Pillows, like mattresses, are personal things. What represents one person’s idea of heaven can signal a horrible night’s sleep for someone else. This makes reviewing them challenging, but also strangely rewarding – with no objective benchmarking software to fall back on, the reviewer must use their brain power alone to establish who might get on well with a pillow – and who won’t.
That’s exactly what I’ve aimed to do, testing different pillows of different heights, firmnesses and materials, so that you don’t have to. The good news is you don’t need to break the bank to get your hands on one of the best options because one of our top picks will set you back just £14 for a pair.
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At a glance
Best pillow overall and best memory foam:
Otty Deluxe Pure pillow
Best budget pillow:
Fogarty soft cotton back-sleeper pillows
Best feather pillow:
Scooms Hungarian goose down pillow
Best value feather pillow:
M&S duck feather and down medium pillows
Best value memory foam pillow:
Panda memory foam bamboo pillow
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Why you should trust me
Having written and edited sleep content for several years, I’ve tested my fair share of pillows, mattress toppers and mattresses. Indeed, my home has been known to resemble a scene from The Princess and the Pea on occasions when I’ve allowed a backlog of review samples to build up.
I’ve always valued my sleep, and that’s truer than ever since having twins two years ago. I also sleep in various positions – on my back, side and front – which makes me better qualified than most to judge which pillows suit which style of sleeper.
How I tested
The best way to test a pillow is, of course, to sleep on it, but first I needed to get my hands on review samples. I sourced and tested 10 of the latest and greatest pillows. When manufacturers offered a choice, I aimed to prioritise covering a range of different prices and materials.
With any feather or down pillows, I ensured that the fillings were responsibly sourced. For the avoidance of doubt, that means that, at the minimum, the geese haven’t been live plucked and that the feathers are a byproduct of the food industry.
Once the pillows had arrived at my house, I attempted to sleep on each one for no fewer than three nights each. I say attempted because there were a few occasions where I’d reach for another pillow out of sheer frustration during the middle of the night. It’s important to state that those pillows weren’t necessarily bad as much as they were a bad fit for me.
When I received a two-pack, I gave the other pillow to a family member and invited them to share their opinions after a few nights sleeping on it. For all the pillows, I also invited my mini testing panel (which consisted of my wife and our immediate family) to offer their opinions.
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The best pillows in 2026
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<em>Best pillow overall and best memory foam:</em>Otty Deluxe Pure pillow
- What we love:Its size and memory foam design copes well with side and back sleepers
- What we don’t love:The design is a little boxy, and it won’t convert memory foam sceptics
Note: Otty customers have been experiencing delivery issues recently. On its Trustpilot page, the brand states that it’s now switched to a new courier partner and that “services are returning to normal”. We will update this page once we have more information.
£69.99 at OttyOtty’s Deluxe Pure is a brilliant memory foam pillow. Its boxy design might not look especially appealing, but allow it to conform to your head and neck, and it offers a superb balance of comfort and support, making it a great choice for a range of sleeping positions.
Why we love it
Firmer than some foam pillows but more cushioned than others, the Deluxe Pure manages to strike a happy middle ground, making it a great choice for those who move around between different sleeping positions. It’s supportive and bouncy, but not excessively tall, which means it works best for those who sleep mainly on their back and side, as I do.
It excels in offering a consistent, flat sleeping surface. Indeed, as I moved around at night, I didn’t encounter varying levels of support, and it never needed plumping up. Despite memory foam’s reputation for retaining heat, I never found it to be a problem with the Otty. This could be thanks to its “cooling” bamboo cover, which can be removed and machine washed.
Having said all that, memory foam is definitely an acquired taste, especially if you’re used to feather pillows. The Deluxe Pure is backed by a 14-night trial, so you can return it for a full refund if you decide it’s not the one for you.
It’s a shame that … memory foam won’t be for everyone. If you’ve had bad experiences with foam in the past, this probably won’t be any different.
Materials: memory foam with bamboo and charcoal
Dimensions: 64 x 40cm x 13cm (WDH)
Washing instructions: cover only (40C)
Trial period: 14 nights
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<em>Best budget pillow:</em>Fogarty soft cotton back-sleeper pillows
- What we love:This level of comfort from such a cheap pillow is astonishing
- What we don’t love:Side sleepers may find them too shallow
They don’t look like anything special, but I was seriously impressed by these Fogarty pillows, especially when you consider how cheap they are. If you have a limited budget or need to replace multiple worn-out pillows, there’s no better choice.
