Buckwheat pillows may seem old-fashioned compared to Swedish foam pillows but they certainly have some notable benefits of their own as well as drawbacks. Here’s a head-to-head comparison of the pros and cons of both pillow types.
You can use our pillow comparison tool to compare 5 types of pillows side-by-side.
Benefits Comparison
Contents
Advantages of Swedish Pillow Technology
- It relieves pain and improves deep sleep by reducing pressure points, increasing comfort level, and reducing tossing and turning.
- It conforms to your body, increasing the contact surface, improving circulation, and allowing blood to flow more freely.
- It has the ability to sense your body temperature and change firmness accordingly.
- You don’t sink right through a high-density memory foam pillow.
- The foam dampens shock and absorbs the motion.
- The life span of 2-5 years, depending on the manufacturer.
Advantages of Buckwheat Hull Pillows
- It conforms to your head, neck and spine, providing comfortable support for all these areas.
- The buckwheat hulls allow air to circulate throughout the pillow, so your head will not become hotter during sleep.
- The firmness and thickness of the pillow can be adjusted by taking out or adding different quantities of hulls.
- Good air movement and moisture absorption, resulting in that ‘cool in the summer, warm in the winter’ feeling.
- Life span of around 10 years, because hulls don’t break.
Drawbacks Comparison
Drawbacks of Swedish Foam Pillows
- High-quality memory foam pillows are quite expensive.
- Can get too warm during sleep.
- Because of the melting weightlessness feeling it induces, it requires an adjustment period.
- The pillow may have a strong odor when new.
Drawbacks of Buckwheat Husk Pillows
- It is flammable, since all materials that go in its making are natural and not treated
- The pillow may have a strange smell when new.
- If the cover is punctured or worn out, you will have a ‘hull mess’ on your hands.
- Every time you turn on the pillow or move it around, the hulls make a crunch-like noise that may need some time getting used to.
- The pillow is quite heavy (a high quality regular size pillow may weigh up to 9 lb).
Customer Opinions
I have been a fibromyalgia sufferer for years. One of the best things that I have found to help me sleep better is the Bucky Pillow. While it may not look like a normal pillow (because it isn’t) it is the only pillow I’ve ever had that helps me sleep on those nights I actually can sleep. It doesn’t make sleep come on our bad nights, but it greatly enhances sleep on those nights that we do actually get some restful sleep.
www.epinions.com/pr-Travel_Accessories_Handbags-Bucky_Duo_Buckwheat_Millet_Bed_Pillow
When I get a migraine, I also have intense neck pain. I lay on this pillow with a cloth over my eyes. The pillow provides immediate relief for my neck, which, in turn, helps my head. The pillow also causes no problem with my dust/mildew allergies.
www.amazon.com/Organic-Buckwheat-Pillow
The other big issue: it’s almost impossible to sit upright on the bed for any length of time. I do a lot of work sitting cross-legged on my bed, because that happens to be how & where I am most comfortable, and with the Tempurpedic I just kept sliding down, down, down. Like I imagine being in quicksand would be.
www.epinions.com/content_135358877316
If you are a light sleeper who moves a lot, like I am, you do a good bit of readjusting the pillow at night.
www.amazon.com/Organic-Buckwheat-Pillow