1. Down pillows
2. Latex foam pillows
3. Synthetic fiber pillows
4. Memory foam pillows
Having a set of the best pillows can seriously improve your quality of sleep, but we often underestimate the importance of comfortable and supportive pillows in our sleep setups. If you've invested in the best mattress but you're still not sleeping well because your pillow's the wrong height or firmness for your sleep style, picking out a new one from our selection should soon get you sleeping more comfortably.
Having the wrong sort of pillow not only robs you of sleep, it can mean that you wake up with neck and back pain because your head's not aligned naturally with the rest of your body. By thinking about how you sleep and what your preferences are, you can soon understand what sort of pillow would work best for you in terms of loft, materials, firmness and responsiveness. Head to our our section on how to choose the best pillow for your sleep you'll soon have a better idea of what pillow you should be shopping for.
We've assembled a selection of the best pillows on the market, all of which we've tested for at least two weeks, and we've organized them by what they're mostly filled with – down, latex, fibers and foam – so you can head for the filling you prefer (and which won't trigger any allergies), narrow things down from there and then either see our expert reviews or head straight to a store page. Got all that? Let's see the best pillows available today...
The best pillows in 2024 – chosen by experts
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The best down fill pillows
Fill: Duck down and feathers
Cover: Cotton and polyester
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 1 year
Care: Machine washable
Our top pick right now is the Casper Down Pillow. It's filled with ethically-sourced duck down as well as feathers, and it's actually two pillows in one, with an outer pillow that's 80% white duck down and 20% feather chambers, and an inner pillow that's 60% white duck down and 40% feather chambers. The down makes it ultra-soft while the feathers provide weight, while its five-chamber design makes it supportive and responsive enough for any sleeping position. It's a mid-loft pillow that feels just the right height, and it feels cool to the touch too. Be aware, though, that it needs weekly fluffing to maintain its shape.
Read more: Casper Down Pillow review
Fill: 85% down, 15% down and feather fibers
Cover: Sateen cotton
Feel: Soft, medium, firm
Warranty: 3 years
Care: Machine wash (on delicate cycle)
If you want the best pillow for recreating hotel decadence at home, try this one. The Parachute Down Pillow is super-fluffy and available in three different levels of firmness (soft, medium and firm) to suit all common sleeping positions. The shell is made from 100% cotton sateen, with reinforced double stitched piping seam keeping all that down fill safely enclosed. Its down fill makes it feel squishy yet supportive in the hand, and it's designed to be breathable, meaning it’s suitable for those who sleep warm (although you may prefer to seek out a dedicated cooling pillow).
Read more: Parachute Down Pillow review
Fill: Down feathers
Cover: Cotton sateen
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 2 years
Care: Spot clean only
The Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow is a luxurious pillow with down fill. It doesn’t contain feathers – which can be a good thing if you’ve ever been poked by feathers – and it comes in three levels of firmness. Our reviewer found that the down clusters gave this pillow a light and fluffy feel, but with a level of support that she'd expect from a lighter and squishier pillow; she also noted that while it's not a cooling pillow, it's temperature-neutral and didn't get hot in the night. We'd recommend this one to stomach sleepers in particular, while others may get on better with the Mid-Plush and Firm options.
Read more: Brooklinen Plush Down Pillow review
The best latex fill pillows
Fill: Shredded latex core, microdenier fibers
Cover: Organic cotton
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 1 year
Care: Washable cover and outer fill
Saatva's Latex Pillow is expensive, but it's one of the most comfortable and supportive pillows we've ever tested and absolutely worth the investment. It's made with a shredded latex core and an outer fill of fluffy, allergy-friendly down-alternative fibers, all wrapped up in an organic cotton cover with gusseted sides to help the pillow maintain its shape. There are two loft options, so there's a fit for every kind of sleeper, and both the cover and outer fill are machine-washable. If you want a luxurious five-star hotel feel from your pillow, this is an excellent choice if you can afford it.
Read more: Saatva Latex Pillow review
Fill: Talalay layex, GelFlex grid
Cover: Stretch knit
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 1 year
Care: Washable cover
Our reviewer described the Purple Harmony Pillow as ridiculously squiggly, and if that's not a ringing endorsement then we don't know what is. It's a heavyweight pillow with a latex core wrapped in Purple's GelFlex Grid, and while our reviewer thought that it felt more like a child's toy than a pillow, she also found that she got some of the best sleep of her life from it. It's incredibly comfortable and supportive, it adapts to you as you shift position, and thanks to the latex fill it stays cool at night. There are three loft options, and while this one's expensive it's well worth shelling out for.
Read more: Purple Harmony Pillow review
Fill: Talalay latex foam
Cover: Bamboo charcoal, polyester, cotton
Feel: Plush
Warranty: 3 years
Care: Machine wash (without fill)
The Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow is an all-natural pillow with great cooling properties. It's made with latex and an organic cotton cover, both of which are hypoallergenic, and our reviewer, who has a latex allergy, had no problems sleeping on it. It comes in high and low loft options; the low loft is better for back and stomach sleepers, while the high loft would suit side sleepers or back sleepers with snoring or sleep apnea issues. The pillow's latex filling and cooling cover mean that it regulates temperature well; note, though, that this one needs daily plumping to maintain its shape.
