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Best Pillows Updated December 2021

Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
★ BEST OF THE BEST
Saybrook
Adjustable Pillow
Bottom Line
We agree with customers who consider this pillow a fantastic buy. With high-quality materials and an attractive design, the Saybrook is worth the investment. We got the best sleep on this pillow.
Pros
Adjustable loft to allow complete customization. Filling material is firm enough to support the head while soft enough to feel comfortable. Several customers mentioned the outstanding quality.
Cons
A direct-to-consumer company that only sells online. Some customers mentioned zipper issues, but the zippers appear to be updated and improved in the latest version.
★ BEST ON A BUDGET
Wondersleep
Adjustable Pillow
Bottom Line
Great value with a two-pillow package, though you might need both pillows to get the same loft as one of the other pillows.
Pros
Uses more polyfiber than memory foam to create an incredibly soft pillow. Adjustable with dual-layered cover.
Cons
Some customers have found the pillows to be too soft and too thin.
★ Honorable Mention
Coop Home Goods
Eden Pillow
Bottom Line
Those who want a softer alternative to the Saybrook will appreciate the Coop Eden fill, which has less support but more softness.
Pros
Adjustable with very soft filling that uses a high proportion of polyfiber. Has an extra bag of filling.
Cons
Similar in softness to the Wondersleep, but much more expensive. Has more fill, but some customers report that their pillow goes flat.
★ Honorable Mention
Snuggle-Pedic
Original Pillow
Bottom Line
Similar to the Saybrook and Coop pillows in adjustability and use of memory foam and polyfiber, but the materials appear lower quality.
Pros
Adjustable and sports a nice bamboo cover with Koolflow technology. Has an extra bag of filling.
Cons
Some have mentioned the pillow may be too firm. Multi-colored pieces of foam have given some reviewers the impression that the filling is scrap material.
★ Honorable Mention
Xtreme Comforts
Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Bottom Line
Similar to the other adjustable pillows, but it appears to only use shredded memory foam.
Pros
Another adjustable pillow that uses the Koolflow bamboo cover.
Cons
Does not appear to contain any polyfiber to balance out the memory foam pieces.
How we decided
27
Products
Considered
16
Hours
Researched
353
Consumers
Consulted
Why trust Popular Reports
We spend an inordinate amount of time researching products, analyzing third-party opinions, studying candidates first-hand, and synthesizing conclusions. Our analysis considers a wide range of online reviews, buying guides, and our editorial team's hands-on experience. We may earn money when you purchase products recommended on our site, but we do not earn money from placement. This does not affect our selection of products or our editorial integrity.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Pillow

Buying a pillow can be difficult because there are so many different factors to consider. Here we break down the most important factors we found through hours of research and product analysis.

Adjustability

While pillows have long come with pre-determined levels of fill, some pillows are now adjustable, allowing consumers to change the loft of the pillow by removing or adding fill material or layers of padding. We consider this a must-have feature for all future pillow buys, which is why our top recommendations are adjustable.

Adjustability is important because everyone has different needs. Consumers have unique body types and sleep positions, and it doesn't make sense to buy one-size pillows when clothing comes in a variety of sizes. Adjustable pillows are the tailored fit of pillows, providing bespoke levels of comfort based on each individual consumer's preferences. Without having a custom fit, pillows can be too flat or too tall, and this can cause trouble sleeping or even physical pain.

Adjustable pillows can use different layers or loose fill material to achieve their goal. The pillows with loose fill material, such as shredded memory foam or polyfiber pillows, work best because of the ability to micro-adjust. Pillows with different layers may also have layers that slide around during the middle of the night, resulting in unwanted movement and a pillow that is no longer correctly adjusted.

Materials

Pillows have been made with all sorts of materials throughout history, starting with wood and stone. Eventually, people started using softer materials, and soft pillows became a status symbol for those who could afford them. Down and hay were both popular, with down being the gold standard for its softness. Now, modern materials have largely taken over, and we see a range of materials including memory foam, polyfiber (often referred to as down alternative), down and feathers, latex, buckwheat husks and kapock fur.

