The best pillows in 2023 | TechRadar

The best pillows in 2023

Choosing the best pillows for you can seriously improve the quality of your sleep, and even save you from waking up in the morning with a stiff neck. Pillows might all look largely similar, but their construction varies widely, and if you take time to understand your sleep position – whether you're a back, side or stomach sleeper, or perhaps someone who shifts position throughout the night – you can find a pillow that fits and supports you perfectly.

There are far too many options out there to choose from, but fortunately we've already done the hard work for you. We've picked out a selection of 15 of the best pillows on the market now, with all the options covered. What you need to keep in mind when picking out a pillow is that if you sleep on your back or stomach you'll be best off with a low-loft pillow that keeps your head and neck aligned, while side sleepers will get on better with a higher pillow that cushions the gap between your head and shoulders.

Oh, and if you're one of those sleepers who shifts position all night long, you'll want a more responsive pillow that can keep on supporting you as you toss and turn, or one with an adjustable fill that you can make as shallow or as deep as you need. You can learn more about finding your perfect pillow further down the page, but whatever your requirements, our guide to the best pillows should be able to match you with your ideal option at a price that suits you.

In this roundup you'll find pillows from brands behind some of the best mattresses, such as Casper and Purple, as well as an assortment of natural and synthetic fillings including memory foam, microfiber, feather, down, Tencel, latex and naturally cooling wool, so you can choose in the knowledge that you won't accidentally send your allergies into overdrive.

Picking the right pillow can make a real difference to the quality of your sleep, so read on to discover the best pillows available right now.

The best pillows to buy now

(Image credit: Michelle Rae Uy)

If you have a tendency to get hot in the night, the Nectar Copper Pillow is a fantastic cooling option that won't cost you a fortune. Like the slightly more expensive Layla Kapok Pillow below, its cover is made of cooling fabric that's infused with moisture- and heat-wicking copper fibers, and it's filled with breathable microfiber polyester, and the result is a pillow that genuinely keeps you cool, even on hot summer nights.

In our Nectar Copper Pillow review, our reviewer found that while other cooling pillows really only minimize the heat, this one was more actively cooling, even during midday naps in late summer. The Nectar Copper Pillow is also nicely plush with a good amount of sinkage, and it's moldable enough to cradle your head while supporting your neck too. We'd rate it a medium in terms of firmness; however its five-inch loft means it's a bit too thick to be comfortable for stomach sleepers.

We reckon it's one of the best cooling pillows on the market, and versatile enough to be comfortable for most sleepers, and its luxurious - and good-looking - cover means that you don't really need a pillowcase to go with it. Sadly it's not really machine-washable; instead Nectar recommends that you to spot clean with mild soap and water, and air dry. Despite this, the Nectar Copper Pillow is our top pick for anyone looking for the best pillow right now.

(Image credit: Coop Home Goods)

Coop’s adjustable pillow is a fantastic all-rounder and the ideal solution for people who want to create a customised pillow to suit their needs. The medium-firm pillow is filled with cross-cut memory foam and microfiber, and has a removable cover made using polyester and bamboo-derived viscose rayon to help keep you cool at night. 

So far, so standard for a bed pillow. But the Coop’s unique selling point is that you can add or remove the memory foam / microfiber fill to get the perfect loft and density for your sleeping style. There’s even an extra half-pound of fill included if you want a super-plump pillow. 

This reasonably priced pillow comes in Queen and King sizes and includes a 100-night trial so you can decide whether it’s the right fit for you. There’s also a 5-year warranty. Coop recommends this pillow for side sleepers, but we think the adjustable nature makes it the best pillow for most people.

(Image credit: Layla Sleep)

The best-selling Layla Kapok Pillow is designed with an innovative cover that has copper fibers woven in to deliver cooling and antimicrobial properties. Copper helps wick away body heat, meaning the pillow is ideal for those who sleep hot or find their head gets sweaty at night. 

