The best pillows in 2026, tested by our sleep experts

Whether you're a fan of supportive, firm memory foam or soft, fluffy down, there's a pillow for everyone. Choosing a pillow is a personal choice, since the best pillow for you depends on your sleeping position and comfort preferences. In general, side sleepers should look for a firm, high-loft (tall) pillow, whereas stomach sleepers need a soft, low-loft (short) pillow. Back sleepers need something in the middle and are usually most comfortable with a medium-firm, mid-loft option.

After years of testing, the best pillow for every sleeping position is the Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow. This is our long-standing best overall pick, thanks to its adjustable fill and customized feel. For a hotel-style pillow, I recommend the Brooklinen Down Pillow. It's soft, fluffy, and surprisingly supportive.

Our top picks for the best pillow

Best overall: Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow - See at Coop Sleep Goods

Best budget: Beckham Hotel Collection Down Alternative Pillow (Set of 2) - See at Amazon

Best down: Brooklinen Down Pillow - See at Brooklinen

Best cooling: Coop Sleep Goods Cool+ Adjustable Pillow - See at Coop Sleep Goods

Best for side sleepers: Casper Original Pillow - See at Amazon

Best for back sleepers: The Saatva Latex Pillow - See at Saatva

Best for stomach sleepers: Parachute Down-Alternative Pillow, Soft - See at Parachute

Best overall

The entire Reviews team loves this pillow. The Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow is the best pillow for just about everyone. It's rare to come across a product as thoughtfully designed as this pillow. Made from hypoallergenic cross-cut memory foam, the Coop pillow has an adjustable fill that lets you customize it to the perfect loft for your sleep preferences. Other thoughtful features like a washable cover, 5-year warranty, and 100-night trial make it our top recommendation.

You can adjust the fill as you need. When you open the box, a bright yellow insert walks you through how to customize the pillow and suggests how much fill to add or remove (it's more than you think) based on your preferred sleeping position. While the pillow arrives almost overfilled, it also comes with a half-pound bag of additional stuffing in case you need even more support. I followed the package recommendations to remove about a third of the fill for back sleepers. The result felt deeply personalized, and it was very comfortable to sleep on with an outstanding balance of support and fluff.

It's the top pick in five of our guides. Because of its adjustability, the Coop pillow has earned the best overall spot in our guides to the best pillows for side sleepers, best pillows for stomach sleepers, and best pillows for neck pain. Side sleepers typically have the most variability in pillow needs because there's a greater distance to close between shoulder and neck and this distance varies from person to person. Being able to add or remove fill to fill that gap makes this a truly one-size-fits-all pillow.

It might be too firm for some people. If you favor a softer, more down-like fill like I do, you may find the Coop Original pillow on the firmer side. In that case, we recommend taking a look at one of our picks for your sleep style below.

Read our full Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow review.

Best budget

These squishy, budget-friendly pillows are perfectly stackable. The Beckham Hotel Collection Down Alternative Pillows are flatter than memory foam options, but the softness sets them apart from other inexpensive pillows I've tried. While they're more squishy than supportive, they're a good choice for stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and anyone who likes to hug, fold, or stack their pillows at night.

I've used them for years. I've spent several years sleeping with these pillows on and off, and they haven't gone flat or gotten lumpy. They are a little less lofty and bouncy than when I first got them, but I like that they have a more lived-in feel. The pillows are filled with hypoallergenic polyester fiber, similar to a down alternative in both feel and performance. Compared to denser materials like memory foam, the pillows stay relatively cool but stop short of actively cooling you.

They're sold in a pack of two. While these pillows aren't adjustable, each pack comes with two pillows, so you can easily stack them to your desired comfort level. The company also offers free 30-day returns through Amazon.

Best down

Down fill is soft and fluffy, but it might irritate allergies. While experts told us that down allergies are less common than we've been made to believe, people with dust mite allergies may sleep easier with a hypoallergenic pillow. That's why, for this guide, we mainly focused on memory foam and down-alternative pillows. If your heart is set on down, our top pick is the recently reformulated Brooklinen Down Pillow, a plush pillow with options for every sleep style.

Every density is supportive. Down has a reputation for being all fluff and no support — but that's not the case here. Even the softest pillow actually feels supportive, comfortably cradling the contours of your head and neck. The plushest density has been recently reformulated to feel even softer, perfect for stomach sleepers or those who love a good pillow stack. We've also tried the mid-plush, and found it's an excellent option for most sleepers, especially if you're not sure which kind of pillow you like best. The firm is ideal for side sleepers, though it still isn't quite as supportive as a memory foam or latex pillow.

