The 10 best pillows of 2024 for all sleep styles and budgets

Selecting the best pillow can be tricky, with so many personal factors to consider. Firm or soft, side sleeper or back, you'll almost certainly be looking for things that others are not. With that in mind, we've tested a selection of the best pillows in 2024, spanning a range of sleep styles and budgets.

The best pillows don't have to set you back very much, and some of the pillows on this list retail for as low as £14. However, if you can spend that little bit more on a premium option, we've got you covered there, too.

Whether you're after one of the best cooling pillows to regulate temperatures at night-time, or the best thin pillows to provide support whilst lying on your front, you'll find various options below. And if you're unsure how to find the right pillow for you, we've consulted with several sleep experts for insight on how to choose something that'll keep you comfy and aligned too, so you can find everything you need in this one-stop guide. 

The quick list

Best pillow overall

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The soft, breathable cover of this Emma memory foam pillow encases three separate layers of support and makes this the best pillow pick for us. The top is cold foam, which, according to the makers, helps to keep your spine aligned, making this one of the best pillows for back pain. The second layer is a softer Airgocell foam layer, aiding sleep by letting your head softly sink into the pillow. Finally, an adaptive visco-elastic memory foam layer will distribute and relieve pressure evenly for a good night’s sleep. The pillow is also designed to allow you to remove layers, depending on what kind of sleeper you are, in order to have a night’s sleep that’s right for you.

Removing or adding layers will make this pillow thicker or thinner, depending on your preferences. Emma’s recommendation is that side sleepers keep the pillow with all three, as they will need more support in the neck area. Front sleepers should use just one, while back sleepers can use two. Our side sleeper found the three layers super supportive, while our restless, position-changing sleeper preferred two layers— the comfort and the memory foam combined. It gave the right level of softness as well as helped to keep the spine aligned, whether they were on their side or back.

If you're wondering how to sleep better, then this pillow is a sound investment, and with a reasonable price point (check out the best Emma mattress sales and deals, too, if you're looking to upgrade your entire sleep set-up).

Our Emma Memory Foam Pillow review has the full details.

And, browse the latest Emma Mattress discount codes to save money on your purchase. 

Best pillow for back sleepers

Filled with New Zealand wool, this medium-firm Soak & Sleep New Zealand Wool pillow was both supportive enough for our back sleeper but also soft enough for a more than sound night for our restless sleeper, making it our best pillow choice for back sleepers. It fitted beautifully under the head, gently shaping to cradle the contours of the neck and shoulder, which ensured there was no neck stiffness in the morning.

To keep it from compacting, we just massaged the filling a bit and it was back to its usual medium-firm plumpness in no time. Wool is naturally temperature-regulating and dust-mite resistant, making this a good choice for allergy sufferers, too. If you're wondering how to wash pillows, another plus to this Soak & Sleep option is that the whole pillow is machine washable, and the brand recommends doing this every 6-12 months (though you should wash your pillowcase much more often), before tumble-drying for best results.

A five-year guarantee applies that'll cover your purchase in case of a manufacturing flaw. Whilst the company offers a generous one-year return window, it's only applicable for unopened, unused products. In other words, there's no real trial period offered here, so keep that in mind before you buy.

Our Soak & Sleep New Zealand Wool pillow review has the full details.

Best pillow for neck pain

This contoured ergonomic Tempur Original Support pillow is one of the best pillows for neck pain. It has been specifically designed to cradle the neck and shoulders, to provide a neck-pain-free night. Made from a visco-elastic material first developed by NASA to provide pilots with a comfortable seat when flying, Tempur began making mattresses from this material in the 1990s. 

Their Original Support pillow is very firm and the unconventional, almost rigid curved shape means it’s best suited to those who experience neck pain, those who sleep on their back or side, and people who are looking for tips on how to improve your posture and you've been recommended a firmer pillow. The shape, and the memory foam filling itself—which gently moulds itself to your shape when sleeping and springs back to its original shape afterwards — definitely take a little time to get used to, particularly if you’ve always had a traditional style pillow. But many say it’s well worth persevering for a couple of weeks for a pain-free experience. 

It was the most ‘Marmite’ of all the pillows we tested, and it's certainly not going to suit everyone. However, after a few days our back sleeper had gotten used to the rigidity of the pillow, and found it helped them sleep a little sounder with no recurrence of recent neck pain, allowing them to fall asleep fast and get a restful night's sleep.

Best pillow for combi sleepers

Like the Simba mattress, the Simba pillow is in-demand because of their next-gen sleep technology. And we love the latest version of their Hybrid Pillow, which now features heat-phase technology called Stratos, which helps the body maintain the perfect sleep temperature, effectively storing and releasing heat for when you're cold and moving it away from you when you get too warm.

We really liked the fact that the loose filling of soft memory foam cubes was encased in a zip pocket, allowing us to remove as much or as little as we liked to create a bespoke sleeping experience. When it arrived, with all its filling intact it was quite deep even for our side sleeper, but once we’d taken out a few handfuls of the cubes to adjust the height and firmness, it was very comfortable. The Stratosfabric technology—inspired by technology originally designed for astronauts—solved a common memory foam pillow problem of overheating, too. The technology works to keep your body temperature steady all night by absorbing, storing and releasing heat, making it a great option for those who are always stuck with how to get back to sleep during a restless night.

