Parachute Down Pillow Review: lush, plush, and humanely

Apr 02, 2024

The Parachute Down Pillow is possibly the perfect pillow. It's made of responsibly-sourced European white down – and whether you choose the soft, medium, or firm density, each pillow includes 85% down clusters, and 15% down and feather fibers. It needs to be fluffed around once a week, and Parachute recommends washing it at least twice a year.

Thick and fluffy

85% down clusters

Machine washable

Choice of three lofts

Expensive

Needs regular fluffing

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I test pillows for a living, and the Parachute Down Pillow is one of the best down pillows that I’ve ever reviewed. I firmly believe that a down pillow should have a plush, luxurious fill, and I’m always surprised at how many don’t meet this criterion.

The Parachute Down Pillow contains European white down (85% down clusters, and 15% down and feather fibers), that’s covered with a 100% cotton sateen shell with double stitched piping seam. The plush pillow stays fluffy and feels soft and huggable. And since it comes in two sizes (standard and king) and three densities (soft, medium, and firm), it’s easy to select your desired loft.

I actually prefer a soft density, but for testing purposes, I chose the middle-of-the-road medium loft.

I tested the Parachute 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 mattresses for all budgets.

Type: European white downBest suited to: back, stomach, and side sleepersDimensions: 20” x 26”/standard; 20” x 36”/kingTrial period: 60 daysWarranty: 3 years

I consider the Parachute Down Pillow to be one of the best pillows that I’ve ever tested. It’s everything I think about when I hear the term, “down pillow.” It’s thick, luxurious, and fluffy due to the 85% down clusters, and 15% down and feather fibers. The 100% cotton sateen cover adds another layer of sumptuousness to the pillow.

However, the Parachute Down Pillow also manages to provide the right level of support for my head and neck region. For the more than two weeks that I tested it, I looked forward to jumping into bed so I could be enveloped in comfort. I slept remarkably well through the night and never experienced any aches or pains upon rising.

Keep in mind that the pillow doesn’t necessarily provide any cooling effects, but isn’t marketed as such either. The pillow is breathable, so it doesn’t trap heat. Overall, it does a great job of maintaining its shape, although I did fluff it up every several days. The pillow is also easy to clean since it can be thrown in the washing machine and dryer.

I’d recommend the Parachute Down Pillow for stomach, back, and side sleepers – although Parachute also makes a specific Down Side Sleeper Pillow as well for side sleepers.

The Parachute Down Pillow is considered a higher-end pillow – but frankly, down pillows can cost anywhere from $100 to over $300. While the Parachute Down Pillow starts at $129 for a standard soft density pillow, the standard medium density pillow is $149, and the standard firm pillow is $169.

If you want a king size, the soft density pillow is $169, the medium density pillow is $189, and the firm density pillow will cost you $209.

Among the company’s other offerings, the square, boxy, Parachute Down Side Sleeper Pillow starts at $159. The Down Alternative Pillow starts at $79, and the Down Alternative Side Sleeper Pillow starts at $109.

Parachute also makes a Recycled Down Pillow for $109, and several other types of decorative pillow inserts as well as a sphere pillow insert, toddler pillow insert, and down alternative bolster pillow insert.

A comparable alternative is the Casper Down Pillow ($139/Sale $125), which is made from a combination of ethically-sourced duck down and feathers. It actually has 5 different chambers and is a pillow within a pillow. The Casper Down Pillow is also very soft and luxurious, comes in standard and king sizes, and is machine washable. It’s also actually cool to the touch – a bonus for hot sleepers. However, it does not come in a choice of lofts.

Another option is the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow ($109/Sale $98), which costs a lot less. While it is not as plush as either the Parachute Down Pillow or the Casper Down Pillow, you can choose a mid-plush or firm down pillow instead, based on your preferences. Brooklinen also offers a choice of standard or king sizes. This pillow has a 100% down cluster feel, and is temperature neutral. However, it is not machine-washable.

View the Parachute Down Pillow from $129 (standard) or $169 (king size) at ParachuteThe Parachute Down Pillow is filled with European white down (85% down clusters, and 15% down and feather fibers) and covered with a 100% cotton sateen shell with double stitched piping seam. It comes in three lofts for side, back, and stomach sleepers. However, some side sleepers may prefer the Parachute Side Sleeper Down Pillow.

The Parachute Down Pillow is made of 85% down clusters, and 15% down and feather fibers. The responsible down comes from humanely treated ducks and geese. The down allows air to circulate and this is what makes the pillow breathable. Also, down is fluffy, but it’s not heavy, and this contributes to the cloud-like experience.

The three lofts include soft (for stomach sleepers), medium (for back sleepers) and firm (for back sleepers). There’s also a boxy, Parachute Side Sleep Pillow specifically designed for side sleepers. All of the pillows are made of 85% down clusters and 15% duck and feather fibers.

