My Pillow Reviews – Complaints, Controversy And My Opinion (2020)
Quick Review: 30 Seconds Summary
MyPillow is best known for their pillows that offer four levels of fill customisation for different degree of comfort and support to meet unique individual needs. However, latest feedback and reviews from our readers suggest that there is a deterioration and inconsistency in the quality of these pillows.
Important Update
Recently, we received nothing but negative feedback about My Pillow products especially the signature pillows best known for having four different fill levels for customers to select from.
From my personal experience, I didn’t face any problems but recently many of Bedding Pal readers emailed me regarding issues they faced with their pillows bought from My Pillow.
Some of the complaints are posted directly in the comment area below while others are through email (check images below).
Some common complaints include:
- Pillows are flat every morning, having to inflate them regularly.
- Huge irregularity in the pillow fill even though the same category of fill is chosen.
- Not as comfortable as promised and sleep quality is deprived.
- Bed sheets are often wrinkled even after ironing.
I don’t make these claims myself. All these complaints are directly from Bedding Pal readers. I have tried to investigate this issue further with representatives from My Pillow but received no response whatsoever. Here is one of the complaints.
By the way, I don’t own My Pillow nor I am obliged to promote any of their products. Many of you seems to think that I own My Pillow and that’s not true.
Fortunately, my team has been working hard on testing some other great pillows such as Snuggle Pedic and Coop Home Goods that provide a greater value for money as compared to those offered by My Pillow. The initial feedback I received from Bedding Pal readers are mostly positive so I am pretty confident you will like them. Check out the comparison table below.
Preview
Product Dimension
36 x 20 x 4.5 inches
24 x 16 x 3 inches
16.8 x 6.7 x 6.3 inches
16.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches
15 x 8 x 4 inches
Hypoallergenic
Conclusion
Gel-infused memory foam helps you to feel cool when sleeping and it has a fully-adjustable design too
It provides excellent back and head support, has cool air channels and it uses antimicrobial material
Sturdy memory foam pillow with a breathable cover that comes with a 20 years warranty too
Made to provide proper neck support, has a heat-reducing cover and has a 10-year warranty too
Balanced between fluffy and firmness for comfort, while it comes with a 1 year warranty too
Read More Reviews
Best Overall
Product
Preview
Product Dimension
36 x 20 x 4.5 inches
Hypoallergenic
Conclusion
Gel-infused memory foam helps you to feel cool when sleeping and it has a fully-adjustable design too
Read More Reviews
Product
Preview
Product Dimension
24 x 16 x 3 inches
Hypoallergenic
Conclusion
It provides excellent back and head support, has cool air channels and it uses antimicrobial material
Read More Reviews
Best Rated
Product
Preview
Product Dimension
16.8 x 6.7 x 6.3 inches
Hypoallergenic
Conclusion
Sturdy memory foam pillow with a breathable cover that comes with a 20 years warranty too
Read More Reviews
Product
Preview
Product Dimension
16.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches
Hypoallergenic
Conclusion
Made to provide proper neck support, has a heat-reducing cover and has a 10-year warranty too
Read More Reviews
Product
Preview
Product Dimension
15 x 8 x 4 inches
Hypoallergenic
Conclusion
Balanced between fluffy and firmness for comfort, while it comes with a 1 year warranty too
Read More Reviews
Last update on 2020-02-24 from Amazon Product Advertising API
My Pillow is a renowned manufacturer of pillows, based in Minnesota. Since its founding in 2005, it has sold over 25 million pillows. This brand is acknowledged for its high-quality products, with good customer reviews, which are becoming more and more widespread.
MyPillow® does produce mattresses, bed sheets and other sleep essentials such as the famous MyPillow mattress topper but the crown jewel are their pillows. Here’s what’s special about these pillows. What makes them truly unique is the four different fill levels to choose from when you are buying them. Each level is engineered provide comfortable relief to all kinds of sleepers no matter what position you like to sleep in. So, there’s a pillow for everyone.
What's shocking is that MyPillow paid around $1000,000 as a result of a lawsuit for creating deceptive advertisement few years back (2016). After reading a huge deal of information relating to the case, we are of the opinion that MyPillow did not choose their words correctly and might, to a certain extent, did not support the claims with sufficient research evidence.
