Mattress Reviews
Every pillow I have reviewed, scored on the six criteria that actually apply to a pillow.
Verdict
Every pillow I have reviewed, scored on the six criteria that actually apply to a pillow.
Who this page is for
You do not know your loft, which is most people. Start with the height section below.
Who it is not for
You already know exactly what height and fill suit you and want the cheapest version of it.
Other review categories: all reviews · pillows · toppers · protectors · duvets and blankets · bedding · bed frames · retailers
How I score a pillow
A pillow is not a small mattress, so it is not scored like one. Edge support and motion isolation are mattress properties and do not appear here.
Height retention matters most. Height determines whether your neck continues the line of your spine, and a pillow that gives up loft under a head is the wrong height however it looked in the packet.
Adjustability comes next, because nobody can specify their own loft in advance. A pillow whose height can be changed after sleeping on it removes the guess.
Washability is scored honestly: foam and latex do not wash, down usually does not, synthetic fills do. That is a real difference for anyone with allergies, because skin, sweat and dust accumulate in the fill rather than the case.
Then value, support and temperature.
Work out your height before you buy anything
Lie in the position you actually sleep in for ten minutes so the pillow settles, then have someone look at you from behind. Your neck should be a straight continuation of your spine: tipped up means too high, dropped means too low.
Two involuntary signals are more reliable still. An arm habitually under your pillow means it is too low, because you are adding height in your sleep. Waking having pushed it aside means it is too high.
| What you notice | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Ache at the back of the neck | Too high. Chin tucked toward the chest all night. |
| Ache at the front of the neck or jaw | Too low. The head has dropped back. |
| Shoulder pain or numb arm, side sleeping | Too low. The shoulder is taking the weight. |
| Lower back ache, front sleeping | Too high, or any pillow at all. |
Re-run the test when you change mattress. A softer mattress lets your shoulder sink further, so you need less pillow height, and that is the most common reason a pillow that worked for years suddenly does not.
Which fill, on the two things that matter
| Fill | Height retention | Temperature | Washable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Down | Poor. Needs plumping. | Coolest | Usually not |
| Synthetic fill | Poor. Compacts and clumps. | Good | Yes |
| Micro-spring hybrid | Very good | Good | Usually not |
| Latex | Excellent, and long lived | Good | No |
| Foam | Very good | Warmest | No |
Micro-spring and latex are the only two that score well on both, because both hold height by pushing back rather than by being dense.
Whatever you buy, change the pillowcase. You are not sleeping on the pillow, you are sleeping on the case, and a polyester one insulates while holding moisture against your skin. It is the highest ratio of effect to cost in bedding.