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If you're eager to improve your sleep, picking new bedding is often a great place to start. You can invest in a new mattress, sheets, or mattress topper, but simply starting with new pillows is one of the most affordable—and effective—changes you can make when it comes to getting better sleep. While most pillows may appear to be pretty much the same, they actually differ immensely based on their fill, size, and density. When choosing the best pillow for your sleep needs, you'll want to consider your sleep position and personal preferences regarding softness and support. Since there are countless styles out there, we've picked our favorites to help you choose the pillow of your dreams.
How to Choose a Pillow
When looking for the best pillow for your specific needs, your sleeping position should be your top concern. This will ensure that you get a pillow that keeps you comfortable all night long.
Back Sleepers: If you Health - Injuries, you will want a firm, high-density pillow. Memory foam will probably be the best option for you, as it is highly supportive and won't flatten during the night. You can get either shredded memory foam for a softer feel, or a pillow made of a single piece of memory foam, which will generally be firmer. You could also try a wedge pillow if you snore, have sleep apnea, or otherwise find yourself having difficulty breathing at night.
Side Sleepers: Staff, Courtesy of Amazon Basics Best Memory-Foam Pillows for Any Sleep Position. This will cradle your neck and head without making you feel like you're sleeping on a rock. A higher density down or shredded memory foam pillow can work great for side sleepers. You can also try a body pillow if you are looking for full-body support.
Stomach Sleepers: If you sleep on your stomach, make sure you have a super soft, low-profile pillow that won't put your neck at an uncomfortable angle. Down, fiberfill, or a super-thin memory foam is your best bet for sustained comfort.
How We Selected
To determine the best pillows on the market, we looked at expert-tested reviews from trusted sources like Good Housekeeping and Forbes. We then took into account price, materials, size, firmness, and durability. Finally, we consulted more than 80,000 reviews, written by people who’ve bought these models on sites like Amazon, Download Your Training Plan.
Coop Home Goods Original Loft Pillow
Key Specs
- Sizes: Queen, king
- Firmness: Adjustable
- Fill: sleep on your stomach
This Coop pillow is a customer favorite with over 48,000 reviews and an average rating of 4.5/5 stars. The shredded memory foam pillow comes with additional foam, allowing you to customize the pillow to reach your ideal firmness level, and it has a guide that details how much to remove or add based on your sleeping position.
The pillow is also CertiPUR-US and GREENGUARD Gold-certified, meaning it contains no harmful chemicals, and is both vegan and cruelty-free.
Milliard Bed Wedge Pillow with Memory Foam Top
Key Specs
- Sizes: N/A
- Firmness: Medium-soft
- Fill: Memory foam and polyurethane foam
A wedge pillow like this is a great option if you have difficulty breathing at night, or are trying to combat snoring. This pillow has a bottom layer of polyurethane foam covered in two inches of memory foam. This combination maintains the pillow's supportive feel and prevents it from flattening out while also providing plenty of comfortable cushioning.
This pillow is also a great choice for anyone who tends to get warm when they sleep, thanks to its removable, machine-washable cover made from fabric designed to keep you cool.
Tuft & Needle Foam Pillow
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard, king
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Memory foam
This memory foam pillow is made of a single piece of quality foam, which provides a super supportive surface for your head and neck. The pillow—which works best for back and side sleepers—is firm, but has just enough give to make you feel like it's cradling you while you sleep. It also has ventilation holes, cooling gel, and is infused with graphite, which helps keep you cool during the night.
Key Specs
- Size: 48 Half Marathon Training
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Tempur memory foam
Body pillows are a side sleeper’s dream. They provide support for your head, arms, and legs, while keeping your back in alignment to prevent aches and pains.
This one is stuffed with 8.5 pounds of shredded memory foam, and has a medium-firm feel, which allows you to sink into it a bit while still feeling supported. It also has a 5-year warranty, and the cover is removable and washable.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard, king
- Firmness: SFastest Marathon Runners
- Fill: Down
This pillow from Parachute Home uses 750 fill power premium down, which makes it incredibly soft, plush, and supportive. It comes in soft, medium, and firm styles, depending on preference and sleeping position.
In testing done by the Good Housekeeping Lab, this pillow was found to wash well without shrinking or losing its shape, as well as fluffing up nicely with a little effort.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard, king
- Firmness: Medium, soft
- Fill: Fiberfill
If you need a set of pillows that fit both your sleep style and your budget, look no further: This two-pack of down alternative pillows costs under $35. They are on the thinner side, which makes them great for stomach sleepers, and they come in both medium and firm styles, making it easy to find one that suits your needs.
They're also machine-washable, and though reviewers note that it takes some effort to get them lump-free after cleaning, individuals who've bought them say they do keep their shape well over time.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Memory foam
If you're a stomach sleeper, a super low-profile pillow that doesn't dramatically adjust the angle of your neck during sleep is key. This memory foam pillow is under 2.5 inches thick, making it one of the thinnest pillows on the market, but it's still super supportive. It's also hypoallergenic and has a removable cover for easy washing.
Despite being made of memory foam, this pillow is also odor-free, which means you won't have to deal with any of the chemical smells that can sometimes plague new memory foam products.
Key Specs
- Sizes: King
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Memory foam
This patterned pillow uses a combination of fibers from the Kapok tree and shredded memory foam to give you a super soft yet supportive feel.
Lighter and softer than cotton or wool, Kapok fibers are beloved for their breathability. If you tend to run hot when you sleep, this pillow may be a great choice for you, as well; the cover is stitched with a copper-infused thread, which helps reduce odors and keeps you cool.
This pillow is among the most versatile options on the market, too: it was designed for all types of sleepers and even comes with a 120-night trial period.
Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College where she also ran cross country and track.
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