The cubes are also sandwiched between a hypoallergenic mineral-enriched fiber called Aerelle Cool Night, which dissipates heat and a durable microfiber padding for softness. If you're looking to upgrade the rest of your bedding at the same time as purchasing the pillow, check out the best Simba mattress deals.

Our Simba Hybrid Pillow review has the full details.

Best budget pillow

Just like the duvet of the same name, this Silentnight Airmax pillow has lovely, squishy marshmallow plumpness. It was so big we had to use an oversized pillowcase to cover it. Don’t be fooled, though, this box construction hollow fibre pillow is really supportive, and at such a low price, it was also one of the best value pillows we tested. Even though it’s very much on the soft end of the scale, our dedicated side sleeper actually found it firm enough for a comfortable night’s rest, so it's a good option for many different sleepers. 

However, it’s the improved airflow from the meshed material strip that runs through the centre of this pillow that makes the difference. It definitely helped to circulate the air and keep our over-heater cool and rested, with no need for the usual pillow turning to get the cool side in the middle of the night. It’s hypoallergenic and machine washable at 40˚C, plus it has a two-year guarantee—all things that added up to make it the best budget pillow we tested.

Our Silentnight Airmax pillow review has the full details.

Best pillow for side sleepers

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This adjustable option from Kally Sleep consists of a breathable cotton cover with a zip, which holds up to four inserts, meaning the firmness and height of the pillow is adjustable each night. Our front and side sleeper found that both sleeping positions felt very comfortable when using just two of the inserts within the polycotton case, making this one of the best pillows for side sleepers. But if you're a back sleeper, or just someone who likes your pillow to be on the firmer side, three or four inserts definitely makes for a thick, supportive pillow that still doesn't feel too high.

As well as being hypoallergenic, the pillow features 'air vents' which result in a highly breathable pillow, so if you're someone who gets very hot at night, this cooling effect would be perfect. For such a comfortable, versatile and soft pillow, this Kally Sleep option is surprisingly affordable, too. The only downside our tester found is that the pillow does need to be fluffed fairly regularly, but this isn't too much of an issue. While the adjustable nature of the pillow means that it will suit any type of sleeper, we found that it was most ideal for side sleepers and front sleepers especially, as it provided adequate support between and head and neck while sleeping, but wasn't too firm as to cause stiffness or neck pain.

Best pillow for allergy sufferers

One of our testers suffers from hay fever as well as aggravating eczema, so we were keen to try this Slumberdown Allergy Protection pillow, one of the few that has the Allergy UK seal of approval.

It's filled with synthetic fibres that have been specially treated to combat dust mites, one of the biggest causes of night-time allergies and asthma. It has a medium-dense, soft filling that’s a good all-round option if you sleep in a variety of different positions during the night; although our side sleeper did need two of these pillows in order to ensure proper spine alignment and avoid a stiff neck in the morning. It’s machine washable at 40˚C, has a breathable 100% cotton cover, and at just £12.50 for a set of two (measuring 48x 74cm), we felt it was one of the best value pillows we tested, too.

Best feather down pillow

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This Hungarian goose down pillow from White Company is unbelievably soft and light and feels akin to sleeping on a cloud with its gentle support. lt's supposedly the founder's favorite from their range and we can see why. 

This plush pillow includes three chambers, each with a slightly firmer feather and down inner core which is then surrounded by goose down and fine feather: the outer filling is 90% Hungarian goose down, 10% goose feather and the inner core is 85% duck feather and 15% duck down. The end result is a supremely soft pillow that offers a surprising level of support

So what makes Hungarian goose down better than duck? Quite simply, Hungarian geese produce some of the best down so it's a real marker of quality. It's naturally breathable and holds its shape, quickly springing back to life after a night of slumber. We tested this pillow during colder weather and during a heatwave and were impressed at how temperature-regulating it was in both cases, too. 

Our tester is a side and back sleeper and found this below was great for both (we did put an additional pillow below for additional support but this might not be necessary for everyone). For a feather pillow, it's surprisingly plump and supportive - as you can see in our picture of it side-by-side with another regular (non-feather) pillow.

Performance aside, this pillow just looks good. The casing is beautiful with a subtle pinstripe and 239-thread cotton meaning it would also make a great housewarming gift - or even a wedding gift. Yes, this pillow is an investment - but it's very reasonably priced for what you get.

Best premium pillow

The Tempur Comfort Pillow Original offers great support for all sleepers, whether you lie on your side, front or back. Made of supportive memory foam, it's sturdy and heavy, so you can count on it to take care of your body where it really needs it while you sleep, as it adjusts its support levels depending on the position you are in. 

