I’ve been wondering for a while if there’s a pillow that simply won’t get dented or flat after a few months of use. I’ve tried new pillows, extra firm pillows and alternative down hypoallergenic pillows, and nothing hit 100% in my book.

I had to know if such a pillow even existed.

When I heard about the Airweave pillow, the first thing I saw was the price tag. It made me say, “Whoa.” But when my Airweave pillow arrived, I saw the Airweave difference: could this be a pillow that would refuse to flatten, dent or get misshapen, for decades to come?

In this review, I’ll explain the Airweave pillow: why it’s advanced, who it’s for, who it’s not really for and if it’s worth it (because it’s pretty expensive, even by luxury pillow standards). Let’s dive in.

Summary of the Airweave Standard Pillow

Not to be confused with the “S-Line Pillow,” the Airweave Standard Pillow is the main pillow product from Airweave. We both tried it (and please note: we have yet to try the Airweave mattresses!).

What’s so different about it? It’s made with Airfiber technology, Airweave’s invention for how the pillow is built. The way it works is that Airfiber, through its intricate design (you’ll see it in my photos), distributes weight evenly in the pillow. It helps keep my head up, rather than sagging into a down or memory foam pillow. It’s a different experience.

What’s so innovative about the design? Because of Airfiber, the pillow is clean: it’s hypoallergenic and washable. It’s better for spinal alignment and neck position, because there’s no pillow sagging. It can be customized (which I didn’t even know until we opened ours), meaning you can adjust the “height” to your liking, and then adjust it back the very next day. Lastly, it’s breathable: great for hot sleepers, heavy breathers and people who sweat a bunch.

Who is it for?

Because of it’s firmness, it is for people who REALLY want a firm pillow when they sleep. It’s for people like me who never want to buy another pillow again. It’s for people who’ve been disgruntled for years that they buy ‘firm pillows’ that either deflate or get ‘head dents’ after quite some time of having your head in the same spot for night after night.

The Airweave pillow is also for people who want to be able to adjust the height of a pillow. This is the only pillow I’ve heard about that does such a thing. With the inserts, you can bring the “height” down from the default maximum pillow height, to a height 2 “inserts” lower.

Lastly, this pillow is for people who sleep hot, or breathe into their pillows. The Airweave pillow isn’t made of down, or alternative down: it’s made of “airfiber polyethylene.” It’s a totally breathable one-of-a-kind material made for ideal breathing while you sleep. It keeps the pillow cooler and avoids absorbing heat.

Who is it NOT for?

The Airweave pillow is not for people who really enjoy sleeping on soft down-style pillows. After all, it is not soft. I have to stress this. It is not fluffy, and it is unlike any pillow I’ve ever used, even ergonomic foam ones.

It also might not be for people who sleep with their faces planted into their pillows, despite the fact that those are the same people who’d specifically want a breathable pillow. This pillow just isn’t soft or malleable enough to dig your face into, and some people might like the fact that their pillow has a dent from where their head fits perfectly each night.

How does the Airweave pillow work?

Like I mentioned, the fact that the Airweave pillow can actually be adjusted, height-wise, was a surprise to me. It came as an “extra,” whereas I knew the Airweave Standard Pillow had special features, but I didn’t know that it had adjustment abilities.

When you open the pillow cover flap, inside, you’ll see something that reminds you of a jelly doughnut, or a hamburger. You can remove the inserts, or leave them in. There are two of them, so you can leave in both, leave in one or leave in neither. The pillow will be flattest and lowest if you take out both inserts and keep them around in case you change your mind about how the pillow feels during sleep.

How is our experience with it?

The first night of sleeping on our Airweave pillows went well. That’s because I’m already predisposed to sleeping on an “extra firm” pillow; the only difference is that my previous pillow was “down alternative,” rather than Airfiber. The Airweave pillow brings a new definition to “firm.”

Sure enough, my head did not sag into the pillow, and my head and neck did not dent the pillow. A “very firm” pillow is what I dream about, and the other benefits from an Airweave pillow are just bonuses.

I have to be honest: I am a bit scared that the Airweave pillow is ruining me for life. How will I ever go to a hotel again and sleep on a semi-firm pillow, or a plushy down pillow that my whole head and neck sinks into? It’s going to be a hard time!

Complaints and downfalls

While only a portion of these complaints are mine, I did dig a bunch into reviews available online about the Airweave pillow. See below.

Firmness being too hard

There are complaints from the minority that the pillow is too hard. For this, I say: this pillow is not for you, and you need a softer pillow.

