Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
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Anyone willing to tinker with the amount of fill in the Coop Home Goods Original Pillow for a few days will see major payoffs with this comfortable, washable pillow. Read More
These pillows are a great option for guest rooms and folks willing to get a new pillow more often—but many side sleepers won't find them supportive enough. Read More
Brooklinen doesn't falsely advertise how firm this pillow is. It's a quality pillow, and what it lacks in washability, it makes up for in comfort. Read More
The Casper pillow is two pillows in one. As a unit it worked for side sleeping, but it's too thick for those who prefer back and stomach sleeping. Read More
The Leesa Pillow offers a springy, supportive surface that many back and side sleepers will like, though some may find it too thick. Read More
Pillows play an important role in getting a good night’s sleep—and a bad one can keep you tossing and turning all night. That’s why our experts tested a number of brands over several months to find the best pillows.
We found that our favorite pillows are from Coop Home Goods (available at Amazon) . They’re filled with lofty-yet-soft shredded foam, and you can add or subtract stuffing to suit your preferences and spine-alignment needs.
For those with a smaller budget, the Beckham Hotel Gel Pillow 2-Pack (available at Amazon) is our pick for best value pillow.
Regardless of the type of pillow you’re looking for—or how you sleep—we have a pillow recommendation we hope will help you rest better at night.
The Coop Home Goods Pillow is great for everyone because of its adjustable, shredded-foam fill.
The Beckham Hotel Pillows provide a surprising level of comfort, and are a great option for a guest room or people who prefer to replace their pillows more often.
Brooklinen Down Pillows are treated with "antimicrobials," which will help keep the dry-clean-only pillow clean.
The Original Casper Pillow is composed of two pieces to provide cushion without compromising on support.
The Leesa Pillow, which is made with one solid piece of memory foam, provides a great balance of support and give.
Moderate thickness for back sleepers
Affordable
Softer memory foam surface
Limited versatility
Profile too low for many
Retains heat
Adjustable
Machine Washable
Affordable
Smelly for days after opening
Tiny fill shreds were difficult to remove
Affordable
Little smell after opening
Machine washable
Insufficient loft
Didn’t capture down sensation
Retained heat
Supportive
Good for people with broad shoulders
Spongy and springy sensation
May be too thick for some
Foam doesn’t cradle
Firm
Supportive
Cooling features that perform
Expensive
Limited washability
Our testers rotated through a variety of pillows, sleeping on each for at least two nights.
I’m Lindsey Vickers, the sleep writer here at Reviewed. I cover everything from meditation apps to bed sheets. I’m a hybrid sleeper and alternate between my side and stomach, so I was excited to test pillows for both of those positions.
Of course, we couldn’t neglect back sleepers, so we recruited editor Sarah Hagman, a self-proclaimed “reformed side sleeper." She started sleeping on her back after a shoulder injury, and hasn’t looked back since, making her the perfect person to find the best pillow for the position.
For several months we had a rotating cast of pillows in and out of our bedrooms—occasionally the same one, if the manufacturer claimed it suited multiple sleep positions. We slept on each pillow for at least two nights while evaluating its performance.
Is the pillow comfortable and sufficiently supportive from the moment our heads touched down on the fluff until our morning alarms went off? Is it customizable? If so, how easy is it to remove and add fill? Does it get hot overnight? How well does the pillow’s performance match company claims? Does the fill feel lumpy? If so, can the lumps be smoothed away? (You get the idea.)
Afterward, we sent the pillows to our lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where our scientists put them through the wringer. They tested for heat retention with temperature sensors and a heated blanket. They also weighted the pillows down overnight to check how well the material responded and sprung back the next day, and washed them according to care label instructions, to see how they held up.
Pillows are perhaps the second most important piece of bedding after your mattress, but they should have a much higher rate of turnover. Here are some things to consider when you’re shopping for pillows.
Some pillows are marketed for all sleep positions, but since each position has unique support needs, pillows are seldom truly effective in every position.
Side sleepers: People who sleep on their sides need “firm” pillows, which are taller and denser, to prevent their neck from drooping down. However, they shouldn’t be so thick and dense that they push the neck and head up. Side sleepers want to look for a pillow that keeps their spine horizontally aligned while they lie in bed.
Stomach sleepers: People who sleep on their stomachs want to look for thin, soft pillows with ample give, because craning the head upward can trigger neck pain. These pillows are often called “plush.” Down and down-alternative fillings are often great choices for stomach sleepers.
Back sleepers: People who sleep on their backs need something in the middle, to cradle their neck and head without letting it loll back or causing their chin to jut forward. These pillows may be labeled “medium density” or “mid-plush.” Foam pillows designed for back sleepers are often a good choice, though some may find happiness in medium-firm down or down-alternative options.
The Nectar Foam Pillow has a "gusset," or rectangular panel of fabric sewn around the perimeter, that provides more loft for side sleepers.
There are numerous types of pillows, with different fills that offer unique benefits and create different sensations when they cradle your head.
Down feathers are less structured than other fills, and can leave side sleepers’ heads and necks unsupported. Back sleepers still need support, but an adequately-packed down pillow can often do the trick just fine. For stomach sleepers, some of whom can get by without a pillow at all, the softness is a non-issue or even a selling point.
One possible explanation for this allergen accumulation is manufacturers using looser weave encasements. Traditional down pillows are often encased in tightly woven fabric to prevent feathers from escaping, which also helps buffer the fill from allergens. Regardless, an allergy-protective encasement can help, as does regular washing of these pillows, which are generally machine-washable.
In our testing, solid-foam pillows often emitted a chemical odor for a few days after being opened—likely due to off-gassing of the foam. Once the air is clear, foam can be great for side sleepers and some back sleepers, as it provides support and shape but still offers some give. However, these same qualities also make this pillow material a poor choice for stomach-sleeping.
Shredded foam: These pillows feel more like down or down-alternative than solid foam. They often come super stuffed, with extra fill enclosed, so sleepers can add or remove fill until they find the right loft and feel. That means these pillows can serve all positions. Shredded foam may be less likely to compress over time than down and down-alternative.
Latex: This fill is actually another type of foam. It's generally naturally-derived, which can mean it's more eco-friendly than other types of foam.
Latex pillows can be made with one of two types of latex: Talalay, or Dunlop, with different manufacturing processes. Dunlop latex tends to have a firmer feel, whereas Talalay latex can feel softer.
You should replace your pillow every one to two years, according to the AAFA’s McKeon. Some pillow companies offer as long as 10-year warranties, which is a nice vote of confidence in their products, but even a 5-year warranty will amply cover a pillow's recommended lifespan.
Lindsey writes about sleep, lifestyle, and more for Reviewed. In her waking hours, she likes to spend time outside, read, cook, and bake. She holds a master’s in journalism from Boston University and bachelors' degrees in English Literature and Anthropology from the University of Utah.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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