If you want the short answer, here is the best cooling pillow for hot sleepers who want a sweat free and sound night of sleep:
Dosaze ThermaCool Temperature Regulating Pillow – Learn More
And now for the long answer:
Cooling bedding – from mattresses and mattress toppers to pillows and sheets – can be a great way to combat hot sleep, limit night sweats, and get a better overall night’s sleep.
We wrote this article to focus on cooling pillows. Cooling pillows are a very important aspect to reduce hot sleep and can complement other cooling products – however, not all “cooling pillows” are created equal. Here at Home Hacks, we reviewed and tested 30 of the supposed best cooling pillows on the market to see what worked best.
Here’s a summary of the list:
- Best overall cooling pillow: Dosaze ThermaCool Temperature Regulating Pillow
- For exclusively side sleepers: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow
- For exclusively back sleepers: Helix Adjustable Pillow
- Memory foam cooling pillow: Casper Sleep Foam Pillow
- Firm cooling pillow: Sleep Number True Temp Pillow
- Premium priced cooling pillow: Purple Harmony Pillow
- Best budget cooling pillow: Reversible Cool Gel and Memory Foam Pillow
- Bamboo cooling pillow: Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Based on experts, here are the most important features of any ‘cooling’ product:
- Thermal effusivity, conductivity, and specific heat
- Thermal effusivity is a measure of how ‘cool’ a material feels. For example, if it is cold outside during winter, and you touch a metal pole, you’ll notice that it feels cooler than wood – this is because it has a higher thermal effusivity
- Thermal conductivity is a measure of how well a material conducts, or pulls heat, away from your body – thus a material with a higher thermal conductivity will lead to a cooler sleeping experience
- Specific heat is a measure of how much ‘heat’ a fabric can store – for hot sleepers, you generally want a fabric that has a higher specific heat, so it can store more heat from your body.
- Breathability: if you want to sleep cool, you need a breathable fabric – the tradeoff is often that more breathable fabrics are coarser and thus sometimes don’t feel as soft as less breathable fabrics. This is why linen, for example, feels more rough than silk, but it is much more breathable (hence why we wear it summer)
- Moisture management: simply put, moisture-wicking is the process of moving moisture away from your skin (think your lightest workout tanks / Lululemon pieces). Thus, moisture wicking fabric has two jobs: (1) move moisture from one place to another and (2) dry rapidly so that the sweat doesn’t saturate the fabric. Moisture wicking fabric is generally cooler than moisture absorbing fabric (all things held the same) because it helps water evaporate off our bodies. When we want to stay dry, we often wear moisture wicking clothing (like Lululemon or other athletic wear) instead of fabrics like cotton, which tend to retain a lost of moisture
You are going to want to look for materials that have favorable combinations of materials and design to optimize the factors above. Based on our testing and research, here are some guidelines on traditionally ‘cooling’ materials, designs, and fabrics. We’ve ranked them from coolest to warmest.
- Pillow core
- Latex (coolest) – Latex: this material is cooler than memory foam and down, according to experts. In addition, latex foam tends to ‘envelope’ you less than memory foam, which also adds to it’s cooling properties
- Down (2nd coolest) – Down: is light and soft. It is also very breathable.
- Memory foam (3rd Coolest) – Memory foam: this material tends to be comfortable and relieves pressure points. However, it is also one of the warmest materials to use because it retains heat and is not quite as breathable.
- Polyfill (Warmest) – Polyfill: this material is the warmest because it retains heat and is less breathable. However, it is also cheaper to produce.
- Covers
- Cotton: we need to caveat this by saying that high quality cotton is one of the coolest materials around – if you get organic percale cotton, it is breathable, soft, and moisture wicking
- Tencel / Bamboo: tencel and bamboo fabrics are made from the fibers of wood – these fabrics are naturally cooling and breathable
- Polyester: polyester is a warmer fabric – because it is synthetic, it retains heat and and doesn’t breath as well
So without further ado, here is our list of the coolest pillows available.
1. Best Overall: Dosaze ThermaCool Temperature Regulating Pillow – CHECK PRICE
This pillow is the cream of the crop, the crème de la crème of cooling pillows. It is made of latex (which according to studies, is cooler than memory foam). Latex retains less heat than memory foam and other materials. In addition, the Dosaze ThermaCool Temperature Regulating Pillow is also ventilated with open cell technology – this improves airflow (by far the most important component for any pillow to be considered ‘cool’ or ‘temperature regulating’) while not sacrificing any comfort.
The magic of this pillow comes in the proprietary ThermaCool cover fabric – from our experience, this material feels significantly cooler to the touch than cotton, bamboo, and linen – and more importantly, it stays cool all night.
You’ll get all of these cooling features and more in this pillow. We love the responsive feel of latex (vs. memory foam which tends to be too firm or other fills that fall flat). This pillow cradles the neck to provide support, comes with a removable cover to make cleaning easier, and it’s ultra-soft. The reviews don’t lie. Consumers everywhere are glowing about this one. With its mid-loft design, it’s right in the middle between thick and thin. That means that side, back, and stomach sleepers should all be able to use it.