Why we love it
Dunelm claims these pillows (which come in a two-pack) offer a medium level of support that’s perfectly suited to back sleepers, and I’d be inclined to agree. As with the Otty pillow above, I found them comfortable to use in all sleeping positions and never found myself reaching for another pillow during the night.
However, I’d suggest the level of support and height is better suited to those who sleep predominantly on their back and only occasionally on their side. If you spend most of the night on your side, you’ll likely prefer something taller and firmer, such as the Silentnight below.
The 100% recycled polyester filling in the Fogarty pillows doesn’t initially feel different from any other cheap pillows. However, during testing, it felt wonderfully soft and cosy, and I didn’t overheat or get too sweaty, which I feared may be a problem. The cover is made entirely from cotton, and the pillows can be machine washed and tumble dried on a low heat.
It’s a shame that … I can’t think of anything to criticise at this price point. When you consider they each cost less than an expensive pint of beer, you shouldn’t ever have to rest your head on anything worse than this.
Materials: filling, 100% polyester; cover, 100% cotton
Dimensions: 70 x 48 x 12cm (WDH)
Washing instructions: machine wash (40C), tumble dry low
Trial period: none
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<em>Best feather pillow:</em>Scooms Hungarian goose down pillow
- What we love:High-end hotel quality feel, suitable for all sleep positions
- What we don’t love:Requires daily shaking and plumping to maintain a luxurious feel
With a price just a smidge over £100, these Scooms’ goose down pillows are the definition of luxury. Combining a supportive inner core with softer outer chambers, the medium/firm version I tested was supportive and sumptuous in equal measure.
Why we love it
Scooms claims this pillow offers a medium/firm level of support, and the difference is apparent when you place your hand on the pillow – it’s taller and there’s a greater level of resistance when you apply downward pressure than on most pillows. On paper, this makes it best suited for back and side sleepers, but since feathers tend to give more than synthetic fillings, I was comfortable using it in all sleeping positions, including on my front. Its plump design can make it a squeeze to fit it in a standard pillow case, but once you’ve managed, you get that enveloped feeling you only tend to find with expensive hotel pillows.
Scooms recommends shaking and plumping the pillow daily to maintain its height, and there’s a good reason for that – when I forgot to do so, the pillow became notably flatter and less sumptuous. When I did remember, I always found it adequately supportive by the morning because of its firmer feather core.
It’s a shame that … the high price will put the Scooms out of reach of all but the most flush of prospective customers.
Materials: filling, Hungarian goose down and goose feather; cover, 100% sateen cotton
Dimensions: 65 x 38 x 18cm (WDH)
Washing instructions: machine wash (40C), tumble dry low
Trial period: none
<em>Best value feather pillow:</em>M&S duck feather and down medium pillows
- What we love:Great value if only feather-pillow softness will do
- What we don’t love:Requires occasional plumping, and you may feel the feather shafts
These responsibly sourced duck feather and down pillows from Marks & Spencer defy their relatively low price tag. Aimed at front and back sleepers, they’re also a great choice if you sleep with two pillows and want something to use as a luxurious top layer.
Why we love it
As with the Fogarty pillows, these duck feather and down pillows represent excellent value for money at £39.50 for a pair. I tested the medium-support version, although they’re available in firm variants too.
M&S claims the medium firmness is best for back and front sleepers, and I found it comfortable when sleeping in both positions. If you’re a frequent side sleeper, I’d opt for the firm option, especially since feather pillows tend to flatten more than their synthetic counterparts.
Made from 85% duck feathers and 15% duck down, the pillows have a 100% cotton, down-proof cover, and they can be machine washed at 40C, making them a highly practical choice. Just bear in mind that, as with all feather pillows, you’ll need to regularly plump them. You may also be able to feel the shafts of the duck feathers, but this didn’t ever make the pillows uncomfortable when sleeping.
It’s a shame that … all affordable feather pillows aren’t this good. As with the synthetic pillows above, there’s little fault to find at this price.
Materials: filling, 85% duck feather, 15% duck down; cover, 100% cotton
Dimensions: 74 x 46 x 13cm (WDH)
Washing instructions: machine wash (40C), tumble dry medium
Trial period: none
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<em>Best value memory foam pillow:</em>Panda memory foam bamboo pillow
- What we love:Incredibly soft, without overheating like some memory foam is prone to
- What we don’t love:It’s one of the smallest pillows we tested, so not for everyone
Panda’s memory foam bamboo pillow is one of the best-value pillows I tested, and it comes with a 30-night trial to boot. If you want to try a memory foam pillow for the first time, this is a great option.
