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July 14, 2004
SoothSoft Chillow Review
As a technology enthusiast, when I first heard of the Chillow on the Oprah show a while back, I have to admit I was interested to say the least. The Chillow apparently used some sort of cooling technology to keep its internal material cool to the touch at all times. It is meant to stop one from “pillow flipping” to find the cool spot. Well, after using it for a few weeks, I am here with the results.
The Chillow® acts as a radiator for your body. It uses water to absorb, and then dissipate heat back to the surrounding air, leaving a cool sensation. It stays dry on the outside.
- SoothSoft
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:
When opening the package, I was surprised to see that the maker of the product, Soothsoft, had already prepared the Chillow for me. While this was very nice of them, I wanted to get the full effect, as though I purchased the product retail. SoothSoft makes the product, as part of their Comfort Technology line. It makes your pillow cool without requiring any refrigeration whatsoever. When you first look at the Chillow, it simply looks like a vinyl bag. It doesn’t appear to be comfortable to lay your head on through the night, and contrary to what it is supposed to do, it looks like it would feel hot.
Nonetheless, I continued to do what I needed to do to get it ready. What you do is pour two quarts of water into the device via the airtight seal, followed by two more cups. Let it set for a couple of minutes, then push all the air out and close the seal. After two hours, the Chillow is ready to be put to the test. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize there was a two hour wait – so I went to bed, leaving the Chillow for the next night.
USING THE UNIT:
The first test was a simple one. After leaving it out all day, would the Chillow still be cold? I went and got the Chillow which was left at room temperature the night before, and it was cool to the touch. Not cold, but rather feeling like a leather glove left out in autumn weather. I put it inside of my pillowcase, and prepared to go to sleep.
When you lay on the Chillow, you immediately get a relaxed sensation. It helps calm you and focus on getting to sleep. It doesn’t just cool you off, but it dissipates the heat you are emitting – it is a heatsink for your head! As you sleep through the night, your metabolism goes down and the Chillow warms up a bit – but never enough to where you need to flip the pillow to get a cooler spot. It does what it says it will do, and that is a good thing.
Using the Chillow outside of the pillowcase is even better. You get a much cooler sensation, and it wont get lost in the pillowcase. You can also put your feet on it, sit with your back against it, etc. It just might be the ultimate in hot weather tech. There is no maintenance required other than pushing any air in the unit out on a monthly basis, and that takes all of 30 seconds to do. It is powered only by the two quarts of water initially poured into it during preparation. You can, however, put it in the fridge for added cooling – just keep it out of the freezer.
Be careful not to puncture the Chillow, as it will leak. Take the necessary precautions to keep your animals from getting to it if it isn’t covered. Punctures are not covered by the one year warranty.
PROS:
- Truly does aid in sleeping through the night.
- Cool surface stays that way with no requirement for batteries, refrigeration, or power.
- Made of a soft, durable material.
- Also provides tension relief for headaches and sore muscles.
- It will fit a standard pillow size 13.5 x 20.5x .625
CONS:
- The Chillow can easily get “lost” in the pillowcase. You may
- have to move it back to the desired position during the night.
- Internal material can get displaced if Chillow is folded up.
- Very slight rubbery scent
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The Chillow may not be a sleek MP3 player or portable video device, but it fits nicely into the tech lifestyle nonetheless. While it has its flaws, it does accomplish it’s basic purpose – it is a pillow that remains cool all on its own. It works great for those of us that just want a little extra comfort, or more to show off. I also recommend it for those hot and uncomfortable nights where you just cant sleep. Of course, you would also benefit by it for headaches, sunburn, muscle pain, and the like.
Posted by Andru at July 14, 2004 09:28 PM
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» Oh, the name! from Number One Son
OK, the name of this product is the SoothSoft Chillow. Think about that name for a second. Let it sink in. OK, let's move on. I think I need one of these. This will be a very important addition to... [Read More]
Tracked on July 16, 2004 08:16 AM
» The Chillow from Atama no naka ni
SoothSoft's Chillow, a pillow that keeps your head chilled during the night, powered by water (some sort of electrolysis process?) Read... [Read More]
Tracked on July 17, 2004 10:05 AM
» More Chillow from Kevin Respecki's Radio Weblog
A review of the Chillow by Gear Live. [Read More]
Tracked on July 19, 2004 12:27 AM
» Oh, the name! from Number One Son
OK, the name of this product is the SoothSoft Chillow. Think about that name for a second. Let it sink in. OK, let's move on. I think I need one of these. This will be a very important addition to... [Read More]
Tracked on August 23, 2004 07:26 PM
Comments
I got one and put it in my pillow case but sweated on it the first night because it doesn't "breath." The second night, my ear hurt because the Chillow is harder than my pillow. I'm taking the sucker back. Nice concept but it doesn't work in practice, IMO.
Posted by: plong at July 16, 2004 08:21 AM
...you watch Oprah?
Posted by: Kwan at July 17, 2004 09:59 AM
Is the Chillow safe to put in the refrigerator if you wanted to?
Posted by: Grover S. Cleveland at July 17, 2004 12:37 PM
Yes, it can go in the fridge, just not the freezer.
Posted by: Andru at July 17, 2004 03:09 PM
I bought one about 4 years ago. I don't use it very often (mainly because my cat sleeps with me, and his claws would puncture it within a matter of hours if I left it on the bed with him), but when I get a migraine or have a fever, it's an absolute gift from ${deity}.
Posted by: Jeff at July 19, 2004 09:13 PM