How do you sleep most of the night?
More for better sleep
Hot right now
Want what everyone is buying this week? These open Amazon's live lists, which update every hour. Popular isn't always best, so check the loft and fill against your quiz result.
Every pillow fill, compared
The fill decides how a pillow feels, how hot it sleeps and how long it lasts.
| Fill | Feel | Firmness | Warmth | Adjustable | Price | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded foam | Supportive but mouldable. Unzip it and take fill out until the height is right. | Medium | Average | Yes | $$ | 2 to 3 years |
| Memory foam | Slow sink that holds its shape all night. Often comes as a contoured (cervical) shape. | Medium-firm | Warm | No | $$ | 2 to 3 years |
| Latex | Springy and supportive, pushes back quickly so it is easy to turn over. Stays cooler than memory foam. | Medium-firm | Cool | No | $$$ | 3 to 4 years |
| Down | Soft, light and squishy. Lovely for stomach sleepers, too flat for most side sleepers. | Soft | Average | Yes | $$$ | 3 to 5 years with fluffing |
| Down alternative | Soft like down, cheap and washable, but goes flat sooner. | Medium-soft | Average | No | $ | 1 to 2 years |
| Feather | Mouldable and cheap, needs plumping, and the odd quill pokes through. | Medium-soft | Cool | Yes | $ | 1 to 2 years |
| Buckwheat | Firm, heavy and very cool. It rustles when you move, which some people love and others hate. | Firm | Cool | Yes | $$ | 5 to 10 years |
Questions people ask
How do I choose the best pillow?
Start with how you sleep. Side sleepers need a high, firm pillow to fill the gap between ear and shoulder, back sleepers a medium one that supports the neck curve, and stomach sleepers a thin, soft one. Then adjust for your build, your mattress, any pain, and whether you sleep hot.
What is pillow loft?
Loft is the height of the pillow. What matters is the height when your head is on it, so a fluffy down pillow with a high loft on the shelf can squash down to a low one.
Are expensive pillows worth it?
Sometimes. Latex and good shredded foam pillows cost more but keep their shape for 3 to 4 years, while a cheap fibre pillow may go flat in one. Worked out per night, the dearer pillow can be cheaper. A pricey pillow with the wrong loft is still the wrong pillow.
How do you choose your picks?
By specification, not by brand: the loft, firmness, fill and shape that suit your answers, based on published sleep and physiotherapy guidance and one of the few controlled pillow trials. We have not tested individual products, and we say so.
How we pick. We match product specs to you using published sleep and physiotherapy guidance. We have not lab-tested individual products and never invent reviews. Not medical advice: for ongoing pain, see a doctor or physiotherapist. We may earn a commission from shop links. Details