In-depth Comparison (2024): Purple Harmony Pillow vs. Puredown Natural Goose Down and Feather Pillow

Solid Latex Foam

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.

Down and Feather

The Puredown Natural Goose Down and Feather Pillow provides an affordable down and feather option for stomach sleepers. The softness and thin loft make it a good stomach-sleeping option, but it may not have enough support for side-sleepers and back-sleepers. Ultimately, going with the budget-friendly option comes with a few downsides.

The contrast in quality with the Chamberlain Down pillow is notable, as expected given the difference in price. Both the Chamberlain Down pillow and Puredown pillow use a mix of down and feathers. The down provides loft from trapped air, and the feathers provide structure. However, the Chamberlain Down pillow uses a dual-chamber construction that has an outside down layer around an inside feather chamber. This prevents the sleeper from feeling the quills, and instead the sleeper feels the airy down layer. In contrast, the Puredown pillow uses a single chamber that mixes the down and feathers together, and I can feel the quills when I lie down on the Puredown pillow I have.

Another difference is that the Puredown pillow uses a single stitch at the seams while the Chamberlain Down pillow is double-stitched, as shown in the picture above. The single-stitching gives me less confidence in the construction quality. Also, while all down and feather pillows require fluffing, I find that my Puredown pillow loses its air and flattens more quickly compared to my Chamberlain Down pillow. Finally, I measure the starting loft of the Puredown pillow I have at 6 inches compared to the starting loft of 7.5 inches I measure for the Chamberlain Down pillow I have, after both pillows have been fluffed. A higher starting loft is helpful since down and feather pillows are mostly composed of air.

Overall, the Puredown pillow can be a good option for stomach-sleepers if budget is a concern, but I recommend looking toward the higher quality found in the top picks since a pillow is used every night.