When I first heard about the Nitetronic Z6 Smart Anti-Snore Pillow, I knew we had to test it for Forbes Vetted. It’s a clinically tested smart pillow with various sensors that help identify and reduce snoring by adjusting the pillow (and, in turn, your head) in real time. You can also pair it with an app to adjust its settings and monitor your sleep. All that—along with its $699 price tag at full retail—made it too intriguing to pass up. My main roadblock for writing this story is that I don’t snore, which seems pretty imperative for testing an anti-snore pillow. So I recruited some snorers I do have in my life (my wonderful in-laws) to test it for me.
The Nitetronic Z6 Anti-Snore Pillow is designed to identify and reduce snoring throughout the night.
They slept with this pillow and used its accompanying app for three months and documented their findings for me to share. In this Nitetronic Z6 Smart Anti-Snore Pillow review, I relay their results using the pillow, their experience setting it up and using the app, their favorite things about it and who they do (and do not) recommend it for.
Nitetronic Z6 Smart Anti-Snore Pillow Features
Top-Notch Snoring Detection You Can Adjust
My in-laws are both snorers, with my father-in-law having the worse issues due to mild sleep apnea. (Note: My father-in-law received approval from his doctor to use this pillow. You should also talk to a medical professional before using this pillow—or any anti-snore pillow—if you have sleep apnea or snoring concerns.) He and my mother-in-law took turns testing the pillow, and both said they noticed the other one stopped snoring when sleeping on it, along with seeing benefits while using it themselves.
Experts say the best anti-snore pillows help adjust your head to promote better airflow, as snoring takes place when your muscles are too relaxed and block your airway (which can be due to various reasons). While some pillows are designed to do this with their shape, which keeps the head lifted, the Nitetronic Z6 is reactive and adjusts as you need it. It includes sensors that detect a snorer’s breathing noises and their current head position, and then airbags within the pillow move their head to the side to reduce snoring. There are six airbags throughout the pillow to adjust the sleeper’s head no matter its position. Because of the high-tech nature of all this, the Nitetronic Z6 doesn’t look like a standard pillow—rather, it has a hose attached that connects to a Wi-Fi/power device that has to be plugged into the wall.
The Nitetronic Z6 Pillow with its attached hose.
“I thought it was a bit too much at first,” my father-in-law tells me. “The hose and the box all seemed like a lot to fit into the bedroom.” But after they set the pillow up and started using it, his tune changed. He started seeing major results and feeling more rested during the day. He was also initially concerned about the noise the pillow makes while adjusting his head, but he says it never actually woke him up or disrupted his sleep. “It works. My best advice is to be patient—you will get used to it,” he adds.
In addition to the initial process of adapting to the pillow, my in-laws say the sensitivity of the pillow has been a slight issue. Although you can adjust the sensitivity level of its sensors, they found it can still pick up the snores of the sleeper next to you who’s not using the pillow. “We love it, but we need a second one for sure. If there are two snorers sleeping in the same bed, they both need one. When I was using it and my wife was snoring, it would pull off of her noise and adjust to try and make it stop,” says my father-in-law.
You can manually adjust the detection and intervention sensitivity if you don’t want to use the app.
A Memory Foam Feel With An Adjustable Height
The Z6 has a memory foam core with a 100% cotton, velvet-filled cover. You can remove memory foam pads within the pillow to adjust the height between 9cm and 13cm, but my in-laws say it maintains a firmer feel overall even after adjustment.
“It’s too firm for my taste, but I adapted to the memory foam,” says my father-in-law. “I would prefer a softer and lower-profile option, but I realize that may not be possible with all the moving parts. I am a side sleeper and, again, I adjusted to it fairly quickly.” And despite containing memory foam, which is known for trapping heat, he says, “I never noticed it being too hot or cool during the night.”
A User-Friendly App To Track Your Progress
You have the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the pillow’s sensors and intervention manually on the box that’s connected to the pillow, or you can do it in the app. The app also stores data from the pillow about your sleep and snoring performance. You can check the app to see at what times and for how long you snored—and how intense it was on a scale from “quiet” to “epic.” Along with daily reports, there are weekly reports that break down the snoring and intervention times/durations and show how they compare to previous nights and weeks. You also have access to educational resources to learn more about snoring and other ways to reduce it.
A look at one of my father-in-law’s daily reports in the Nitetronic app.
Clinical Studies Behind The Z6
The brand says, “Clinical trials at the University ENT Clinic Mannheim in Germany have shown that using the Nitetronic Smart Anti-Snore Pillow can reduce or eliminate snoring by approximately 67%.” However, it’s worth noting that it’s not regulated or approved by the FDA and is not recommended for those under 18 years old, patients with intracranial electrodes or those with a heart pacemaker.
“The product has been researched and found to be safe and effective,” says Dr. Deborah Lee, a sleep expert at Dr Fox who works with Get Laid Beds. “It’s a pillow, so it does not involve going to bed with a gadget in your mouth or covering your nose. But if you have OSA [obstructive sleep apnea], always check with your health provider before using any new device long-term.”
Dr. Carlos Nunez, chief medical officer at ResMed, says a pillow like this could be a game-changer for some—like those with mild, occasional or positional snoring—but “if your snoring is a sign or symptom of something more serious, these types of devices may give a false sense of security,” he says. This, in turn, could delay the diagnosis of something that might require a doctor’s attention. “That’s why you should talk to your doctor about your snoring before you spend money on any treatment, especially if not cleared by the FDA,” says Nunez.
My Expertise
I’m the senior mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted. I’ve tested over 150 sleep products in the past three years, from pillows to sheets to mattresses. Since I know the importance of standing behind the products we recommend, I recruited my in-laws (who both snore) to test this anti-snore pillow, and I spoke to them at length about their experience in order to share legitimate, real-life results. I also have a sleep science coach certification, which helps influence my advice and product recommendations for sleepers.
Final Thoughts
I know my in-laws well, and they’re not going to rave about just any product—especially when it comes to ones that are supposed to enhance sleep. That both of them saw positive results while using this smart anti-snore pillow is very telling. Not only did they both say that they felt like they achieved deeper, better sleep with the pillow, they both also reported that the other one snored less while using it. In fact, they want to get another one because they like it so much. I think the Nitetronic Z6 is worth trying if you struggle with snoring, are open to a high-tech pillow with a memory foam feel and have talked to your doctor about using it.
After using this pillow for three months, my in-laws do recommend getting two of them if you and your partner both snore. Otherwise, the pillow can sense and adjust to the wrong person’s breathing noises, even if you lower its sensitivity levels. It also is offered only in a memory foam option, which you may need to really like if you’re willing to pay the $699 (before discounts).
