Tempur-Pedic Symphony Pillow - Or my OTC treatment for insomnia
Written: Jun 14 '09 (Updated Oct 12 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Comfortable, supportive, widely available
Cons: Price is a little steep, Sleeps a little warmer than traditional pillows
The Bottom Line: The SymphonyPillow may not be the cheapest memory foam pillow in the world, but it's arguably the best. Well worth the money.
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| shoplmart's Full Review: The Symphony Pillow |
Although it was admittedly Tempur-Pedic's slick marketing that led me to try their products, it has been this company's ability to provide me a better nights sleep that has ultimately kept me a loyal customer. That being said, when it came time to replace my two Tempur-Pedic ComfortPillows I knew I would be replacing them with Tempur-Pedic brand pillows. While I was initially planning on ordering two more ComfortPillows, I ended up choosing Tempur-Pedic's SymphonyPillow. The SymphonyPillow was a seemingly better fit for my sleeping patterns and at only $99 each the SymphonyPillow represented a relative bargain in comparison to the more expensive ComfortPillow.
About The SymphonyPillow:
Unlike my old Tempur-Pedic ComfortPillows, which had the same conventional pillow shape on both of its sides, the SymphonyPillow has two conflicting sides- one side is traditionally shaped (for side sleepers) and the other side is modestly arched to supply additional head and neck support (for back sleepers). Like all Tempur-Pedic pillows the SymphonyPillow is made from Tempur-Pedic's dense viscoelastic memory foam; the same material that Tempur-Pedic uses for their beds. The SymphonyPillow is available in two sizes: standard (25" x 17" x 5.5) and queen (29" x 17" x 5.5). Included with each SymphonyPillow is an attractive machine washable allergen resistant zip-up pillowcase made from 80% Cotton/17% polyester/3% Elastane. If you would like to use your own pillowcase standard sized pillowcases will have no problem fitting the SymphonyPillow. It should be noted that because the SymphonyPillow weighs nearly 5 pounds (due to its dense 100% visco-elastic polyurethane foam) this is not a pillow that you can have a pillow fight with, unless of course you want to knock your opponent unconscious.
My Experience:
Support:
I typically am not a fan of contoured support pillows. The obnoxious bolsters on these types of pillows that are apparently designed to provide added head and neck support oftentimes feel awkward, highly impersonal, and unnatural. For that reason I have avoided Tempur-Pedic's less conventionally shaped pillows i.e. the NeckPillow and SidePillow. While the SymphonyPillow does have slightly arched sides (on the "back-sleeper" side), the arches are not so dramatic as to give the unnatural feeling of having a big bulge of foam under your head and neck. I actually find myself sleeping more on the arched side (the back-sleeper side) of the SymphonyPillow than the traditionally shaped side. The arched side not only provides excellent head and neck support when I sleep on my back, but also provides excellent support if I happen to turn on my side in the middle of the night. The more traditional side of this pillow also provides good support, even for back sleepers. So, whether you sleep on the "back sleeper side" or the "side-sleeper side" you are covered in the support department.
Comfort:
Not only does the SymphonyPillow offer excellent head and neck support, it's also surprisingly cozy. Unlike some of Tempur-Pedic's memory foam pillows i.e. the NeckPillow, the SymphonyPillow's memory foam is less dense making it a cozier pillow than its relatively stiff counterparts. Because this is a heat sensitive pillow, the less dense memory foam also means that when this pillow is cold it doesn't get rock hard like some memory foam pillows. At the same time, however, the SymphonyPillow provides a dense enough memory foam cell profile to keep it from collapsing into a compressed sheet when lying down on this pillow for long periods.
One of the main gripes I have with memory foam pillows is the heat that they oftentimes generate. This is especially problematic for me, as I have rosacea (a skin condition) which is aggravated by heat. While the SymphonyPillow does tend to make my face a little warmer than a conventional cotton or feather pillow, Tempur-Pedic has designed this pillow so enough air is circulated through the memory foam cells so it doesn't get too warm: this pillow has yet to aggravate my skin.
Does it work?
Like most of the Tempur-Pedic products that I have used, the SymphonyPillow has lived up to its claims. In the few months that I have owned this pillow, I have noticed a better nights sleep and a positive difference in the way my neck feels when waking up in the morning. In comparison to the ComfortPillow, the SymphonyPillow offers even better support and thus I have yet to wake up with a sore neck while using this pillow. With the SymphonyPillow I always feel well rested and overall it has been an asset to my sleep.
Build Quality:
Before switching to the Tempur-Pedic brand I had owned a slew of memory foam pillows, all of which seemed to suffer from jagged edges or big chunks of foam would detach from the pillow after a few weeks of use. The SymphonyPillow offers a completely linear surface with no jagged edges, and in the 3 or so months that that I have owned this pillow I have had no issues whatsoever: the pillow still looks and feels brand new and even the pillowcase (which has been through the wash at least 15 times) still appears new. If this pillow wears anything like my ComfortPillows I have a good 3 years before I'll need new pillows.
Price/warranty/availability:
The SymphonyPillow starts at $99 for the standard size and tops at $129 for the longer queen-size pillow. Unlike some Tempur-Pedic products that seem to be only available at a select few online stores, the SymphonyPillow can be found at a multitude of online and retail stores, i.e. Bed Bath & Beyond, Gottchalks, and Amazon- just to name a few. While $99 may seem a little steep for a pillow, the Tempur Material is very long lasting. Since a good down pillow costs about $50 or more and should be replaced approximately every 18 months or so, $99 for the SymphonyPillow (which lasts nearly twice as long) helps justify the cost. Also, unlike most pillows, the Tempur-Pedic SymphonyPillow comes with a generous 3-year limited warranty to the original purchaser.
Final Thoughts:
The SymphonyPillow is one of the better memory foam pillows I have slept on. Not only is the SymphonyPillow supportive, but it's also super comfortable and thoughtfully crafted. Though the SymphonyPillow may carry a relatively steep MSRP of $99, the aforementioned attributes of this pillow make it well worth the money. If you are on the market for a new pillow I definitely recommend checking out the Tempur-Pedic SymphonyPillow before making any final buying decisions.
-Thanks for reading!
Recommended:
Yes
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