Back sleepers need comfort and support in both their mattresses and their pillows. But when it comes to pillows, if you’re a down lover, finding the right down pillow to give you that ideal comfort and support can be tricky.
If you’ve struggled to find the right down pillow for your needs, my unbiased Tuft & Needle Down pillow review should help out! This pillow is a great option for back sleepers who love down pillows. In my review, I’ll cover my testing experience, pricing, materials, and much more so keep reading to find out!
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow
The Tuft & Needle Down pillow is full of soft, plush down clusters. It's an 8" tall pillow that feels very soft but supportive. It works fantastically well for back sleepers!
Mattress Clarity Score
3.90 / 5
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Overview
Tuft & Needle is a popular sleep product retailer. We’ve reviewed the Tuft & Needle Original and Mint mattresses, as well as the brand’s percale sheets and the Original Foam pillow.
You can find Tuft & Needle products just about anywhere these days, and they have a wide range of products to meet everyone’s needs. But this review focuses on the Tuft & Needle Down pillow. Before I get into the nitty gritty, here’s a quick overview so you know what to expect:
Who Might Like the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow?
- Fans of down pillows
- People who prefer soft to medium-firm pillows
- Anyone who needs a machine-washable pillow
Who Might Not Like the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow?
- Fans of slow-moving memory foam pillows
- People who prefer firm pillows
- Shoppers on a budget
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Firmness and Feel
Firmness and feel are arguably the two most important factors when choosing a new pillow. Let’s discuss them for the Tuft & Needle Down pillow.
How Firm is the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow?
In my experience, the Tuft & Needle Down pillow was somewhere between soft and medium-firm. Down typically will feel soft and plush, but this is rather full of down clusters, so it feels supportive enough to land it close to medium-firm.
Sleeping on the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow
Using the Tuft & Needle Down pillow should be a good option for most sleeping positions. As a side sleeper, I started there, and I felt decent support. This is a rather tall down pillow, so while it deflated some, it wasn’t enough to throw my head and neck out of alignment.
But when I moved to my back, this pillow really shined. In my experience, most down pillows are ideal for back sleeping, so this isn’t anything out of the ordinary for me. But it’s still a great option for back sleepers who love the cushioning feel of down pillows, but need support to keep their heads in a neutral position.
Moving to my stomach I had no trouble compressing this pillow as a heavier person. It is rather tall, however, so people lighter than me might not compress it as much as I did. And this isn’t an adjustable pillow, so the loft can’t be changed, and you can’t take out the down fill.
For this review, I received the standard-size pillow, but you do have the option to purchase a king-size as well.
30-60 min Nap
When it came time to nap on the Tuft & Needle Down pillow, I decided to start on my back. Though I’m a natural side sleeper, I really favored this pillow for back sleeping. For me, it kept my head in a neutral position while I rested.
However, down pillows aren’t my preference. I tend to prefer firmer, memory foam pillows. And while I did find comfort on my back, sometimes the down would get too flat and I’d have to readjust or fluff the pillow.
What I will say is that it is very easy to move around on this pillow. So, if you’re a back/side combination sleeper who loves down pillows, this is a good option.
RELATED: Best Down Pillows
What does the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Feel Like?
The Tuft & Needle Down pillow feels very soft and plush. When you rest your head on this pillow, you’ll get that sinking, cushioning feeling that down pillows are known for. But because it’s a taller pillow, you should feel some good support.
Average Weight Sleepers – 130 lb – 230 lb
Average weight sleepers of all positions should find comfort with this pillow. Ideally, I’d recommend it to back sleepers who love down pillows. But thanks to the high loft of this pillow, average weight side sleepers could use this pillow without worrying about neck pain developing. Stomach sleepers could also get this pillow low and flat enough, but I’d recommend one of the best pillows for stomach sleepers instead.
