Hullo pillows make a gentle rustling sound when moved, which most people quickly adapt to. Some even find the sound soothing and pleasant. The Hullo pillow generally makes the most noise when it is brand new – over the first few weeks and months, the hulls become broken in and are much quieter.
I’m a back-and-side sleeper who doesn’t want to use two pillows. The hulls shift around nicely to accommodate both sleeping positions. I find that I sleep harder and deeper on the Hullo pillow than I ever did with other adjustable pillows or even my molded latex one. I also quite like the rustling sound of the hulls – it’s like relaxing white noise.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
This pillow usually provides all the support for my neck that I need. As time goes on I think about adding more hulls, though. On occasion, the pillow is too hard for me and I accept the lack of support in a softer pillow instead. Except for when I have a headache, this pillow is the best of both worlds. I never did expect a pillow to be so loud though!
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
The First night I used my pillow I noticed a huge difference. Before my hullo pillow I was waking up with horrible head, neck, and shoulder pain. No more! With my hullo pillow I am able to adjust it to how high or low I want it. It is soft but firm as well. The noise of the pillow does not bother me at all. In fact I find it rather comforting. The one downside I can think of with this pillow is that it is a bit heavy, but that is it! For people who are side sleepers, back sleepers and stomach sleepers I highly recommend!
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I haven’t woken up to a hot pillow in months now. I think I’d prefer a few more hulls in my pillow. It’s very firm which I absolutely love but it could be more firm for me. The pillow could be considered to be noisy by some when moving around. It doesn’t bother me and once I’m asleep I don’t notice it. It’s a very heavy pillow which has its benefits. My pillow doesn’t move around while I sleep now.
I would definitely recommend a Hullo for anyone who likes a firm pillow. Unless you’re an ultra light sleeper you won’t be disappointed. Like I said in the beginning,
No More Hot Pillows!!!
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
After removing 10 or 12 cups of hulls and giving it a little time to get used to the swishing noise when you manipulate the pillow, I find it very comfortable.
It has made my transition to tolerating CPAP easier as the pillow is extremely moldable, yet supportive and doesn’t contribute to mask leaks or it being pulled off.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I got a buckwheat pillow for me and my partner. The pillow didn’t kill their snoring entirely, but snoring is down 90% at least. The sound has gone from a drowning water buffalo to the rumble of a old car in far in the distance. I can tune it out and sleep. For me, I don’t wake up with neck pain anymore, and I only have to sleep on one pillow. As an added bonus, my pillow is now so heavy that my kid can’t steal it off the bed for pillow forts.
It took a little getting used to, and the pillow had a faint smell at first, but as someone who gets migraines from strong smells I can attest that it wasn’t strong and didn’t smell bad. To me, it smelled like black tea, almost. I never in a million years would have thought that sleeping on what is essentially a sack of grain would improve my sleep so much, but it absolutely has.
You should absolutely get one, as long as you don’t intend to use it for pillow fights.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
The best neck support that I’ve found yet (and I’ve tried A LOT of pillows). The buckwheat fill makes the pillow endlessly adjustable, cool, and supportive. The materials are consistently high quality. Note that if you share a bed the gentle rustle of the buckwheat fill can rouse a very light sleeper.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I’ve had my buckwheat pillow for about 5 months now. You have to add or remove material a few times to get the balance right, but it’s worth it.
Things people complain about, but I don’t find bad:
Smell – detectable but not intrusive at all.
Noise – a bit annoying for major adjustments/the first of the night, but for minor adjustments or just while your heads on it, not bad at all.
Weight – definitely heavier than I expected, but I kind of like that.
Things people say are good, but I think aren’t perfect:
Shape holding – pretty good, but tossing/turning will change it minorly throughout the night.
Temperature – it’s not actively cool to the touch, but I think only once has it gotten “too warm” in 5 months.
I think those imperfect properties are probably inherent to a buckwheat pillow, and not a fault of Hullo in particular. I’m overall very satisfied with it.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I love this pillow and recommend it for the eco-conscious.
I really disliked the thought that something I’d sleep on for a few years would end up in a landfill for 500 years. So I decided to try this.
It is heavy. This helps me keep it on my side of the bed, and thus keep my head on my side of the bed. (It was not uncommon for me to have my pillows *off* the bed.) However, moving the pillow or getting it in the pillow case can be a bit more work than you’re used to, as it is 13 pounds (5.8kg). You can adjust the weight by removing some or all of the hulls. If you live alone and have arthritis or other impairment, just know it might be a bit of an adjustment.