For our Layla Kapok pillow review, we slept on a queen size Pillow (king size also available) every night for three weeks straight and loved it. We found it to be comfortable and supportive, with our only gripe being that we had to fluff the pillow each morning to help it regain its shape. We found that it stayed cool to the touch too, so if sleeping hot (or drooling) leaves you feeling worried about odors on your pillow, then the Layla Kapok Pillow's microbial copper-infused cover has this taken care of and can help keep smells to a minimum.

The inner fill of the pillow contains a blend of shredded memory foam and natural kapok fibers (they have a down-like feel) with a high loft that works particularly well for side sleepers. You can also remove and adjust the fill to suit your own preference, meaning the pillow can be adapted for different sleeping styles. It's the best pillow for side and back sleepers prone to overheating, and we awarded it a high review score for performance, build quality and cooling.

(If you're broader than average and want a firm pillow for side sleeping, check out our Saatva Down Alternative Pillow review.)

(Image credit: Terri Williams)

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. 

Filled with Nolah's own AirFoam, the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow is temperature-neutral and keeps 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.

The contouring fill springs back when you get out of bed, so there's no need to refluff it every morning, and its washable cotton cover is infused with Outlast fiber, designed to keep you from sweating in the night. We found its loft to be just a little on the high side, 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

(Image credit: Terri Williams)

Casper's Hybrid Pillow features a combination of foam and fibers, giving it a moldable, marshmallowy feel while also ensuring that it's thoroughly supportive. Its hybrid construction also makes it delightfully low-maintenance; this is one that you should never have to fluff, as it'll always spring back into shape.

In our Casper Hybrid Pillow review we were impressed by its versatile design, which means that whatever your sleeping style you should be comfortable and well-supported; we tested the mid-loft version, but if you're primarily a stomach sleeper you'll almost certainly be better off with the low loft model (opens in new tab), which is currently available with a 43% final sale discount.

One thing that surprised us about the Casper Hybrid Pillow was its lack of specific cooling features; however we didn't have any problems with overheating in the night, despite one of our testers being a bit of a hot sleeper. And while the 30-day trial period feels little on the short side to us, we were so impressed by the Casper Hybrid Pillow that we doubt this will be an issue for most people.

(Image credit: Michelle Rae Uy)

DreamCloud's only pillow is a premium option, with a solid memory foam core infused with cooling copper gel. This means that 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.

It also features quite a high loft – 5.5 inches – which means it's best suited to back and side sleepers, or combination sleepers who tend to favor the back and side. What this also means is that it's not really suitable for front sleepers, or indeed for anyone with a more petite frame. In our DreamCloud Best Rest memory foam pillow review, our lead reviewer – who very much fits that description – found it to be ever so slightly too thick and firm to provide her with the natural spine alignment she needed.

If you're of an average to tall body frame, however, you should get on perfectly well with the DreamCloud Best Rest pillow. It's a little on the expensive side (but regularly available at a welcome 25% discount), but its premium construction and strong cooling properties, not to mention its balance of moldability and support, make it a good choice for anyone above a certain height who wants a good night's sleep without neck ache in the morning.

(Image credit: Davina Franks)

The Casper Original Pillow feels as plush as a down pillow thanks to the millions of hypoallergenic microfibers that are used to fill it. The big selling point of the Casper Original Pillow is how quickly it adapts to different sleeping positions, making it an ideal choice for combination sleepers who move from side to stomach to back sleeping during the night. 

During testing for our Casper Original Pillow review, we found it to be extremely soft and comfortable in almost any position, with plenty of support around the head and neck to help keep everything aligned. This high level of comfort is combined with an equally soft cover that contains a breathable percale weave that kept our sleep testers cool at night. 

The pillow offers stable neck alignment, thanks to a two-inch gusset. However, this design feature could mean the Casper Original Pillow isn't so suitable if you sleep on your side, being too firm or high for a dedicated side sleeper. You might also want something flatter if you sleep on your stomach, so check out the low loft option for this pillow instead. 

