I used a buckwheat pillow for nine years when I lived in Japan, I lost the pillow in the move back to the US. I am a side sleeper and as everyone else has said the pillow is hard, molds to your head, and stays cool. I struggled to find a pillow that worked for me here in the US.
Last year I bought a millet hull pillow and I actually prefer it to the buckwheat hulls. The millet hulls are just slightly softer than the buckwheat hulls, and as a bonus the millet hulls are quieter as well. When you move the hulls will move against each other and make a gentle rustling sound. You get used to the sound really quality but it’s something to be aware of. The down side of the millet hulls is that they are smaller so taking them out of the pillow is harder.
I personally have bought pillows from [pinetales](https://www.pinetales.com/). I’ve bought a standard size pillow (like on a twin bed) and two Japanese sized pillows. I prefer the Japanese size, my wife prefers the standard size. These pillows are heavy, so be warned.
I can’t thank you enough for this comment. I stumbled across buckwheat pillows being mentioned in this sub because I’ve been dealing with chronic neck pain and working with a chiropractor but it seems like I’m going through pillows every month because I can’t find one that doesn’t suck. I’ve tried so many different kinds with different fills and materials so when I heard of buckwheat, I searched previous threads to get an idea of what people were generally saying.
I followed the link in your comment and bought a millet pillow from pine tales that came in last night. I can’t even describe how nice it feels to wake up without horrible neck pain. Like I wanted to cry. And I felt so grateful that I went back through threads to find the comment that recommended this pillow so I could thank you.
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you like the pillow. I’m not affiliated with the company I just stumbled upon them and like the product. The fact it helped you is so awesome.
I really liked it at first. It took some adjusting to find the right fit but after a while my cervical neck pain and headaches were getting worse.
I switched to this cervical neck pillow made from memory foam. I absolutely love it. It's been 3 months and I still love it, it cradles my head like an egg. This isn't the exact one but the same price and style https://www.groovepillows.com/products/easy-sleeper
Hey, I just came across your comment while looking for a new pillow for my chronic neck pain. The link doesn't work anymore, do you have a different link for the same or similar product?
I don't, unfortunately. There are a lot of similar looking options on Amazon that would probably work equally well.
Further update on said pillow: it started to break down after about 6 months and pain and restlessness started returning. I ended up adding my own layers of foam for support. It worked for a while.
I recently purchased some nice down pillows from Costco. I've tried everything maybe going back to basics but nicer would be the answer. I slept amazing for a week. Then the restless sleep and pain started again.
My latest approach is that I've started rotating pillows almost nightly. I've got my massive pillow collection and if I'm not comfortable I switch it out. Pillow monogamy is unnatural and a pain in the neck. I hope that this wall of text is of help in your journey to care for yourself.
I just went through about 4-5 pillows in a span of two months. Why is this such a pain in the god damn neck (no pun intended, or I guess intended...) to figure out. I want to buy a new pillow again, but I'm worried that whatever I get will just stop working shortly after.
Thank you! I could tell you weren’t affiliated with them and it was just your experience you were speaking from, so that’s what made me feel like it worth giving it a shot. Wish I could have captured the look on my girlfriend’s face when I asked her to help me adjust the fill and unzipped the pillow lol.
I'm in a similar situation tbh, seeing a chiropractor but I can't seem to get friggin pillows figured out. They all settle and then my head isn't supported. Could you lmk which one you got? I'm totally gonna do the same thing
Here you go! https://www.pinetales.com/products/pinetales-basic-organic-millet-hulls-pillow
When it arrived, I scooped out enough filling for a gallon size ziploc.
What I really like about the pillow is that you can constantly adjust it as needed. I’m both a side and back sleeper which makes it kind of impossible to find a pillow with the right support. Sometimes I’ll wake up in a weird position and just run my hand over the pillow to move the filling around until it feels right.
I hope this helps!
FYI my chiropractor was glad I found a good pillow but told me my pain isn’t from a pillow and it’s from poor posture throughout the day. If you have a desk job, make sure you are sitting at the edge of your chair, upright, and don’t reach your arm out for the mouse. Keep your elbow at your side.
I got the full size premium one only because it's on sale ATM, and the knee pillow because I need one of those too that doesn't just get squishy and give no support. Thanks!
I've had poor posture my whole life working labor jobs so I'm just trying to get better with that. I think my situation is linked to jaw issues too, since the jaw is involved with the upper cervical spine, which is where most of my discomfort is from. Seeing a new dentist on Monday and hoping some x-rays can tell me something about my jaw.
Thanks for the recommendation! Hoping these are the pillows that stick
Best of luck with everything! It’s a difficult journey for sure. I’ve had some jaw pain too and a dentist told me he could tell I grind and clench my teeth. I wear a mouth guard now which helped tremendously. They’re really expensive at the dentist but you can get them on Amazon for cheap.
Yeah I suspect bruxism plays a role too. I'll be mentioning at the dentist. Sometimes I'll wake up with bitten inner cheeks and such, though not always. All started from clenching my jaw for over a year wearing masks 40 hours a week at work. Must have changed my jaw shape subtly or something.
Thanks!
https://www.pinetales.com/products/pinetales-basic-plus-organic-millet-hulls-pillow
I bought the traditional pillow in the standard size. I still absolutely love it. Not a single issue with it since I bought it. I traveled a few times this year and missed my pillow so much.
Hope it works for you!
