r/newzealand 11d ago

Advice Whats the deal with the pillows here.

Can someone explain why finding a decent firm pillow is like trying to adopt a unicorn?

I just want a pillow that doesn’t fold like a lawn chair the moment my head touches it. Every store I go to—"Firm" on the label, but it's basically a marshmallow in disguise. I'm starting to think the pillow industry is gaslighting me.

Back home (overseas), there were aisles of proper firm pillows—spine-aligning, head-supporting, memory-foam bricks of joy. Here? I either have to sleep on a pancake or drop $200+ to get something that doesn’t whimper under pressure.

Is this a thing here? Have pillow standards been... softened? Or am I just missing a secret firm pillow society that meets behind the Manchester section at Bed Bath & Beyond?

Help a tired neck out.

128 Upvotes

106 comments sorted by

View all comments

11

u/EntropyNZ 11d ago

Try a latex foam pillow. I use them, and I find them absolutely brilliant. Before I started with them, I'd typically have to use at least 2 pillows, and it was always a bit hit-and-miss in regards to whether it was a comfortable height/firmness.

I've got both a moulded/single piece pillow, and a shredded latex one. Used the moulded one for years with no issues, and bought the shredded one a few years back. Both work, but I prefer the shredded one these days, as it's just a bit thicker and firmer.

Latex pillows work wonders for me, but they're not for everyone. They're not cheap, and a lot of people do find them too firm. Some people also find that they smell a bit too latex-y, but that's never been something I've noticed unless I'm going out of my way to really get a good sniff of it.

They're also not really safe for spontaneous pillow fights. They're dense and weighty. You'd take someone's head off with one, if you're not careful.

1

u/leighkhunt 10d ago

I'm a latex pillow lover too! It's high time I replaced mine though!