The 7 Best Pillows Of 2025, Based On Testing By Our Editors (2025)

Quality pillows can drastically improve your sleep health, and are a key element in a supportive sleep setup (along with choosing the best mattress for your needs). It can be challenging to figure out which pillow will help you get a better night’s rest, so our editors tested eight pillows in 2025 to determine the best for all kinds of sleepers. Based on our testing, we found the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow to be the best pillow overall, thanks to its adjustable design and durability.

If you prefer down, the Parachute Down Pillow is our pick for the best down pillow due to its supremely plush yet supportive design, available in three firmness options. Ultimately, the best pillow for you will come down to your individual preferences, sleep style, whether you have allergies or sensitivities to certain materials or if you experience regular back or neck pain, among other factors. (And if you’re seeking options to accommodate the latter, take a look at our picks for the best pillows for back pain and the best pillows for neck pain.)

After years of testing, we found the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow to be the most versatile pillow out there, and we think it’s an optimal choice for every sleep style, particularly because of its adjustable design. “We all sleep in different positions,” says Dr. Nicholas Anastasio, a board-certified physician at Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Mercy Medical Center. “The key is to find a pillow that will maintain your neck in a neutral position—meaning in line and not overly flexed in any direction.”

A few Forbes Vetted editors who have used this pillow long-term attest to how well it has maintained its shape and comfort over time, including after several wash cycles. “It washes incredibly well and has shown almost no signs of wear and tear,” says one of our editors who’s had it for nearly a year. “I also like that if it starts to flatten over time you can easily add to the fill to plump it up again.”

Another staffer who has been using it for 15 months noted that her pillow has remained comfortable and intact, and the cover has stood up to frequent washes in a cold water cycle and low tumble-dry settings. “Over the course of using it, it has definitely collapsed and gotten denser due to the foam compressing,” she says. “I often have to flip around the pillow if I wake up in the middle of the night, so that I can get a break from the flat side and sleep on a fuller foam area.” Some of this can be abated by washing the pillow and re-fluffing it in the dryer; that said, the brand recommends putting the inner part of the pillow into the washer only once a year. And because it’s fairly large and fluffy, washing works best in front-load machines as opposed to top-load.

The Coop has a midrange price compared to other pillows we tested. But given its five-year warranty and 100-night sleep trial, both among the highest we’ve seen for pillows, it’s a worthy investment.

While this Parachute pillow is the most expensive on our list, its price is on a par with most high-quality down pillows we found in our research—it’s an expensive material. But if you find it comfortable and supportive for your needs, it’s an investment that’s well worth it, given how much time we spend sleeping. After all, using a pillow that helps provide proper alignment while you sleep is “extremely important,” says Dr. W. Chris Winter, a Virginia-based neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. “Using the wrong pillow can create sleep problems from body discomfort or poor temperature management. Cervical spine issues and back pain can be a problem as well.”

Another long-term tester backs this up, noting that after washing, no lumps or bumps in the pillow linger, and that it takes just one dryer cycle for the Casper to return to its original loft. At $65 for a standard size (often on sale for less), the Casper offers great value, too.

The Sobel Westex Sahara Nights Pillow provides what one of our testers describes as “hotel-level comfort at home”—not surprising, given that the brand supplies linens and pillows to hotels, including Disney resorts. Soft and offering ample sinkage, this is Sobel Westex’s best-selling pillow, and our editors found it to be a great option for people who want the feeling of down with just a touch of extra firmness. Because of its soft to medium feel, it’s a better bet for back and/or stomach sleepers; side or combination sleepers may require a little more support and might prefer the Sahara Nights firm option (or the Casper pillow above).

We appreciate that this pillow is available in two loft options, so you can choose whether you want a shorter or taller version. “It’s very soft and fluffy but not too high, which I like, because otherwise my neck gets sore in the morning,” says one of our editors who uses the “slim” version as her primary pillow. “I have a backup memory foam pillow for days when I feel like I need more support, but I go for Sobel 90% of the time because it doesn’t make me hot.” Just note that after washing the pillow, one of our testers noticed that it seemed to shrink slightly when drying.

Solid memory foam pillows provide a “cradling” feel, offering moldable support for your head and neck. If you’re a back or stomach sleeper, we found the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow to be among the most supportive foam options in our tests. “It is critical to have good support from your pillow,” says Nancy Kirsch, physical therapist and professor of physical therapy at Rutgers University. “The pillow supports the head and provides good alignment of the cervical spine, as the cervical spine relates to the rest of the spine.” Using a sufficiently supportive pillow, that is, can help you avoid waking up with a headache or with shoulder, back or cervical spine pain. Our experts note that in general, memory foam options do the best job in this department—so if you’re prone to an achy upper body, you might want to consider pillows made with this material.

The contouring ability of the Tempur-Cloud is its best feature; it’s responsive and highly supportive without feeling overly dense. As a combination sleeper, I found the Tempur-Cloud incredibly comfortable on my back and stomach, but I didn’t feel like it offered as much support while side sleeping as other options I tested. (I also had my father, a back sleeper with chronic back pain, test this pillow, and it was his favorite pillow yet.)

