Cadia Pillow Review
The Mattress Nerd’s Take: Cadia is a down-alternative pillow with tons of adjustable features, like three firmness options and pillow inserts to change the height. We think it works for all sleep positions and is great for those with neck pain; however, people who sleep extremely hot may want to go for something cooler.
Who It’s Good For
- All sleeping positions and sleeping styles
- Those looking for an alternative to down
- People with neck pain
- Those who want an adjustable height pillow
- Those who want pillow firmness options
- Sleepers looking for a neck support pillow
Who It’s Not Good For
- Those who prefer the feel memory foam
- Extremely hot sleepers
- Petite stomach sleepers
- Shoppers who simply want a regular pillow for home decor
Look Inside
Design
The Cadia pillow has a unique design, so there is an option that fits just about every one. You can choose between a plush, medium, or firm pillow, each having a zippable cover filled with polyester fiber inserts. You can add and remove the inserts to create the height that best suits you. For our test, we chose the medium firmness, which held three inserts.
Pillow Covers
The cover is made of 100 percent cotton with a 290 thread count. I found the cover to feel soft to the touch, a bit like a cotton t-shirt. Cotton is a breathable material, so it should allow for airflow throughout the pillow. If you use a pillowcase, make sure it’s breathable so you don’t lose the cooling effect of the cotton.
Fill
The pillow inserts contain 100 percent polyester fill, a synthetic material with a cloud-like feel that’s similar to down. There are three pillow inserts, and how much they’re filled depends on the firmness level you choose: plush will have the most sink, and firm will have the least.
Mattress Nerd Pillow Scores
Because we’re Nerds, we use a numerical scoring system and six key factors to determine the Cadia pillow’s performance. See which factor is most important to you and how well Cadia performed in that area. Remember, I tested the medium pillow. Scores such as cooling and alignment tie into my experience with this firmness level.
Related: Best Pillow Guide
Cooling: 3.5/5
The Cadia pillow is full of breathable materials, like cotton and polyester. However, there are no actively cooling materials in the pillow, so it does hold on to a little bit of heat—at least that is what I experienced when I used this pillow. For lower temperature alternatives, check out the best cooling pillows.
Alignment: 5/5
Due to the firmness options and adjustable height, the Cadia pillow can keep just about any sleeper’s neck aligned, regardless of their sleeping position or body type. Since it works for so many types of sleepers, this is a great pillow for neck pain.
Petite back sleepers and stomach sleepers who want more cushion will get the best sleep on the plush version, the medium version works best for back sleepers and petite side sleepers, and the firm version best fits side sleepers.
Adjustability: 5/5
The Cadia is the perfect pillow for indecisive shoppers because it’s adjustable on more than one front. First off, you can choose which firmness preference works best for you. Second, you can customize the amount of inserts in the pillow by adding or removing them yourself.
Finally, this is a malleable, moldable pillow, so you can squeeze, squish, or fluff it into the shape you want. We’d like to see more pillow sizes (the Cadia only comes in one standard size), but otherwise, it’s a very adaptable pillow.
Quality of Materials: 4/5
This pillow uses a combination of 100 percent cotton and polyester to create a vegan, hypoallergenic, and more affordable alternative to down. Also, Cadia enables customers to recycle their old pillows via their recycling service.
The only thing keeping it from a 5/5 is that the pillow does not use any natural or organic materials.
Care: 5/5
You can throw this whole pillow into both the washing machine and dryer—it doesn’t get cleaner than that. To wash this pillow:
- Unzip it and take out all of the inner pillow inserts
- Rezip the pillow cover
- Throw them all in the wash using cold water and a gentle cycle
- Tumble dry low until completely dry
Customer Experience: 2/5
We were less than impressed with Cadia’s policies when comparing them to other brands. The industry standard for pillows to have at least a 100-night sleep trial and a 1-year warranty. Cadia has a 30-night sleep trial and no warranty.
We also took off points because there is no live chat feature on their site with customer service, making it a little more difficult to contact them. You can still use their email, support@cadiasleep.com.
Total Score: 4.1/5
Side Sleeping
The most comfortable pillows for side sleepers are lofty enough to fill in the gap between the head and the shoulder, keeping the neck aligned. The firm version of the pillow is lofty enough for most side sleepers. I used the medium pillow, and as a lightweight sleeper, I found it to adequately support my head.
Back Sleeping
Back sleepers usually need a medium loft pillow to keep the neck in a neutral position—i.e. in line with the rest of the spine. The Cadia is a great pillow for back sleepers of all sizes. When I lay on my back, I need to remove just one of the inserts of the medium pillow to feel supported and aligned.
Stomach Sleeping
Stomach sleepers need a flat pillow for the best alignment. The plush version of this pillow should work best for average to heavyweight stomach sleepers.
While taking out all but one insert would work for lightweight stomach sleepers, you’re paying the full price of the pillow when you’re using a third of the features. I recommend that you lightweight folks who like to lie on your belly check out our list of the best pillows for stomach sleepers.
| Score for Side Sleepers | Score for Stomach Sleepers | Score for Back Sleepers |
| 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Pros/Cons
Pros
- Adjustable: The inserts allow you to customize the height of your pillow, and the firmness options allow you to choose your comfort level.
- Eco-friendly: Once you have used this pillow for a few years, Cadia has a free recycling program, so your pillow won’t become waste.
- Washable: This pillow is completely machine washable and dryer safe, which is a win for those with dust mite allergies.
Cons
- Only one size option: Other comparable pillow companies offer different sizes such as Standard, King, and Queen; Cadia only offers Standard.
- No warranty: This pillow has no warranty against manufacturing defects, but they do have a 30-day return policy.
- No cooling features: Other than the breathable construction, the Cadia doesn’t have any cooling technologies.
Sizing, Pricing, and Policies
| Size | Dimensions | Firmness | Price |
| Standard | 18” x 26” | Plush | $95 |
| Standard | 18” x 26” | Medium | $95 |
| Standard | 18” x 26” | Firm | $95 |
Shipping
Cadia only ships to the U.S., and shipping is free to every state except for Alaska and Hawaii. You should get your pillow in about four to five business days.
Trial Period and Warranty
Cadia offers a 30-night sleep trial period, meaning you have up to 30 days to make a free return for a full refund. After this timeframe, you will no longer be able to return your pillow. If you do decide that Cadia isn’t for you, contact customer service to initiate the process.
FAQs
Where is the Cadia pillow made?
Cadia designs their pillows in Boston, Massachusetts and manufactures them in China. Their facility is OEKO-TEX certified for non-toxic materials. The manufacturing partner is also used by luxury hotel brands, including Four Seasons and Radisson. Cadia doesn''''t specify where they source the materials used to make their pillows.
Does the Cadia pillow need to be fluffed?
Cadia recommends fluffing the individual pillow components (the outer shells and inner pillows) right out of the box. You shouldn''''t need to fluff them afterwards, but you may want to reshape the pillow if you fold it under your head at night. Drying the pillow will also fluff it.u00a0
Can Cadia recycle my foam pillows?
No, Cadiau2019s recycling service is only set up for polyester (down alternative) pillows. The old pillows are used to make thermal and sound insulation, which can only be done with polyester at their particular recycling facility. You may be able to find another recycling center that takes foam.
The Nerd’s Final Take
The Cadia pillow has a lot of adjustable features, so it works for all sleeping positions. It also works great for people with neck pain. Our only issues with the Cadia are that it holds onto a bit of heat and may not be worth the price for lightweight stomach sleepers.
