If good sleep is the music of life, then a perfectly supportive pillow is the ideal conductor. It coordinates your dreams while your body regenerates and emerges renewed, ready to face a new day. Silentnight, a leading expert in sleep-enhancers, offers a product designed to combat one of the most common disruptors of sound slumber - allergies - with the Anti-Allergy Pillow Pair. However, is this pair of pillows the missing key in your symphony of good night's sleep?
How we assessed it
Each pillow is a standard 74cm by 46cm and about 15cm deep, filled with hollowfibre and rated medium. Silentnight makes the pair in the UK and they go in the machine at 40°C. I'd expect a deep hollowfibre pillow to squash down a long way under the weight of a head, so I'd read that medium rating as the soft end of medium.
Design and Features
The Silentnight Anti-Allergy Pillow Pair is not a blow-your-mind offering in terms of design. It exhibits simplicity, focusing on function over form. Each pillow is generously filled with anti-allergy hollowfibre, intending to deliver not just comfort but also a degree of health protection.
The pillows appear to have a barrier against bacteria and dust mites, making them ideal for allergy sufferers or asthma patients, as they have been scientifically tested and also approved by the British Allergy Foundation.
My first reservation is the softness. One owner calls the pair soft, which is what I'd expect from a plump hollowfibre filling at this depth. Comfortable to sink into, yes, but is it too soft to keep your neck where it should be?
Construction
The construction of these pillows looks solid and thoughtfully executed. The anti-allergy hollowfibre fillings, apart from their primary function of minimising allergen concentration, also afford the pillows fantastic breathability. With this feature, Silentnight promises an enhanced airflow, which potentially alludes to a cooler, fresher bed environment.
But here, I felt a bit of scepticism starting to creep in. Can a pillow really have an impact on airflow considering its relatively small surface area compared to our beds? Regardless, the claim is impressive on paper, and if proven true in practice, it could be a major selling point.
Suitability
A great assertion that Silentnight has made for its Anti-Allergy Pillow Pair is its suitability for all types of sleepers - front, back, and even side. This universality is usually a virtue for pillows, offering an inclusive attraction for potential customers. However, the medium firmness of these pillows, although likely satisfactory for the majority, may push more hardcore firmness lovers to think twice before making a purchase.
This is where I part company with it. It's sold as a medium firmness offering soft support, and soft is the half of that I'd expect you to notice. That is too soft for my liking. If you want firm support under your neck, look at a firmer pillow. I'd be wary on warmth as well, because a pillow you sink into has more filling wrapped around your head, whatever the airflow claim says.
What Customers Thought
“Just firm enough, good quality,” wrote one owner, contrasting my feelings. Another called them “soft and quality,” and the other reviews are short words of praise.
The Verdict
It appears that the Silentnight Anti-Allergy Pillow Pair seems to be an intermediate player in sleep accessories. It offers some promising features such as allergy-protective fillings, universal suitability, and solid breathability. Its easy care instructions and a 2-year guarantee extend a sense of reassurance. Without a doubt, some might find the softness to be a feather in its cap, and others may view this as a downfall. For someone like me, who wants firmer support, it doesn't quite hit the mark.
Consider the Silentnight Anti-Allergy Pillow Pair as a potential melodic addition to your sleep repertoire. However, be advised, a first-hand trial in your own home setting may best serve to make the final judgment.
