Hot Sleeper? We Tested Dozens of Cooling Pillows — These Are Our 10 Best Picks for Sweat-Free Zzz’s

The cover is made from a nylon-spandex blend. Even though synthetic fabrics often feel slick or satiny, this feels more like a luxe brushed knit. In fact, it was so plush and cozy that I was genuinely surprised by its cooling properties.

The fill is a soft mix of shredded memory foam and eco-friendly recycled polyester, with no hard pieces or lumps. As a side sleeper, I felt it provided the perfect amount of support out of the box. But occasionally, it compressed a bit too much and needed to be re-fluffed. It also includes a bag of extra fill, so you can adjust it to find the perfect loft for any sleep position.

This Sijo pillow is also Oeko-Tex Standard 100–certified, which means the materials have been tested and passed as free from harmful substances.

This cooling pillow is filled with a mix of shredded polyurethane foam and kapok, a lightweight fiber that’s naturally moisture-wicking and antimicrobial. The foam used is certified by CertiPUR-US, meaning it’s been tested and found to be free from potentially harmful materials. Along with the breathable cover, the fill allows for optimal airflow through the pillow, keeping you cool through the night. The fill is also adjustable to help ensure the proper neck alignment, although scooping out the foam and fibers can be a messy process.

This pillow is plush enough to sink into, but still provides plenty of neck support. “It helped my neck pain so much,” says writer El Wilson, who tested the pillow. “I could tell the moment I put my head on it that it was high quality. It was the most comfortable pillow I've ever used.” While it squished down a bit during the night, it wasn’t enough to affect Wilson’s comfort or disrupt sleep.

The hex-stitched fabric cover is made from a blend of polyester and rayon, but it feels as soft as flannel. This softness is a plus for side sleepers and stomach sleepers who get a lot of face time with their pillow. But you may still want to add a cooling pillowcase to help protect the fabric from sweat and extend the longevity of your pillow.

As a side sleeper, I’ve gotten used to waking up with a stiff neck or sore shoulder. But this pillow cradled my head in the perfect position all night, keeping my spine aligned and relieving pressure on my arm and shoulder. It eliminated a lot of tossing and turning, and I woke up feeling well-rested and blissfully ache-free.

The top layer is a cooling, gel-infused foam, which provides firm support and holds its shape overnight. The bottom layer is a shredded foam-and-fiber blend, which gives it the perfect amount of softness. If you’re a pillow-flipper, be aware that these two layers are stacked, so the pillow feels very different depending on which side is up. With that said, it stayed cool enough that I never felt the need to flip it.

The pillow is available in four different lofts, and the fit guide on the Bedgear website was accurate in recommending the ideal height for my body type and sleep position. The styling is a bit bold. The cooling cover is a vibrant blue with metallic gussets, prominent stitching, and iridescent details.

I opted to add a pillowcase to give it a softer texture and tone down the space-age aesthetic. Even with the added layer, it stayed cool, and it’s officially become my everyday pillow. It’s pricey, but healthy sleep habits have far-reaching benefits. So splurging on a luxury pillow can be a worthy investment in your well-being.

For back sleepers, finding a pillow with the perfect combo of height and firmness can take some trial and error. That’s where this cooling pillow comes in. It includes three inserts with varying materials and firmness. So you can mix it, match it, and flip it until you find the perfect level of support.

The first insert is an ultra-soft down alternative. The second is a medium-firm mix of down alternative and shredded memory foam. The third consists of two pieces — 1 inch (in) and 2 in — of firm, gel-infused memory foam. You can combine inserts to create your ideal pillow, and fine-tune it even further by adding or removing fill as needed.

“I love how adjustable and customizable it is,” says editor Olivia Campbell, who tested this pillow. “The layers occasionally shifted a bit within the case, but they were easy to fluff back into place.” At its highest loft, Campbell found this pillow to be perfect for side sleeping, but removing a layer creates a medium loft that’s great for back sleepers. Campbell says the pillow edges compressed a bit overnight, creating a wedge shape.

Once you pin down the perfect configuration, you won’t want to flip your pillow. But fortunately, the cover is made from temperature-regulating bamboo viscose, and Campbell says it never felt overheated.

Writer Mary Sauer found it was “just right” for stomach sleeping. “It's the first time in a long time I haven't required a second pillow to get comfortable at night,” she says. As with the Bedgear Night Ice, a fit guide on the brand’s website can help you find the right loft for your body type and sleep position.

The cooling cover is made from Ver-Tex, a proprietary fabric designed to dissipate heat on contact. Breathable mesh and vents help to improve airflow through the pillow as you sleep. “It really does stay cool no matter how long you use it — no need to flip the pillow halfway through the night,” says Sauer.

The fill is a mix of shredded foam and polyester, topped with a super-firm foam crown that supports your head and maintains its shape overnight. If you prefer a softer pillow, you can flip it over so the shredded fill layer is facing up.

If you purchase this Bedgear pillow from the brand’s website, you can get a 30-day trial period and returns within 100 days of unopened pillows.

