Finding the right pillow for your sleeping position, body type and overall comfort is crucial for restful sleep—and for preventing unnecessary aches and pains. To find the best pillows for every type of sleeper, I partnered with senior sleep editor (and certified sleep science coach) Bridget Chapman and senior reviews editor Anna Perling to formally test eight popular, top-rated options. Based on our findings, we named the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow the best pick overall for its adjustable fill, durability and versatility across various sleep styles. The Casper Original Pillow also garnered top marks from our testers, particularly because its extra-high loft and “pillow in pillow” design are uniquely beneficial to side sleepers.
Our Top Recommendations
- Best Pillow Overall: Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow
- Best Down Pillow: Parachute Down Pillow
- Best Pillow For Side Sleepers: Casper Original Pillow
- Best Pillow For Back And Stomach Sleepers: Sobel Westex Sahara Nights Pillow
- Best Memory Foam Pillow: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow
- Best Pillow For Neck Pain: Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow
- Best Value Pillow: Amazon Basics Down Alternative Pillows (Pack Of 2)
- Best Luxury Pillow: Purple Harmony Pillow
- Best Latex Pillow: Nest Bedding Easy Breather Natural Latex Pillow
In addition to leveraging our own expertise, we consulted with outside medical and sleep experts to determine key features to look for, as well as criteria for our testing methodology. Following their guidance, our testers evaluated each pillow for temperature regulation, loft, firmness, washability and, most important, overall comfort. Based on months of testing, research and comparisons, you’ll find the best pillows we tested—and continue to sleep on—below. And if you’re specifically seeking options suited to pain relief, see our lists of editor-chosen pillows for neck pain and pillows for shoulder pain.
Best Pillow Overall
An Adjustable Pillow That Accommodates All Sleeping Positions
Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow
Fill: Virgin memory foam, poly fibers | Firmness: Adjustable | Loft: 6 to 8 inches (adjustable) | Sizes: Queen, king (classic, crescent and cutout shapes) | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 5 years
Best for:
- Combination sleepers
- Customizing how fluffy your pillow is
- The responsiveness of memory foam without its traditional denseness
Skip if:
- You don’t like the contouring feel of memory foam
- You tend to sleep hot
We found the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow to be the most versatile pillow on the market: It’s an optimal choice for every sleep style, particularly because of its adjustable design. The key to finding the right pillow for your preferred sleep position is to choose one that “will maintain your neck in a neutral position—meaning in line and not overly flexed in any direction,” says Dr. Nicholas Anastasio, a board-certified physician at Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Mercy Medical Center. The Coop can do just that, regardless of which position you’re in.
This pillow strikes the perfect balance for those who enjoy the contouring nature of a foam pillow without the denseness or “doughiness” that a solid-foam option offers. While medium-firm in feel, it is also fluffier than traditional all-foam pillows. The fill of the Coop Sleep Goods pillow is a blend of crosscut (shredded) memory foam and microfiber; its cover is made with a proprietary bamboo-derived viscose rayon and polyester blend.
It also comes with a half pound of additional fill, so you can remove or add filling to create your ideal loft. “As someone who prefers a solid memory-foam pillow, I’ll admit I was initially skeptical of this one, thinking it would have more of a down-alternative feel thanks to the shredded foam,” says one tester. “I’ve been using it with its original amount of filling [about 6 inches of loft], and it has quickly become my new go-to—comfortable no matter what position I’m sleeping in.”
A few long-term testers attest to how well this pillow has maintained its shape and comfort over time, including after several wash cycles. “It washes incredibly well and has shown almost no signs of wear and tear,” says one who’s had it for nearly a year. “I also like that if it starts to flatten over time you can easily add to the fill to plump it up again.”Another who has been using it for 15 months notes that her pillow has remained comfortable and intact, and the cover has stood up to frequent washes in a cold water cycle and low tumble-dry settings.
“Over the course of using it, it has definitely collapsed and gotten denser due to the foam compressing,” she says. “I often have to flip around the pillow if I wake up in the middle of the night, so that I can get a break from the flat side and sleep on a fuller foam area.” Some of this can be mitigated by washing the pillow and re-fluffing it in the dryer; that said, the brand recommends putting the inner part of the pillow into the washer only once a year. And because it’s fairly large and fluffy, washing works best in front-load machines as opposed to top-load.
