Tom's Guide Verdict
The Mackenza WD pillow from Downright delivers a traditional look and feel, straight out of a classic hotel. The white down fill is light, fluffy and breathable while the cotton cover is soft against the skin. With three firmness levels to choose from, it's a pillow that will suit most people. Unless you hate plumping pillows — this one requires a fluff every day — or you're put off by the starting price of $142.
Pros
- +
Responsibly sourced down
- +
Light, breathable feel that stays a neutral temperature on warm nights
- +
Three firmness levels to suit different sleep styles
- +
Handsewn with quality materials for a durable build
Cons
- -
Premium price tag
- -
Requires daily fluffing to keep its shape
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Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Review in brief
The Downright Mackenza WD pillow has the subtle, silky-soft sophistication of a hotel pillow. And it's no surprise that this luxury brand, now celebrating its 50th birthday, supplies bedding to some of New York's finest rooms. All well and good, but it's time for a real test: can it earn a place in our guide to the best pillows of the year?
Type: Natural down
Best for: All sleep types, hot sleepers
Sizes: Standard, queen, king, Euro
Trial: N/A
Warranty: N/A
Price: From $142 at Downright
With a simple build consisting of just down pillow fill and a cotton cover, the hand-sewn Mackenza pillow feels light beneath the head. It's a design that prioritizes tradition over innovation and if you enjoy the fluffy feel of a feather pillow, it delivers it in spades. Plus, the wispy down ensures no scratches from poking feathers.
It's also a versatile choice, with three feels available (soft, medium and firm). But you have to pay extra for medium and firm fills and, unfortunately, it's these I think will suit most sleepers. The soft feel I tried is great for stomach and back sleepers but can't deliver the support side sleepers need. It's a shame side sleepers will need to pay extra or risk neck pain.
The Mackenza WD does have its flaws, including a regular need to fluff. That's not unusual for down but we live busy lives — I don't always have time to plump a pillow before leaving the house.
The Downright Mackenza WD pillow is also a luxury buy, with prices starting at $142. It's a splurge but if you want the classic comfort of your favorite hotel, it might be worth it.
Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Price & deals
The Mackenza pillow is sold in four sizes (standard, queen, king and Euro) and three feels (soft, medium, firm.) Each option is a different price, with the cost ranging from $142 at Downright (for a standard in soft) all the way to $286 (for a king in firm).
Here's a breakdown of the prices for each size:
- Standard: $142 (soft), $162 (medium), $212 (firm)
- Queen: $171 (soft), $198 (medium), $252 (firm)
- King: $252 (soft), $227 (medium), $286 (firm)
- Euro: $216 (medium)
This is a premium pillow no matter how you slice it. With that in mind, you might be tempted to choose your feel based on price. But I don't recommend it. If you want to save some dollars, it's better to opt for a smaller size than the wrong feel (I'll explain why in the Comfort section.)
Down and feather are luxury pillow fills, particularly if you're opting for ethically sourced materials (something I strongly advise.) However, Downright does tip into the ultra-premium category with some of these prices. The Helix Down Pillow starts at just $74 at Helix while luxury brand Saatva charges $145 for its Down Chamber Pillow.
But the Mackenza is a hand-stitched pillow with a hotel-ready design. And you'll pay upwards of $200 for the Down Pillow from Four Seasons, and potentially over $275 for a Ritz-Carlton pillow.
The Mackenza WD pillow doesn't come with any extras (another way it emulates our favorite hotel brands, which often eschew perks.) If you want a trial or warranty, you're better off with a brand like Coop Sleep Goods, which offers a 100-night trial and 5-year warranty, but no down fill option.
Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Design & materials
Simplicity is the watchword of the Downright Mackenza WD pillow. It uses only two materials in the entire build: white down and cotton cambric.
In the interior you'll find white down, sourced as a byproduct of the food industry. This has earned the pillow a Responsible Down Standard certification from the Textile Exchange.
The soft, wispy down is guaranteed hypoallergenic and has a 560+ fill power. Fill power refers to the number of cubic inches filled by one ounce of down and 560+ should deliver breathability and fluffiness. The exact fill power depends on the feel of the pillow ordered.
The cover consists of 100% cotton cambric with a 233 thread count. Cambric is a tight, plain weave that's designed to be soft and breathable.
And that's it. It's a case of quality over quantity.
Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Performance
I tested a standard size Downright Mackenza WD pillow in soft for three weeks. Here are my thoughts on its performance.
Set up
Following the trend of classic, hotel-style comfort, the Downright Mackenza Down pillow comes in its own zippered fabric bag. There's no plastic, tape or even brown paper.
To set-up, all you need to do is remove the pillow from its bag and place on the bed. It requires minimal fluffing and is ready to sleep on straight away.
There's no off-gassing but there is a slight earthy smell, typical of down. It's faint and didn't bother me at all. To be completely honest, it's a smell I quite like, probably because I associate it with fancy pillows. But if you have a sensitive nose you might want to open a window until it clears.
Set up: 5 out of 5
Comfort & support
While the Mackenza WD pillow by Downright doesn't come in different pillow lofts, it does come in three feels. It's important to choose the feel that's right for you (particularly as there's no trial) otherwise you might give yourself a sore neck.