However, it's probably still one of the best pillows (at least according to the majority) available in the market at affordable prices. While the claims made by MyPillow might not be backed by extensive research and documentation (back then), they indeed received a ton of positive reviews from customers and many of them claimed that this pillow actually help them sleep better.
In fact, we found that MyPillow uses excellent quality materials, originating from the US only (which is pretty rare these days considering the fact that most products are now manufactured in China).
If you read this entire post, you will fully understand what My Pillow has to offer, are the complaints real and how to choose one that suits you perfectly.
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About the My Pillow Brand and Its Owner Michael J. Lindell
Owned by Michael J. Lindell, MyPillow, Inc. is a company that manufactures open-cell, poly-foam pillows in Chaska, Minnesota. Its story is somewhat interesting, with the inventor’s journey to come across the right pillow to suit a particular person’s needs.
Once he discovered that even the more expensive memory foam pillows would go flat over time, leaving him with a sore arm and a stiff neck in the morning, he decided that it was high time for him to create his pillows.
Lindell’s dream was to find a pillow that would not lose its shape over time and would remain cool at night. He also wanted to be able to wash it in the washing machine and dry it in the dryer. Eventually, after experimenting with various fills and formulas, he designed what he called “the perfect pillow” in the summer of 2004.
After that, MyPillow ads started appearing everywhere on TV. You probably even heard it, and never even realize that you’ve known it. The biggest giveaway is Lindell’s enthusiasm and passion for MyPillow.
The pillow gained a lot of success with the ads and infomercials. With a 10-year warranty, this pillow was designed to be durable, as well as rid you of back and neck pain.
My Pillow Controversy and Complaints
MyPillow is a product that went through a lot of controversies; some people claimed it was heaven on earth, others were confused and angry. Why’s that, you may ask? It’s because of their “Buy one, get one free” deal. Consumers claim that it’s “false advertising,” and that they should be more honest.
When Lindell refused the BBB’s (Better Business Bureau’s) suggestion to discontinue the offer, they brought the company’s rating from an A+ to an F. The problem wasn’t the offer; the problem was that they had it for too long already.
Lindell was also sued for the claim that this pillow could help with fibromyalgia and sleep – which according to several testimonials, it wasn’t true. While not admitting to any faults, Lindell still paid the $1 million penalties but remained faithful to his belief.
He believed that in both cases, the others were wrong and that all he wanted to do was to give people the best deal possible. He claims that the company is nothing more than a platform for a better cause – one that he would use to help other people worldwide.
In our opinion, MyPillow should be more careful in selecting the right words to be used in their advertorials. Their products are great but the laws generally require claims to be backed by formally conducted research. Even if you have thousands of positive reviews claiming how great your product is, you are still at fault if you use these claims in advertorials without backing them up.
The point of this section is not to criticize My Pillow legally, but rather, examine if the product itself is good and are the complaints around the web about My Pillow real.
Selection of the right pillow might be complicated
After asking a few My Pillow readers and going through reviews available online, most negative feedback and complains arise due to the complication of selecting the right fill level of the pillow.
Unlike other pillows in the market, My Pillow offers four different fill levels to suit different individuals based on prominent sleeping positions, weights and other factors. If you don't make sure you select the suitable fill, it will be a nightmare since the pillow might be too thin or thick.
Having said that, you don't have to worry as we will be showing you exactly how to choose the right fill below. But first of all, let's understand the core function this pillow serves.
Buying The Pillow From Third Party Retailers (eg: Amazon)
For this particular pillow, it seems that the quality of the pillows vary if you purchase it directly from My Pillow website versus other third party retailers like Amazon. In fact, on Amazon, you will notice that there are quite a number of negative reviews claiming that the product does not work as many others claim.
One of the readers bought an identical pillow with the same level of fill (green) from My Pillow website and Amazon. She noticed that the pillow from Amazon flattens almost after one night and the quality between both pillows differs greatly. She sent me a photo which you could have a look below.
I suspect that the cause for this problem is that there are other manufactures hijacking this listing with their own version of my pillow, thus the difference in quality. Again, I have no concrete evidence to back this statement up, but it's something that happens to other product listing on Amazon as well.
