The 8 Best Memory-Foam Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
No matter your sleep style, we'll help you find the best pillow so you can rest deep and easy.
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We all know how important a good night's sleep is, but getting enough rest is harder than it may seem, especially when you go to bed sore from a long day of working out, working at your desk, and looking at your phone. You can transform your sleep quality by unwinding before bed, adding ambient noise to your room, and limiting screen time at night, but the most immediate way to improve nightly rest is to upgrade your pillows.
Memory-foam pillows tend to be the most comfortable and luxurious pillow material regardless of your preferred sleep position. Memory foam is soft yet supportive and when it's shredded, you can adjust the amount of material in your pillow to achieve your desired firmness.
However, not all memory-foam pillows are created equal. We've compiled a list of our favorites, along with buying advice and in-depth product reviews, to help you pick the one that's right for you.
Upgrade your bedroom with new bedding or a better mattress to reach ultimate sleepy time comfort.
The 8 Best Memory-Foam Pillows of 2023
How to Choose a Memory-Foam Pillow
Sleeping Position
When you're shopping for a new pillow, the most important consideration is your preferred sleeping position. Side-sleepers likely prefer medium-firm pillows, back-sleepers typically prefer firm pillows, and stomach-sleepers usually like soft, low-height pillows. This logic is based on keeping your spine in proper alignment while you sleep, which will help keep you more comfortable and help prevent pain in the future (and when you wake up).
Type of Memory Foam
Not all memory foam stuffing is the same; Some pillows are filled with shredded pieces you can remove if the pillow is too firm, while others are made of one solid piece of foam fit snugly into a case. Solid memory-foam pillows are usually firmer, offering more support in exchange for no customizability.
Special Features
Some memory-foam pillows have additional features like cooling gels and ventilation, which help prevent you from overheating during the night. They also come in various sizes, like all pillows, so make sure to upgrade to the size that correlates with your mattress size, if only for aesthetics.
How We Selected
To find the best options among the many memory-foam pillows out there, we perused expert reviews from trusted sources like The Spruce and Wirecutter, as well as reviews written by people who’ve bought and slept on these pillows. We chose pillows compatible with a variety of sleeping types, budgets, and density preferences to cover a range of needs, only recommending the very best memory-foam pillows we found.
Coop Home Goods Original Loft Pillow
Pros
- Adjustable filling
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Finding the right amount of filling can take a while
It can be difficult to find the right pillow, especially when you're buying online. That's why an adjustable memory-foam pillow like this one is a great choice. You can add or remove filling to make it the perfect support level for you.
It's available in both king and queen sizes and even comes with an additional bag of filling if you like it super firm. The pillow also comes with a guide that tells you how much filling you should have in your pillow based on your sleeping position.
Key Specs
| Size | Queen, king |
| Firmness | Adjustable |
| Material | Shredded memory foam |
Tuft & Needle Foam Pillow
Pros
- Very supportive
- Helps keep you cool
Cons
- A bit pricey
This pillow is made from a single piece of ventilated memory foam. That means it's relatively supportive, though it does still have some give for extra cushion. It also has layers of graphite and gel, as well as a breathable cover to help keep you cool throughout the night.
Key Specs
| Size | Standard, king |
| Firmness | Not specified |
| Material | Ventilated adaptive foam |
Pros
- Soft and comfortable
- Good for all sleeping types
Cons
- Expensive
This pillow is great for all types of sleepers, and it's designed to help keep you cool through the night. It has shredded memory foam for a soft yet supportive feel, and an organic cotton cover that's soft and cool to the touch. The pillow also uses graphite to help draw heat away from your body and keep you cool through the night.
Key Specs
| Size | Queen, king |
| Firmness | Not specified |
| Material | Graphite-infused shredded memory foam |
Pros
- Helps align spine
- Great longevity
Cons
- Expensive
Body pillows are great for side sleepers, providing support for the head, arms, and legs to keep your back in alignment. This one is stuffed with 8.5 pounds of memory foam, giving it medium firmness. It also has a five-year warranty and the cover is removable and washable.
Key Specs
| Size | 48 x 14 x 6 in. |
| Firmness | Medium-firm |
| Material | Tempur material |
Pros
- Helps keep neck and shoulders aligned
- Affordable
Cons
- Virtually no support for back and side sleepers
If you're a staunch stomach sleeper, invest in a pillow that'll keep you from the dreaded lower-back arch throughout the night. This one was designed specifically to support stomach sleepers, helping keep your neck and shoulders aligned even when your head is turned to the side.
Because the pillow is so low-profile, it lets you keep your spine in a somewhat neutral position despite your best efforts while you're sleeping. It's also one of the cheapest options on this list at $40 per pillow.
Key Specs
| Size | Standard, king |
| Firmness | Medium-firm |
| Material | Gel-infused memory foam |
Pros
- Great budget buy
- Adjustable
Cons
- Not as supportive as whole memory foam
If you're looking for several new pillows on a budget, this two-pillow set is a great option for under $30. The pillows are filled with a mixture of polyester fiber and shredded memory foam, the combination of which provides a plush, soft feel while still providing moderate support.
The pillows come overstuffed, but you can take some of the filling out if you prefer them squishier. They each come with a stretchy, comfortable cover that's soft to the touch.
Key Specs
| Size | Standard, queen, king |
| Firmness | Adjustable |
| Material | Shredded memory foam, polyester fiber |
Pros
- Helps alleviate neck pain
- Adjustable height
Cons
- Contour shape isn't for everyone
All memory foam contours to your body, but this pillow provides even more adaptive support with the addition of a scooped design to cradle your neck and head. It's designed specially for back and side sleepers to help alleviate neck and arm pain when you're sleeping. It's also adjustable with the addition of two extra foam sheets to add in for extra height.
Key Specs
| Sizes | Standard |
| Firmness | Firm |
| Material | Memory foam |
The Company Store Neck Support Memory Foam Pillow
Pros
- Very comfortable
- Foam holds up over time
Cons
- Only works for back sleepers
This pillow may look a little funny, but its unique shape is what makes it supportive and oh-so-comfortable.
While contour pillows do support the neck, some find that the dip feels a bit funky, especially if you switch positions in your sleep. This pillow cradles the neck and spine to help keep you in proper alignment. It's also made with a single piece of memory foam, which makes it stiff to hold its unique shape.
Key Specs
| Sizes | One size |
| Firmness | Medium |
| Materials | Memory foam |
Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College where she also ran cross country and track.
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