Hey there, pillow shoppers! If you‘re anything like me, you‘re always on the hunt for that perfect pillow that will magically erase neck pain, help you sleep through the night, and make you actually want to sit at your desk all day. Sounds impossible, right? Well I‘m here to tell you about a brand that just might deliver on that dream: Cushion Lab.
In this uber-honest, no BS Cushion Lab review, I‘m diving deep into my experience testing out their entire pillow line for sleeping, working, and traveling. As a certified pillow snob, I‘ll give you my unfiltered take on what lives up to the hype (and what doesn‘t). Plus, I‘m sharing all the deets you need to know before clicking "add to cart" – from the company backstory to customer reviews to how Cushion Lab stacks up to the competition.
So grab a coffee, get cozy, and let‘s dish about all things pillows!
What‘s the Deal with Cushion Lab?
Before we jump into the goods, let‘s set the stage. Cushion Lab is a U.S.-based brand that launched in 2018 with one mission: to help people feel their best by bringing ergonomic support to everyday life. Their bread and butter is a line of memory foam pillows thoughtfully designed to keep your neck and spine aligned – whether you‘re catching Zzzs, working on spreadsheets, or squished in a middle seat zooming across the country.
What makes Cushion Lab pillows different comes down to some key details:
- Ergonomic designs developed by in-house experts to promote healthy posture and alignment
- High-quality, eco-friendly materials including organic cotton, bamboo, and recycled polyester filling
- Proprietary Hyperfoam memory foam for responsive support that won‘t lose shape over time
- Risk-free 30-day trial period so you can test out your pillow at home
Another big plus: Cushion Lab keeps things affordable by selling direct-to-consumer online. While their pillows aren‘t the cheapest out there, you‘re getting a lot of bang for your buck in terms of quality and performance. And with their frequent sitewide sales (more on that later), you can often snag some stellar deals.
Cushion Lab Sleep Pillow Review: Best for Back and Neck Pain
As a side sleeper prone to neck pain, I had high hopes for Cushion Lab‘s sleep pillow line. I tested all four of their top-sellers: the Neck Relief Cervical Pillow, Cooling Contour Pillow, Ergonomic Contour Pillow, and Adjustable Shredded Memory Foam Pillow.
Neck Relief Cervical Pillow
The claim: Reduce neck pain and stiffness with 360º support for back and side sleepers
My take: This one took a few nights to get used to, but wow – once my neck adjusted, I was hooked! The ergonomic design cradles your head while supporting your neck‘s natural curve. After a week of sleeping on it, I woke up with zero neck pain for the first time in months.
The medium-firm memory foam hits the sweet spot of supportive yet pressure-relieving. And while I tend to sleep hot, the breathable Hyperfoam kept me surprisingly cool. My only gripe is the price at $65 (on sale from $85). But for the noticeable difference in my neck health, I‘m calling it a worthwhile splurge. 4.5/5 stars
Cooling Contour Pillow
The claim: Combine therapeutic neck support with cooling gel technology for hot sleepers
My take: As someone who‘s constantly flipping to the cool side of the pillow, I had high hopes for this one. The cooling gel layer does feel noticeably chilly at first touch. But once my head sinks in, I didn‘t notice it making a huge difference in overall temperature.
Support-wise, it‘s top notch for side sleeping. The higher-than-average loft and dense, contoured foam kept my head, neck and spine in textbook alignment. If you run hot and need firm support, it‘s worth a try. But if you just want cooling, I‘d say stick with a simple gel pillow topper. 3.7/5 stars
Ergonomic Contour Pillow
The claim: Get the ergonomic benefits of a contoured design at an entry-level price point
My take: Don‘t be fooled by the "basic" look of this pillow – the streamlined shape belies some serious support. With a lower profile and softer, more adaptable foam, it‘s great if you switch between back and side sleeping or like your pillow on the plusher side.