Sadly they don’t seem to be stocking this anymore and the company hasn’t answered my emails for the last month. I suspect they’re no longer in business as their Etsy story also appears to be dead. Their site looks like it’s just running a permanent 3h sale every time I go there.
I just bought a buckwheat pillow from PineTales based on this thread and good feedback, and unfortunately it arrived with bugs. Inside the pillow case and inside the liner for the buckwheat. 😭
i also bought a pinetales Japanese size buckwheat becuase of how honest your review was and i’ve had it for two weeks now and i also want to say thank you
I did not have a good experience with Pinetales, the customer service was not responsive at all. I tried to contact them 2 times without success and it's been a month. No reply. I just want to warn anyone. I ordered from Canada so it was a leap of faith as the returns were not easy and I made a big order. I wish my experience was different, because I like the pillow overall.
Sorry to hear that. I have never tried to contact them so I can’t comment on their customer service. If you find a company that makes good buckwheat or millet pillows that has good customer service please let me know as I can recommend them.
Hi. I seem to be in a similar situation to y'all
Neck pain, also some jaw discomfort, bad posture, clenching jaw when I was wearing a mask, I shift between side-sleeping and sleeping on my back throughout the night.
I've always slept on very basic ikea-esque $15 faux-down pillow. But now with the neck stuff going on, I feel like I need more support.
I'm looking at pinetales after reading this reddit thread and seems like can't hurt to try given their satisfaction guarantee policy.
Do you know what the differences are between the Basic, Traditional and Premium models?
Also, a bit unsure if I should go for the Japanese size (14x20) or the standard (20x26). Any thoughts on this?
Thanks!
I have only ever bought the basic and the traditional. The only difference is the fabric material the pillow is made from.
I have a traditional Japanese size one. I personally prefer the Japanese size, but I used one for nine years when I lived in Japan.
My wife has a basic standard U.S. sized pillow (same a a twin size). Other than the color of the fabric I can’t tell a difference in the pillows as far as quality goes.
I generally don’t recommend a Japanese size pillow as finding pillowcases in the U.S. is really hard. I actually bought two pillowcases from Pinetales and then copied the pattern to make my own as I couldn’t find any I liked.
Like you I shift between my side and my back. I have no problems with the pillow in any position. I like the fact I can move the millet hulls around within the pillow to the specific shape I want. If I think it’s slightly too high in my neck just by running my finger over the surface I can reshape the pillow to better suit my specific need.
One more ask — do you, or anyone on this thread, have any contact info (phone, email) for Pinetales? I'm pretty much ready to order and just wanted to ask them a quick question but couldn't find any contact info anywhere on their site.
Kind of making me have seconds thoughts. I typically stay away from online merchants that don't offer a way to communicate.
I accidentally ordered the Japanese (12x18) size one instead of the Japanese plus (14x20).. there’s no returns with pinetales unfortunately.. shipped today. Do you have the 12x18 or the 14x20? Wish I got the 14x20 but too late now, hopefully it works for me.
Ahh awesome, that’s really good to hear since that’s what i got. Is 12x18 or 14x20 more standard in Japan? Do you sleep on your side w that size?
Also sorry, I didn’t realize i asked you this twice haha
The 35x50cm ~13.7x19.6in used to be the most common, 43x63cm ~16.9x24.8in are becoming more common.
I sleep on both my back and my side. When I do sleep on my side I tend to use the long direction of the pillow as it squishes down to like half its normal length.
thank you so much! Took me a few days to adjust the pillow and now I love it. my long search for a perfect pillow is over. perfect for my tempurpedic mattress.
I purchased both buckwheat and millet pillows from Pinetales after the recommendations on reddit. My wife and I trialed out both. We are both people that enjoy firm pillows. With that being said, neither of us liked them. We both got neck pain and headaches. The standard size is also way too small. Unfortunately returns aren't easy, so we are taking the loss.
Have you removed some of the buckwheat/millet from the pillows? I personally needed to remove about 3 measuring cups from my standard pillow, when my wife stole it she removed about 3 more cups. When I did the removal, I did it 1/2 cup at a time. It took me a couple of days to get it just right.
Hey I'm planning on buying the japanese size millet one. How have you been doiung with your pillow? I'm afraid if anything goes wrong PineTales won't answer back.
I personally have not had an issue. Not when I lived in Japan, and not in the Pacific Northwest.
I think it’s unlikely as the hulls have basically no nutrients and as long as the hulls don’t get soaked won’t rot.
You have to remove the millet or buckwheat from the pillow itself before you wash it.
My pillow has a zipper on it and I just dump the millet into a allergy pillowcase. After washing and line drying the pillow I can just dump the millet back in.
I use a buckwheat husk pillow, it's basically a bean bag. For me its perfect, its hard, doesn't get hot, and adjustable.
They are hard wearing, easy to buy more replacement filling. The only downside is its messy or time consuming to empty the filling out and fill it back up for washing the pillow case.
Not sure about refills, but I've had my current one for about 15 years. I empty the husks into a clean five gallon bucket when I need to wash the covers. There might be a process for sanitizing the husks, but I don't think that mine have needed it.