It's airy and breathable. The fluffy down construction also means this pillow is lightweight and breathable, so it's ideal for those who tend to sleep hot. We've never had issues with overheating when using this pillow.

I also love the down alternative version. Brooklinen also reformulated its down alternative pillow, which we tried and enjoyed. It's a bit denser than the traditional down pillow, but it's an excellent alternative for people with allergies or vegans.

Check out our guide to the best down pillow and read our full Brooklinen down pillow review.

Best cooling

This pillow is just like our best overall pick, but it's specifically made for hot sleepers. The Coop Sleep Goods Cool+ Adjustable Pillow blends cooling gel-infused memory foam and recycled polyester fibers to create a comfortable and adjustable pillow. This means you can dial in the exact support you need. Our tester, a side sleeper, reported that the pillow helped her maintain ideal spinal alignment without shoulder tension or headaches. You can add or remove fill to get the loft you need to sleep comfortably.

It has two cool-to-the-touch sides. One side features a cooling and firmer phase change gel layer, perfect for those warm nights, while the other side offers a softer, plush feel. Both sides feel incredibly refreshing. During testing in the middle of summer, our tester didn't notice any significant heat build-up and found that any warmth dissipated quickly.

For more options, check out our guide to the best cooling pillows.

Best for side sleepers

This tall pillow is soft, yet supportive. Side sleepers need a lofty pillow to fill the gap between their neck and shoulder. Our top pick from Coop is ideal for all sleep styles, but if you like your pillow more soft than supportive, you may prefer the Casper Original Pillow. It's one of the best pillows for side sleepers with a thick, resilient loft to adequately bolster your neck.

It's lofty. The Casper Original Pillow is made from down-alternative hypoallergenic fill with a percale cotton shell and features a 2-inch gusset (the strip of fabric between seams that gives the pillow a more boxy shape) to keep the pillow lofted.

I wish it was more customizable. If you want a balance of support and softness, we recommend giving the Casper Original Pillow a try; however, it's not as customizable or adjustable as other pillows and is only available in a singular firmness. Plus, it's only returnable in its original condition.

Check out our guide to the best pillows for side sleepers and read our full Casper Original Pillow review.

Best for back sleepers

Back sleepers are the Golidlocks of sleepers. Back sleepers need a pillow that's not too tall yet not too short, and also not too soft but not too firm. The Saatva Pillow has a supportive shredded latex core surrounded by a plush, down alternative layer and a sateen cotton liner. Its unique construction makes it different from any pillow I've ever felt — it's got the hefty weight and support of a memory foam pillow but with the plush, cool feel of a down pillow.

I've slept on this pillow for years. I kept coming back to it throughout testing, and I've now been sleeping on it for years. I love how my head sinks into this soft pillow, but it's still supportive enough to keep its shape all night long. When I wake up, the pillow looks just as plush as when I fell asleep.

I recommend it for combination and active sleepers, too. I'm a very active sleeper who likes to move around a lot in bed and take my bedding with me, so I love that the pillow is equally plush and comfortable from all sides and angles. It's still soft and supportive when I fold, scoop, or hug it throughout the night. It's dense but quickly goes back to its original shape. Finally, it's hypoallergenic, a must for allergy sufferers like myself.

Best for stomach sleepers

Stomach sleepers should opt for a soft, low-loft pillow. Stomach sleepers generally require the least amount of pillow support, since your head and spine are already pretty close to alignment when lying on your stomach. Most stomach sleepers would benefit from a soft pillow with just a bit of loft, and for that, the Parachute Down Alternative Pillow is our top choice.

It's soft and thin, but still supportive. Our stomach sleeper testers thought this thin pillow offered a balance of comfort and mild support, with a fluffy feel. The Parachute pillow elevates the head just enough to alleviate any neck strain, and the sateen cotton encasement keeps the pillow remarkably cool all night long, ideal for those who run hot.

The thin feel isn't best for lounging in bed. While the fill is thin enough that the pillow easily folds over for some support if you occasionally flip to your side or back during the night, it doesn't provide enough for those who spend most of the night in those positions. The pillow also won't offer much lift if you're looking to prop yourself up to read or watch TV while lounging in bed. Still, it's a great personal pillow for any stomach sleeper who has found other pillows too lofty. I recommend the soft density for stomach sleepers, but they're also sold in medium and firm densities, if you're looking for something a little firmer.

Read our guide to the best pillows for stomach sleepers.

