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After launching in 2015 with its first mattress, Purple has consistently expanded its offerings with diverse mattresses, sheets, and a line of pillows. The Purple Pillow is its flagship model and features the company’s Purple Grid, a specialty material also found in the Purple Mattress.
Along with a core made of the Purple Grid, the Purple Pillow includes two foam boosters that are removable, providing flexibility to adjust its loft and feel. This mix of materials makes the Purple Pillow a strong performer for comfort, durability, and temperature regulation.
Purple’s pillow offerings include three models in addition to the flagship Purple Pillow:
The Purple Harmony Pillow, a luxury design that has a core of bouncy Talalay latex sandwiched between layers of the Purple Grid.
The Purple Plush Pillow, which is filled with interlocking balls of polyester and can be adjusted to have a firmer or fluffier feel.
The Kid Purple Pillow, which, like the standard Purple Pillow, is composed of the Purple Grid but in a smaller size that’s a better fit for children.
All of the pillow options are made with breathable materials in the cover to enhance their temperature control. While the loft of many Purple pillows can be modified, each model is offered in only one size for length and width.
We’ll focus on the flagship Purple Pillow and break down its construction, pricing, performance, and how well it suits different types of sleepers.
The Purple Pillow is an attractive option for people seeking the distinct feel provided by the Purple Grid. This material, known as a hyper-elastic polymer, responds to the weight of your head and neck and quickly springs back to its normal shape when that weight is removed.
The Purple Grid’s ability to adapt to pressure makes it a solid option for both side and back sleepers who need more support from their pillow in order to maintain a comfortable neck angle.
The two removable polyfoam boosters make the Purple Pillow adjustable, so it’s easier to find the ideal height and feel to suit your needs. The Purple Grid conforms to the contours of your neck and head to provide a better fit for your body.
Another benefit of the Purple Pillow is its ability to stay cool. Air moves easily through the Purple Grid. This ventilation, combined with a stretchy and breathable cover, resists heat retention.
We’ll go into detail about the flagship Purple Pillow, but also include information about Purple’s other pillow models to give you more context for comparison.
A starting point for understanding Purple’s pillows is looking at the available sizes, pillow loft, and the materials that make up the interior and the cover.
Each pillow is available in just one size option. Except for the Kid Purple Pillow, the dimensions correspond to, but are slightly smaller than, a typical standard pillow (26” x 20”).
| Product | Size Options | Loft | Interior Materials | Cover Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Purple Pillow | 24” x 16” | 3” to 4.5” | 3” Purple Grid (Hyper-Elastic Polymer) 1” Removable Polyfoam Booster. 5” Removable Polyfoam Booster |
88% Polyester, 9% Spandex, 3% Nylon |
| The Purple Harmony Pillow | 26” x 17” | 6.5” or 7.5” | Talalay Latex Core Purple Grid (Hyper-Elastic Polymer) | 92% Nylon, 8% Spandex |
| The Purple Plush Pillow | 24” x 16” | 7” | Interlocking Polyester Fiber Puff Balls | 60% Lyocell, 40% Nylon |
| The Kid Purple Pillow | 18” x 13” | 3.25” | Purple Grid (Hyper-Elastic Polymer) | 88% Polyester, 9% Spandex, 3% Nylon |
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The market for pillows spans a huge price range, but most pillows cost between $20 and $200. Price differences relate to the loft, interior construction, cover materials, and other features and design details. More expensive pillows typically include higher-end materials or a more complex and intricate design.
The pillow offerings from Purple are competitively priced. The flagship Purple Pillow costs less than the luxe Purple Harmony Pillow. Both of these pillows include the specialty Purple Grid material, making them more expensive than the Purple Plush Pillow, which has polyester fill.
The Kid Purple Pillow uses the Purple Grid but has a lower price tag because of its smaller size.
The price for the Purple Pillow includes two removable boosters. Additional boosters can be purchased separately for an extra charge.
Purple Pillow Pricing
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Purple Pillow | $109 |
| Purple Harmony Pillow | $159 |
| Purple Plush Pillow | $49 |
| Kid Purple Pillow | $69 |
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Performance is an essential factor to consider when shopping for a new pillow. How a pillow supports your head and neck, whether it stays cool, and how well it holds up over time are examples of the key aspects of performance that can determine whether a pillow is the right fit for you.
Based on its design and materials, the Purple Pillow stands out in several categories. It holds its shape extremely well and does not require constant fluffing to maintain its loft. It resists heat buildup, making it a good choice for people who want to keep their head cool during the night. The Purple Grid is well-built, providing durability and meeting a high level of performance night after night.