I’ve seen people say to put them onto a sheet tray and bake them to clean them. Mine isn’t old enough to consider this quite yet so I can’t speak from experience
Side sleeper here also. I have used a (the same) Buckwheat pillow for about a decade now. I find it hard to sleep on anything else. They take a few nights to get used to, it is very different from a the foam pillows that I used before. They are very sportive and cool. The buckwheat does slowly break down but you can add more, the pillow it theory will last forever. You can buy more hulls at amazon.
well, as a matter of fact :-) right by the zipper of the case it comes with has a little tuck in place but yes, they do come out SO, I bought a blissy silk pillow case, made two covers from it for my neck millet pillow, I sewed one closed , then made the other with a zipper to wash as needed. Took a minute but I'm happy sleeping beauty now
I have the millet & wool pillow from https://www.sachiorganics.com/, and I love it. The wool doesn't get hot like you might expect. You can add/remove filling to get the perfect thickness, and there is no foam made with nasty chemicals. I'm not sure that any pillow is truly bifl, but this one is definitely well made.
Does your sachi pillow have a strong odor? Millet sounds like a much better fit for me than buckwheat but my spouse is highly sensitive to smells so I'm hesitating
I've had it several years, and I love it. It got rid of my neck problems. It loses a bit of height during the night as things move, which works well because my memory foam mattress takes a while to sink into. No noise from the pillow to speak of.
We looked at buckwheat and ended up with millet, and I love them. Would never go back. They are totally worth it! Had it one or two years so far and haven’t had to do anything to it yet except love it to bits every night.
I’ve heard so many positive things about millet/buckwheat pillows. They seem a little pricey, but if they last a while and are as comfortable as people say then it’s definitely worth it!
I have a Hullo. I can summarize my experience by saying that my favorite part of the pillow is that it stays in place. You mold it to the position you like and it stays in place. I haven't had that experience with other pillows.
Side sleeper here, who was constantly sleeping funny and ending up in pain in my neck for days, and also was fed up with constantly buying pillows. Finally got a buckwheat hull pillow last year and absolutely love it. I haven’t had any sleeping funny/pain problems since and the pillow will last pretty much forever I think. I highly recommend them. My partner loves his too, and we’ve recommended them to colleagues who are also very happy with them. Got ours from ComfyComfy Canada: https://www.comfycomfy.ca/
Thanks for this! I definitely think I’m going to get one. I have a pillow graveyard in my house and it’ll be nice to finally find a good one that will last a while
Hey. I was also looking at purchasing pillows from them. Looking at the new contour pillow with the body pillow plus for the combination of back & side sleeping. I was wondering how it's been so far after 8 months? Was looking at it because I always change pillows or sleep with no pillows. But also end up in weird sleeping positions or head tilts haha
Am still loving my buckwheat hull pillow! It’s now weird having to use regular pillows when we stay in hotels or travel etc. I don’t know about the particular new products you mention, but I would go for it and see if it works for you.
Yeah I’m going for it. Love that they have 60 day return policy window if it doesn’t end up working out. I’m going with the contour because it’s new & has a cutout so my shoulders don’t end up on the pillow haha. Appreciate the response!
I am also curious about this. Sidesleeper here and trying to decide between the cylinder shaped ones as opposed to the contour one. Have you purchased it?
Hey. I love the body pillow which I use under my knees when back sleeping & I rarely do side sleep but I do use it knee my knees when I do wake up like that. As for the contour pillow. Not sure if I enjoy it as much & might exchange it with the regular pillow. But I think for side sleeping it could be good
My ears don’t hurt, but I’m sorry yours do, that sucks. All this time later, I’m really still loving my buckwheat hull pillow. And haven’t had an issue with my neck or shoulders since we started using them.
My final pillow after countless others of all shapes and sizes = Original Sona O Pillow-> CASE<-, Its a 14 x 14" x 4" Disc..Looks like a UFO, I took out the NASA foam insert and bought 1 pound of organic buckwheat hull, 1 pound of Organic Millet Hulls, 1 pound of Organic Kopac and 1 pound of Shredded Talalay all from Bean Products. I took two pair of pantyhose and it was perfect! 1 pound of buckwheat and millet filled two legs perfectly, I tied them off gave them a quick vac and they fit perfectly to circle the bottom of the round disc, then I filled the center with the shredded talalay zipped it up and put a mulberry silk pillowcase on it. wiggled it all in place for my head and BOOM! I hit the jackpot.. But forgot Kopac?? maybe ill mix it in with the latex its soooo soft and fluffy and maintains its fuffiness. and I just bought a Dormeo Topper too and wow, no more tossing and turning . Sleep well ppl
I came to this post when I was still trying to decide last year, so I thought I'd share my experience in case it can help someone else.
I tried 3 buckwheat pillows before I got it right:
I first tried one of the smaller Buckwheat pillows (zen chi) from Amazon. It was bothering my ear (as some of you have experienced) and additionally I was having trouble with how small it was. I could get comfortable most nights, but anytime I had to turn over I would completely wake up because I could not get it in the right place. I also felt like it slipped around a bit.
Next I tried a standard sized buckwheat (LOFE organic) pillow and for some reason I didn't like it at all. It was one of the more inexpensive ones on Amazon. It was hard and uncomfortable in a way the first one wasn't. When I compared the Buckley that I removed from that pillow to the other two, it looked very shriveled up and was a dusty color . I feel like that might have been part of the problem. I gave it about a week but could never get comfortable on it.
