Customer Reviews

Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs, Value Pack, 6 pr

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I have tried many types of ear plugs and these are the best. They are made out of soft silicon, so you can mold them to fit your ear. The stay put and are comfortable. The foam-type ear plugs tend to pop out, and they are very scratchy to me. The non-moldable rubber-y ones are even worse; they hurt my ears and don't block out sound very well. "Mack's earpillows" are waterproof, so you can swim without getting water in your ears. (good for swimming and bathing for children who have "tubes" in their ears, too). Your sleep-environment will be dead quiet (except for those little voices in your head!) in a normal room. If you are dealing with partner-snoring, people watching TV in another room, or the like, "Mack's" masks much of that, too. Very handy for travel. The only drawbacks that I know are the fact that they don't kill all noise (nothing does that), and they don't last forever (nothing does that either.) You throw them away when they get dirty, but if you keep them in the case, they'll stay clean quite a while. Sometimes I have to pick the hair out of them after I wake up because my hair tends to get caught in them when I sleep, which can can be annoying. And everything sticks to them, so, if they fall on the floor, they end up looking like nasty boogers.

These "plugs" are supremely comfortable and work like a dream when they are fresh out of the box. The noise reduction is outstanding for the first couple of nights. They have none of the comfort problems sometimes experienced with foam plugs (if, like me, you change position a hundred times a night this is important). Ultimately though, they are disposable and they never work quite as well after the second night or so. They tend to pick up lint up and lose their stick. So you can either replace them every 2-3 nights (which seems wasteful), or else you can learn to live with the slightly reduced effectiveness (they still work - but you don't get the dead silence of a fresh pair) until eventually they fall out during the night (for me, after about 6 or 7 days). Altogether a great product, though. If only there was something this comfortable which could be used long-term without any loss of performance....

As everyone else has said, they work great initially. The honest answer is that each pair lasts two nights. You have to be wasteful if you want a good nights rest. They are more comfortable than anything else out there, but unfortunately spending $6 every two weeks starts to get on your nerves.

My most important recommendation is to get these at Wallgreens. The price is a couple dollars cheaper than what is offered here and you get them immediately with out wait time. Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs, Value Pack 6 Pair

I have been using these for over 10 years. Other foam plugs don't even compare. They are so comfortable and really block out most noise. I always travel with them, especially when I am sharing a room with someone. When I went to a retreat last summer, I brought several boxes with me. I was the most popular person in the entire group at bedtime. I have nightmares that this company may go out of business someday and I will never get to sleep again!

Swimming:
I took up swimming in the pool as exercise for my back and someone suggested these silicone ear plugs to prevent water going into your ears in the swimming pool.

These ear plugs do not prevent water going into your ear.
The ear plugs that work well for swimming are these Aqua Sphere conical swimmers ear plugs

Noise:
My significant other snores, so I've become an expert on ear plugs.

I have tried quite a few of them and Mack's earokugs is among them. Below is a summary of my experiences with different ear plugs. I hope you will find it useful. Other the noise protection, the important factors for me if the plugs stay in your ear, and if they are breathable (some of them made my ear canals hot and sweaty, that makes them itch, and itching wakes me up).

* Mack's pillow soft earplugs (sillicone), 22 decibels. These earplugs did not work for me at all. They did not provide enough sound protection, my ear canal got hot and sweaty and itchy (and needing to itch wakes me up), and they also tend to fall out.

* Hearos ear plugs,ultimate softness, 32 decibels. Hearos have a good size, not too long not too short. They are slightly shorter than Flent Quiet time, so they don't stick out of my ear, and this means they don't catch the pillow and don't get pulled out. They are also slightly softer, and provide a little less protection. Overall they are comfortable, but I find that my ears get hot and sweather using them.

* Hearos ear plugs, Xtreme protection Series, 33 decibels. Hearos are slightly shorter than Flent Quiet time, so they don't stick out of my ear, and thus stay in better. They are firmer than Hearos ultimate softness so they provide more noise protection. Overall they are comfortable, but I find that my ears get hot and sweather using them.

* Flents Quiet Contour, molded foam, 33 decibels.
This is my favorite ear plug. It gives me the best noise protection, it stays in the ear very well, it is comfortable, my ear canal does not get hot and itchy. I find the most comfortable.

* Flent Quiet Time, comfort foam, 33 decibels. I like these earplugs less thant Quiet Contour because it does not seem to stay in my ear as well. The ends of the foam seem to stick out and catch on the pillow when I turn, catching the end on the pillow pulls them out of my year. I got it to stay in the ear better by trimming about 3/8th of an inch. Because they tend to fall out, I don't get as good of a sleep in them. However, when they are in the sound protection is good. (see attached photo of the full size ear plug, and the one that is trimmed to be shorter)

For me Flents Contour ear plugs win on all counts - noise protection, comfort, staying, breathability.

I discovered Mack's Silicone Earplugs several years ago after we moved to Belize. They have been a lifesaver! They have helped me sleep when there was loud music close by, the neighborhood dogs were barking, and other night noises. I clean the outer canal of my ear a litle (do not use a Q-tip and push wax in, it will clog ears, it happened to me) to help keep them clean, and then after a few days when they start losing their "stick", I use my fingernail to scrape off the very outer layer, and they are sticky a while longer. Then when they get too small to scrape off more, I put them aside until I have another pair just like them, scrape off the non-sticky outer layer, and mash two together to have an almost new pair! Review by Judy Wilson

I've tried a lot of earplugs and these are by far the best. There is a trick to their usage, they MUST make a suction in your ear (air tight), otherwise they won't work well at all. I think a lot of the problems people are having is due to this. They are also very effective for keeping water out while swimming as I use them 3 times a week for this as well. As other people have mentioned they get dirty quickly, but I can get about 2 weeks worth of usage per pair.

These seem to be better then the foam ear plugs. I have found that the foam ones fall out and hurt my ears after a while. These really work wonders. I can even sleep next to my snoring husband! They are not uncomfortable at all and two pieces (which I pull one apart to make two because they are too big) lasts a week or two. After that you can throw them out or, if you are desperate, wash them with some soap and water and use again. One box lasts me about 2 months before I have thrown them all away from from loss of flexibility.

I've tried every product I could find over the years and none work as well as these Mack's plugs. These stay in my ear all night and never fall out.

I absolutely, positively, always travel with these - I'm a light sleeper and I find I frequently need these at hotels. If your spouse has a tendency to snore these can also be a lifesaver. And, yes, once in a while, in a really noisy place, my wife uses them and is extremely happy I carry these with me. She loves them as well.

Before I found Mack's I was actually considering travelling with a set of the ear protectors they sell at gun shops. Those work well too by the way in terms of using at home, but they're a little too bulky to travel with.

As an avid swimmer, I suffered from chronic ear infections, for years. At one point, a doctor told me that I would have to stop swimming! Thankfully, another doctor suggested Mack' earplugs.

I have been using these earplugs for over 25 years, now. I use them every time I swim or shower. They keep the water and soap out of my ears and I do not get ear infections anymore.

I have also found them to be very effective when used for noise reduction. I always take them with me when I travel in order to get a good night's sleep in a hotel.

I recommend this product, without reservation.