Heavyweight Sleepers – Over 230 lb
Heavyweight back and stomach sleepers should enjoy the Tuft & Needle Down pillow. I think this pillow has enough fill to provide comfort and support for back sleepers. Heavier stomach sleepers should be able to compress the pillow low and flat enough to sleep comfortably. Some heavyweight side sleepers could enjoy this pillow, but ultimately, I’d be worried about heads craning too far down, which is not ideal for side sleepers.
Lightweight Sleepers – Under 130 lb
For lightweight sleepers, I’d recommend this pillow for side sleeping only. Some customer complaints involved the pillow being too tall, which put strain on the neck and upper back. Because this pillow has a high loft, it would be ideal for lightweight side sleepers who wouldn’t compress the pillow as much.
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Construction
Let’s take a look at the materials that make up the Tuft & Needle Down pillow.
Cover
The outer pillowcase is made of cotton that Tuft & Needle calls “Standard 100” and is OEKO-Tex certified, meaning it was grown and made without harmful chemicals.
Core
On the inside, you’ll find, as the name suggests, down clusters. Tuft & Needle uses responsibly sourced North American down. This gives it a rather fluffy feel. But the pillow is stuffed full of down clusters, so it should still be quite supportive, too.
Weight
Tuft & Needle mentions that the pillow is 3 lb.
Height/Loft
Pillow loft refers to how tall a pillow is. The Tuft & Needle Down pillow is 8” tall. This is pretty tall, but keep in mind that down pillows will deflate when you use them. Your head and neck will reduce the pillow’s loft regardless of what sleeping position you’re in.
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Size Options and Price
Take a look at our chart below to see what size options Tuft & Needle offers and get up-to-date pricing information.
| Size | Price |
| Standard | $140 |
| King | $160 |
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow
The Tuft & Needle Down pillow is full of soft, plush down clusters. It's an 8" tall pillow that feels very soft but supportive. It works fantastically well for back sleepers!
Mattress Clarity Score
3.90 / 5
Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Performance
Now that we’ve gone over how the Tuft & Needle Down pillow performs for different sleeping positions, let’s discuss a few more key considerations.
Sleeping Hot or Cold
For my fellow hot sleepers out there, the Tuft & Needle Down pillow could be a good option to stay cool. With a breathable cotton cover, and with room in between the feathers for airflow, it shouldn’t overheat during the warmer months. But since down is a natural insulator for birds, this pillow could feel nice and warm in the cooler months as well. In my experience, I didn’t really notice any hot spots or feel the need to flip the pillow over.
It’s not the best option if you constantly run hot, or get hot quickly during the night. For that, we have a list of the best cooling pillows for you to check out!
Off-Gassing
The Tuft & Needle pillow came in a cardboard box, but it wasn’t compressed. So once you remove the packaging, the pillow (give or take a little fluffing) can be used right away.
You won’t have to worry about off-gassing or a chemical smell to this pillow.
Care Instructions
This pillow is machine-washable! This is one of the perks of down products. Here’s what Tuft & Needle recommends for care instructions:
- Wash in a cold water cycle with a mild detergent. Do not use bleach
- Tumble dry on the lowest heat setting (this may take a few dry cycles)
You could also spot clean as necessary, but Tuft & Needle makes a point to mention that you can clean this pillow completely at home. No need to take it to a dry cleaner.
Allergies
Unfortunately, down products aren’t the best choice for people with sensitive allergies. Down can trap allergens in your sleep environment, so this isn’t the best hypoallergenic product. You can, however, machine-wash this pillow. Overall, if you’re looking for something that is guaranteed to be hypoallergenic, look at our best down alternative pillows list.
Company Policies
Let’s go over some company policies Tuft & Needle has so you know what to expect before purchasing.
Warranty Info
Tuft & Needle offers a 2-year limited warranty on the down pillow. This covers manufacturing or workmanship defects.
Sleep Trial
Tuft & Needle offers a 100-night sleep trial for the down pillow. This gives you a little over three months to test out the pillow to see if it’s right for you.
Return Policy
If, during the 100-night trial, the down pillow isn’t right for you, you can return the pillow for a full refund. Tuft & Needle offers hassle-free returns, and will cover shipping for customers in the continental US (sorry, Hawaii and Alaska).