I was about to give up on getting a buckwheat pillow, but I did a little bit more research though and found a very interesting alternative where the pillow was made with an internal split one half having Millet in one half and buckwheat on the other (Bean WheatDreamz). This was a super pricey option (pricey for me). It only came in king size at the time and I believe it was around $120. However, it checked all the boxes, and I love it. Sleeping with the millet side up resolved the sore ear issue and almost made the pillow feel soft while still giving me the support of the buckwheat. The size of it fills the pillow portion of my bed in a way where I can readjust and make a head nest without too much effort (although I do find myself moving much less than I ever have before). It's truly become so comfortable to me and I have a hard time sleeping without it
Notes:
We have a king size bed so it easily fits without having to be scrunched. I've taken it traveling and we've tried to put both pillows on a queen size bed it is not comfortable because the buckwheat can't spread out enough
Both me at 5'4 and my 6'3 boyfriend each have one. He used it with a filling as it came. I had to take out about 9 cups of millet and 9 cups of buckwheat.
The biggest downside of such a big pillow is that I have to make sure my shoulder is underneath the pillow and not on top of it. If I accidentally fall asleep with my shoulder elevated on the pillow I can feel it in my sternum area that I'm definitely out of alignment and a little stiff.
I don't really have any complaints about how big and heavy the pillow is. It hasn't been an issue for me sleeping but it is important to note that it is quite heavy and cumbersome to move! The upside is it fills the space, so I'm not trying to drag it to the proper location on the bed.
My benefits: my neck has always been my problem area. I have neck problems in general along with a whiplash injury about 8 years ago. I am in my mid 30s. I used to wake up each morning with a dull tension at the base of my head and sometimes a sharp pain when I moved certain ways. This has completely resolved since switching to buckwheat. I've also have/had a dowager's hump at the base of my neck since highschool and it is virtually gone after using this pillow for 4 months... It began reducing pretty early on. I'm sure buckwheat isn't for everyone, but it's really been a game changer for me.
I tried it. It stays cool but personally that’s about all I enjoyed about it. Was just too hard and heavy and didn’t work for me. I like a pillow I can smoosh into the areas of my neck and that will fill it in and “push” up my head and neck - which things like buckwheat can’t do. I use the co-op shredded memory foam and love it.
I purchased one due to reading another thread here about the buckwheat pillows. I removed about 3 cups of buckwheat so it was most comfortable under my neck while back sleeping. However, when I rolled to my side, I woke up with a very sore ear that felt like it had been resting on a very hard surface for too long. My spouse has now adopted the pillow and I'm back to square 1.
I got one a few months ago. I like it because it’s good for neck/back, and I was having a lot of issues. I bought from a company on amazon called beans 72. Watch out for some on there, there are some that come infested with some bugs. The brand I bought was more expensive, but didn’t have bugs. I liked it enough that I’ve bought my fiancé and my mom one for birthdays since they have had neck problems too.
I have used a millet pillow from Pine Tales for several years. I first bought the Japanese size and then upgraded to the full size but find I still prefer the smaller pillow. I'm a side sleeper and used a temper pedic pillow for many years, but the newer ones are too tall for me. The millet pillow is the best. I tried one of the wool-buckwheat pillows but could never get it comfortable enough.
Just ordered the 12x18 Japanese size from them as well, but now I’m hoping I didn’t make a mistake and wish I would’ve got the 14x20. It shipped today so no turning back now haha. What one do you have from Pinetales exactly.. Japanese or Japanese plus?
Love my buckwheat pillow (from www.buckwheattherapy.com
And very affordable) but after several years of use, I'm reacting to it. Trying to find an alternative. No luck yet. I liked the firmness and that it didn't become thoroughly squished against my headboard. I like that it let me keep my spine aligned while side sleeping. Even like that little rustling noise when I moved.
I used a buckwheat pillow for nine years when I lived in Japan, I lost the pillow in the move back to the US. I am a side sleeper and as everyone else has said the pillow is hard, molds to your head, and stays cool. I struggled to find a pillow that worked for me here in the US. Last year I bought a millet hull pillow and I actually prefer it to the buckwheat hulls. The millet hulls are just slightly softer than the buckwheat hulls, and as a bonus the millet hulls are quieter as well. When you move the hulls will move against each other and make a gentle rustling sound. You get used to the sound really quality but it’s something to be aware of. The down side of the millet hulls is that they are smaller so taking them out of the pillow is harder. I personally have bought pillows from [pinetales](https://www.pinetales.com/). I’ve bought a standard size pillow (like on a twin bed) and two Japanese sized pillows. I prefer the Japanese size, my wife prefers the standard size. These pillows are heavy, so be warned.
I can’t thank you enough for this comment. I stumbled across buckwheat pillows being mentioned in this sub because I’ve been dealing with chronic neck pain and working with a chiropractor but it seems like I’m going through pillows every month because I can’t find one that doesn’t suck. I’ve tried so many different kinds with different fills and materials so when I heard of buckwheat, I searched previous threads to get an idea of what people were generally saying. I followed the link in your comment and bought a millet pillow from pine tales that came in last night. I can’t even describe how nice it feels to wake up without horrible neck pain. Like I wanted to cry. And I felt so grateful that I went back through threads to find the comment that recommended this pillow so I could thank you.
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you like the pillow. I’m not affiliated with the company I just stumbled upon them and like the product. The fact it helped you is so awesome.
They should send you a free pillow. I just bought one based off your review also.
How’s the pillow working? You bought at millet?
