Randy

[roughrider]

I got 2 King Size pillows off of Ebay for like $60 about 3 years ago. They were the not the Tempurpedic brand. They look and feel the same. They work great for me.

[ouch]

Every year or so, the missus buys an even more expensive pillow that eventually falls into a state of disuse. I have a walk-in closet full of them. Then she bought one of the sobakawas filled with buckwheat husks. Boy did I make fun of her for that- "Honey, why don't you just fill a pillowcase with gravel?"

Now, whenever I get a stiff neck, I have to fight her for it. I have to eat crow, but it works like a charm.

[guenron]

Every year or so, the missus buys an even more expensive pillow that eventually falls into a state of disuse. I have a walk-in closet full of them. Then she bought one of the sobakawas filled with buckwheat husks. Boy did I make fun of her for that- "Honey, why don't you just fill a pillowcase with gravel?"

Now, whenever I get a stiff neck, I have to fight her for it. I have to eat crow, but it works like a charm.

Sounds like a similar circumstance...SWMBO bought a buckwheat groat - lavender filled pillow.. We warm it slightly in the micro (10 secs) and it is a delight to use for relieving an aching neck or tight shoulders.

[lathermaker]

I had one of those foam pillows a few years ago and hated it. Too hot and the smell almost killed me.

I hold most of my tension in my neck and get monster migraines when it knots up. I found this pillow at my chiropractor's office and love it beyond words. I highly reccomend it but be warned......it is VERY heavy!

http://www.healiohealth.com/tek9.asp...cific=jnrrcol0

Lathermaker

[ouch]

Sounds like a similar circumstance...SWMBO bought a buckwheat groat - lavender filled pillow.. We warm it slightly in the micro (10 secs) and it is a delight to use for relieving an aching neck or tight shoulders.

Here's a tip from my eight year old. If you have a pillowfight, grab the buckwheat.

[KUJO]

I bought 2 of the tempur-pedic pillows from Brookstone for myself & wife. Returned them both 3 days later. They were stiff as a bag of rocks. Used the refund and spent a weekend at a nice hotel.

Their pillows were superb

[clownjuggles]

I don't know if anyone has heard of this. but the memory foam pillows and tempur materials respond to heat. I had horrid luck with my pillow during the winter months but the summer months were fine.

[KUJO]

You're right; we test drove our pillows in December in Northern VA (I bought them as XMAS presents).

That was the problem - they didn't pass the immediate satisfaction test and we didn't want to wait until summer for a good sleep.

[Lil'Shaver]

I have a TemperPedic pillow and it is not THAT bad I use it sometimes. But my wife and I own a TempurPedic mattress and we love it. I would pay twice what it cost me originally. We've been sleeping on it for 6 yrs now and still love it.

In the winter time, we use an electric blanket and that softens the foam up very nicely, although the owners manual says not to do that, we do it anyway. . . what the heck. . .

Oh by the way, the TempurPedic mattress works best if used with a platform style bed frame. If you use a standard box frame foundation, it is pure junk, IMHO.

dwight

[ouch]

Lil'Shaver- it's one thing if you steal DocMottern's avatar theme, but when you go and resurrect year old threads.........