Gardening & Outdoors
Sleep experts share 8 best down alternative pillows of 2022
Find the best pillow for your needs.
Sasha Alonzo
02.03.22

Final Winner: 1 out of 8

(See Below for In Depth Review and Process)



9.5/10
15 votes



A+
Overall Grade

Material
`
10/10

Softness & Comfort
`
9/10

Return policy / warranty
`
10/10

Value
`
10/10

PROS
Hypoallergenic down alternative fill (eco-friendly
recycled fill)
Antimicrobial & antibacterial cooling cover
Two sizes and three lofts
OEKO-TEK certified (safe from harmful substances)
Double Stitched Edges for longevity / durability

CONS
X
Only available online

In Depth Review And Process

Growing up I never thought twice about the pillow I slept on. It was just a matter of whatever my parents opted for us to have at home. As I got older, that all began to change. The restless nights tossing and turning began, the body aches, the sweating, the uncomfortable fidgeting in the middle of the night. Finally, I sought answers by testing out different pillows using the following criteria as a guide.

  • Material
  • Softness & Comfort
  • Return policy / warranty
  • Value

After my search, I found that the pillow I slept on best was by far the Dosaze Down Alternative Hotel Pillow. I found this pillow to be the most comfortable to sleep on in all the different sleeping positions. It stayed significantly cooler than the other down alternative pillows I tried and the hypoallergenic down alternative fill was very comfortable. It’s an added bonus that it’s made of eco friendly, recycled fill.



9.6/10
15 votes



A+
Overall Grade

Material
`
10/10

Softness & Comfort
`
9/10

Return policy / warranty
`
10/10

Value
`
10/10

PROS
Hypoallergenic down alternative fill (eco-friendly
recycled fill)
Antimicrobial & antibacterial cooling cover
Two sizes and three lofts
OEKO-TEK certified (safe from harmful substances)
Double Stitched Edges for longevity / durability

CONS
X
Only available online

The Bottom Line

As the top-performing pillow on our list, this pillow keeps its promises. Made with HydroCool® moisture-wicking fill this pillow keeps you cool and comfortable throughout the entire night. It’s hypoallergenic and comes in three different options for support. These options range from soft for stomach sleepers, medium for back sleepers and firm for side sleepers but you can pick your support level based on your preference.

It’s OEKO-TEK certified, meaning it’s safe from harmful substances and the edges are double stitched which ensures longetivty and durability of the product. It won’t be ripping or tearing like other pillows do over time! While testing this pillow I found that I woke up much more well rested and free of aches and pains.

It’s great that this pillow comes in two different sizes (Standard and King) and that you can opt to choose your firmness level to meet your personal needs. It’s made of a soft, breathable 100% organic cotton shell making it comfortable to lay down on and the HydroCool® fibers inside the pillow absorb and evaporate moisture so that you can forget about getting too hot in the middle of the night!

UPDATE (6 months later!): I’ve been sleeping on this pillow for 8 months now, and it is still my favorite pillow. I love the overall quality, comfort and durability of this pillow. I don’t regret buying it for one second!



8.5/10
5 votes


B
Overall Grade

Material
`
8/10

Softness & Comfort
`
8/10

Return policy / warranty
`
9/10

Value
`
9/10

PROS
Great for allergy sufferers
Less dense than foam
Lightweight
Affordable

CONS
X
Can be noisy when moving
X
Flattens quickly
X
Too soft for side sleepers

The Bottom Line

Best known for their mattresses, Tuft & Needle now offers an array of bedding products as well as furniture. I recently tested their fluffy down alternative pillow and found the material to have a lightweight and airy feel. The pillows come in two sizes (standard and King) and are recommended most for back or side sleepers.

While I really liked the lightweight material of the pillow I found it to lose its fluff and “plumpness” over time. I did however love that it was hypoallergenic ensuring that fewer allergy-causing particles were in my bed. It’s easy to care for and clean. In fact, it can go right into the washing machine and dryer to bounce back into its plump shape.