I let my S.O. take this one for a spin since he prefers a softer, "sinkable" pillow. He was impressed that it didn‘t collapse under the weight of his head, but still felt cushy and conforming. The foam has just enough responsiveness to fill in the gaps and keep the neck aligned. For the reasonable price and versatility, we agreed this one‘s a solid pick. 4.2/5 stars
Adjustable Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
The claim: Customize your pillow‘s loft and firmness by adding or removing filling
My take: As an all-around pillow for combo sleepers, this one gets my seal of approval. The shredded memory foam filling is a genius hack – it combines the moldability of down with the support of foam. You can mold it to your exact sleeping position, but it bounces right back without going flat.
Cushion Lab includes an extra bag of filling, so you can keep adding until you find your perfect height and density. I loved being able to adjust the loft – I kept it higher for side sleeping and removed some for back sleeping. The washable cover is a nice perk too. If you‘re picky like me or sleep with a partner who prefers a different firmness, this is the pillow for you. 4.8/5 stars
Cushion Lab Work Pillow Review: A WFH Game-Changer
I don‘t know about you, but my body has been feeling the effects of hunching over a laptop for the past year. So I was pumped to put Cushion Lab‘s work pillows to the test in my home office. Spoiler alert: they‘ve totally transformed my 9-5 comfort.
Back Relief Lumbar Pillow
Let me just say, this pillow understood the assignment. The contoured shape hugs your lower back while supporting the natural "S" curve of your spine. It straps onto any chair and stays put, so you‘re not constantly readjusting.
Compared to other lumbar pillows I‘ve tried, the Hyperfoam is way more supportive without feeling bulky. And the breathable cover kept my back from getting sweaty (cute!). Within a week of using it, my lower back pain was way less noticeable – even after long days. At $64, it‘s the best money I‘ve spent on my WFH setup. 4.9/5 stars
Pressure Relief Seat Cushion
As a freelance writer, I log some serious hours in my desk chair. So I‘m always looking for ways to make hard seating surfaces more tolerable (and keep my buns from going numb). This seat cushion is up there with my most-loved WFH essentials.
The memory foam is just the right density – it evenly distributes weight without feeling too squishy. I noticed right away how it takes pressure off the tailbone and hips. And the non-slip bottom kept it firmly planted on my chair.
Looks-wise, the gray color is pretty bland (it also comes in black, navy and burgundy). But I‘ll take function over fashion here. If you‘re over hard kitchen chairs or stiff plane seats wrecking your spine, this is $69 well spent. 4.6/5 stars
Is Cushion Lab Legit? Here‘s What Customers Are Saying
At this point, you might be wondering, "Sure, but is Cushion Lab the real deal?" Don‘t just take it from me – I combed through hundreds of reviews from verified buyers to get the inside scoop. The consensus? Cushion Lab pillows get a resounding thumbs up.
On the Cushion Lab website, their pillows have an average rating of 4.8/5 stars. The Adjustable Shredded Memory Foam Pillow is the top-rated with 4.9 stars and over 1,100 reviews – customers rave that it‘s "the Goldilocks of pillows" and "worth every penny." And the Lumbar Pillow has an impressive 4.8 stars with users calling it a "5-star pillow" and "WFH essential."
Reviewers frequently called out a few key themes:
- Noticeable reduction in neck, shoulder & back pain
- High-quality, durable materials that hold up wash after wash
- Thoughtful, practical designs for all-night (or all-day) comfort
- Stellar customer service with easy returns or exchanges
Not gonna lie, I did see a few customer complaints about the pillows being too firm or arriving with an initial off-gassing odor. But those were far outnumbered by the glowing reviews. Overall, buyers seem seriously impressed with Cushion Lab‘s attention to detail and clear passion for bringing comfort to their customers‘ lives.
