The Best Pillows on Amazon for Slipping Into the Greatest Sleep of Your Life

The Best Pillow, Overall: Coop Home Goods Eden Pillow

Back sleepers, go ahead and buy this pillow and skip the rest of the article, because GQ editors freaking love this freaking pillow. Yes, it deserves two “freakings.” You might not expect a pillow on Amazon that costs under $100 to provide you with such stellar sleep, but it does. To date, every GQ team member who's tried this pillow has unanimously agreed that it's the pillow to beat, and it's a good choice for all sleeping styles thanks to its generous loft. Plus, this pillow comes with an extra bag of memory foam fill, so you can plump up (or de-plump) the Eden pillow until it has the exact right level of firmness.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: Amazon reviewers note that just like with bed-in-a-box mattresses, this pillow might have a slight synthetic smell when it arrives, though this fades quickly. Otherwise, the consensus is clear: this pillow offers softness with support.

The Best Neck Pillow: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR Neck Pillow

Neck pain is no fun, but it's also a fact of life for laptop warriors who've spent the last decade staring at screens of various sizes. So many screens. To give your neck a break, try this GQ award-winning neck pillow from Tempur-Pedic. Previously, we've called this an “ergonomic hunk of a neck pillow” that offers a combination of neck support and a “deliciously soft and foamy surface.” Tempur-Pedic may not be as hip as an up-and-coming DTC brand, but the company has made one of the best memory foam pillows for sale in 2023

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: Shoppers at the ‘Zon buy thousands of these pillows a month, and the most enthusiastic sleepers all say a variation of the same thing: they started sleeping better right away. If you’re searching for the best firm pillows on Amazon, then Tempur-Pedic has your back…and neck.

The Best for Side Sleepers: Sijo Clima Latex Pillow

This pillow was another popular inclusion in our guide to the best pillows for side sleepers. (It's also a great option for folks prone to tossing and turning the night away.) Filled with cooling latex, this pillow has earned our praises for its cooling abilities and medium firmness. So, if the idea of a dense, brick-like pillow is as appalling to you as a marshmallow-like cloud pillow, then add this in-betweener to your sleep routine.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: This pillow has proven popular among GQ staffers, but it doesn't have many reviews from Amazon shoppers yet. The folks who have reviewed it agree that it's a great choice if you're looking for comfort over firm support.

The Best Wedge Pillow: Kӧlbs Bed Wedge Pillow

Wedge pillows have a few different use cases. One of the most popular uses is actually to help you achieve maximum flexibility and superhuman angles while having sex (let's not bother with euphemisms here). However, while Liberator wedge pillows are expert-approved for X-rated fun, this bed wedge pillow has more mundane applications. Wedge pillows like this are popular with people prone to heartburn, snoring, and sleep apnea, and they can also provide good support for your neck and legs.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: This Amazon best-seller has gotten rave five-star reviews from shoppers who bought it while recovering from surgery or battling acid reflux. However, even some of the five-star reviews note that the cover leaves something to be desired.

The Best Cooling Pillow: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow

Tempur-Pedic's popular cooling pillow is sometimes described as a memory foam pillow, but it would be more accurate to call it a hybrid pillow. The memory foam is sandwiched between two cooling gel layers, which work with a removable polyester cover to keep your head as cool as possible at night. Is it as refreshingly cool as the feeling you get when you flip your pillow over on a hot summer's night? Not quite. When bedding companies figure out how to pull off that trick, we'll be willing to pay almost anything.

What Amazon Reviewers Say: This pillow has a lot of enthusiastic fans who love to use exclamation marks and hyperbolic phrases like “holy grail” to describe it. We can't endorse such wanton use of exclamation marks, but Amazon shoppers love how cool(!) and comfortable(!) this pillow is at night.

The Best Luxe Pillow: Saatva Latex Pillow

Saatva is a luxury DTC mattress and bedding brand, but you can purchase their products through Amazon. Just know that you'll have to trade the brand's one-year sleep trial and warranty for Amazon Prime's free shipping and return policy. As for the pillow itself, it's a cooling, comfy pillow crafted from organic materials. This luxe down-alternative pillow will suit side, stomach, and combination sleepers best, and it's also hypoallergenic, if you're prone to sneezing.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: This is one instance where GQ and Amazon shoppers disagree. This pillow only recently became available on Amazon, where it has a whopping six customer reviews. Reviewers either love it or hate it (and some people really hate it), but we have to disagree. We featured this pillow in the GQ Home Awards 2021, when we noted its a perfect pillow for stomach sleepers in particular.

