“Chillow” is a pillow insert designed to keep you cool throughout the night. It has been seen in late night and early morning television ads over the past few years. Today we offer our review of the As Seen on TV Chillow.
What is Chillow?
Chillow is a pillow insert which is designed to keep you cool as you sleep at night. It is filled with water and you can place it in your refrigerator for 15-30 minutes for “maximum coolness.”
A Tale of Two Chillows
There are actually two Chillows on the market. The Original Chillow is manufactured in the U.S. by Soothsoft and has been available since the 1990s. There is also an As Seen on TV version of Chillow, which is manufactured in China.
The website for the Original Chillow is soothsoft.com, while the website for the As Seen on TV Chillow is chillow.com.
Our review is for the As Seen on TV version of Chillow.
How much does Chillow cost?
Online: Chillow costs $12.99 plus $6.95 processing and handling for a total cost of $19.94. As with most “As Seen on TV” products, you can add a second product for “free” if you pay another $6.95. That would make two Chillows a total of $26.89.
Delivery takes 2 to 6 weeks, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee, less P&H.
In Stores: Chillow is now available in stores. You can find it at retailers such as Target or Bed Bath and Beyond for about $13. We have seen it on sale for as low as $8.
Our Chillow Review
After using two As Seen on TV Chillows, our staff put together a list of pros, cons, and other useful information.
Pros
- Temperature. It does provide a nice, cool sensation to your head and face.
- Other uses. We found that Chillow worked better as a temporary cool compress than an all-night cooling pillow.
- Setup. The initial setup process is fairly straightforward and relatively easy.
Cons
- Temperature. Although Chillow starts off cool, it eventually loses its coolness throughout the night, albeit slower than a regular pillow. After a few hours, the Chillow may tend to feel warmer than a regular pillow. Flipping it over or using a second Chillow may remedy this.
- Leakage. You are required to add water to the Chillow, and this water is held in by a plug. We’ve had a few readers complain (below) that their Chillows leaked during the night.
- Noise. We found that there was a noticeable “crinkling” noise. This is not a problem to everyone, but light sleepers may have a problem with it.
- Smell. If you’re sensitive to smells, you may not like the way the chemical/plastic smell (reminiscent of a child’s blowup raft) which emanates from the Chillow. You may be able to lessen this by keeping it the Chillow inside the pillow case, or by cleaning it before use.
- Bunches up. The material inside the Chillow tends to bunch up after some use. This “bunching up” is not easily fixed.
Other Considerations
- There is an “activation” process which must be done once and requires about a four hour wait before you can use the Chillow.
- You will need to add about 8 cups of water to the Chillow.
- Recommended maintenance of the Chillow requires removing all of the air once a month.
- It cannot be used in direct sunlight or placed in the freezer.
- It’s not recommended for pets. A cat could easily puncture the Chillow.
- Chillow is heavier than it looks, perhaps due to the 8 cups of water inside. The weight may compress fluffy, soft, or down pillows.
Television Commercial
Below is a television commercial for Chillow Pillow:
Transcript of the television commercial above:
Are you tired of those hot, sticky, sleepless nights? Are you fed up with flipping your pillow looking for relief? Some nights you feel like you’re on fire. Introducing Chillow, the amazing new pillow pack that transforms your pillow into a Chillow. Look, pillows trap body heat, increasing perspiration, but Chillow keeps your head cool and dry. The secret is SoothSoft technology, the water-cooled memory foam that keeps you cool for hours. He likes the room hot, she likes the room cold. Chillow is customized to cradle you in memory foam cooling comfort. Even if your room feels like a desert, you’ll feel like you’re in a cool oasis. Watch. These thermographic images show significantly lower blue Chillow temperatures, but the down pillow is many degrees warmer. Chillow fits perfectly inside your pillow case, or sleep right on the slip-proof cushion.
(User testimonials)
Robin P.: “When I suffer from a migraine, I usually use an ice pack. It tends to leak and create a mess. But with Chillow it’s so much more comfortable. It makes me feel better instantly.”
Teri M.: “I’ve been experiencing hot flashes and night sweats, but with Chillow it’s instant cool, instant relief, and it’s wonderful.”
Demitrius V.:”Every night I used to wake up in a puddle of sweat. Chillow really helps spread that coolness around and now I feel comfortable.”
There’s more. Cool, soothing Chillow is a perfect compress for headaches, migraines, backaches, or even throbbing, aching feet. Rigid ice packs lose their cool, but ultra suede Chillow lets you chill out all night long. Look again. Chillow stays almost 10 degrees cooler.
Now order the amazing Chillow for the special TV price of just $12.99. But wait! Call in the next 10 minutes and we’ll send you a second Chillow free. Just pay separate processing and handling. You get it all – two Chillows for just $12.99, so call now.
History
The Google Trends search history chart below shows interest in Chillow dating back to 2004. There was a notable surge in July 2013, which is perhaps when the As Seen on TV version began marketing heavily.
Bottom Line
You will probably either really enjoy, or really dislike the As Seen on TV Chillow. The consensus here is that it was a akin to a large plastic bag with water and a small cushion inside.
If you get a unit that doesn’t leak, and if you aren’t sensitive to sounds and smells, you may find the Chillow to be a pleasant product.
We recommend purchasing locally to avoid shipping costs and delays, and to facilitate the return process, if necessary.
Your Turn
Have you used either version of Chillow? Let us hear from you in the comments below.
Updated December 26, 2014
Originally published June 2013
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