It is loud compared to other pillows, but it’s still quiet compared to everyday sounds. And, of course, it’s only noisy when you move.
There is a bit of firmness, but it’s also adjustable. I think it’s great as is.
While there is a premium price for this product, it is a quality product, and it’s the best pillow I’ve ever owned.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I bought the small buckwheat pillow and absolutely love it. I removed some of the buckwheat – sleep with my upper body elevated and needed a small supportive pillow. BINGO. The Hullo pillow is perfect. I can adjust it to support my neck and yet it doesn’t further raise my head. I was concerned at first about the noise the buckwheat makes when you sleep on it but it was never an issue. I highly recommend this pillow.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I heard about this pillow years ago on a podcast with John Gruber and made an impulse purchase that changed my sleep. I have had my Hullo pillow for over 5 years and it has held up very well and is used every night.
I have now started to feel the need to add some hulls, but this is the first time I have needed to since owning it.
My wife and son are jealous of my pillow and I plan on getting them their own when I order more buckwheat for my pillow.
For some this pillow may feel heavy, so you may want to try the smaller version if that is an issue. You may also hear that the buckwheat hulls can seem loud. I had this same reaction at first, but after a few nights i didn’t notice the sound anymore; now it’s kind of soothing.
Thank you for making this product, it has changed how I sleep.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I have tried dozens of pillows, from the cheapest to the most expensive. Every single one was a serious disappointment, especially the expensive ones because who wants to pay a lot for something that’s awful? I was beyond desperate. Why…WHY is it so impossible to make a firm pillow?? My head sunk to the mattress with every pillow I tried. So, not only no support, but the ends would pop up around my face. Uncomfortable and annoying! I stacked them…two, three, even four. That just made it annoying in layers.
I came across your product and thought it couldn’t hurt to try one more. I cannot possibly express how happy I am that I tried a Hullo Pillow. It’s a dream come true. I am not exaggerating. I had a bit of doubt that I’d like it when the noise of the hulls was mentioned. I should not have hesitated for a second. It’s very quiet, certainly doesn’t wake me up when I move during the night, and was very easy for me to get used to as I fall asleep.
Anyone struggling to find a good, firm pillow needs to try a Hullo. I have told every single person I know about this amazing pillow. I’ve even made a few people lay on it to see how great it is.
I am unable to thank you enough for making this pillow. I’m definitely going to buy more, for each side of the bed and for the couch, as I fall asleep there a lot.
Thank you,
Lisa Pence
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I love this pillow. Can’t believe I took the plunge but I really love it. I was worried it would be “noisy”, it’s not.
I don’t have to do weird things at night or figure out where to put my hand or tuck the pillow under my head “just so” anymore. Also, it’s great for reading in bed because it doesn’t “collapse” like other pillows do.
I didn’t want to spent the $ on the King size pillow so I’m using a standard on my King size bed and that’s fine. Plus the larger pillow would’ve been super heavy.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
The product gets 5 stars for meeting expectations. The pillow is exactly as explained. I have cervical stenosis and arthritis and nothing will remove the discomfort. Still, the texture from the hulls places my head at a perfect height to let me sleep comfortably on my back. I tend to sleep on my side, and so the edges provide less support than I want, or need. When I turn, I wonder if the crunchy sound might wake my spouse—he says it does not. And if I’m sound asleep, it doesn’t bother me either. I also think the hulls allow a definite cooling, which is great. I miss the softness of hypoallergenic polyester, but not the plastic, and certainly not the head-in-a-hole feeling. The Hullo pillow does what it says. And the smell is very very very faint and pleasant.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I first started using a buckwheat hull pillow over 20 years ago under a brand name. When it came time to replace them I found this site Hullo Pillow because I searched for just the hulls in order to make my own rather than pay over $70 each for a replacement. I bought the 10 lb bag of Hullo. I also bought smaller (may be for a crib but they’re slightly smaller than standard sized) zippered pillow cases and waterproof zippered standard pillow cases on another site. I wound up with 3 nicely stuffed pillows. It sounds like a lot of cases but my dog likes to lick pillows for some reason. I stuffed each small case with Hullo and then put into a waterproof case before putting all into my regular cases that go with whatever sheets I’m using.
