Best Pillows For Sleeping [Review] in 2021

Factors to Consider When Purchasing Your Pillow

Thickness

There are few factors as important as the thickness of a pillow. As well as harming your immediate comfort, an improperly sized pillow will also worsen the condition of your neck and spine, causing lingering aches and pains, as well as alignment issues.

Though the following specifications are not necessarily a certain truth for everybody, recent studies have shown them to be generally true.

For instance, for the majority of those who prefer to sleep on their side, the pillow should be roughly as thick as the sleeper’s shoulder; typically, this is on the higher end of the medium range of pillow thickness.

From this perspective, when laying on your side, your pillow should bring your head to a placement that is parallel with the mattress- your nose should be no higher than your chest. If you prefer to sleep on your back, your pillow should be thinner, but still in the medium range.

And, finally, if you are a stomach sleeper, your perfect pillow is likely thinner than that of the other types of sleepers.

Yes, when choosing a pillow, thickness is important for its impact on both immediate comfort and more widespread effects.

Though this may be something you have not given much time to consider in the past, decisively choosing a comfortable and healthy density is something to prioritize when purchasing your pillow. So, don’t be afraid to test out your pillow before purchasing!

Ventilation and Airflow

If you are the type of person who wakes up in the middle of the night in search of finding the elusive “cool side of the pillow,” it is clearly quite important to you that your pillow stays at an even temperature during the night.

For those who suffer from losing sleep due to sensitivity to heat, this is a very real struggle.

Luckily, a few “alternative” solutions have been developed. Many memory foam pillows have built-in ventilation systems which ensure that your pillow does not get warmer as your sleep should be growing deeper.

Recent technologies, including the usage of different types of waxes and gels, have created intentional systems inside of some pillows, which allow for better air circulation and ventilation.

Many of these pillows have the ability to take your body heat into consideration, as well as the temperature of the room, and cycle between liquid and solid phases to regulate between different levels of temperature.

Other pillow fabrics, such as wool, are simpler in their effectiveness. Due to wool’s properties as a fabric, a wool pillow naturally maintains healthy airflow to prevent moisture from any perspiration which occurs during sleep.

Wool also has the ability to stay cool during the summer and warm during the winter. Buckwheat is another natural solution, noted for providing natural air circulation that allows for agreeable temperatures when trying to sleep.

If the temperature is something that you are especially sensitive to in your sleep experience, you should absolutely take these airflow-friendly options into consideration– there will be plenty to choose from!

Warranty

As we will explore in this guide, placing an importance on finding your perfect pillow will often result in a high cost.

This is an investment, to be sure, and one that makes sense mostly because the pillow that you choose should be positively impacting your life by benefitting your sleep for several years.

Most major companies will offer a warranty of somewhere between three to five years on pillows.

This is important, as, due to the major technologies and complex engineering systems in some pillows, as well as the ineffectiveness that damage even as minute as a tear can create in more low-maintenance options, the health of a pillow is a fickle thing.

With any damage that occurs, a pillow can immediately lose the qualities that made you choose it in the first place. A good warranty will protect your investment.

When investing in a pillow, a reasonable warranty, and/or return policy is definitely something to look out for. Some pillows of exceedingly high quality are known to remain in a healthy state for nearly a decade, while other varieties have much shorter lifespans.

It is wise to do research in this regard and to keep in mind the duration that the pillow you are purchasing should last.

Top Brands

Though there are always independent entrepreneurs and small businesses creating amazing craft goods, people are often drawn to the reputation and accountability that comes from major brands when purchasing products.

With pillows, this is no different. Although the options seem endless, there are a few very reputable brands known for manufacturing high-quality pillows.

While shopping for your pillow, if you see pillows made by Coop Home Goods, Sleep Better, Malouf, Snuggle-Pedic, DC Labs, Mediflow, Good Life Essentials, Sleep Innovations, or Five Star.

You can rest assured that you are buying from one of the global leading manufacturers and producers of high quality, reputable pillows.

From methods of production to the quality of materials, to where it lands on the scale between natural simplicity and level of engineering technology employed to ensure a good night’s rest.

Each of these major pillow industry players has something unique and special that has garnered the status of being exceptional.

Shopping For A Pillow

In this day and age, there are more ways to shop for pillows than ever before. For those who prefer the tactile, in-person approach, there is a range of options within that realm.

