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These $18 Pillows Have A Cult-Following On Amazon (Plus 5 Other Pillows Reviewers Love)

by Margeaux Baulch Klein
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
fotolia/Drobot Dean

If you want a comfortable night's rest, don't underestimate the importance of a great pillow. Pillows play a pivotal role in supporting your head and neck as you sleep. And when looking through the best-rated pillows out there, you'll find thousands of options that have been tested and vetted by reviewers far and wide.

To frame your search, consider the type of pillow you want. Hypoallergenic down-alternative pillows work well for a wide range of people, since they offer good support and their fibers are easy to keep clean. But, when it comes to the most comfortable pillows, goose down feather pillows are unrivaled and are literally feather-soft. However, if you have any specific issues to contend with, like neck pain or sleeping hot, you may want to find a memory foam pillow or one with a bamboo cover that can help with those problems.

But don't get overwhelmed by the search. I've sifted through thousands of options to find the softest and very best pillows on Amazon. Whether you prefer a down-alternative, cooling gel, orthopedic memory foam, or a feather pillow, I've rounded up the best-rated pillows for every category. Keep scrolling, a fantastic night's sleep is just one click away.

1The Best Overall, All Things Considered

Made with shredded memory foam, this fan-favorite pillow is soft and can be adjusted to your preferences. Simply unzip the side and add or remove as much memory foam filling as you want to customize this pillow to your sleep style. With a 4.5-star rating on Amazon and over 1,300 reviewers weighing in, this is far and away one of the most comfortable pillows you can buy. The pillowcase is also made with 40 percent bamboo, so it'll keep you cool if you tend to overheat at night. But, even better, it comes with a 100-night trial, so you can test it out for yourself, and a five-year warranty after you decide to keep it. They're a bit pricier than other pillows on this list, but reviewers are quick to say they're worth it.

What fans say: "Worth every penny! I LOVE this pillow. My neck had been bothering me for a while. This pillow is so good because you can adjust the amount of filling to fit your size and shape. The cover is so soft! It does not go flat during the night. I am so thankful that I took a chance on this pillow. It has helped immensely!"

[Editor's note: I sleep on these pillows and they are 100 percent worth the money.]

2The Best Down-Alternative Pillow

With over 5,000 reviews and an impressive 4.4-star average rating on Amazon, these extra-large, queen-sized Beckham Luxury Linens pillows are among the most popular down-alternative pillows on Amazon. Featuring a soft gel fiber that is resistant to mold, mites, and dust, plus a 240-thread-count cotton cover, these pillows are hotel-quality and won't flatten out like a pancake over time the way that many other pillows do. Plus, they're hypoallergenic and easy to keep clean — simply toss them in a laundry machine when it's time to launder them.

What fans say: "I don’t know what kind of magic this pillow is, but I had the best night of sleep ever the first time I used them. I was skeptical once I opened the package. I feared they wouldn’t fluff up, but they did! The filling didn't shift on me and was soft and plush but somehow still supportive! I will be buying a few more and changing out all the pillows in the house to these when I can."

3The Best Goose Down Pillow

Want to feel like you're sleeping in a cloud? These 4.3-star-rated Puredown natural goose down feather pillows might be a great fit, provided you don't have any allergies to feathers. They offer fluffy, medium support and are made from 85 percent goose feathers and 15 percent down with a 100 percent cotton cover. They also come in two colors, normal white and cool blue, and three sizes, standard, queen, and king.

What fans say: "My husband and I absolutely love this pillow. We have been trying to find a good pillow for years. We have never had a pillow that we both loved the very first night sleeping with it. I'm a stomach sleeper and it works great for me and he is a side sleeper and loves it. He even says it has helped his arms fall asleep less at night. We will be buying more so we have enough to last the rest of our lives."

4The Best For Hot Sleepers

If you're naturally a hot sleeper or live somewhere that's especially warm and humid, a cooling memory foam pillow like this PharMeDoc one might be the solution for a better night's sleep. Rated 4.5 stars on Amazon, this pillow features ventilated holes to promote air circulation and is made with temperature-regulating, gel-infused memory foam. Plus, the orthopedic nature of the foam helps support your head and neck as you sleep. Although the pillow itself is not washable, it comes with a machine-washable case made of a breathable spandex material.

What fans say: "Ever since I’ve started using this pillow, my back and neck pain has gone away! It has the perfect amount of firmness. The holes also help keep air flow through the pillow so your head doesn’t get too hot, which has a nice cooling effect."

5The Best for Neck Pain

This best-selling EPABO contour memory foam pillow has a lot going for it. It comes with a soft rayon/polyester blend cover and boasts a supportive, ergonomic design that molds to the shape of your head to better keep your neck and spine aligned. You can also remove some of the foam padding from the bottom in order to customize the height of the pillow to exactly what you need. So, it's no surprise that this pillow has racked an impressive 4.3-star rating and many rave reviews from people suffering from neck pain.

What fans say: "It's very comfortable and provides good support for my head and neck. I ordered this pillow one month ago, it alleviated my neck pain and is very good quality. I'll buy another one."

6The Most Affordable

For an affordable price, these Digital Decor down-alternative pillows are a quality choice that are easy on your wallet. Stuffed with a polyester fiber filling, these pillows are free of chemicals like BPA, phthalates, lead, and latex and, along with their 100 percent cotton pillowcases, are conveniently machine-washable. At just $18 for a set of two, you simply can't go wrong these medium-support pillows. But don't take my word for it, they boast a 4.2-star rating on Amazon.

What fans say: "This pillow is fantastic. I have been looking for a pillow that gives you support, but is flexible and not hot, and this pillow meets all of those concerns. It's hard to believe I have paid hundreds of dollars for pillows and the only one I am satisfied with is this."

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