Therefore, I strongly recommend that you buy these pillows from their official website since you know the product is 100% genuine, plus you get a much greater support and price.
How My Pillow Works
The idea of MyPillow is to keep your spine in a line as straight as possible. Many pillows out there, even memory foam ones, will eventually lose their shape – making you use your hand for support.
However, My Pillow was designed to keep its shape. Since your head will receive complete support, you will no longer be waking up in the middle of the night to adjust the pillow.
This item was meant to offer relief from various sleeping issues so that you may have an uninterrupted sleep that lasts a whole night.
Materials Used In MyPillow
The MyPillow® pillows are generally made from the same materials, their distinctions begin at their internal filling that caters to your own preferences based off your natural sleeping position and your general person i.e. gender, age and body size for the utmost comfort when you sleep.
These items are also made to be dust mite resistant, non-allergenic, machine-washable and also dryable. It’s seemingly a great thing to have around if you want something easy to maintain.
The pillow has been also reputably known to emit a cooling effect as you sleep as well. So, if you’re a hot sleeper, this might come in handy.
Cover Fabric – Pure Cotton
The cover fabric of each pillow is made from pure cotton for the softness and breathability. There’s no crinkling when your head rubs against the soft cotton when you sleep. Anything to make sure you have a good night’s rest every night. MyPillow® also carries a range of 100% Giza cotton pillowcases in an array of designs and colours to choose from so you get to customise your pillows to your bedroom setting.
On a side note, if you like to have a travel pillow with you during long haul flights or road trips, you should definitely try the Roll & GoAnywhere™ MyPillow®, a smaller version of the MyPillow® that you can place on top of any other pillow to get the benefits of a normal MyPillow®. This also comes in an array of colours and pillowcases to choose from.
Filling – Easily Sculpted To Your Preferred Shape
The filling, being the star feature of this pillow, is a mouldable polyurethane foam that makes for easy shaping and folding. It’s the same type of foam you’d find in a regular memory foam pillow. In MyPillow®, however, it is not a pillow-shaped chunk of polyfoam that’s underneath the cover but rather pieces of shredded polyfoam instead.
This is what makes the pillow so easy to fluff and has a bouncier fell to it and does not just return to its rectangular shape. You can sculpt a MyPillow® into the perfect shape to aid you to slumber. It stays in shape the entire night without needing you to wake up halfway to fluff it back up.
Whether you like to fold your pillow or sculpt it to your liking, you can wager that MyPillow® will be able to sustain the perfect position for you to sleep well. Because each fill level is different, the support and relief factor will vary amongst the four choices.
The lesser the fill, the softer and flatter the pillow might be. It is a matter of preference and suitability of the person that determines which fill will benefit you for the quest for a good night’s sleep.
Four Fill Levels – Most Unique Feature As Compared To Other Pillows
In order to tell the difference between these fills, they’re colour coded as yellow, white, green and blue. Yellow being the lowest fill to blue being the highest fill. As the fill level increases, you’ll experience the extra bounce and firmness that will cater to the varying sleeping positions of the masses.
- Yellow is known as the least firm of the four categories, meaning it would be the softest and flattest so it’s the easiest to shape and mould to your liking.
- White is the medium fill, still easy to mould but with a little for support.
- Green is more fill, firmer and hold its shape.
- Lastly, blue is the firmest pillow of the four fill levels and provides the most support.
Yellow Fill – Great For Stomach Sleepers
People who sleep on their stomachs would be well suited to a softer and flatter pillow making the yellow fill ideal for their preferences. It allows you to lay perfectly flat whilst still supporting your spine from being strained. The yellow fill level pillow is also the easiest to sculpt and fold to your preference to achieve optimum comfort.
Your weight is evenly distributed across the pillow and if you’re the type to grasp your pillow from underneath whilst sleeping on your stomach, the risk of a cramp or numbness is low due to the lightness of the yellow fill pillow. Due to its lightness and breathability, the yellow fill level doesn’t trap a lot of heat throughout the night so hot spots aren’t something you to be worried about.
White Fill – Stomach and Back Sleepers
For those who prefer a little more loft and support, the white fill is ideal as it is similar to the yellow fill but has enough structure to cater to people who need a bit more elevation to sleep on their stomachs or backs as this fill level has a medium fill that is soft. The white fill level pillow gives an elevation for your neck, so you don’t lay completely flat and maintains the best posture for your sleep.
