The 11 Greatest Cooling Pillows of 2024, Examined by PEOPLEtheinsiderinsight

13 August 2024

The 11 Best Cooling Pillows of 2024, Tested by PEOPLE

Contents

Different Cooling Pillows We Tried What to Know About Cooling Pillows Materials Sleep Place Care Behind the Scenes Continuously Requested Questions Why Belief PEOPLE? Our Professional Panel What Is PEOPLE Examined?

If you happen to’re a sizzling sleeper, you recognize that every one the air con on the planet gained’t forestall that sweaty, uncomfortable feeling that comes with utilizing the incorrect bedding. Whereas cooling sheets and comforters might help, in case your pillow retains an excessive amount of warmth, you’ll be tossing and turning all evening lengthy. The perfect cooling pillow, nonetheless, can result in a extra restful evening’s sleep with out having to flip the pillow time and again to seek out the cool facet.

From facet sleepers to those that swear by ultra-firm pillows, PEOPLE testers tried out 35 completely different pillows over a number of nights to seek out these with sufficient cooling properties to manage your temperature whilst you sleep.

Preserve scrolling for the 11 finest cooling pillows that PEOPLE examined, together with ones for facet sleepers, abdomen sleepers, and adjustable choices for a customizable sleep expertise.

PHOTO: Coop Sleep Items

Star Qualities

Suits all kinds of ordinary pillowcases
It’s gel-infused all through to maintain you cool all evening lengthy
Complete pillow is mechanically cleanable

This pillow by Coop gained our vote for finest total not solely due to its cooling capabilities but in addition for its customization options. It’s simple so as to add or take away the gel-infused fill to create a firmness or softness that’s distinctive to you. Plus, this pillow really stayed cool all evening.

This one would have obtained an ideal rating if it didn’t have a noticeable odor upon taking it out of the packaging that lingered even after constant use. Whereas it was solely actually noticeable after we buried our face in it, we might see this being irritating for individuals who sleep on their stomachs. With this in thoughts, we nonetheless cherished this pillow and had been amazed at simply how effectively it labored all evening. Plus, the customization possibility is nice for individuals who have a tough time discovering the fitting pillow.

PHOTO: Walmart

This pillow from Walmart’s Mainstays line capabilities as two pillows in a single: one facet has cooling properties, and the opposite is supposed to be mushy and cozy. Not solely is the worth proper, it felt noticeably cool to the contact throughout testing, and the opposite facet was pleasantly mushy and springy.

Testers had been happy with its temperature regulation and efficiency however had been additionally impressed with how effectively it maintained its form and offered ample neck assist for individuals who sleep on their again and facet. The fill additionally occurs to be antimicrobial and hypoallergenic and is even comprised of recycled plastic bottles.

It is essential to notice that this pillow doesn’t include a canopy, so you could have to buy a protecting cowl individually. Nevertheless, maybe its greatest downside is that it turned a bit lumpy when the fill was shifting round, so it could perform higher as a pillow for a visitor room the place affordability is likely to be extra of a deciding issue than longevity.

PHOTO: Slumber Cloud

Star Qualities

Maintains its coolness by way of the evening
Is available in two firmness ranges
Retains neck and head supported and cozy

In accordance with our tester, this Slumber Cloud pillow maintained its cool-to-the-touch really feel for days, even writing, “How is that this nonetheless cool?” throughout their first evening with the pillow. That’s why we predict it’s an ideal possibility for very popular sleepers who would decide cooling properties of their pillow over some other attribute. Fortunately, there’s not a lot to sacrifice with this selection: its down various fill is thick and durable whereas nonetheless managing to really feel additional mushy.

It is available in two firmness ranges. Those that sleep on their abdomen will seemingly benefit from the softer possibility, whereas facet sleepers may respect a sturdier decide. Plus, it’s softer than reminiscence foam as a result of it makes use of down various polyfill, which is prone to please abdomen sleepers as effectively.

Our tester did discover that the mushy/medium pillow might get too mushy over time — because it warms up, it will get softer till it loses its construction completely. Whereas that could be solved with the firmer possibility, those that favor a medium between the 2 will seemingly not respect how compressed it will get.