As a stomach sleeper, I opted for the soft fill to get the contouring best suited to my sleep position. Back sleepers might also enjoy the sink-in feel of the soft pillow, while side sleepers should consider the medium or firm, to ensure it fills the space between the neck and the bed.
With a bit of fluffing, the soft Mackenza pillow delivers the comfort I need. It cushions the ear and jaw without pushing the neck into an upwards angle. As a result, I don't wake up with a stiff neck or clenched teeth.
This feel is also comfortable for back sleeping, but I found it too soft for side sleeping. My head sank straight through the pillow, leaving my neck sloping downwards. If I was a dedicated side sleeper, I'd try the firm which should offer more resistance.
The down is as soft and fluffy as Downright claims it is. I haven't experienced and of the scratchiness that can accompany cheaper feather pillows.
It also has a relatively slow response time. When I placed and removed a 10lb weight from the pillow (roughly the weight of a human head), it took around seven seconds for the pillow to return to form. And even then, a small indent remained. This is where the fluffing comes in, as a quick pat gets your pillow plump again.
Score: 4 out of 5
Temperature control
Down and cotton are two naturally breathable materials that should deliver ample air flow. As a result, I expected this pillow to remain comfortably cool all night long.
The Mackenza Down Pillow stayed a neutral temperature during the testing period, although in the worst of the summer heatwaves I found myself reaching for my Helix Latex pillow instead.
It's not cool to the touch which is why very hot sleepers might prefer a pillow with more active cooling properties, like the Helix GlacioTex Pillow or the Casper Snow Hybrid pillow.
Score: 4 out of 5
Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Durability & care
Build quality
The Mackenza WD pillow is hand-sewn to order in the Downright factory in Brooklyn. Each pillow is "filled, fluffed and fanatically inspected" to ensure a high quality finish.
Like the material, the build is simple. There's no double chambers or multiple layers here. The piped edges provide a secure finish to prevent the down from coming loose and the smooth cover of my model is blemish free. If I saw this in a hotel room, it wouldn't look out of place.
Overall, the pillow feels durable and thanks to the easy care (something I'll talk about below) should last for several years.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Care and maintenance
The soft Mackenza WD pillow requires regular fluffing. This is fairly standard for a down or feather pillow but it's not a task everyone will enjoy. If you like to make the bed by pulling up the sheets and calling it a day, give this one a miss.
I found myself plumping the pillow every morning and sometimes during the night if I was awake at 3 a.m. On particularly restless nights, my pillow underwent regular, furious fluffing... but as someone who's used feather pillows for years, that's par for the course.
The Mackenza WD pillow can be washed on a gentle cycle with mild soap, which makes it easier to clean than most memory foam and fiberfill pillows. And while the washing and drying process does take several hours, taking this time can help expand the lifespan of your pillow.
Downright also recommends using the tennis ball trick if your pillow has started clumping. Simply place it in a dryer with two (fresh) tennis balls and at the end of the cycle it should be back to its fluffy best.
Score: 3.5 out of 5
Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Should you buy?
The Downright Mackenza WD Pillow proves that classics are often classic for a reason. From a pared back design and simple build the Mackenza manages to deliver a luxury feel that belongs in a hotel suite. (And yes, Downright does supply several high-end hotels.)
Light and wispy down forms the fill and there's none of the scratchy feel that can afflict cheaper feather pillows. Instead, your head simply sinks into the cloud-like fill as the down moves to contour your neck.
I tested the soft feel and as a stomach sleeper, it delivered the cushioned comfort I need. Side sleepers should consider the medium or firm feel instead, to ensure proper support for the head. However, turning up the feel does also increase the price.
And the price is a bit of a sticking point. The Mackenza WD pillow starts at $142 and goes all the way to $286. That's high-end even for a premium hotel pillow
But if you're willing to invest and you don't mind a bit of fluffing, the Downright Mackenza WD is a versatile, luxurious pillow that recalls a night in a five-star resort. And if you've stayed in an upmarket hotel in New York, you might already have slept on it.
Downright Mackenza WD Pillow review: Alternatives
Down & Feather Pillow $98.66 $74 at Helix
Starting at just $74 in the regular Helix mattress sale, this Down & Feather pillow is a more affordable alternative to the Mackenza. It only comes in one loft but it's comfortable for side sleeping and stays cool. And it requires "minimal fluffing", according to our Helix Down & Feather pillow review team.
Sleep Number Naturalfit Ultimate Pillow $159.99 at Sleep Number
Made from a combination of natural down and natural latex, our Sleep Number NaturalFit pillow review team found this eco-friendly design delivers ample support and super breathability. However, it has a tendency to go flat and with a starting price of $159.99, it's a premium choice.
Beckham Hotel Collection Hotel Pillows: $59.99 at Amazon
Down alternative is the more affordable synthetic alternative to real down and at just $59.99 for a pack of two, these pillows are a steal. Our team did find they lack durability during our Beckham Hotel Collection pillow review but they're ideal if you're on a budget or shopping for a guest room.
