Sweet Dreams Are Made of These 15 Supportive Pillows

A pillow within a pillow? We’re calling this pillow-ception. A thin, squishy zip-around cover encases the firmer down-alternative core in this Casper pillow. Both layers are machine washable and housed in cotton percale fabric, which will keep cool all night long. Camey Hess, our head of sales and partnerships, calls it her pride and joy, which is a glowing recommendation if we’ve ever heard one. “For someone who always sleeps with two pillows due to perpetual congestion, my pillow needs to support clear breathing, comfort, and drainage,” She says. “This is the first one I’ve ever found to do that, and it’s never gotten lumpy, which is a non-negotiable for me.”

Not everyone likes a soft, fluffy pillow, and that’s OK. Made for those who prefer a firm place to lay their head, the Brooklinen Down Pillow is precisely over-stuffed with feathers and feather clusters, giving it a heavier level of support. If you do prefer something on the squishy side, this pillow also comes in plush and mid-plush styles.

Just like the pillow Goldilocks settled on, the firmness of this Saatva pillow is just right. It’s considered medium-soft, perfect for those who are combination sleepers (i.e. those who switch from side to back to stomach). It’s essentially a latex core surrounded by down-like microdenier fiber, which gives you a dense base for support, but a fluffy surround for plenty of squish. The materials are hypoallergenic, dust mite and mildew resistant, and more breathable than synthetic foams, too.

It’s no secret that Katie Couric Media and Wake-Up Callers are huge fans of this pillow, which is why it made our best pillows list. You can read our detailed review, but here’s a quick synopsis of why we love it: It’s made from dual-density memory foam that’s soft on top to cushion your head and neck, but firm on the bottom to offer support. Sweet dreams! 

As one of the highest-rated pillows on Amazon (with over 9,000 five-star reviews), this adjustable option might be the end of your search. If you prefer a firmer pillow you can add more filling — or “oomph” as the brand calls it — or you can remove some if you’re a back or stomach sleeper. The filling is made from gel-infused memory foam that keeps you cool throughout the night, even if you tend to run hot.

There’s scientific reasoning behind this pillow’s starfish shape: It’s designed for all sleep positions, with raised “wings” on either side cradle the head and neck to keep them properly aligned no matter which way you toss and turn. Made from a dense memory foam, it has the perfect amount of give, and the divot in the center supports your head, allowing you to wake up kink-free. Commerce editor Katie P. also appreciates that the wings allow her to wrap her arms around the pillow while she sleeps on her stomach, meaning her limbs won’t go numb like they normally do when she shoves them under traditional pillows. The main downside? It does look funky inside a regular pillowcase, but it’s worth it for the sleep benefits.

For those who are conscious about how and where their purchases are made, opting for something from Avocado is a great choice. Everything the brand makes, including pillows, mattresses, and even pajamas, are made in the USA with organic materials. This specific pillow is made with GOTS-certified organic latex and kapok tree fiber (think of it as a natural polyfill), which is light and airy, yet supportive. The pillow comes with an extra bag of fill so you can adjust the firmness to your liking.

You know how the first night’s sleep in a hotel always feels like the best sleep of your life? Now you can have that every single night at home. This Boll and Branch Down Chamber Pillow is filled with sustainably sourced down in three separate sections, so you won’t find that the pillow gets lumpy or overfilled in one area. The firmness of this pillow isn’t adjustable after purchase, but you can choose from soft, medium, or firm levels before ordering. 

Pillows get expensive fast, which is why finding one that fits your funds and your sleep needs is essential. The Silk & Snow Pillow was named the best budget option by The Sleep Foundation, and it’s filled with a down-like microfiber fill that can be customized. Reviewers say it’s easy to add or remove stuffing with little to no mess and it holds up to even the most aggressive sleep hugging. 

Side sleepers know the struggle of trying to find something that is supportive but doesn’t bunch up around your neck and shoulders. This innovative pillow actually has a cutout for your shoulder and contours to your body without any excess material getting in the way. The Sleep Foundation also named it the best pillow for side sleepers in 2024. 

What if adjusting your pillow was as easy as using a zipper? The geniuses at Marlow made that happen. Instead of removing or adding additional stuffing to adjust firmness, all you have to do with this pillow is open or close the zipper around the perimeter, which squishes the filling to create a firmer feel. Alternatively unzipping loosens up the filling and will give a fluffier feel.

We know the angles on this rectangular pillow look funky, but hear us out: The thing works. Don’t let its sharp corners scare you — it won’t be stabbing you in the eye while you sleep. Instead, its dense foam will be molding to the shape of your body. Because it’s so thick, it’s perfect for side sleepers who find themselves struggling to fill the space between their neck and shoulder with a regular pillow. The foam is temperature-regulating too, so say goodbye to head sweats.

If you’re looking for the pillow trifecta — comfortable, eco-friendly, and mission-driven — look no further than Sheets & Giggles. The bedding and mattress brand not only creates sustainably-sourced products like this adjustable pillow made with natural fill (of 90 percent Dunlop Latex from rubber tree sap and 10 percent Kapok fiber from seed pods, to be exact), but they make this pillow in the U.S. Every pillow is made to order by hand at the Denver’s Mile High WorkShop, a center that provides jobs and training for those who’ve experienced addiction, homelessness, and incarceration.

So, we’ve shared recommendations for side-sleeper pillows and adjustable pillows, but what if you’re even more of a Goldilocks and need both in one? Well, you snag Honeydew Sleep’s Scrumptious Side Sleeper. This soft headrest has a curved cutout for your shoulder and you can add or remove fill to get just the right amount of head height. Need even more features? Copper infused foam fill has naturally antibacterial properties and keeps pillows fresh and cool night after night. This pillow does it all.

Sure, pillows you’d sleep on in a bed typically come to mind when you think of pillows, but sometimes you have to take a snooze while you’re on the road. This memory foam neck pillow is a huge upgrade from the U-shaped ones of yore. The tapered shape gives you support on the back and sides of your neck, while the slight dip in the front gives your chin room and keeps you from feeling suffocated. It’s actually comfortable enough you may find yourself enjoying sleeping while sitting upright in economy.