$Saatva Latex Pillow$

PHOTO: Saatva

Star Qualities

Latex core retains you good and funky
Has a loftier really feel, which is right for facet sleepers
Mechanically cleanable and bounces again to its unique form

This pillow from Saatva comes with a zippered cowl, a machine-washable outer pillow, and an inside pillow with latex filling. This distinctive design is why it does a wonderful job of protecting you cool all through the evening — however it gained our vote for facet sleepers as a result of it was loftier than different choices we examined, which implies it’ll assist your head and neck whilst you sleep.

As a result of it’s a bit agency, it does take a couple of days for it to really mildew to your physique form and supply ample assist. It’s additionally virtually completely mechanically cleanable — except for the latex core, you’ll be able to throw the entire thing into the washer with no fuss. We did discover, nonetheless, that it took a number of dryer cycles to correctly get all the moisture out.

PHOTO: Sleep Quantity

Star Qualities

Stays cool by way of the evening
Supportive but mushy, making it perfect for abdomen sleepers

This mushy and supportive pillow by Sleep Quantity is a good possibility for individuals who sleep on their stomachs. It’s an opulent and ethereal possibility that feels mushy to the contact. We had been impressed at how this pillow carried out in a single day — it did so effectively at dissolving physique warmth that our tester didn’t even need to flip the pillow to the opposite facet.

If firmer pillows are your desire, foam choices like our decide from Tuft & Needle are a much better match, however abdomen sleepers are prone to love this one’s extra plush really feel. Plus, it nonetheless offers ample assist, holding its form effectively throughout testing.

This Sleep Quantity pillow did begin to lose a little bit of its pile top over time, and whereas that is pretty frequent for softer pillows, it’s one thing to notice. And whereas the quilt is washable, the pillow isn’t, so if it’s good to clear it, you’ll need to take it to the dry cleaners.

Individuals / Katelyn Chef

Slumber Cloud Core Down Alternative Pillow

PHOTO: Slumbercloud

Star Qualities

Even after washing, pillow maintains its fluffiness
Outlast lining cloth repels warmth

Down pillows are recognized for his or her softness, however should you don’t like the best way they preserve warmth (or their classically excessive value), we’ve discovered an ideal various that also feels plush whereas protecting you cool. This pillow by Slumber Cloud is full of a fiber fill that mimics the signature feathers of down, however it’s additionally made with a lining that makes use of NASA-approved expertise to correctly regulate warmth.

We had been very impressed by this throughout our testing. Not solely is it cool to the contact upon taking it out of packaging, however it retains the air flowing all by way of the evening. It’s additionally mechanically cleanable, and even after throwing it in for a cycle, it nonetheless maintains its form and softness.

This pillow, nonetheless, isn’t overly mushy, which can be a downside for these on the lookout for one thing that instantly mimics down feathers. Nevertheless, should you’re a sizzling sleeper who prefers pillows which are on the softer facet, it is a nice decide.

PHOTO: Marlow

This pillow by Marlow is customizable, with facet zippers that will let you modify the firmness of the pillow in response to your consolation. And the modifications aren’t the one cause it made our checklist. As quickly as we took it out of the packaging, we might inform how well-made it was. Throughout testing, no fibers got here free, and the zippers by no means bought caught or ran off their tracks.

For many who need agency pillows that aren’t completely made of froth, just like the Tuft & Needle possibility, this one is barely 80 p.c foam, permitting for the pliable customization that makes it so distinctive. And whereas it isn’t precisely cool to the contact, it nonetheless has cooling properties — and through testing, no person reported getting noticeably sizzling in a single day.

PHOTO: Amazon

Star Qualities

Stays cool to the contact all evening
Strikes with you all through the evening and offers assist in any place
Cowl is mechanically cleanable

As quickly as we took this Tempur-Pedic pillow out of the packaging, we had been amazed at how luxurious and mushy it felt. With most pillows we examined, we observed a chemical odor (even with our high decide, the Eden pillow), however we didn’t discover that in any respect with this selection. The cooling options had been additionally on level, as one facet stays cool all evening lengthy.