This pillow is often called the perfect dupe for a high-end hotel pillow, and we agree. It’s plush and springy, with a high loft, and is available in three densities: soft/medium, medium/firm, and firm/extra-firm.

We tested the medium/firm density option. It provided a perfect amount of support for back sleeping, but with enough squish to give it that sleeping-on-a-cloud feeling. The microfiber fill is hypoallergenic, meaning it’s free of any potential allergens. It’s also a great pillow for sensitive noses, because straight out of the box, it has zero chemical odor.

Of course, the price point is also a big plus, as it’s the least expensive pillow on our list. Sweaty sleepers in particular should consider this cooling pillow. The cotton cover wicked away moisture quickly, and the entire pillow can be machine-washed and dried. The cooling technology doesn’t quite match up to other pillows we tested, but it’s a solid option if you’re looking to spend under $50. Quince also offers a 365-day return policy.

Writer Carrie Murphy tested this pillow and appreciated that it was supportive and easy to maneuver. It did lose some of its initial plumpness within the first week, though. “It’s comfortable and useful for the stage of pregnancy I’m in, and it takes up less room than a typical pregnancy pillow,” she says. “I’ve slept with it every night since I got it.”

The simple cylindrical design can be curved or folded to support your body and relieve pressure points. The base pillow is filled with polyester pearl foam and has a soft, nylon-elastane shell, although the company recommends adding a pillow cover. A standard linen-cotton cover is available, but hot sleepers may prefer the breathable CloudBlend cover made from a moisture-wicking blend of Tencel, modal, and elastane.

The pillow cover also adds some versatility. Post-pregnancy, the fabric straps on the end of the cover can be used to tie the pillow into a donut shape for breastfeeding. Murphy says it may not provide enough support for all breastfeeding moms, though.

“Temperature regulation is where this pillow really shines,” says writer Tori Martinet, RD, who tested this pillow. “It was much cooler than my typical pillow setup in both how it feels cool to the touch and overall temperature regulation.”

The zippered outer cover is made from breathable nylon, which adds to the cooling effect. That said, Martinet found the fabric slippery and hard to hold onto. So you may want to add a cooling pillowcase in a more grippy fabric.

The down alternative fiber-fill feels soft and snuggly, but it still provides moderate support for side sleeping and holds its shape overnight. And all materials are Oeko-Tex Standard 100–compliant, which means they’ve been certified free of potentially harmful chemicals. Slumber Cloud offers a 60-night trial period and free returns.

Start shopping for the best travel pillow, and most of the options you’ll find are basic neck pillows for the plane. But this cooling travel pillow not only keeps you comfy during the journey, but also works as a bed pillow (albeit a small one) once you reach your destination.

“It is remarkably comfortable, especially for such a tiny pillow,” says Wilson, who tested the pillow. “It provided enough space for my head and neck. Even when I tossed and turned, I didn't wake up with my head off the pillow.”

The Anywhere is a compact version of the cult-favorite Purple Harmony, which was our recent pick for the best pillow for back sleepers. Like its full-size sibling, this travel pillow features a moisture-wicking mesh cover, a honeycomb-shaped gel grid that funnels heat away from your head, and a ventilated latex core. The texture of the gel grid is definitely noticeable, even under a pillowcase. While some find it soothing, others may find it a bit too tactile.

The responsive materials squish to fit in your travel bag, then bounce back quickly into their original shape when you unpack. Purple also sells a separate travel case, so you can secure it to your backpack or luggage handle.

This probably won’t replace your everyday pillow at home. Wilson occasionally woke up with neck pain, likely due to the pillow’s smaller size. But if you travel often, it could be worth the splurge to get a comfier night’s sleep on the go. If you purchase it directly from Purple, you get a 30-night trial.

“When the upper body is raised, gravity helps keep any stomach contents from flowing back up into the esophagus,” says Dr. Dasgupta. “This can help with heartburn, throat irritation, and nighttime coughing.” Sleeping on an incline also helps to keep the airway open, which can minimize snoring, he says. Talk to your doctor if your snoring is persistent or associated with breathing pauses, Dasgupta adds, because this could be a sign of sleep apnea.

Campbell tested this Coop pillow with the help of her husband, a snorer who has occasional reflux symptoms. The wedge put a stop to both of the above, she says. The adjustable design features three removable foam inserts — a 2-in, 3-in, and 5-in wedge — along with a 2-in pillow top. So you can create your ideal level of incline, up to 12 in high. “I loved that you can change the loft by choosing how many foam wedges to use,” says Campbell. But it may take a few nights to find the most comfortable configuration.

The wedge inserts are made from activated charcoal foam that absorbs odors and stays cool, while the pillow top is filled with a memory foam and fiber blend. This combo provided “just the right firmness,” says Campbell. There’s also a small pillow that can fasten to the top of the wedge, but Campbell’s husband found it too small to sleep comfortably, so he used the wedge with a standard bed pillow instead.