Side sleeping puts more pressure on your shoulders and neck than any other position. Finding the right mattress matters, but so does choosing a pillow that keeps your head and neck properly aligned to relieve that joint pressure.
As a side sleeper who used to stack flattened pillows in a (failed) attempt to get comfortable, I know what it’s like to struggle with sore shoulders and neck strain. Even the best mattress won’t save you from neck strain if your pillow isn’t supportive enough.
In my years of testing sleep products, I’ve reviewed a wide range of pillows — including latex pillows, which combine the plushness and breathability of down with the pressure relief of memory foam.
Two latex pillows I’ve put to the test are the Purple Harmony Pillow and the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow — and trust me, they’re quite different from each other.
Key takeaways: Purple Harmony vs Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow
- Coop retails for $149 and comes with a 100-night trial
- Purple retails for $209 and includes 30 nights to try it out
- Choose the Coop for more control over your comfort
- Go for the Purple if you want a pillow that holds it shape
What they feel like to sleep on
As a side sleeper with a broad upper body, one of my biggest issues is finding a pillow that’s tall enough to support my head and neck while alleviating pressure in my shoulders and jaw. (I’m prone to grinding my teeth at night. Perhaps some sleep meditation would help me with that issue.)
I’ve described each pillow as ‘soft yet supportive.’ My typical preference is for a firmer pillow, but both the Purple and Coop provided enough stability for my head and neck that I found them comfortable throughout the night. (However, it took some time for me to reach that point with the Coop pillow, as I had to experiment until I achieved the ideal amount of fill.)
As latex-based pillows, both the Purple and Coop have a bounciness to them that translates to subtle pressure relief. You might expect them both to sleep cool, as well, but in my experience, the Coop’s cross-cut latex and microfiber fill performed better than the Purple’s solid latex core and GelFlex Grid in that department.
One trade-off of the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow’s versatility is that it requires regular fluffing — I had to reshape my pillow every morning. That wasn’t an issue with the Purple Harmony Pillow, which only needed a few minor adjustments throughout the month I tested it.
Purple Harmony Pillow vs Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow: The breakdown
Want to get into the finer details of these pillows and how they compare in key areas? Let’s take a closer look at their design, comfort and support, build quality, and value for money…
Design
The Purple Harmony Pillow and the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow both offer some degree of customization to achieve the proper height for your sleep style and body type. With Purple, I could choose from three pre-fab lofts (5.5″, 6.5″, or 7.5″), while with Coop, I was able to fine-tune the height by adding or removing the fill.
As a side sleeper with a medium build, I chose the Purple Harmony Pillow with the 6.5″ loft, and that ended up being just the right fit. (Purple does offer a 30-night trial, in case you decide you need to size up or down.) Inside is a Talalay latex core surrounded by Purple’s HoneyComb GelFlex Grid. The outer cover is a stretchy knit material.
The Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow is packed with an 80/20 blend of cross-cut Talalay latex and microfibers. (An extra half-pound bag of fill is included in case you need to increase the loft or refresh the pillow.) The outer cover is made of cotton, recycled polyester, and spandex.
In addition to a generous 100-night trial, Coop offers a free video consultation if you need assistance setting up your pillow. I took advantage of this offer after I spent the first couple of weeks battling a sore neck due to my pillow being the wrong height. After working with a Coop Sleep Specialist, my adjustable latex pillow became supremely comfortable.
Winner: Coop — I’m giving the edge to Coop here because its adjustable design allows for more precision when fine-tuning the loft. There’s also a free consultation to help you set it up to suit your sleep needs. That said, if you prefer a lower-maintenance pillow, choose Purple.
Comfort and support
Both pillows skew on the softer side of medium and have some bounce to them, but as ‘jiggly’ as it is, the Purple Harmony is deceivingly heavy at just over 4 pounds. (The Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow is comparatively featherlight.)
Provided you select the right loft for your sleep needs, the Purple Harmony will deliver an experience that’s on par with the luxury down pillows you’d find at the hotel (minus the constant fluffing required, of course). As a side sleeper, I like how it gently cradled my head and neck while still being supportive enough to keep my upper body in alignment. I didn’t wake up with stiff shoulders or a sore jaw.