There are many department stores with considerable selections when it comes to pillows. Major retailers such as Wal-mart, K-Mart, Target, and other comparable stores will generally carry well-regarded, major name brands.

If you would like to shop at a destination that is a little more focused, there are many chains that specialize in comforts for the home, and even some that specifically hone in on beds and bedding.

A nearby location of a chain such as Bed Bath & Beyond will almost definitely have a fine selection of great pillows.

If you are willing to dig a little deeper, specialized establishments such as Sleep Country, and other mattress franchises and specialists, will carry impressive varieties of pillows.

It is also possible that there is a pillow specialty store near you, which will likely carry an extensive collection of different pillows.

However, in this day and age, you can do highly customized shopping without even leaving the home.

By shopping online, through marketplaces such as Amazon.com or specific websites found through surfing the web, you can read product reviews from other customers, compare prices, research thoroughly, and order any pillow that you feel best suits your needs.

The biggest potential downside to this approach is that you will not actually get to feel the pillow physically before purchasing, but many manufacturers and online retailers offer warranties and return policies, should their product not satisfy you.

Websites, such as John Lewis and The White Company are well known for providing great deals for pillows. Otherwise, websites such as Amazon.com and eBay offer comprehensive user reviews and product information, as well as the possibility of purchase.

The Different Types of Pillows

There are many different materials that are used to fill pillows, all of which give a drastically different sleeping experience. Everybody seems to have at least their own vague preference, but it is also true that many are not completely aware of all of the different options that are available to them.

When it is something as important as your sleep, we feel you should be fully enlightened as to the possibilities that exist for you… Here, we will provide you with a brief overview of some of the most popular styles of a pillow.

Synthetic Pillow: Synthetic pillows are not exactly something to write home about, but they do serve their purpose. Made from man-made materials such as polyester, the Synthetic Pillow is one of the most common forms of a pillow.

It is agreeable to most but generally flattens from its original thickness quicker than other pillows, so it has a shorter span of prime effectiveness than other materials.

They are generally inexpensive, durable, and resilient. They are a low price and low maintenance option, but not exactly ideal for somebody looking for a pillow that bodes exceptionally well for your head and neck.

Down Pillows

The down pillow is a classic, high grade, and beautifully soft pillow.

Although their characteristic softness comes from the feathers that they are made up of, the Down Pillow is considered to be a higher grade of a pillow than a standard feather pillow because the sometimes-annoying feather quills have been removed.

This option is long-lasting, light, and somewhat luxurious, and provides a sweet sleeping experience. The down pillow breathes well, so it maintains its coolness quite well through the night. The Feather Pillow is very similar, except the quills from the feathers have not been removed.

Some of the most luxurious pillows available are down pillows, and there is a wide variety to choose from.

Some of the most luxurious pillows available are down pillows, and there is a wide variety to choose from.

Memory Foam Pillow

Memory Foam is one of the most popular types of materials for mattresses and pillows alike.

Noted for reactive viscosity and density, the Memory Foam Pillow is remarkable at molding its shape based on the pressure and heat in which you are laying on it and then returning back to its original form immediately.

Though extremely comfortable, there are some flaws to this style of pillow. Low-grade Memory Foam Pillows have been known to give off a chemical smell, and memory foam itself is combustible.

Memory foam also traps heat, making it an uncomfortable choice for warmer climates. Shredded Memory Foam is an offshoot that is often lauded as being more breathable and diverse.

Shredded Memory Foam is an offshoot that is often lauded as being more breathable and diverse.

Gel Pillows

A Gel Pillow is a specialty pillow that is unlike your more conventional options.

Gel Pillows are often made from memory foam, as well, but the malleable nature of the gel allows the pillow to naturally mold to your head, neck, and shoulders in an amazing way, which is great for preventing and alleviating aches and pains.

This also helps the pillow maintain a cool temperature.

Buckwheat Pillows

An environmentally friendly option than many of the others, this pillow is made from the hulls from buckwheat that protect its kernels. This pillow is often inexpensive, and always natural, resilient, renewable, malleable.

This option also has the benefit of not having a problem remaining at an even temperature. Though the sound and texture of the buckwheat does take a little bit of getting used to, this style of the pillow has been continuing to rise in popularity in America for some time!

Contour Pillows

There are many unique specialty pillows. Among these is the Contour Pillow. This interesting design does not gel with stomach sleepers but provides many benefits for those who sleep on their sides and back.