The Purple Grid inside the pillow effectively adapts to your head and neck without too much sink, allowing you to settle into a comfortable position without feeling engulfed by the pillow. Its supportiveness makes it easier to keep your neck and spine in proper alignment.
We’ll break down the performance ratings for the Purple Pillow, which are distinct from the performance ratings for other Purple pillow offerings.
Purple Pillow
The Purple Grid is built-to-last, and in this pillow, it’s 3 inches thick, providing a robust core that resists sagging or sinking. The polyfoam boosters offer extra cushioning and reduce wear and tear. The fill is protected by the stretchy material in the cover, which also defends against tears and pilling.
The 3-inch Purple Grid in the Purple Pillow has a medium firm feel and is not adjustable. That said, one or both of the included polyfoam boosters can be added or removed by opening the pillow cover, allowing for firmness adjustments.
All of the materials of the Purple Pillow have excellent shape retention. The Purple Grid is robust, and although it lightly compresses to cushion your head, it quickly retakes its original shape. The polyfoam boosters are made with dense material to help hold their shape. As a result, you’ll rarely have to fluff this pillow or worry about its shape being deformed.
The flexibility and pliability of the Purple Grid allow it to be adjusted on-the-fly in order to make its shape suit your needs. This moldability is a plus for the Purple Pillow, letting you capitalize on the special characteristics of Purple’s hyper-elastic polymer.
The Purple Pillow’s materials, especially the Purple Grid, can respond to the weight of your head and neck, lightly cradling them to ensure that they get necessary support. However, the density of both the Purple Grid and the boosters hedge against excess hug or sinking.
Airflow is vital to keeping a pillow cool, and the Purple Grid creates an abundance of space for this cooling ventilation. The cover facilitates further breathability, allowing the Purple Pillow to resist building up excess heat during the night.
Most people will notice an odor from the Purple Pillow once it is removed from its packaging. Both the Purple Grid and the polyfoam boosters can have a light chemical scent that may be more detectable when your head is on the pillow. However, over a few days, the airflow through the pillow usually eliminates this scent.
There’s no universally accepted pillow that fits perfectly for every sleeper. Instead, it’s important to find the right match, and sleeping position and body weight are important factors to consider.
Side Sleepers
To keep their head and neck properly aligned, side sleepers need a pillow with enough loft to fill the space between their head and shoulder. Side sleepers with wider shoulders typically need even more loft. The Purple Pillow works well for side sleepers of any body weight because of its reliable shape and adjustable loft. Its moldability provides extra flexibility for achieving the right head and neck angle. The Purple Grid also prevents people with heavier or larger heads from feeling like their head is being swallowed by the pillow, while delivering pressure relief for a tailored feel.
Back Sleepers
Back sleepers normally need a pillow that has a low-to-medium loft level so that their neck doesn’t get pushed too far up or down and become hyperextended. Body weight can affect how much back sleepers sink into their mattress, which can influence the neck angle necessary for healthy spinal alignment. With the Purple Grid core that is supplemented by the removable polyfoam boosters, the Purple Pillow gives the right mix of loft and pressure relief for back sleepers who weigh between 130 and 230 pounds. Some people who have a lighter or heavier body weight may have issues with the loft level based on how much they sink into their mattress.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers are at risk of excess pressure on their neck if their pillow is too tall. A pillow that keeps their head high bends the neck too far backward, creating risks for neck pain and interrupted sleep. This bend can become exaggerated based on body size, especially for people who weigh more than 230 pounds and push further into their mattress. Because of its loft level and shape retention, the Purple Pillow is generally too tall and firm for stomach sleepers, including when the polyfoam boosters are removed.
Purple Pillow
| Under 130 lbs. | 130-230 lbs. | Over 230 lbs. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side Sleepers | Good | Good | Good |
| Back Sleepers | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Stomach Sleepers | Fair | Fair | Fair |
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The Purple Pillow can be purchased directly from Purple on their website. Online, it is also sold on Amazon. For in-store shopping, the Purple Pillow is available in most Mattress Firm stores.
Purple provides free ground shipping of the Purple Pillow to addresses within the contiguous United States. Shipping to Alaska or Hawaii may be available for an extra fee.
The Purple Pillow is delivered partially compressed so that it fits in a smaller box. After removing it from its packaging, it will quickly expand to its full size.
Purple offers a 100-night trial for the Purple Pillow. You can request a return at any point during this trial period and receive a full refund.
The Purple Pillow comes with a 1-year limited warranty. If the pillow is defective, Purple will either repair or replace it, but you may be responsible for shipping costs.
