The 6 best pillows for all sleep styles – I've tested over 50 options to shortlist my top recommendations

Finding the best pillow for your sleep style is key to a good night's sleep. That's because – as you may already have realised if you’re tossing and turning at night squishing your current pillow into all kinds of shapes to try and get comfy – when it comes to pillows, one size doesn't fit all.

Just like shopping for the best mattress, finding the best pillow for your best night’s sleep depends on several factors, including your preferred sleeping position – i.e. whether you’re a back, stomach, or side sleeper – how firm a pillow you like, if you have any neck pain, and your preferred choice of filling.

So with all this to factor in, how do you find the right pillow for you? That's where I come in. I'm Ideal Home's Sleep Editor and alongside our wider review team I've spent the last four years putting well over 50 pillows through their paces.

I've tested pillows from all the leading brand names and every loft, filling, and construction possible to bring you my top recommendations below.

The quick list

Short on time? This quick list is an overview of the very best pillows I've tested. You'll find more information on each pillow and why I recommend it if you keep on scrolling.

Best pillows – tried and tested

Best pillow for side sleepers

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If you're a side sleeper, I think the Panda Memory Foam Pillow is one of the best pillows for side sleepers you can buy. I found its rounded rectangular shape, high loft (that's pillow talk for height), and firm memory foam core did a great job of filling the gap between my shoulder and my neck when I laid on my side.

This is exactly what you want as a side sleeper, as the key to a comfortable night's sleep is finding a pillow that keeps your head in alignment with your spine, without your head being lifted so high or dropping so low that a kink forms in your neck.

I've tested a lot of similar memory foam pillows, and this is by far my favourite as although it's firm enough to keep my head raised, it still has enough give to feel cushioned. It does sleep warmer than pillows with natural fillings (such as wool or feather and down) but it still sleeps cooler than most other memory foam options I've tested.

The only caveat is that it only comes in one height, so whether it's the best pillow for you will depend on your body frame – wider shoulders may need more height, and narrower shoulders may need a lower pillow. However, the brand's sleep trial allows you 30 nights to test this pillow out at home to see if it's right for you before you commit.

Our Panda Memory Foam Pillow review has more detail.

Alternatives: if you're a side sleeper with narrow shoulders you might prefer the lower and more squishy Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow or the adjustable Simba Hybrid Pillow. If you have wide shoulders the Dunelm Temperature Reactive Memory Foam Pillow is slightly firmer and higher (although I found it got very warm beneath my head).

Best pillow for back sleepers

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I really love the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow. I found it really comfortable for back sleeping, but it's also a decent pillow for a side sleeper (especially one who has narrowish shoulders) which makes it a good choice if you're an active sleeper who tends to change your sleeping position in the night.

It has a medium loft that isn't too high or too low and a squishy memory foam core that offers a great mix of support and cushioning. Unlike most memory foam pillows, it also feels really luxurious. It can almost give a top-end feather and down pillow a run for its money.

Its silky smooth bamboo rayon cover, a layer of quilted microfibre, and a squishy memory foam core create a premium feeling pillow, and I loved the feeling of sinking my head into it at night.

Its synthetic core does sleep a little warmer than a pillow filled with natural materials, but it sleeps cooler than most synthetic options. Plus, a 30-night sleep trial makes this pillow's high price tag a little more palatable. That return period allows you to sleep on it – literally – to test out whether you think it's worth the money before you commit.

Our Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow has the full lowdown.

Alternatives: if you want a cooler and softer sleep The White Company Luxury Hungarian Goose Down Pillow is another great option for back sleepers. I tested the 'soft' version of the pillow which felt as dreamy as a cloud to lay my head on, and its plump shape looks great on the bed.

Best pillow for stomach sleepers

It's perhaps worth mentioning that every sleep expert I've ever spoken to has told me that stomach sleeping is bad for your neck. So, probably don't do it.

However, I often sleep on my stomach, and this is the most comfortable pillow I've found to do so. The experts are no doubt right, and sleeping on your front can strain your neck, so I've found I need a very low and soft pillow for stomach sleeping, and the Dorma Hungarian Goose Down Soft Pillow delivers.

It feels super soft and squishy, and it doesn't have too much filling. That means I can sleep without it lifting my head too far from the bed. And, because I'm an active sleeper who often starts off on my back and then switches onto my side and then front, I've found that the high percentage of down in this pillow means I can squish the filling into the right height whichever sleeping position I'm in.

The downside is that I'm coming up to two years of owning it, and feathers are now starting to escape. Although the care label (and expert advice) does say a pillow should be replaced every two years.

Alternatives: a cheaper option is the M&S Collection 2pk Duck Feather & Down Soft Pillows. The higher feather-to-down ratio makes them a little more lumpy, but they still work.

