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Best Pillows of 2024

Expert Tested & Reviewed

Updated April 18, 2024

Methodology

Up-to-Date

Like mattresses, pillows play a major role in how well you sleep — and finding the right one can be challenging. Your sleeping position and weight can all affect how your pillow feels. People with neck and shoulder pain may need a pillow with an orthopedic shape, while heavy snorers often require a high-loft pillow to keep their heads upright.

Our team evaluates factors like shape retention, moldability, temperature control, and odor potential when testing pillows in our lab. We also look at each pillow’s density, firmness options, and ease of cleaning. We based our picks below on our testers’ scores along with in-depth research and analysis.

What’s the Best Pillow of the Year?

We’ve named the Saatva Latex Pillow the best pillow of the year thanks to its strong balance of contouring and support, plus excellent cooling properties. Neither too firm nor too squishy, this pillow is just right for a wide array of sleepers.

Top Picks Overview

In-Depth Reviews

Best Pillows of 2024 Video

Watch the video below to learn more about our lab’s top pillows of 2024.

Below our top picks you’ll find a buyer’s guide that can help you learn tips for finding your perfect pillow. This guide includes a complete rundown on pillow types and important criteria for shoppers. We’ll take an extensive look at pillow materials, loft, firmness, and shape so that you can choose the best one for your personal preferences. You can also find helpful information on what to expect when it comes to average costs, cover materials, and sizing.

How We Test: Rigor, Data, and Sleeper Feedback

Every sleeper has unique needs and preferences when it comes to choosing the best pillow. Our team tests each pillow using an objective rating system that examines each pillow’s pros and cons. This holistic approach is intended to help each reader find the best pillow for them.

Our team of experts personally evaluates each pillow in our Seattle-based Test Lab. Each pillow undergoes the same hands-on process, which involves testing across different performance categories. Guidelines for our pillow testing system are listed below.

Construction analysis: Our team carefully reviews the loft, firmness, and material composition of each pillow. This helps us determine overall quality, expected lifespan, and ease of care.

Product testing: We take turns lying on each pillow in different sleep positions — this helps us determine whether it is best suited to side, back, stomach, or combination sleeping. We also hold and handle the pillow to measure qualities like temperature control, shape retention, and moldability.

Field testing: In addition to evaluations in our Seattle Test Lab, we assign performance ratings to pillows based on experiences of our field testers who use the pillows in their own homes. Field test data is collected over the course of several weeks to ensure accurate results.

User testing: We use feedback from real pillow owners collected from surveys and product reviews. This real-world data gives us insights into how each pillow performs over time, and whether our initial ratings reflect owner experiences.

Why You Can Trust Us

Our team at Sleep Foundation has tested hundreds of pillows in order to determine the best models for every type of sleeper. Each pillow undergoes the same extensive testing process, during which we examine and handle the pillow to assess performance areas such as shape retention, moldability, and overall support. We also consider weight, firmness, ease of care, and pricing when assigning pillow ratings. Our test team is comprised of sleepers with various sleep preferences and body types. This helps ensure that our testing represents a wide array of sleepers.

Methodology

How We Evaluated These Pillows

To evaluate pillows, our testers lay their head on each model and change sleep positions to assess qualities such as firmness, feel, contouring, and support. We physically handle the pillows to see if they are moldable, or if they maintain a full shape and spring back after being compressed. Based on our hands-on testing, we’ve determined that the above list of picks represents the best of the pillows on the market today.

Below are more details about our product testing methodology for pillows:

Conforming: A pillow with strong conforming will closely hug your head and neck, reducing pressure buildup that can sometimes cause pain or discomfort. We evaluate conforming by lying on the pillow and observing how deeply our head sinks. We also compress the pillow and measure the indentation’s depth.

Support: Pillows offer varying levels of support depending on factors such as fill material, firmness, and loft. We evaluate support by laying our head on a pillow for several minutes and assessing how well it supports our head and neck for proper spinal alignment. We’ve tested more than 100 pillows to compare against each other.

Temperature Control: Depending on the materials they’re made of, some pillows retain more heat than others. Our testers use thermal sensors to measure heat buildup while lying on the pillow. We also collect subjective feedback from testers who lie on the pillow.

Off-Gassing: Certain pillows made with synthetic materials may initially off-gas volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. VOCs are relatively harmless and the odors eventually dissipate, but some people may find them unpleasant at first. Our testers use a VOC meter to detect off-gassing odors in pillows.