Once I achieved the right loft for my Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow review, I was able to indulge in its bouncy support and no longer struggled with shoulder or neck pain. Plus, since I occasionally flip onto my stomach, I was able to distribute some of the fill to one side so there would be a flatter portion for me to lie on.
However, the Purple Harmony has a more responsive and consistent surface. The Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow is prone to developing uneven areas under sustained pressure, so it needs to be fluffed daily.
Winner: Purple — Both of these pillows are lush and supportive, but Purple wins this category for its overall responsiveness and consistency. (Also, I’m lazy. I appreciate the lack of fluffing the Purple Harmony Pillow required.)
Temperature regulation
I occasionally sleep warm, so I need a pillow that’s not only supportive, but breathable, too.
The Purple Harmony Pillow promises to ‘stay cool all night’ thanks to its GelFlex Grid, Talalay latex core, and moisture-wicking mesh cover. Unfortunately — and surprisingly — that wasn’t my experience with this pillow. It often trapped heat, and I’d have to flip it to the ‘cool’ side at least once a night.
On the other hand, the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow did a much better job of keeping me at a comfortable temperature. The cross-cut natural latex and microfibers worked well with the breathable cotton and recycled polyester cover to keep the air flowing.
Winner: Coop — I think for most people, the design of the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow will provide temperature-neutral sleep. (However, if you need maximum relief from the heat, consider a specialist pillow instead.)
Build quality
The Purple Harmony Pillow has a lot of heft — it feels quite sturdy. But one of the glaring complaints in my Purple Harmony Pillow review is the series of small pulls I discovered on the outer mesh cover, despite using a pillowcase and following the care instructions. (The cover is machine-washable.)
Meanwhile, the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow has (in my opinion) the best build quality out of Coop’s entire adjustable pillow lineup. It looks and feels like a pillow you’d spend a lot of money on, and the outer cover held up well after washing it, too.
Purple offers a 1-year warranty, while Coop provides a 5-year warranty.
Winner: Coop — If not for the flaws in the Purple’s mesh pillow cover, this likely would have been a tie. The longer-than-average warranty also speaks to how much Coop trusts the integrity of its pillows.
Value for money
The Purple Harmony Pillow retails for $209 in a standard size. It’s sometimes discounted during Purple mattress sales, but you can also shop around for better deals at retailers like Amazon or Target. Purple includes a 1-year warranty and a 30-night trial — although it’s worth noting that Purple previously offered 100 nights to trial the pillow at home.
The Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow has an MSRP of $149 for a standard size. Sales are rare, although we’ll spot the occasional 20% discount around major holidays and special events. Buying from Amazon can also help you save a few dollars, but you’ll lose out on the 100-night trial when you purchase directly from Coop. Either way, a 5-year warranty applies.
Winner: Coop — The Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow comes at a lower price and has longer trial and warranty periods. (And don’t forget about the free video consultation if you need help setting up your Coop pillow.)
Would either pillow suit you?
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My clear winner is the Coop Adjustable Latex Pillow. It’s well-made, a superb value, and (after some trial and error) supremely comfortable for my side sleeping ways. Its versatility lends itself well to combi sleepers, as you can position the fill in such a way that you’ll essentially create a 2-in-1 pillow.
My one major caveat is that you’ll need to be diligent about fluffing this pillow and keeping the fill at the proper level for your needs. Otherwise, it’ll feel less like a dream and more like a nightmare. (Take it from me — sign up for the free setup consultation to save your neck and shoulders.)
As for the Purple Harmony Pillow, I think it has its merits — especially if you like the feel of latex or Purple’s mattresses. It’s more expensive than the Coop pillow, and the perks aren’t as attractive. However, you can still choose the loft height you want, and you won’t have to worry about it flattening.
If cooling is your top priority, neither pillow will likely be enough to fight off serious night sweats. In that case, I’d recommend the Coop EdenCool+ Adjustable Pillow, which has a cool-touch cover and gel memory foam fill. It also features dual-sided firmness for greater control over your comfort.
