Peeramid Pillow (book easel) Review by VictoriaP

[VictoriaP]

Overview:

The Peeramid is an unusual item meant as an alternative to a traditional book easel.   A lightweight pyramid shaped pillow, it allows you to prop your reading material at a fairly upright angle while keeping the base from slipping.  The Peeramid comes in a variety of colors to suit most decorating schemes.

I ordered the Peeramid through Amazon for $29.95. Others have purchased the burgundy model from Drugstore.com for a significant savings; a good option if you’re not fussy about the color.  (Edited to add:  Some have found deals recently for a leopard or jungle print pattern as well.)



First look:

At a nominal 12” x 12” x 8”, the Peermid is smaller than the throw pillows most of us have on our couches.  It’s significantly lighter than I expected; I assumed it would need a certain heft to support the weight of a hardcover DTB.  Instead, this is a pillow you can easily use on your lap and not notice the weight!

I bought the Peeramid in Harvest Gold as it appeared to be the most neutral color available, in spite of the name.  The upholstery weight fabric is in fact much closer to a warm beige than a true 70’s era harvest gold, with shiny gold-toned accent threads.  The fabric used for the Harvest Gold is 50/50 acrylic and polyester, and is not a soft fabric by any stretch of the imagination.  It does look like it will hold up fairly well with use.  Cleaning instructions are not included; I would assume it’s spot treat or dry clean only.

Usage:

Kindle:  The Peeramid almost seems to have been designed with the Kindle in mind.  My K2 fits it perfectly, with or without the Oberon cover (folded back), and I can see where this will replace the current easel I have been using in my living room.

Overall, the Peeramid is a nice Kindle accessory that may enhance your reading experience.  There are two main disadvantages I’ve experienced that may be deal breakers to some.

Angle—many bookrests are adjustable, the Peeramid is not.  The reading angle is probably comfortable for most users, but it’s definitely very upright.

Height—if you have neck problems, this device may very well aggravate them.  It adds virtually no height to the book, so if you have it on your lap, your neck will be bent downward to read; laying flat on your back with the Peeramid on your torso, you’ll find yourself bending your chin downwards as well.  I’m going to be trying this with pillows of different sizes beneath it to boost the level; I’ll also be trying it in different reading positions to see what works best.


Other reading material (because, let’s face it, not everything is available on the Kindle yet….):

Truthfully, if I’d bought this for anything other than Kindle usage, I’d be sending it back immediately as not worth the price paid.  Others may have had a different experience with it, and if so, I hope they’ll let us know by commenting or posting their own reviews.

Magazines:  I used a Better Homes & Gardens as a reasonably standard magazine size.  Fully open, both pages tend to fall to either side of the pyramid shape, making it hard to read.  With one side folded back beneath the other, one page is readable at a time, but the upper open corner of the pages continued to fold back.  The pyramid shape simply doesn’t provide enough support to the softer paper of a magazine.

Paperbacks:  As near as I can tell, the only way to get the full versatility of using a Peeramid is to break the spines of your books.  An intact paperback simply will not stay open in the groove between the pyramid & baffle.  The Peeramid could still be used as a prop, but will not be hands free.

Hardcovers:  Similar to the paperbacks, an average sized new hardcover will not stay open on its own and required at least one hand to brace the book against the pillow.  Older hardcovers with broken spines did better.

Hope this is helpful!

[Leslie]

Victoria, thanks! This is very helpful. I've been curious about how the Peeramid works with other reading materials.

L

[VictoriaP]

Victoria, thanks! This is very helpful. I've been curious about how the Peeramid works with other reading materials.

L

You're welcome!

I'm a bit disappointed in it for use with other materials so far; I have periodic problems with my hands due to a medical condition, and I was hoping this would make it easier to read some DTBs when things flare up.  It's useful enough with the Kindle to keep it for that use, so I'll continue to experiment with it with DTBs to see if I can make it feel more workable. And I'm hoping Luv has some experiences using it that she can share!

[intinst]

Thanks, I have been wondering about the use of this cushion for the Kindle.

[Luvmy4brats]

I love this pillow and have been using it for several months. Thank you for the review.

I can't really help with using it for other things. I really only use it for the Kindle. (I don't read anything other than my Kindle)

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

Nice review Victoria P, thanks for posting. 

[cheeki]

I have the peeramid. I love it for my kindle.  Laying down (side or back) and sitting, this works great with the kindle.  I agree that with a paper back or hard cover the spine of a new book would not  allow the pages to stay open without holding them with your hands.

[Harvey]

Thanks for this review. You have made the front page of our blog! See Leslie's post about your review, here: http://www.kindleboards.com/blog/2009/03/review-of-the-peeramid-pillow/

[VictoriaP]

Thanks for this review. You have made the front page of our blog! See Leslie's post about your review, here: http://www.kindleboards.com/blog/2009/03/review-of-the-peeramid-pillow/

LOL!  My 15 minutes of fame! 