In-Depth Pillow Guides

For more personalized pillow guides, check out the following pages:

Pillow Type

Pillow for Sleeper Types

Best Pillows by Price

Best Affordable Pillows

Pillow for Specific Needs

Pillow Reviews

How to Choose a Pillow

The best pillow for sleeping varies from person to person, and there is no single perfect pillow for everyone. To find your ideal pillow, you must consider your sleep position preferences, as well as many aspects of pillows you’re considering.

This section guides you through the various pillow qualities to evaluate while pillow shopping. Once you know what to look for, you can feel confident that you’re truly buying the pillow that best fits your needs.

What to Consider When Purchasing a Pillow

Marketing hype shouldn’t drive your decision-making as you shop for the perfect pillow. Companies may claim that their pillow feels like sleeping on a cloud, works well for all sleepers, and stays cool all night. Instead of being swayed by advertising, it’s best to evaluate the facts.

You should consider many factors when pillow shopping. First, your personal sleep position preference heavily influences which pillows best fit your body. Of course, many shoppers are limited by a budget. Keep these factors at the forefront of your mind while examining your pillow options.

“Your personal sleep position preference heavily influences which pillows best fit your body.”

Learn each pillow’s loft and firmness level to determine if it’s a good option for you. Identify the materials each pillow is made of, if it has cooling properties, and if it will relieve pressure in your neck and shoulders.

In this section, we provide more information about the factors to consider when pillow shopping.

Sleeping Position: Your preferred sleep position majorly affects which pillows you find comfortable. Stomach sleepers tend to like softer, flatter pillows, since thick pillows can prop the head too high, causing neck pain. Side sleepers generally prefer thicker pillows, which keep the head up and the spine aligned. Back sleepers likely prefer medium pillows, though they are the most flexible group.
Loft: “Loft” refers to a pillow’s height or thickness, specifically when the pillow is sitting flat with nothing on top of it. People with different sleep position preferences generally prefer pillows with different lofts. Loft and firmness level combine to determine a pillow’s height once weight is put on it.
Firmness Level: Just like mattresses, pillows come in different firmness levels. Firmness affects how a pillow feels, as well as how high it holds your head. For example, a pillow with a high loft might not hold your head up as high as you’d expect if it is extremely soft and sinks under weight.
Price: Pillows are available at nearly every price-point, ranging from under $10 to upwards of $1,000. Most pillows are sold for under $200, however. The price of a pillow is generally determined by the pillow’s materials and construction. Price loosely correlates with quality, though there are plenty of decent pillows available at affordable prices.
Pressure Relief: Like mattresses, pillows can be pressure-relieving or create pressure points. Since pressure points lead to discomfort or even neck pain, pressure relief is an important pillow quality for many sleepers. Pillow materials, loft, and firmness level combined with a person’s preferred sleeping position determines how well a pillow performs in terms of pressure relief.
Quality Materials: There is no single pillow cover or fill material that stands out as being the highest quality. Varying qualities exist within each material type. Customers can research down, polyfill, memory foam, and other types of material to better understand what determines quality within each material type.
Cooling Properties: Like mattresses, some pillows sleep cooler than others. Down alternatives tend to sleep cooler than down, and buckwheat hulls are known for sleeping exceptionally cool. Memory foam pillows can trap heat, but most contain cooling gel or another cooling material to counteract that tendency.

What Types of Pillows Are There?

Pillows are constructed with a variety of materials. Understanding what these materials are and how they generally perform will help you determine which pillows best fit your needs.

Polyfoam: Polyfoam, or polyurethane foam, is a type of foam used in both mattresses and pillows. Although polyfoam can vary widely in terms of both quality and firmness, it’s generally lower cost than memory foam. When used as pillow fill, polyfoam is often shredded or cut into small pieces.
Memory Foam: Memory foam pillows often provide a soft, conforming feel. Since memory foam tends to trap heat, manufacturers typically infuse it with a cooling agent or construct the pillow in a way that encourages airflow. Some memory foam pillows are constructed of full blocks of memory foam, while others contain shredded or cut memory foam.
Down: Perhaps the most traditional pillow fill, down is the soft, fluffy feather found beneath the outer, harder feathers of many birds. Most down pillows contain goose down, and some contain down mixed with feathers. Down is known for its durability, but it may bother some people with allergies or asthma.
Down Alternative: Any pillow that was created to feel like down, but does not contain down, is considered a down alternative pillow. Down alternative pillows offer options for vegans and people with allergies who like the feel of down. They are most commonly filled with a polyester microfiber filling.
Latex: Latex pillows are pressure relieving and extremely durable. They tend to have a high loft and be more dense, so they’re better for side and back sleepers than stomach sleepers. Latex pillows can be made of one piece of latex or shredded latex fill. Latex feels similar to foam, but is more cooling, especially when aerated.
Feather: Generally, the term “feather pillow” is used to refer to pillows that contain both feathers and down. Since feathers are harder than down, 100% feather pillows are less common. Feather pillows are soft, breathable, and a good option for people who sleep hot and want a lower loft.
Buckwheat: Buckwheat pillows are filled with buckwheat hulls, the small outer casings of buckwheat grain kernels. These pillows closely conform to the body, and some people liken their feel to that of a bean bag. Many buckwheat pillows are vegan and organic, making them appealing to eco-conscious shoppers.
Wool: Wool is a less common fill material that is growing in popularity as customers search for natural pillow options. Most wool pillows are hypoallergenic, organic, and on the luxury end of the price spectrum. Wool is naturally temperature neutral and not extremely conforming.
Water: Water pillows typically contain water along with another fill material, such as memory foam or polyfill. Most water pillows require customers to fill the pillow with water themselves. This system allows for adjustable firmness levels. Water pillows are known for being supportive and cooling.

