The Best Pillows 2025: Tested by Expert

Your pillow may make or break a good night's sleep, so our expert put them to the test using specialist equipment and input from at-home sleep testers—including over 100 pillows with over 500 nights of sleep testing.

Having tested and written about pillows for more than ten years, my recommendation would be to first consider your sleep posture. Pillows for back sleepers can fall somewhere in between; pillows for stomach sleepers should be softer and thinner; pillows for side sleepers should be thicker and harder.

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Coop Home Goods Original Adjustable Pillow：Best Overall

Fill: Adjustable blend of memory foam and polyester down alternative 

Outer cover: Polyester/rayon blend 

Firmness: Medium-firm 

Sizes: Queen, King

A combination of memory fills this pillow. foam bits and microfibre clusters to provide the perfect mix between soft and strong. It's pleasant and supportive for all sleeping positions since the height is changeable by adding or subtracting fill. It even surpassed several other pillows, including ones far more costly.

✔️Sleep testing: Our panel of at-home testers awarded it great marks all around, saying unanimously that it was superior than the pillows they had previously used and that it helped improve their sleep quality. While one tester said, "It wraps around my head and I sink into it," another said she could "comfortably switch from side to back to stomach and still feel supported and comfortable."

✔️ Performance: One of the most impressive qualities of this pillow is that it immediately bounced back to shape during our Lab's pressure testing, which means you can expect it to hold up to regular use.

✔️Durability: Unlike most shredded memory foam pillows, this one is completely machine washable—yes, including the cover and stuffing. After five washes and dries, it exhibited no symptoms of shrinkage. Common with a polyester/rayon fabric mix, the cover pilled somewhat after washing and with ongoing use.

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Beckham Hotel Collection Down Alternative Bed Pillow ：Best Value

Fill: Polyester down alternative

Outer cover: Cotton

Firmness: Soft

Sizes: Queen, King

Roughly $25 for cushion, this Amazon best-seller lives up to the buzz according to our thorough testing. Though it's a simple pillow that might not be nearly as opulent as other models, it functioned incredibly well and costs a fraction of the price of others. Most cheap pillows are made of totally synthetic materials; this one, however, has a 100% cotton outer cover for a more premium appearance and feel.

Sleep testing: Users said it was soft and fluffy—good for stomach and back sleepers or anyone who likes a plush pillow. They really appreciated how consistently the fill remained spread out without clumping. Support received mixed reviews; some testers lauded it while others said, "Although still supportive, the down alternative filling is so fluffy and cushiony." Conversely, others claimed it seemed too flat to sufficiently support their requirements. Combination sleepers—i.e., those who alternate between sleeping on their stomachs, backs, and sides—liked it more than those who are strictly side sleepers. One tester said, "The outer material is incredibly soft and looks so rich."

Performance: The cushion kept its shape during our pressure tests; it did not flatten down. It fits exactly in a Standard size pillowcase. This choice is perfect to furnish a visitor bed since it comes in a set of two.

Durability: At a lesser price, it employs a down-alternative fill, perfect for simple maintenance as it's machine washable and dryer safe. Though it did reveal some loose threads and puckering, our tests revealed no shrinking after five wash and dry cycles.

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Pillow Cube Side Cube：Best Cooling Pillow

Fill: Memory foam

Outer cover: Polyester

Firmness: Medium-firm

Sizes: Standard

For side sleepers who have difficulty achieving the ideal alignment, this pillow's unusual form is a game changer since it covers the void between your shoulder and neck rather than tapering off like a conventional cushion. Recommended for those 5'3" to 6'4", the pillow itself is 5 inches tall. If you sleep hot, look at the Ice Cube version of this pillow; its outer cover is cool-to-the-touch.

Sleep testing: Our testers were blown away by how much the Side Cube enhanced their alignment. "It perfectly holds up my head," one said; "My neck is totally supported," added another. In our tests, it was best suited for genuine side sleepers—i.e., not for people who shift position as they sleep—because it seemed excessively tall for users laying on their stomachs or backs.

