The 9 best pillows for all sleep styles and budgets

Choosing the best pillow for a good night's sleep can be difficult, with lots of personal factors to consider, but the right choice can vastly improve your quality of sleep.

A good pillow isn't just a matter of comfort - it's an important item for supporting your head, neck and spine while you sleep, which encourages proper alignment, and can reduce pressure and prevent aches and pains.

With that in mind, we've put a range of the best pillows to the test, spanning various budgets and designs to suit different sleep styles. That said, a great pillow doesn't necessarily set you back very much. Some of the pillows we've included in this buying guide cost as little as £14, but there are also premium options if you're looking to spend a little more. If you're don't have time to read the whole guide and were hoping for a quick recommendation, our top pick is the Emma Memory Foam pillow because it's breathable, pressure-relieving and adjustable according to your preferred sleep position.

Whether you're after one of the best pillows for neck pain to ease stiffness and reduce discomfort or want to know the best thin pillows to choose for front sleeping, you'll find something suitable here. To help guide you towards choosing the best pillow from this list, we asked several sleep experts - including Chrissie Rucker OBE, who is the founder of The White Company and passionate about the importance of sleep quality, and Amelia Jerden, a certified sleep science coach and staff writer at Sleepopolis - to share their insights on how to choose the perfect pillow.

To test these pillows thoroughly, we asked homes expert Ysanne Brooks , who has spent over a decade writing about the best buys for people's homes, to sleep with each pillow over several nights to ascertain the comfort and support offered by each pillow. We chose pillows at a range of different price points, each with different fibres, fillings and benefits. For diversity of opinion, we also asked other members of the woman&home team, including Caramel Quin, Hannah Holway, Kenedee Fowler and Anna Paul, to put some pillows to the test in a range of different sleeping positions - front, side, back, and all three at once (e.g. restless).

Best pillows: The quick list

The best pillows, tried and tested by us

Best pillow overall

The soft, breathable cover of this Emma memory foam pillow encases three separate layers of support and makes this our best pillow overall. 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 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 has removable layers, so you can adjust it according to what kind of sleeper you are.

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 need more neck support. Front sleepers should use just one layer, while back sleepers can use two. Our side sleeper found the three layers super supportive, while our restless, position-changing sleeper preferred two layers. 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.

Our Emma Memory Foam Pillow review has the full details.

Best cooling pillow

The Luff Sleep The Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow is designed to solve the problem of feeling too warm overnight, whether that's because of hot flushes or warm temperatures outdoors. One side of the foam pillow has a cooling layer of gel beneath the 'ice fabric', and the other is made of bamboo fabric for a more comfortable (but less cooling) experience.

"The gel is really impressively cooling," says our tester, Caramel Quin. "On a hot night, I could honestly imagine I was resting my head on ice. Combined with the foam in the CloudTech filling, I often found myself drifting off whenever I put my head on this pillow - whether it was time for bed or not. It's very comfortable."

While this is one of the best cooling pillows you could choose, it won't stay cool all night. "Once you do fall asleep, the cooling power only lasts so long," Caramel warns. "I slept soundly but, when I woke up, I moved my head to a new cool patch. I wasn’t overheating, it had just lost that lovely ice feeling." Adding your own pillowcase over the top also cuts the cooling properties, so it's best without.

Read our Luff Sleep Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow review here.

Best pillow for front sleepers

While experts recommend the best thing for front sleepers is to find another position, that might not be possible for everyone. Luckily, you have pillows like the Tempur Ombracio Smartcool, which are useable no matter how you sleep - but specifically designed for front sleepers. The cross shape means it conforms to the silhouette of your head and neck, helping to alleviate pressure and give you a better night's sleep as you can cross your arms underneath it.

The memory foam also makes this pillow more comfortable for front sleepers as it means your head is closer to the mattress. It doesn't take your head too high off the bed, comments our tester, Caramel Quin. "It has a super-squishy feel that's both comfortable and supportive as it compresses around the shape of your head."

Of course, you'll struggle to find a pillowcase that conforms to the shape of this pillow - and it's not the most affordable option but given the sleep benefits it brought, our tester says it's well worth the money.

Read our full Tempur Ombracio Smartcool Pillow review here.

Best pillow for side sleepers

The Simba Hybrid Firm pillow has been specifically designed as one of the best pillows for side sleepers, with stackable layers ensuring the pillow is completely customisable to your support preferences.

The two inner pillows are made from soft, recycled fibres (called Simba Renew) and foam-enclosed titanium alloy springs. If you like firm pillows, put the springy layer at the top. If you like soft pillows, put the springy layer at the bottom, and if you like medium pillows, use it as a middle layer.

"I immediately loved the versatility of this pillow. Not every type works for every person with neck pain, and having tested many pillows recently, it's become clearer than ever to me how important adaptability is," says tester Caramel Quin. "Personally, even though I'm a side-sleeper, I found all three layers too plump, so I settled on using two. It's so comfortable now."

If you can afford to spend this much on a pillow, you won’t be disappointed, Caramel assures. "The 30-day trial period also means it’s risk-free - you have enough time to experiment with all the stacking combinations and return the pillow if none of them work for you. I think one of them will though," she says.

Read our full Simbra Hybrid Firm pillow review here.

Best classic pillow

Sometimes, you don't need memory foam or new technology to make a good pillow. The Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow proves this, filled with almost 600g of 100% (traceable) British wool, sustainably sourced in Devon.