After a few more days of using the Peeramid, I can honestly say it ranks in my top 5 Kindle accessories.  I've been using it so much, I'm actually contemplating a second one so I don't have to keep moving it from one room to another. Plain & simple, it just makes reading a lot more comfortable.  Previously, I was often using an easel and a lightweight folding table to prop the K2 at a better angle or height for hands free reading.  Now I find myself putting the Peeramid on my lap in just about any position, or the arm of the couch, or yes, even on the dining room table to read.  And of course, it's a lot more portable than having to drag a table around!

Having neck & back issues, I do have to watch carefully to make sure my posture isn't affected by having the Peeramid too low.  But as it's so lightweight and yet so stable due to the wide base, I have yet to have an issue finding a way to place it where I need it for comfortable reading.

[Brenda M.]

I have this pillow as well and love it. My only complaint is the fringe for the tassel fell off. I got it at drugstore.com for a cheaper price than Amazon.

[Vegas_Asian]

Wow thanks for the review. been curious about this product

[Luvmy4brats]

I have this pillow as well and love it. My only complaint is the fringe for the tassel fell off. I got it at drugstore.com for a cheaper price than Amazon.

My son pulled the tassel off of mine about a week after I got it.

[MikeD]

I bought one for my Mom to use with her Kindle. Mom is in the early stages of Parkinson's and her hands shake. Having read all her life (and likely the main reason that I am an avid reader today) giving up reading was a huge loss to her. But she could not hold a DTB steady enough to read it. The combination of the Kindle and the Peeramid have allowed her to read once again.

[Tippy]

I bought one for my Mom to use with her Kindle. Mom is in the early stages of Parkinson's and her hands shake. Having read all her life (and likely the main reason that I am an avid reader today) giving up reading was a huge loss to her. But she could not hold a DTB steady enough to read it. The combination of the Kindle and the Peeramid have allowed her to read once again.

I am  sorry to hear about your Mom.  But I applaud your efforts to help her continue reading.  This is heartwarming and reminds me that the amazing Amazon Kindle is truly a blessing.  Thank you for sharing.

[Linda Cannon-Mott]

I bought one for my Mom to use with her Kindle. Mom is in the early stages of Parkinson's and her hands shake. Having read all her life (and likely the main reason that I am an avid reader today) giving up reading was a huge loss to her. But she could not hold a DTB steady enough to read it. The combination of the Kindle and the Peeramid have allowed her to read once again.

Such a sweet story Mike. Wishing your Mom the best!

[artsandhistoryfan]

Overview:

The Peeramid is an unusual item meant as an alternative to a traditional book easel.   A lightweight pyramid shaped pillow, it allows you to prop your reading material at a fairly upright angle while keeping the base from slipping.  The Peeramid comes in a variety of colors to suit most decorating schemes.

Thank you for the beautifully written and well-thought-out review and follow-ups here!

[Andra]

Thank you for your review.  I had been looking at the Peeramid for a while and decided to go ahead and order one (it was purple!).  I got it last week and it's great.  I do think I may take the tassel off on purpose to keep the cats from playing with it.

[egh34]

I bought one for my Mom to use with her Kindle. Mom is in the early stages of Parkinson's and her hands shake. Having read all her life (and likely the main reason that I am an avid reader today) giving up reading was a huge loss to her. But she could not hold a DTB steady enough to read it. The combination of the Kindle and the Peeramid have allowed her to read once again.

Mike, I'm not really commenting on your comment, but on your avatar. As a fellow PARROTHEAD, I just had to say hi!!

[Kind]

Interesting... never heard of it before.

[Luvmy4brats]

I thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the Peeramid with the Kindle so you could see it in action.

 

[Neversleepsawink;)]

I love mine, after searching for hours....I found one cheaper on drugstore.com. 

[MikeD]

Mike, I'm not really commenting on your comment, but on your avatar. As a fellow PARROTHEAD, I just had to say hi!!

[egh34]

Thinking Vegas in October (which would be my 10th time to see him over the years...), ever been to a concert?

[MikeD]

Thinking Vegas in October (which would be my 10th time to see him over the years...), ever been to a concert?

Yep - 17 times. I grew up in S. La. and lived in the area outside of New Orleans for the fist 49 years of my life. Plenty of opportunities to see him in the Gulf South, including a very memorable concert at the Worlds Fair in N.O. in 1984. I've been to a great many concerts over my lifetime and no one does live better than Jimmy.

[egh34]

Yep - 17 times. I grew up in S. La. and lived in the area outside of New Orleans for the fist 49 years of my life. Plenty of opportunities to see him in the Gulf South, including a very memorable concert at the Worlds Fair in N.O. in 1984. I've been to a great many concerts over my lifetime and no one does live better than Jimmy.

OOOOHhhh, I am sooo jealous. I have never seen him in the south or east coast. I have seen him lots of times in the midwest, Chicago, Indy, Cincy, Wisconsin, and once in Vegas. Would love to "run into" him on one of his island concerts...