This also helps if you sleep on your back to promote better breathing as you sleep. It is still very much soft and lightweight with a firmer feel.
Green Fill – Great For Side Sleepers And Heavier Individuals (Still Mouldable)
The firmer variety of pillows which are the green and blue fills are generally recommended to side sleepers and larger build people to give them optimal support by cradling their necks as they sleep. The green fill level is firmer and fuller than the yellow and white fills.
The fluffiness is still maintained throughout the green fill level pillow but feels more like what a regular memory foam pillow would feel like.
For a side sleeper, you can expect excellent support for your neck because the pressure is evenly spread out to hold you in place as you sleep. There is no need to worry about being sore in the morning. You can really feel the shredded polyfoam work in this fill level when you lay down on it because the fill effortlessly shifts within itself to cater to your sleep position.
Feel free to move things around too because although the green fill level is firm, it is still very much mouldable to your comfort.
Blue Fill – Maximum Support But Are Hotter And Inflexible
Now to the blue fill level. It is the firmest and fullest fill of all four categories. The tightly packed polyfoam inside the cotton cover has lesser mobility to give you firmer support as you lay on your back or side. Your head will be evenly propped up to relief pressure off your shoulders. This can help you relax as you doze off.
If you’re off a heavier or larger build and generally prefer to sleep on your side, this fill level would most likely be the most suitable for you. Be warned that, because its so compact, the tighter fill of green and blue fill levels tend to trap a significant amount of heat despite the cooling effect that it supposedly emits throughout the night. So, you may need to flip the pillow mid-sleep if it gets a little too hot.
Quiz To Determine The Right MyPillow Fill Level
Again, one of the main reasons customers have complains with MyPillow is because they did not select the right fill level. MyPillow quickly addresses this issue by introducing a self-assessment system. You can take a short quiz that asks for important details on MyPillow website in which you will be suggested a suitable fill level according to the details provided.
Otherwise, there is also a fit guide available on the MyPillow® website so you can have a quick reference as to what fill type would generally suit you best. This guide is a simplified version in which T-shirt sizes are used as a basis to determine the right fill. I would highly recommend you take the quiz instead since it’s much more comprehensive and accurate. I included the guide below though.
Note: It is also recommended that you spin the pillow in a dryer on a cool setting for 15 minutes before using it to achieve maximum fluffiness and bounciness. So, don’t be surprised when you receive your package and the pillows are looking a little flat. Just throw them in a dryer and experience the magic of MyPillow®. You can also do this when your pillow starts looking a little flat to fluff it back up again.
Despite the different fill levels, the pillows generally tend to look the same outside so the different fills are labelled on the pillow tag, usually corresponding to the colour codes of the fill levels. So, its yellow text for the yellow fill, black text for the white fill, green text for the green fill and blue text for the blue fill.
T-Shirt | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
XXXl | Blue | Blue |
XXl | Green | Blue |
Xl | Green | Green |
Large | White | Green |
Medium | White | White |
Small | Yellow | White |
***Important: Keep in mind that if you are accustomed to sleeping on down or feather pillows, then you may want to bring the hardness down one color notch. For instance, if the chart says that you need a “white,” you may be better off with a “yellow” one.
Which Series Should You Consider?
Like many other great product, MyPillow offers different models with slight difference in terms of the quality of materials used. In this post, I will be going through only the most popular models as well as the ones worth buying.
MyPillow® Premium – This is currently the best-selling pillow among the wide range of pillows offered by MyPillow. As mentioned above, this pillow consists of patented interlocking fill as well as covers with gusseted sidewalls which provides better comfort and support. Simply put, it offers the best value for money.
MyPillow® Classic – This series is pretty much the same as above. It’s one of the very first version created by MyPillow but has thinner fill and lack of the gusseted sidewalls. In my opinion, MyPillow Premium is the upgraded version and should be chosen if you are serious about getting a great pillow. That said, this series is slightly cheaper and seems to have demand which explains why it wasn’t discontinued.