Buckwheat, water, memory foam, or other materials can be used to fill Contour Pillows, and each of those will inherently take on some of the qualities of the material it is made from.

The Contour Pillow cradles your neck in a unique and supportive way. It also helps to improve posture, as well as prevents snoring by keeping your head and neck tilted at such an angle that airways remain unobstructed in sleep.

Latex Pillow

The Latex Pillow is a rubber pillow that is slightly malleable, quite cool, and awesomely long-lasting. Latex pillows are firmer than memory foam, and so they are less likely to form to your head and neck by ‘sinking,’ so the height of the pillow is basically fixed.

They have great ventilation and heat dissipation qualities and are known for staying cool. As long as you buy the right size (proportionate to your own body), the Latex Pillow is sure to satisfy.

More On Memory Foam Pillows

Truly, Memory Foam seems to be, in many circles, the most popular type of pillow. Memory Foam is famous for molding to the shape of your body with ease, and immediately returning to its original shape and form.

They are the perfect comforting accompaniment to any bed set-up. Memory foam is a unique material which was actually discovered by NASA.

With the help of memory foam pillows, every small bone in your head and neck will be properly aligned when you are in bed, no matter which position you sleep in.

Based on your weight and body temperature, memory foam forms itself smoothly to each unique feature of your head and neck and is always changing as you move and switch positions.

Memory foam breathes and monitors its own temperature, staying cool while providing unparalleled support.

After becoming accustomed to the customized brilliance of the memory foam pillow, many claims that it feels impossible to turn back to something less personal. Shredded Memory Foam is also a popular movement, as it is less of a “block” or “slab” and more easily adjustable.

These pillows are not for everyone, (nothing is), but those who embrace the Memory Foam Pillow embrace it fully; becoming enamored with its functionality… They can also be quite expensive, but give it a try.

If it seems to be the pillow for you, many would agree that you will not regret making the transition to memory foam.

Best Pillow Q&A

When should you buy a new pillow?

You should consider purchasing a new pillow when your pillow has gone flat, or when its original best features have begun to fade away.

You can more easily recognize when it is time for a new pillow when you find yourself having trouble sleeping, readjusting your pillow, and tossing and turning through the night.

If you find yourself suffering from any of these symptoms, it is a likely time to begin the process of searching for a new pillow.

How does a new pillow help you sleep better?

Not only does buying a new pillow maintain all of its original strengths and features, which, with a quality pillow, can take up to or over a decade to fade away, but it is also an opportunity to treat yourself to something you have never before experienced.

With enough research into what is available in your price range, as well as conscious self-awareness of your preferences and sleeping habits, you can discover a pillow that is completely ideal for all of your sleeping needs.

How long will the “new pillow” odor be present?

The length of time in which that infamous “new pillow” odor persists is completely dependent on the pillow. Some pillows never suffer from such a plight, whereas others take up to a month to completely fade away.

Latex and Memory Foam pillows, especially, may take a while until that strange smell begins to fully fade away.

If you remove the pillow from its plastic packaging and let it air out for hours, maybe even days, it will surely improve more quickly; prop it up and/or flip it over to maximize airflow.

There are also linen sprays and other temporary solutions which can assist you through this phase of pillow ownership.

What’s the ideal pillow thickness?

The ideal pillow thickness is dependent on how you choose to sleep. This was touched upon at the beginning of the guide, but allow us to refresh your memory:

Though the following specifications are not necessarily a certain truth for everybody, recent studies have shown them to be generally true. For instance, for the majority of those who prefer to sleep on their side, the pillow should be roughly as thick as the sleeper’s shoulder; typically, this is on the higher end of the medium range of pillow thickness.

From this perspective, when laying on your side, your pillow should bring your head to a placement that is parallel with the mattress- your nose should be no higher than your chest. If you prefer to sleep on your back, your pillow should be thinner, but still in the medium range. And, finally, if you are a stomach sleeper, your perfect pillow is likely thinner than that of the other types of sleepers.”

And, finally, if you are a stomach sleeper, your perfect pillow is likely thinner than that of the other types of sleepers.

How long will my pillow last?

If you have a basic synthetic pillow, it will generally uphold its integrity for less than one year.

If you have a higher quality pillow, it will often hold its original features for up to three years, unless otherwise specified. It is not uncommon for some pillow to be designed to last five years or longer, and some

It is not uncommon for some pillow to be designed to last five years or longer, and some specialty or luxury pillows claim to uphold their firmness and structure for up to 10 years.