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There are few simpler pleasures in life than laying your head down on a soft, fluffy, enveloping pillow after a long day. That said, the best pillow is highly personal and will depend on your preferred sleep position, individual anatomy, and specific sleep concerns. Gel Cushion Seat
We tested 26 different pillows and spoke to several sleep experts for this guide. Our top pick is the Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow, which we think will appeal to the largest variety of sleepers because of its adjustable shredded memory foam fill. For a down-alternative option, our team loves the Casper Original Pillow as a great choice in particular for side sleepers, because it's soft and fluffy while offering support.
Whatever you choose, the sleep experts we spoke to recommend picking your pillow with the same care and research you would devote to selecting the best mattress for your room. "A good pillow is absolutely a top priority," said Dr. Rebecca Robbins, sleep researcher, author, and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. "No matter your budget, I really encourage people to splurge and invest in these products because they will help."
Find out more about how Insider Reviews tests and reviews home products.
Best overall: Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow - See at Amazon
Best for side sleepers: Casper Original Pillow - See at Amazon
Best budget: Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow (Set of 2) - See at Amazon
Best for neck pain: Layla Kapok Pillow - See at Layla
Best for back sleepers: The Saatva Latex Pillow - See at Saatva
Best for stomach sleepers: Parachute Down-Alternative Pillow, Soft - See at Parachute
Best down: Brooklinen Down Pillow - See at Brooklinen
The Coop Sleep Goods Pillow takes the top spot in our best pillows guide because you can easily adjust the shredded memory foam fill to suit your sleeping style. You can try it risk-free for 100 nights. At 20% off, this is the deepest discount we've seen since this time last year.
It's rare to come across a product as thoughtfully designed as the Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow. Made from hypoallergenic shredded memory foam, the fill in the Coop pillow is adjustable so you can customize it to the perfect loft for your sleep preferences. Other thoughtful features like a washable cover, 5-year warranty, and 100-night trial make it our top recommendation.
When you open the box, a bright yellow insert walks you through how to customize the pillow and suggests how much fill to add or remove (it's more than you think) based on your preferred sleeping position. While the pillow arrives almost overfilled, it also comes with a half-pound bag of additional stuffing in case you need even more support.
I followed the package recommendations to remove about a third of the fill for back sleepers. The result felt deeply personalized, and it was very comfortable to sleep on with an outstanding balance of support and fluff.
We think most people will love the customization, especially if you prefer the springy feel of memory foam.
The brand has also released more shapes targeted for side and back sleepers, specifically with the customizable fill.
One drawback? If you favor a softer, more down-like fill (like I do), you may find the Coop Original pillow is on the firmer side and tends to get a bit hot during the night. However, the more premium Coop Eden pillow uses gel-infused memory foam and microfiber to sleep cooler and has a plusher, soft fill that mimics the feeling of down.
Read our full review of Coop Home Goods' The Original Pillow.
The Casper Original Pillow is the best pillow we've tested for side sleepers, balancing loft and support with the soft and fluffy feel of a down alternative.
A good pillow's goal is to align your neck with the rest of your spine. For side sleepers, this means bridging the gap between your ear and where your shoulder meets the mattress. But shoulder size and height can vary a lot from person to person, meaning one side sleeper might need a lofty pillow while another needs just a little lift.
The Coop pillow (our pick for best pillow overall) is ideal for side sleepers because it offers a lot of customization to help fill that gap, which is why we also named it top overall pick in our guide to the best pillow for side sleepers. But if you're not a memory foam fan, your next best bet is the Casper Original Pillow.
Made from down-alternative hypoallergenic fill with a percale cotton shell, the Casper pillow feels a lot like the soft, plush pillows you'd find in hotel rooms. A 2-inch gusset (the strip of fabric between seams that gives the pillow a more boxy shape) keeps the pillow lofted for the supportive lift that side sleepers require, but the plush fill still provides the "sinking in" sensation when you lay your head down.
Senior home editor Jaclyn Turner has slept on the Casper Original Pillow for over a year. She is a combo sleeper between back and side sleeping and most appreciates how it has never lost its loft and provides the plush support she craves.
Another one of the side sleepers who tried the pillow over several weeks also loved that it stayed cool throughout the night and kept its shape despite its softer fill. If you want a balance of support and softness, we recommend giving the Casper Original Pillow a try; just keep in mind that it's not as customizable or adjustable as other pillows.