Other pillows we recommend

• Avocado Molded Latex Pillow: We recommend this pillow for back and side sleepers who want a firmer pillow. It features a molded charcoal-infused latex core, which helps regulate temperature, and comes with a 100-night trial.
• Belly Sleep Stomach Sleeper Pillow: This unique pillow has an ultra-low loft, a mere 2.5 inches tall. It's flat enough for stomach sleepers to stay comfortable, while hot sleepers will appreciate the squishy cooling-gel surface.
• Boll and Branch Down Chamber Pillow: Available in soft, medium, and firm densities, Boll & Branch pillows have a three-chamber design that resists shifting and keeps pillows from going flat. The down is ethically sourced from farms in the US.
• Brooklyn Bedding Latex Pillow: I loved this pillow's bouncy, moldable feel. and enhanced breathability. It comes in low and high lofts for stomach and side sleepers, respectively.
• Coop Essence Down Alternative Pillow: This is the budget (and softer) version of our top pick, using a down alternative fill instead of shredded foam. Unlike other adjustable pillows I've used, I found the most comfort when I added half of the extra-fill bag, essentially maxing out the comfort.
• Cozy Earth Bamboo Down Alternative Pillow: This pillow was too lofty for me as a back sleeper, but it may be a good option for side sleepers. It has a nice buoyancy to it, but sleeps hot.
• Cozy Earth Silk Pillow: This is one of the most luxurious pillows I've slept on. It's insanely breathable and cloud-like soft, filled with strands of mulberry silk. It's airy, light, and highly moldable. However, the cover pilled after a few weeks, which made us question its longevity for such an investment piece.
• CozyLux Pillow: Our reviewer was pleasantly surprised by the softness and loft of these budget pillows. They're a great buy for a guest room bed.
• FluffCo Down Alternative Pillow: We liked this pillow's soft fluff. It's a solid option if you're looking for simple, high-quality pillows at a moderate price point.
• FluffCo Down Feather Pillow: Like FluffCo's Down Alternative Pillow, its Down Feather Pillows are soft and fluffy. The Firm Fluff version offers a decent balance of support and cozy softness.
• Helix ComfortAdjust Cooling Pillow: Our sleep editor is currently testing this new adjustable and cooling pillow from Helix. So far, she appreciates its customized feel and cooling cover.
• Helix Glaciotex Cooling Pillow: Helix's pillow stays cool thanks to the gel grid on the top, plus the breathable, cool-to-the-touch cover. It has a firm feel that's best suited to side or back sleepers.
• Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow: Like our best overall pick by Coop, this pillow is stuffed with shredded foam or latex that makes it easily adjustable to your sleeping preference. However, it lacked many attributes that made our top pick a standout, like a pillow protector, a longer trial period, and additional foam right in the box for those who need even more loft.
• Pillow Cube Side Cube: A rectangular version of the popular cube-ish pillow, the polyurethane block is meant to keep your neck well aligned (if you sleep on your side). It's available in a few heights but lacks the adjustability of some of our other picks. Read our full Pillow Cube Side Sleeper Pro review.
• Pluto Personalized Pillow: Pluto uses a questionnaire and data from a special algorithm to help build a pillow tailored to you, with 40 possible variations. It's a unique concept, but it's expensive, and we think you can get similar results from an adjustable pillow. Read our Pluto Personalized Pillow review.
• Purple Harmony Pillow: This buoyant and responsive pillow from Purple is ridiculously cooling, comfortable, and pressure-relieving, with a well-rounded medium firmness. It's available in three lofts (5.5", 6.5", and 7.5") to suit your sleeping position and body size for the most support. It also comes with a 30-night trial.
• Quince Premium Down Pillow: Starting at $80, the Quince Premium Down Pillow is a steal. It has the same fluffy feel as other down pillows for a fraction of the price. If you're sensitive to down, we recommend Quince's Down Alternative Pillow, too.
• Saatva Memory Foam Pillow: Previously our pick for "best luxury pillow," we still think this is a great option, but feel you can get a "luxury" experience from any of our top picks. This pillow isn't adjustable, but it's supportive and firm and has a tremendous spa-like feel.
• Sijo FlexCool Memory Foam Pillow: This pillow comes overstuffed with a shredded, adjustable memory foam polyester fiber blend that feels plush like our top pick, the Coop Original Pillow. It did have a slight odor that dissipated after a few days.
• Sijo Fluffbase Eucalyptus Pillow: A great cooling pillow to snuggle with, for side and back sleepers. However, it's not adjustable and is quite flat for side sleepers. After almost a year of use, it's noticeably flattened as well.
• Turmerry Buckwheat Pillow: This pillow is made with buckwheat hulls, a traditional pillow fill used in many Asian countries. I love how malleable and yet supportive the pillow is. It sleeps cool, is completely adjustable (just add or remove hulls to find your ideal loft), is sustainable and hypoallergenic, and works for all sleep styles. The feel of the hulls does take some getting used to.
• Zoma Pillow: Unlike other memory foam pillows I've tried, this one wasn't too hot or stiff and is a nice, moderate loft that works well for both side sleepers and back sleepers.