Best pillow for neck pain

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Although the Kally Sleep Neck Pain Pillow is a much firmer pillow than I would normally opt for, when I recently pulled a muscle in my neck this is the only pillow that could make me comfortable at night.

I found softer pillow fillings that shifted or moved under the weight of my head triggered a spasm of pain, whereas this solid foam sleep surface kept my head steady and in alignment with my spine which made for a much more comfortable sleep.

Its ergonomic butterfly shape cradled my head and neck when back sleeping, and supported the natural curve of my neck and head whilst side sleeping. As an active sleeper who changes my sleeping position a lot in the night, this made a huge difference to my comfort.

The downside is that being an unusual shape – and smaller than a standard pillow – this pillow did look a bit lost in my normal pillowcase. (Although the outer quilted pillow cover is comfortable and does zip off for a wash, so you could use it without).

I also found it a little bit warm to sleep on, and side sleepers with wider shoulders may find it too low; sadly it's only available in one height as yet. However, with a 14-night sleep trial available, if you're suffering from neck pain this pillow is well worth a try to see if it eases your discomfort, too.

Alternatives: I found the key to reducing my neck pain was a firm ergonomic pillow, but if you prefer something softer, the adjustable Simba Hybrid Pillow is another good bet. You can add or remove the filling to adjust it to the right height for your sleeping position which should help to prevent neck pain caused by a pillow that's too high or too low. Our Simba Hybrid Pillow review has more detail.

Best memory foam pillow

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The Panda Memory Foam Pillow features in my round-up twice because not only is it one of the best pillow choices for a side sleeper, it's also one of the best memory foam pillows I've tested.

Many memory foam pillows can feel a lot like sleeping with a solid block under your head, but the Panda Memory Foam Pillow has just a little more give for a slightly more cushioned feel without losing any of its height.

Although it sleeps warmer than a natural-fill pillow, its synthetic memory foam core is still one of the most breathable memory foams I've slept on. Plus, its removable and machine washable cover is a nice touch, although I did find that cute embroidered Panda logo showed through white pillowcases a little.

However, best of all, is its price. Considering how well-designed and premium it feels, it has a very reasonable price point. Even better, Panda offers it with a 30 night sleep trial, which is a great length of time to test it out and see if it's the right pillow choice for you.

Alternatives: if you love the firm feel of memory foam but prefer a classic pillow shape and a lower loft, the Tempur Prima SmartCool Pillow is well worth considering. And if you prefer greater neck support, the Tempur Original SmartCool Pillow is another good option. They're far more expensive, but both come with a 30-night sleep trial.

6. Best feather and down pillow

I've tested a lot of feather and down pillows, and I think the scooms Hungarian Goose Down Pillow is one of the best you can buy.

I tested the soft-medium support pillow (there's also a medium-firm option) and I found its super plump filling a good height for back sleeping and a great height for side sleeping. It delivers that 'just right' mix of comfort and support thanks to the combination of a Hungarian goose feather inner core surrounded by a softer, squashier layer of goose down.

Plus, the joy of a feather and down pillow – especially one with a high ration of down to feathers, such as this – is that it's super malleable, so I found I could squish it to be higher or lower to get it to fit into the gap between my shoulder and neck perfectly.

As a hot sleeper, I also found I slept much cooler on this feather and down pillow than any synthetic-filled pillow I've tried. That's because the natural filling offers great breathability. Unlike many feather and down pillows I've tested, its Nomite-certified dustmite-proof cover also prevents any filling from escaping – I'm yet to discover any stray feathers when I change the bed.

Although it is an investment, it delivers a real sense of hotel-style luxury at home.

Alternatives: if you prefer a slightly lower pillow, The White Company Luxury Hungarian Goose Down Pillow is another great option for back sleepers, it just doesn't come with a sleep trial.

Quick comparisons

How we test pillows

Amy Lockwood

I'm Amy, Ideal Home's Sleep Editor and Certified Expert in all things sleep-related. I've spent the last four years testing sleep products by night and sharing my findings with our readers by day. That includes sleeping on more than 50 different pillows (and counting) to find the best in class. All in all, that's over 10,000 hours of at-home pillow testing under my belt!

Before creating this shortlist, I slept on each pillow for at least three nights (in most cases far longer) on my own bed to assess its comfort when side, back, and stomach sleeping.

I also noted how warm each pillow slept, and if it caused my head to get hot during the night or if I stayed cool and fresh – after all, no one wants to wake up with a sweaty head! Plus, I considered how easy each pillow is to care for, whether it comes with a sleep trial, and its value for money.

This guide includes only those six pillows that performed the very best during my tests. I regularly update this guide and remove any pillows that don't make the grade long-term, whether that's due to escaping feathers, not washing well, or flattening over time.