Cushion Lab vs. Other Top Pillow Brands: How They Stack Up
If you‘re pillow shopping, you‘ve probably come across other big names like Purple, Casper, Layla, and MyPillow. So how does Cushion Lab compare? Here‘s my honest take:
Cushion Lab vs. Purple: Both brands use unique, proprietary foams (Cushion Lab‘s Hyperfoam and Purple‘s Smart Grid). In my experience, Purple pillows are bouncier and more temperature-regulating, while Cushion Lab offers better contouring and pressure relief. Purple‘s popular Harmony Pillow is also $159 – more than double the price of Cushion Lab‘s cervical pillow.
Cushion Lab vs. Casper: Casper‘s claim to fame is their down alternative Original Pillow – a fluffy, sinky design that‘s very different from Cushion Lab‘s contouring foam. If you want something uber-plush, Casper is a good pick. But if you need more structured neck support, Cushion Lab is the better bet.
Cushion Lab vs. Layla: Layla is another popular "bed in a box" brand with a small selection of pillows. Their flagship Kapok Pillow has an adjustable fill like Cushion Lab‘s shredded foam pillow. But Layla‘s starts at $109, while Cushion Lab‘s is nearly half the price at $69 – a steal for a customizable pillow.
Cushion Lab vs. MyPillow: You‘ve probably seen the infomercials for MyPillow‘s classic chopped foam design. I found it way too lumpy and uneven compared to Cushion Lab‘s smoother, more structured foam. MyPillow also lacks Cushion Lab‘s ergonomic shapes and eco-friendly materials.
So while all these brands have their pros, I gotta give the overall edge to Cushion Lab. You just can‘t beat the combination of quality, thoughtful design, and bang for your buck.
How to Score the Best Deals at Cushion Lab (Plus Shipping & Returns)
Now that you‘re an expert on all things Cushion Lab, I bet you‘re itching to try one of these dreamy pillows yourself. So here‘s how to score the best deal:
Cushion Lab runs frequent sitewide sales – I‘m talking discounts up to 30% or 40% off. If you sign up for emails on their site, you‘ll get notified about exclusive offers and early access to big sales. Definitely recommend hopping on that list for the insider scoop!
The Cushion Lab site also has a Sale section where you can scope out the current promos. As of writing this, they‘re running a "Spring Refresh Sale" with best-sellers like the Pressure Relief Seat Cushion and Lumbar Pillow marked down over $20 each.
In terms of shipping, Cushion Lab offers free standard shipping for all 48 contiguous states (sweet!). There‘s a flat rate shipping fee for Hawaii and Alaska, and they don‘t ship internationally right now. In my experience, pillows typically arrive within 5-7 business days.
Cushion Lab also has one of the better return policies I‘ve seen. You get a 30-day risk-free trial period to test out your pillow at home. If you‘re not totally in love within a month, you can send it back for a full refund – they even cover return shipping.
Just email [email protected], and they‘ll walk you through the process. Returns are typically processed within 3-5 business days of Cushion Lab receiving your pillow (and yep, you‘ll get refunded to your original payment method).
The only downside is you can‘t do exchanges through the site right now – you have to return your original pillow and place a new order. A bit of a pain, but at least the refund process is straightforward.
The Final Verdict: Is Cushion Lab Worth It?
Phew, you made it to the end of this monster Cushion Lab review! If you can‘t tell by now, I‘m a big fan of this brand. Their pillows have made a legit difference in my quality of life – from deeper sleep to fewer WFH aches and pains.
I know $50-$75 is nothing to sneeze at for a pillow. But in my book, investing in a quality pillow is right up there with a good mattress in terms of health and wellness. You use it every single night (and in Cushion Lab‘s case, every day), so the cost per use is actually pretty low when you break it down.
Plus, these pillows aren‘t messing around – the thoughtful ergonomic designs, high-quality sustainable materials, and responsive customer service make them a step above your average pillow in my experience. The 30-day trial period and free shipping are just icing on the cake.
At the end of the day, only you can decide if Cushion Lab is right for your needs and budget. If you‘re on the fence, I say give ‘em a try. Worst case, you‘re out a little return shipping. Best case, you find the pillow of your dreams (pun fully intended) and wake up feeling like a million bucks.
Happy pillow shopping!