I slept on 'The Perfect Pillow' for one year - is it worthy of the title?

When Silentnight called their latest release 'The Perfect Pillow' things could have gone two ways. In scenario one, they deliver on every sense of the name, creating a game-changing sleep essential. Or, they set a bar that's too high to meet. I'm relieved to say that it's definietly the former.

On my hunt for the perfect pillow (not exclusively Silentnight's), I've slept on a lot of different options. Memory foam, buckwheat, wool, feathers, gel - you name it, I've given it a go. Whilst some of the most premium models offered some degree of customizability, none mastered it quite like Silentnight.

With three different inserts to adjust the loft and firmness of The Perfect Pillow, this really does have something to offer every kind of sleeper. Not only is this one of the best cooling pillows on the market, it's a pretty universally impressive product.

First impressions

Silentnight sends The Perfect Pillow in, you guessed it, the perfect packaging. This means that you get a plastic storage bag to put any spare inserts, your old pillow, or some spare linen in. If you're going to make use of it, this is a great, sustainable way to package your pillow. If you'll throw it out, it's a waste of plastic, so try to find some use for it.

You can see in the picture that the packaging was almost bulging with the fill from the The Perfect Pillow. It's sent with three inserts of the same loft and dimensions, so when you pack the pillow with all three you can see that it's firm, plump, and lofty. It unzips in an L-shape, so you can easily take these out and load them in. I'll go deeper into the details of the filling in the composition section, but my first impression of this is that its going to be a good, dare I say perfect, pillow.

Composition

The outer case for the pillow feels soft and stretchy to touch. It's woven from microfibre which gives a very cosy, luxurious feeling. This is a good choice for a pillowcase if you want a soft, affordable option and it's also helpful if you want a low-maintenance, easy care fabric. The only downside of microfibre is that it can be quite hot to sleep on, so if you're struggling with night sweats and overheating, this might not be the most helpful choice. 

The zip runs around two sides of the pillow, the top and side, which makes it easy to unzip the case and take a peek inside. You'll see three pads inside, which Silentnight fills with their "signature soft and springy fibres". There's no denying that they do feel both soft and springy, but if you look into the fill, it's polyester. This isn't unusual; polyester is a good fill choice if you want a soft, fluffy, hypoallergenic feel. It's low maintenance too. but the only things to note are that it can clump over time and that it can be quite hot to sleep on in comparison to wool and gels. I've been sleeping on The Perfect Pillow for nearly a year and I haven't found it clumps or gets particualry hot, but that's because I use a cooling bamboo pillowcase to balance out the polyester fill.

Who would it suit?

The beauty of The Perfect Pillow is that it suits a lot of people. Three inserts are perfect for a back sleeper looking for medium-firm support, whilst one insert suited me, a front sleeper, really well. I don't think it does the extremes: a very firm or a very soft pillow as perfectly as it does versatility, but if you're not sure what you're after, this is a safe place to start.

The polyester and microfibres are a good choice from a maintenance and price perspective: they're easy to clean, naturally hypoallergenic, and not too expensive. However, they can be quite hot is you suffer from night sweats, so keep that front-of-mind when you're thinking about which pillow to choose. I found that I could balance out the heat with a cooling pillowcase (bamboo is a good choice), but if you get night sweats, it's not a coducive choice.

What is it like to sleep on?

I tested all the different pad options so that I could give you feedback on the different lofts and firmness options. I found that The Perfect Pillow did have great range from just the three pads. 

I'm a front sleeper who generally likes a thin pilllow, so I started out with one pad. This was really perfect for me. The soft fill had enough give to keep me aligned and it wasn't too tall or firm. If you're a front sleeper or you need a thin pillow, this is brilliant. 

After having two weeks of great sleep on the single pad, I added another. For this to be comfortable, I needed to sleep on my side and back. It was still a very soft pillow, but with a little more loft. I'd recommend it for people who want a feathery sink-in softness without having to pay the price of more expenisve down pillows. 

The final fill, which is all three pads is very lofty and it's quite firm too. I could only sleep on my back with this fill and it was great for when I was reading. It's not the firmest, tallest pillow that I've tested, but it's up there. Personally, it's too tall for me to keep using, but the height is great for back sleepers who need a lot of lift.

Is it cooling?

The Perfect Pillow doesn't claim to be cooling, but I always cover this section in my pillow reviews for those who have night sweats, hot flushes, or for generally hot sleepers. The microfibre case and polyester filling get cosy. In the winter, it was actually nice to have a pillow that kept my head at a good temperature, but when I was getting hot in the night, this only really enhanced it. It's a good choice for a winter pillow, but if you're using this in the summer, I'd recommend picking up a silk or bamboo pillowcase to help keep you cooler.

What are the eco-credentials?

It's not very fair to judge the eco-credentials of this against products such as the Woolroom Washable Deluxe Wool Pillow, but for those who are interested, here's my take. The Perfect Pillow comes with a two-year guarantee, but I think yours, if properly cared for, should last a lot longer. The polyester isn't biodegradable, but the same applies. If you use yours a lot and keep it as plump as possible, you'll be doing the best that you can for the environment.

How does it compare?

There are lots of customisable pillows creeping onto the market. Where Silentnight's Perfect Pillow used to stand alone, you'll find a few more competitors. None come with the easy pads of Silentnight's, so this wins top spot for how easy, clean, and convenient adjusting the firmness is. It's also low maintenance and very versatile, so I'd recommend it to anyone not sure on what they want from their pillow.

If you are a hot sleeper, however, we can do better than Silentnight. The polyester is naturally a very hot fibre, so you'll want an adjustable wool pillow. Generally, I'd recommend the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow. It's twice the price, but it's all natural and really effective at helping your body naturally regulate its temperature. You're worth the splurge.

Should you buy it?

I'd sleep soundly on The Perfect Pillow. The name is apt for just how customisable and versatile this is. The different pads make this low maintenance and clean, plus the price point is really competitive in the world of customisable pillows. My only word of warning is that it'll get quite hot to sleep on if you struggle with night sweats.

How we test

No pillow passes our tests without some serious sleeping. At woman&home, every pillow that we review is used by our experts for at least one month. The Perfect Pillow, as we speak, has been on my bed for nearly a year. I use it in rotation with some of our other pillows, but, safe to say, it's had a good trial.

When I'm sleeping on it, I track my sleep using apps and health trackers. I also make notes on how well rested I feel, any aches and pains, and whether I feel hot. I'll then get a second, third, and fourth opinion on the pillow, passing it round different sleepers going through different times in their lives. I always make sure that the pillow has been tested by at least one hot sleeper, because there's nothing more frustrating than a sweaty and sleepless night.

There's a lot of thought and time that goes into how we test pillows, so you can read more about it on our site, or you can ask me all your sleep-related questions. I love sleepy chatter.