We found that this pillow moulded incredibly well to our heads and necks when we drifted off to sleep, and it also offered brilliant support. However, memory foam isn't for everyone, and it's worth noting that it generates a bit of heat after a few hours of sleeping. The Tempur Comfort is fairly expensive, too, so that's something to factor into your buying decision; but it does offer a great guarantee, is very easy to care for (the cover is machine washable), and provides the incredible support that we've come to expect from the Tempur brand. If you're used to restless nights, this comfy pillow and a couple of the best sleep aids will help you drift off no matter what your sleeping position.

Our Tempur Comfort Pillow Original review has the full details.

Best pillow for cooling

This pillow is a part of Simba's Stratos range and it is designed to support your head and neck all whilst keeping you cool with its Stratos heat control technology. The pillow delivers soft to medium support, which is ideal if you like to stack your pillows and have a little more height when sleeping. 

Homes writer Emily Smith tried out the pillows and was extremely impressed with how effective the cooling technology was. She says, "I always struggle with being way too warm when I sleep, so much so it can keep me up through the night. So when I used these pillows I was really shocked to notice a difference straight away. The pillow never became uncomfortably warm like other ones I've had before, it stayed cool to the touch even when I woke up in the morning." 

The cotton cover with heat control tech sandwiches a soft layer of Simba Renew Bio Clusters which gives the pillow that welcoming mouldable feeling when you rest your head on it. Emily says, "I would say the pillows need to be stacked despite the medium support, they're just a slight bit too soft to use on their own for my liking however if you're a back sleeper then they could be the perfect height." 

Overall, this pillow is certainly worth the money and if you struggle with feeling overly warm on a night then we'd certainly recommend Simba's Stratos range, duvet included. 

Emily Smith

After completing her Masters in Magazine Journalism, Emily joined the Woman & Home team as a Digital News writer. She now covers everything lifestyle from home and interior trends to the latest cleaning hacks and celebrity gardening advice.  

How we tested for the best pillows

Homes expert Ysanne Brooks has spent over a decade writing about the best buys for people's homes and she tested each pillow over several nights in a range of different sleeping positions - front, side, back, and all three at once (e.g. restless) - to ascertain the comfort and support of each pillow in each position.

She tested a variety of pillows from across the market, at a range of different price points—all with different fillings and benefits. Other members of the woman&home team including Hannah Holway, Kenedee Fowler and Anna Paul also tested some of the latest pillows, considering the following. 

• Support and comfort of each pillow: We evaluated how comfortable each pillow was to sleep on for six-eight hours (it's the most important thing after all!) and how supported her head, neck and shoulders felt after the night's sleep.
• Breathability: We also assessed how cool/breathable each pillow felt, questioning whether our head and/or neck had overheated during the night.
• Hypoallergenic benefits: We also looked at the supposed hypoallergenic properties of those that state that they have those benefits, by judging how stuffy our nose felt each morning.
• Any potential issues: We also looked at the potential for those little niggles that might have someone regretting their purchase—such as fillings that clump or feathers that poke through the casing.
• Value-for-money: Finally, we noted the value-for-money of each pillow, and whether her night's sleep was worth the price—or whether a more affordable choice would offer the same experience.

How do I choose the best pillow for me?

There are a few things to consider when purchasing a new pillow, including...

Your sleeping position

Everyone's pillow needs will vary depending on which position they sleep in each night. "When it comes to the best pillow for your dominant sleep position (how you initially lay when you fall into bed), you'll want to keep firmness and loft (height) in mind," according to Amelia Jerden, certified sleep science coach and staff writer at Sleepopolis. "For each position, it’s most important to ensure that the sleeper’s neck is in line with the rest of their spine, so not craning upwards or dipping down too far", she adds. Different pillows will suit different needs, including:

• Back sleepers: As a general rule, back sleepers should choose a pillow with medium thickness. "Back sleepers should consider firm support that helps to align the spine, neck and shoulders," says a spokesperson at Simba.
• Side sleepers: Simba's spokesperson tells us that when it comes to side sleepers, "a soft pillow that stops the neck from being strained at night is best." Pillows for side sleepers should also be on the firmer side, to maintain alignment for their body while they sleep.
• Front sleepers: "For those who prefer to sleep on their front, a medium-firm pillow is recommended to support the neck and shoulders and prevent aches and pains", says Simba's spokesperson. This is why thinner pillows can be good for people who sleep often on the front, and who may use their arm to prop up their head in the night.
• Combi sleepers: If you’re a restless sleeper and find yourself settling on different sleeping positions throughout the night, choosing the pillow for your dominant sleeping position may help. Or you could opt for an adjustable pillow, that gives you control over the height and fill: "having a pillow that allows you to adjust to your sleeping style can mean if your sleeping style changes, you can adapt your pillow to suit," explains a spokesperson at Simba.

Your budget

Pillows can vary wildly in price, so setting your budget is vital.

• Most affordable: These are often synthetic pillows, e.g, those not made out of natural materials but man-made. They are often hypo-allergenic and can be very comfortable, however, they may not last as long as pricier pillows.
• Mid-price: These pillows usually use synthetic fillings too, such as microfiber or memory foam. These will meet the vast majority of different sleepers' needs.
• Most expensive: Often, those with more luxurious fillings (such as feather and down), will be more expensive. These are often the cushiony, marshmallow-like pillows that you might have slept on in hotels.