When I was young, I could fall asleep easily and anywhere — on sofas or hardwood floors, with or without pillows or blankets, and even in an easy chair a few times. It was a superpower of mine until I hit perimenopause, when my sleep skidded into insomnia at times.
While my sleep is better (thank you, cooling sheets, cotton pajamas, and a nightly potion of tea, herbs, and vitamins), I am always on the hunt to improve it. Last year, I was sent two Quince Premium Down Pillows to try out, so I enlisted my kids and husband to help with the testing process. It’s been about a year, and here’s what we have discovered about them.
Pros
- Extremely comfortable.
- Doesn't leak down like some pillows do.
Cons
- Expensive.
Specifications
- Price: $79 (varies by size).
- Dimensions: 20 x 30 inches.
- Fill: 650 fill power classic white down.
Comfort and Quality
I love Quince’s clothing, especially its comfortable lightweight sweaters, but until I started sleeping on its pillows, I wasn’t really aware of its extensive and positively reviewed homegoods selection, which includes a wide range of bedding, including pillows.
These plus (650 fill) down pillows come in soft, medium, and firm (our pillows are medium) and two sizes (standard and King). We own the standard size. The thread count is 100% cotton sateen, and my younger son felt it was comfy and soft enough to skip putting a pillow case on it. Note, always use a pillow case: It keeps dirt and oil from getting on the pillow.
We were sent the highest density, and I wanted to know if it would be too firm, as I prefer a squashy, almost flat pillow. I’m a side sleeper and tend to curl myself into my pillow. While the density was high, it was incredibly malleable (probably due to the down) and cradled my head and neck without feeling like it was resting too high up. The pillows arrived without being too squashed down and plumped up nicely in seconds after being unboxed.
As mentioned, my whole family (two kids and my husband) slept on these feather pillows, and everyone, from stomach to side sleepers, got a good night’s sleep with them.
If a kid is going to a sleepover and taking one, I make it my mission to make sure it comes home with them. Yes. They are really comfortable. The plushness of the pillow combined with the loft allows you to sleep soundly without waking up with weird cricks in your neck due to too much elevation, which happened with another brand of pillow that I also tried out. My youngest says these pillows are good for hugging and I have to concur with his assessment.
What’s in My Pillow?
I get a little squeamish about sleeping on feathers if I think too much about it, even though Quince assures its consumers that “Our down products are sourced responsibly to ensure best practices in animal welfare” and these pillows are ethically made in the United States and meet the (according to the website) Responsible Down Standard (RDS). Quince carries a “luxe” goose down pillow for a bit more money, with 700 fill of “power premium European White Goose Down” if you want something fancier. Our beloved premium version is filled with something called “power classic white down,” which means the down does not necessarily come only from a goose, which is perfectly fine by me.
Fun fact: A feather pillow is usually firmer and flatter than a down pillow and often costs less. Down pillows are made from the soft, fluffy (down) feathers (without quills) on the underbelly of the birds. If you are going to sleep on down or feather pillows, be kind and only use ethically sourced down products or purchase alternatives to down.
Quince Premium Down Pillow
The verdict
After months of being tossed from one bed to another, we all agreed that we need to purchase a few more of these premium down pillows to avoid more arguments. These pillows are comfortable, “squashy” (this is a good thing) and seem to bounce back no matter how tightly they are hugged or thrown at your brother (good for pillow fights, unlike the harder, flatter pillows of yesteryear that used to be on our beds). The medium premium pillow is nearly $100 (currently $99.90 for medium firm in standard size,) and I find that a difficult price, even to keep the peace at bedtime. Down pillows can last (if you care for them) for 10 years, so it is an investment that pays off over time.
I may try out another kind of Quince pillow. It also sells a Premium Down Alternative Pillow in “soft/medium” or “medium/firm,” or “firm/extra firm” for $39.90, and those are more in our price point for bedding, plus as someone who doesn’t love the idea of sleeping on bird feathers, I do think the Quince Premium Down Pillow is worth the price if you are looking for a high-quality, sustainable down pillow. It is a bit less than some of its competitors, and after nearly a year of use, it still retains its shape and comfort level.
