Laying down your head at the end of a long day should bring feelings of relief and relaxation, not discomfort or unease. This becomes of paramount importance when we talk about pillows. A vital part of any sleep setup, they hold the key to the quality of your slumber, and by extension, the quality of your day ahead. The TEMPUR Original Pillow promises to provide you with customised support and pressure relief. So, how does it measure up? Let's dig in.
How we assessed it
The TEMPUR Original Pillow is a contoured block of memory foam rated medium for firmness, so it moulds to your head and neck where a flat pillow leaves a gap. It comes in three depths, 10cm, 11.5cm and 13cm, each 31cm by 61cm. The depth is what you're choosing between: TEMPUR points smaller people to the medium and large, and bigger people to the large and extra large. It's made for back and side sleepers, which is where a shaped pillow does its best. We'd warn hot sleepers, though. Memory foam is a warm filling.
Design and features
At the first glance, the TEMPUR Original Pillow strikes an impressive appeal with its unique, ergonomic shape. Unlike the usual rectangle, it is shaped to fill the gap between your head and shoulders. The curve follows your neck, so the support sits where you need it. This characteristic in the design is especially interesting, given that it aims to accommodate a wide range of body types and sleeping positions.
Construction
The construction of the TEMPUR Original Pillow is led by the company's proprietary foam material - a visco-elastic substance, which is essentially a memory foam that's sensitive to temperature. It contains billions of micro-supportive cells, that continually react to your body heat, adjusting themselves to evenly distribute your weight. This continual adjustment is aimed to relieve pressure points and provide desired support throughout your sleep cycle.
The pillow's temperature-sensitive performance is complemented by its firmness level, which strikes a rather interesting balance. Falling in the medium firmness range, this pillow shows an impressive adaptability, which suits anyone stuck between a pillow that's too hard and one that's too soft.
Suitability
The TEMPUR Original Pillow, in its quest to provide customised support, does offer varying sizes. The foam softens where your body heat reaches it and stays firmer where it's cooler, as temperature-sensitive memory foam does. If you want a pillow that shapes itself to you, it fits the bill. Choose the depth by your build and position: side sleepers need the taller sizes to fill the gap at the shoulder, back sleepers the lower ones.
What customers thought
One owner, who broke their neck some time ago and then developed arthritis in the neck and head, found the firmness and design were not for them, while noting the pillow is "probably ideal for someone without my problem".
On the brighter side, the other reviews are about comfort. One owner called it "Very comfortable" but "very slim", so their pillowcases were far too wide, adding that "comfort is the main thing". Another said it holds their head and neck comfortably.
The verdict
Now, to answer the biggest question: Is the TEMPUR Original Pillow worth it? Yes, if you're a back or side sleeper who likes firm, shaped support and doesn't run hot. We like the ergonomic shape, the temperature-sensitive foam and the choice of three depths for different builds.
If you live with a neck or shoulder condition, talk to your GP or physio before you buy, because even at medium this is a firm pillow.
Hot sleepers should skip it, because memory foam keeps your warmth close; so should anyone who likes a soft pillow to bunch up.
