Best Memory Foam Pillows (2025): Tested and Reviewed by Certified Sleep Science Coaches

If you’re looking for the best memory foam pillow, you can’t go wrong with the Nectar Tri-Comfort Cooling Pillow. Filled with premium memory foam clusters and down alternative microfiber, this pillow is extremely plush and moldable, yet still breathable and cool to the touch. In addition to 5-star materials, it stands out for its adjustable firmness, which allows the sleeper to choose the best loft for their individual needs. 

I chose the Nectar Tri-Comfort Cooling Pillow as the best overall memory foam pillow because it provides the classic pressure relief and contouring associated with memory foam, but it is also supportive in every sleeping position. Each side of the pillow has a gusset, which can be zipped open or closed. For the softest and most compressible feel, unzip both sides of the pillow. For a firmer experience, keep both zippers shut. You can also play around with partially opening the zippers to achieve a medium-firm feel.

When our expert tester Sosha Lewis evaluated this pillow, she felt most comfortable when it was configured to its softest setting., She rated her side sleeping experience 5 stars, saying, “My head sank in just the right amount, keeping my spine aligned and neck and traps comfortable.” She also noted that her husband, a back sleeper, found a great balance between support and comfort.

Not only is this pillow compatible with multiple sleeping positions, but it also features fantastic cooling abilities. Although memory foam is a material known for retaining heat, shredded clusters are more breathable than solid foam blocks, and the gusset sides encourage air circulation. Sosha was most impressed by the pillow’s cool-to-the-touch cover, saying, “I love that you can feel its coolness even when it was in a pillow case.” If you tend to sleep hot, you can appreciate the cover’s moisture-wicking fibers designed to draw heat away from the sleeper.

While you may be tempted to sleep directly on the cooling cover, we still recommend pairing it with a pillowcase to protect against dust mites, built-up oils, and allergens. According to Nectar, this pillow isn’t machine washable and is spot clean only, so we rated its care process 4 stars. However, given the silky smooth material, Sosha doesn’t think it will easily stain.

Before purchasing this pillow, keep in mind that it’s best used as a head pillow, rather than a body pillow. Although some people prefer sleeping with a pillow between their knees, we find the Nectar to be slightly too dense and heavy. Sosha noted, “When I placed it between my legs, I had a hard time switching it from side to side because it weighs a good bit for a pillow.” 

For hot sleepers, memory foam isn’t typically recommended, as it tends to retain heat rather than dissipate it. However, our Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, says foam with cooling infusions, such as gel, can fight against overheating by drawing warmth away from the sleeper. 

If you get hot when you sleep but crave the soft, memory foam feeling, I recommend the Helix GlacioTex Cooling Memory Foam Pillow. 

With a 4-star rating for its price, materials, and user experience, this cooling pillow is a solid choice all around, but its cooling gel material helps put a stop to night sweats. The pillow starts with a GlacioTex cover, which is a fabric designed to pull heat away from the body. Our Helix GlacioTex Cooling tester, Sosha Lewis, describes this material as sleek and soft and thought it provided an initial cooling sensation. Inside the cover is a solid block of gel-infused memory foam that helps regulate the sleeper’s temperature to keep them cool and comfortable.

If you want to get even closer to the cooling effects, you can sleep directly on the cover instead of adding a pillow case. While the Helix doesn’t provide an instruction card, all care details can be found online or on the inside tag. Sosha rated the cleaning process 4.5 stars because you can simply toss the cover in the wash and then tumble dry it on low. However, she removed 0.5 stars because the gel memory foam core is spot-clean only.

The Helix pillow is offered in two loft options – Side Sleeper (High Loft) or Back & Stomach Sleeper (Low Loft). While she typically prefers a flatter pillow, Sosha opted for the 5-inch High Loft pillow, and said, “Although I am a side sleeper and this is the height they recommend, I found it too high for my liking. Oddly, my husband liked it better, and he is a back sleeper.” If you like the feeling of your head being lifted and propped up, the High Loft can provide the support you’re seeking. However, the 4-inch Low Loft pillow is likely better for those wanting to remain primarily flat and neutral. 

The only negative callout Sosha had for this pillow was the inconsistency in appearance compared to the Helix website. When the pillow arrived, she noticed that it looked different than the pillow displayed online. A customer support agent informed her that slight changes had been made to the cover, but the feel and support remained the same. While her experience was unchanged, the unexpected change made her question if she’d received the correct product.

When choosing a new pillow, you may feel overwhelmed with the wide variety of options available. If you’re not sure what’s best for you, I recommend choosing an adjustable pillow, such as the Luxome LAYR pillow, which lets you DIY your ideal sleep surface. With three inserts of varying firmness levels, this pillow allows sleepers to adjust the loft to their preference. In other words, the LAYR pillow should be comfortable for all sleeping positions and body types, so it earned 5 stars for overall experience. Additionally, its luxury cooling materials help regulate temperature and keep you cool throughout the night, making it suitable for hot sleepers.

The Luxome LAYR pillow begins with a cool-to-the-touch, moisture-wicking cover made from bamboo viscose. Our expert tester, Matt Schickling, evaluated the quality of the construction and thought the seams felt sturdy and well-made.  He added, “The cover is thick, but it’s still stretching enough to expand when you adjust the pillow without feeling over stuffed.” Matt also noted the durability of the zipper, saying, “This is a jacket-level zipper we’re talking about.”

There are three distinct inserts contained within the zippered cover. They can be removed or arranged in multiple ways. These three inserts range from Soft to Medium to Firm, so you can really play around with what feels best for you. The firmest insert is a solid block of memory foam, and the Medium one combines shredded memory foam with down alternative fibers. For extra fluffiness, the soft insert is made of down alternative fibers.