Read more: Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow review
The best synthetic stuffed pillows
Fill: Memory foam blended with kapok fiber
Cover: Polyester, viscose, poly/Lycra woven with copper fibers
Feel: Medium
Warranty: 5 years
Care: Machine wash (without fill)
The Layla Kapok Pillow is is another option with copper fibers woven into the cover to deliver cooling and antimicrobial properties. The inner fill contains a blend of shredded memory foam and natural kapok fibers, and the pillow has a high loft that works particularly well for side sleepers. You can remove and adjust the fill to suit your own preference, meaning the pillow can be adapted for different sleeping styles. It all ads up to an excellent pillow for side and back sleepers prone to overheating, and we were impressed by its performance, build quality and cooling features when we reviewed it.
Read more: Layla Kapok Pillow review
Fill: Microfiber gel
Cover: Cotton
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 5 years
Care: Machine wash/dry
For a kinder and more affordable alternative to a down pillow, we'd recommend this option from GhostBed. The GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow uses microfiber gel clusters to mimic the feel of down, providing a soft, huggable feel while still being firm enough to support your head, neck and shoulders and keep them aligned. In our review we found that it did a great job of simulating a down pillow experience; it's supportive and luxurious, and its breathable cover means it doesn't trap heat at night, although because of its high loft it might not be a great fit for stomach sleepers.
Read more: GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow review
Fill: Gel fiber
Cover: Cotton
Feel: Firm
Warranty: N/A
Care: Machine wash
The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is a genuinely supportive and comfortable pillow for side sleepers, with a thick build quality that keeps its shape throughout the night. What's more, it's hypoallergenic as well as being dust-mite, mold and mildew-resistant, so it’s an ideal choice if you want to maintain a healthy sleep environment. Our tester thought it delivered excellent value for money, but found that it didn't always sleep cool. This pillow is sold in packs of two, delivering excellent value for money, and perfect if you're on a budget and looking for something that will last you a long time.
Read more: Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow review
The best memory foam pillows
Fill: Memory foam pieces and down alternative fibers
Cover: Fabric
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 1 year
Care: Spot clean
If you can't decide between memory foam and fiber fill in your pillow, why not have both? The Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow contains memory foam pieces and down-alternative fibers, and our reviewer found that this combination resulted in a thick, plush pillow with a luxurious feel, that provided plenty of support. It comes in options for every sleep style: there's a Classic shape for stomach and back sleepers, a Curved shape with enhanced support for side and back sleepers, and there's also an Ultimate shape with three removable inserts, which can be used for any type of sleeper.
Read more: Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow review
Fill: Nolah AirFoam and Outlast fibers
Cover: Cotton and Outlast fibers
Feel: Medium
Warranty: 2 years
Care: Machine wash (without fill)
Don't let the boxy shape of the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow put you off; this is a supremely comfortable and supportive pillow with a stand-out design, and we found it to be a luxurious pillow with a hotel feel, but at a very reasonable price. It's temperature-neutral and stays cool while you're sleeping, and it provides contouring support for your head and neck, making it a great choice for back sleepers and also a pretty good option for side and stomach sleepers. We found its loft to be a little high, and as there's only one size option available it may be a bit too chunky for petite sleepers.
Read more: Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow review
Fill: Copper gel-infused memory foam
Cover: Polyethylene blend
Feel: Medium-firm
Warranty: 5 years
Care: Machine-washable cover, spot-clean fill
DreamCloud's only pillow is a premium option, with a solid memory foam core infused with cooling copper gel. It won't trap heat in the night, and it's also nicely moldable with plenty of cradling support for your head, neck and shoulders. Its high loft means it's not really suitable for front sleepers, or indeed for anyone with a more petite frame. If you're of an average to tall body frame, however, you should get on perfectly well with it. It's a little expensive (but regularly discounted), but its construction, cooling, moldability and support make it a good choice for anyone above a certain height.
Fill: Memory foam
Cover: Polyester
Feel: Soft
Warranty: 10 years
Care: Washable cover
Designed to provide contouring support for the head, neck, shoulders, and arms, the Zamat Butterfly Shaped pillow is weird-looking but nevertheless does a good job of relieving aches and pains. The butterfly design includes a central sleep area to lay your head, an ARC cervical support area for your neck, a shoulder contour area, and also an arm support area. It's suitable for all sleep styles but you need to follow Zamat's instructions to get the most out of it. Its memory foam is springy and bounces back to its original shape, and the cover is washable (although putting it back on can be tricky).
