TechRadar Verdict
You’ll find everything you need in the Layla Memory Foam Pillow, and that’s why we rate it so highly. The pillow is luxurious and plush, with a zipped opening that allows you to add or remove the fill to find the desired loft. This makes it an excellent choice to balance the right level of comfort and support for back, side, and stomach sleepers. The pillow is also breathable to help you stay cool, and the cover can be taken off and washed. The actual pillow can also be laundered, but it’s a tedious process. If you don’t mind fluffing it, this is an almost perfect pillow.
Pros
- +
Adjustable fill
- +
Washable pillow and cover
- +
Cool and breathable
- +
For back, side, and stomach sleepers
Cons
- -
Require fluffing
- -
Drying pillow takes multiple cycles
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Layla Memory Foam Pillow review in brief
The Layla Memory Foam Pillow is one of the best pillows that we’ve tested. It’s plush, with a hexagon-style quilted cover, and includes memory foam and poly fiber fill. The adjustable fill makes it easy to find the right loft to meet your needs and the ability to modify the pillow makes it a great choice for back, side, and stomach sleepers. The pillow is also breathable and cool to prevent night sweats.
In addition, cleaning the pillow’s cover is a breeze since it can be removed and tossed into the washing machine and dryer. The pillow itself can be laundered – but will take several cycles to dry. This is a high quality pillow, designed to withstand use and washing for years to come.
Pillows are meant to be slept on, but there’s something about the Layla Memory Foam Pillow that made us want to hug it. And over two weeks of testing, we definitely slept in positions that included embracing it. The come-hither hexagon-quilt cover is soft and luxurious to sleep on. That’s due in part to how the pillow handles the filling.
Type: Memory foam pillow
Best suited to: Back, side, and stomach sleepers
Dimensions: Queen: 18” L x 28” W; King: 18” L x 34” W
Trial period: 120 days
Warranty: 5 years
Today's best memory foam mattresses have a distinctive feel – you'll sink in and the foam will contour around your body as you sleep. Don't expect that here though, because the Layla uses shredded foam, which behaves in a different way.
Occasionally, pillows with shredded foam fill can feel rather lumpy. However, the Layla Memory Foam Pillow has two zippered covers. There’s the outer, hexagonal cover (that I just described); and if you unzip that you'll find an inner sleeve containing the fill. The overall feel is sumptuous and opulent – and that’s why we couldn’t resist hugging it. And while some memory foams can cling on to body heat, we never got hot while embracing the pillow since it’s breathable, and designed to stay cool.
Because the fill is adjustable, the pillow is versatile enough to be used by back, side, and stomach sleepers. The adjustability factor also makes this pair of pillows a good choice for people who share a bed, since each person can adjust their pillow accordingly. However, for a pillow with adjustable fill, we were expecting it to be packed to the brim – and it wasn't. As a result, the high loft isn’t as high as an actual 'high loft' pillow.
That's the short version. Read on for our in-depth Layla Memory Foam Pillow review. Or for a look at some other products from this brand, check out our Layla Hybrid mattress review or Layla Essential review.
Layla Memory Foam Pillow review: price & deals
The Layla Memory Foam Pillow is one of two pillows sold by the company. The other is the wildly popular Layla Kapok Pillow, which is on our list of the best bed pillows of 2023, and retails for $109 for a queen. At $89/$69 for a queen, the Layla Memory Foam Pillow is a more economical choice – although it’s still considered a luxury item. Both pillows have adjustable fill, and both include shredded memory foam – although the Kapok comes with a bag of extra fill. And, as its name suggests, the Kapok pillow also contains natural Kapok fibers (that have been harvested from the seeds of Kapok trees and are designed to create a down-like feeling).
The Coop Home Goods Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow is a less expensive choice at $72, and it also includes fill that can be added or removed. That pillow also has a breathable outer cover and an inner liner, and this makes it a direct competitor to the Layla Kapok Pillow. However, that pillow also includes extra fill for a fluffier pillow.
At $165, the Saatva Memory Foam Pillow is another memory foam option. It’s much more expensive (over twice as much when the Layla Memory Foam Pillow is on sale). However, Saatva uses graphite-infused memory foam that’s designed to pull heat away from your body to keep you cool, and while the Layla pillow keeps you cool, it doesn’t use this type of advanced cooling technology.
Layla Memory Foam Pillow review: design and materials
- Breathable memory foam
- Cover zips off to launder
- Adjustable fill
The foam in the Layla Memory Foam Pillow includes 70% shredded memory foam and 30% polyester fiber. The cover has a luxurious Hex pattern, and a 100% polyester liner – which is made of polyester backed gel infused memory foam.
These materials combine to provide a supportive feel that is also incredibly soft to the touch. Since the fill is adjustable, it’s easy to “tweak” it for just the right loft. This makes the pillow supportive and comfortable for back, side, and stomach users. Both back and side sleepers may prefer to remove some of the fill for a lower loft. Side sleepers may prefer to keep all of the fill in the pillow. However, keep in mind that this is not really a high-lift pillow – it’s more of a mid-loft pillow – so if you’re looking for a true high loft pillow, this one may not provide as much height as you seek.
The breathable memory foam provides temperature regulation, avoiding the tendency to wake up hot and sweaty.