These inserts are also individually adjustable, allowing you to remove material and achieve the ideal pillow height with even more precision. For example, the Firm pillow insert has two pieces of memory foam: a 1-inch piece and a 2-inch piece. Matt decided to use the pillow fully stuffed with all three layers, as he likes a super lofty pillow. He rated his overall experience 5 stars because he thinks the LAYR is the ultimate customizable pillow that can appeal to any type of sleeper.

Overall, we were really impressed with the thoughtfulness of this product. Luxome set out to make a truly adjustable pillow, and they really nailed it. However, not every sleeper needs a pillow with 5-star extra features. For example, stomach sleepers typically need a soft, low-loft pillow, so they likely won’t need additional layers to increase the height.

Sleepers who experience chronic neck pain may experience relief from an ergonomic pillow designed to contour the natural curves of the head and neck. According to Dr. Dasgupta, “A supportive pillow is important for maintaining proper spinal alignment and neck posture throughout the night. Without sufficient support from your pillow, you may experience poor sleep quality and discomfort.” 

The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck pillow is my top choice for neck pain, not only because it was designed specifically for these sleepers, but because it’s made with high-quality materials and is easy to clean.

Sometimes, people say they want a Tempur-Pedic pillow when they really mean a memory foam pillow. Because the brand is so well known for memory foam bedding, the two terms have become nearly synonymous. If firm, dense, slow-moving foam is what you’re seeking, you’ll find it inside the TEMPUR-Neck pillow, which we awarded 4.5 stars for materials. The proprietary TEMPUR-Material is extra-firm, providing ample support, and covered with a knit, hypoallergenic cover. The cover is removable and machine washable, so the pillow earned 4.5 stars for care.

Yet, this memory foam pillow is slightly different from the other options in this roundup. The TEMPUR-Neck was designed with a bump in the middle, which contours the natural shape of the neck and shoulder muscles while still keeping the spine straight. Our tester Matt Schickling thought this design was ideal for side sleepers with neck pain, saying, “The bump provides support and removes neck strain. I love this concept, it works really well.”

Although he felt best when side sleeping, Matt believes back and stomach sleepers can still enjoy this pillow. On your back, the foam bump provides neck support and cradles the head, preventing it from leaning too far backwards or forwards. While Tempur-Pedic doesn’t market it as a stomach-sleeping pillow, Matt said, “The lower loft theoretically works. It does have a good bit of sinkage, as it’s made entirely of foam, and I felt decently aligned on my stomach.”

While the unique design and shape of the TEMPUR-Neck pillow make it great at relieving stiffness and tension, its size does present some challenges. For example, it doesn’t fit well in a traditional pillow case, as it’s significantly smaller and less lofty than a traditional pillow. You can choose between three sizes — Small, Medium, and Large — and Matt thought the Medium wasn’t tall enough for his needs, so keep this in mind before you finalize your purchase.

For a closer look at this pillow, head over to our full Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck pillow review.

Memory foam pillows typically come in two forms — shredded and solid. Shredded memory foam pillows are filled with small pieces of foam that are plush and moldable, often allowing you to customize the loft and shape.  Whereas shredded memory foam is mixed with other types of soft material to give the pillow a more uniform shape. 

My top pick is the Layla Kapok, which combines shredded foam filling with kapok fiber. I personally tested this pillow in our Sleepopolis studio and was impressed with its soft, 4.5-star materials and adjustable loft.

If you’re like me, you’ve never heard of kapok before. Derived from seed pods from the kapok tree, this fluffy material is lighter than cotton and feels similar to down, but without the warming insulation that can cause overheating. According to Layla, it’s also a sustainably harvested material with low to zero environmental impact. 

For this pillow, kapok is combined with shredded foam pieces, which, in the case of the Layla, had a quick response to pressure and felt like standard polyfoam. I was impressed with how seamlessly the two materials were integrated. In the past, I’ve experienced shredded foam pillows that are lumpy and have clumps of bunched-up material. However, this wasn’t an issue with the Layla pillow, and I thought it was perfectly plump and supportive.

The entire pillow is covered in a soft, knit sewn cover that’s super cozy and easy to snuggle into. It was so comfortable that I didn’t want to cover it with a pillowcase, so I was pleased to find out that the cover is also removable and machine washable. Additionally, the filling inside the pillow can be removed, allowing you to adjust the loft and firmness to your ideal height.

I would consider the Layla Kapok to be a true mid-loft pillow when it’s completely full. This felt incredible when I was back sleeping, lifting my head to the perfect elevation to clear the airways without misaligning the spine and neck. When you take out the filling, you can make it a lower loft, which I found ideal in the stomach-sleeping position. I still experienced some cushioning, but my neck wasn’t craning too far upwards.

However, I felt less supported when side sleeping. I prefer a high-loft pillow when sleeping in this position, and I found the Layla slightly more compressible. I felt my head sinking a bit too far into the pillow, which placed some strain on my neck. However, if you like less head elevation, I think you could enjoy this pillow when side sleeping.

The only thing that annoyed me about this pillow was how the kapok material got everywhere. When I unzipped the cover and stuck my hand into the filling, my black shirt sleeve came out covered in fuzz. I also noticed it flying away into the air when I exposed the materials, like a dandelion you just made a wish on and blew away. Layla provides a small bag for you to discard any extra filling into, but some of the kapok might escape into the air.  

For a deep dive into this pillow, check out our full Layla Kapok pillow review.