Pillow covers also come in a variety of materials. Most pillow covers are made of cotton, polyester, or a cotton-poly blend. Some are made of other materials, such as bamboo-derived fabric or satin.

Cotton covers tend to be more breathable than polyester. Different cover materials feel different to the touch, but the feel is less important since most customers use pillow cases over their pillows.

What is Pillow Loft?

A pillow’s “loft” refers to its height when it is lying flat with nothing sitting on top of it.

Pillows are generally divided into low, medium, and high lofts. A low loft pillow measures 3 inches or less in height. A medium loft pillow measures between 3 and 5 inches thick. A high loft pillow measures over 5 inches in height.

Unfortunately, these measurements haven’t been universally adopted across pillow companies. Some companies might call their pillow “low loft” or “high loft” when it is in fact medium or average in height.

^{Your ideal loft will depend on factors such as preferred sleep position and head size.}

Check actual pillow measurements rather than descriptions whenever possible. Though some companies provide an exact measurement of their pillow’s loft, many do not.

How to Determine the Right Pillow Loft

The ideal pillow loft varies from sleeper to sleeper. Your sleep position preference, head size, body weight, and mattress firmness are all factors that influence which pillow loft is ideal for you.

Sleep Position: Stomach sleepers generally require low loft pillows. Medium and high loft pillows can push a stomach sleeper’s head up too high, putting strain on the neck. Back sleepers tend to prefer low or medium loft pillows. Finally, side sleepers tend to require high loft pillows. A high loft pillow can promote spinal alignment by keeping the sleeper’s head as high as their neck and shoulders.

“Side sleepers tend to need a high-loft pillow for support and to fill the space beneath the head and neck to promote proper spinal alignment. Keep your head and neck in alignment at around 30 degrees with the help of a good pillow so your airway stays open during the night, allowing air to flow from your nose to your lungs without obstruction.”

– Sarah Silverman, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist and holistic sleep wellness consultant who treats patients in New York and Florida.

Head Size: Your head size also helps determine the ideal pillow loft for you. Larger heads tend to sink more deeply into pillows. Therefore, people with larger heads tend to prefer high loft pillows. Similarly, people with smaller heads tend to prefer lower loft pillows.
Body Weight: Your body weight also influences your ideal pillow loft. The more a person weighs, the higher loft they should seek out. Lightweight sleepers tend to prefer pillows with lower lofts. Of course, other factors such as preferred sleep position and pillow firmness play a role. Body weight alone shouldn’t be used to choose which pillow to purchase.
Mattress Firmness: Since you’ll sink more deeply into a softer mattress, you won’t need as much pillow loft to feel comfortable. A low or medium loft pillow will feel more comfortable and provide adequate support for your head and neck. Less sinkage occurs on firmer mattresses, so you may need a pillow with higher loft to feel supported.

What Pillow Sizes Are Available?

Pillows come in a variety of sizes to fit beds of different sizes and people of different body weights and sleeping habits. Pillow size can be as important as firmness and loft when it comes to finding the pillow that best fits you.

