TechRadar Verdict
The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow mimics everything about a down pillow except for the price. It’s filled with microfiber gel clusters to provide a soft, huggable feel, and it's firm enough to provide support and keep your head, neck, and shoulders in alignment. It’s the right combination of softness and support for side, back, and (some) stomach sleepers.
Pros
- +
Hypoallergenic
- +
Luxurious and plush
- +
Good for side, back (and some) stomach sleepers
- +
Microfiber gel fill is soft and springy
- +
Feels cool
Cons
- -
Not a down pillow
- -
Not all stomach sleepers will like it
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The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow lets you experience the comfort of a down pillow – with the actual down filling. And also, without the cost. It’s a luxurious pillow with microfiber gel clusters that provide a soft and squishy feel that mimics down filling. The breathable pillow is also supportive – especially for side and back sleepers. In addition, it provides layers of cooling comfort for those who sleep hot. Like many down pillows, it goes flat and you’ll need to fluff it occasionally to retain the pillow’s shape. But the allergen-free pillow can also be tossed it into the washing machine to clean and refluff it.
I tested the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow for over two weeks to see how it matches up to the rest of the best pillows on the market. And if you’re looking for ways to really boost your sleep comfort further, take a look at our guide to this year's best mattress for all budgets.
GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow review in brief
The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow is less expensive alternative for people who like down pillows, but don’t really want to pay for a down pillow. It’s been said (especially by those who make down pillows), that a faux down pillow can’t really provide the same effect as down. However, as with faux leather, sometimes, it’s hard to tell the difference. And this is one faux down pillow that feels very much like a down pillow. It's soft and moldable like down, yet it also provides enough support to avoid waking up with aches and pains.
Type: faux down pillow
Best suited to: side and back sleepers, hot sleepers
Dimensions: 20” x 30” x 7”
Trial period: 101 nights
Warranty: 5 years
In addition to people who don’t want to pay a premium price for a true down pillow, the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow is a viable alternative for people who would love a down pillow but are allergic to goose or duck feathers. In addition, if you tend to sleep hot, the pillow’s cooling features make it an even better choice. The microfiber gel fill is covered with a breathable inner cover, which is then enclosed in yet another cover – the “Ghost Ice” zippered fabric cover that’s cool to the touch.
I’d recommend the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow for side and back sleepers, and some stomach sleepers (depending on how high of a loft you’d prefer).
GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow review: price and deals
We found down alternative pillows ranging in price from $20 for a pack of two to over $129 for a pack of two. The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow is on the higher end for pillows in the down alternative category (although actual down pillows can range from $100 to $300 – and beyond). It only comes in one size (standard) and one loft (high).
Ghostbed actually makes three types of pillows. In addition to the Faux Down pillow, the company makes a Gel Memory Foam Pillow ($109/Sale $71) and a Shredded Memory Foam pillow that contains memory foam and microfiber clusters. It’s sold as a 2-pack for $219/Sale $142)
A comparable option is the Casper Hybrid Pillow ($99), which is made of ultra-soft foam and moldable fiber. It also has a squishy yet supportive feeling – and does not need to be refluffed. It’s not categorized as a cooling pillow but is cool to sleep on. It’s also available in standard and king sizes, and mid or low lofts.
However, if you want to splurge, the Casper Down Pillow ($139) includes a combination of ethically-sourced duck down and feathers. It actually has 5 different chambers and is a pillow within a pillow. The pillow is incredibly soft, cool to the touch, and comes in standard and king sizes.
Faux Down Pillow review: design and materials
- Microfiber gel fill is huggable and supportive
- Breathable cover regulates temperature
- Machine washable to be hygienic and easy to clean
The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow is made of microfiber gel fill instead of down fill. This material is designed to provide a luxurious and squishy experience, making the pillow quite huggable. It also provides enough support to keep the upper body in alignment. This makes it a good choice for side and back sleepers who would enjoy the plush pillow. However, some stomach sleepers may find the loft too high to be comfortable.
The microfiber gel fill is covered with an inner cover that’s made of 100% cotton and designed to be breathable. There’s also a zippered cover (with GhostPillow branding across it) which is referred to as Ghost Ice, and the plush fabric is cool to the touch. The entire pillow (filling and covers) can be tossed in the washing machine and dryer, which helps the pillow to remain hygienic. This also makes it easy to clean.
GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow review: performance
- Huggable and luxurious
- Temperature regulating
- Supportive to avoid pain
For over two weeks, I slept on a pair of GhostPillow Faux Down Pillows to see how they fared in performance, testing for setup, comfort, support, and temperature regulation. I also slept in side, back, and stomach positions to see if the performance was the same. Here’s how I got on...