Performance: The foam sprang back to its original shape fast when weights were applied and withdrawn. Testers also said the cushion kept its form well following use. Though it poked out a little at the end, this cushion is only supplied in one size that fits in a Standard size pillowcase. The company also offers a flexible pillowcase made of polyester and spandex that is extremely comfortable and precisely fits this pillow.

Durability: This cushion is manufactured from solid foam, thus only the cover is washable; it is not dryer safe. The company advises drying the cover by hanging. Following washing testing, the cover showed no shrinkage but considerable wear in pills and fuzziness.

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Layla Kapok Pillow：Best for Neck Pain

Fill: Adjustable blend of memory foam clusters and kapok fibers

Outer cover: Polyester/viscose blend

Firmness: Medium-plush

Sizes: Queen, King

As a combination sleeper who likes luxurious bedding, this pillow is my particular favorite. Its creative mix of shredded memory foam and soft, fluffy kapok (a natural fabric akin to cotton but feels silkier) allows me to reach the perfect combination of plushness and support. It's particularly beneficial for stomach and back sleepers since a too-firm or too-high pillow might cause the neck to tilt in these positions.

Sleep testing: This one is a reviewer favorite and got very high marks in our sleep tests. Our testers awarded it ideal ratings for comfort, support, and general happiness; they also noted it maintained its form and had them getting up without soreness. One reviewer said she could stop using two pillows by switching to this one; another said, "I like the softness, how supportive it feels and how it is moldable."

Performance: Even though it's pretty plush, it immediately bounced back to shape after we placed weights in our experiments to replicate a head sleeping on it overnight. Keep in mind that some white pillowcases may show the pillow's grey pattern on its outer cover.

Durability: Washing the pillow cover requires first removing all of the fill and placing it in a different container. Because this procedure is laborious and difficult, we advise using a pillow cover with this cushion to maintain its excellent long-term state.

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Tuft & Needle Premium Foam Pillow：Best Foam

Fill: Foam

Outer cover: Polyamide/polyester blend

Firmness: Medium-firm

Sizes: Standard, King

For a more supporting surface, Tuft & Needle use solid foam rather than foam clusters; its vented holes and graphite and cooling gel aid to minimize overheating. Based on our assessments, the brand characterizes the sensation as "squishy while remaining supportive" and I completely concur. Because it's not overly hard and has a lower height, the responsive foam is suitable for side sleepers with smaller frames or back sleepers.

Sleep testing: Among our sleep testers, who awarded it ideal comfort and shape retention, this was a top-rated pillow. Furthermore, our reviews all agreed it seemed like an improvement above the pillows they had used before hand. "This pillow was firm enough that it kept its shape, but felt overall soft," and, "It was comfortable in several sleeping positions and the ideal degree of firmness," his accolades included remarks.

Performance: In Lab evaluations, it aced our pressure tests; the foam bounced back to shape instantly when we removed the weights. Though it's a little smaller than other pillows, so the fit was rather loose, it fit really well into a pillowcase.

Durability: Only the cover is machine washable, however in our tests it laundered well with no shrinkage. Remember that the cover is not dryer-safe; therefore, you have to hang it up to dry.

How to choose the best type of pillow for you

Although there are many different kinds of pillows available, I advise first concentrating on the fill to assist you in narrowing it down. Here are the main differences between the most often chosen alternatives:

• Though a mix of down and feathers could be more affordable and firmer, down pillows are usually the fluffiest.
• Usually produced with synthetic fill, down-alternative pillows are more cheap than down yet can nevertheless feel comfortable and provide decent support.
• Often stiffer, memory foam pillows are thicker. You may select from memory foam clusters, which feel plusher to lie on while still providing the support of foam, or solid memory foam.
• Though they have less contouring, latex pillows feel more bouncy than memory foam. Another distinction: Latex foam is often produced from rubber trees, making it a suitable choice for people who like organic materials.
• Hybrid pillows combine foam and fluffy fill like synthetic microfibre clusters or natural kapok so you get the benefits of both materials—i.e., supportive yet luxurious.