Decisions, Decisions.
I consider myself lucky doing what I do. I mean what’s more fun than sleeping? OK, and trying to share what I feel and think about products I sleep test!
If you think a pillow is just a pillow, you are very wrong. Pillows don’t just come in different shapes and forms, it’s also what’s inside of them and what they are made out of that make or break the deal. True I do get to test them, that doesn’t mean they all work out for my sleepy head.
You know it’s a bad sign when you wake up in the middle of the night or you interrupt your nap to adjust and fix that worn-out scrunchy pillow!
And that a good sleeping posture is key to sleeping soundly and better through the night. Yes, we are talking about PILLOWS, they complement one of your most valued investment, your mattress. And just like finding the right mattress that supports your body leading to more comfortable night’s sleep, Pillows are important, especially when you find the one that keeps your neck and head through the spine aligned.
The fact that A PILLOW is where you rest your head alone makes it one of the most important purchases you will ever make! That’s why I put together the Best Pillows I have tested for you to make that decisions easier on you. So next time you ask yourself: ” Which is The Best Pillow out there?” and ” How can I trust this source?”, you will find answers to your questions below:
Finding the Best Pillow For You
Unlike many of the review sites out there, I sleep test every pillow that I review for about 2 weeks. This means that I can only get to 20-25 pillows per year, so I am pretty selective about the ones that I choose to test. Everyone has different sleep preferences and there is no one solution for every sleeper. If you are a side, back or the rare stomach sleeper we have solutions for you.
We have compiled a list of the best pillows we have tested and separated them into different categories to help you choose. The prices listed are before discounts on a queen size pillow.
I decided to update my Ultimate Pillow Fight from 2017, this year I went way bigger and incorporated some of the comments that I had from my first video. One of the comments that I received was that they thought that I might help them choose the best pillow for a pillow fight. As you can see in the Ultimate Pillow Fight 2018 video, I shot close up slow speed footage of me being smacked by all of the pillows. There is one pillow that I personally don’t like to sleep on, which clearly dominates in a pillow fight. You may notice that I tell people to not use it in a pillow fight as it weighs 10 pounds and could seriously hurt someone. I’m wearing a helmet when I get smacked by it… Are you curious to see which pillow would be the ultimate weapon in a pillow fight? Are you also curious to see what pillows my friends fought over, so that they could sleep on them? Well find out!
Below is the Ultimate Pillow Fight from 2017
Best Pillows 2018
| Brand | Type | Score | See Reviews | Price | Coupons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Bedding Cool Pillow | Foam | 95 | Cool Pillow | $119 | Shop Nest Bedding |
 | Plush | 94 | Tomorrow Sleep Review | $75 | Shop Tomorrow Sleep |
 | Foam | 92 | Leesa Pillow Review | $75 | Shop Leesa |
| | Foam | 92 | Tomorrow Sleep Review | $99 | Shop Tomorrow Sleep |
 #Bestpillowever | Talalay Latex | 91 | Brooklyn Bedding Review | $40 | Code Nonbiased10 |
 | Foam | 90 | Nectar Review | $75 | Shop Nectar |
 | Foam | 90 | Easy Breather | $99 | Shop Nest Bedding |
 Casper | Foam | 90 | Casper Pillow Review | $55 | Free Shipping |
 | Copper infused Foam | 89 | Layla Pillow Review | $75 | Shop Layla |
 | Foam | 83 | Bear Review | $95 | Shop Bear |
 | Talalay Latex | 76 | Pangeabed Pillow Review | $125 | $30 Off |
 | Foam | 74 | Live & Sleep Review | $50 | Shop Live & Sleep |
| Tuft & Needle | Foam | 75 | Tuft & Needle Review | $75 | Shop T&N at Amazon |
 | Foam | 50 | Purple Pillow Review | $99 | Shop Purple |
Tomorrow Sleep Plush Pillow
Tomorrow Sleep currently offers 2 types of pillows: The Memory Foam Pillow and The Plush Pillow. Let’s start with my personal favorite among these two, The Tomorrow Sleep Plush Pillow.
Tomorrow Sleep may be a new name, but their experience in the industry is unparalleled, as they are backed by the giant Serta. I have tried both their memory foam pillow and their plush pillow. Both Pillows are high quality, when I unboxed the plush pillow I caught myself saying “it’s kind of hotel quality”. I’m sure it depends on what type of hotel you usually stay at, but from my perspective that was high praise.
The folks at Tomorrow Sleep have adopted a very smart move by offering a pillow with a down alternative and a dense memory foam pillow.
Besides the fact that this pillow feels something like sleeping in the clouds, it is also designed for cushy comfort with hypoallergenic down alternative that feels fluffy while providing support.
