Down pillows come in essentially three densities: soft, medium and firm. Interpretation of that firmness will vary from one manufacturer to another, with one person's "medium firmness" feeling like fresh marshmallows to another. Manufacturers know this, test their products, and listen to feedback from customers. Yet soft, medium and firm are fairly standard descriptions of luxurious pillows, comforters and mattresses in the hospitality industry, even when the filler varies as much as it does.

A person who sleeps on their side will likely need a medium to firm down pillow to keep the head and neck more level with the body. A back sleeper may prefer a pillow that has a little more "give" to it, or something more firm. People who are very comfortable sleeping on their stomach will want a soft pillow, or maybe a medium density pillow. The jury is out because it's such a personal decision. In addition, a person's size influences the kind of pillow that leads to a good night's sleep, even when it's as luxurious as down- or down and feathers-filled.

Not all down pillows are 100 percent down. If they were, many potential customers might have to look at other options. The more expensive pillows will be closer to 100 percent goose down, though some very fine ones are made from duck down or from a successful combination of goose down, feathers and synthetics.

Being Certain of Buying the Right Set of Down Pillows

To be quite certain, a shopper may need to "test drive" down pillows. If buying over the Internet, checking a company's return policy on bedding is a good idea. It's not always easy to find the policy on the website, but some areas of the world may have strict health rules regarding bedding once it has been sold.