Our verdict
The Purple Pillow scores 5.9, 41st of 53. Fit range reaches 7.0 thanks to the boosters, and value shows 8.4 only because the other grid pillows we price are Purple's too. Care at 5.0 and proof at 4.0 hold the total down.
Suits
- Back sleepers who want the head held level without sinking
- Hot sleepers: 88% of buyers who mention cooling are positive
- Sleepers who will fine-tune height with a one-inch and a half-inch booster
Think twice if
- Anyone who likes to bunch or fold a pillow
- Travelers or anyone who moves the pillow around: weight draws heavy complaints
- Buyers who want a long warranty on a pillow at this price
Buyer ratings
What 3,263 buyers say
Buyers give the Pillow, GelFlex Grid 4.2 out of 5 from 3,263 ratings. Adjusted for pool size, the Pillow, GelFlex Grid averages 4.21, with 14% of its ratings at one or two stars.
- 5 star65%
- 4 star14%
- 3 star7%
- 2 star6%
- 1 star8%
Topics buyers raise most
- Quality271 mentions: 80% positive, 20% negative
- Comfort184 mentions: 57% positive, 43% negative
- Value for money144 mentions: 38% positive, 63% negative
- Neck pain139 mentions: 69% positive, 31% negative
- Weight127 mentions: 27% positive, 73% negative
- Firmness104 mentions: 50% positive, 50% negative
- Support89 mentions: 80% positive, 20% negative
- Cooling76 mentions: 88% positive, 12% negative
Of 3,263 ratings, 65% are five stars and 14% are one or two. Cooling earns the clearest praise: 88% of 76 buyers who mention it are positive. Weight draws the clearest complaint, 73% negative across 127 mentions, and price is close behind at 63% negative.
Firmness splits evenly, which fits a pillow sold as firm on purpose. Neck pain comes up 139 times, 69% positive, enough to place it on our list of pillows buyers rate best for neck pain; those are reports, and ongoing pain is a reason to see a clinician. The quotes below are taken from reviews on Purple's site, where the brand decides what stays up. Even there, the boosters and long-term firmness draw one-star complaints.
I had to take the 2 spacers out of it but its perfect at that height for me. I even take it when I travel.
The pillow is great for back sleeping! The square design supports my shoulders and the GelFlex Grid supports my head without it sinking down over the night.
I need both boosters to get my pillow at a comfortable height and they constantly slip and move around.
After six months of having the pillow it lost its firmness. There is no more neck support and your head goes directly flat in the middle.
Fill and feel
A full gel grid instead of fill
You will find no loose fill inside. Purple builds the whole pillow from its GelFlex Grid, a honeycomb grid, and calls the feel firm and responsive rather than soft. The listing files the material as polyurethane foam and gives the weight as 11.7 pounds, which helps explain the weight complaints.
Purple says hundreds of open channels keep air moving and that the grid springs back by morning. Proof stays at 4.0 because no pillow page names a certification; the CertiPUR-US directory lists Purple at company level only. For how the grid compares with latex and foam, see our page on latex and gel grid pillows.
Size and loft
Two boosters set the height
Purple gives the size as a standard 24 by 16 inches. Two removable boosters, one an inch thick and one half an inch, sit inside: keep them out for stomach or back sleeping, add them for side sleeping. Between the two you can set four heights, in half-inch steps. With both out, one owner on the brand site sleeps on the grid alone and travels with it rolled in a carry-on.
The boosters are also the weak point. One owner who needs both says they slip and move during the night, and a back sleeper says the pillow suits back sleeping better than side sleeping even with a booster added.
Care
Hand wash only, per the listing
Purple's own copy states no care method, and the product page lists hand wash only. That is the reason care scores 5.0. One buyer on the brand site also reports a chemical smell on unpacking, so give your pillow time to air before you sleep on it.
Value
Top price, short warranty
A single Purple Pillow costs $211. You get 30 nights to return it if bought from Purple directly, clean and undamaged, and a 1-year limited warranty for the original purchaser. For a pillow at this price, a single year leaves you exposed if the grid loses firmness in its second year.
Purple's other grid and latex pillows, including the Harmony at $194, are on the Purple brand page.
Photos
The Purple Pillow, GelFlex Grid in photos
Product photos published by Purple.
Sizes and prices
Sizes, packs and prices
| Option | Size | Pillows | Price | Per pillow | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Standard | 1 | $211 | $211 |  |
The score
How the 5.9 adds up
Six parts, the same weights for every pillow on this site. The full method, with the formula for each part, is on our scoring page.
| Part | Weight | Score | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer satisfaction | 35% | 6.1 | 4.2 stars from 3,263 ratings, adjusted 4.21; 14% one or two stars |
| Complaint profile | 20% | 5.1 | 29.7% of fault-type topic mentions are negative |
| Fit range | 15% | 7.0 | adjustable fill, 1 size |
| Materials & proof | 10% | 4.0 | No certification stated |
| Care & cover | 10% | 5.0 | Not stated by the maker |
| Value | 10% | 8.4 | $211 per pillow against a $194 median for gel grid |
Same brand
More from Purple
The Pillow, GelFlex Grid is one of 7 Purple pillows we score. Who makes the Pillow, GelFlex Grid, and what the trial and warranty say, is on the Purple brand page.
Questions
Questions about the Purple Pillow, GelFlex Grid
Is the Purple Pillow too heavy to use comfortably?
The listing gives 11.7 pounds, and 73% of buyers who mention weight are negative. If you rearrange pillows every night, the weight will be part of your routine.
Do you need the boosters in the Purple Pillow?
Purple suggests keeping it low for stomach and back sleeping and adding boosters for side sleeping. One owner who uses both says they shift during the night.
Does the Purple Pillow sleep cool?
Purple sells it as cooling, and 88% of buyers who mention temperature agree, though one owner on the brand site says it still gets warm. Our page on cooling materials covers what such claims can promise.
