The Reading Pillow Guide: How to Avoid "Chemical Smell" and Find True Support

You’re trying to solve a simple problem: you want to sit comfortably in bed to read, watch TV, or recover from surgery. The “pillow stack” has failed you. You search online and find a sea of “husband pillows” or “reading pillows.”

But as you read the reviews, you notice a disturbing trend: complaints of a “horrible chemical smell.” One brand even notes that many competitors may use “used foam that was chemically washed in China.”

This single, alarming fact highlights the most critical, yet invisible, factor in your purchase: material safety. A cheap pillow is no bargain if you’re worried about what you’re breathing. The search for a reading pillow is not just a quest for comfort; it’s a quest for trust.

The “Smell” Problem: Deconstructing Foam & Trust

That “chemical smell” is the first and most important hurdle. In a “bed-in-a-box” product, a slight, fresh-foam “off-gassing” is normal. A “horrendous” smell that lingers is not.

This is where you must look for two non-negotiable trust signals.

1. The Certification: CertiPUR-US

If a pillow uses memory foam, it must be CertiPUR-US certified. This is an independent, non-profit certification that guarantees the foam is: * Made without ozone depleters. * Made without harmful flame retardants. * Made without heavy metals like mercury or lead. * Made without formaldehyde. * Tested for low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), which are the source of that “chemical smell.”

2. The Source: “New” vs. “Used”

The highest-quality brands, like WhooLoo, go a step further by explicitly stating they use “pure new 100% high grade shredded memory foam” and are “Made in the USA.” This is a direct answer to the industry’s dark secret of “used foam.” User reviews confirm this is a primary purchasing driver: “Purchased from this company purely because it is made in the USA… It did not give off a chemical smell.”

This is the first feature to check. If you can’t trust what’s inside the pillow, the comfort doesn’t matter.

The Engineering of Comfort: Heavy, Malleable, and Adjustable

Once you’ve established safety, the next hurdle is comfort. Users are often stuck between two bad options: a stack of bed pillows (too soft, no support) or a solid wedge (too hard, “not malleable”).

The engineering solution is high-density shredded memory foam.

The “Heavy but Good” Paradox

The WhooLoo pillow, for example, is stuffed with “nearly 6 pounds” of foam. Reviewers correctly describe it as “bulky and rather heavy.” This is not a con; it is the feature you are paying for. That 6-pound density is what provides the “firm for support” (4.5 stars) feeling. A light, airy pillow will simply collapse. The weight provides the stable, “womb-like” support that “holds its shape” and prevents “tech neck.”

The “Squishy but Firm” Feel

Because the foam is shredded, it is also malleable. You can “sink into” it. This is the “perfect balance” that a solid wedge (like the “Husband Pillow”) lacks. It’s “squishy, but firm enough,” as one reviewer put it. It molds to your back while still supporting you.

The “Adjustable” Factor

A key feature of premium shredded foam pillows is an “inner liner” with a zipper. This allows you to remove foam to customize the pillow to your exact comfort level. This is the ultimate solution to the “firmness” debate—you get to choose.

The Unboxing: A Final (and Critical) Step

Like most foam products, these pillows arrive “vacuum-packed” and “will appear smaller.” In colder climates, the foam “will clump.”

The solution is not just to “shake it,” but to use the “dryer trick.”
As the manufacturer and multiple 5-star reviewers state: “Simply place the whole pillow in the dryer for 5 minutes on cool, delicate, or air fluff.” The tumbling action and gentle air will “balloon” the foam to its full, 6-pound loft.

Conclusion: The Anatomy of a High-Quality Reading Pillow

A great reading pillow is an ergonomic tool. When shopping, don’t just look at the shape; look at the engineering specs.

1. Safety: Is it CertiPUR-US certified and made from new foam? (Solves the “smell” problem).
2. Support: Is it heavy (5+ lbs)? (Solves the “flimsy” problem).
3. Comfort: Is it shredded and adjustable? (Solves the “too hard” problem).

A pillow that checks these three boxes—like the WhooLoo—is not just an accessory. It’s a premium, safe, and customizable solution for finally being comfortable in bed.