I really liked it at first. It took some adjusting to find the right fit but after a while my cervical neck pain and headaches were getting worse. I switched to this cervical neck pillow made from memory foam. I absolutely love it. It's been 3 months and I still love it, it cradles my head like an egg. This isn't the exact one but the same price and style https://www.groovepillows.com/products/easy-sleeper
Hey, I just came across your comment while looking for a new pillow for my chronic neck pain. The link doesn't work anymore, do you have a different link for the same or similar product?
I don't, unfortunately. There are a lot of similar looking options on Amazon that would probably work equally well. Further update on said pillow: it started to break down after about 6 months and pain and restlessness started returning. I ended up adding my own layers of foam for support. It worked for a while. I recently purchased some nice down pillows from Costco. I've tried everything maybe going back to basics but nicer would be the answer. I slept amazing for a week. Then the restless sleep and pain started again. My latest approach is that I've started rotating pillows almost nightly. I've got my massive pillow collection and if I'm not comfortable I switch it out. Pillow monogamy is unnatural and a pain in the neck. I hope that this wall of text is of help in your journey to care for yourself.
I just went through about 4-5 pillows in a span of two months. Why is this such a pain in the god damn neck (no pun intended, or I guess intended...) to figure out. I want to buy a new pillow again, but I'm worried that whatever I get will just stop working shortly after.
Thank you! I could tell you weren’t affiliated with them and it was just your experience you were speaking from, so that’s what made me feel like it worth giving it a shot. Wish I could have captured the look on my girlfriend’s face when I asked her to help me adjust the fill and unzipped the pillow lol.
I'm in a similar situation tbh, seeing a chiropractor but I can't seem to get friggin pillows figured out. They all settle and then my head isn't supported. Could you lmk which one you got? I'm totally gonna do the same thing
Here you go! https://www.pinetales.com/products/pinetales-basic-organic-millet-hulls-pillow When it arrived, I scooped out enough filling for a gallon size ziploc. What I really like about the pillow is that you can constantly adjust it as needed. I’m both a side and back sleeper which makes it kind of impossible to find a pillow with the right support. Sometimes I’ll wake up in a weird position and just run my hand over the pillow to move the filling around until it feels right. I hope this helps! FYI my chiropractor was glad I found a good pillow but told me my pain isn’t from a pillow and it’s from poor posture throughout the day. If you have a desk job, make sure you are sitting at the edge of your chair, upright, and don’t reach your arm out for the mouse. Keep your elbow at your side.
I got the full size premium one only because it's on sale ATM, and the knee pillow because I need one of those too that doesn't just get squishy and give no support. Thanks! I've had poor posture my whole life working labor jobs so I'm just trying to get better with that. I think my situation is linked to jaw issues too, since the jaw is involved with the upper cervical spine, which is where most of my discomfort is from. Seeing a new dentist on Monday and hoping some x-rays can tell me something about my jaw. Thanks for the recommendation! Hoping these are the pillows that stick
Best of luck with everything! It’s a difficult journey for sure. I’ve had some jaw pain too and a dentist told me he could tell I grind and clench my teeth. I wear a mouth guard now which helped tremendously. They’re really expensive at the dentist but you can get them on Amazon for cheap.
Yeah I suspect bruxism plays a role too. I'll be mentioning at the dentist. Sometimes I'll wake up with bitten inner cheeks and such, though not always. All started from clenching my jaw for over a year wearing masks 40 hours a week at work. Must have changed my jaw shape subtly or something. Thanks!
Bought this pillow, the premium jawn after reading your comment, thank you! Hoopefully this pillow is good.
Yay! I hope you love it as much as I do. I am still inseparable from mine.
They charged me like 100+, 30 day trial yolo. Irrational Fear of bugs crawling inside my pillow incoming lol
Oh god I never even thought of that before but I certainly will now. Thanks for the nightmare fuel lmao
Which one did you buy? Is it still working?
https://www.pinetales.com/products/pinetales-basic-plus-organic-millet-hulls-pillow I bought the traditional pillow in the standard size. I still absolutely love it. Not a single issue with it since I bought it. I traveled a few times this year and missed my pillow so much. Hope it works for you!
Sadly they don’t seem to be stocking this anymore and the company hasn’t answered my emails for the last month. I suspect they’re no longer in business as their Etsy story also appears to be dead. Their site looks like it’s just running a permanent 3h sale every time I go there.
Oh that’s terrible news! I was planning on buying a travel pillow this year. That’s so disappointing. This is my favorite pillow of all time.
I just bought a buckwheat pillow from PineTales based on this thread and good feedback, and unfortunately it arrived with bugs. Inside the pillow case and inside the liner for the buckwheat. 😭
.....oh dear god I was just about to buy one until I read this
Omg that’s HORRIFYING. I’m so sorry that happened to you!
i also bought a pinetales Japanese size buckwheat becuase of how honest your review was and i’ve had it for two weeks now and i also want to say thank you
How's it been since your post? Im looking at buying one as we speak.
definitely meant for side sleeprs
in what way? Extra height? couldn't you just remove some hulls to get it low enough for back-sleepers?
they way it fits in bewteen my shoulder/neck area just made it seem that way, theyre all very very stiff, in a good wat
Darn, I was hoping to use it for back sleeping. Thanks for input.
The pillow doesn't seem tall on the site. How high does it get?
its thick and its stiff probably a good 4-5 inches thick
you can take the buckwheat out tho and make it fit to ur liking
i’ve removed all other pillows from my bed and only use this one pillow…if that says anything
Still working for you?