It's a little high maintenance, as fluffing the pillow requires a little extra fussing based on Casper's dual-pillow design. (Fortunately, we didn't fluff our test pillow every day and it still maintained its shape and comfort well, but over time you'll want to make it a more regular practice.) You'll need to wash it too, and you can learn some easy ways to do this in our feature on how to wash a pillow. Fortunately, both layers of the Casper Original Pillow are machine washable and can be tumble dried. 

(Image credit: Beckham Hotel Collection)

If you mainly sleep on your side, then the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is a great choice for you. This 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 also hypoallergenic. The special gel-fiber filling is designed to feel as plush as down but comes without the allergy issues that might be associated with it. The pillow is dust-mite, mold- and mildew-resistant too, so it’s an ideal choice if you want to maintain a healthy sleep environment. In our Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow review, our tester thought it delivered excellent value for money, but didn't always sleep cool.

The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillows are sold in packs of two, which makes them incredibly good value for money – ideal if you need pillows for a guest bed, for instance. The affordability of these pillows makes them a no-brainer if you're on a budget and looking for something that will last you a long time. Plus they are robust, so should see you sleeping soundly night after night.

(Image credit: Tempur)

Pillow loft is important for every position you sleep in, and if you're a stomach or back sleeper, you’ll need a shallower pillow than side sleepers otherwise your neck will be bent forward and out of alignment, causing neck pain. The Tempur-Pedic Tempur Cloud Pillow is great for back and stomach sleepers thanks to its low profile. While Tempur-Pedic describes it as an extra soft feel, we'd say it's more soft to medium-soft.

This brand is known for making some of the best memory foam mattresses around, particularly with regards to pressure relief.  The Tempur Cloud Pillow is made using the same NASA-developed Tempur material, which responds to the shape of your head for more personalized levels of comfort and support during sleep. Tempur is reasonably pliant and squishy too, so you can roll this one up to take on vacation to ensure you’re still getting a good night's sleep. 

We also like how it comes with a removable cover for machine washing. The cover is made from 100% polyester, so it’s breathable. Though if you’re a very hot sleeper, we’d recommend the Eight Sleep Air Carbon Pillow as the best choice for you instead. A scout through the many customer reviews reveals that a minority of customers criticize the Tempur Cloud Pillow for being too firm and not the extra-soft feel Tempur promised, but the majority of sleepers praise its high comfort and how cool it feels beneath their head.

(Image credit: Parachute)

This real down pillow by Parachute is super-fluffy and available in three different levels of firmness (soft, medium and firm) to suit all common sleeping positions. To keep your neck in a neutral position, Soft is recommended as the best choice for stomach sleepers, Medium for back sleepers, and Firm for side sleepers. It also comes in standard (20 x 26”) and king size (20 x 36”).

The Parachute Down Pillow has a 750 fill power courtesy of ethically sourced European white down. It feels squishy yet supportive in the hand, and is designed to be breathable, meaning it’s suitable for those who sleep warm. However if you’re a hot sleeper or prone to night sweats, we’d recommend the Layla Kapok Pillow or Eight Sleep Carbon Air Pillow further down this guide instead.

The shell is made from 100% cotton sateen, with reinforced double stitched piping seam keeping all that down fill safely enclosed. You can machine wash the Parachute Down Pillow on a delicate cycle wash, then tumble dry on low with wool dryer balls. There are over 1,200 user reviews on the Parachute site, and while some complain that even the Firm version isn’t firm enough, most sleepers are happy with the cozy feel provided. In short, if you want the best pillow for recreating hotel decadence at home, try this one.

(Image credit: Purple)

With a plush and supportive feeling, the Purple Harmony Pillow is one of the most luxurious around. The company’s signature Purple Grid provides tailored support for your head and neck, while a breathable cover keeps you cool. The main core of the pillow is made using Talalay latex, which is also ventilated to help keep air flowing through the pillow. Latex is naturally bouncy, so it will support your head and neck well, but  because it is more expensive than memory foam, this pillow comes with a higher price tag.