Why we love it
Despite claiming to offer a medium-firm level of support, I’d put the Panda memory foam pillow at the softer end of the memory foam scale. Indeed, my mini testing panel all agreed that it’s less firm than the other foam models on this roundup.
The upside to this is that it’s soft and comforting, making it a good choice for front and back sleepers. I found it adequate when sleeping on my side too, but regular side sleepers will probably prefer the extra support you get with the Otty.
As with the Otty, I never felt excessively warm with the Panda, which may be due to its “thermoregulating” bamboo cover. It’s worth pointing out, however, that it’s one of the smallest pillows I tested. Panda claims it’s 60 x 40 x 12cm, but I found that it’s smaller in every direction than the Otty, which has the exact same claimed dimensions.
It’s a shame that … as with other foam models, such as the Otty, there was an off-gassing smell when we first unpacked the Panda pillow.
Materials: filling, memory foam; cover, 70% bamboo, 30% polyester
Dimensions: 60 x 38 x 13cm (WDH)
Washing instructions: machine wash cover only (40C)
Trial period: 30 nights
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The best of the rest
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Emma Comfort Cooling pillow
- What we love:Clever adjustable design means you can adapt it to your tastes
- What we don’t love:Some build quality questions, despite the high price of entry
Best for: a feather-like synthetic pillow
It’s difficult to match the feeling of feathers with synthetic fillings, but Emma has come pretty close with its soft and supportive Comfort Cooling pillow. With an RRP of £80, it’s the most affordable adjustable pillow I tested, with the Simba product below the only other pillow to offer this feature.
The adjustability is achieved via two removable microfibre layers, which give you the option to change the pillow’s loft in increments. It’s a nice touch, but before removing any of the layers, I was aware of them sliding on top of each other, which made for a slightly unusual sensation at times.
Out of the box, I found it comfortable for side and back sleeping, but regular front sleepers will probably want to remove a layer or two. I didn’t ever find the pillow excessively warm, despite its entirely synthetic materials.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I’m not convinced by the quality of the construction, especially at its relatively high price. One of the removable layers had lost a considerable amount of its microfibre filling when I inspected it, and there were lots of loose threads on the synthetic casing.
Materials: filling, polyester, Outlast; cover, 100% polyester; dimensions: 59 x 37x 21cm (WDH); washing instructions: machine wash (40C), tumble dry low; trial period: 30 days
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Silentnight Ultragel Premier pillow
- What we love:Tall, firm design makes it a great choice for side sleepers
- What we don’t love:Might be too tall for some, and no trial period makes it a gamble
Best for: side sleepers
Silentnight’s Ultragel Premier pillow is one of the tallest and firmest pillows in this roundup, which makes it a good choice for devoted side sleepers. It’s reasonably priced for a foam pillow, but it doesn’t offer the same cocooned feeling you get with the Otty and Panda. There’s also no trial period like you get with those pillows.
As with most memory foam pillows, there’s quite a strong smell when you first remove the pillow from its packaging, but this largely dissipated within a few days. Silentnight claims the foam in the Ultragel Premier is five times more breathable than standard memory foam and I can confirm I didn’t ever find myself getting too hot and clammy.
It didn’t make the final cut because … although it’s a reasonable choice for side sleepers and those who use two pillows when sleeping on their back, I think it’s a little too tall and firm to recommend more widely than that.
Materials: filling, 100% polyester hollowfibre with ultragel foam core; cover, 100% polyester; dimensions: 66 x 36 x 17cm (WDH); washing instructions: wipe clean only; trial period: none
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Simba Hybrid pillow
- What we love:Removable Nanocubes make it adjustable to personal tastes
- What we don’t love:A touch lumpy, and too pricey to recommend without a trial period
Best for: an adjustable pillow
Simba’s Hybrid is a sophisticated pillow with a price to match. Indeed, you’ll have to part with £109 if you want to buy it when it’s not discounted (and even when discounted, it will cost the best part of £100).
Its standout feature is that it’s adjustable, so you can alter the pillow’s firmness and loft by removing the foam “Nanocubes” that make up the core. This allows for subtle adjustments and makes it a good fit for people of all different shapes and sizes, as well as different sleeping positions.