The pillow’s cover is a 100% cotton sateen shell with double stitched piping seam.

The pillow is machine washable, preferably on a cold, delicate cycle, with a mild liquid laundry detergent. Next, it should be dried on a low cycle, and Parachute recommends using wool dryer balls to redistribute the fill.

For over two weeks, I slept on a pair of Parachute 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...

5 out of 5 stars

The pair of Parachute Down Pillows arrived in a branded box that was barely in one piece. This is the most banged-up I’ve ever received a box, but the contents were intact. If you’ve read my reviews in the past, you know that I dislike branded boxes because they advertise what’s inside – and that may or may not have led some curious person in the transportation chain to try to see what’s inside.

Both pillows arrived in one large box, and upon opening it, I was overjoyed to discover that each pillow was individually wrapped in a heavy plastic bag with a carrying handle. Since I’ve been known to decline reviews because the pillows were in an unhygienic state, it was great to see that these were securely sealed.

The down pillows weren’t vacuum-sealed and didn’t have off-gassing smells like some types of pillows I’ve tested, I didn’t experience any unpleasant odors and didn’t have to wait for the pillows to regain their shape.

4.5 out of 5 stars

While the Parachute Down Pillows don’t claim to have cooling features, they did not trap heat, either. Fortunately, down pillows tend to be naturally breathable and temperature regulating, as was the case during this testing process.

I slept comfortably during the night, and never woke up hot – even though I tend to be a hot sleeper.

5 out of 5 stars

I selected the medium density Parachute Down Pillow for testing, since it was the midrange option. I’m actually a combination sleeper (stomach and side). However, I wanted to see how this model would work for back sleepers and those who need more head support.

The medium amount of loft and fluffiness was surprisingly soft. It was not quite the sunken plushness of a soft density pillow, nor was it as rigid and hard as a firm density pillow. From a Goldilocks perspective, the pillow was just right. I tend to like the softest pillow available, but they tend to be too flat after a period of time. The medium loft pillow was like sleeping on a cloud – but a somewhat firmer cloud that retained its shape.

In either position, the pillows were both soft and supportive. However, I can see how stomach sleepers might prefer a lighter, softer pillow. And although the medium density is designed for back sleepers, those who want more loft might want the firm density pillow. In addition, side sleepers who desire more support might do better with the Parachute Side Sleeper Pillow. However, for a middle-of-the-road combination sleeper pillow, the medium loft is probably fine.

As with many (if not all down pillows) I did refluff the Parachute Down Pillows every few days, but I didn’t consider it a major issue.

On the Parachute website, the down pillows have 1,773 reviews and an average 4 out of 5 stars. Breaking the numbers down, 69% rated it 5 stars, 9% gave it 4 stars, 9% rated it 3 stars, 7% gave it 2 stars, and 6% only rated the pillow 1 star. Positive comments ranged from “great pillows” to “heaven on earth” to “best pillows ever” and several buyers commented that they purchased an additional set.

Among negative reviews, buyers commented on the pillows being “too soft” and “too flat,” as well as being unsupportive. A handful of buyers also stated that, upon opening, the pillows had an offensive smell.

For people looking for a high-end down pillow, I wholeheartedly recommend the Parachute Down Pillow. It comes in two sizes and three lofts – so you’re likely to find the one that suits your needs. It’s soft, but the mid-loft is not so soft that it doesn’t support your head and neck. The down material keeps it from getting hot, so you can sleep cool during the night.

Also, you can launder the pillow in the washing machine and then toss it in the dryer, which makes it a hygienic option.

If you tend to sleep hot, an alternative is the Casper Down Pillow ($139/Sale $125), which is actually cool to the touch. It’s also made from a combination of ethically-sourced duck down and feathers – and actually has 5 different chambers and is a pillow within a pillow. The Casper Down Pillow is also very soft and luxurious, comes in standard and king sizes, and is machine washable. However, it does not come in a choice of lofts.

A less expensive option is the Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow ($109/Sale $98). It has a 100% down cluster feel, and is temperature neutral. While it is not as plush as either the Parachute Down Pillow or the Casper Down Pillow, you can choose between a mid-plush or firm version, depending on your needs. Brooklinen also offers a choice of standard or king sizes. However, it is not machine washable.

Terri is a freelance writer living in Birmingham, AL. She is an experienced mattress and bedding product reviewer, and has tested hundreds of home and tech products, with bylines at Architectural Digest, Popular Science, CNN Underscored, NBC News, The Daily Beast, USA Today, Homes & Gardens, Bob Vila, and Tom's Guide. When she’s not testing products, Terri is interviewing the world’s foremost leaders for The Economist, and tracking down legal experts for the American Bar Association Journal. Follow her adventures @Territoryone.

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