The Coop has a midrange price compared with other pillows we tested. But given its five-year warranty and 100-night sleep trial, both among the highest we’ve seen for pillows, it’s a worthy investment. It’s also the only pillow besides Nest Bedding’s Easy Breather that has an adjustable fill; the key difference is that the Easy Breather is made with a latex-poly fiber blend.
The Coop Sleep Goods pillow immediately became my primary pillow. It still hasn’t lost any of its loft since I initially started using it over six months ago, and I haven’t even had to refill it yet. Sometimes it needs a little re-fluffing, but it remains as supportive and comfortable as ever for all sleeping positions.
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Best Down Pillow
Supportive And Soft, Across Three Firmness Options
Parachute Down Pillow
Fill: European white down | Firmness: Soft, medium, firm | Loft: 5 to 8 inches | Sizes: Standard, king | Trial: 60 nights | Warranty: 3 years
Best for:
- Those who are particular about firmness level
- Anyone who is a fan of down
- All sleeping positions
Skip if:
- You’re looking for something more affordable
- You have animal-welfare concerns
Our testers loved the Parachute Down Pillow’s plushness and overall marshmallowy comfort. “It does squish and sink beautifully while not entirely collapsing,” says one of our testers. “I feel like I’m relaxing onto a cloud when I sleep on it.” If you prefer the softness and warmth that down typically provides but are looking for something a little more supportive, this pillow provides three firmness options to choose from and a 60-day trial period.
Because down naturally compresses more than other pillow-fill materials, one of our long-term testers notes that it has “a tendency to flatten down and retain the shape of your head. It’s easily fixed by fluffing it out.” That’s a pretty standard problem with most down pillows, however, and after many months of use, our tester confirms that the Parachute has held up well. We also found that it washes and dries without issue.
While this Parachute pillow is among the most expensive options on our list, down is an expensive material; it’s no surprise its price is on par with most high-quality down pillows we found in our research. More importantly, though, if a down pillow is what’s most comfortable and supportive for your needs, it’s an investment that’s well worth it—a more affordable non-down pillow might “create sleep problems from body discomfort or poor temperature management,” according to neurologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. W. Chris Winter. “Cervical spine issues and back pain can be a problem as well.”
“This pillow continues to be in the rotation as my primary pillow,” says our long-term tester. “I love its soft feel, which continues to have a great balance of firmness and sinkage.” She adds that the Parachute has held its shape and level of comfort over the six months she’s been using it.
Best Pillow For Side Sleepers
A Medium-Firm Option You Can Toss Right In The Wash
Casper Original Pillow
Fill: Polyester microfiber | Firmness: Medium-soft | Loft: 9 inches | Sizes: Standard, king | Trial: 30 nights | Warranty: 1 year
Best for:
- A slightly firmer feel than most down pillows provide
- Anyone looking for an easy-to-clean pillow
- People allergic to down
Skip if:
- You don’t like a lofty pillow
- You want a pillow with cooling technology
The Casper Original Pillow offers a comfortable sleep experience that impressed our testers. One of the loftier pillows we tested, the Casper has a medium-soft firmness that works especially well for side sleepers. It also features an innovative “pillow in pillow” structure that places a supportive pillow inside a soft outer pillow; it’s topped with a breathable, 100% cotton cover.
Among its consistently praised merits is how simple this pillow is to clean. “It’s one of the only pillows I’ve ever tested—I’ve tried over 25—that is completely machine-washable,” says one of our seasoned sleep and mattress editors. “I’ve had the Casper Original Pillow since 2020, and it’s made it through hundreds of nights, several moves and many trips to the laundry.”
Another long-term tester backs this up, noting that after washing, no lumps or bumps in the pillow linger, and that it takes just one dryer cycle for the Casper to return to its original loft. At around $65 for a standard size (often on sale for less), the Casper offers great value, too.
One of our testers notes that while it felt firmer than both the Parachute Pillow and Sobel Westex Down-Alternative Pillow, it had a feel similar to a down pillow, but not as squishy. “It has some give and felt soft, but didn’t let my head sink down,” she says. This pillow does have a denser feel, so if you’re looking for something softer and airier, or are primarily a back or stomach sleeper, you may want to consider the Sobel Westex Pillow instead. But if a medium feel is more your style, or you would like a pillow to layer with down pillows to prop yourself up for reading or watching TV in bed, the Casper might be your best fit.
“I like that this option has a little more body. It’s firmer than the other pillows I have, making it a great pillow to prop myself up with while reading in bed,” says one tester, who adds that it’s held up perfectly over the months she’s been testing it. Another adds that after several months, she’s still impressed by how “it is truly cloud-like and compresses beneath your head like an enveloping, fluffy hug.”