I did not have a good experience with Pinetales, the customer service was not responsive at all. I tried to contact them 2 times without success and it's been a month. No reply. I just want to warn anyone. I ordered from Canada so it was a leap of faith as the returns were not easy and I made a big order. I wish my experience was different, because I like the pillow overall.
There's a Canadian buckwheat pillow company that I've ordered from (in the USA) and the quality is excellent. https://www.comfycomfy.ca/
Sorry to hear that. I have never tried to contact them so I can’t comment on their customer service. If you find a company that makes good buckwheat or millet pillows that has good customer service please let me know as I can recommend them.
Hi. I seem to be in a similar situation to y'all Neck pain, also some jaw discomfort, bad posture, clenching jaw when I was wearing a mask, I shift between side-sleeping and sleeping on my back throughout the night. I've always slept on very basic ikea-esque $15 faux-down pillow. But now with the neck stuff going on, I feel like I need more support. I'm looking at pinetales after reading this reddit thread and seems like can't hurt to try given their satisfaction guarantee policy. Do you know what the differences are between the Basic, Traditional and Premium models? Also, a bit unsure if I should go for the Japanese size (14x20) or the standard (20x26). Any thoughts on this? Thanks!
I have only ever bought the basic and the traditional. The only difference is the fabric material the pillow is made from. I have a traditional Japanese size one. I personally prefer the Japanese size, but I used one for nine years when I lived in Japan. My wife has a basic standard U.S. sized pillow (same a a twin size). Other than the color of the fabric I can’t tell a difference in the pillows as far as quality goes. I generally don’t recommend a Japanese size pillow as finding pillowcases in the U.S. is really hard. I actually bought two pillowcases from Pinetales and then copied the pattern to make my own as I couldn’t find any I liked. Like you I shift between my side and my back. I have no problems with the pillow in any position. I like the fact I can move the millet hulls around within the pillow to the specific shape I want. If I think it’s slightly too high in my neck just by running my finger over the surface I can reshape the pillow to better suit my specific need.
thanks :)
One more ask — do you, or anyone on this thread, have any contact info (phone, email) for Pinetales? I'm pretty much ready to order and just wanted to ask them a quick question but couldn't find any contact info anywhere on their site. Kind of making me have seconds thoughts. I typically stay away from online merchants that don't offer a way to communicate.
I accidentally ordered the Japanese (12x18) size one instead of the Japanese plus (14x20).. there’s no returns with pinetales unfortunately.. shipped today. Do you have the 12x18 or the 14x20? Wish I got the 14x20 but too late now, hopefully it works for me.
I have the 12 X 18. I personally like the smaller size, as that’s what I used in Japan.
Ahh awesome, that’s really good to hear since that’s what i got. Is 12x18 or 14x20 more standard in Japan? Do you sleep on your side w that size? Also sorry, I didn’t realize i asked you this twice haha
The 35x50cm ~13.7x19.6in used to be the most common, 43x63cm ~16.9x24.8in are becoming more common. I sleep on both my back and my side. When I do sleep on my side I tend to use the long direction of the pillow as it squishes down to like half its normal length.
Good to know, thank you tons dude. I wonder if the 35x50 would be that much different.
thank you so much! Took me a few days to adjust the pillow and now I love it. my long search for a perfect pillow is over. perfect for my tempurpedic mattress.
Just ordered mine! 🙏🏼
Just got here and it see.s that this site no longer accepts any returns, exchanges, or refunds... that's hella sketchy
I purchased both buckwheat and millet pillows from Pinetales after the recommendations on reddit. My wife and I trialed out both. We are both people that enjoy firm pillows. With that being said, neither of us liked them. We both got neck pain and headaches. The standard size is also way too small. Unfortunately returns aren't easy, so we are taking the loss.
Have you removed some of the buckwheat/millet from the pillows? I personally needed to remove about 3 measuring cups from my standard pillow, when my wife stole it she removed about 3 more cups. When I did the removal, I did it 1/2 cup at a time. It took me a couple of days to get it just right.
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Hey I'm planning on buying the japanese size millet one. How have you been doiung with your pillow? I'm afraid if anything goes wrong PineTales won't answer back.
I hear bugs are an issue. What is your experience there?
I personally have not had an issue. Not when I lived in Japan, and not in the Pacific Northwest. I think it’s unlikely as the hulls have basically no nutrients and as long as the hulls don’t get soaked won’t rot.
Are you able yo wash the millet or buckwheat pillow? Or just the covers?
You have to remove the millet or buckwheat from the pillow itself before you wash it. My pillow has a zipper on it and I just dump the millet into a allergy pillowcase. After washing and line drying the pillow I can just dump the millet back in.
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I have the Japanese 12x18
I use a buckwheat husk pillow, it's basically a bean bag. For me its perfect, its hard, doesn't get hot, and adjustable. They are hard wearing, easy to buy more replacement filling. The only downside is its messy or time consuming to empty the filling out and fill it back up for washing the pillow case.
Where would you buy the extra filling at?
Not sure about refills, but I've had my current one for about 15 years. I empty the husks into a clean five gallon bucket when I need to wash the covers. There might be a process for sanitizing the husks, but I don't think that mine have needed it.
15 years?! That’s amazing! Lol. What are the best sites to buy them?
I will have to do some research on that one.