Read our full review of the Casper Original Pillow.
The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillows are an inexpensive option that still offers a comfortable, supportive night's sleep. Check the coupon box for 40% off.
If you're the type of person who can fall asleep just about anywhere or you're primarily concerned about price, the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is the best bang for your buck.
These pillows are on the thinner side but have a gentle, down-like plushness that sets them apart from other inexpensive pillows I've tried. While they're more squishy than supportive, they're a good choice for stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and anyone who likes to hug, fold, or stack their pillows at night.
I've spent several months sleeping with these pillows on and off, and they haven't gone flat or gotten lumpy. They are a little less lofty and bouncy than when I first got them, but I like that they have a more lived-in feel.
"Gel pillow" is a bit of a misnomer; there's no liquid or cooling gel in these pillows like there is in some other cooling pillows. Instead, these pillows are filled with hypoallergenic polyester gel fiber, similar to a down alternative in both feel and performance. Compared to denser materials like memory foam, the pillows stay relatively cool but stop short of actively cooling you.
While these pillows aren't adjustable, each pack comes with two pillows, so you can easily stack them to your desired comfort level. The company also offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee — a rarity for Amazon-only pillow brands.
With its customizable fill, the Layla Kapok Pillow offers neck pain sufferers both support and comfort.
The Layla Kapok Pillow is the best pillow for those who suffer from neck pain that we tested. It's adjustable and forms to your head and neck for a very comfortable night's sleep.
To adjust the pillow, unzip the cover and internal case. Remove the fill until you reach your preferred loft (or height). Have a sealable container handy so you contain the fill and save it in case you want to add it back in later.
That customization makes the Layla Kapok great for many types of sleepers. Reporter James Brains preferred to use the pillow with all the fill inside, while Sally Kaplan, executive editor for Insider Reviews, removed two-thirds of the material.
This made it easy to mold the pillow to support her head and neck. Kaplan said it took a few nights to get the fill level right, but then she slept much better than with her old memory foam pillow.
The pillow is made of CertiPUR-US-certified shredded memory foam and fibers from the Kapok tree. The fibers are light, buoyant, and commonly used as a down alternative. The foam is hypoallergenic and made without ozone depleters, certain heavy metals, and formaldehyde.
If you find the pillow doesn't work for you, you can return it within 120 days.
Check out our guide to the best pillow for neck pain for more options.
Luxuriously plush, The Saatva Pillow offers an ultra comfortable, hotel-like experience and is particularly well-suited to back sleepers.
The Saatva Pillow is made from a supportive shredded latex core surrounded by a plush, down alternative layer and a sateen cotton liner. Its unique construction makes it different from any pillow I've ever felt before — it's got the hefty weight and support of a memory foam pillow but with the plush, cool feel of a down pillow.
It's available in a standard loft roughly 4-5" high and suggested for back and stomach sleepers, as well as a high loft of 6-7" high for side sleepers and those who require more plush pillows.
I kept coming back to this pillow throughout testing, and it quickly became my go-to for nights when I wasn't actively testing anything new.
I've now been sleeping on this pillow for five months. I love how my head sinks into this soft pillow, but it's still supportive enough to keep its shape all night long. When I wake up, the pillow looks just as plush as when I fell asleep.
I'm a very active sleeper who likes to move around a lot in bed and take my bedding with me, so I love that the pillow is equally plush and comfortable from all sides and angles. It's still soft and supportive when I inevitably fold it, scoop it, or hug it throughout the night. It's dense but quickly goes back to its original shape. Finally, it's hypoallergenic, which is a must for allergy sufferers like myself.
Multiple stomach sleepers who tried the pillow as part of our testing found it too lofty, even with the inner core removed. Some side sleepers might also find the pillow not quite lofty enough; we think it's best for back sleepers and those who prefer a plusher, cooler feel than memory foam.
Soft but not too thin, the Parachute Down-Alternative Pillow has the perfect loft for stomach sleepers who want just a bit of cushion.
Stomach sleepers generally require the least amount of pillow support since your head and spine are already pretty close to alignment when lying on your stomach. Most stomach sleepers would benefit from a soft pillow with just a bit of loft, and for that, the Parachute Down-Alternative Pillow is our top choice.
