Saatva Pillow Review

The Mattress Nerd’s Take: The Saatva pillow features a pillow-on-pillow design that enables users to easily adjust the height to their needs, leading to a great night’s sleep. The way the pillow feels typically depends on your body type. After testing, we’ve decided the Saatva pillow is an ideal choice for the average-weight back sleeper, as well as petite side sleepers and stomach sleepers with larger body types. It’s made with breathable materials, so we also recommend it to hot sleepers who want a little more support than a down or polyester pillow can offer.

Who It’s Good For

• Average-weight back sleepers
• Petite side sleepers
• Stomach sleepers with larger body types
• Hot sleepers
• Individuals with neck pain

Who It’s Not Good For

• Combo sleepers
• Individuals who don’t like fluffing their pillows regularly 
• Budget shoppers

What is the Saatva Pillow Made Of?

Organic Cotton Cover: The Saatva pillow cover is woven with 100 percent organic cotton sateen. This weave is known for being super soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking. To wash the cover, just unzip it along the side and pull it away from the outer pillow.

Microdenier Fiber: The outer pillow is an organic cotton casing filled with microdenier, which is an ultra-fine synthetic fiber. A denier is a measurement of thickness. For context, a human hair is 20 deniers, whereas microdenier fiber is only 0.9 denier! Picture your pillow filled with airy, silky cotton candy… except less messy. 

Microdenier fiber is often used as a down alternative because it’s similarly plush and lofty. It’s easily fluffed up, which allows for great airflow and a cool sleep experience.

Shredded Talalay Latex: The pillow core is made of a polyester inner pillow stuffed with shredded Talalay latex foam. Talalay is a high-end version of latex, similar to Dunlop latex but more responsive and breathable. Saatva says the material is recommended by chiropractors and orthopedists for its neck support. While we can’t verify that claim, we will say that the latex core makes this pillow noticeably more conforming, which helps to keep your head and neck in a healthy alignment. Check out the best latex pillows for more information on the material.

Mattress Nerd Saatva Pillow Scores

There are multiple features to consider when making your pillow buying decision. So, to make the decision a little easier for you, we broke down all the “must-know” categories. We also rated the most important features on a scale from 1-5 (5 being the best) to help guide you through the process. 

Cooling: 4.5/5

The Saatva pillow is intentionally layered with three breathable materials to maximize cooling comfort. The cotton cover is lightweight, which allows air to flow freely through the fabric. Good airflow also reduces the accumulation of excess moisture. The outer pillow is stuffed with extra fine, silky microdenier fiber that doesn’t clump together, creating countless tiny air pockets that prevent heat retention as well.

The core is also shredded, so you don’t need to worry about warmth getting trapped in a solid chunk of foam. Plus, latex is naturally temperature regulating. Overall the pillow sleeps cool for most folks. It’s not cool on contact, hence why it was docked a half point, but it won’t trap heat like memory foam pillows, so we’d say it’s a good choice for hot sleepers. If you are looking to sleep cool, see the best cooling pillows.

Alignment: 5/5

When you put your head on the Saatva pillow, it feels plush and cloudlike. But unlike 100 percent down pillows, the Saatva pillow has a latex core that adds extra head and neck support, which makes this a great pillow for neck pain. The pillow allows your head to sink down enough for pressure relief, but then the latex compresses, keeping your head level and maintaining your spinal alignment. 

We think this pillow has a medium-soft firmness level. The latex core gives it a medium feel, while the microdenier fiber adds softness. If you like the feel of down, but need more support, this may be the pillow for you.

Adjustability: 4/5

The Saatva pillow’s pillow-on-pillow design allows users to easily adjust the height to their sleeping needs. The fluffy microdenier fill adds quite a bit of height to the pillow, but once your head compresses the surface, it sinks to five to six inches. Keep in mind that microdenier fiber is a down alternative, so it will lose a lot of volume when air is pressed out of it. 

However, the Saatva pillow can’t easily be folded when the Talalay latex core is inside. Taking the core out makes it more moldable, but memory foam pillows tend to offer sleepers more control over their pillow shape. Once you lie down, the Saatva pillow will keep its shape. 

Given how pliable the materials are, the Saatva pillow is not ideal for all sleeping positions. It may have too low of a loft for larger side sleepers. But if you’re an average to a plus-sized back sleeper, five inches is an ideal pillow height for you. For similar options, see the best pillows for back sleepers. We wager that some stomach sleepers will need to remove the inner core to prevent their head from tilting up. 

Quality of Materials: 5/5

Almost all Saatva products are geared toward high-end, eco-friendly shoppers. The Saatva pillow is no exception—it’s made with high-quality materials like organic cotton, American Talalay latex, and microdenier fiber. 

Care: 4.5/5

This pillow has a washable organic cotton outer cover and a microdenier fiber pillow. Before you wash, make sure to take off the cover, remove the inner core of natural latex, and then machine wash both the cover and the pillow. Do not wash the shredded latex core. Saatva recommends washing your pillow twice a year and replacing it after about three years of use. Besides needing to remove the core, the Saatva pillow is easy to clean and maintain. 

Customer Experience: 3.5/5

Saatva offers a 45-day sleep trial so you can test out your pillow. The return policy allows you to get a full refund if you decide this pillow is not for you. Saatva asks that you wash your pillow before returning it. They also allow for a pillow exchange if you’d like a different one. 