"I wasn't too sure about this pillow at the beginning, being used to newer materials and heat-evaporating technologies now, but it edged its way to the top of my list after the second night. It feels like an old pillow, the type you might find at a country estate home, but it's surprisingly supportive and very comfortable," says tester Caramel Quin. "It didn’t feel bare or past its best. The filling didn’t vanish, it was there when I needed it."

Surprisingly, it's also fairly adjustable. "Given the shape and materials, I felt like I wanted to fluff it up continuously to give it some extra body. The fact you can actually access the pillow's filling through the discreet zip means you can really do this. You can also buy extra wool to make the pillow firmer, should you want to," says Caramel.

As well as being a winner for temperature regulation, the wool in the pillow is hypoallergenic and Allergy UK certified, so it may help any allergy sufferers to sleep more soundly. However, The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow gets the top spot for that one.

For more details, take a look at our full Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Pillow review.

Best pillow for allergies

If you are allergic to fibres typically found in pillows, it's best to speak to an allergy specialist and your GP to figure out which materials would work best for you. Out of the allergy-friendly pillows we tested, however, the Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow came out on top.

Perhaps most importantly for allergy sufferers, you can wash the pillow - a rarity even in our list of best pillows. "It’s designed for home washing at 40°C and you can tumble dry it as well, so you can wash your pillow at home properly," says our tester, Caramel Quin. "Just don’t bleach, dry clean or use laundry sanitiser on The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow. The aim is to keep the good bacteria alive to eat up allergens."

Otherwise, it's a very standard pillow, she says. "It feels pleasant to rest your head on and fairly comfortable, although I didn't sleep brilliantly on it on the first night - I think it takes some getting used to. By night three, I was used to it," she says. This isn't an all-singing, all-dancing pillow like the Simba Firm Hybrid, but it's certainly supportive for a good night's sleep.

Read more in our full review of The Fine Bedding Company Allergy Defence Pillow

Best budget pillow

Just like the duvet of the same name, this Silentnight Airmax pillow has a lovely, squishy 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 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 seemed to help to circulate the air and keep our overheater 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 add up to make it the best budget pillow we tested.

Our Silentnight Airmax pillow review has the full details.

Best recycled pillow

Pillows have been made from feathers and down for centuries but much of this traditional filling is a byproduct of the meat industry or harvested cruelly. If you're looking for a featherdown without this reputation, try the EarthKind Feather & Down Medium Support Pillow. Handmade in Britain, it uses recycled feather filling and down, with a naturally breathable cover.

While this missed a place on expert tester Caramel's favourite pillows list ("If you like feather and down pillows, you’ll love this, but it didn't grab me," she says), our other testers loved how comfortable and supportive it was. Overall, it was ideal for side sleepers - but even a couple of front sleepers gave it rave reviews.

The good news is as well, this pillow can be thrown in the washing machine at 40 degrees and cleaned, making it an easy addition to the home.

For more information, read our full EarthKind Feather & Down Medium Support Pillow review.

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 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 the excellent 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.

How we tested for the best pillows

Homes expert Ysanne Brooks has spent over a decade writing about the best homeware products 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 at a range of different price points - all with different fillings and benefits. Other members of the woman&home editorial team including Caramel Quin, Hannah Holway, Kenedee Fowler and Anna Paul, also tested some of the pillows, on this list. Here's what our pillow testers took into consideration when sharing their feedback:

• Support and comfort: Our testers rated each pillow for comfort based on sleeping for six to eight hours (it's the most important thing after all!) as well as how supported their head, neck and shoulders felt during use and upon waking.
• Breathability: We assessed how cool/breathable each pillow felt, noting 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 the night's sleep was worth the price — or whether a more affordable choice would likely 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 sleep specialist from 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."

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 more expensive 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.

How often should you replace pillows?

Wondering how often should you change your pillows? Even if you look after your pillows correctly, they're not made to last forever. Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company, says that we should "replace pillows every two to four years. If they feel flat or lumpy they won’t give your head and neck the gentle support required to ensure you wake up free of aches and pains.”

“Never underestimate the incredible difference the right pillow will make," Rucker adds. "It can transform how comfortable we feel, eradicate neck and back pain, alleviate allergies, improve how well we sleep and, as a result, how well we feel."

Kenedee Fowler

Kenedee Fowler has been sharing her expertise with woman&home since September 2022, testing products, writing reviews and scouting out the best deals. Before this, Kenedee was a home editorial fellow for Insider Reviews, where she wrote product reviews across the homes vertical. Kenedee is a graduate of the number one journalism school in the US, the University of Missouri - Columbia.

Caramel Quinn

Caramel Quin is an experienced journalist and author who tests products for newspapers, magazines and online. Caramel’s specialist subjects are gadgets, technology and the environment, often reviewing homeware gadgets including everything from coffee machines to vacuums. Her work appears regularly in publications including the Evening Standard and Ideal Home. She has appeared as a technology expert on the BBC, Sky News and GMTV, and done countless radio interviews.

Ysanne Brooks

Journalist Ysanne Brooks spent 10 years working on the specialist magazine, 25 Beautiful Kitchens, nine of those as editor. She now combines supplement editing and freelance feature writing for interiors magazines and websites with a new venture as a budding ceramicist.