Best Pillow For Back And Stomach Sleepers
Plush, Hotel-Quality Comfort At Home
Sobel Westex Sahara Nights Pillow
Fill: Polyester gel fibers | Firmness: Medium-soft | Loft: 7 inches | Sizes: Standard, queen and king | Trial: 30 days | Warranty: None
Best for:
- Anyone allergic to down who still wants a similar feel
- Hot sleepers
- Those who prefer softer, loftier pillows
Skip if:
- You want medium-firm support
- You’re a side or combination sleeper
The Sobel Westex Sahara Nights Pillow provides what one of our testers describes as “hotel-level comfort at home”—not surprising, given that the brand supplies linens and pillows to hotels, including Disney resorts. Soft and offering ample sinkage, this is Sobel Westex’s best-selling pillow, and our editors found it to be a great option for people who want the feeling of down with just a touch of extra firmness—a great combination for many back and stomach sleepers.
We appreciate that this pillow is available in two loft options, so you can choose whether you want a shorter or taller version. “It’s very soft and fluffy but not too high, which I like, because otherwise my neck gets sore in the morning,” says one of our editors who uses the “slim” version as her primary pillow. “I have a backup memory foam pillow for days when I feel like I need more support, but I go for Sobel 90% of the time because it doesn’t make me hot.” Just note that after washing the pillow, one of our testers noticed that it seemed to shrink slightly when drying.
Because of its soft to medium feel, it’s a better bet for back and/or stomach sleepers; side or combination sleepers may require a little more support and might prefer the Sahara Nights firm option (or the Casper pillow above).
One long-term tester reports that she hasn’t noticed any signs of wear and tear through the months-long testing period. “This medium-firm pillow has enough squish to make it a pillow I regularly curl up with while reading or when I turn to snooze on my side,” she says.
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A Breathable And Supportive Memory Foam Option
Fill: Gel memory foam | Firmness: Firm | Loft: About 5 inches | Sizes: Standard | Trial: 90 nights | Warranty: None
This 20-by-26-inch pillow is designed for personalized comfort and contouring. It’s filled with a plush mix of gel-infused memory foam and microfiber, helping ensure plenty of airflow to keep the surface cool and dry. The temperature-regulating bamboo viscose cover enhances breathability, while the high-loft foam cubes maintain the shape of your head and neck—allowing for a supported rest whether you’re a side or back sleeper. The pillow is certified safe from harmful substances, and the cover is removable and machine washable for easy cleaning.
Best Memory Foam Pillow
A Contouring Feel Suited For Back Sleepers
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow
Fill: Memory foam | Firmness: Extra-soft | Loft: 5 inches | Sizes: Queen (standard), king | Trial: None | Warranty: 5 years
Best for:
- Back and stomach sleepers
- Those who like to feel cradled by their pillow
- Anyone who tends to sleep hot
Skip if:
- You want a firmer memory foam pillow
- You’re a side sleeper with a larger frame or broad shoulders
Of all the memory foam pillows we tested, the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow provided the most cradling feel, offering moldable support for your head and neck.
Using a sufficiently supportive pillow can help you avoid waking up with a headache or with shoulder, back or cervical spine pain. Our experts note that in general, memory foam options do the best job in this department—so if you’re prone to an achy upper body, you might want to consider pillows made with this material. Our pick in this category is the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow: It’s one of the most supportive foam options in our tests, especially for back, stomach and combination sleepers.
The contouring ability of the Tempur-Cloud is its best feature; it’s responsive and highly supportive without feeling overly dense. As a combination sleeper, I found the Tempur-Cloud incredibly comfortable on my back and stomach. Another back-sleeping tester with chronic back pain reports that it became his favorite pillow yet after his evaluation.
This pillow was most similar to Tuft & Needle’s in terms of feel, but a bit doughier and slightly softer; while the brand describes this pillow as extra-soft, I would put it more in the soft-to-medium camp. It’s also worth noting that if you’re particularly sensitive to the off-gassing smell you’ll find in some memory foam products, this one had none at all upon unfurling.
Although the Tempur-Cloud doesn’t offer a trial period, the pillow does come with a generous five-year warranty, similar to the Coop Sleep Goods Pillow. For those who are prone to overheating while they snooze, for an extra $20 you can add a cooling cover with heat-absorbing fibers woven into it. Buying a set will save you $59 on two queen-size pillows or $69 on two king-size pillows.