Whether or not you’re a facet, abdomen, or again sleeper, you’ll respect how this pillow is versatile however agency and adjusts to your distinctive actions so it will possibly present assist in all the fitting locations if you change positions at evening. Moreover, the fabric itself is extremely versatile, so you’ll be able to compress it and pack it for journey with out it shedding its form.

Nevertheless, one potential downside we observed was that, attributable to its firmness, it gained’t look full and ethereal on a made mattress. Nonetheless, the consolation mixed with the cooling expertise allowed us to see a noticeable distinction in sleep high quality from the leap, which makes it well worth the value.

PHOTO: Tuft & Needle

If you happen to just like the agency, supportive really feel that foam pillows have to supply, we love this one by Tuft & Needle, which scored above common in our checks. And regardless of it being a firmer possibility, it nonetheless felt good and funky to the contact all through our testing. We additionally didn’t discover any switch of physique warmth to the pillow’s floor, and it saved up a gentle stage of air circulation all evening lengthy.

Even after constant nightly use, it maintained its form and loft no matter the way it was moved all through the evening, which is likely one of the issues foam pillows are recognized for. Mainly, should you’re a giant fan of flat, sturdy pillows over gentle and fluffy choices, it is a nice decide.

One factor we didn’t love, which is fairly commonplace with foam, is that the pillow itself wasn’t mechanically cleanable — simply the quilt. Throwing the quilt within the wash is straightforward, however if you would like a pillow which you can clear as wanted, chances are you’ll discover this irritating. Nevertheless, the cooling properties and the assist exceeded our expectations, even for dense foam.

Qutool Cooling Adjustable Gel Shredded Memory Foam Pillow

PHOTO: Amazon

Our tester described this adjustable pillow from Amazon as “icy to the contact,” whereas the fill and mushy outer shell saved the neck supportive and cozy. Just like the Mainstays option, this pillow solely has one cooling facet, which lets you use it in two other ways. Our tester didn’t have any sizzling or uncomfortable nights, and regardless that it appeared flatter than different choices that they had tried, they famous it was mushy and fluffy to sleep on.

The most important downside was the chemical odor that got here with the pillow proper out of the packaging, though it did dissipate shortly. There additionally wasn’t a whole lot of fill that got here with the pillow, so if it will get flatter over time, it gained’t carry it again to its unique form. Nonetheless, for underneath $50, you may get two cooling pillows, which is kind of a deal.

Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow

PHOTO: Tempur-Pedic

Initially, we weren’t certain how this mannequin would carry out in testing, because it felt heavy and agency. However that signature Tempur-Pedic foam actually earned its spot on this checklist. Though dense, it was nonetheless very supportive and bounced again as quickly as we pulled our hand away from it, trying simply as clean because it did the day we took it out of the packaging.

Even should you favor pillows on the fluffier facet, you’ll respect that this one molds to your head’s form and cradles it in all the mandatory locations. It’s additionally cool to the contact, and you may inform that it’s designed to maintain you from overheating at evening. However those that solely desire a pillow attributable to its cooling properties might not love this selection — whereas it undoubtedly made a distinction, it wasn’t as cool to the contact come morning as a few of the different choices we examined.

Different Cooling Pillows We Tried

Sealy All Night Cooling Pillow: At round $20, this Sealy pillow is a good deal, and testers discovered that it maintained its form and firmness all through the evening. Plus, it’s mechanically cleanable and made with hypoallergenic supplies. Sadly, we didn’t discover that it stayed cool very lengthy. Whereas it felt good to the contact, the cooling impact in the end dissipated after just some minutes of use.
Serta Cooling Gel Memory Foam Pillow: This Serta possibility comes with two pillows for $20, making it the very best deal on the checklist. It additionally has a detachable, machine-washable cowl and a fill comprised of gel reminiscence foam. Nevertheless, we discovered that the filling is uneven and lumpy, the pillow goes flat shortly, and the outer cowl has a plastic really feel. Maybe most significantly, the cooling impact is minimal.
Threshold Extra Firm Cool Touch Pillow: One other reasonably priced possibility at simply $15, this Threshold pillow from Goal was cool to the contact and maintained its extra-firm form. Nevertheless, the cooling properties had been arduous to really feel over a pillowcase, and eradicating the pillowcase wasn’t an possibility — the outer materials itself was uncomfortable and sizzling, negating the cooling results completely.

