Choosing the ideal memory foam pillow is like a “Goldilocks” quest. The one you found online was way too firm, and then the other that had a million stars on Amazon was flatter than Oklahoma. When you discover that elusive middle ground, however, it’s pure magic. Firm enough to keep their shape, comfy no matter the sleeping style, and soft enough to help with pain and misalignment are all marks of a great memory foam pillow.
There are a few types of memory foam pillows out there: shredded, single slab, layered, and contoured. We recently tested four of these pillows (here’s our fav), and did some real-life tests, with photos, to get to the bottom of which one is best.
We tested each of the following pillows (in alphabetical order):
- Beckham Hotel Collection Down Alternative Pillow
- Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow
- Dosaze Contoured Orthopedic Pillow
- MyPillow Medium Loft Queen Pillow
- TempurPedic TempurAdapt Pro+ Cooling Pillow
The average human head weighs ~10 pounds, so we used a 10 lb bowling ball to see how much support each of these pillows would offer. Here’s what we found.
If your head (or the bowling ball) dips too far down, your neck will come out of alignment and you might experience neck pain. Ideally, you want a good balance of support and comfort, which in our experience equates to ~2 inches of dip in the pillow.
- Reduces neck pain and tension headaches
- Comes in two thickness levels
- Free exchanges for firmer or softer versions if the first one you get doesn’t work for you
- Goldilocks level firmness that provides support but is also soft enough to be comfortable
- Cooling bamboo cover,Perfect for side-sleepers and back sleepers (and combination sleepers)
- Hypoallergenic
- no dust mites
- 3 year warranty
- Only sold online (but has free returns and exchanges)
Our pick for the best memory foam pillow is the Dosaze Countoured Orthopedic Pillow. There are a few main things that elevate this pick for us: the fill, the contour, and the benefits.
Regarding fill, the Dosaze is solidly within the “Goldilocks zone” that most people prefer. It isn’t too lofty, which means that it provides support where you need it without putting unneeded strain on your neck and back. We’ve found that while lofty pillows may feel good for a bit, they can actually cause some real neck issues if your head isn’t heavy enough to compress the foam and keep your neck parallel with your shoulders. Dosaze offers levels of firmness variability and even offers to exchange it if the one you tried wasn’t perfect!
Another element that we really love about the Dosaze is that it’s contoured. A whopping 74% of people are side sleepers, and another 7% are stomach sleepers. The indented shape of the Dosaze let us “roll” between all of the positions during the night, but kept us in the pocket the entire time. Ultimately, this reduced tension because our head, neck, and back were aligned.
For the price, it’s hard to beat the quality of the pillow and the value it comes with. Plus, the generous returns and customizations ensure you get what you want every time.
Our Favorite Benefits:
- Comes in multiple thickness levels (Standard and King)
- Free returns and a 3-year warranty
- Free firmness exchanges (something no other brand we’ve tested offers!)
You can see that this pillow dipped ~2 inches when we added the 10 lb bowling ball. The best part of this brand, however, is that if the original firmness is too firm or soft for you, can exchange it for a different firmness level (they carry both softer and firmer versions).
- Quality materials (CertiPUR-US)
- Bamboo/Polyester cover
- Adjustable height (but not firmness)
- 30 day returns
- Doesn’t reduce neck pain
- Sleeps somewhat hot
- Shredded memory foam can clump together
We really liked the Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow as a down alternative that contains shredded memory foam. Our experience was overall good, although there is some room for improvement.
When we first opened the vacuum package, there was some concern with the level of support it had. Deflated, maybe, is a good word to describe it? Thankfully, after around 12 hours, it really filled out and expanded.
This pillow gets a lot of love online, and it’s definitely fantastic for its category. Unlike some of the other pillows we looked at, the Coop is filled with a combination of shredded memory foam and microfiber. As a result, the pillow was quite soft, but we felt that it was overall lacking in the support department, especially when compared to some of the firmer non-shredded options like the Tempur-Adapt and Dosaze.