The Tomorrow Sleep Plush Pillow is suitable for all types of sleepers, it cradles your head in lofty fill that is more dense than down for added neck support.
Here’s what else they have to offer:
100 day trial period
High profile down alternative
Cooler than down pillows
“Hotel Quality”, which is hard to find. I was very impressed with the quality of the pillow.
Like most sleep related products your preference may be different than mine, both of these pillows offer quality that is far above many of their competitors. I’m willing to bet that a good deal of these pillows are going to make it into households throughout the country.
Best Material and Type
What kind of pillow would I build if I were in charge?
Memory Foam
You will generally find two forms of foam within a pillow. This foam is generally going to be more dense than the memory foam that you would likely find on top of it. of visco-elastic (or memory) foam. This is the material where you can see your hand print right after you remove your hand.
Hybrid (Latex & Foam)
You don’t see this combo very often. The Latex adds a little bit of bounce to a foam pillow.
Down Alternative
I have added this segment because I recently got to test a down alternative pillow. Not all pillows or bed products make it to this post. This one has obviously passed the test. Scroll down to find out where this Down Alternative Pillow came from. But in the meantime here’s a little bit about Down Alternative
Down alternative fill is synthetic and man-made from polyester microfibers. NOT to be confused with the cheaper version also known as polyester-fill, like polyfill commonly used in low quality pillows. Those are usually priced at $29 or below!
What I am talking about here is the High-Quality down alternative ( pillows here). They run between $60 and $100 per pillow, here’s why! The microfibers used in the down alternative pillows are produced to meet the standards of thickness and feel. They are softer and absolutely more luxurious.
Down
Birds have feathers, so why not put some of them to use on a pillow, right? Down pillows are soft and it doesn’t hurt when you get smacked in the face by a down pillow. They do have a couple of minor problems though.
- The feathers tend to displace when you are sleeping on them, so you find yourself having to fluff or rearrange your pillow frequently
- The feathers try to sneak out of the pillowcase. First you will feel a bit of a prick, next thing you notice is that you start picking at it. Then you discover your first feather, so now you have a bit of a mess to deal with. Unfortunately, you have now left a little hole in the pillow and more feathers are going to seek freedom as well.
- In a pillow fight, your down pillow could rupture and create a huge feather mess.
Latex
Latex is a much more breathable substance than memory foam. That helps keep it cooler in the summer, which for me is an incredibly important as I live in Arizona. One thing to keep in mind, Latex pillows tend to be really bouncy. Perfect for a pillow fight, but it takes some time to get used to sleeping on one. There are two competing ways of making latex, they are:
- Dunlop
- Talalay
Talalay is considered the more refined & better process. The molded pieces of latex foam are vacuumed of air and then frozen. The resulting talalay latex product is much more bouncy than that of a Dunlop process. If you are looking for a bed that is more springy then talalay will be your choice.
In addition to the two manufacturing methods there is a spectrum of ways that the foam can be constructed from synthetic to 100% natural. The closer you get to 100% natural the fewer additives will be found in the pillow. You can expect to pay more for anything approaching 100% natural talalay latex.
Latex pillows will last much longer than foam pillows. Some latex pillows are designed to last up to 30 years if properly cared for.
Shredded Pillows
Shredded pillows are hit and miss. The scraps of foam are recycled and turned into pillows. Sometimes you will find that the foam inside a pillow has infused graphite, or copper. Sometimes the foam is dense, others extremely light. This category is really hard to judge. It is advised that if you purchase a shredded pillow make sure there is a trial period and a zipper so that you can remove any unwanted foam.
Smart Pillows
Smart pillows can track your sleep, but so can some beds, sleep trackers, phones and fitness trackers. I haven’t found a smart pillow that is worth the extra cost given the other sleep tracking options available. I’m still on the lookout for one that is appropriately priced, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll check out your suggestions.
Best Pillow for Side Sleepers
I’m a side sleeper, so this category is my specialty. I try to avoid pillows that are too squishy or too firm. As a petite person I will end up with lower back pain, sometimes hip pain. My go to type of pillow would be an adjustable pillow of shredded memory foam.
I do however believe that The Easy Breather from Nest Bedding has changed the way I sleep – and wake up- forever. IN A GOOD WAY. Their new Cool Pillow does not disappoint either! It is literally cool to the touch, it feels so soft ultimately comfy and here’s a plus, it looks so pretty! seriously, it is a nice pillow. I wish I don’t have to hide it but I must, just to keep it clean.
Just recently I got to test Pillow Guy products. Their Down Alternative Pillow made it to this post for so many reasons, mainly because it’s like a One Pillow Fits All. Which is not easy to find.
Instead of adjusting the pillow to your sleeping position, Pillow Guy has made this option easier.