Where to buy the best pillows

Wondering where to shop? I've rounded up a quick list of the best places to buy a new pillow.

• Amazon: affordable synthetic pillows
• Argos: affordable pillows of all types
• Dunelm: affordable pillows of all types
• John Lewis: high-quality pillows of all types
• Kally Sleep: pillows for neck pain
• M&S: high-quality pillows of all types
• Panda: high-quality memory foam pillows
• scooms: high-quality feather and down pillows
• Simba: height-adjustable synthetic pillows
• Soak & Sleep: high-quality pillows of all types
• The White Company: high-quality feather and down pillows
• Woolroom: high-quality wool pillows

How to choose a pillow

As I've mentioned, finding the best pillow for your best night’s sleep isn't a one-size-fits-all affair. Instead, the right pillow for you will depend on a few key considerations.

These include your regular sleep position – i.e. whether you’re a front, back, or side sleeper – whether you prefer a firm or a soft pillow, if you have any preferences about the materials your pillow contains, and whether you have any health issues to consider, such as allergies, snoring, or neck pain.

You can find more detailed buying advice in our guide to how to choose a pillow, but here's a quick checklist of the four main considerations.

1. Sleeping position

Your usual sleeping position is key to your pillow choice, because this affects the pillow height (also known as loft) that you need.

As Dave Gibson registered osteopath, sleep expert, and founder of The Sleep Site explains, 'your pillow should hold your head in the same position as it would be if you were standing upright with good posture. Too low and your head falls back creating pressure in the neck. Too high and it tends to leave the neck muscles stiff'.

This means a side sleeper generally needs a high pillow, a back sleeper a low to medium-height pillow, and a stomach sleeper a very thin pillow.

2. Firm or soft?

Your sleeping position can also affect which pillow firmness is best for you.

A side sleeper needs a firm pillow that keeps the head lifted during the night. Whereas a back sleeper might prefer a medium-firm or soft pillow that cushions and cradles the back of the head. A front sleeper needs a far softer pillow that won't lift the neck too far from the mattress.

3. Filling type

Your choice of pillow filling may also be dictated by the type of support you need; for instance, memory foam is best for firm support, and feather and down, microfibre or hollowfibre can offer medium or soft support.

However, each filling also has its own pros and cons. For example, natural fillings such as wool or feather and down tend to sleep a lot cooler than synthetic fillings. Our guide to the best filling for a pillow has more information.

4. Sleep trial

My last tip is to try and make the most of a sleep trial when it comes to choosing a pillow.

A sleep trial generally means that you buy the pillow and then have a set number of nights to trial sleeping on the pillow on your own bed. Terms and conditions may apply, but if you don't like the pillow, you can usually then return it for a refund within the trial period, or swap it for an alternative pillow.

Not all pillow manufacturers offer this feature, but many – such as scooms, Panda, Simba, Tempur, and more – now do. Because choosing a pillow isn't one-size-fits-all, a sleep trial is a great way to avoid wasting money on a pillow that ends up not being the right fit for you.

FAQs

How do I know if a pillow is right for me?

Wondering if you've found the best pillow for you? As Hannah Shore, head of sleep science at Mattress Online, explains, 'Simply put, you should find your pillow comfy. A pillow should allow you to sleep throughout the night without you waking up due to being uncomfortable, if you find yourself rearranging your pillows a lot throughout the night, chances are that pillow isn’t for you'. This is where a sleep trial can help, as it allows you to test out the pillow at home to make sure it's the one for you before you commit.

How many pillows should you sleep with?

If you're wondering how many pillows you should sleep with, it might surprise you to know that experts advise only sleeping with one pillow, not two, as many of us might be used to. Therefore your choice of pillow is all the more important.

Is an expensive pillow worth it?

Is an expensive pillow worth it? Yes, if it provides you with a good night's sleep an expensive pillow can be worth every penny, and more expensive pillows do tend to be better quality. Plus, when we consider that we use our pillow every single night, working out its cost per use suddenly becomes a lot less. That said, you don't need to spend a fortune. Finding a pillow that's the right height and firmness for your sleep style is much more important than how much it costs.

How often should you replace a pillow?

When it comes to how often you should replace a pillow, the expert advice is every two years. However, there are things you can do to prolong your pillow's lifespan, such as using a pillow protector, learning how to wash a pillow, and how often you should wash a pillow.

Finding the best pillow for your needs is a key component of how to sleep better. However, it isn't the only important piece of bedding you need to know about.

As well as a comfortable mattress, you'll also want to source the best mattress protector, best duvet, and potentially the best mattress topper for your bed. Luckily we've tested numerous options to help you find the best products for your sleep set-up.