MyPillow® Giza Elegance – On top of the features offered by the premium series, this series features a higher quality cover made of 100% Giza-88 long-staple cotton. On a side note, this series is more of a limited edition series and you have to check for it’s availability. That said, the feedback from our readers is that both Giza Elegance and Premium feel rather similar. Personally, I will stick with the Premium series.
Pricing – Offers Great Value For Money
Before going into the pros and cons of this pillow, it’s worth noting that MyPillow pillows offers many benefits and customization that standard pillows in the market don’t offer, yet priced much cheaper compared to high-end pillows that normally cost over a hundred bucks each. MyPillow® prices generally range from $60-$100 per pillow depending on the size and model.
Having that said, as Bedding Pal readers, you will get even further discounts (check more below).
I just can’t stress how much value you will get from such a low price point. It’s pretty much a steal to me.
The Pros Of My Pillow
On top of all the benefits discussed above, let’s explore other advantages this product has to offer. I would also like to reiterate on the single largest benefit this product has over other pillows in the market.
Great Customization – Largest Benefit
With the variety of different fill levels to choose from and the varying affects you get from each type of fill it’s something you have to try and experience. Having the option to buy a product that can cater to your specific sleeping position and body type to get a good night’s sleep is always a plus in anyone’s opinion.
The perks of having this pillow in your life are quite substantial and would definitely cater to your need to get proper sleep every night. The chances of you not enjoying your purchases are relatively low as the responses to the product have been very positive in the mass market. So, MyPillow® is doing something right.
60-Day Money Back Guarantee
You don’t have to get too stressed about having to commit to a product that you’re trying for maybe the first time because MyPillow® prides themselves in having a 60-day money back guarantee if you, on the off-chance, don’t like the product. All you have to do is send the pillow back to them and you’ll be refunded.
That’s a pretty good deal for the more discerning customers and you can make a purchase without feeling too sceptical about the outcome of your experience with the product should it be an unsatisfactory one.
Furthermore, if you happen to pick the wrong fill level, you could very well return it and or opt for a replacement.
Convenient To Maintain – You Can Use The Washing Machine
If you are like me, you would love how easy it is to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of these pillows. Prior to this, dry cleaning is the only feasible way to clean pillows but My Pillow offers something better. You can actually wash these pillows through washing machine. In fact, complete washing instructions are provided alongside the pillows.
That’s seemingly rare for a lot of pillow brands in the market. Again for the low price point, I am surprised that the pillows are washable.
If you have kids or keep pets around you, this is an invaluable feature to have.
How About The Cons?
The truth is, nothing is perfect. In fact, most of the times there will be certain trade-off. It really just boils down to what you want and the trade-off you are willing to take.
Clump Formation Is Possible
While the filling in MyPillow® is similar to the regular off-the-rack memory foam pillows, the polyfoam filling in a MyPillow® pillow is shredded. This makes the pillow more mouldable and easier to fold so its comfortable with your sleeping position. The pillows do have tendency to clump up in certain spot leaving you lying on a bumpy surface.
Not Fully Customizable
Although there are four categories of fillings to choose from, it is not exactly adjustable since you have to choose from one of the predetermined options. This is not necessarily a terrible thing as the four categories of fill levels that MyPillow® provides are pre-examined and determined to cater to almost everyone. So, you’re most likely to find one that suits you best.
That said, if you are extremely sensitive to different fill levels and would require to customize the fill yourself, you can’t really do that with My Pillow as there is no zipper attached to the pillow.
Doesn’t Look Pretty When Delivered
The packaging the MyPillow® pillow arrives in is somewhat more to be desired. They arrive at your doorstep in what looks like a giant vacuum sealed burrito and once you pull it out, you would be required to spin it in a dryer for 15 minutes on high heat before you’re able to use it. While this is not necessarily inconvenient, all expectation of using the pillow right away is out of the question.
It’s understandable given that it’s being shipped to your doorstep and you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your pillows as they get to you hence the burrito shaped package. Nonetheless, this is something to consider whilst you make our purchase.
That said, all these will not effect the long-term performance of the pillows and should not be a huge issue.
Cooling Effect Is Less Satisfactory For Blue Fill (thickest fill)
To all the hot sleepers out there, you may want to be wary that MyPillow® pillows are not as cooling as you’d expect. While they do say that the pillow has natural cooling effects, this might be exclusive to the lesser filled option for the pillow i.e. the yellow and white fill levels.