If you experience chronic neck pain—or you’re primarily a side sleeper or combination sleeper—we recommend the . Like the Tempur-Cloud, this one is made from a piece of solid foam (rather than memory foam, it’s crafted with what Tuft & Needle calls “adaptive” foam) and has a fair amount of heft to it. It isn’t best described as airy, but it falls somewhere in the medium range, between squishy and firm. The pillow supports your head by truly contouring around it. It quickly bounces back to its original shape, no fluffing or readjusting required throughout the night. Unless you’re looking for a super-soft pillow, we think most memory-foam devotees will find this to be a supportive, comfortable pillow across sleeping positions.

Foam pillows—and mattresses, for that matter—can trap heat. The Tuft & Needle’s foam is infused with graphite and cooling gel to accommodate hot sleepers. (Admittedly, as someone who isn’t temperature-sensitive while I snooze, I didn’t notice feeling particularly hot or cool while testing this pillow.) It should be noted that the brand does not recommend washing the pillow itself in the washer; it must be hand-washed and hung to air-dry. The cover can be washed with cold water and dried in the dryer, but only the cover. For this reason, it’s probably best to use this as a personal pillow versus one for, say, a guest room or rental home.

Winter notes that while memory foam does tend to be quite supportive, it’s typically on the heavier side; side and stomach sleepers who sleep with an arm under their pillow might find the weight uncomfortable. Luckily, Tuft & Needle’s generous 100-night trial will let you judge for yourself.

If you’re looking for an affordable pair of pillows, this Amazon Basics Down Alternative Pillows set was a surprising hit among some of our testers, offering a good balance of support and softness for a wallet-friendly price. One of our testers noted that after a year of use, the pillows hadn’t flattened out or developed any lumps, even after frequent washing: “I’ve kept these in our guest room—along with several other pillows as options—and found that most guests really like them,” she adds.

For such an affordable set of pillows, however, the Amazon Basics pair is the best we’ve found if you’re on a budget. It comes with a 30-day trial, which we appreciate, allowing you to test it in your own home before committing.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

The Forbes Vetted team is dedicated to testing the best products firsthand, with the additional insights of trusted experts in their respective fields. That includes our mattress and sleep coverage, where you can find recommendations for the best mattresses for back pain, the best pillows for neck pain, the best bed frames and much more.

• As managing editor at Forbes Vetted, I have been testing products and writing about them for the greater part of the past decade. My reviews have also appeared in CNN Underscored, Skimm Shopping, BuzzFeed Shopping and other outlets.
• This article was edited by Anna Perling, who also tested several pillows included in our winning picks. Perling is Forbes Vetted’s senior reviews editor; she leads our tested content and has been testing products and writing about them for over 10 years, during which time she’s reviewed a wide range of household items.
• To learn about what to look for in the best pillows, I tapped the expertise of Dr. Nicholas Anastasio, a board-certified physician at Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore; Nancy Kirsch, a New Jersey–based physical therapist as well as program director and professor of physical therapy at Rutgers University; and Dr. W. Chris Winter, a Virginia-based neurologist, sleep medicine specialist, author and host of medical podcast Sleep Unplugged With Dr. Chris Winter.
• Forbes Vetted regularly updates stories to ensure top picks are in stock, advice remains up to date and selections continue to meet our high criteria for inclusion. This story was last updated in February 2025.

How We Tested The Best Pillows

How To Pick A Pillow

• Memory foam: Our experts agree that foam pillows are best for contouring your head and neck and offering more customized, pressure-relieving support than other materials. Both solid foam and shredded foam pillows provide that cradled feeling, though with shredded foam, you might not feel as much sinkage; whether that’s a good or bad thing is purely individual preference. However, memory foam retains heat, so that’s something you’ll want to think about if you tend to sleep hot. Also, some memory foam options have a noticeable off-gassing, which is the odor of chemicals being released upon unpacking the pillow. Typically this dissipates within 24 to 48 hours.
• Down: Made from the feathers of duck or geese, down pillows have a softer, airier feel, with less support than foam. If cloud-like plushness is what you’re after, down will provide that. Just note that the insulation may be too warm if you tend to run hot while you sleep. Some people are also allergic to the feathers in down pillows.
• Down alternative: Meant to mimic the feel of down, down-alternative pillows are typically made with polyester or microfiber fill. They’re usually lightweight and less expensive than down pillows, but they may not be as long-lasting as other types, tending to get lumpy or flat more quickly than their down counterparts.
• Latex: Derived from rubber trees, natural latex is firm and supportive as well as hypoallergenic and durable. It’s a temperature-regulating material, so it may be particularly appreciated by those who sleep hot. Latex typically does not provide the cradling feel that memory foam does, though it’s more responsive to pressure (meaning it quickly returns to its shape after weight is removed).
• Buckwheat: Buckwheat hulls are naturally breathable, offering good airflow for cooling while you sleep. If you’re looking for a firm pillow with long-lasting durability, you might want to consider a buckwheat option, especially if you prefer a pillow that doesn’t retain heat.

Care And Maintenance
You’ll want to consider how easy it is to wash your pillows, since you should typically clean them once or twice a year, or if you notice any stains or odors. If you’re looking for pillows to outfit a frequently used guest room, we recommend choosing ones that can stand up to regular washing without losing their shape or support.

Price
We think the best pillows are worth investing in; after all, getting consistent, quality sleep is essential to your overall well-being. Whatever your budget, we recommend looking for a pillow that offers a decent trial period, so you can return or exchange it in case you determine it’s not the right fit for you. We’ve found that down options are typically more expensive, while down-alternative and foam pillows are a bit lower-priced.