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To find the best pillows we tested the most popular available from less than £20 to almost £100. These include pillow brands such as Emma, Ikea, Silentnight, Simba, Slumberdown and more.
Each was rated by 50 testers, including back, front and side sleepers, for comfort, coolness, neck support and more.
Two pillows stood out as the clear favourites for our testers, with back, front and side sleepers all agreeing that they were the most comfortable pillows.
We tested box pillows. These are pillows with walled sides that come with a variety of fillings, including synthetic and memory foam.
Box pillows are one of the most popular types of pillow, can often be highly customisable (firm to soft), and are often more expensive than regular pillows, so we wanted to see which ones were worth paying for.
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Pillows | Typical price | Can you adjust firmness? | Comfort on side | Comfort on back | Comfort on front | Where to buy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Good | Good | Average | ||||
Good | Good | Average | ||||
Good | Good | Average | ||||
Good | Good | Average | ||||
Good | Good | Average | ||||
Average | Average | Average | ||||
Average | Average | Average |
Date tested: February 2023. Pricing and availability last checked: April 2023. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
All the pillows we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
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Typical price: £69.90
Where to buy:
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Trial period: 30 nights
Need to know: Memory foam filling, removable and washable cover, carry bag
Typical price: £115
Where to buy: Emma, Mattress Online
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Trial period: 30 nights
Need to know: Two pillows inside case with microfibre filling, removable and washable cover
Typical price: £49
Where to buy: Next
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Trial period: Not stated
Need to know: Machine washable, polyester filling, outer cover is not removable
Typical price: £45
Where to buy: Ikea
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Trial period: Not stated
Need to know: Memory foam filling, removable and washable cover
Typical price: £49.99
Where to buy:
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Trial period: 14 nights
Need to know: Carry bag, four polyester pillows inside the case, removable and washable case
Typical price: £109
Where to buy: Nectar
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Trial period: 365 nights
Need to know: Memory foam filling, removable and washable cover
Typical price: £69.99
Where to buy: Amazon (out of stock), Otty
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Trial period: 14 nights
Need to know: Bamboo memory foam with infused charcoal filling, removable washable cover
Typical price: £89.95
Where to buy:
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Trial period: 30 nights
Need to know: Washable removable cover, charcoal memory foam filling, silky bamboo cover
Typical price: £28
Where to buy:
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Trial period: Not stated
Need to know: Polyester filling, the cover can't be removed for washing
Typical price: £109
Where to buy:
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Trial period: 30 nights
Need to know: Washable removable cover, memory foam cube filling, pouch for storing spare foam, you can fine tune the firmness by removing or adding foam cubes
Typical price: £16
Where to buy:
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Trial period: Not stated
Need to know: Polyester filling, machine washable, the cover can't be removed
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There are three main traditional types of pillow: feather and down, hollowfibre/microfibre and memory foam.
Box pillows, the type we tested, are a new-ish type that have quickly become popular due to the support that can be offered by their shape and the fact that many box pillows are customisable to exactly how you like to sleep.
The ratio of feather to down can vary greatly, although as a rule if it is sold as a ‘feather’ pillow, it must be made of at least 30% of the exterior feathers of the bird. Down pillows must be at least 70% down.
If you go for a feather pillow you should find that you don’t need to turn the pillow over to the cold side as often, as they are cooler than both down and microfibre. Down retains more heat, and it doesn't have hard quills to poke through and spike into you, like feather pillows.
Pros
Cons
An adequate basic option if you’re shopping on a budget and want to be able to clean your pillows at home.
Pros
Cons
Memory foam pillows are often sought out by sleepers looking for strong support and neck pain relief, as the memory foam contours to your body.
Cons
Box pillows have walled sides and are increasingly popular. They can come with a variety of fillings including memory foam and synthetic fibres.
Pros
Cons
Latex pillows have a similar feel to memory foam pillows and also similarly, they will contour and spring back to support your neck. Latex pillows can often cost in excess of £100 though. However, there are still plenty of reasons to consider them.
Pros
Cons
These are firm pillows that offer more support.
Pros
Cons
Hypoallergenic doesn't equal anti-allergy.
Dust mites can be killed however, and their allergens removed, by washing at temperatures of 60°C and above if your choice of pillow can withstand this.