While I didn’t find the Tempur-Cloud as conducive to side sleeping compared with other positions, one older long-term tester who has a smaller frame than mine reports it was very comfortable for both side and back sleeping. “It holds its shape well and adjusts to your body—it supports your neck and doesn’t make you feel like you’re sinking into the pillow. It’s very comfortable,” she says.
Best Pillow For Neck Pain
An All-Foam Option That Keeps Its Shape
Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow
Fill: Adaptive foam | Firmness: Medium | Loft: 5 inches | Sizes: Standard, king | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 3 years
Best for:
- Those who have frequent neck or shoulder pain
- All sleep positions
- Anyone who prefers the feel of a solid-foam pillow
Skip if:
- You’re looking for a super-soft pillow
- You plan on washing your pillow often
With a true medium feel, the Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow supports your head by contouring around it. It quickly bounces back to its original shape, no fluffing or readjusting required throughout the night. Unless you’re looking for a super-soft pillow, most memory-foam devotees will find this to be a supportive, comfortable option, no matter their preferred sleeping position.
Foam pillows can trap heat—but the Tuft & Needle’s foam fill is infused with graphite and cooling gel to accommodate hot sleepers. (Admittedly, as someone who isn’t temperature-sensitive while I snooze, I didn’t notice feeling particularly hot or cool while testing this pillow.) It should be noted that the brand does not recommend washing the pillow itself in the washer; it must be hand-washed and hung to air-dry. The cover can be washed with cold water and dried in the dryer—but only the cover. For this reason, it’s probably best to use this as a personal pillow versus one for, say, a guest room or rental home.
Like the Tempur-Cloud Pillow, this one is made from a piece of solid foam (instead than memory foam, it’s crafted with what Tuft & Needle calls “adaptive” foam) and has a fair amount of heft to it. Winter notes that while memory foam tends to be quite supportive, it’s typically on the heavier side; side and stomach sleepers who sleep with an arm under their pillow might find the weight uncomfortable. Luckily, Tuft & Needle’s generous 100-night trial will let you judge for yourself.
Our long-term tester says it’s quite comfortable for back sleeping, but as a predominant side sleeper, she says, “it doesn’t cradle the head and neck enough for me.” But, as someone who is extremely sensitive to smell, she adds that there are no lingering odors like some memory foam pillows have.
Best Value Pillow
A Durable And Easy-To-Clean Design
Fill: Down alternative | Firmness: Soft, medium | Loft: 2 inches | Sizes: Standard, queen, king | Trial: 30 days | Warranty: None
Best for:
- Hot sleepers
- Anyone looking for easily washable pillows
- Those seeking an affordable set for a guest room
Skip if:
- You prefer a firmer, denser pillow
- You’re set on a foam or down pillow
This Amazon Basics Down Alternative Pillows set was a surprising hit among some of our testers, offering a good balance of support and softness for a wallet-friendly price.
These pillows are available in both soft and medium options, with down-alternative fill and a polyester microfiber shell. (As a bonus, this pillow is also made with at least 50% recycled materials.) One tester who tried this one in medium notes that it felt firm but also airy: “It wasn’t dense like a foam pillow, and it also didn’t squish,” she says. “The texture makes me think of a piece of puffed popcorn—it’s light, but firm.”
After a year of use, another one of our testers applauded its durability, noting that it hadn’t flattened out or developed any lumps, even after frequent washing: “I’ve kept these in our guest room—along with several other pillows as options—and found that most guests really like them,” she says.
This set may be a particularly welcome choice for those who tend to sleep hot, as well. Down pillows tend to retain more heat than down-alternative options, so if you wake up with night sweats, a down-alternative pillow may be best for you.
For such an affordable set, the Amazon Basics pair is the best we’ve found if you’re not looking to spend a ton. It comes with a 30-day trial, which we appreciate, allowing you to test it in your own home before committing. That said, our testers’ impressions about this pillow were somewhat varied, so your preferences will play a big role in whether the Amazon Basics will be a good fit for you.
For example, if you prefer a plusher pillow with more give—like some of our testers—the marshmallow-like Parachute Down Pillow or the hotel-level Sobel Westex Sahara Nights Pillow is a better fit. Just keep in mind that these options are also more expensive.
Editor’s note: We’re still conducting long-term testing on the Amazon Basics Down Alternative Pillow and will update this story when we finish collecting our findings.