Individuals / Signe Bamsey

What to Know About Cooling Pillows

Materials

Taking note of the supplies of a cooling pillow is essential to gauge each their warmth retention and sturdiness. Nevertheless, the supplies that make a pillow sturdy and long-lasting can generally be the precise ones that lure warmth, which is most typical when working with reminiscence foam.

Reminiscence foam is a fabric that’s recognized to be sturdy and long-lasting, however it additionally makes use of the physique’s warmth to contour comfortably to your head and neck. To fight that, as seen in our top pick, cooling pillows that comprise reminiscence foam will generally add gel, which helps to dissipate warmth whereas nonetheless offering the identical stage of consolation. One other materials inside a pillow’s core that retains issues cool is latex, which makes use of pure rubber tree sap to create a cooler, bouncier cloth that’s nonetheless long-lasting.

The fabric on the surface of the pillow may assist with a pillow’s warmth retention and sturdiness. Within the case of the Slumber Cloud pillows, it’s the material itself that gives the cooling properties by utilizing a heat-regulating cloth. If warmth retention isn’t the objective of the pillow’s cowl, ones which are comprised of pure fibers like cotton or silk will add to the standard of the pillow itself.

On one other word, materials will add to the consolation of your pillow as effectively; high-quality supplies like shredded reminiscence foam or a well-made down various will present a lighter, fluffier really feel that gained’t flatten out after extended use or turn out to be lumpy. Reminiscence foam is made to return to its unique form after use, so it gained’t turn out to be overly flat over time.

Sleep Place

The place you sleep in performs a serious position in what pillow would be the most snug for you. Relating to pillows, sleep positions are outlined by the again, the abdomen, and the facet, and to seek out the fitting one, you’ll want to contemplate firmness and softness, too.

“Again sleepers, like myself, are inclined to favor medium-soft pillows, that are people who measure between three and 5 inches thick,” says inside designer Mikel Welch, which often interprets to foam or down pillows. Again sleepers seemingly profit from one thing just like the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow, which is comprised of mushy however sturdy reminiscence foam.

Aspect sleepers will profit extra from a agency, bouncier pillow just like the Saatva Latex Pillow, because it’s essential to maintain the house between the ear and shoulder snug with out straining the neck.

Conversely, abdomen sleepers will want mushy or flat pillows to make sure their head isn’t elevated sufficient to trigger neck ache. The Sleep Number True Temp Pillow is a good decide for abdomen sleepers with its plush and ethereal really feel.

Care

There are three fundamental classes of care that cooling pillows fall into. Both the entire pillow is mechanically cleanable, solely the quilt is mechanically cleanable, or it’s spot clear solely.

For a pillow that can final the longest, search for one which’s completely mechanically cleanable, just like the Coop Eden Pillow. It will add to its sturdiness and guarantee it stays trying model new for years to come back. A lot of the picks on our checklist are conveniently mechanically cleanable.

A machine-washable cowl may protect your pillow for for much longer — so long as you utilize a pillowcase on high of the quilt and wash each often.

Lastly, spot cleansing is a means to avoid wasting cash on a pillow, however it’s seemingly not going to final as lengthy. If you happen to stain it, you’ll need to hope it comes out with heat water or a delicate stain remover.