The firmer fills especially the thickest grade (blue) have the tendency to trap a fair amount of heat as the shredded internal polyfoam filling is more tightly packed. Lying in the same spot on the pillow may encourage the overheating and you would be required to twist and turn in your sleep.
So, there’s probably a considerable amount of pillow flipping involved if you are a very hot sleeper.
Final Verdict
I tried to provide as many disadvantages as I could gather from my own experience and the feedback of other My Pillow users but I would like to point out that these flaws aren’t that serious. The advantages you could derive from this pillow far outweighs the disadvantages and if you consider the price, this is a steal.
Overall, MyPillow® pillows are of very good quality and if you are a consumer who requires a specific product that caters a bit more exclusively to your specific standpoint, it is definitely worth the try. MyPillow® products are affordable and have garnered a positive repo amongst its customers. The product is not gimmicky and seems to do its job of making sure you sleep better. It’s proudly made in the U.S.A with locally sourced materials.
Other than that, MyPillow® does offer a range of attributes that seems to make it a worthwhile purchase. They guarantee that the pillows adjust to your exact individual needs regardless of your sleep positions be it on your stomach, side or back. You can have a pillow fitted to your sleeping style by referring to the handy fit guide available on the website so you can determine what fill level in a pillow suit you best. The interlocking fill is patented so you can’t experience the feel of a MyPillow® pillow elsewhere.
Aside from that, there’s a 10-year warranty attached to every pillow you buy so any defective pillow you buy will get replaced with a new one of same or greater value. If you don’t like the product, there’s also a 60-day Money Back Guarantee so there’s no reason to have second thoughts to try this pillow out. Should you be dissatisfied with the pillow, you can just return it within 60 days and be refunded for it.
FAQ
1. Is MyPillow® any good?
My Pillow is designed to improve your sleep by providing you with a pillow that is tailor made to your comfort. As such, there are four different fill level to choose from as discussed above. You have to choose your preferred fill correctly to be able to take full advantage of this pillow.
Most complaints I came across arise simply because they didn’t select the right fill and therefore find the pillow uncomfortable. If you follow the guide stated above and use the assessment process provided by My Pillow, you should be able to determine the most suitable fill level for you.
Overall, My Pillow is one of the best pillows offering the most value for money, and it’s pretty affordable as well.
Update: Due to recent deterioration in quality, I can no longer vouch for My Pillows products, not just the pillows. Check comment area for more details of the complaints.
2. Do all pillowcases work?
MyPillow® recommends that the pillowcases used for a MyPillow® pillow be 100% cotton cases with open ends as cotton is very breathable and soft. As the pillow has a cooling effect, any other pillowcase of different fabric or blend may promote more heat trapping within the pillow. It is also not recommended that you use a pillow protector as a MyPillow® pillow is completely washable.
3. How is a My Pillow different from any other pillow?
MyPillow® pillows are patented with a 3-piece interlocking fill that supports your head and neck as you sleep. Unlike other pillows in the market, the filling in it is a shredded polyfoam which is what gives the MyPillow® pillow is mouldable qualities. You can adjust the shape of the pillow by fluffing it and folding it to your preference. You can also choose between the different fill levels provided to further determine what suits you best depending on your sleep positions. The versatility of MyPillow® is not one you’ll find elsewhere.
Must Read Before You Go!
Its time to conclude our reviews of my pillow. Indeed, this will be a very comfortable item for you. The common complaint is, however, that it will lose shape eventually – but it will also “puff back to life” when you put it in the dryer. That’s probably why the manufacturer recommends washing it every two or three months.
Make sure you select the firmness level carefully. If in doubt, go for standard pillow as it perfectly suits to most of the people.
Do you have any experience about My Pillow to share with us? More inputs will help others make a better buying decision. Please share with us through the comment area below.
Hope, the article helped. If you are looking for more, check our epic guide to buying the best pillows. Enjoy!
About the Author Jessica Larsen
I am a big advocate that having a great sleep is something everyone deserves. With over 10 years of experience in this field, I would love to use this platform as a means to help you achieve a good night sleep.
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