The downside to down and down alternative pillows is that they can go flat and require frequent fluffing. Many consumers report not having enough support in their pillow. On the other hand, memory foam pillows can sometimes be too firm. To get the perfect combination of softness and structure, many pillow companies now mix memory foam and polyester. We found these pillows to provide the most comfortable support relative to other materials, and our top recommendations are made of shredded memory foam combined with polyester fiber.

Today, memory foam has become the standard for pillow support while down alternative is the standard for soft pillows. Combining both into a single pillow provides an incredible sleep experience.

Shape

Pillows can come in all sorts of shapes now. Some are contoured to fit the neck and head. Others wrap around or use gussets to provide elevation. Despite all the new shapes available, we believe the original rectangular pillow shape is still the best.

Pillows with specific contours are designed to hold the sleeper in specific positions. This doesn't work if people move around at night. Even for people who don't usually toss and turn while sleeping, a pillow should still be able to support small movements. Contoured pillows with a very specific shape can also be unsuitable for anyone that doesn't have the same body size and shape that the pillow was intended for.

The other consideration is that the traditional rectangular pillow shape will easily fit in a pillow case and look attractive on a bed. Though this may be a smaller consideration, we believe the ability to use any pillow case over a pillow can be important for people who value aesthetics. With all of the considerations in place, we are confident in recommending the Saybrook pillow to the vast majority of consumers.

Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
★ BEST OF THE BEST
Saybrook
Adjustable Pillow
Bottom Line
We agree with customers who consider this pillow a fantastic buy. With high-quality materials and an attractive design, the Saybrook is worth the investment. We got the best sleep on this pillow.
Pros
Adjustable loft to allow complete customization. Filling material is firm enough to support the head while soft enough to feel comfortable. Several customers mentioned the outstanding quality.
Cons
A direct-to-consumer company that only sells online. Some customers mentioned zipper issues, but the zippers appear to be updated and improved in the latest version.
★ BEST ON A BUDGET
Wondersleep
Adjustable Pillow
Bottom Line
Great value with a two-pillow package, though you might need both pillows to get the same loft as one of the other pillows.
Pros
Uses more polyfiber than memory foam to create an incredibly soft pillow. Adjustable with dual-layered cover.
Cons
Some customers have found the pillows to be too soft and too thin.
★ Honorable Mention
Coop Home Goods
Eden Pillow
Bottom Line
Those who want a softer alternative to the Saybrook will appreciate the Coop Eden fill, which has less support but more softness.
Pros
Adjustable with very soft filling that uses a high proportion of polyfiber. Has an extra bag of filling.
Cons
Similar in softness to the Wondersleep, but much more expensive. Has more fill, but some customers report that their pillow goes flat.
★ Honorable Mention
Snuggle-Pedic
Original Pillow
Bottom Line
Similar to the Saybrook and Coop pillows in adjustability and use of memory foam and polyfiber, but the materials appear lower quality.
Pros
Adjustable and sports a nice bamboo cover with Koolflow technology. Has an extra bag of filling.
Cons
Some have mentioned the pillow may be too firm. Multi-colored pieces of foam have given some reviewers the impression that the filling is scrap material.
★ Honorable Mention
Xtreme Comforts
Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Bottom Line
Similar to the other adjustable pillows, but it appears to only use shredded memory foam.
Pros
Another adjustable pillow that uses the Koolflow bamboo cover.
Cons
Does not appear to contain any polyfiber to balance out the memory foam pieces.
How we decided
27
Products
Considered
16
Hours
Researched
353
Consumers
Consulted
Why trust Popular Reports
We spend an inordinate amount of time researching products, analyzing third-party opinions, studying candidates first-hand, and synthesizing conclusions. Our analysis considers a wide range of online reviews, buying guides, and our editorial team's hands-on experience. We may earn money when you purchase products recommended on our site, but we do not earn money from placement. This does not affect our selection of products or our editorial integrity.