Down pillows – buying guide & care tips

Explained in the guide: How to find the right down pillow & ensure that it remains hygienic. With instructions and expert tips on washing and drying.

Are you considering buying a down pillow, but not sure if it is the right choice?

Or do you already have a down pillow and would like to know how to wash and dry it properly or when it is even advisable to buy a new pillow?

Then you are right here.

In this article you will find answers to the following questions, among others:

  • Is a down pillow right for me?
  • Are down pillows suitable for babies and allergy sufferers?
  • How can I wash and dry my down pillow without it smelling or clumping?

I will also explain all the advantages and disadvantages of down pillows and show you my price-performance winners in various categories.

You will find all the important points in detail below.

Advantages & disadvantages of down pillows

To find out whether a down pillow is the right choice for you, you should consider whether you are more likely to freeze at night or get too warm quickly.

Down pillows generally have a warming effect.

In addition, due to its softness and malleability, the pillow is not very suitable as a neck support – unless it is filled with a mixture of down and feathers.

You can find more about this in the chapter on the different variants, materials and fillings.

 Advantages of down pillows:

  • Natural material
  • Has a warming effect, well suited for people who freeze quickly
  • Very soft and fluffy with good care
  • Can be easily shaped and individually shaped
  • Good microclimate: absorbs moisture and releases it to the outside

Disadvantages of down pillows:

  • Not very ergonomic
  • Warming effect: can also be annoying
  • Missing support function (depends on the proportion of feathers)
  • Not elastic, has to be shaken up
  • Vulnerable to dust mites
  • Not suitable for people who tend to sweat

The choice of the right pillow is therefore individually different. You can find alternatives to down pillows in the expert guide on pillows.

3 types of down pillows

Not all down pillows are the same. The filling material differs from manufacturer to manufacturer.

 

There are pillows that are filled with:

  1. 100% goose down
  2. Mixed down and feathers
  3. Organic down

A pillow made from 100% down is usually very soft and easy to shape.

If you prefer a pillow that gives your cervical spine more support, consider a feathered down pillow. Because the quills in the feathers make the pillow feel firmer.

Organic down is bought from companies with an ecological focus. It should be noted, however, that an organic certificate does not necessarily say anything about animal welfare.

If you want to buy an animal-friendly pillow, you should search for pillows with the keyword “without live plucking” on Amazon.

This means that the feathers are not plucked from the geese while they are still alive.

Info : An EU procedure is currently underway on the subject of live plucking. Read more about this in the article Goose Down Profit & EU .

The three-chamber down pillow

Another variant of the down pillow that is a bit more luxurious is the down pillow with three chambers.

A pillow made of pure down is very soft, but also collapses more easily.

 

If you want a pillow that gives your neck better support, but still doesn’t want to forego the benefits of goose down, the 3-chamber down pillow could be the right choice for you.

The pillow combines the advantages of down and feathers.

  • As the name suggests, these are stored in three separate chambers.
  • The chambers with the down feathers are always on the outside of the pillow.
  • So your head is always softly bedded, even if you want to change the pillow side for a change at night.

Nevertheless, your neck will benefit from the increased supportive effect of the quills in the core of the pillow.

Find the right size

Down pillows are available in different sizes. The following are customary in the trade:

  • 80×80
  • 80×40
  • 40×40
  • 40×60
  • 50×50

Size shouldn’t be the deciding factor when choosing your down pillow.

Nevertheless, I would recommend that you use a larger pillow if you buy a pure down pillow – this way you can still fold it up easily if you want to lie a little higher.

This is useful, for example, if, like me, you are someone who likes to read a few pages in bed in the evening before going to sleep – depending on the thickness and size of the book, it can be a feat of strength to hold the book above your head!

Then it’s easier to lean against a thicker pillow. This is also how you avoid waking up with the pages of the last Harry Potter volume on your face.

 

Tip for parents : large down pillows can also be used as a blanket for the stroller – so your little baby is guaranteed to stay warm in the first few months! And you can continue to use the pillow yourself afterwards.

Which down pillow is right for you?

In this chapter I present down pillows for different needs. The pillows have all convinced me during my research.

The right pillow for your child

If you want to purchase the down pillow for your (small) child, I would of course recommend a smaller size.

 

The suitable pillows for children usually come in the sizes 40 × 40 and 40 × 60.

A great pillow for children is, for example, the three-chamber pillow from Hanskruche with the sweet name “Comforter”, which can even be washed at 60 degrees – so it is also suitable for allergy sufferers!

House dust mites die at a washing temperature of 60 degrees or more.

 

Down pillows for babies and toddlers

Newborns usually lie best without a pillow.

 

But when your child is a few months old and can move around independently while sleeping, it is time for the first pillow.