Read more: Zamat Butterfly Shaped Cervical Memory Foam Pillow review
Fill: CertiPUR-US foam
Cover: Variety of fibers
Feel: Customizable
Warranty: 1 year
Care: Washable cover, regular fluffing needed
If you can never find the perfect pillow, the Pluto Pillow may be what you need. It's custom-made, based on a questionnaire you fill out when you order, to suit your sleep requirements and preferences. We don't know just how individually Pluto tailors each CertiPUR-US foam pillow to its buyer, but our tester swears that the pillows she received were perfect, with just the right levels of comfort and support for her liking in every position. While the pillow you receive from Pluto is likely to feel different, our experience – backed up by similarly positive user reviews – suggests that you'll be very happy with it.
Read more: Pluto Pillow review
How to choose the best pillow for your sleep
In general, all sleepers should look for an easy-to-clean pillow, which keeps you cool at night and is made from breathable materials. If you tend to sleep in a certain position on your back, front, or side, then think about choosing the following pillows for your sleep style
Back sleepers – Choose a pillow with medium loft and firmness to relieve pressure in the neck and shoulders, while maintaining neutral spine alignment. Look for pillows with extra cushioning on top.
Side sleepers – Look for a pillow with high loft and firm support to relieve pressure at the shoulder and help maintain a neutral spine position. Adjustable pillows with fluffable materials will also help you adjust the shape more easily to suit your position.
Stomach sleepers – A pillow with low loft and soft support will help keep the spine in alignment, and prevent the head from being too propped up. A compressible fill allows the pillow to be shaped into a comfortable low loft.
Combination sleepers – If you tend to change position a lot in the night you need a more versatile pillow to keep up with you. Look for something with a more responsive feel, and maybe even with an adjustable fill so that you can get it to your perfect depth.
We'd recommend picking a pillow that comes on a trial period, giving you at least three weeks to make sure it's the best choice for your sleep and posture.
Are memory foam pillows any good?
Memory foam pillows have a lot of benefits for more comfortable sleep. The main advantage is contouring, which means the memory foam molds itself to your head and neck as soon as you lie down. It's the same benefit you'll get from one of the best memory foam mattresses for pressure relief.
People with neck pain often benefit from a memory foam pillow, but the depth of the pillow should be considered too. Deep memory foam pillows are a great choice for side sleepers, while firmer and shallower foam pillows will better support stomach and back sleepers.
Memory foam pillows relieve pressure points by distributing the weight of your head and neck across the entire pillow, so you should feel much more comfortable when sleeping.
The downside to memory foam is that it can retain heat, so hot sleepers may struggle with this type of pillow depending on the type of memory foam it's made from. There are plenty of cooling gel-infused memory foam pillows to choose from now, and these dissipate heat, boost airflow and regulate temperature to keep you cool. Our top-rated memory foam pillow for hot sleepers is the Layla Kapok Pillow, priced from $109 at Layla Sleep.
While your pillow can make an instant difference to how comfortably you sleep, consider pairing it with one of the best mattress toppers too. These breathe new life into older mattresses and can also relieve pressure points.
Do you need a pillow protector?
A pillow protector keeps your pillow clean for longer, safeguarding it from dust mites, spills, stains and germs in the same way a good mattress protector looks after your mattress. While spills and stains are unsightly and a breeding ground for bacteria, dust mites are the other big problem with unprotected pillows - especially those that aren’t cleaned regularly.
With regular nightly use, your dead skin cells, hair, sweat and more build up on your pillow. This moist environment provides plenty of food and nourishment for dust mites, and these microscopic bugs and their droppings can trigger allergies and make asthma worse.
So if you cut off their food supply by covering your pillow with an anti-allergy pillow protector, you’ll make it harder for them to thrive. Not all pillow protectors are up to the job though, and the best are certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) as asthma and allergy friendly. To get this certification, the pillow protector has been proven to block over 95% to 99% of dust mite allergens.
While you’ll still need to wash your sleep pillow regularly and replace it every two years, a protector will do the majority of the heavy lifting for you when keeping your pillow clean. You should wash the protector monthly, or more often if you experience night sweats, dandruff or skin irritations.
Ensure the rest of your sleeping space is comfy and supportive too. There are plenty of mattress sales each month that cover bedding such as pillows and protectors, and you'll find luxury and budget options here. These include the best Saatva mattress sales for luxury sleep, and the latest Nectar mattress sale for memory foam bedding.
Can pillows be recycled?
Pillows aren’t usually accepted in curbside recycling bins, so you’ll need to visit a textile recycling center. When recycled, pillows are broken down into their separate components, with the material shredded or ground up for reuse in another item.
Depending on the recycling center you visit, the fibers inside pillows can be recycled into clothing, rugs and carpets, cleaning cloths, and other household items. You can take your pillows to a textile recycling facility as long as they aren’t stained with sweat, oil, blood or grease.
The American Textile Recycling Service has drop-off bins in a few states, and these take pillows. If you have an old feather filled pillow, the feathers can be mixed into a compost bin, helping to create a rich fertilizer for your garden. The stuffing inside non-down pillows could also be used to make stuffed animals or even new pillows.
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