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Down
Pillow Review and Analysis
Pros
Soft, cuddly, good for back and stomach sleepers, moldable,
lightweight, durable
Cons
Lacks good contouring support, can be pricey, can cause allergies
What Is Down?
“Down” refers to the insulating layer of soft plumage
under the feathers of waterfowl, namely geese and ducks. A pillow
is considered a down pillow if it is filled with at least 75
percent down and no more than 25 percent feather. (Feathers
are located on the wings and back of the birds.)
The surface of a down pillow is smooth with no lumps. Unlike
feather pillows, down will not poke you with quills. Down pillows
that contain feathers usually have the feathers make up the
core of the pillow and have the down surround the feathers to
ensure maximum surface softness.
While the best quality down comes usually from mature geese,
mature duck down is preferable to immature goose down. That’s
because the more mature down is, the better its loft, cushiness
and durability.
Key Terms
Fill Power
Fill power measures how much one ounce of down will loft,
expand and fill. The quality of down is determined by its
fill power. Higher fill power indicates bigger, stronger clusters
which fill more space with less weight. Large clusters have
higher loft, provide greater insulation, and can last
many years longer than smaller, weaker down clusters. Fill
power of 500-550 is good. Fill power of 550-650 is excellent
and is likely worth paying more for it. Fill power of 700
or more is even better.
Down pillows with 550 or above fill power can be appropriate
for side or back sleepers since they will have higher loft
and additional support.
Thread Count
Thread count refers to the number of threads used in one square
inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the finer the
thread used to create the fabric and the more durable and
soft the fabric will be.
For down pillows, a thread count of 210 or more is usually
sufficient and will protect the down from impurities as well
as keep the fill inside the pillow.
Below, the pillow is evaluated for each characteristic on a
scale of one to ten. One means the pillow does not have the
characteristic, and 10 means it fully has the characteristic.
Firm
A down pillow is usually considered low firmness. Similar to
dandelion fluff, down has fluffy three dimensional threads extending
out from an inner quill point. This allows air to be trapped
in the down feathers. The result is that, when the pillow is
compressed, the air trapped in the down tends to eventually
escape, resulting in at least some loss of support.
This means you may find yourself needing to adjust the pillow
during the night. And fluffing the pillow or shaking it may
also be necessary to return the pillow to its desired loft.
As the down ages, increased fluffing and / or shaking will likely
become necessary.
Score: 2 out of 10
Contoured Support
A down pillow only provides average at best contoured support.
However, because they contain much air, down pillows are easily
flexible in regard to their shape, with the possible exception
of those with the highest fill power. And this means that the
pillow can be scrunched up to provide, for example, neck support
for back and side sleepers.
Score: 3 out of 10
Adjustable Height and Firmness
You cannot add or remove down to a down pillow (not without
fairly major surgery). Whatever level of loft and firmness the
pillow has when you buy it is the level you will live with,
for good or bad. The pillow, however, can be scrunched up to
increase it height and firmness.
Score: 4 out of 10
Good for Back Sleepers
Some moulding or scrunching of the pillow may be required to
achieve the needed height for proper support and alignment.
Score: 7 out of 10
Good for Side Sleepers
Molding or scrunching may be required to achieve the needed
height for proper support and alignment.
Score: 5 out of 10
Good for Stomach Sleepers
They are often particularly well suited for stomach sleepers
because they are soft and when laid flat will tend to allow
the head to sink low. (Low pillows are best for stomach sleepers.)
Score: 9 out of 10
Quiet
A down pillow makes no noise.
Score: 10 out of 10
Air Flow
Down feathers are used by ducks and geese to keep their eggs
warm. So it should be no surprise that down is an excellent
insulator. Down itself, of course, creates no heat. It
only captures body heat and then releases it back. Down pillow
owners typically find this insulation feature to be a positive
and not a negative. However, if you are a naturally hot sleeper,
it may make you only warmer.
Score: 5 out of 10
Light Weight
Because birds fly, their feathers must be light weight or they
would not get off of the ground. Consequently, down (and feather)
pillows weigh very little. Even though they have a lot of mass,
down pillows usually weigh no more than a pound or two because
they are largely filled with air. Much of the weight of the
pillow comes from the covering.
Score: 10 out of 10
No Smell
Down pillows have been known on occasion to have a particular
odor, perhaps of water fowl or chemicals used to clean the down.
Score: 6 out of 10
Durable
They can last a decade or more if properly maintained. This
is considerably longer than most other types of pillows, especially
synthetics. To extend the life further, the fill can be restored
and topped (not possible with synthetic fibers) or the pillow
can be re-cased.
Score: 9 out of 10
Easy To Care For
They need to be fluffed and shaken occasionally to maintain
even distribution of down and loft. Cleaning the pillow is possible
but often a delicate procedure.
Score: 4 out of 10
Allergies
A down pillow can be allergy causing unless the down has been
thoroughly cleaned by having all dander and microbes removed
from it. Most brands that do this cleaning clearly state it
in some fashion. The down should also be encased in a high thread
count cover to prevent any down from escaping. In regard to
dust mites, they are certainly susceptible to large populations,
as are most types of pillows.
Score: 5 out of 10
Low price
Goose down is more expensive than duck down. And down pillows
are generally one of the more expensive types available.
Score: 3 out of 10
Value
Down pillows are possibly the most durable and long-lasting
pillows. If they are properly cared for, they can last two to
three times as long as many other types of pillows.
Score: 8 out of 10
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