The pillow is also designed to be easy to clean, since the cover can be removed and tossed into the washing machine. Or the entire pillow can be laundered as well. But keep in mind that it will take more than one cycle in the dryer to completely dry the pillow.
Layla Memory Foam Pillow review: performance
- Plush cover is soft and inviting
- Adjustable foam provides the right level of support
- Breathable material regulates temperature
For over two weeks, we slept on a pair of Layla Memory Foam pillows to see how they fared in performance, testing for set up, comfort, support, and temperature regulation. We also slept on side, back, and stomach positions to see if the performance was the same. Here’s how we got on...
Setup
4.5 out of 5 stars
The pair of Layla Memory Foam Pillows arrived in colorful, Layla-branded boxes. On one hand, we applaud the company for not using more cardboard than necessary to ship the pillows. But on the other hand, we felt rather “lucky” that they arrived safely since prominently-branded boxes are easier to identify (and therefore steal) during the shipping and delivery process.
After taking the pillows out of the boxes, we found each one was securely wrapped in plastic. After cutting the plastic open, the pillows appeared to start expanding. However, “appeared” is the operative word here. That’s because when we checked back 30 minutes, an hour, two hours – even three hours later, the pillows hadn’t made much progress. We ended up putting them in the dryer for 10 minutes, and the pillows came out nice and fluffy.
Fortunately, we did not experience any off-gassing smells.
Temperature regulation
5 out of 5 stars
Regarding temperature regulation, the Layla Memory Foam Pillow did not trap body heat, which made it quite comfortable to sleep on. Some pillows are actually cool to the touch. We wouldn’t go as far as to say that these pillows were “cool” to the touch. However, they definitely weren’t warm at any time. We tested them during a cold spell, so our tester also had a weighted blanket and luxe faux fur throw on the bed.
However, even when sleeping under the extra bedding, we never woke up hot and sweaty with the pillow. We attribute this to the mixture of open cell memory foam and breathable polyester fibers – in fact, Layla states that the cover is woven from the same polyester fabric used in exercise apparel because of its breathable traits.
Firmness and support
4 out of 5 stars
The Layla Memory Foam Pillow provided a cushiony yet supportive experience in every position. When our tester slept on her side (which was most of the time) she left all of the fill inside of the pillow. However, when she slept on her back and stomach, she removed some of the foam (to mimic the level of support that back and stomach sleepers would desire). She never woke up with neck or back pain.
However, it should be noted that although our tester was quite comfortable on her side, we know that some side sleepers prefer a really high loft. If you fall in that category, you may prefer a pillow with more fill. For example, the Layla Kapok Pillow provides an extra bag of fill, so you can make the pillow really high.
Also, after sleeping on the pillow, we had to fluff it each morning (or toss it into the dryer on the “Warm Up” or “Air Fluff” setting).
Layla Memory Foam Pillow review: user reviews
Reviews on the Layla Memory Foam Pillow were not plentiful (perhaps because the Layla Kapok Pillow is so popular). There were only 8 ratings on Amazon, with an average rating of 3.4. (60% gave it 5 stars, and 40% gave it 1 star, and there were no in-between ratings- so this seems to be a pillow that you either love or hate). Only one of the eight people left an actual review – and gave the pillow one star – but stated that the pillow was a very good quality and thought it would be great for other people, but since they had severe neck issues and numerous surgeries, it did not work for them.
On the Layla site, there were 245 reviews – and they were overwhelmingly positive. Buyers (and their partners) found the pillow comfortable and supportive, and said it contributed to a good night’s sleep. Several reviews also praised the ability to customize the pillow by adding or removing fill. One reviewer even takes the pillow on trips.
Should you buy the Layla Memory Foam Pillow?
After over two weeks testing the Layla Memory Foam Pillow, we’ve fallen in love with it. For side sleepers, the pillow provides the right combination of comfort and support (although if you want a really high loft, this may not work for you). For back and stomach sleepers, removing some of the fill can help them find the right level of support to keep the neck and spine in alignment. However, since the pillow gets flat, they may not need to adjust it at all after one night.
Speaking of flatness, that’s perhaps the only fault that we could find with the Layla Memory Foam Pillow. Having to refluff or air dry if you want a higher loft is rather tedious. Otherwise, the pillow provides a luxurious experience that is incredibly comfortable. The cover is also machine washable, which makes the pillow easy to care for – and if you want to wash the whole pillow, that’s an option as well.
Layla provides a 120-night trial, and a 5 year warranty, so you have plenty of time to decide if the pillow meets your needs or not.
The company also makes the Layla Kapok Pillow, which is on our list of the best bed pillows of 2023, and retails for $109 for a queen. It also has adjustable fill, but also comes with extra fill if you want to create a higher loft. The Kapok pillow also contains natural Kapok fibers (that have been harvested from the seeds of Kapok trees and is designed to create a down-like feeling).
If you want more cooling features, the Casper Foam Pillow with Snow Technology uses HeatDelete Bands to direct heat away, and also uses AirScape perforated foam to increase airflow. It’s actually cool to the touch, which may be more important if you suffer from night sweats.
However, the Layla Memory Foam Pillow is still a good choice due to its versatility and because it does provide some level of cooling. It also has an uber-inviting cover that’s a joy to sleep on, and is easy to care for.
