The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is one of the best pillows when it comes to sheer value for money, especially as it comes in a pack of two. This down-alternative, hotel-style pillow features a plush, hypoallergenic gel fiber filling.
But how does this affordable pillow feel to sleep on? For three weeks, we tested the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow in a range of positions and scenarios to determine if its quality and performance are as impressive as its relatively low price tag. Keep reading to see how we fared…
Beckham Hotel Collection Pillow: Review in brief
The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is a plush pillow that looks as if it should have a fairly hefty price tag (it doesn’t). It comes in two sizes: queen (MSRP $49.99) and king (MSRP $65.99). However, it comes in packs of two and is consistently a best-selling pillow at Amazon, where it sees markdowns of nearly half-off the retail price.
We tested a pair of queen-sized Beckham Hotel Collection pillows for three weeks, giving us plenty of time to see how they settled in. The verdict among our testing panel is that these thick pillows hold their shape very well. We seldom had to fluff them, and they remained fairly plush even after being washed. (It also helps that we’ve followed some expert advice on how to wash and care for pillows.)
Whilst the initial feel is soft, there’s a real core of firmness to the pillows, making them a particularly good choice for side sleepers who need a balance of each. In fact, our side-sleeping tester declared the pillow the most comfortable they’ve ever slept on.
However, we also found the Beckham Hotel Collection pillows too thick for stomach sleepers, and our lighter-weight back sleeper said the pillow gave her a neckache. Meanwhile, back sleepers with a broader build should enjoy the feel of these pillows.
Despite the gel fiber filling, we didn’t find the Beckham Hotel Collection pillows as cooling as we’d had liked. You’ll likely have to flip to the ‘cool’ side at least once during the night – perhaps invest in a pillowcase that has breathable materials to make overheating less of a potential issue.
In exchange for a super low price, you won’t avail of the warranty terms that most of the best pillows tend to have these days. And though there’s no trial period included per se, if you buy from Amazon you’ll have 30 days to return it. That’s still enough time for your body to adjust to a new pillow.
Bottom line: if you need pillows for a guest bedroom or are working with a minimal budget, it’s hard to find a better value than this – especially since you can score two Beckham Hotel Collection Gel pillows on sale for much less than a single pillow from the likes of Casper or Layla.
Beckham Hotel Collection Pillow: Materials
- Made hypoallergenic down alternative gel fibers
- Can machine-wash and tumble-dry
- These plush pillows hold their shape well
The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is made from a special gel fiber that’s designed to be as plush as down but without any of the allergy or ethical issues that can be associated with it. It’s hypoallergenic; dust-mite, mold- and mildew-resistant; and made in an OEKO-TEX Standard 100 factory to ensure textiles meet high safety and environmental standards.
Underneath the softness of the gel fiber fill is a core of fairly firm material. The pillow is made of one piece of gel fiber, but a clever design means the feel changes through the pillow as the weight of your head is added to it. The high-quality 100% cotton cover is a lovely finishing touch to the design and really gives the pillow its high-end luxury feel.
These are big pillows that hold their shape surprisingly well. Although they are very soft and malleable, they hold their shape, which is one of the things that make them a good fit for sleepers who don’t want to be hassled with fluffing their pillow each morning.
They’re also easy to maintain, as you can toss them in a washing machine and tumble dryer. Fortunately, this doesn’t deflate or distort these pillows in any way, provided you follow the care instructions to a tee.
Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow: Price
- Sold in sets of two, in queen or king
- Sales yield prices as low as $13.50 per pillow
- No warranty, but there’s a 30-day return window
The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is sold in packs of two. It’s sold exclusively at Amazon, where it retails for $49.99 in queen and $65.99 in king.
It’s often on sale for 10% off at Amazon, which drops prices to as low as $39.99 for the queen-sized pack. However, a 40% off on-page coupon slashes prices to the lowest we’ve ever tracked. That makes the price of two queen Beckham Hotel Collection Gel pillows $26.99 – or $13.50 per pillow.
For further comparison, a standard Casper Original pillow retails for $65 – and as we note in our Casper Original pillow review, it also features a plush down-alternative fill with a lush cloudlike feel. If that’s not within your price range, the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is a suitable alternative.
If you only need a single pillow, that means you’ll have a spare on hand for an immediate replacement. And if you need to pick up a pair of pillows for yourself and a co-sleeper, it’s an easy, inexpensive way to take care of that in one go. Another consideration is if you want to refresh your guest bedroom with a set of hotel-like pillows but are hesitant to spend a lot for pillows that may not get a lot of regular use.
Do note that there isn’t any clear warranty information provided, so it’s unclear what’s covered (if anything) in the event of defects. As for a trial, you can abide by Amazon’s 30-day return policy, which fortunately includes free returns.
Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow: Performance
- Side sleepers will find it supportive and comfortable
- Too plush for most back and front sleepers
- Not very cooling, but well-made nonetheless
We slept on a pair of queen-sized Beckham Hotel Collection Gel pillows for three weeks. Our testing panel consists of individuals with varying sleep styles, body types, and sleep concerns. Thus, we were able to thoroughly test these pillows in key areas of performance, including support, comfort, and temperature regulation. Here’s what we discovered…
Set-up
Score: 5 / 5
Our Beckham Hotel Collection pillows arrived in a very neat, small cardboard box. Inside, each pillow was rolled and sealed in a plastic bag. We were concerned that the pillows would take ages to regain their shape after being unrolled, but after a quick ‘fluff’, they were ready to sleep on almost immediately.