Dimensions: 25 x 15.5 x 5 inches.
Pros:
- Responsive, Ventilated open-cell Latex foam technology
- Soft and supportive for the neck
- ThermaCool cover that is cool to the touch and temperature regulating
- Easily compresses for storage
Cons:
- Your other pillows will go unused
2. Cooling pillow for Side Sleepers: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow – CHECK PRICE
It’s one of the more expensive cooling pillows on the market, however, if you are a side sleeper who craves the best, look no further. There is a layer of cooling gel on each side of the pillow, so no matter which way it’s facing, you’ll never overheat during the night. Tempur-Pedic is a trusted brand that has been around for quite some time. If you splurge for this option, there is a good chance that your pillow will last you years.
Dimensions: 27 x 19 x 6.4 inches
Pros:
- TEMPUR-Breeze Gel Layer included on two sides
- Pressure-relieving material adapts to head and neck
- Great durability and reliability
Cons:
- It might not be firm enough for those who require a lot of support.
3. Cooling Pillow for Back Sleepers: Helix Adjustable Pillow – CHECK PRICE
One of the layers inside this pillow can be removed, making it easy to achieve proper neck alignment. That means it’s great for back sleepers. The gel microfiber fill is ideal for both staying cool and staying comfortable. Plus, it comes with a one-year warranty when you buy direct from Helix, so if you aren’t 100% satisfied, you can simply send it back to the company for a refund.
Dimensions: 18 x 26 inches
Pros:
- Adjustable height
- Breathable materials
- One-year warranty
Cons:
- You can subtract thickness but you can’t add it, so if you’re a side sleeper, it may be too thin.
4. Softest Cooling Pillow: Casper Sleep Foam Pillow – CHECK PRICE
The plush outer layers provide comfort, while the carefully crafted inner layer delivers the support. It’s a mix of both low-density and high-density foam that will have you sleeping soundly the entire night. Meticulously carved into the design are miniature channels that allow for tons of airflow and one of the coolest night’s sleep that you’ll ever have.
Dimensions: 26 x 18 x 4 inches
Pros:
- Three different layers of foam
- Highly breathable
- CertiPUR-US certified and the cover is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 approved
Cons:
- It might feel too firm at first, but it will soften up as your body heat warms it.
5. Best Firm Cooling Pillow: Sleep Number True Temp Pillow – CHECK PRICE
This pillow by sleep number comes in a contoured shape for back and stomach sleepers that will give you an additional feeling of support. Classic and adjustable versions are available as well. Meanwhile, the temperature balancing technology will make sure that no matter what time of the night it is, the temperature will remain consistently cool. You don’t have to worry about a lot of variation.
Pros:
- Classic, contour, and ultimate shape options
- Consistently cool temperature
- Supportive memory foam
Cons:
- If you like to change up your sleeping position daily, it’s important to remember that the contour option won’t work great for slide sleepers.
6. Best High-Priced Pillow: Purple Harmony Pillow – CHECK PRICE
The Talalay Latex Core on this cooling pillow is hypoallergenic. In addition, it has continuous airflow and will stay nice and cool all night. The Purple Grid Hex system that they’ve built in will easily adapt to your head and neck, yet, when you get up, it will bounce right back to its normal shape.
Dimensions: 26 x 17 x 6.5 inches
Pros:
- One-year warranty
- Unique hexagonal design
- Hypoallergenic core
Cons:
- The high price tag may put this pillow out of reach for some consumers
- The feel is unique and ‘different’ – if you aren’t used to it, you might not like it
7. Best Budget: Reversible Cool Gel and Memory Foam Pillow – CHECK PRICE
It’s made by Classic Brands, a company that really has their pillow comfort dialed in. Yet, they’ve still been able to keep their prices affordable. The top and bottom of the pillow each have a layer of squishy cooling gel on the outside. Located in the middle is a very soft and comfortable memory foam that will provide you will all of the comfort you need.
Dimensions: 24 x 16 x 5 inches
Pros:
- Double-sided cooling gel
- Mesh cover wicks away moisture
- Cheap price
Cons:
- Some people report a slight rubber smell which could be bothersome
- Some consumers report that it is quite firm
- Consumers complain about the quality of the memory foam
8. Best Bamboo Pillow: Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow – CHECK PRICE
That’s right folks, the cover is partially made out of real bamboo! It’s a natural material that is surprisingly breathable. There are no zippers or anything to worry about with this pillow. Simply lay your head down and let the self-adapting technology cradle itself around you.
Dimensions: 17.5 x 7.5 x 6.42 inches
Pros:
- Made in the USA
- Shredded-style memory foam
- 120 sleep nights return policy
Cons:
- It may get lumpy over time or after washing.
With all of these great options for cooling pillows available, hot sleepers never have to worry about waking up dripping in sweat again. While there are certainly pluses and minuses to choosing one brand’s pillow over another, the reviews for these products are all overwhelmingly positive. No matter which one you choose, you can rest assured that you’ll be sleeping soundly through the entire night afterward.
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