Because it flattened over time I did not find it to have enough neck support for my liking but if you are the type of person that tends to like a flatter pillow this may be a good option for you.

If you’re looking for a pillow at a great price point this could be a very good option since it comes at an affordable price point for the price of two pillows. However, we feel as though there are other, better-designed pillows on the market.




7.6/10
5 votes

C
Overall Grade

Material
`
7/10

Softness & Comfort
`
7/10

Return policy / warranty
`
8/10

Value
`
8/10

PROS
Fully adjustable fill height
Mix of polyester and shredded memory foam pieces
Great neck support

CONS
X
Too stiff
X
Some pilling after use
X
Weird smell that eventually goes away

The Bottom Line

The coop home goods pillow is not just filled with polyester fill, which is what most down alternative pillows are filled with. Instead, it is made of a mix of polyester and memory foam pieces. What I like about this pillow is that you can decide how much you want to fill the pillow, making it fully adjustable. Therefore, you can add or remove fill from the pillow to fit your needs. As a bonus, it even comes with a 1/2 bag of fill if you prefer a higher loft to your pillow.

While I love the adjustability of this pillow I found that some of the fill would shift throughout the night, therefore not giving me enough neck support. However, if you like a firmer pillow, this may be a great option for you. The fill itself also seemed to have some sort of strange odor that I couldn’t get past. It went away after a few nights but if you are sensitive to smells you may want to consider another option.

The case is made of a blend of a blend of bamboo-derived viscose rayon and polyester that provides breathability and softness. Coop Home Goods offers great customer service so if you have any issues or problems with your pillow you can always reach out and customer service is happy to assist.

The adjustability of this pillow is a huge plus for me, however, the fill moved around a lot for me throughout the night therefore not making it my top choice.




7.6/10
4 votes

L.L. Bean
Source:
L.L. Bean

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C
Overall Grade

Material
`
7/10

Softness & Comfort
`
8/10

Return policy / warranty
`
7/10

Value
`
7/10

PROS
Three different height options
Does not trap heat
100% hypoallergenic PrimaLoft fill

CONS
X
Loses form quickly
X
Starts clumping together over time

The Bottom Line

The Down alternative damask pillow by L.L. Bean comes in three different densities to fit everyone’s needs. The soft pillow is a great option for stomach sleepers, or those who move around a lot through the night. The medium pillow is best for back sleepers. It is soft but still provides adequate support. Lastly, the firm pillow is for side sleepers. This pillow provides the highest level of neck and head support for comfort throughout the entire night.

In my experience using the firm pillow, I did not get hot while using it. It stayed cool throughout the entire night, which was great! However, the pillow itself was a bit stiff and noisy for my liking. After about of month of use, the fill really flattened out leaving me with no neck support.

I would recommend this pillow as a great option or choice for your guest room but as far as using it long term it did not have the adequate support that I needed throughout the night. It seems as though the fill really starts to lose its plushness after a month of use.




7.0/10
4 votes

C-
Overall Grade

Material
`
6/10

Softness & Comfort
`
7/10

Return policy / warranty
`
7/10

Value
`
8/10

PROS
Affordable
Great for kids
Very plush and fluffy

CONS
X
Too lumpy
X
Doesn’t cradle your head

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a pillow that’s great for travel use then this is the one for you. While I wouldn’t recommend using this pillow in the long term it is a great option for short trips away from home or even for guests who are visiting your home. If you love fluffy and plush pillows, this is the one for you!

The price point can’t be beat and the pillows are extremely plush and comfortable. On the downside, being that it is such a plush pillow it doesn’t do a great job of gently cradling and holding your head when you lay on it. Instead, it can feel a bit too fluffy or lumpy, which was my experience. So if you tend to suffer from neck pain, this may not be the best option for you.

If you are looking for a solid generic pillow, this is a good option, but in the long term, it might not be the best if you struggle with neck pain.