Standard: Standard pillows measure 20 inches wide by 26 inches long. Standard pillows are the smallest, and therefore the least expensive, pillows on the market today. They are also the most commonly sold pillows.
Super Standard: Super Standard pillows measure 20 inches wide by 28 inches long. Like standard pillows, they are usually used one per twin or full bed, and two per larger bed. Super Standard pillows provide 2 more inches of length for sleepers who need it due to head size, body weight, or propensity to move during the night.
Queen: Queen pillows measure 20 inches wide by 30 inches long, 2 inches longer than Super Standard pillows. Queen pillows give extra room to sleepers who tend to toss and turn throughout the night or find themselves slipping off of smaller pillows.
King: King pillows measure 20 inches wide by 36 inches long. King pillows are much larger than most pillows, measuring 10 inches longer than standard pillows and 6 inches longer than queen pillows. King pillows work well with king beds and larger sleepers.
Body Pillow: Body pillow dimensions vary, though 48 or 54 inches wide by 20 inches long are common sizes. Body pillows are meant to be hugged. Side sleepers and pregnant women tend to most enjoy them.

How Much Does a Pillow Cost?

While pillow prices can range as high as several hundred dollars or more, most will cost you less than $200 — even luxury models. A major factor in pillow pricing is the type and quality of the fill material. We’ve found that pillows containing polyfoam and down alternative tend to cost less than pillows filled with latex, down, memory foam, or buckwheat.

Below are some other factors that may play a role in a pillow’s price:

Fabric quality
Enhanced cooling features like cooling gel or specialized fabric
Organic or sustainable sourcing of materials
Durability of seams
Design embellishments such as piping or embroidery

Frequently Asked Questions

What pillow types are best for side sleepers?

Side sleepers generally prefer pillows with medium to high loft, or about 4 to 6 inches thick (if not thicker). Due to the nature of this sleep position, extra padding is needed to cushion the head, neck, and shoulders and ensure even alignment.

Side sleepers who weigh more than 230 pounds may prefer mid-loft pillows because they will sink more deeply into their mattress than lighter individuals, and thus not need as much padding. Specialty pillows for side sleepers often have contoured shapes or cutouts that mold around the shoulders and cushion the head without sacrificing loft elsewhere.

What pillows are best for sleepers with back pain?

The best pillow for any given sleeper should promote even spinal alignment by providing optimal cushioning for the head, neck, and shoulders. This factor is especially crucial for people with back pain, many of whom experience discomfort due to alignment issues in the first place.

Stomach sleepers with back pain should choose a low-loft pillow that won’t elevate their head to a significant extent. The same is somewhat true for back sleepers, though they may need a bit more loft to prevent their heads from falling back too much. Side sleepers with back pain may want to consider a medium- to high-loft pillow to ensure adequate cushioning for the head, neck, and shoulders.

What pillows are best for sleepers with neck pain?

The best pillows for people with neck pain will provide sufficient support without feeling too stiff or sinking excessively. In terms of composition, materials like solid memory foam, latex, and buckwheat hulls reinforce the head and neck quite well.

The pillow should also be firm and thick enough to maintain a full shape throughout the night. Pillows that contain down, feather, or down alternative fiber fill tend to be quite soft and overall support is fair at best, so sleepers with neck pain may want to bypass these products.

Which fill is best for pillows?

Since comfort is a subjective quality, the best pillow filling depends entirely on your personal needs and preferences. Down, down alternative, and shredded foam pillows tend to feel softer, while solid foam, latex, and buckwheat pillows are usually firmer. If you desire close contouring, foam or latex are more adaptive than other fill materials. Those who want a pillow with adjustable fill should opt for a shredded foam, shredded latex, or buckwheat pillow.

Still have questions?

Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market.

Send an email to [email protected] with your questions and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Written By

Daniel Noyed, Senior Product Editor

Danny is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with an in-depth knowledge of sleep health. He has tested hundreds of mattresses and sleep products.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

What’s the Best Pillow of the Year?

On This Page:

Top Picks Overview

In-Depth Reviews

Best Overall

Saatva Latex Pillow

Best Memory Foam

Sleep Is the Foundation Shredded Memory Foam Pillow

Most Comfortable

Brooklinen Down Pillow

Best Value

Silk & Snow Pillow

Best Luxury

Boll & Branch Down Chamber Pillow – Soft

Best for Neck Pain

Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow

Best for Side Sleepers

Eli & Elm Cotton Side-Sleeper Pillow

Best Cooling

Cozy Earth Silk Pillow

Best Neck Support

Luxome LAYR Customizable Pillow

Best Hotel-Style

The Company Store Legends Hotel Best Down Pillow

Best for Back and Stomach Sleepers

Sweet Zzz Plant-Based Pillow

Best Goose Down

Quince Luxe Goose Down Pillow

Best for Shoulder Pain

Noble Head Pillow

Best for Combination Sleepers

Luxe Pillow (Down and Feather)