In-depth Comparison (2024): Purple Harmony Pillow vs. Beckham Hotel Collection Pillow
I tested 14 different pillows over the course of six months. I slept on each pillow for at least five nights each. I rated each pillow based on how comfortable it was to sleep on over an extended period of time, whether or not the construction seemed high quality to me, and my take on suitability for different body types and sleep positions. Here is an in-depth comparison of the Purple Harmony Pillow and Beckham Hotel Collection Pillow.
At a Glance
| Brand Name | Purple | Beckham |
|---|---|---|
| Pillow Name | Harmony Pillow | Hotel Collection Pillow |
| Overall Rank | #6 out of 14 | #9 out of 14 |
| Fill Type | Solid Latex Foam | Polyester Fiber (Down Alternative) |
| Firmness / Softness | Soft | Too Soft |
| Starting Loft | 6.5 inches | 6 inches |
| Sleep Positions | Back | Stomach |
| Body Types | Petite, Average, Big-and-tall | Petite |
| Filling Comfort | ||
| Construction Quality | ||
| Score Out of 10 | 7.8 | 7.0 |
Detailed Reviews
Purple Harmony Pillow
Solid Latex Foam
- Squishy and fun to squeeze
- Soft interior
- Grid prevents sweat build-up
- Great for back-sleepers
- Not adjustable
- Bouncy when I lay my head on it
- Jiggles when I shift my weight, which I find distracting as I fall asleep
- Premium price
The Purple Harmony Pillow has a very unique feel since it is made of latex foam on the inside and a rubber-like grid built into its cover. The material is fun to squeeze because it is bouncy and squishy, but what makes a good stress ball doesn't necessarily make a good pillow. For back sleepers particularly worried about sweating, the Purple Harmony Pillow is worth trying, but I wouldn't recommend the pillow due to the bounciness.
When I lie down on the pillow, I am distinctly reminded of a water balloon. It is soft enough to squish down and compress, but the elasticity of the latex foam means that my head bounces back. I'll also feel a small trembling vibration make its way through the pillow, not unlike the feeling of water swashing back and forth. Every time I shift my weight on the pillow, the pillow will jiggle. Because I shift my weight occasionally as I fall asleep, the wobbling of the pillow will snap me back awake. I've had several instances where I was close to falling asleep only to be brought back to attention from the wobble. Nevertheless, I do eventually fall asleep, so the pillow doesn't completely prevent me from sleeping.
The signature Purple Grid can be found in the cover of the pillow. The substance of the grid feels like a gel-grip pen. It is fun to squeeze, but when I lay my head on it, I mostly just feel the latex foam underneath. The latex foam is what gives the bounce. The grid serves mainly to provide aeration since solid foam pillows tend to trap heat and sweat against the sleeper. In my experience, I find the grid to be pretty effective in preventing sweat build-up, but if heat and sweat is a concern, down and down alternative pillows tend to be better for breathability than solid foam pillows in general.
The Purple Harmony Pillow comes in three different loft levels, but the options are separated by one inch each, according to the Purple website at my time of purchase. Though I appreciate the different options, a one inch difference is the difference between a size 6 and a size 9 shoe (for both men and women), and I'd prefer a fully adjustable pillow that can accommodate sizes in between. Because the Purple Harmony Pillow is not adjustable, I wouldn't recommend it for side-sleepers.
Overall, I consider the Purple Harmony Pillow a novelty experience akin to a water bed. It's fun to try once, but I don't want to sleep on it regularly. I would not consider it worth purchasing again at the price point that I paid.
Beckham Hotel Collection Pillow
Polyester Fiber (Down Alternative)
- Affordable price
- Sateen stripes decorate the cover
- Double-stitched seams
- May not provide enough support for side-sleepers and back-sleepers
- Feels too flat to me
- Material tends to glide when I lie down
The Beckham Hotel Collection Pillow is very soft and very thin, providing a potential option for stomach-sleepers. However, back-sleepers and side-sleepers should be aware that they might not receive enough support. When I sleep on it, the pillow goes flat underneath me.
The Beckham pillow is similar in softness to the Sleepgram pillow, but I measure the Beckham pillow at 6 inches of starting loft instead of the 10 inches for the Sleepgram pillow, which means the Beckham pillow feels even thinner. The polyester fibers compress significantly when I lay my head on the pillow, and because the polyester fibers glide smoothly without much friction, I get the impression that all the stuffing moves out of the way when I lie down. The Beckham pillow doesn't provide enough support for me in most situations.
The thickness and softness of the pillow bring to my mind a duvet folded in half, but the tendency for the polyester fibers to glide magnifies the comparison for me. When I shift my weight, the top layer of fabric will shift with me while I feel the bottom layer glide away, almost as if I were indeed sleeping on a folded duvet with the two layers sliding away from each other.
The Beckham pillow has the moniker "Hotel Collection Pillow," suggesting that it is similar to pillows found in hotels. In my experience staying at hotels like the Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, and Intercontinental, I've found that higher end hotels tend to use puffier pillows that are soft but still substantial. There is no strong connection in my mind between the pillows I've experienced at luxury hotels and the Beckham pillows that I purchased. Of course, I haven't stayed at every hotel out there, so I can't rule anything out definitively.
I do like the sateen stripes on the fabric, and the seams of the pillow are double-stitched, which give me more confidence in the construction of the pillow. However, the amount of fill material seams lacking to me in the pillows I purchased. While the Beckham pillow has a great price point, I feel like I get what I pay for because the amount of fill material per pillow also appears to be proportionally lower. For stomach-sleepers who want a thin, soft pillow, the Beckham pillow can be a great option, but for back-sleepers and side-sleepers, I'd recommend investing in more support.
Picking the right pillow can be important. I did all the research here to make the process easier. I hope that this blog helps you as you make your decision.