- Filling type: organic buckwheat hulls
- Firmness level: very firm
- Available sizes: small (51 x 46 cm) or standard (70 x 44 cm)
- Free standard delivery to most of mainland UK
This one was recommended by reader Hazel S, who wrote: “I have found buckwheat husk pillows to be excellent for neck pain and the resulting headaches.” We had never heard of buckwheat husk pillows before, so we quickly ordered one from Brow Farm in Ormskirk. Hazel said it was the best of the two suppliers she had tried.
While we waited for it to arrive, we did some research. These ‘sobakawa’ have been used in Japan for centuries and are essentially a beanbag for your head, filled with the dried husks of buckwheat seeds. The downside is that a very small number of people are allergic to buckwheat. The upside is that it is one of the most supportive materials you can find: a bit like natural memory foam, as it moulds to the shape of your head, neck and shoulders.
We ordered the standard size, which was a little too thick when it arrived, so we unzipped it to remove a few handfuls of husks and added the dried lavender (£12 extra). As the pillow itself is made from hardwearing unbleached cotton, we tucked it into a soft pillowcase and went to sleep.
It's not the most luxurious surface and the buckwheat makes an audible crunching sound when you move it, but it only took a few seconds for the pillow to adjust itself to the right shape and height for a good, supportive, pain-free night's sleep.
As Hazel says, “It’s a slightly unusual feeling, but you get used to it quickly and it feels very comfortable. I’ve recommended them to several people who have also found that their problems have been resolved.”
We agree, with the small caveat that these pillows are very heavy. The small one weighs 3.3kg and the standard one weighs 4.4kg: not the sort of thing you want to take on holiday, and not particularly comfortable to sit up in bed and read.
But for good support, a perfect fit for your body and a very low price, this is a handy solution. We are grateful to Hazel for pointing this out to us.