Pillows we don't recommend

• Amerisleep Dual Comfort Pillow: This memory foam pillow has a "comfort" side and a "support" side, but I found little difference between either. Both sides were quite stiff. It may be a good option for those who like a pillow that lies flat and provides a lot of support.
• Earthfoam Organic Pillow: This pillow has a bouncy feel that's supportive but not exactly cradling. Its 6.5-inch loft is best suited for side sleepers, but it'll be too lofty for back and stomach sleepers.
• LAYR Pillow: This adjustable pillow offers three layers that can be added, removed, or independently adjusted for your perfect pillow. However, it feels underfilled with layers removed.
• Ralph Lauren Lauren Logo Pillow: These budget pillows had no give and didn't have the traditional, fluffy down alternative feel. The stock is also extremely volatile, and you can't find them anywhere but Macy's.
• Royal Hotel Down Pillow: This down pillow was featured and recommended in previous iterations of this guide, but we ultimately excluded it this time around because the company's return policy is unclear.
• Saatva Down Alternative Pillow: We've had great experiences with Saatva's other pillows, so I was surprised this one was such a miss. It was far too lofty, even for side sleeping, and left my neck in an uncomfortable position.
• Sleep Number PlushComfort Ultimate Pillow: This pillow has an adjustable pillow-in-pillow design to change the loft. Unfortunately, we didn't find any loft comfortable in any sleeping position.
• Tempur-Symphony Pillow: This is a two-sided pillow — one side is arched for stomach sleeping, while the other is flat for back sleeping. It doesn't feel supportive for any sleep style.

What to look for when choosing a pillow

Experts we spoke to recommended prioritizing three main criteria when shopping for a new pillow: sleep position, material, and trial period. To learn more about what to look for in the best pillows, we spoke with Rebecca Robbins, sleep researcher, author, and instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. Below, find our recommendations for each consideration. Read our guide on how to choose a pillow for more in-depth information on finding the best fit for you.

Sleep position

Robbins told us the most significant consideration when picking a pillow is your preferred sleep position: side, back, or stomach. The goal of your pillow is to support your neck in a neutral position aligned with the rest of your spine. That alignment shifts depending on the position you're sleeping in. While we all move around during sleep, most of us spend the majority of our sleeping time in one position.

Not sure what your sleep position is? Consider what position you typically fall asleep or wake up in. Robbins also has an exercise she performs with her clients: Imagine you've been up for 24 hours and are presented with a big, luxurious hotel bed; how would you lie down on it to go to sleep? The position you envision is likely your preferred sleep position and plays a significant role in what type of pillow will work best for you.

Ideal pillow by sleep position

• Side sleepers: Around 65% of the US population are side sleepers, according to Robbins, and this position requires the most loft and support to bridge the wide gap between the side of your head and where your shoulder rests on the mattress. If you're a side sleeper, choose a lofty pillow — ideally with an adjustable fill since there can be a lot of variability in the size of that shoulder gap from person to person. Robbins said hotels and sleep clinics outfit rooms with side sleepers in mind, so if you're buying pillows for a guest bedroom, a side-sleeper-friendly pillow is usually a good bet.
• Back sleepers: Back sleepers are the Goldilocks of pillow hunters — they need a pillow with just enough support to lift the back of the head to align with their shoulders. Back sleepers tend to benefit from a medium pillow made from down or down alternative, though an adjustable pillow with at least one-third of the fill removed may work as well.
• Stomach sleepers: In the minority are stomach sleepers, who need the least support from their pillow. Typically, a thin, very soft pillow works best for stomach sleepers — just enough fill to cushion their face from the flat surface of the mattress.

Fill

The material a pillow is filled with has a big impact on the feel of your pillow. Here's an overview of the major fill types:

• Down: Down consists of feathers taken from the underbelly of a goose or duck. It's an incredibly soft and comfortable material for pillows. While most modern down is triple-washed to remove dander, some allergy sufferers may want to avoid this material, as animal fibers are more prone to dust mites (which can exacerbate allergies) than synthetic fibers. You can read about our favorite down options in our best down pillows guide.
• Down alternative: Down alternative is typically any fibrous material that mimics the feel of true down. Microfiber is a popular and common down alternative, but bamboo or viscose fibers would also fall into this category, as well as polyfiber. The majority of the pillows in this guide are made from microfiber, which is generally hypoallergenic and breathable.
• Memory foam: Another popular fill is memory foam. We prefer pillows with shredded memory foam, which offer a more traditional and malleable pillow feeling. A solid block of memory foam may be preferred if you suffer from back and neck pain and need to keep your head immobilized during sleep. Read more about the best pillows for neck pain.