Not good for “side sleepers”

There are also opinions that the Airweave pillow is not good for side sleepers. I beg to differ, as I’m a 100% side sleeper (on either side). I found the pillow to be exactly what I thought it would be, based on the firmness I felt when I opened the package, and how firm the Airweave pillow remains over time.

Pillow does not fill up a standard pillowcase

This is my opinion on downfalls for the Airweave pillow: when I put our Airweave Standard Pillows into our pillowcases, there’s extra space, and a gap of fabric. I’m pointing this out to you in case this is very important to you, like if you’re outfitting a guest bed, or even your own bed, and you care a lot about the pillow filling out the pillowcase itself.

In these photos, you can see what I mean.

Is a $275 pillow worth it?

The Airweave Standard Pillow is “worth it” if you never want to buy a pillow again. And you may not need to, because the firmness and longevity of this pillow is likely unparalleled. It simply won’t dent or un-fluff.

I ran the math on this. We bought our “new pillows” from our wedding registry 3.5 years ago. I already replaced them this year with firmer pillows, which I rated at my Quince Down Alternative Pillow review. And now, we use the Airweave Pillows.

Based on feeling like I needed to replace our main pillows only 3.5 years later, and let’s say they were around $50 each: if I live until I’m 100, I will have to replace my pillows another 18 times. That’s $900 of spending on pillow replacements when they feel like they’re sagging in the middle.

With each of us sleeping on a single Airweave pillow, we could probably go another 50 years without having to even think about a replacement. The Airweave pillow seems indestructible, durable, strong and sag-free.

So, it is up to you: if you’re a hot sleeper, a head sweat-er, a pillow breather or if you simply want to realign your back and sleep on a hyper-firm pillow for the rest of your life, you can consider the Airweave pillow.

Is it the most expensive pillow out there?

No, it’s not. The Ritz Carlton Down Pillow retails around $300, clocking in at MORE than an Airweave pillow. You’re probably not going to be buying this one.

And the Goose Down Pillow from Macy’s Hotel Collection starts at $300 and goes up to $440, depending on the size and firmness you choose. That is one intensely expensive pillow! It better last forever.

Lastly, the Scandia Home Chamonix Down Pillow (hold onto your seat!) retails at $700. If you choose King size and Firm density, it’s $1,300.00. I had to check that I was looking in US Dollars, because this is the most expensive pillow I’ve ever seen.

So, in conclusion, the Airweave pillow starts looking affordable if you compare it to the down pillows that are for sale on the internet. Of course, the Airweave pillow is specifically NOT down: it’s hypoallergenic, contains no goose feathers and is made with Japanese technology instead. It all depends on what is important to you as you shop for new pillows.

How to buy the Airweave pillow

Simple: it’s available on the Airweave website, or (to my surprise), on Amazon! (If buying on Amazon, just make sure it’s directly from the “airweave store,” so that you’re not getting a knock-off or dupe, for the price you’re paying!).

I recommend getting one directly from Airweave so that your purchase is verifiably from the brand and so that you can contact Airweave’s customer service if you have any issues.

You can also shop in person and learn about that at their “Locations” page, which will bring you to retail partners. (Note: there are only a few and they are all in either California or New York, currently.)

What is Airweave?

Airweave is a new find in the sleep product, mattress and sleep technology industry. The company is best known for the Airweave mattresses.

Airweave (which is a Japanese company) has developed and employed research findings and technology to create their products, which are known for being breathable, hypoallergenic and clean.

The mattresses from Airweave don’t run cheap—nothing from Airweave does. You won’t find a budget mattress or pillow from Airweave. People who shop for sleep products from Airweave are serious about their sleep and how to optimize it. They’re ready to invest in products that are able to be cleaned, provide breathability, will stand the test of time and that will provide premium comfort.

Thank you to Airweave for providing us with the products featured in this review; all thoughts and opinions are strictly our own.

Why trust me?

I’m really serious about my sleep, to a point where I’ve written about how I got sleep with a newborn and that was tough stuff. I’ve written articles about sleep products like my Brooklinen bedding review and my Quince Premium Down Alternative Pillow review.

The way I see it is that sleep is something we do for about a third of the day, so we should be comfy while doing it! I look forward to going to sleep when I know I’ll be in a comfortable place where I’ve chosen how my bed is going to feel and how I’ll feel when I wake up.

I’m also a tough critic: I’m honest throughout reviews like this one and my aim is to help you out with finding products that work for your goals.