At first they’re crunchy but you get used to that and it’s fantastic to have a firm and cool pillow under my head and shoulders that doesn’t shift or go flat as I move around. One little push or pull and it’s readjusted. No waking up to fluff and readjust like with poly fill, foam, etc. It’s also so much cooler especially in the summer time. These 3 new ones will last me a long time and I’ve recommended Hullo to several friends with neck and shoulder problems who have tried out mine and swear by using buckwheat pillows now.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I bought this pillow because I sleep with a CPAP machine for sleep apnea and wasn’t able to sleep on my side with a regular pillow. I’ve been sleeping like a champ (on my side) and getting a great night’s sleep with my Hullo pillow! I saw reviews complaining that the pillow is noisy, but that’s not an issue for me.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I got a recommendation from a patient for this pillow, but after the first night, it caused extreme head, neck, and shoulder pain! It was as hard as a rock. And it was also very loud every time you move to change positions to try to get comfortable with it. It is definitely not the pillow for us to sell to our patients when it causes extreme pain. The return policy is very misleading since the company gives you 60 days to return the pillow for a full refund, but when you ask to return the pillow they email you and ask you not to because of the impact on the environment. The pillow and the box weigh almost 15 lbs which will cost over $50 to ship back, and I will pay that to get the remaining refund. Companies that are misleading in the verbiage on their websites, or do not disclose that they do not pay for shipping on a return, and just leave out the information that your refund is minus your return shipping costs, is not a company my healthcare facility will do business with. The Hullo website on returns is misleading.
Note from Hullo: We try to be clear with our return policy on our website, which states return shipping is the responsibility of the customer. Return shipping cost depends on the carrier/service, but typically is nowhere near $50 for one pillow via standard ground shipping. As a small business, we do our best to balance value to our customers with operating expenses and our ecological footprint.
Skeptical at first. All of my life I have preferred super soft goose downy pillows. I ended up with a Hulo pillow and did not think I would like it at all. It seemed way to firm and noisy for my pillow tastes. I threw it on my bed with the rest of my tried and true super soft pillows. I figured that it might act as a foundation. Slowly but surely I ended up pushing the old pillows aside for the Hulo pillow. Much to my surprise, I now prefer the buckwheat hulls over goose down. Although firmer, the hullo pillow has just the right amount of give while supporting my head and neck positions. Gone are the sore necks, kinks and pinched nerves. Thanks Hullo for a great product!!!
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I love that it holds it’s shape and stays cool. I no longer flip my pillow throughout the night to puff up feathers or get the cool side. The only small complaint I can make is that it’s louder than a normal pillow, but since I don’t have to continuously flip it it doesn’t bother my wife.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I LOVE my Hullo (14 x 20). I’ve had buckwheat and millet pillows in the past, but the hulls weren’t as fresh as these are, which actually makes a big difference. If you haven’t used a buckwheat pillow before, they are somewhat firm. They are also adjustable in two ways – the first way you can adjust these pillows is by adding or subtract hulls so that your head is cradled just right. The amount I took out seems minimal, but it made a huge difference for me. I played around with it quite a bit before settling on the right amount, and I kept the extra hulls around in case I need them later.
The second way the Hullo is adjustable is that you can move the hulls around so they best cradle your head each time you move.
There is a rustling noise as you adjust the pillow and the buckwheat settles into place. It might bother some people, but I find it very relaxing.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
I could sell these all day long. It’s like a mold around your head and neck. Sometimes if I get up in the night I might push on the hulls a bit and they just fill in the “neck gaps”, again, like a mold. Yes, the pillow is heavy’ish and it has some sound to it, but it’s the best pillow I’ve ever had. I’ve been using one for years and feel the same way. Just recently bought the smaller travel pillows (my partner feels the same way) so that’s why I got a review request. People who complain that it’s hard as a rock need to take out of the hulls. They are malleable so they naturally push down in, but you may have to take some out. I guess it’s not for everyone, but if you end up loving like we do you’ll be so glad you bought it.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
The Hullo pillow is comfortable and provides better support than the synthetic filling pillows I’ve used in the past. I have’t used it through the summer yet, but it seems to stay cool without having to turn it over constantly. It’s definitely noisier than other pillows but that hasn’t been an issue now that I’ve gotten used to it. The only downside I’ve found is that since it’s essentially a sack of buckwheat hulls it can’t be neatly propped up against a headboard and it can look lumpy if you don’t flatten it out. Those are entirely aesthetic issues though and only matter if you’re particular about making your bed.
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.
An acquaintance recommended this pillow for my shoulder pain, but my goodness – it is hard as a rock. And loud. I hate it. But failed to read the return policy and fear it would cost too much to return ship, since it would be akin to shipping a cinder block. Expensive lesson.
I’d never been happy with a pillow before discovering this. They were all too soft and too bouncy. The buckwheat hull pillow is just right. It’s supportive but malleable, and I like the rustling, crunchy sound.
Thanks, Hullo!
I would recommend Hullo to a friend.