Setup
4.5 out of 5 stars
The pair of GhostPillow Faux Down Pillows arrived in branded boxes. I’m always thankful when items in branded boxes safely reach their destination, as I’m not a fan of advertising what’s inside of a shipping box.
The boxes were sturdy (similar to the white FedEx Express boxes), and arrived in good condition – unlike some pillows I’ve tested that arrived in smashed and partially opened shipping boxes.
Clearly, GhostBed understands that presentation is everything, and opening the boxes was like opening a gift. The pillows were enclosed in branded paper, and upon opening the paper, they were covered in a thin sheath of fabric.
Fortunately, down pillows (and faux down pillows) tend not to have off-gassing odors like some vacuum-sealed pillows. And since they weren’t vacuum-sealed, they were already full-expanded, so I didn’t have to wait for them to regain their shape.
Honestly, the only negative I experienced during the process was the lint produced by the sheaths.
Temperature regulation
5 out of 5 stars
The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillows were cool to the touch. Down pillows are known to be cool, but I wasn’t sure if that would be true for alternative down pillows as well. However, it was certainly comparable to a down pillow in this aspect. This is due in part to the fact that the microfiber gel fill is covered with a breathable inner cover that doesn’t trap heat. And, the inner cover is encased in what the company calls a “Ghost Ice” zippered fabric cover, which is cool to the touch.
It’s cool throughout the night, which helped to keep me cool as well. However, I didn’t particularly like the “GhostPIllow by GhostBed” text emblazoned across the front of the pillows. I flipped the pillows over when sleeping, but covering them with a pillowcase could also hide the text (unless it’s a white or light-colored pillowcase).
Firmness and support
5 out of 5 stars
The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillows are so enjoyable to sleep on. My preference is a high loft pillow, and this pair provided the soft, cloud-like experience that always puts me to sleep immediately. However, the microfiber gel filling is also supportive enough to keep my head, neck, and shoulders in alignment so I never woke up with aches and pains the next morning. I did have to refluff the pillows the next morning, but I didn’t consider that a major issue
This is not an adjustable pillow like Layla Kapok or Coop Home, and it doesn’t come in a variety of loft sizes to choose from. As a result, it may be too high for some stomach sleepers. But other stomach sleepers may be perfectly fine with the pillow, since preferences vary from person to person. I’m a combination sleeper, and prefer to sleep on my stomach and side. However, I found the pillow supportive in every position (but keep in mind that my preference is a softer pillow).
GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow review: user reviews
On Amazon, the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow has 122 ratings with an average rating of 4.1 stars. The overwhelming majority liked the pillow and found it soft and comfortable. Some buyers thought it was the best pillow they’d ever used and others declared they had the best sleep of their life. However, others lamented the thick GhostPillow text embroidered on the pillow. Other negative comments came from buyers who did not find the pillow to be soft and also those who felt it was too soft to be supportive.
On the GhostBed website, the pillow has 615 reviews with a 4.8 rating – and 99% would recommend the product. Some buyers thought it felt like a real down pillow, while others commented on the pillow being well made and very comfortable. Negative comments included having to fluff it back up during the night, and wishing it was a little thicker.
Should you buy the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow?
The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow is certainly a good alternative for those who don’t want to pay for a down pillow. It’s also an option for those who may be allergic to goose and duck feathers. The pillow is soft and supportive and provides a luxurious sleeping experience – except for the branded text on the outer cover.
Speaking of covers, the breathable inner cover and zippered outer cover keep the pillow cool, which is an important factor for those who tend to sleep hot. And although the pillow is soft and huggable, it’s also supportive enough to be comfortable for side and back sleepers, as well as some stomach sleepers.
However, other stomach sleepers might find it too tall and too soft to keep their head, neck, and shoulders in alignment. In addition, if you have a king size bed, it will dwarf the pillows – which are not available in a king size.
Another option for a huggable, luxurious alternative to down is the Casper Hybrid Pillow, which is made of ultra-soft foam and moldable fiber that bounces back so it doesn’t have to be refluffed. And stomach sleepers can choose from a mid or low loft that may be more comfortable. The pillow is also available in both standard and king sizes.
For a true down experience, the Casper Down Pillow is made of ethically-sourced duck down and feathers and is like sleeping on a cloud. It’s also cool to the touch, comes in a mid-loft, and is available in both standard and king sizes.
Having offered other options, I still think the GhostPillow is worth trying because it does a great job of simulating a down pillow experience – and at a particularly great price since it’s currently on sale.