Individuals / Rachel Marek

Behind the Scenes

Our PEOPLE Examined staff chosen 35 cooling pillows to strive firsthand at our properties. After taking them out of the packaging, testers slept on them for a cumulative 3,672 testing hours and periodically checked in with evaluations and reflections over six months to see how their high quality and efficiency modified. We additionally not too long ago retested this class and added three new merchandise to our checklist. To seek out the very best cooling pillows, we assessed them on the next qualities:

Loftiness: Earlier than we even laid our heads on the pillow, we started our checks by measuring every pillow’s top to find out how thick and lofty the pillow was earlier than use — a measurement which we then consulted once more periodically all through our testing to see whether or not the loftiness diminished after use.
Airflow: A very powerful characteristic we checked out in every pillow was how effectively it saved cool. We began by feeling the pillow with our arms to get a gauge of how chilly the pillow was earlier than we slept on it. We then put the pillows to the check by sleeping on them, paying attention to how heat or cool the pillow felt after we awoke. We additionally famous whether or not the pillows stayed cool sufficient for us to sleep by way of the evening or if we awoke feeling overheated.
Sturdiness: For pillows that had been mechanically cleanable, we threw them within the washer and dryer to see how they held up after a cycle.

Every cooling pillow was evaluated for high quality, consolation, airflow, sturdiness, and worth. For people who didn’t fairly make the reduce however nonetheless had some optimistic qualities, we outlined why in our Others We Tried part.

Continuously Requested Questions

How do I maintain my pillow chilly at evening?

Along with a cooling pillow, utilizing cooling mattress sheets or a breathable comforter can work to enhance temperature regulation, as does reducing the thermostat at evening or protecting a cooling fan at your bedside to flow into air. If you happen to nonetheless run sizzling at evening, placing your pillow in a silk pillowcase might help diffuse warmth, too.

Do cooling pillows work?

In a phrase, sure. Throughout testing, we discovered snug pillows that helped testers keep cooler all through the evening, permitting them to sleep extra comfortably. We additionally discovered that some cooling pillows carry out higher than others. All of the pillows that made our checklist exhibited cooling properties throughout testing.

What’s the finest materials for cooling pillows?

Gel reminiscence foam and latex had been the very best performers throughout our checks. Moreover, an outer layer comprised of breathable supplies helps to supply an additional enhance to realize that cool-to-the-touch feeling. If you happen to’re on the lookout for cooling pillowcases for an additional enhance, something comprised of bamboo, cotton, or silk can be a protected guess.

Why Belief PEOPLE?

Olivia Avitt is a contract author for PEOPLE who focuses on thorough, sincere product evaluations. She is an skilled on creating a comfortable, snug bed room and has coated the very best quilt covers, mattress toppers, mattress pads, and extra. For this text, she pored by way of the real-world insights from our first spherical of pillow testing to create this information on the very best cooling pillows. She additionally interviewed inside designer Mikel Welch about what to search for in pillows concerning design and luxury.

This text was most not too long ago up to date by Alida Nugent, a contract author for PEOPLE who’s well-versed in buying content material centered round mattresses, pillows, and sheets. She has examined a plethora of merchandise throughout her time as a commerce editor, overlaying life-style content material for websites like HGTV and Higher Properties and Gardens. She up to date this information on the very best cooling pillows to replicate new rounds of testing, together with her information of bedding supplies, so you should purchase a pillow that helps you sleep higher.

Our Professional Panel

Mikel Welch is an inside designer based mostly in New York Metropolis and an skilled designer on Netflix’s dwelling renovation sequence, Hack My House.

What Is PEOPLE Examined?

We created the PEOPLE Examined seal of approval that can assist you discover the perfect merchandise to your life. We use our distinctive methodology to check merchandise in three labs throughout the nation and with our community of dwelling testers to find out their effectiveness, sturdiness, ease of use, and a lot extra. Primarily based on the outcomes, we charge and advocate merchandise so you could find the fitting one to your wants.

However we don’t cease there: We additionally often re-review the classes through which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Examined seal of approval — as a result of the very best product of right this moment may not be the very best of tomorrow. And by the best way, corporations can by no means purchase our advice: Their merchandise should earn it, honest and sq..

Briefly, PEOPLE Examined offers suggestions you’ll be able to belief — every single day, each buy.

The 11 Greatest Cooling Pillows of 2024, Examined by PEOPLEtheinsiderinsight

Different Cooling Pillows We Tried