Common Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Complaints
There has been much praise for the Tuft & Needle Down pillow online. But that doesn’t make it the perfect option for everyone. I’ve looked through some customer reviews and noticed a few common complaints.
The first is that some customers found that the pillow became too flat after a few uses. It’s common to fluff down pillows regularly, but because the clusters get compressed very often, down pillows do have a tendency to fall flat quicker than other pillows.
On the other side of the spectrum, some people found that it was too firm and they couldn’t compress the pillow enough. This is a pillow that is stuffed to the brim with down clusters; it’s 8” tall after all. In my experience, as a heavier person, I was able to compress this pillow enough to sleep comfortably. But people who are lighter than I am might need to opt for a softer, or shorter pillow to use.
How Does Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Compare To Other Pillows?
The Tuft & Needle Down pillow is one of the best down pillows for a reason. But not everyone loves down pillows. So, let’s see how the Tuft & Needle Down pillow compares to one of the brand’s other pillows and a down alternative option.
Tuft & Needle Down vs Tuft & Needle Original Foam
Tuft & Needle has a variety of options available for its customers. In the pillow landscape, the brand offers three types of pillows: down, down alternative, and memory foam. Let’s compare the down pillow to the Original Foam pillow.
Most notably, the fill will be much different. The Original Foam uses a material called T&N Adaptive Foam, which will still contour to your head and neck, but it feels more responsive than traditional memory foam. Side sleepers should find excellent head and neck support here. The Down pillow will be a better option for back sleepers and some heavier stomach sleepers.
Hot sleepers should also consider the foam pillow thanks to a graphite infusion and cooling gel beads which will pull body heat away. Down might not be the best option if you’re an exceptionally hot sleeper, but the Down pillow shouldn’t overheat.
Who Should Get the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow?
- Back and stomach sleepers
- Fans of down pillows
Who Should Get the Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow?
- Side sleepers
- Fans of memory foam pillows
Read our full Tuft & Needle Original Foam pillow review.
Tuft & Needle vs Saatva
One of the reasons that down alternative was made was because, unlike down, it’s hypoallergenic. Though some down alternative pillows are very affordable, they may not last as long. But, a high-quality down alternative pillow that should last you a while and exudes luxury comes from Saatva.
Like the Tuft & Needle Down pillow, the Saatva pillow feels very soft and plush. But because it’s made from polyester microfibers, it does a better job of retaining its shape as opposed to the Down pillow. Both of these pillows do have luxury price points, but they’re fairly durable and should be worthy investments.
In terms of care, you can put the Tuft & Needle Down pillow in the washing machine, while Saatva only recommends a spot clean treatment.
Who Should Get the Tuft & Needle Down Pillow?
- Fans of down pillows
- Anyone who wants to machine-wash their pillows
Who Should Get the Saatva Down Alternative Pillow?
- Fans of plush down alternative
- People who need a guaranteed hypoallergenic pillow
Read our full Saatva Down Alternative pillow review.
Our Tuft & Needle Down Pillow Ratings
Take a look at our Mattress Clarity score for the Tuft & Needle Down pillow.
FAQs
Let’s cover some frequently asked questions about Tuft & Needle Down pillow.
What if I don’t like my Tuft & Needle Down pillow?
The good news is that you have 100 days to test out the Tuft & Needle Down pillow. This is just over three months, but by the 30-day mark, you should have a good idea on whether or not this will work for you.
If, during that 100-day period, you decide that this isn’t the right pillow for you, you can return it for a full refund. If you’re not sure about going through the process, hopefully this Tuft & Needle pillow review helped you make a choice before clicking “check out.”
How long will the Tuft & Needle Down pillow last?
Down is a fairly durable material. With good care, it can last anywhere between 3 to 5 years. Tuft & Needle offers a limited two-year warranty on this pillow that only covers manufacturing or workmanship defects.
But because you have the option to machine-wash this pillow, it should last you a good while.