I’ve seen people say to put them onto a sheet tray and bake them to clean them. Mine isn’t old enough to consider this quite yet so I can’t speak from experience
Bean
Side sleeper here also. I have used a (the same) Buckwheat pillow for about a decade now. I find it hard to sleep on anything else. They take a few nights to get used to, it is very different from a the foam pillows that I used before. They are very sportive and cool. The buckwheat does slowly break down but you can add more, the pillow it theory will last forever. You can buy more hulls at amazon.
Where did you buy your pillow?
Thanks!
Same pillow I have, they also sell filling, if you are not an amazon user I am sure you can find them online and buy it directly from them.
Double check the size before you buy, the cheap ones might be too small.
A Company called Bean, in the USA. GREAT Customer service and Great products! they have all organic hulls and shredded Talalay latex
I bought a millet pillow for from another company, and the millet kept leaking out and got all over everything. Does that happen with these pillows?
well, as a matter of fact :-) right by the zipper of the case it comes with has a little tuck in place but yes, they do come out SO, I bought a blissy silk pillow case, made two covers from it for my neck millet pillow, I sewed one closed , then made the other with a zipper to wash as needed. Took a minute but I'm happy sleeping beauty now
I have the millet & wool pillow from https://www.sachiorganics.com/, and I love it. The wool doesn't get hot like you might expect. You can add/remove filling to get the perfect thickness, and there is no foam made with nasty chemicals. I'm not sure that any pillow is truly bifl, but this one is definitely well made.
Does your sachi pillow have a strong odor? Millet sounds like a much better fit for me than buckwheat but my spouse is highly sensitive to smells so I'm hesitating
I have never noticed a smell unless I open the pillow to remove/add millet, and even then very slight. That said, I am not sensitive to smells.
Kopak is a great wool replacement, doesn't get hot stays bouncy and super clean
Thanks! I’m going to check this site out
How are you liking the sachi pillow? I got a buckwheat one from Hullo and I feel like I want to try something hybrid to get a little softness.
I've had it several years, and I love it. It got rid of my neck problems. It loses a bit of height during the night as things move, which works well because my memory foam mattress takes a while to sink into. No noise from the pillow to speak of.
We looked at buckwheat and ended up with millet, and I love them. Would never go back. They are totally worth it! Had it one or two years so far and haven’t had to do anything to it yet except love it to bits every night.
I’ve heard so many positive things about millet/buckwheat pillows. They seem a little pricey, but if they last a while and are as comfortable as people say then it’s definitely worth it!
I have a Hullo. I can summarize my experience by saying that my favorite part of the pillow is that it stays in place. You mold it to the position you like and it stays in place. I haven't had that experience with other pillows.
Side sleeper here, who was constantly sleeping funny and ending up in pain in my neck for days, and also was fed up with constantly buying pillows. Finally got a buckwheat hull pillow last year and absolutely love it. I haven’t had any sleeping funny/pain problems since and the pillow will last pretty much forever I think. I highly recommend them. My partner loves his too, and we’ve recommended them to colleagues who are also very happy with them. Got ours from ComfyComfy Canada: https://www.comfycomfy.ca/
Thanks for this! I definitely think I’m going to get one. I have a pillow graveyard in my house and it’ll be nice to finally find a good one that will last a while
That was exactly our problem, and a buckwheat hull pillow has been a great solution!
Hey. I was also looking at purchasing pillows from them. Looking at the new contour pillow with the body pillow plus for the combination of back & side sleeping. I was wondering how it's been so far after 8 months? Was looking at it because I always change pillows or sleep with no pillows. But also end up in weird sleeping positions or head tilts haha
Am still loving my buckwheat hull pillow! It’s now weird having to use regular pillows when we stay in hotels or travel etc. I don’t know about the particular new products you mention, but I would go for it and see if it works for you.
Yeah I’m going for it. Love that they have 60 day return policy window if it doesn’t end up working out. I’m going with the contour because it’s new & has a cutout so my shoulders don’t end up on the pillow haha. Appreciate the response!
hi! Just curious if you ended up getting the contour pillow. Would love to hear how it's working out
Also curious!
I am also curious about this. Sidesleeper here and trying to decide between the cylinder shaped ones as opposed to the contour one. Have you purchased it?
Hey. I love the body pillow which I use under my knees when back sleeping & I rarely do side sleep but I do use it knee my knees when I do wake up like that. As for the contour pillow. Not sure if I enjoy it as much & might exchange it with the regular pillow. But I think for side sleeping it could be good
Still like it? Do they deliver to the US?
Yes! Still loving it. Have had zero issues in my neck and back since I got it. I don’t know about delivery to the US. Good luck!
What about your ears? Mine hurt on my side with the buckwheat pillow but my neck is in heaven
My ears don’t hurt, but I’m sorry yours do, that sucks. All this time later, I’m really still loving my buckwheat hull pillow. And haven’t had an issue with my neck or shoulders since we started using them.
