Everyone knows that sleep is important, but it can be hard to come by. Whether you’ve got a big work presentation, had coffee too late in the day, or you have an uncomfortable bed setup, there’s a lot that can make or break a good night’s rest!
To that last point, your mattress, your sheets, and especially your pillow can make all the difference. As a self-professed expert sleeper, I’ve experienced firsthand the analysis (sleep) paralysis that occurs with all the pillow options out there.
Two popular pillows, Marlow’s The Pillow ($65) and Tempur-Pedic’s TEMPUR-Cloud® ($89), caught my eye, and I couldn’t resist trying them both out. Wanna know my favorite? 👇
If you want a pillow that has adjustable firmness… Marlow
If you’ve ever had to scrunch your pillow up to make it fluffier or beat it down to make it flatter, then you’ll understand how revolutionary it is to have an adjustable pillow like Marlow’s. With just a quick zip, you can adjust the plushness of your pillow: keep 2 zippers on each side zipped for max firmness, 1 zipper zipped for a happy medium, or both unzipped for a plush pillow.
Firmness is important depending on your sleep style: stomach sleepers often prefer flatter pillows, whereas side sleepers might prefer medium firmness. I like to sleep on my side and sometimes my stomach, and it’s so easy to adjust Marlow's pillow depending on my mood. 😴 The TEMPUR-Cloud® pillow is more one-size-fits-all.
If you want a cooling pillow… Marlow
When you hear the phrase “cooling memory foam,” it might conjure up bad memories of sleeping on uncomfortably dense pillows. But Marlow’s cooling gel-infused memory foam is not the memory foam of yesteryear. ❄️
This pillow is soft and breathable, which allows you to get the head and neck support you crave and the cooling feeling you need without sacrificing comfort. My hot sleeper husband loves the cooling effect, and I love that he doesn’t sweat as much while sleeping!
The TEMPUR-Cloud® wasn’t created to be cooling, and I was a little uncomfortable with how hot my face and neck felt throughout the night.
If you need a pillow to travel with… Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-pedic’s TEMPUR-Cloud® Pillow scrunches up easily, so you can roll it up and stash it in your duffel or in your suitcase. It’s also lightweight and not bulky, which is great for airplane sleeping (because getting good rest on a plane is hard, even in the window seat!).
However, Tempur-Pedic’s compressible pillow isn’t without its drawbacks. The lightweight design definitely lacks support, and I felt like my head was hitting the mattress when I tried it. I much prefer the balanced yet totally soft support of my Marlow pillow.
If you value cutting-edge technology… Marlow
Marlow incorporates impressive NASA technology 🚀 into its 80/20 memory foam and microfiber, which is key in making the pillow as supportive as possible (therefore preventing neck and back pain). As a side sleeper, this is imperative to me, and as a highly allergy-prone person, so are Marlow’s advanced anti-microbial properties which help repel dust and mites and all those gross things that can build up while you sleep.
In the late 80s/early 90s, Swedish scientists adapted NASA technology to create Tempur-Pedic products. But that was then, and this is now! Marlow was launched in 2021 and their pillow was created after 7 years of research. It feels good to know that Marlow is innovating with its support, cooling features, and adjustability. 🤩
The ultimate winner… Marlow 💤
Adjustable, cooling, and technology-forward: Marlow pillows stand out for me for all the right reasons, and a few nights of sleeping on them proved that I made the right choice. I love that my husband and I can adjust our pillows individually and I didn’t have to sacrifice anything as a side sleeper to please my back-sleeping spouse. 🛏️
Finding out that Marlow was associated with one of my favorite sleep brands, Brooklinen, really sealed the deal for me, as did the brand’s 365-day return policy, free shipping, and 2-year warranty. And, you can save up to 20-30% when you buy more than 1 pillow—we’ve already bought one for every bed in the house!
