Yes, you can fall asleep just fine with the flimsiest pillows, the hardest pillows, or any other uncomfortable pile, especially if you’ve got a good bed frame and a comfortable mattress. However, we doubt it will make for a truly comfortable and restful slumber. Even worse, it can lead to physical issues, including shoulder strain, neck discomfort, and back pain, especially if you repeatedly sleep on the same setup every night. Suffice to say, you need good pillows if you want the most comfortable, restful, and rejuvenating sleep you can get.
The best pillow isn’t likely to be the same for everyone. People’s preferred sleeping positions, physical characteristics, individual health issues, and a lot more things can affect what you need to look for in a pillow that will suit your individual needs. A pillow that provides optimal comfort and support for one individual, for instance, may lead to opposite results for someone else, which is why shopping around to see what can work for you is always a great idea.
What things should you look for in a pillow? The most common things people check first are the loft and the firmness. Some people prefer thicker, loftier pillows, while others go for something that won’t raise their heads too high. Some enjoy pillows that squish when they lay their heads on it, while others fancy a firmer sleeping surface. People with allergies will want to check if a pillow is made with hypoallergenic material, while pillows that are breathable or temperature regulating can make such a difference in comfort, especially during hot weather.
These are the best pillows to ensure a more comfortable and restful sleep.
Amazon Basics Down Alternative Pillows
Pros
- Very affordable
- Machine-washable
- Suprisingly breathable
Cons
- Might be too soft for some people
- Short return period (only 30 days)
Unlike your usual cheap pillows, which flatten out after just a few weeks of regular use, Amazon’s economically-priced option actually seems to hold up impressively well. Maybe it won’t last the years or so that more expensive options will (or maybe it will), but this thing is still downright impressive, managing to retain their loft and shape after repeated stress testing and even a trip to the washer (yes, it’s washable). It has a soft density, which should make it suited for side and stomach sleepers, but not too soft that back sleepers will find it uncomfortable. Seriously, we think Amazon managed to strike a great balance here. With its combination of adequate performance and affordable price, this is easily our favorite pillow to stock in the closet, ready to pull out any time we have guests sleeping over. You also get two pillows at this price, by the way, which makes it quite the incredible deal.
Casper Original Pillow
Pros
- Very breathable and stays cool
- Hits the firmness sweet spot
- High loft
- Extra support for side sleepers (via a gusset)
Cons
- Might be too thick for some people
- Doesn’t stay as cool as more expensive cooling pillows
Another down alternative pillow, this one uses a polyester microfiber fill that’s on the firmer side of the spectrum, so this is a good choice if you don’t like the softness of the Amazon pillows above. We love the firmness level of this pillow, which hits a surprisingly comfortable sweet spot that’s neither too soft nor too hard. It’s on the thicker side in the loft department, so it will hold your head pretty high because of the firmness. We also appreciate how quickly it bounces back up into shape after you get off it, almost making us feel like it will never deform (they all do eventually). The most impressive quality of this pillow, however, is its cooling abilities, as it’s able to stay cool even after a long time of laying on it, which isn’t very common at this lower price point.
Beckham Hotel Collection Bed Pillows
Pros
- Soft and squishy, making it great for side- and stomach-sleepers
- Breathable
- Machine-washable
Cons
- Might be too soft for some people
- Short return period (only 30 days)
Sold as pairs, these pillows make for quite the affordable option if you like really soft, really squishy pillows. They are filled with hypoallergenic polyester gel fiber, which delivers that unapologetic softness, along with some breathable qualities, so it’s not as hot during summers as many pillows out there, Because of the softness, it’s not the most supportive, although it also lends well to stacking and folding when you’re trying to find the perfect position to lull you into sleep. They retain their shape well, although they do tend to lose some bounce over heavy use, especially after multiple washing. With that said, if you like your pillows soft, squishy, and breathable, this makes for a really good economically-priced choice.
Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow
Pros
- Adjustable filling, so you can find the most comfortable firmness level
- Comes with an extra bag of shredded memory foam
- Breathable
- 100-day return period
Cons
- Takes a bit long to dry when washed
- Adjusting fill can be messy
Because it uses shredded memory foam, this pillow is able to shift and adjust to provide the support you require, all while allowing air to pass through, so it doesn’t get as hot as some single-piece foam pillows we’ve used in the past. Similarly, the same shredded fill is able to offer excellent support for the head and neck without being too stiff (it can compress a fair bit), which we find to be very comfortable for different sleeping positions. It retains shape very admirably, with many longtime users reporting it remains largely the same after over a year of nightly use. We’ve found similar results in our multiple tests and washes, with the pillow fluffing back up pretty easily.
The big feature here is the adjustable design, as it comes with additional shredded memory foam that you can add to the pillow if you want it to be firmer. You can also take out some of the foam if you want a bit more squishy quality, making it a versatile option that people can tailor to their liking.
