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Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best Orthopedic Neck Pillow
Kanuda Primo Air Pillow
If the shape of this pillow doesn’t throw you off, the price will. But let me explain! If you frequently wake up with a stiff neck because you sleep on it wrong, Kanuda’s unique pillow might be helpful. It has firm contours designed to support your neck while you're lying on your back, holding your head in position. What makes this pillow unique is that it also accommodates side sleepers, with extra contours designed to cradle the side of your face, while still nudging your head into proper alignment. I was surprised how much I could roll over without moving the pillow and still feel supported.
However, if you don't think you can stick to sleeping on either your side or back, this might not be a great option for you. Unlike other pillows, this one doesn't accommodate atypical sleeping positions—you won't want to clutch it in your arms or use it to support your legs, for example. —Eric Ravenscraft
Photograph: Matt Jancer
Best Travel Pillow
Travelrest Nest Ultimate Travel Pillow
There’s no good place to rest your head on a plane or train, but when you need to sleep anyway, the Travelrest Nest pillow (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is our top recommendation in our guide to the Best Travel Pillows. It uses sturdy memory foam so it doesn’t need to be inflated like many travel pillows, and it holds its shape remarkably well. Our reviewer said he was able to use it to get a full seven hours of sleep on a long-haul flight, which is an achievement by any standard. The microfiber cloth is particularly soft, and it’s removable, so you can wash it without damaging the pillow itself.
Other Pillows We Liked
There are far too many pillows on the market. Just, in general. There's so many. We've put some of our favorites above, but even that doesn't cover the wide array of serviceable pillows out there. If, somehow, all of our picks above aren't to your tastes, here are a few others we also like.
Bedgear Storm Pillow for $200: This pillow from Bedgear is similar to the Bedgear Flow above but without the curve for side sleepers. If you sleep on your back 100 percent of the time, this might be a better fit, but I prefer the versatility of having one curved side and one straight side.
Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow ($116): This pillow is almost shockingly firm out of the box. You can customize the amount of fill inside to give it the right amount of support for you, but if you're the type of side sleeper who likes a really firm pillow, this might be the one for you. It even comes with a separate removable cover for easy washing. It's smaller than the Scrumptious one, so don't expect to do much cuddling on this one, but for one person it's a great choice.
GhostBed Memory Foam Pillow for $95: Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano has been using the memory foam GhostBed pillow since 2020—she slept on it while visiting with a friend and immediately bought one after returning home. It's medium-firm and works for her side-, back-, and stomach-sleeping rotation. GhostBed's claim of it being the "Coolest Pillow in the World” is exaggerated, but Medea sleeps hot and says the gel-infused foam does stay cool all night.
Momcozy Huggable Body Pillow for $45: This 57-inch Momcozy pillow is our favorite body pillow for pregnancy, so if you're pregnant and shopping for something super supportive on your back and stomach, this is a good choice. It’s like having three pillows in one: conforming to both sides—back and belly—while supporting the head, and the bottom part is long enough to support the legs, knees, and hip joints. This body pillow strikes a perfect balance between softness and support without too much fill movement (meaning it retains its shape well throughout the night). —Molly Higgins
No More Aches Neck Pillow for $40: There's no shortage of novelty pillows, but as someone who experiences a lot of neck pain, I'm intrigued by this odd little pillow. It has a concave center for back, side, and stomach sleeping, plus an indented edge that perfectly fits your arm. Its awkward shape makes it less than ideal for anything other than laying your head on it, but it's still a solid pick for neck pain.
Purple DreamLayer Pillow for $179: If you find you switch between being a side sleeper and back sleeper, the Purple DreamLayer pillow provides an excellent middle ground. Rather than using adjustable fill to customize its height, this pillow comes with two foam inserts so you can get exactly the level of support you need.
Snuggle-Pedic Adjustable Cooling Pillow for $58: This was our favorite pillow under $100, but it's out of stock everywhere right now. If you can find it available, it's a great pillow filled with shredded memory foam that you can adjust to get your perfect height.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt ProAdjust Pillow for $125: This adjustable-fill pillow from Tempur-Pedic has a compartment where you can add or remove foam filling to get the perfect amount of support for you. This is an increasingly common feature, but what sets it apart is Tempur-Pedic's trademark cooling materials. The company makes some of the best cooling materials on the market, and this one managed to stay cooler than most I tried.
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