We tested the best bed pillows of 2024 — Shop these 7 for a good night’s rest

Shopping for the Goldilocks-grade pillow (you know, the one that’s not too soft nor too firm), isn’t so easy. You’re probably Google-searching “best pillows” for the intel.

Luckily, your one-stop shop for tried-and-tested pillows is all right here.

I’ll be the first to tell you that you don’t know you’re sleeping on a bad pillow until you switch to a good pillow. My mom tried the pillow I’ve been sleeping on for months on end and said, “Your pillow is horrible — it’s probably why you say your neck hurts all the time.”

And, as they say, mother knows best.

“There are numerous types of pillows depending on your needs and preferences, with the most common fill materials being down or down alternative, memory foam (shredded or solid), feathers, latex, cotton and buckwheat,” David Rubin, sleep science coach and product expert at The Sleep Doctor, told the New York Post. “Along with your mattress and bedding, a pillow is a critical piece of what we call your sleep system. You need to match your pillow to your mattress firmness, sleep position and any pain issues you experience.”

RELATED: Sleep Number c2 Mattress review

Ahead, you’ll find a comprehensive review of all the pillows I deem worthy after months of testing — as short a span of one month to as long a span as three years. Though every sleeper is different, I morphed into every type of sleeper when testing: back, stomach and side. Rest assured these are the best on the market, as I followed quite a rigid testing structure, as outlined below.

Click to jump to a specific section:

• Best Pillow Overall: FluffCo Down Alternative Pillow ($59 – $79)
• Best Budget Pillow: Bedsure 2-Pack Hotel Pillows ($20)
• Best Down Pillow: Beautyrest Harmony Lux Pillow ($199 – $219)
• Best Cooling Pillow: Marlow Pillow ($55 – $65)
• Best Memory Foam Pillow: Purple DreamLayer Pillow ($159)
• Best Pillow for Side Sleepers: Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow ($80)
• Best Pillow for Stomach and Back Sleepers: Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow ($95)

How we tested

While testing pillows has been relaxing, it has also been quite an adventure. Transparently, it can be somewhat difficult to assess if a pillow is good for back sleepers if I primarily sleep on my side, but I did test out each pillow from all different angles to get a feel for what is most comfortable.

Let’s start with the basics — I like a pillow on the softer side but one that doesn’t compromise support. This goes for anyone, but too elevated of a pillow may cause neck pain as the base of your neck isn’t level with your pillow.

This list is curated with the top options after testing pillows for as little as one month and as long as three years. Here is the testing criteria I used for each pillow reviewed here:

• Comfortability: This goes without saying but, if a pillow is uncomfortable it’s not worth compromising your recommended eight hours of sleep for. Comfort is subjective but you can certainly pinpoint a good, plush pillow from the rest of the pack.
• Head support: I’m prone to having a weaker neck (or, I’ve simply slept on bad pillows for quite some time). You don’t want to strain your neck or upper shoulder area while you’re sleeping, so I took this factor into account while testing.
• Ability to fit into a pillowcase and/or sham: Much to my surprise, some pillows were so dense or stuffed that they didn’t fit well into a standard-size pillowcase or sham. This was something I figured from the onset but it wasn’t until I tested all the pillows that I was able to discern which ones *just* made it.
• Value: Listen, a good pillow can be an investment — but it’s one of those things that should be. You sleep for a good percentage of your lifespan, so you want it to be comfortable. However, just because a pillow is more than $100 doesn’t necessarily make it “better.”

Best Budget Pillow

Bedsure 2-Pack Hotel Pillows

If you’ve ever shopped for bedding on Amazon, you’ve likely heard of Bedsure. The brand has quite a stellar reputation thanks to its affinity for affordable comfort that you can’t help but look into. As a result, Bedsure made the top of my list of pillows I want to try — and it measures up quite well to the rest of the more expensive pack.

“Puffy” is a good word to describe this pillow. When I first touched this pillow, I immediately recognized an airiness at the center — right where your head would go, regardless of your sleep position. It’s softer than most I tested, even though it puffs up a suitable amount after I unboxed it. And yes, it will take some time for any pillows online to “fluff up to size,” with this one taking a bit longer.

Because of its puffiness and airiness, it’s a wonderful (and affordable!) option for anyone who can’t stand a firm pillow and, instead, craves cloud-like comfort. Though not the most supportive pillow tested, the value is still there and I’d continue to sleep with the pillow without hesitation.

---

Best Down Pillow

Beautyrest Harmony Lux Pillow

Hailing from a mattress brand, the Beautyrest Harmony Lux Pillow was one I was most excited to try. Listen, I’ve been to several mattress stores (arguably too many to count) and I’m always impressed by what feels like a spinning rotisserie of pillows atop each showroom mattress. I wanted to see if ordering a pillow from a legacy mattress brand would be worth the added cost.

Spoiler alert: it did. When testing, I immediately thought this pillow would be good for back and side sleepers alike (and yes, I did plenty of tossing and turning to come to this conclusion). Additionally, it seemed to be a more logical fit for anyone with a weaker neck or anyone who craves additional firmer support, like (1) my dad who thinks neck massages and a firm bed should be two non-negotiables for anyone and (2) my boyfriend’s grandmother who won’t benefit from soft pillows or a sink-in mattress at her age.