We would recommend leaving the pillows for a few hours before sleeping on them to give them time to fully regain their shape. Perhaps set aside time before you go to bed to unpack them. Relative to some pillows that require you to put them in the dryer before use, though, this is a very fuss-free setup.
Comfort
Score: 4 / 5
Beckham Hotel Collection describes its gel pillows as an ‘optimal choice for all sleepers.’ Our review panel features sleepers of all stripes, so we were able to put this claim to the test.
Our side sleepers loved this pillow, finding it both comfortable and supportive. On the flip side, it didn’t suit our lighter back sleeper, and the plushness was too much for stomach sleepers.
One thing our sleep testers all agree on: the materials and beautiful cotton cover make lying on this pillow a far more luxurious experience than you would expect for the price tag.
Support
Score: 4 / 5
To break our cumulative score down: our side sleeper and heavier back sleeper rate the Beckham Hotel Collection pillow a flawless 5/5 for support. However, our stomach sleeper and lightweight back sleeper place it in the middle of the road (3/5).
Beckham Hotel Collection says its pillow offers the best neck support and alleviates muscle pain in side sleepers. Our testers who predominantly sleep on their side thoroughly agree, as they woke up free of aches.
But this pillow is not supportive enough for lighter-weight back sleepers or stomach sleepers. Unfortunately, our smaller-framed back sleeper experienced a neckache whilst sleeping on it, as it was too plush for her to achieve proper alignment. If you don’t want to wake up sore, follow this simple test to avoid sleeping on the wrong pillow.
Temperature Regulation
Score: 3.5 / 5
The Beckham Hotel Collection has gel fibers. Gel is used as a cooling agent – just look at gel-infused foam featured in the best cooling mattresses.
Disappointingly, our hot sleepers found that the pillow was initially very warm, although this did abate over time. On the flip side, our cold sleeper found it far too cold from the offset. It doesn’t do a bad job of keeping sleepers cool, but it’s definitely not the coolest pillow out there. (For further context, we used a protector and pillowcase during testing.)
If you overheat a night, consider a pillow that’s loaded with advanced cooling tech – for instance, the Eight Sleep Carbon Air Pillow. But it’ll be quite the investment, as it retails for $150 (opens in new tab).
Durability
Score: 5 / 5
Although we only tested our Beckham Hotel Collection pillows for just a few weeks, we felt that the materials were of an extremely high quality. The build quality of the pillow is excellent and the way that it springs back into shape after a night’s sleep (or thorough wash-and-dry) is highly encouraging.
It’s recommended that you replace your pillow every couple of years, though we don’t foresee any issues with the Beckham Hotel Collection pillow lasting that long.
Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow: User reviews
- A consistent Amazon best-seller with over 150,000 reviews
- Most positive feedback comes from side sleepers
- Negative reviews say it’s too thick and not cooling enough
User reviews for the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow are overwhelmingly positive. As of August 2022, it has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars from over 150,000 Amazon customer reviews.
Users rave about how comfortaly they sleep on these pillows with one user saying, “Don’t bother to buy any other pillow.” Side sleepers were particularly impressed with the support and comfort they offer. “They are much more adjustable than foam pillows but still retain their shape and offer support,” reads one five-star review. And a more extreme reaction: “[I slept] so well that I didn’t hear the baby crying or my husband getting up with her.”
As with all things, the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow doesn’t suit everyone. Some users found them too soft, and several stomach sleepers definitely found the pillows had too much rise to support them effectively. Many hot sleepers were also disappointed at the lack of cooling despite the gel fibers and cotton cover.
Should you buy the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow?
If you’re a side sleeper, then the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is the ideal choice for you. It’s supportive, comfortable, and relieves neck and shoulder pain for sleepers in this position. However, we wouldn’t recommend it for stomach sleepers or back sleepers of smaller stature – although larger back sleepers should find that they sink far enough into the pillow to have good support.
We were also impressed by the high quality of the materials. You’d struggle to find something as well made for such a budget price – especially since current Amazon sales yield prices as low as $13.50 per pillow. They also hold their shape extremely well, so you won’t be fussed over fluffing them after a full night’s sleep or a complete wash-and-dry cycle.
Looking for more of an all-rounder? The Coop Home Goods Adjustable Pillow allows you to add or remove the memory foam and microfiber blend fill to get the perfect loft and density for your sleep style. It’s more costly than the Beckham Hotel Collection pillows, with a retail price of $72 (opens in new tab) – but it does also include a 100-night sleep trial plus a 5-year warranty.
Meanwhile, if it’s cooling comfort you need, the Eight Sleep Carbon Air Pillow is highly rated for its cooling properties, mainly thanks to graphite-infused foam that reduces overheating. But it is a splurge at $150, so we’d recommend you check out our Layla Kapok Pillow review if you’re a side or back sleeper who overheats at night. It’s about $40 less than the Eight Sleep pillow and has an adjustable loft via a kapok-memory foam fill.
For pure value, though, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything better than the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow. Despite its super-low price, you’ll be getting a pair of pillows that should serve you well for at least the next couple of years. Fortunately, they’re also dead simple to care for – you’d rather not want to witness what happens to your pillows when they’re not washed regularly.
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