Pillow Ratings >> Buckwheat Pillow Reviews
Buckwheat Pillow Reviews & Ratings -- Based on Data From Over 260 Actual Owners
Continued from page 1.
Sleeping positions
The pillow can be good for back and side sleepers because of its firmness, adjustable loft and contoured support. Stomach sleepers tend to have less success with the pillow.
Pain issue
Pain relief provided by the pillow is about average to above average, with around 9% of owners reporting reduced pain, such as neck pain, since using the pillow. About 3% of owners say that the pillow causes pain.
Sleep quality
About 10% of owners report sleeping better and more restfully since using the product.
Noise
A buckwheat pillow is possibly the noisiest pillow available. That’s not to say it’s too noisy, according to owners. It’s just that most of the other types of pillows are silent if you move your head on them. With the buckwheat pillow, you hear a rustling sound from the hulls inside, similar to a bean bag. With your head on the pillow, you will hear the faint sound of the hulls being compressed.
Air flow
Because the properties of the buckwheat hulls allow air to circulate around them, the pillow is a poor insulator. This can be good or bad depending on your preferences, say owners. If you like your pillow to be close to room temperature, then you’re in luck. However, if you like your pillow to act like a down or memory foam type and get toasty warm by absorbing heat from your body, then you’re out of luck. Also, because air circulates through the product, moisture or sweat will evaporate quickly, leaving the pillow dry and not clammy, say owners. It should be noted that regular use of the pillow will result in increasingly compacted or polished hulls which will decrease some of the air circulation throughout the pillow.
Weight
Owners say that a buckwheat pillow is fairly heavy. Such a pillow can be good in that it won’t move much during the night. Heaviness, however, can be a negative when making the bed or changing the case.
Odor
About 5% of buckwheat pillow owners report that their pillow has a noticeable smell. However, they usually say it goes away within days or perhaps weeks.
Allergies
Buckwheat hulls are derived from the rhubarb family and are not a grass or a wheat. As a result, allergies to buckwheat hulls are rare. Specifically, about 1-5% of the population is affected by them. Allergic / asthmatic reaction is likely due to the dust on the buckwheat hulls and can result in an itchy throat, watery eyes, runny nose, etc. You can reduce the chances that the pillow will cause asthma / allergies by making sure that the hulls have been cleaned thoroughly either by air blowing, vacuuming, sifting or roasting.
In regard to dust mutes, buckwheat hulls are not appealing to them, unlike cotton, feather and foam. (The droppings of dust mites, if case you don’t know, can cause allergies.) This does not mean dust mites won’t live on the buckwheat pillow slip. It merely means they don’t like to live inside with the buckwheat in any significant quantity. Whether or not this quantity will be small enough to result in fewer dust mite-related allergies is not clear.
Maintenance
Owners included in our research indicated that caring for their pillow was moderately difficult. Directions for caring for a buckwheat pillow often call for occasionally unzipping the pillow and removing the hulls from inside and then washing the pillow slip or putting it into direct sunlight. Once the cover is totally dry, the hulls can be placed back into the pillow. It is not recommended that the hulls be cleaned in any way.
Price
Prices tend to be equal or above many other pillow types.
Value
Given the high owner satisfaction and good durability, buckwheat pillows should be considered an above average value.