While 45 days for a trial period is great, the industry standard usually spans 100 days. With that being said, Saatva lost points for having a relatively short sleep trial. 

As for the warranty, Saatva pillows are warranted against defects for one year. In the case of a defect that falls under the warranty, the pillow will be either repaired or replaced and then your original warranty will continue until it expires. It’s important to know that Saatva bedding warranties don’t cover defects like stains, discolorations, or damages that result from abuse or misuse of the pillow

Saatva offers a customer service chat feature on their website, as well as an email and phone number you can call for assistance. 

Total Score: 4.5/5

Side Sleeping

Given how pliable the materials are, the Saatva pillow may have too low of a loft for larger side sleepers. If you have a smaller body type, however, you could be very comfortable using this pillow because of its lower loft once you lie your head down. For options that work for other body types, check out the best pillows for side sleepers.

Back Sleeping

The Saatva pillow is an ideal choice for the average-weight back sleeper. Pillows with a 5” loft generally work best for this sleeping position because it is enough to support your neck and spine. The Saatva pillow’s dual-layer construction creates a balance of pressure relief and support. It’s soft on the outside and denser on the inside, all benefits for a back sleeper. 

Stomach Sleeping

The average stomach sleeper will likely need to remove the inner core, so a lower-loft pillow may be a better buy. However, if you have a larger body type, you may find this pillow more comfortable than most given your size. For similar options, see the best pillows for stomach sleepers. 

Pros

• Stays cool: The whole core of this pillow is stuffed with shredded Talalay latex foam, which is known for its breathability. Pair it with super fine microdenier fiber and a breathable cotton cover, and you’ve got a pillow that will stay cool all night long. 
• Keeps its shape: Gussets along the sides of this pillow prevent the fill from shifting or clumping to one side, so you don’t need to continually adjust the pillow throughout the night to avoid neck pain, see Saatva’s modern foam mattress.
• Hypoallergenic: The bulk of the Saatva pillow is made with hypoallergenic materials that are almost dust-mite and mildew proof. Unlike memory foam, Talalay latex is much less likely to produce an off-gassing odor. If you are looking to sleep on all-natural or hypoallergenic materials, see the best organic mattresses.
• Durable: Latex lasts longer than memory foam, which bodes well for the durability of this pillow. Our team thinks it will last customers for at least three years, possibly more.

Cons

• Can’t easily be folded: Due to the Talalay latex core inside, the Saatva pillow is not the easiest to fold. Taking the core out makes it more moldable, but memory foam pillows tend to offer sleepers more control over their pillow shape.
• Needs to be fluffed: Those who don’t want to regularly fluff their pillow may be disappointed since the outer pillow is prone to flatten after a week or so of use.
• Not for the average sleeper: The height of the Saatva pillow is right between the ideal loft for stomach and side sleeping, so it may be too high or low for the average sleeper. We recommend it as one of the best pillows for combination sleepers.

Ready to buy a Saatva pillow and maybe a Saatva mattress? See our Saatva Mattress Comparison to find out everything you need to know!

Saatva Pillow Pricing, Policies, and Specs

For the best price on all Saatva products, see our Saatva mattress coupons.

Shipping

The Saatva pillow ships for free within the contiguous U.S. Still, if you live in Alaska or Hawaii you’re out of luck: The brand doesn’t ship to those states. 

Sleep Trial

You get a 45-day trial period to test out the Saatva pillow. The return policy enables you to get a full refund to your original form of payment, and Saatva requests that you wash your bedding before returning it. To make a pillow exchange, just return your original pillow and then buy the pillow you’d like instead.

Warranty Coverage

Saatva pillows come with a one-year limited non-prorated warranty. Note that Saatva bedding warranties don’t cover defects like stains, discolorations, or damages that result from abuse or misuse of the pillow. To learn more about the brand’s general warranty policies, check out our Saatva Mattress warranty breakdown.

FAQs

Is the Saatva pillow hypoallergenic?

Yep! The Talalay latex is washed five times, which removes latex proteins that can cause allergic reactions. It’s a natural material and very unlikely to have an off-gassing scent. Microdenier fiber is also hypoallergenic and resistant to common allergens.

How long will the Saatva pillow last?

Latex is one of the more durable bedding materials, and latex mattresses typically last around eight years. Pillows are a little different, so we recommend replacing this pillow after around three years of nightly use.

What if I’m allergic to latex?

The Saatva pillow is 100% hypoallergenic. So, even those with an allergy can use this latex pillow because it has been washed five times with fresh water, removing any trace of the latex proteins that cause allergies before purchase. 

The Nerd’s Final Take: Should You Buy the Saatva Pillow?

The Saatva pillow’s dual-layer construction creates a balance of pressure relief and support. It’s soft on the outside and denser on the inside. These characteristics make it a good fit for back sleepers and smaller side sleepers. The average stomach sleeper will likely need to remove the inner core, so a lower-loft pillow may be a better buy. The Saatva pillow also stays cool, which will prevent most hot sleepers from overheating.

So why buy this pillow instead of others? The Saatva pillow should last you several years. You don’t need to worry about it developing stinky odors, and the pillowcase and outer pillow are machine washable. It’s not a budget item, but you can test it for over a month to make sure it’s the right new pillow for you.