If you want to know which pillow is best for your toddler and whether a down pillow is the right choice at all, I recommend this detailed article on pillows for babies and toddlers.

For side sleepers and pregnant women

If you ‘re a side sleeper, you definitely need a pillow that gives your neck good support.

 

Attention, side sleepers! This pillow isn’t just for you if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

Because it also relieves your spine and is a patient cuddle partner (who does not move or sweat).

 

Personally, I also think it’s great that it is filled with goose down that was not plucked from living animals – because that is very painful for the animals.

Who wants to dream on a pillow the manufacture of which is associated with animal pain?

You can also place your baby on the pillow while breastfeeding – and then continue to use it as a side pillow .

For vegans and allergy sufferers

If you flinch at the thought of plucked geese or if you are allergic, but still do not want to do without the classic pillow, you are not lost.

 

The vegan pillow consists of microfibers that are supposed to imitate the feeling of the down pillow.

It can also be washed at 60 degrees. This safely removes mite excrement, which is dangerous for allergy sufferers.

Info : If you are allergic to house dust mites, you should make sure that your down pillow can be washed at 60 ° C.

But beware! Not all down pillows are so easy to clean in the washing machine. If you want to know how to properly wash your down pillow, read on.

Wash & dry down pillows

To ensure that you don’t have any misfortune when washing and drying your down pillow, simply follow these instructions for proper care and cleaning.

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You will also learn what it means if your down pillow stinks, be it before or after you wash it.

To avoid unnecessary cleaning mistakes, the following tips and methods will help you.

Wash down pillows properly

Down pillows should be washed at least every two years. Not only because the pillowcase turns yellow from night sweats and saliva .

You can wash down pillows in the washing machine. But also make sure to shake it out thoroughly every day so that the feathers don’t clump together.

Insider tip from Ms. Holle : give the pillow a good shake every morning! Otherwise the down will clump together and the pillow will lose its so-called “fluffiness”.

When washing in the washing machine, there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to prevent your pillow from becoming lumpy or smelling unpleasant.

  • Regular washing : every 2 years
  • Before washing : check for holes in the pillowcase
  • Temperature : observe the care label, otherwise not more than 40 ° C
  • For allergy sufferers : wash at 60 ° C if the material allows it
  • Detergent: curd soap or a little wool or mild detergent
  • Fabric softener: do not use on down pillows!

Also, put a clean sneaker or tennis ball in the washing drum to keep the feathers from clumping.

Dry down pillows properly

Efficient and careful drying is just as important as the right laundry. You can make down pillows with and without a dryer ready for bed again.

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If your pillow is not completely dry, it can cause the inside of it to go moldy after a while. And that’s exactly why it starts to stink.

And even slight unpleasant smells have a negative effect on a healthy and restful sleep.

This is an annoying reason to buy a new pillow.

To avoid this, here are a few more practical tips for drying the down pillow properly:

With dryer

  • Dry towels in the dryer shorten the drying time.

Without a dryer

  • Do not dry in the blazing sun, this will damage the feathers.
  • Do not hang it on the clothesline, otherwise the down will clump together.
  • Correct: lay down horizontally in a dry place and shake it up every now and then.

Even if you take great care of your down pillow, we recommend buying a new one after a few years.

You can tell whether you need a new pillow, for example, when the fluffiness decreases, that is, when the pillow is no longer so fluffy.

Isn’t cleaning and maintaining a down pillow too complicated for you? Then take a look at the pillow guide .

There you will find all the advantages and disadvantages of different pillows and you can quickly find out which one suits you best.

Conclusion

As you can see, not all down pillows are created equal. Three different filling materials and three-chamber down pillows differ in quality and comfort.

 

  • It is best to make sure when choosing that the down feathers do not come from living animals.
  • As an alternative, you can also choose a vegan variant made of down-like material.

Then choose the right size and ensure good pillow hygiene. Since you can wash down pillows in the washing machine and many are even suitable for the dryer, they are easy to care for.

My personal favorite in the down pillow test is the 3-chamber down pillow by Sandaro:

 

However, allergy sufferers should be careful, as down pillows are susceptible to dust mites. If you sweat a lot at night, I advise you to look for other types of pillows , as down has a warming effect.

More tips for a better sleep

If you are looking for more tips on sleeping and the right bedding, feel free to continue browsing this page. It is not only the right pillow that is important for your sleep health.

The right mattress , mattress topper , duvets and the optimal temperature in the bedroom also ensure greater sleeping comfort.

  • If you want to know what else you can do for a good night’s sleep, be sure to take a look at the Better Sleep section .
  • You can also find the most important news from sleep research on this page – interesting information that can significantly improve your quality of life.
  • Other issues that are very important are sleep problems and sleep disorders .

Have fun browsing!

I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.

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