1. Best cooling pillow
2. Best firm pillow
3. Best soft pillow
4. Best feather pillow
5. Best memory foam
6. Best affordable pillow
Choosing the best pillow for your requirements can mean the difference between restful, restorative slumber, and a broken night's overheated sleep resulting in a stiff neck the next morning. If you can never get comfy at night and you're constantly waking up tired and grumpy, it might be time to find a new pillow, and we can help you pick the perfect option (we can also help you work out whether you're sleeping on the wrong pillow).
Below you'll find a selection of the best pillows, including options from some of the best mattress and best duvet brands such as Simba and Emma, with all the fillings you're likely to want. As well as traditional feather fill, we also have memory foam and fibre-filled pillows, in a range of firmness options and depths, so no matter how you sleep you should be able to find the most suitable place to rest your head. You'll even find cooling pillows and hypoallergenic options, as well as pillows with adjustable firmness for a custom sleep experience.
There's something here for every budget, and to make choosing easier for you've ranked every pillow according to its stand-out feature, so if you know what your priority is you can instantly jump to the one that's likely to be the best fit for you. And because getting used to a new pillow can take a bit of time, we've also noted whether each pillow comes with a risk-free trial so that you can buy with confidence.
Got all that? Then let's take a look at the best pillows for sleeping available now.
The best pillows in 2023 – as chosen by experts
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Best cooling pillow
Our best pillow pick right now is the REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow. It's a memory foam pillow with a cooling gel insert to help prevent you getting a hot head in the night, and it's our favourite option from REM-Fit's extensive range of pillows (as well as its best-seller). In our REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow review, our reviewer found it to be a firm pillow with just enough 'sink' to cradle her head, and while she usually sleeps on a pair of soft pillows, she found this one comfortable enough to use on its own.
Our reviewer tends to sleep on her side, and for her the REM-Fit 500 was just the right height and firmness for that; she did find, however, that it was a little too firm for her to sleep comfortably on her back and stomach. Your mileage may, of course, vary. And while this REM-Fit pillow isn't quite as laser-focused on cooling as the comparable REM-Fit Snow Pillow, its gel insert and moisture-wicking cover seem to do the job, and at no point did she feel it getting too warm for comfort.
The cover's machine-washable, but no-one would blame you for putting your own pillowcase on it so that it better matches your bedding. And while the RRP of this one's just a little steep, it's regularly discounted by around 50%, making it a mucn more appealing buy.
- Read more: REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow review
Best firm pillow
Simba’s Hybrid Firm pillow is the more expensive out of the brand’s two pillow offerings, the cheaper being the standard Simba Hybrid. For the extra cash, the Hybrid Firm gives you the option to adapt the firmness to suit the way you sleep to give proper comfort and support. It does this with three removable layers – two softer polyester layers and one firmer layer with springs encased in foam – which you switch around as you see fit. Side sleepers can use all three layers, placing the firmer layer at the bottom, middle or top, while back sleepers may find it cosier to sleep on two layers – one firm, one soft. In our Simba Hybrid Firm pillow review, we found it breathable and airy yet cosy.
The pillow comes with a cooling cotton zipped case, and the polyester layers and case can be washed at 40°C and tumble-dried. Although pricey, this high-quality pillow is incredibly versatile for most people, including hot sleepers (keep an eye out for a Simba sale or deal to take the price down). While front sleepers might find it too firm, combination sleepers and back sleepers will love the support and versatility on offer.
- Read more: Simba Hybrid Firm pillow review
Best soft pillow
If you’re after a super-soft option then the Emma Premium Microfibre Pillow offers plush support with two layers – a flat layer and a bulky layer. These layers can be used separately for different firmnesses or placed together within the neat zip-up case. The flat layer is ideal for stomach sleepers, while the bulky layer is comfortable for back sleepers, and both together can give side-sleepers and sleepers who are taller or heavier the support and spine alignment they need.
Filled with a fluffy down-alternative, the pillow is also ideal if you suffer from allergies, plus it’s 100% machine washable. You can also say goodbye to lumps, as this pillow has no clumping. The cover is quick-drying and cool, ideal for keeping you comfortable during warmer nights.
In our Emma Premium Microfibre pillow review we were impressed by the pillow's luxurious feel and adjustable height, as well as by how its cooling properties resulted in a very comfortable night's sleep indeed. It's very soft but surprisingly supportive, although we concluded that side sleepers might feel more comfortable with a second pillow to provide that important bit of extra support.
Emma provides free delivery, a 30-night trial and free returns if the pillow isn’t suitable, plus a full money-back guarantee on all its pillows within the 30-night trial. And remember that Emma mattress sales often extend to bedding, which means that you can regularly get this pillow for half price.
- Read more: Emma Premium Microfibre pillow review
Best feather pillow
Luxury UK brand Scooms brings together a blend of ethically sourced goose down and feather to create an anti-allergy medium-support pillow, which is also breathable, resilient and plump. The pillow’s 85% Hungarian goose feather core sits between ‘chambers’ of 90% Hungarian goose down for a super-cosy feel. The cover is just as luxurious using a high-thread-count super-soft cotton that has a tight weave to keep dust mites at bay. Eco-conscious sleepers will appreciate the plastic-free packaging, plus the pillow also comes with a reusable fabric bag for storage. The pillow is designed in the UK and made in Hungary.
There’s no sleep trial with this pillow, but there is a 30-night return period if the pillow is unused, unwashed and in its packaging. So while you can’t sleep on it if you’re unsure, you can at least get a feel for its firmness before you decide if it’s for you or not. Each pillow comes with a three-year guarantee.
Best memory foam
The first thing you’ll notice with the Panda Pillow is the not-so-cosy-looking shape – but don’t let that put you off. This memory-foam pillow is designed to give your head and neck proper support with the latest memory foam technology, which doesn’t lose its shape or density, and remains comfortable for all sleepers.
The pillow is wrapped in a soft and naturally breathable bamboo cover, which offers plenty of airflow and coolness. What’s more, bamboo is a sustainable material, and is naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic, keeping away dust mites and bed bugs. This pillow also comes with an in-built layer of added protection with a strong and breathable mesh fabric stitched around the memory foam. This will keep the pillow intact and also protects it from dust and dirt.
If you’re yet to experience a memory foam pillow but are undecided about whether it’s the right choice for you, then Panda will let you try the pillow for 30 nights. If it’s not for you, then you can return it for free and get your money back.
Best affordable pillow
If you sleep hot, then this could be the pillow for you. Top UK sleep brand Silentnight brings cooling to its pillow with its own Airmax technology that “creates a pocket of air between the layers for extra insulation and softness”. In other words, there’s plenty of breathability, comfort and refreshing sleep on offer with mesh sides promoting good airflow, ideal for pairing with a lighter cotton pillowcase.
The medium-firmness 100% polyester pillow with supportive foam core is ideal for side-sleepers. The pillow is also hypoallergenic, being gentle to skin without any materials that are likely to trigger allergies. The pillow is practical too, and can be cleaned in the machine at 40°C to keep it feeling fresh. Silentnight’s UK-made pillow also comes with a 2-year guarantee. However, what makes the SIlentnight Airmax a real draw is its affordable price – ideal if you need to buy multiple pillows for your home.