This is the only pillow that received high marks for comfort from my husband, who is an avowed stomach sleeper and finds most pillows too lofty. The Parachute pillow elevates his head just enough to alleviate any neck strain, and the sateen cotton encasement keeps the pillow remarkably cool all night long, ideal for those, like him, who run hot.
We purchased four of these pillows a little over a year ago, and they were our mainstay before I started testing and evaluating pillows for this guide. In many ways, this pillow hits all the marks for me: it stays cool, is incredibly soft and comfortable, and is hypoallergenic. But while my husband happily drifts asleep with one of these pillows tucked under his head, I (a back sleeper) need to stack two or three to get the loft I need to fall asleep comfortably.
While the fill is thin enough that the pillow easily folds over for some support if you occasionally flip to your side or back during the night, it doesn't provide enough for those who spend most of the night in those positions. The pillow also won't offer much lift if you're looking to prop yourself up to read or watch TV while lounging in bed. Still, it's a great personal pillow for any stomach sleeper who has found other pillows too lofty.
The mid-plush Brooklinen Down Pillow conforms well to different sleeping positions, making it the ideal pillow for people who shift throughout the night. It feels as good as pillows double its price, and this is the best savings on Brooklinen we've seen this year.
Down makes for a very soft and comfortable pillow, but the material isn't for everyone. While experts told us that down allergies are less common than we've been made to believe, people with dust mite allergies may sleep easier with a hypoallergenic pillow. That's why, for this guide, we focused mostly on memory foam and down-alternative pillows.
For those who strongly prefer the feel of a down pillow, check out our guide to the best down pillow. Our top pick was Brooklinen's Down Pillow, which was plush and comfy for various sleeping styles.
It's offered in three firmness options. We tried the mid-plush and think it's a great middle-of-the-road option to try out if you're not quite sure what kind of pillow you like best. The mid has a dual chamber design with a feather core for support and is surrounded by fluffy down clusters at a ratio of 30% down to 70% feathers. Meanwhile, the firm also has a dual design but a ratio of 14% clusters and 86% feathers, ideal for side sleepers while the plush option is filled with 100% down clusters for the soft comfort stomach sleepers craved.
The down compressed easily but bounced back up quickly and was easy to fluff up. This pillow had the most noticeable down smell of all the down pillows, but it did dissipate. Otherwise, we were pleased with the construction and feel of the pillow.
The experts we spoke to recommend prioritizing three main criteria when shopping for a new pillow: sleep position, material, and trial period. Below, find our recommendations for each consideration.
Robbins told us the most significant consideration when picking a pillow is your preferred sleep position: side, back, or stomach. The goal of your pillow is to support your neck in a neutral position aligned with the rest of your spine. That alignment shifts depending on the position you're sleeping in. While we all move around during sleep, most of us spend the majority of our sleeping time in one position.
Not sure what your sleep position is? Consider what position you typically fall asleep or wake up in. Robbins also has an exercise she performs with her clients: Imagine you've been up for 24 hours and are presented with a big, luxurious hotel bed; how would you lie down on it to go to sleep? The position you envision is likely your preferred sleep position and plays a significant role in what type of pillow will work best for you.
Ideal pillow by sleep position
Side sleepers: Around 65% of the US population are side sleepers, according to Robbins, and this position requires the most loft and support to bridge the wide gap between the side of your head and where your shoulder rests on the mattress. If you're a side sleeper, choose a lofty pillow — ideally with an adjustable fill since there can be a lot of variability in the size of that shoulder gap from person to person. Robbins said hotels and sleep clinics outfit rooms with side sleepers in mind, so if you're buying pillows for a guest bedroom, a side-sleeper-friendly pillow is usually a good bet.
Back sleepers: Back sleepers are the Goldilocks of pillow hunters — they need a pillow with just enough support to lift the back of the head to be in line with their shoulders. Back sleepers tend to benefit from a medium pillow made from down or down alternative, though an adjustable pillow with at least one-third of the fill removed may work as well.
Stomach sleepers: In the minority are stomach sleepers, who need the least amount of support from their pillow. Typically, a thin, very soft pillow works best for stomach sleepers — just enough fill to cushion their face from the flat surface of the mattress.