Casper Sleep Hybrid Snow Pillow
Pros
- Very breathable and stays cool
- Multi-layer design achieves excellent balance of softness and support
- High loft
- Extra support for side sleepers (via a gusset)
Cons
- Only the cover is washable
- Might not be thick enough for some people
Why is it called a hybrid pillow? Well, it mimics the design of hybrid mattresses by coming in a multi-layer construction, which uses three separate layers of foam and two layers of soft memory fiber. The result is a pillow that feels squishy yet remains very supportive, making for an entirely new sleeping experience. It’s impressive. According to the outfit, the outer foam layers protects the inner layers from flattening and clumping, while the fiber layers deliver softness and the central foam layer provides the support. It’s a pretty neat setup that doesn’t just sound good on paper, it actually feels good to sleep on. You know how we were surprised by the cooling qualities of their Original Pillow? Well, that continues here, as well, as this thing stays reasonably cool all through its use.
Parachute Down Pillow
Pros
- Incredible softness
- Very supportive at the higher densities
- Perfect for sleeping in cold weather
- Machine-washable
Cons
- Can get hot
- Not hypoallergenic
- Needs fluffing to get that nice-looking shape
We generally don’t like down, since there are plenty of more convenient alternatives now that are close enough in comfort. However, nothing still equals down when it comes to softness, which is why there are plenty of people who still insist in using them for their nightly slumber. This pillow from Parachute is one of the best down options we’ve tried, delivering a plush experience that feels light yet supportive. Yeah, it’s easy to fall asleep on this thing. We took the firmest option, which is also the most expensive at $170, although they also have soft and medium densities that may be more to your liking. Yes, the firm version is really supportive, which is odd because it feels like you’re resting your head on a cloud with how soft it is. It’s so soft, in fact, your head will almost always leave a mark that will require some fluffing to bounce back into place. We didn’t know if down was machine-washable, but the indications for this one said it is, so long as you do it on cold water at a delicate cycle with mild detergent.
Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow Ultimate
Pros
- Three levels of firmness and support via adjustable fillings
- Mess-free, fast adjustments
- High loft with all three filling bags in tow
- Breathable
- 100-day return period
Cons
- Limited adjustments might not suit everyone’s needs
- Might not be thick enough for some people
Similar to the Coop Sleep pillow above, this one allows you to adjust the firmness level. Unlike it, this won’t require you to deal with loose shredded memory foam pieces. Instead, the inside of the pillow actually contains three closed bags, each of which house a mix of shredded memory foam and a down alternative fill. The idea is that it, basically, houses three pillows in one. With all three in tow, it offers really good loft and support, although you can also remove one or more if you need a softer sleeping surface. It’s a cleaner, neater way to do adjustable pillows, which some people will definitely appreciate (and some people won’t like if they prefer really dialing in the support). Aside from that, it’s breathable and quiet, so you can doze off peacefully at night, complete with a really smooth and cozy lyocell cover. The outfit indicates only washing the cover, so we skipped trying to throw the whole thing in the washer.
Honeydew Scrumptious Side Pillow
Pros
- Custom-designed for side sleepers
- Works great for stomach sleepers, too
- Good balance of cushion and support
- Copper-infused foam has cooling and antibacterial properties
Cons
- Will likely be too small or too low for back sleepers
- Might be too firm for some people
Designed for side sleepers, this pillow is shaped specifically to accommodate the position, with a large curved section in the middle that cradles the neck and the shoulders very differently from traditional rectangular pillows. It’s a really nice touch. Inside, it’s filled with a mix of copper-infused foam and soft fiber, so you get a great balance of softness and support. Even better, the copper’s cooling capabilities ensure the pillow never overheats, while its antibacterial properties help the pillow stay fresh over time. The combination of the shape and the filling allows it to support the head, neck, and shoulders so much better at the side-sleeping position that users who reported neck pain can even lie in it very comfortably. Plus, the extra cushion on the sides let you sneak your hand under the pillow without having to reach high up.
Saatva Latex Pillow
Pros
- Hotel-like plush pillow quality
- Excellent support with the shredded latex core
- Responsive and breathable
Cons
- Might not be safe to throw in the washer
- Luxuriously-priced
We love the plush feel of this luxurious pillow, which feels like the kind of pillows you get when you fork up for fancy five-star accommodations. It gets that feel courtesy of a supportive core made with shredded natural latex that is surrounded by organic cotton and micro-denier fiber filling for that comfortable softness. They offer it in two loft sizes, so you can go for a thicker or a thinner pillow, depending on your liking.
We tried out the thinner one, which we felt would work well for accommodating multiple sleeping positions and it definitely didn’t disappoint. We do wish we can try the higher loft version, though, since the thinner one did feel like it can use a little more thickness, especially at the side sleeping position. At any rate, this is an incredibly comfortable pillow that’s more luxurious than anything we’ve ever slept on, compressing to let you head sink in while still providing support because of the latex core.