Best Luxury Pillow
A Nontraditional Feel That Keeps You Cool And Supported
Purple Harmony Pillow
Fill: Hyper-elastic polymer, ventilated Talalay latex | Firmness: Medium-firm | Loft: 5.5 to 7.5 inches | Sizes: Standard, king | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 1 year
Best for:
- Anyone who overheats
- All sleeping positions, thanks to multiple height options
- A supportive yet weightless feel
Skip if:
- You prefer a soft down pillow
- You want a lightweight or compressible option
The Purple Harmony Pillow offers a luxurious, nontraditional feel—almost as if your head is floating while also experiencing a dreamy level of squishiness. The brand’s proprietary GelFlex Grid combined with Talalay latex makes this pillow bouncy, supportive and gently contouring, so there’s no need to fluff or flip it throughout the night.
It’s offered in three different height options (low, medium and tall), so you can pick the one best for your body frame and sleeping position. The brand recommends that stomach and back sleepers with small to medium frames consider the low model while side or combination sleepers with medium to larger frames choose the medium or tall.
Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman, one of our testers, has been sleeping on the Purple Harmony for about a year now. She says, “I was initially hesitant to try a pillow with such a different feel, but since the moment I rested my head on it, no other pillow has been able to top its comfort level. The brand describes the Harmony as airy and supportive, which seems contradictory, but it really is accurate. As mostly a side sleeper who sometimes switches to my back, the medium height offers the perfect level of contouring comfort and support.” The cover consists of nylon and spandex fibers with a moisture-wicking treatment, and it’s machine washable. We also noticed the materials are very breathable, helping keep your head cool.
Being our luxury pick, this pillow comes with a luxury price tag—it’s more expensive than most of the other pillows on this list, including the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow. But keep in mind you get a 100-night trial and one-year warranty to add confidence to your purchasing decision.
“This is the pillow I keep coming back to and sleep on when I’m not testing others,” says our senior sleep editor, who is one of our long-term testers. “It is so supportive, comfortable and breathable. I mainly sleep on my side and it offers the perfect amount of pressure relief and support,” she adds. (Check out her full review of the Purple Harmony for more insights.)
Best Latex Pillow
Adjustable Fill That Offers A Buoyant Feel
Nest Bedding Easy Breather Natural Latex Pillow
Fill: Shredded latex and polyester | Firmness: Adjustable | Loft: Adjustable (exact height not listed) | Sizes: Standard, side sleeper, queen, king | Trial: 30 nights | Warranty: 2 years
Best for:
- Hot sleepers
- Various sleep positions due to adjustable fill
- Those who want the contouring feel of memory foam without any quicksand sensation
Skip if:
- You prefer a denser foam feel
- You want a fully organic or vegan pillow (consider Avocado Green instead)
- You want a standard- or queen-size pillow (only king and side sleeper sizes are in stock)
The Nest Bedding Easy Breather Natural Pillow is our favorite latex pillow because it lets you adjust the loft and fluffiness, similar to our top overall pick, the Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow. However, the Easy Breather features shreds of latex coupled with polyester fibers instead of memory foam and microfiber. Latex is a more breathable, durable and bouncy material, which allows this pillow to embody a true cradling feel.
The Easy Breather Natural intentionally comes overstuffed, so don’t be alarmed if it feels too full for your liking. The specific fill level for you is going to require some trial and error, but Nest Bedding recommends side sleepers try it as is, back sleepers remove about a quarter of the fill and stomach sleepers remove about a third of the fill.
The cover, which is made of cotton, polyester and spandex, is breathable and cozy. You can machine wash it on a cold, delicate cycle and tumble dry it on low heat. Since the latex foam fill contours to your head and neck, you can knead the pillow (think: like you would bread dough) about once a week in place of fluffing it.
The Easy Breather’s adjustable fill is reminiscent of the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow, but its latex composition makes it a better choice for sleepers seeking optimal temperature regulation, responsiveness and bounce. Though this pillow features cotton and latex, it’s worth noting that it is not an organic option. If that’s what you’re looking for, we recommend checking out the Avocado Green Pillow instead.
Our senior sleep editor slept on this pillow for several months and enjoyed the gentle pressure relief the shredded latex provides. She continues to appreciate its balanced, soft-and-supportive feel and adjustability. “It’s been a great fit for guests that have stayed over. In fact, my mom bought herself this pillow after staying with me and using it,” she says.