The material a pillow is filled with has a big impact on the feel of your pillow. Here's an overview of the major fill types:
Down: Down consists of feathers taken from the underbelly of a goose or duck. It's an incredibly soft and comfortable material for pillows. While most modern down is triple washed to remove dander, some allergy sufferers may want to avoid this material, as animal fibers are more prone to dust mites (which can exacerbate allergies) than synthetic fibers. You can read about our favorite down options in our best down pillows guide.
Microfiber/ Down Alternative: Microfiber is an incredibly popular down alternative. The majority of the pillows in this guide are made from microfiber. It's generally hypoallergenic and, when shredded finely, has a feel to mimic down.
Memory foam: Another popular fill is memory foam. We prefer pillows with shredded memory foam, which offer a more traditional and malleable pillow feeling. A solid block of memory foam may be preferred if you suffer from back and neck pain and need to keep your head immobilized during sleep. Read more about the best pillows for neck pain.
The only way to know if a pillow is right for you is to sleep on it. We recommend looking for pillows that offer at least a 30-day trial with a money-back guarantee. This will allow you several weeks to decide if the pillow is right for you.
To learn more about what to look for in the best pillows, we spoke with Dr. Rebecca Robbins, sleep researcher, author, and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. However, there is no one-size-fits-all, best pillow for everyone.
Individual anatomy, sleep habits, and preferences profoundly impact how comfortable a pillow will be from person to person. For that reason, our rating criteria for this guide relied heavily on the following considerations:
Return policy and trial period: It's impossible to know how comfortable a pillow is going to be for you until you sleep on it, despite how comprehensive our guide aims to be. "The most important thing is trying the pillows out to see what works for you," said Robbins, which includes being able to touch, lay on, and sleep with a pillow before deciding if it's right for you. For this guide, we only considered pillows that accept returns of used merchandise for a full refund with at least a 30-day trial window, which gives you ample time to decide if a pillow is right for you.
Adjustability: We prioritized adjustable pillows with removable inserts or shredded fill for dialing in your perfect loft. This creates a more custom pillow that would better suit your needs.
Ease of use: We looked at how well each pillow fit a standard pillowcase, whether the pillow came with a case or protector, and whether all or parts of the pillow were washable for better hygiene and pillow longevity.
Comfort: I slept on all of the pillows for at least three (sometimes agonizing) nights. I also enlisted a side sleeper and a stomach sleeper to try the pillows for a couple of weeks. We will develop a diverse sleep panel and have them test our top picks for additional feedback for future updates.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing a well-used pillow every couple of years. If you fold your pillow in half and it stays put, it's probably time for a new pillow. (This may not work with thin pillows.)
Robbins recommends looking for a pillow with a synthetic filling if you're prone to allergies. Pillows with animal fillings (such as down) may trigger allergies since dust mites like fillings made from animal material.
Many are not. However, our top pick, the Coop Home Goods Original Pillow is entirely adjustable, so you can find the loft that's right for you. add or remove filling to reach your ideal comfort level.
Hot sleepers may find pillows with down or down alternative filling have better airflow than memory foam.
You can find pillows at a range of price points, anywhere from $10 to several hundred dollars. Because of how much time we spend sleeping, Robbins recommends thinking of a pillow as an investment that will pay you back in better sleep.
Sweat, oil, and skincare products can all turn your pillow yellow. Adding a pillow protector may help prevent the stains.
Typical recommendations range from every three to six months. Robbins recommends adding a pillow protector (an encasement that adds another level of protection from allergens, body oils, dust mites, and other pests), too.
Not every pillow can be washed. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to best care for and clean your pillow. You should also fluff your pillows daily to extend their life.
Loft refers to the height of your pillow, which determines how far off the mattress it lifts your head. experts recommend a pillow that keeps your head and neck aligned with the rest of your spine. side sleepers need more loft, while stomach sleepers need minimal loft.
Most pillows for sleeping come in two sizes: standard and king, while queen is another size option that you may see. Standard pillow sizes measure 20" x 26" inches, a queen measures 20" x 30" inches and a king measures 20" x 36" inches. We recommend a standard or queen size for twin, full, and queen mattresses and king pillows for king or California king mattresses.
Baby Head Pillow You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here. Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.