Best Pillow Reviews: Our Top Picks for Comfort

These days, we all spend so much time seeking out the right mattress. There are so many styles and designs that with a little effort, the perfect mattress for your perfect night’s sleep can be uncovered. But what about pillows? All too often, shoppers will spend hours researching the perfect mattress, and then buy the first pillow they see. This is a huge mistake. Just like mattresses, there are dozens of different types of pillows out there that are each designed to suit specific sleep needs. Which one is right for you? The answer isn’t as simple as you might think!

Certain pillows will suit certain sleepers perfectly, while causing problems for others. The trick is taking the time to figure out which pillow was made with your sleep style in mind. Here at The Sleep Judge, we’ve made it our personal mission to figure out which pillow is best for which sleeper. We’ve done the research, tried them all, and come up with the following list of the best pillows on the market.

Why You Should Trust Our Review Of Pillows

At The Sleep Judge, we bring you comprehensive reviews of pillows so you can decide which one is right for you. Our staff thoroughly test every pillow we review. We unbox them, sleep on them, pillow fight with them, and see if they live up to what the manufacturers claim. We have personal experience with each pillow. Our reviewers log sleep time on each pillow. If the manufacturer says the mattress will do something, or won’t do something, we try it out and give you our honest opinion.

Every pillow we review undergoes the same rigorous process. That way we can compare and contrast them and give you an honest review of what we think.

Our Top Pillow Picks And Reviews

The Sleep Judge Pillow Buyers Guide

Back and Neck Alignment

How well your head and neck are supported each night is directly related to your spinal health. Poor positioning can lead to body aches and pains due to muscle strain, and often leads to restless and interrupted sleep. This disruption can affect both your mental and physical health rather quickly, and can have detrimental effects on your well-being over time.

Quality choices, combined with the correct pillow type, can help support cervical spine health – the gateway between your brain and central nervous system. Your whole body is dependent on this process, and if you compromise it night after night with poor product choices, much more than just your sleep may become interrupted.

Sleeping Positions and Your Pillow

Your sleep position does affect the type of pillow that’s right for you. It’s true that you may switch positions while you’re asleep, but there’s always a general position you tend to sleep in naturally:

• Side sleepers will usually need a firm pillow that’s thicker than others.
• Stomach sleepers will want something soft and thin to keep the spine in alignment, since the head will constantly be turned to one side. Stomach sleepers may also use a thin pillow to place under the stomach.
• Back sleepers tend to use soft, flatter pillows so their spine is properly aligned. If you suffer from back or neck pain, find a pillow with additional support.

Mattresses and Your Pillow

Your mattress also has an effect on the pillow you purchase. Think of it as a negative relationship between your mattress and pillow. If the mattress is firm, then your pillows should be softer. If you have a soft, plush mattress, then look for firmer pillows to give you better spinal alignment at night.

Pillow Materials

Pillows are made with a variety of different materials that influence their quality and durability over time, as well as personal comfort preferences. Many times materials are chosen specifically to provide differing comfort levels, or to support specific claims such as cooling effects.

– Filling

What your pillow is filled with has much to do with how soft or firm a surface it creates. Many times it also supports good ventilation, cooling or even allergen relief.

• Poly Fill

Polyfill is a synthetic polyester fiber that creates a faux down feel and added support due to how durable it is when under pressure. Typically, it’s machine washable and dryable without compromising its quality.

• Down & Feather Blends

Down and feather blends are a traditional bedding fill and are popular due to how well it shapes and molds to your weight, all while providing a soft feel and underlying support. A good down and feather blend can last for many years and is considered high quality.

• Memory Foam

Memory foam provides contouring comfort and usually a firmer support for thin pillow choices. It also can be shredded to allow for adjustability, contouring and proper support.

• Kapok

Kapok is a natural fiber that’s extremely soft and airy, and it’s often used with other materials, such as shredded memory foam, to achieve a soft yet supportive balance.

• Gel

Gel layers and gel-infused poly-fiber are popular additions to pillow fillings due to their conductive properties. These properties aim to draw heat from surfaces that are warmer than they are, creating a cooling sensation.

– Covers

Pillow covers, although often covered by pillowcases, are important to the overall integrity of the product. These material choices determine the quality of an overall pillow due to their workmanship and attention to detail.

• Thread Count

The thread count of a case is important as it can influence how well a pillow breathes. Contrary to popular belief, a low thread count is a desirable choice, as this means the material is woven more loosely to allow for airflow (without compromising the quality of the fabric materials). Good airflow allows for a cooler nights sleep.

• Bamboo

Bamboo is a natural moisture wicking, breathable fiber that’s often blended with polyester to allow for a plush surface that breathes well. It’s often seen with shredded memory foam pillows.

• Cotton

Cotton is by far one of the most common and popular choices because of how well it naturally breathes and wicks away moisture. It can be woven into various surface textures for differing comfort preferences.

• Poly-Blends

Although synthetic in nature, polyester blends well with a variety of natural fibers to provide durability and breathability when woven loosely enough.

Loft

Loft is determined by how thick a pillow is when laying on a flat surface. This is often typically misunderstood, as many people mistakenly believe that a high loft results in a firm pillow, and vice versa. This isn’t always true, and in actuality, the filling and the amount of filling in a pillow better determine both loft and comfort level more than anything else.

Size

There is a generally accepted standard size in the industry to ensure that your pillowcase sizes match up with your pillow size. In general, you can expect to see 3 common sizes: standard, queen and king sizes that measure 20×26, 20×30, and 20×36 inches, respectively. Some companies may deviate from this slightly, but for the most part, those changes are slight and will fit your existing or future pillowcase sizes without any issue.

What to Consider When Choosing a Pillow

As mentioned, there are many variables you need to consider when looking for a new pillow. Below are a few questions you can ask yourself when looking at pillow options:

What is your sleep position?

• Before choosing, you need to consider your sleep position and buy according to your body’s alignment needs. As described above, a back and stomach sleeper needs a much thinner, possibly softer, pillow choice.

Do you have any allergies?

• Occasionally, some people may have some issues surrounding allergens with more natural products. Although very detailed material care is included with each product, care should be taken to ensure you’re getting a product that doesn’t create any issues.

Do you sleep warm?

• Some construction includes specific materials that are more conducive to a cooler night’s sleep. If you sleep warm, looking into natural fibers, low thread-counts and gel materials are definitely worth your time.

Conclusion

Although there truly are many excellent pillow choices to meet the variable needs of your sleep positions and preferences, our top picks highlight the best of the best that we’ve personally reviewed. Whether you need a pillow that’s more thin or thick, or prefer soft or firm, hopefully we’ve given you a selection to get you started in your search for the perfect nighttime comfort.

Recent Updates

October 8, 2021: The Utopia Bedding Gusseted Pillow has been added to our list due to increased popularity among customers. Additional Resources and more FAQs have also been included to refer readers to related content, as well as address common customer queries.

October 25, 2021: The Coop Home Goods Premium Adjustable Pillow has been added to our product recommendations due to consumer popularity.

January 27, 2023: Updated the Slumber Cloud Core Down Alternative Pillow with personal images and review. Included the Slumber Cloud Ultra Cool Pillow with a personal review and original images.

Additional Resources

• Understanding Bed Pillow Sizes and Dimensions
• How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With?
• Is It Better to Sleep Without a Pillow?