There are three different pillow heights to choose from, each designed to suit different sleeping styles and frames. The low Purple Harmony Pillow works for small to medium frames, and stomach and back sleepers, while the medium is good for medium to large frames and combination sleepers. 

Meanwhile, the tall size is ideal for large to extra-large frames, as well as side or combination sleepers. With this variety on offer, it's easy to find a pillow in the range that will suit your sleeping style – and if you're not sure, take advantage of the 100-night trial and see for yourself. And you might get lucky with a Purple sale or deal that takes the price down. 

(Image credit: Zoey)

The Zoey Side Sleeper Pillow is designed to be particularly suitable for side sleepers, with the pillow’s butterfly shape delivering just the right amount of firmness to support the space between your head and neck. You can also remove, add, or adjust the amount of memory foam in the Zoey pillow to control how high or low the loft is and to make the pillow softer or firmer. However, because the pillow is somewhat firmer than many others in this guide, it won't be the best choice for everyone.

The Zoey is the best pillow for sleepers experiencing neck and shoulder pain, as it gives your shoulders plenty of space and helps keep your spine aligned. The Zoey Side Sleeper Pillow is certified toxin-free and comes with a five-year warranty, which is better than most other warranties on pillows in this guide.

(Image credit: Brooklyn Bedding)

The Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow is a fine option if you're looking for an all-natural pillow with great cooling properties. It's made with latex and an organic cotton cover, both of which are hypoallergenic, and in our Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow review our reviewer, who has a latex allergy, had no problems sleeping on it.

There are two loft options – high and low – to choose from; we tested the low loft option and found it to be comfortable and supportive without being too soft. However if you're a side sleeper (or a back sleeper with snoring or sleep apnea issues) the high loft option, which can better cradle your head and neck, would be a better pick.

As for the temperature regulation, this was a success too. Our reviewer tends to sleep hot, but found that this pillow's breathable latex filling and naturally cooling cotton cover didn't trap body heat at all. We also appreciated the washable cover, however we were less impressed by the non-adjustable fill, and the fact that it needs to be plumped daily for to maintain its shape.

(Image credit: Eight Sleep)

The Eight Sleep Carbon Air Pillow is another ideal choice if you sleep hot. The graphite-infused foam-fill prevents overheating, helping the pillow stay cool from dusk till dawn. This pillow is incredibly durable too and will maintain its shape at all times, making it an ideal choice for people who don’t want to fluff up their pillows constantly. 

With its fixed six-inch loft, the Eight Sleep Carbon Air Pillow is the best choice for combination and back sleepers. Those who sleep on their stomach are likely to find it a little too tall and there’s a danger it could give those sleepers a sore neck. Is it worth the higher price tag? We think so – and its durability means it will easily outlive some of its cheaper competitors too.

(Image credit: Molecule)

Can't decide what sort of pillow you want? If you're torn between different firmness levels and aren't sure whether you want a cooling pillow or not, the Molecule All-Season Pillow could be the answer to your prayers.

It's an all-purpose pillow that covers all the bases; it has a cool side and a warm side, and it it has a clever feature that enables you to easily adjust its firmness. You use the zippers on either side of the pillow to make the adjustment; both sides zipped for firm, one side unzipped for medium, and both sides unzipped for a soft pillow. 

In our Molecule All-Season Pillow review we found that this wasn't quite as effective as adding or removing filling, but nevertheless this is a comfortable and supportive pillow, and we also found that the cooling properties worked really well. Unfortunately the construction means that you can't take the cover off to wash it, but instead have to wash the entire pillow, and also there's no choice of loft options. However we found that its versatility and pricing combined to make this a strong choice for your next pillow.

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. 

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 (opens in new tab).

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.

(Image credit: Getty UK)

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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