When you are ready to order you have options like STUFFED for stomach sleeper or OVER STUFFED for side and back sleeper.
It is also dust mite and allergy resistant, which makes it Hypoallergenic thus clean. It is breathable and the down-gel and its super soft brushed microfiber pillow shell makes it cool, smooth and soft to the touch. Meeting the standards of an excellent down alternative product.
Not everyday you get to find a pillow that fits your likings no matter how you sleep! ( Also, not everyday a new product makes it to this list).
Top Budget Pillows
On a tight budget? You aren’t going to find great quality pillows under $15 if you walk into a retail store. They have too many salaries and other major expenses like rent and utilities to pay to get you out the door at the $15 or below price range. To find a pillow of the proper quality you need to think “outside the box” or rather get one that comes shipped to your door in a box.
My best budget pick is the Brooklyn Bedding Talalay latex pillow. They are so confident in the pillow that they snagged the hashtag, #bestpillowever.
Top Luxury Pillows
Want a pillow delivered to your door that just screams luxury at a fraction of an in store price? Of course you do!
Recommendations for People with Medical Issues
Back Pain
I was in a major car accident in 2002, every day I am reminded how lucky I am to have survived by the pain that I encounter. Each day it is difficult to escape from bed, and I truly know the difference between sleeping on a good bed and a bad bed, by how my body reacts in the morning. I know back pain and a few pillows that I have tested find a way to completely block out that pain for me.
Then there is pregnancy, it has been 4 years for me, but I remember trying to find a position to sleep in, using different body pillows and just praying to get some rest. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered a great body pillow, but by accident. I just purchased a King sized Casper pillow and in my queen size bed it is overkill. However, I roll onto my side and tuck it into my knees and it becomes the perfect body pillow. I’m sure that oversizing your pillows can sometimes lead to similar benefits, but it really makes me appreciate the Casper pillow so much more than I did when I originally tested it.
Scoliosis
As embarrassing as this is to admit, I have slight scoliosis. This coupled with my life threatening car accident force me to mainly sleep on my side. Therefore, I’m really picky about my pillows.
Neck Pain
Fortunately, I don’t currently suffer from neck pain. I found an adjustable shredded memory foam pillow and I swear by it. If my husband is using it, even if he is sound asleep, I will yank it out from under him. I won’t go anywhere without my Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow.
Snoring
You can try sleep masks, or mouthguards, and they may provide you with relief from snoring at an affordable price. However, there are two simple ways to combat snoring. One is to upgrade your pillow to something thicker. This will allow you to get a better angle to increase your flow of oxygen while you sleep. The best cure to snoring is the one that worked wonders for my family. An adjustable bed frame will tilt up the head section of the bed just enough to keep your partner from snoring.
Our Rating Criteria
We use 10 categories to rate the pillows we sleep test. Each category is scored 1-10. Unlike other reviewers we aren’t scared to give a pillow a low score if it is deserved. If I spend 2 weeks sleeping on a pillow that consistently gives me back pain, you will read about it on my review!
Sleep Quality
If I’m not able to sleep on a pillow, then it’s possible that you may have the same issues. This is really the most important category that a buyer should be focused on.
Stays Cool
I live in Scottsdale, Arizona and I’ll tell you a little secret about the weather here… It gets hot in the summer. Having a breathable pillow is a must here. There aren’t a ton of things worse than having extra heat rising up from your pillow making your back or side sweat. I’m a huge fan of talalay latex, gel infusions, phase change material, and alternative construction (like Leesa’s Avena foam).
I have finally found the solution and it tested really well during the blind testing part of the ultimate pillow fight 2. The Nest Bedding Cool Pillow lives up to its name.
Feel
Surely what’s inside the pillow matters right? How does it feel to squish? Does it get warm and need flipping?
Cover
The Cover is one of the most important things to look for. It has to be something you would be willing to put your face on, yet breathable as well.
Value
You really have to look at the prices of the pillow vs. the competition. Not just the direct to consumer, bed in a box model, but the in store values as well. The bed in a box model offers consumers huge cost savings vs. buying from the store. This is because the middle man is cut out and the companies don’t have to pay electricity and rent.
We give each category a score from 1-10 with 10 being the highest. I am using a 10 point must system. The pillow that preformed the best in a category gets a 10 and all other pillows are judged against that standard.
Why Buy a Pillow Online?
- It will ship directly to you, most of the time for free
- Do you really enjoy having a pillow salesman follow you around and check you out as you try out all of the pillows? The answer is NO
- Wouldn’t you rather take some time to test a pillow rather than just be lead around by the salesman to the highest commission bed he sells? Most online retailers offer a trial period of 100 days or more to test out your new pillow.
- Same quality pillow for a fraction of the cost.
- You have more time to comparison shop from your home.
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