The Best Gel Pillow: Purple Pillow

Purple has brought some impressive technology to bear on their mattress and pillow products, which use a unique hexagon-shaped gel core. The mattresses can be a little too springy for our tastes, but this pillow is the best option for folks who prefer gel cores to memory foam or down fill. The material provides a good in-between option if you don't want a pillow that's too soft or too firm, and this pillow provides just the right balance of support and comfort. You can even adjust the height to your liking, as Purple includes pillow boosters that can add up to 1.5 inches of thickness.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: Folks with neck and shoulder pain love this pillow, and reviewers say that the gel core molds to your neck and head better than memory foam and down alternatives.

The Most Popular Pillow on Amazon: Beckham Hotel Collection, Set of Two

Amazon is overflowing with cheap “hotel pillows,” most of which belong in the trash can, not your bedroom. (Verdict: harsh, but true). However, that doesn't mean cheap bed pillows can't also be high-quality products, and few products on Amazon, in any category, have proven so durably popular as the Beckham Hotel Collection pillow set. If you love the feel of soft old-school down pillows but don't want any baby geese harmed in the making of your pillow, then consider these affordable pillows for your queen or king-sized bed. They'll require some fluffing now and again, but that's the price you pay for extra-soft pillows. In the budget category, you won't find any better Amazon pillows.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: Reviewers agree that these pillows are soft, and they generally mean that in a good way. The brand promises the pillows will hold their shape no matter what, but customers report that some fluffing is required.

The Best Down Pillow: Lincove Cloud Natural Down Pillow

Vegans, cover your eyes. This genuine down pillow is made with Canadian white down for a blissfully soft sleep. On top of that, literally, Lincove has covered these pillows in 500-thread count sateen cotton. Unfortunately, that cotton cover isn't removable, and thus isn't washable, so we do recommend also buying a pillow protector for your purchase. While down alternatives have come close to matching the sensation of true down pillows, the original remains undefeated if you prefer soft-but-supportive pillows that cradle your head and neck.

What Amazon Reviewers Say: Of all the pillows featured in this guide, none have such passionate reviewers as these Lincove pillows. While these pillows can be purchased in soft, medium, and firm, most reviewers recommend buying the medium pillows no matter your sleep preference.

Best Memory Foam Pillow

This is one of those pillows that makes you feel as though you’re being embraced. By that, I mean that it doesn’t make you feel like you’re stuck and can’t move, but you do feel so fully supported that you don’t want to move. It bills itself as having an “orthopedic contour,” and in this case, that means that it has a little memory foam notch at the neck area that contours around your shoulders to aid your spinal alignment. It’s ideal for those with neck or back pain, and it can be used by side, back, or stomach sleepers. It’s also made of 100% high-density memory foam, and it has a super breathable cover so that you don’t feel like it’s holding in heat.

What About Other Customers?

On Amazon, this pillow has 4 stars and nearly 8,000 reviews. A few reviewers with diagnosed back and neck conditions mentioned that their chiropractors or doctors recommended this pillow to them. Generally, the complaints center around the level of firmness. A few people also reported that it was a little less cozy if you’re a side sleeper.

Best Travel Pillow

While this would make an excellent pillow for kids as well, it’s great for those who want a smaller-than-average option to take on a plane or have in their hotel rooms. Not only is it smaller and lighter, the supportive memory foam is sure to offer lots of support if you’re on a plane or train trip. The cover is also cooling and washable, so you don’t have to worry about it holding in heat or germs. This is also a great feature for travel since you’ll definitely want a washable cover that can be refreshed after touching different surfaces during travel.

What About Other Customers?

With more than 1,600 Amazon reviews, this pillow still has 4.5 stars. The majority of the reviews say it's smaller for travel, with some even reporting that they can roll it up and fit it inside a suitcase or backpack. Negative reviews center around the firmness of the pillow.

The Best Contoured Pillow

One of the best aspects of this pillow is that the same level of fill is available in three different versions, including classic, curved, and ultimate. The curved option features a large curve to accommodate your neck and shoulders, which is perfect for side and back sleepers who want to prioritize their alignment. The classic version is the same height as the curved one, but it would be ideal if you’re primarily a stomach or back sleeper. For those who like a super fluffy pillow, the ultimate includes three different removable inserts so that you can try out different heights and customize the pillow exactly to your liking. One to two inserts are ideal for stomach sleepers so your neck isn’t poised at an angle, while two to three inserts are ideal for side and back sleepers. All the options are filled with a down alternative made of microfiber that will help you avert any allergies to actual down feathers. Finally, they’re covered with brushed cotton that’s incredibly breathable and washable.

What About Other Customers?

This pillow has earned 4.5 stars after more than 11,000 customer reviews on Sleep Number’s site. A few customers reported that the king-sized version tended to lose its shape faster than the classic or contoured options. Overall, everyone has said that it maintains its shape well over time and provides the perfect amount of support and give.