However, even after removing a large quantity of the foam cubes, I didn’t get on especially well with it – I found it supportive, but just too lumpy and lacking in cushioning for my tastes. Its cotton and “Stratos” cover (Stratos is only on one side, which is a little confusing) did a decent job of keeping me from overheating, at least.
Unlike rival brand Emma, the Simba pillow doesn’t come with a trial, which I found disappointing.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s too pricey to recommend ahead of some of the other options on this list, especially with no trial.
Materials: filling, polyurethane foam; cover, cotton and polyester; dimensions: 65 x 36 x 18cm (WDH); washing instructions: cover only: machine wash (40C), tumble dry low; trial period: none
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What you need to know
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How much should I spend?
There are highly affordable options in this list that offer decent levels of comfort and support, but they won’t feel as luxurious as some of the more expensive models.
Having said that, spending a lot of money on a pillow is by no means a guarantee that you’ll get on well with it. As I’ve touched on already, pillow preference is individual, so spending £100 may equate to more expensive materials, but you still need to do your research and pick something that serves your tastes.
Spending more money can sometimes mean you get a money-back guarantee, so it’s worth checking your rights before you bite the bullet. Look out for pillows with a trial period if in doubt.
Should I choose a soft or a firm pillow?
How much support you require from your pillow is determined by several factors, including your physical size and weight, as well as how you lie on your bed – whether you sleep mainly on your side, back or front.
As with mattresses, larger, heavier individuals will typically benefit from a firmer pillow, while smaller people will probably be happy with something a little softer. As far as sleeping positions are concerned, side sleeping requires a taller, firmer pillow in order to keep the spine in alignment, while front sleeping is much better matched with a flatter, softer pillow. Back sleeping falls somewhere in the middle, requiring decent support but not as much as side sleeping.
If you sleep in a combination of different positions, it’s a good idea to choose a pillow that most closely matches the position you spend most of the night in, or something that strikes a happy middle ground.
It’s also worth considering that the firmness of your mattress can also affect things. If you’ve got a softer mattress, your body will sink into it more, which will make a tall pillow feel even taller. Conversely, if you have a very firm mattress, you might feel that a soft pillow doesn’t have enough loft after your head has had time to sink into it.
Which material is best for a pillow?
The best pillow material for you largely comes down to personal preference, although different materials undoubtedly have different advantages and disadvantages.
Feather and down pillows offer a soft, breathable experience that you’ll be unlikely to find from any synthetic material, but their biggest weakness is that they need regular plumping in order to continue offering consistent levels of support.
As for allergies, it’s complicated. Experts once cautioned against feathers because they were believed to attract dust mites, but studies have shown that, in fact, synthetic pillows can attract dust mite allergens more quickly than their natural counterparts.
Synthetic fillings such as microfibre and hollowfibre offer excellent levels of support without needing the regular plumping that feather and down pillows require, although they too can flatten over time. Some synthetic fillings are less breathable than feathers but, as confirmed by my tests, there are plenty of great synthetic pillows that won’t leave you hot and sweaty.
Memory foam, another synthetic material, is the last standout category when it comes to pillow fillings. Like other synthetic materials, it can provide superb levels of support, but it conforms to your body in a way that feels like nothing else. However, foam can feel unusually firm at first, and some users also complain that they get too hot and clammy with foam pillows. Edward Munn
How often should you change your pillow?
How old is your pillow? Months? Years? My current pillow dates back to lockdown, which makes it [counts fingers] six years old. That’s nothing compared with some of the responses I saw on a Reddit thread about pillow replacement. “Decades at a minimum,” said one. “I don’t remember the last time I replaced my pillows,” came the most relatable reply of all.
According to the sleep industry, all these beloved pillows are teeming swamps of dust mites, fungi and bacteria, and should have been thrown out years ago. The Sleep Foundation says you should replace your pillow “every one to two years”, and the Better Sleep Council says “every 2.8 years”. The Sleep to Live Institute says just six months. All these organisations have industry links. Otty, the maker of our best pillow and best mattress, recommends “every one to two years”, but says a memory foam pillow can last up to three years unless it loses its supportiveness sooner.
These recommendations seem designed to make you buy a new pillow as soon as possible, so I looked for independent research – and found plenty of evidence that a well-loved pillow is, indeed, bad for you. One study found that “pillows are known to contain significant levels of indoor allergens and endotoxin”, and that synthetic materials are a more welcoming environment for allergens. Another found that pillows were a key source of viral transmission during the Covid pandemic.
