Best Pillows for Back Sleepers

Best Overall:

Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex

Made with natural materials, this pillow provides the support and comfort of memory foam without any toxic chemicals. The bulk of the pillow is made from Talalay latex foam, which is hypoallergenic—even for those that have a latex allergy.

The foam is incredibly responsive and conforms to the shape of your head and neck, which helps to promote a healthy spine alignment and reduce pain from pressure or bad sleeping positions.

The pillow also has an organic cotton cover which is highly breathable and naturally cool to the touch. It comes in two lofts—four inches and five inches—so you can choose the right height for your sleep style. (Most back sleepers should opt for the four-inch option.)

Pros:

• Natural materials
• No strong smells
• Very responsive

Cons:

• May be too firm for some

Features:

• Warranty: 10 years
• Filling: latex foam
• Sleep Trial: 120 nights
• Sizes: queen and king, low and high loft

Best Pillow for Back Sleepers With Neck Pain:

Saatva Latex Pillow

Although solid foam pillows are often suggested for those with neck pain because of the support they offer, they can feel a bit firm to those that are used to something softer like down or fiberfill. This pillow is a great option if you want something that feels plush but still has lots of support and pressure relief.

The Saatva Latex Pillow has an internal latex foam core that’s responsive, pressure relieving, and hypoallergenic. It’s surrounded by a plush down-alternative layer to give it a softer feel. This combination is not only both supportive and cushy, but it’s also highly breathable, which helps to keep you cool all night long.

Pros:

• Soft but supportive
• Highly breathable
• Keeps you cool

Cons:

• Pricey

Features:

• Warranty: 1 year
• Filling: latex foam and down alternative
• Sleep Trial: 45 nights
• Sizes: queen and king

Best Value Pillow for Back Sleepers:

Tempur-Pedic Tempur Cloud

While $90 might still seem like a lot of money to spend on a pillow, when you put the Tempur Cloud up against other premium pillows, it stands out as a high-quality product for a comparatively mid-range price. The pillow uses Tempur-Pedic’s signature Tempur material, which is an ultra-soft memory foam that conforms to the shape of your head and neck.

It’s on the softer side of the memory foam spectrum, which is great for those that like a plush feel but need ample support. It’s also so compressible that it can be rolled up and secured in a suitcase or bag, which makes it a great option for frequent travelers.

The pillow has a stretchy polyester cover that’s easy to remove and wash. It’s also hypoallergenic, which makes it a good option for shoppers that are allergy-prone.

Pros:

• Soft but supportive
• Hypoallergenic
• Very compressible

Cons:

• No returns

Features:

• Warranty: 5 years
• Filling: Tempur foam
• Sleep Trial: none
• Sizes: standard

Best Firm Pillow for Back Sleepers:

Avocado Molded Latex Pillow

Some back sleepers prefer a pillow on the firmer side because it offers consistent support and alignment, bolstering your head and neck from underneath. This one uses a firm molded latex foam that’s both lightweight and also excellent at retaining its shape. The foam has a charcoal infusion, which helps to eliminate odors and reduce excess moisture.

The pillow’s cover is made from 100% organic cotton, which is soft, breathable, and high-quality. All the foam inside is Greenguard Gold-certified, which means that it’s free from harmful chemicals, including VOCs, formaldehyde, and phthalates—so it won’t negatively affect your air quality or health.

Pros:

• Organic cotton cover
• No harmful chemicals
• High support

Cons:

• Might be too firm for some

Features:

• Warranty: 1 year
• Filling: latex foam
• Sleep Trial: 100 nights
• Sizes: standard, queen, king

Most Innovative Pillow for Back Sleepers:

Purple Harmony

While most pillows fall into the foam, down, or fiberfill categories, this one pushes the limits of categorization with an innovative new construction. It has a latex foam core that’s surrounded by a gel honeycomb that gives the pillow an incredible responsiveness while also allowing it to keep its shape and never fall flat.

The pillow is wrapped in a moisture-wicking mesh material, which makes it super-breathable and helps to keep you cool all night long. It comes in three pillow heights—low, medium, and tall—so you can get the best one for your sleep position and preferences. Back sleepers will likely want to stick with the low or medium.

Pros:

• Keeps its shape
• Very supportive
• Three heights to choose from

Cons:

• Pricey

Features:

• Warranty: 1 year
• Filling: gel honeycomb, latex foam
• Sleep Trial: 100 nights
• Sizes: standard, king; low, medium and high height

Best Adjustable Pillow for Back Sleepers:

Coop Home Goods Original

Finding the right pillow density can be difficult—especially if you’re shopping online. This pillow from Coop makes the decision a bit easier by allowing you to adjust the pillow to your ideal feel at home.

The pillow has a side zipper that allows you to open and add or remove the filling. It also comes with an additional half-pound of fill, so you can really stuff the pillow tightly if you like it super-high and firm.

The filling is a combination of shredded memory foam and microfiber, which gives it a soft but supportive feel. The pillow’s cover is made from a breathable polyester-bamboo blend that’s soft to the touch and machine-washable.

Pros:

• Adjustable firmness
• Comes with additional fill
• Machine-washable cover

Cons:

• Might have some off-gassing, which causes odors

Features:

• Warranty: 5 years
• Filling: shredded memory foam and microfiber
• Sleep Trial: 100 nights
• Sizes: queen, king

Best Soft Pillow for Back Sleepers:

Layla Memory Foam Pillow

Back sleepers need a pillow that provides proper support—but that doesn’t mean you need to sleep on a rock. This pillow uses a blend of 70% shredded foam and 30% polyester fiber to give it a soft but supportive feel. It’s also adjustable, thanks to a zippered opening on the side that allows you to add and remove foam.

One of the best things about this pillow is that it’s easy to clean—just throw it straight into the washing machine, stuffing and all. The memory foam part of the filling also has a gel infusion, which helps with temperature regulation and keeps you cool, even if you’re a hot sleeper.

Pros:

• Adjustable firmness
• Fully washable
• Cooling features

Cons:

• Adjusting it can be messy

Features:

• Warranty: 5 year
• Filling: shredded memory foam and microfiber
• Sleep Trial: 120 nights
• Sizes: queen and king

Best Silk Pillow for Back Sleepers:

Cozy Earth Silk Pillow

Although we usually associate silk in bedding with sheets, pillowcases, and other covers, this pillow uses it as a filling instead. The pillow’s interior is filled with 100% mulberry silk, which is incredibly soft and lightweight.

It also doesn’t clump like down or fiberfills tend to. The silk helps to regulate temperature and is naturally breathable, which keeps you feeling cool and dry all night long.

The Cozy Earth pillow has a viscose cover made from bamboo that’s super-soft, light, and naturally cool to the touch. Bamboo is naturally moisture-wicking, so it will still feel dry even if you tend to sweat a lot while you sleep.

Pros:

• Very soft
• Temperature-regulating
• All natural materials

Cons:

• Very expensive

Features:

• Warranty: 10 years
• Filling: 100% mulberry silk
• Sleep Trial: 100 nights
• Sizes: standard, king