The Best Firm Pillow

Calling all fans of firm pillows! This pillow is available in both standard and king sizes, and while you can remove as much or as little of the filling as you want, firm pillow lovers have given it good reviews. The case is also super soft and washable thanks to its rayon and polyester blend. These materials also work to make sure there’s never a disruption of airflow, which means you will stay cool throughout the night.

What About Other Customers?

With more than 59,000 reviews and 4.5 star rating, you know this pillow is a good pick. Most reviewers love that it feels “squishy and soft” while maintaining a super firm feel. Many of the reviewers also said that it helped with their neck pain.

More Pillows on Amazon We Love

The best pillows should be comfortable, naturally. Lucky for you, that's exactly what we love about this pillow. Layla's adjustable pillows are also designed to be cooling and versatile for all sleep positions, and they deliver in both categories. Reasonably priced for a set of two, each pillow is filled with a mix of shredded memory foam and natural kapok fibers (harvested from the seeds of the kapok tree). This pillow has proven to be a big hit among GQ reviewers, and it was included in the GQ 2022 Home Awards. Unlike other cooling pillows, Layla's engineers put as much effort into designing a breathable cover as they did into designing a cooling pillow. The pillow is also adjustable, so if it's too full and firm for your liking, simply remove some of the foam filling until you get it just right.

What Amazon Reviewers Say: Shoppers note that you'll need to give the pillow some time to decompress after it arrives, but once it plumps up, it provides supreme comfort. While this pillow is adjustable, reviewers say it can be tricky to remove the filling to make adjustments.

Is there any bed-in-a-box mattress brand that's better known than Casper? We doubt it. The brand has been eclipsed in recent years as an army of imitators try to plant their flags in the sleep market, but Casper still has some impressive products for anyone searching for a better night's sleep. If you want a Casper pillow to go along with your Casper bed sheets, then add this cooling memory foam pillow to your shopping cart. This is one of the best firm pillows on Amazon in 2023 for sleepers who run warm and prefer more neck support.

What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying: This isn't the most popular Casper pillow on Amazon (nor is it the cheapest), but shoppers searching for cooling pillows are generally impressed by this Casper product.

Some of the best pillows for side sleepers have a unique shape, and this Zoey Sleep product has a contoured edge designed for folks who prefer to fall asleep in the fetal position. Slightly wider than the other pillows featured on this list, it provides a soft sleeping experience. We wouldn't say it's the best pillow for neck pain, but it's a worthy contender.

What Amazon Reviewers Say: This pillow promises to provide relief for neck and shoulder pain, which is a big claim (who is this pillow, our chiropractor?). We can't speak to the medical impacts of this pillow, but some very enthusiastic Amazon shoppers have reported that it did in fact help them wake up with less pain.

GQ takes sleep seriously. And over the years, our editors and product testers have slept on a lot of pillows. We've included our favorites in the GQ Home Awards, and sleep products have proven so popular that we even introduced the GQ Sleep Awards for the first time in 2023. Before giving a pillow our endorsement, we spend a few weeks sleeping with it at a minimum. That results in hundreds of hours of testing for our top sleep products. Not all of the products featured in this guide have been personally tested by GQ team members, and we've chosen a handful of these pillows based on careful research, our previous experience with the brand, and the overall experience of Amazon shoppers.

When evaluating pillows for our readers, our criteria are very simple:

Fill: This is the inner material that gives the pillow that fluffy feeling you crave. Traditionally, goose down feathers were used in the finest pillows, but more recently, memory foam and gel pillows have become the standard for a good night's sleep. New technologies, like Purple's hex-gel cushioning, have also entered the market. If you prefer an old-school feel, down is worth considering, but if you're a hot sleeper or prefer more animal-free sleep products, then you'll sleep better at night on foam.

Care and maintenance: You're washing your bed sheets and pillowcases once a week, right? On second thought, don't answer that question. We don't want to know. Regardless, a lot of bacteria, dust, and dead skin cells can end up on your pillows, so the best pillows should have covers that are easy to wash and clean. We recommend buying a pillow protector for hygiene purposes otherwise.

Outer cover: Lastly, we look at the outer material used on the pillow. The most comfortable pillows in the world are no good if they're encased in a crinkly, uncomfortable cover. Common outer materials include cotton, polyester, and spandex.

Overall comfort: This last criteria is hard to quantify, but it's also the most important. Is it comfy? A new pillow might be comfortable for the first few weeks, but then it might become lumpy or condensed in an awkward way. At the end of the day…and by that we mean at the end of the night, you have to sleep well on the pillow. For hot sleepers, we also consider whether cooling pillows lived up to their promises.