Best Cooling Pillow
Every Layer Features Tech To Keep You Cool
Bedgear Night Ice Performance Pillow
Fill: Foam, cooling gel, silk-like fibers | Firmness: Medium | Loft: 4.75 to 6.5 inches | Sizes: One size (24 x 16 inches) | Trial: 30 nights | Warranty: 1 year
Best for:
- Hot sleepers who want advanced tech
- A wide variety of sleep styles (there are four height options)
- Those who want a supportive, foam feel
Skip if:
- You prefer a fluffy, cloud-like pillow
Pillows are often described as cooling due to having naturally breathable materials or designs, but the Bedgear Night Ice Performance Pillow is a high-tech option engineered to keep you cool all night. In fact, it’s the only pillow I’ve ever used that is truly cool to the touch, and I love that it noticeably molds to the shape of my head and neck. It’s comfortable no matter what position I’m sleeping in. Another one of our testers agrees, noting that the Night Ice Performance does not trap heat; instead, it helps dissipate it and provides a lasting cool sensation. She adds that it’s so effective, it feels like she left the pillow in her car outside on a winter night.
Packed with patented materials, including mesh panels and contouring foams, the Night Ice Performance Pillow is designed to have one side slightly firmer and the other slightly softer. There are also four different thicknesses to choose from, and one of our testers notes the importance of picking the right one since she felt she chose too lofty of an option. If you do need to swap it out (or end up not liking it), you have 30 days to do so. As for cleaning, the cover is machine washable with the recommendation to hang dry, but you can tumble dry on low heat if you’d prefer. I’ve had this pillow for nearly a year, and it has not lost any of its loft even after regular use.
If you’re a hot sleeper, the Bedgear Night Ice Performance Pillow offers the most advanced temperature-regulating abilities to help keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night. However, it’s far from the only cooling pillow on the market. The Purple Harmony Pillow, for example, is also featured in our guide to the best cooling pillows. Thanks to its honeycomb-like Purple’s GelFlex Grid, it’s incredibly breathable and maintains a nice cooling sensation that’s similar to the Night Ice Performance Pillow.
The Bedgear Night Ice Performance Pillow continues to maintain its structure and support, even after a year of regular use; it’s my go-to pillow when I’m lying on the couch. Even on warm days when all my pets are cuddled up on me, it keeps me feeling cool, and I never wake up from a nap in a sweat.
To help you navigate your search for a new pillow, we broke down how our top recommendations compare across key specs. (Scroll right to see more columns.)
To find your “perfect” pillow, it’s essential to consider your sleep style and preferences. After all, one sleeper’s favorite pick may not be the right fit for you. Below, we dive into six key factors to consider when choosing a pillow.
Pillows come in all sorts of fills, with each material offering its own combination of comfort and support. To help find the right pillow for you, take a close look at four common fill types:
The amount of support a pillow provides is also referred to as its firmness, and essentially describes how well it holds its shape when you lie down on it. While preferred firmness is highly subjective, sleep style should be taken into account here, too. Broadly speaking, our research shows that medium-firm to firm pillows seem to be the most comfortable for side sleepers, with medium pillows being best for back sleepers and medium-to-soft options preferred by stomach sleepers. These firmness levels are also associated with certain fill materials. For example, solid memory foam pillows provide a firm yet contouring feel, while down pillows are soft and cloud-like.
Loft refers to the height of the pillow; the right loft for you depends on your primary sleeping position.
Most pillows come in three sizes: standard, queen and king. The standard size, which measures 20 by 26 inches, is ideal for twin and full-sized beds. The queen-size pillow, which measures 20 by 30 inches, is a good option for queen-size mattresses, while a king-size pillow, which measures 20 by 36 inches, fills the space of a king-size bed.
Pillows also come in different shapes, including rectangle, crescent and cutout. While the classic rectangle is a safe option for most sleepers, a crescent or cutout pillow can be an optimal choice for side sleepers, thanks to their ability to support a healthy neck alignment when positioned on your side.
We made it a point to highlight pillows that had sufficient trial periods and warranties when selecting our winners. What might be the most comfortable pillow in the world for one person might be too soft, too lofty or otherwise not supportive enough for another. “You want a pillow designed for your sleeping position, but at the end of the day, you need to try that pillow out to see if it is right for you,” says Dr. Winter.
The Forbes Vetted team is dedicated to testing the best products firsthand and gathering insights from trusted experts in their respective fields. Our mattress and sleep guides include in-depth coverage of the best pillows—from our favorite Tempur-Pedic pillows and the top pillows available on Amazon.