Pillows made using natural materials may be less liable to trap nasties, and therefore have a longer healthy life. Scooms, which makes our favourite feather pillow, quotes “Sleep Doctor” and author Michael Breus as saying that an inexpensive polyester pillow should be replaced every six months, “but if you have a quality pillow or any one with structural integrity, it’ll last you anywhere from 18 to 36 months.”
Three years is about the average recommended lifespan for well-made, supportive pillows and those made using natural materials, while a cheaper model may need replacing much sooner. Here are a few signs that your pillow has had its day:
It’s yellow: yellow stains are caused by a buildup of bodily secretions, including sweat, drool and oil from your skin and hair. This is the ideal environment for dust mites and bacteria to thrive.
It smells musty: at best, this is the smell of dust mites and the same buildup that makes your pillows yellow. At worst, it’s mould. If your pillow is machine washable and comes out still looking yellow and smelling bad, it definitely needs replacing.
You sneeze at night: this is often caused by a colony of dust mites and other allergens in your pillow. An anti-allergy pillowcase can help, but a new pillow may be needed.
You wake up with a sore neck or shoulders: this suggests the pillow no longer has enough support for your neck while you sleep.
It’s been fine for 4+ years: no it hasn’t. Get a new pillow.
What to do with your old pillow
Mattress companies offer to take away and recycle your old mattress when you buy a new one from them, usually for an additional fee, but pillows are rarely afforded the same treatment. Guidelines from the North London Waste Authority are typical of those across the UK: “You can put [pillows] in your rubbish bin, or take them to a reuse and recycling centre where we will put them in the ‘general waste’ bin.”
My own less wasteful burial place for past-it pillows is the loft, where they form a squishy mountain along with old duvets and sheets. I tell myself they’re useful additional insulation or potential packing material, but really it’s just that I don’t know what else to do with them. Here are a few more productive and sustainable disposal options for my, and your, next ex-pillow:
Recycle it
All is not lost if your local authority doesn’t recycle pillows. The Recycle Now website may be able to find pillow and bedding recycling facilities near you. Dunelm runs a “take back scheme” that recycles all home textiles (not just stuff you’ve bought at Dunelm) as well as clothes and shoes. They specify that your old pillows and cases should be clean and bagged, but it’s fine if they’re torn.
Use it in your garden
Not on your deckchair, but as compost. Feathers, cotton, wool, silk and other natural materials break down in a few months, providing a source of nitrogen-rich nutrients for your garden. Chop up the materials and use them as base layers under compost and topsoil in a flowerbed or planter.
Find a waste-to-energy skip
Polyester filling can take up to 200 years to decompose, but it can be recycled after a fashion – into energy. Waste-to-energy skips convert rubbish into electricity or heat through incineration. There’s no central database, so Google for one in your local area.
Give it away
Platforms such as Freecycle and Buy Nothing let you find takers for any decent-quality homewares you want to give away, including pillows. Just make sure they’re in good condition – and not four years old!
Donate it to a homeless shelter
Pillows are pretty far down the list of items accepted by shelters, but yours may be welcomed if it’s clean and still in a decent state. Go to Drop Point to find local shelters and organisations that’ll consider taking your unwanted pillows and other bedding.
Donating to animal shelters is more difficult. Charities including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust don’t take pillows, since they’re hard to launder and may contain choking hazards. They welcome blankets and duvets, though, so at least their furry residents can enjoy a bit of my loft’s bedding mountain. Jane Hoskyn
For more ways to sleep better from the Filter:
• The best mattresses, tested
• I tested the most-hyped sleep aids – here’s what worked
• The best mattress toppers for a more comfortable night’s sleep
• The best duvets for every season
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Edward Munn is a writer and editor with a lifelong passion for finding a bargain. Professionally, this has led him to testing all manner of products from beard trimmers to e-bikes, headphones, mattresses and smartwatches. His home has been known to resemble something out of a well-known fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen when he’s been writing reviews of mattresses and pillows, which is as stressful as it sounds
• This article was originally published on 18 November 2025. Reviews published in the Filter may be periodically updated to reflect new products and at the editor’s discretion. The date of an article’s most recent update can be found in the timestamp at the top of the page. This article was amended on 4 March 2026; information was added on how often to replace a pillow, and prices were updated throughout.