6.7/10
4 votes

D
Overall Grade

Material
`
7/10

Softness & Comfort
`
7/10

Return policy / warranty
`
8/10

Value
`
5/10

PROS
Outlast infused cover
Great cooling pillow
Maintains its shape

CONS
X
The color can be seen through certain pillowcases
X
Only two firmness options

The Bottom Line

One of the key reasons I wanted to try the UltraCool Slumber Cloud pillow was because of its temperature control regulating technology. The company boasts that it uses fabric designed by NASA and paired with Polysilk™ down-alternative fiberfill within the pillow to regulate your temperate throughout the night.

As your body temperature increases while you sleep the Outlast® technology stores that heat to keep you cool, and then releases it as you cool down to ensure that the temperature stays “just right” for you throughout the night. After testing it out for myself I didn’t notice any major “cooling effects”. In fact, I found myself getting a bit hot throughout the night.

I really like that the pillow is filled here in the USA and it is easy to take care of. It can be thrown into the washing machine when cleaned.

While this isn’t a major drawback it should be noted that they only offer two firmness levels so you either have to choose between soft/medium and medium/firm. I myself am a medium/firm sleeper but feel like it was a bit too firm for my liking.

Slumber Cloud does offer a generous 60 night trial which is worth it if you’re looking to test and try new pillows. They also offer free shipping.


6.7/10
3 votes

D
Overall Grade

Material
`
7/10

Softness & Comfort
`
7/10

Return policy / warranty
`
7/10

Value
`
5/10

PROS
Relatively inexpensive
Provides some neck pain relief
Three style options
1 year limited warranty

CONS
X
Adjustable but not the best options
X
Hard to break in

The Bottom Line

I personally love my sleep number mattress and stand behind their warranty. For their pillows, they offer up to 100 nights trial and if you don’t love it you can return or exchange it. They also offer a 1-year-limited warranty for their pillows which you can read about here.

So, being as I love my sleep number mattress I was excited to try out their pillows. While I thought they were good they were;t my favorite pillow choice. I really like that they offer three different shape options based on what type of sleeper you are. There’s the classic shape which is best for stomach or back sleepers, the curved shape, which is best for side or back sleepers and the ultimate which contains three removable inserts so that you can adjust and customize the height and support you need. This option is great for all sleeping positions.

The material was good but it, unfortunately, was just too stiff for me. I loved using it when I slept on my side but when I switched over to my back it felt too plush.

I think it is at a great price point and I would agree that the fabric and material does feel plush and comfortable. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t as adjustable as I wanted it to be for my needs and I felt that it was hard to break in.



6.3/10
2 votes

D
Overall Grade

Material
`
6/10

Softness & Comfort
`
6/10

Return policy / warranty
`
7/10

Value
`
6/10

PROS
Two firmness options
Includes a free pillow protector
Feels like a luxurious hotel pillow

CONS
X
Better suited for people who prefer soft pillows
X
Not machine washable

The Bottom Line

If you love the way hotel pillows feel then this FluffCo down and feather pillow is the pillow for you! The company offers two fill options to choose from which are firm fluff and soft fluff. Some reported that the fill was too soft and flattened out too much while using it. This was my experience as well. It was too flat for my liking. However, the pillow itself was very soft and I think would be ideal for those who prefer a softer pillow.

It was a nice bonus to receive the free pillow protector. However please note that it’s not recommended to machine wash your down and feather pillow. So if you like washing your pillows this may not be the most ideal option for you. Instead, the company recommends spot cleaning it when needed and also getting it dry cleaned when needed. You can also leave it out in the sun on a dry day to freshen up your pillow.

Conclusions

For most sleepers (side, back, and combination) looking for the best down alternative pillow, I highly recommend the West Elm Cooling Down Alternative Pillow. The quality of the fibers, the cooling technology, and the soft, breathable 100% organic cotton shell make it the best option on the market. And if you don’t like it, you have a 30-day window to return it.

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