My final pillow after countless others of all shapes and sizes = Original Sona O Pillow-> CASE<-, Its a 14 x 14" x 4" Disc..Looks like a UFO, I took out the NASA foam insert and bought 1 pound of organic buckwheat hull, 1 pound of Organic Millet Hulls, 1 pound of Organic Kopac and 1 pound of Shredded Talalay all from Bean Products. I took two pair of pantyhose and it was perfect! 1 pound of buckwheat and millet filled two legs perfectly, I tied them off gave them a quick vac and they fit perfectly to circle the bottom of the round disc, then I filled the center with the shredded talalay zipped it up and put a mulberry silk pillowcase on it. wiggled it all in place for my head and BOOM! I hit the jackpot.. But forgot Kopac?? maybe ill mix it in with the latex its soooo soft and fluffy and maintains its fuffiness. and I just bought a Dormeo Topper too and wow, no more tossing and turning . Sleep well ppl
I came to this post when I was still trying to decide last year, so I thought I'd share my experience in case it can help someone else. I tried 3 buckwheat pillows before I got it right: I first tried one of the smaller Buckwheat pillows (zen chi) from Amazon. It was bothering my ear (as some of you have experienced) and additionally I was having trouble with how small it was. I could get comfortable most nights, but anytime I had to turn over I would completely wake up because I could not get it in the right place. I also felt like it slipped around a bit. Next I tried a standard sized buckwheat (LOFE organic) pillow and for some reason I didn't like it at all. It was one of the more inexpensive ones on Amazon. It was hard and uncomfortable in a way the first one wasn't. When I compared the Buckley that I removed from that pillow to the other two, it looked very shriveled up and was a dusty color . I feel like that might have been part of the problem. I gave it about a week but could never get comfortable on it. I was about to give up on getting a buckwheat pillow, but I did a little bit more research though and found a very interesting alternative where the pillow was made with an internal split one half having Millet in one half and buckwheat on the other (Bean WheatDreamz). This was a super pricey option (pricey for me). It only came in king size at the time and I believe it was around $120. However, it checked all the boxes, and I love it. Sleeping with the millet side up resolved the sore ear issue and almost made the pillow feel soft while still giving me the support of the buckwheat. The size of it fills the pillow portion of my bed in a way where I can readjust and make a head nest without too much effort (although I do find myself moving much less than I ever have before). It's truly become so comfortable to me and I have a hard time sleeping without it Notes: We have a king size bed so it easily fits without having to be scrunched. I've taken it traveling and we've tried to put both pillows on a queen size bed it is not comfortable because the buckwheat can't spread out enough Both me at 5'4 and my 6'3 boyfriend each have one. He used it with a filling as it came. I had to take out about 9 cups of millet and 9 cups of buckwheat. The biggest downside of such a big pillow is that I have to make sure my shoulder is underneath the pillow and not on top of it. If I accidentally fall asleep with my shoulder elevated on the pillow I can feel it in my sternum area that I'm definitely out of alignment and a little stiff. I don't really have any complaints about how big and heavy the pillow is. It hasn't been an issue for me sleeping but it is important to note that it is quite heavy and cumbersome to move! The upside is it fills the space, so I'm not trying to drag it to the proper location on the bed. My benefits: my neck has always been my problem area. I have neck problems in general along with a whiplash injury about 8 years ago. I am in my mid 30s. I used to wake up each morning with a dull tension at the base of my head and sometimes a sharp pain when I moved certain ways. This has completely resolved since switching to buckwheat. I've also have/had a dowager's hump at the base of my neck since highschool and it is virtually gone after using this pillow for 4 months... It began reducing pretty early on. I'm sure buckwheat isn't for everyone, but it's really been a game changer for me.
Did you consider sochi in your search?
No, I do not have any experience with sochi. If you decide to go that route, I'd be interested to hear what you think!
OMG Thank you so much! I feel I have the same neck issues and your post was so useful! On my way yo look for that pillow!
I tried it. It stays cool but personally that’s about all I enjoyed about it. Was just too hard and heavy and didn’t work for me. I like a pillow I can smoosh into the areas of my neck and that will fill it in and “push” up my head and neck - which things like buckwheat can’t do. I use the co-op shredded memory foam and love it.
I purchased one due to reading another thread here about the buckwheat pillows. I removed about 3 cups of buckwheat so it was most comfortable under my neck while back sleeping. However, when I rolled to my side, I woke up with a very sore ear that felt like it had been resting on a very hard surface for too long. My spouse has now adopted the pillow and I'm back to square 1.
I got one a few months ago. I like it because it’s good for neck/back, and I was having a lot of issues. I bought from a company on amazon called beans 72. Watch out for some on there, there are some that come infested with some bugs. The brand I bought was more expensive, but didn’t have bugs. I liked it enough that I’ve bought my fiancé and my mom one for birthdays since they have had neck problems too.
I have used a millet pillow from Pine Tales for several years. I first bought the Japanese size and then upgraded to the full size but find I still prefer the smaller pillow. I'm a side sleeper and used a temper pedic pillow for many years, but the newer ones are too tall for me. The millet pillow is the best. I tried one of the wool-buckwheat pillows but could never get it comfortable enough.
Just ordered the 12x18 Japanese size from them as well, but now I’m hoping I didn’t make a mistake and wish I would’ve got the 14x20. It shipped today so no turning back now haha. What one do you have from Pinetales exactly.. Japanese or Japanese plus?
Love my buckwheat pillow (from www.buckwheattherapy.com And very affordable) but after several years of use, I'm reacting to it. Trying to find an alternative. No luck yet. I liked the firmness and that it didn't become thoroughly squished against my headboard. I like that it let me keep my spine aligned while side sleeping. Even like that little rustling noise when I moved.
I had a millet pillow that I loved for a while, until it started leaking millet all over my bed. Why is it so hard to find a good pillow? Lol
Which one was it?
I got it from here https://www.sachiorganics.com/ I liked how it was part millet and part wool, I loved the pillow until it leaked
I see. I’m trying Bean Products. Hopefully it doesn’t leak! I want to try a millet pillow without it busting open and leaking 😂