Above all, I love how the exterior of this pillow has a sustainable, brushed lining that feels like you’re lying on a velvet cushion. While it doesn’t fit quite picture-perfectly into a pillow sham — and it’s a bit of an investment — I found myself loving the comfort and not feeling like I had to sleep a certain way to get comfortable.

---

Best Cooling Pillow

Marlow Pillow

I’ve been hearing much talk about the Marlow Pillow, and now I know why. Allow me to paint the picture — do you know that feeling when you flip your pillow to have the “cool side” again? Yeah, you don’t have to do that any longer once you sleep with this particular option.

I’ve tested plenty of cooling sheets but never have I slept on a cooling pillow. I’m usually a cold sleeper but truth be told, you’ll never find a more luxe experience than you would when sleeping with a cooling pillow and a soft (preferably plush) throw blanket. In fact, a quality cooling pillow may help “prevent heat retention and provide a cool or temperature-neutral sleep surface,” per the Sleep Foundation.

The Marlow Pillow has a genius design like no other, too. If you’re the type who likes a firm pillow one day and a soft pillow the next, you’ll appreciate how its exterior zipper border allows you to remove memory foam. I found the pillows medium-softness to fare well for my evening slumber, so I didn’t find myself doing this all too often, but it’s like my Sleep Number c2 Mattress in a way: adjustable and custom to each night.

Though there isn’t as grand of a surface area to work with (the Marlow Pillow is a bit smaller than others tested), it’s a wonderful and fairly priced option if a cooling pillow is what you’re after. I’ve been singing its praises to many people who are hot sleepers, too.

---

Best Memory Foam Pillow

Purple DreamLayer Pillow

The Purple DreamLayer Pillow is one you simply have to experience. It’s a splurge but, by far, one of the most comfortable pillows tested with a wealth of support and a unique experience like no other.

You may be thinking, What experience does it offer, exactly? Well, it conforms to your neck once you lie down, allowing you to blissfully melt into your pillow before you drift off to sleep. This is due to its proprietary elFlex Grid technology that cools and instantly adapts to your body, along with its MicroAir Foam that gently conforms and hugs.

It’s not exactly travel-friendly, though I like how it offers two removable booster layers for adjustable height. This also allows it to seamlessly fit into a pillow sham or pillowcase.

I still can’t keep squishing the pillow. It has that it-factor to it that’s hard to verbalize but it’s one that will stand the test of time due to its conforming nature. I sleep with it regularly and it’s just as good for back and stomach sleepers as it is for side sleepers. Its memory foam is incredibly comfortable and it’s one that’ll always meet you where you’re at.

Because the pillow is a bit more tailored to your neck and allows you to melt right into it, it’s a great option for those who may be experiencing neck pain (like myself, before finding a good pillow from this review). Of course, be sure to consult with a medical professional for any lingering issues.

“The most important thing when choosing a pillow for neck pain is matching your pillow to your sleep position,” Rubin says. “If your pillow is the wrong firmness or loft for your sleep position and weight, odds are you’ll end up with neck pain. A good universal choice would be an adjustable pillow made from shredded memory foam or latex.”

---

Best Pillow for Side Sleepers

Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow

Naturally, I’m a side sleeper, and the pillow I feel most attuned to for sleeping either to my left or to my right is the Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow. This kind of makes sense, too; because the pillow is uniformly lateral, my neck doesn’t sink into the center of the pillow when I opt to sleep on my back or stomach. Instead, it’s most comfortable when I’m positioned to the side, allowing its rectangular shape to support either the left or right side of my neck.

“Side sleepers should choose a pillow with medium to high loft that can support their head and neck,” Rubin told The Post. “There are even specialty crescent-shaped pillows for side sleepers to accommodate your shoulders.”

It’s a bit cooling and offers gentle support, too. The pillow is the ideal medium of softness and support as well, and I didn’t find myself wanting to switch over to a softer or firmer pillow when I first used it. Oh, and if you’re hesitant to order, Tuft & Needle offers a 100-night sleep trial if you don’t like it, with free shipping and returns.

I find the pillow to be breathable without being too cold, either. As you can tell, it’s a comfortable mix of just about everything. After researching further, it may be thanks to its proprietary T&N Adaptive foam, a medley of highly breathable open-cell foam with pure comfort.

---

Best Pillow for Stomach and Back Sleepers

Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow

Oddly shaped, the Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow is one you shouldn’t judge by looks alone — especially if you’re a stomach or back sleeper. Though I’m mostly a side sleeper, I felt the most comfortable when sleeping on my back or stomach with this pillow, specifically.

Because of its wing-like shape, it mimics the pillows you may find at a massage spa (you know, the ones where you lie face down). I love how the sides of this pillow cradle both sides of my head when positioned on my back, and it’s not too large to take up so much space. Some may argue it doubles as a travel pillow, though it’s a bit larger and suitable for mattress sleeping, first and foremost.

“Back sleepers generally need a lower to medium loft pillow (can be firm) that won’t bend their necks too much when sleeping, usually on a firmer mattress,” Rubin told The Post. This one is exactly that — surely not plush-plush like others I tested and one that isn’t too rigid to make me stay away from it.

While I found this pillow to be a great option for sleeping on my back or stomach, it may also benefit side sleepers. Above, Rubin notes that crescent-shaped pillows may offer shoulder support to those who sleep on their side, like this pick.

---

Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.