One thing we really loved about the Coop is that it came with a bag of extra fill material. If you needed a little extra loft, you could simply add some of the material to the pillow and fluff it up a bit. The directions were really clear and precise, and the experience felt very premium. If “plushness” and customization are a priority, the Coop is great. If you need something that will really support you and let you sleep any which way you want, however, there are better options.
- Cooling
- High and Firm Loft (could be good or bad)
- No returns!
- No Warranty
- Not suited for combination sleepers
- Warm polyester cover
Let’s be clear – with the Tempur-Adapt Pro, you are getting what you pay for, and you most definitely pay for a lot! This is the most expensive pillow we reviewed for this list, and it’s also the most luxurious.
One of the first things we noticed about the Tempur-Adapt Pro was that it was the only pillow that didn’t come vacuum-sealed. Sure, the packaging takes up more room, but since it wasn’t shriveled up upon arrival, it meant that the pillow was ready for use immediately. Those sorts of “little touches” are all over the pillow, and it definitely adds to the feeling of luxury.
Regarding fill, the Tempur-Adapt Pro was probably the loftiest of them all. It is really firm (in a good way), but the sheer loft it had could be a problem for some. If your head is heavy, this could be a benefit. We would go as far as saying this pillow could be tough for most women to sleep on since it’s so high and so firm, potentially causing alignment issues for your neck. On top of that, the lack of contour means you could slip off the pillow at night if you alternate sleep styles at all.
Additionally, this is the only pillow we tested that has some type of cooling technology, something that some people love and some people hate. Strangely, it wasn’t in the usual form of a cooling gel on one side, and instead was incorporated into the cover itself. This wasn’t an issue for us, but it meant that you couldn’t flip it over to get a “non-cooling side” if the sensation was too much or you sleep cold already.
- Relatively inexpensive
- Available in different sizes
- Poor return policy (requires you to pay for return shipping and processing)
- Interlocking foam feels irregular
The MyPillow didn’t rank as one of our favorite pillows for a few reasons. If you plan to use it as an orthopedic pillow or for something that provides support, it will likely come up short. It’s comfortable but lacks support in the way that most people expect from a memory foam pillow. On top of that, we found the return experience subpar, especially when compared to the other brands.
The technology behind the MyPillow is novel, but it can feel a little gimmicky. It uses interlocking foam pieces that “catch” on each other as you pressure it. You can feel the irregularity of the foam pieces, but the interlocking claim definitely feels a little market-y. Additionally, the pillow also needs around 15 minutes in the dryer before expanding. If you live in an apartment, it can be a hassle if you don’t have in-unit laundry.
The pillow itself does come with some different fill levels, so if your heart is set on a MyPillow, there are some options. Unfortunately, their refund policy is a bit lacking. They will give you your initial purchase cost back, but they charge for shipping and require that the return happens within 60 days of purchase. If you end up not liking the MyPillow, you are out at least $10, depending on where you live.
- Inexpensive
- Fast Shipping
- Doesn’t provide much support at all
The Beckham Hotel Collection is one of the most popular (and well-reviewed) pillows on Amazon. In our experience, it just didn’t measure up to the other options on our list.
These pillows are marketed as a down-alternative pillow with cooling gel. Since they use some type of shredded foam, they were included on our list, but it’s clear that they aren’t of the same caliber as the others. The pillow itself felt thin and flimsy, the cooling was barely noticeable (especially after the Tempur-Adapt), and it didn’t feel like the reviews matched what we had received.
In fact, the pillow had so little support that it required one of our testers to sleep with their arms above their head, tucking the sides of the pillow up for support. The lack of support also makes it tough for any other type of sleeping. Overall, we wouldn’t recommend this for anything besides a guest bedroom pillow set, not for your everyday pillow driver.
Disclosure: HomeHacks has relationships with some of the products listed in this article. We may earn a varying commission if you purchase any of the products on this list.