Trial period

The only way to know if a pillow is right for you is to sleep on it. We recommend looking for pillows that offer at least a 30-day trial with a money-back guarantee. This will allow you several weeks to decide if the pillow is right for you.

How we test pillows

Our testing process

Individual anatomy, sleep habits, and preferences profoundly impact how comfortable a pillow will be from person to person. Note that there is no one-size-fits-all best pillow. For that reason, our rating criteria for this guide relied heavily on the following considerations:

Return policy and trial period: It's impossible to know how comfortable a pillow is going to be for you until you sleep on it, despite how comprehensive our guide aims to be. "The most important thing is trying the pillows out to see what works for you," said Robbins, which includes being able to touch, lie on, and sleep with a pillow before deciding if it's right for you. For this guide, we only considered pillows that accept returns of used merchandise for a full refund with at least a 30-day trial window, which gives you ample time to decide if a pillow is right for you.

Adjustability: We prioritized adjustable pillows with removable inserts or shredded fill for dialing in your perfect loft. This creates a more custom pillow that would better suit your needs. We also favored pillows available in varying lofts and firmnesses if the removable fill was not an option.

Ease of use: We looked at how well each pillow fit a standard pillowcase, whether the pillow came with a case or protector, and whether all or parts of the pillow were washable for better hygiene and pillow longevity.

Comfort: I slept on all of the pillows for at least five (sometimes agonizing) nights. I also enlisted a side sleeper and a stomach sleeper to try the pillows for a couple of weeks.

Meet the experts behind this guide

Lauren Savoie, former deputy executive editor: I've slept on dozens of pillows while testing for this guide, and my top picks feature only the best of the best. I'm an active sleeper who spends time snoozing in just about every sleeping position.

Kinsley Searles, associate home editor: I'm responsible for the bedding coverage at Business Insider Reviews, including pillows. I'm constantly tracking new releases to ensure we're testing and including the newest, best products in this guide. In addition to working with writers on pillow testing, I test pillows myself and write about my favorites. I'm passionate about great bedding, and I only include pillows that I'd recommend to my own family and friends.

The best pillow FAQs

How long do pillows last?

Pillows should be replaced every few years, according to the National Sleep Foundation, though the exact time frame depends on your pillow's material. If your pillows is lumpy, compressed, or stained, it's time for an upgrade.

What type of pillow is best?

There's really no one "best pillow," since the ideal pillow for you depends on your sleeping position, comfort preferences, and sleep needs. The best pillow for side sleepers is tall and firm, whereas the best pillow for stomach sleepers is soft and short. The best pillow for back sleepers has a medium-loft and a medium-firm feel.

What are the best pillows for people with allergies?

According to Robbins, the best pillow for people with allergies uses a synthetic filling like polyester. She says that those with allergies should avoid animal products like down or wool.

What pillow filling is best?

For stomach sleepers, the best pillow filling is down or down alternative, whereas the best pillow fill for side sleepers is memory foam or latex. Back sleepers can choose a pillow with just about any fill.

What are the best pillows for hot sleepers?

For hot sleepers, I recommend a pillow with a breathable, cooling material like latex, down alternative, or shredded memory foam. Also look for features like a cooling cover or enhanced breathability. For more recommendations, check out our guide to the best cooling pillows.

Why do pillows turn yellow?

Pillows turn yellow due to a build-up of sweat, oil, or skincare products. Regardless of the cause, a yellow pillow is in need of a replacement.

How often should I wash my pillow?

Pillows need washed every three to six months. To prolong a pillow's lifespan and lessen the amount that you'll need to wash it, Robbins recommends using a pillow protector. A pillow protector will keep your pillow safe from allergens, body oils, and dust mites. For more details, read our article on how to wash pillows.

What is pillow loft?

"Loft" is just another word to refer to the height of your pillow. Low-loft pillows are short, whereas high-loft pillows are tall. Different types of sleepers need a different loft in their pillow in order to keep the head and neck comfortable and maintain optimal spinal alignment throughout the night.

What pillows do hotels use?

Hotels use soft pillows, so they're usually stuffed with down or down alternative. For a hotel-like experience, check out our guide to the best down pillows.

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