Not only is the fiber fill blend made with cooling-infused memory foam for a refreshing feel, but it has three customizable firmness levels to meet your comfort needs with the pull of the zipper: plush (two sides unzipped), medium (one side unzipped), and firm (two sides zipped). “I was like Goldilocks, testing out every loft level each night,” Alpert says. “I settled on the medium firmness, which is one zipper open.” She adds that while some adjustable pillows have extra inserts or fill and need a place to put it all, the Marlow’s three-in-one pillow design is perfect for anyone who’s tight on limited storage space.
P.S. This pillow is 20% off now for Brooklinen’s Friends and Family sale.
The Pick for Side Sleepers
Rachel Fletcher
Honeydew Scrumptious Side Sleeper Pillow
- Sizes: Queen, queen silk gift pack, king, king silk gift pack
- Fill material: Gel memory foam and microfiber
- Cover material: Viscose from bamboo
- Care: Machine-wash the cover
Ergonomic design; down alternative fill; comes with a silk pillowcase
Pricier than some pillows in this guide
If side sleeping is your position of choice, this crescent design will be the perfect little cocoon. The curve is designed to boost up your head so your neck and shoulders have extra support. As for the down alternative fill (hypoallergenic, by the way), it is like down in the sense that it doesn’t fall flat over time. It’s not too fluffy, though. Even though the fill is adjustable, it leans slightly stiffer to maintain that structured pillow shape that side sleepers usually need most. Commerce director Rachel Fletcher loves it and says, “It’s got the perfect amount of firmness for me—I cannot stand a soft pillow.”
It doesn’t trap heat, either. The breathable, CertiPUR-US-certified, copper-infused memory foam filling, is a great combo for side sleepers who run hot. “While a side sleeper pillow might look a little funny on your bed, I love that it comes with its own fitted silk pillowcase, which is (a) great for skin and hair and (b) makes it look a little bit neater in my pillow-scape,” Fletcher adds.
Best Memory Foam Alternative
Katherine McLaughlin
Tuft & Needle Premium Pillow
- Sizes: Standard, king
- Fill material: Patented adaptive foam infused with graphite and cooling gel
- Cover material: Micro tencel
- Care: Machine-wash the cover in cold water with light colors. Do not bleach it. Hang to dry.
Helps target pressure points; infused with cooling gels; stable iteration of memory foam
Have to air-dry the cover
Not quite memory foam, Tuft and Needle designed this pillow to have a new and improved version of the famous material. Since some sleepers feel like memory foam can feel like you’re “sinking into” a pillow like quicksand, the brand’s adaptive foam is designed to give a sense of support and comfort as it adjusts to an individual’s movements for a more stable sleep experience. It’s refreshing too, with infused graphite and cooling gel so you feel comfortable in every season. Digital features editor Katherine McLaughlin is a fan. After having hers for over a year, she says “it’s held up great—hasn’t gotten thinner or lost any of its plushness.”
More AD-Approved Memory Foam Pillows
Photo: Nashia Baker
Photo: Nashia Baker
My Sheets Rock Cooler Memory Foam Pillow
- Sizes: Standard, king
- Fill material: Memory foam
- Cover material: Bamboo rayon
- Care: N/A
Prime pressure relief; supportive design; cooling gel pad for hot sleepers
Care instructions aren’t specified on the site
For sleepers looking for a truly firm pillow, this one’s for you. The solid memory foam pillow is what senior commerce editor Nashia Baker considers the ultimate supportive pillow. While she sleeps on her side most often with this pillow to keep her neck supported in the same spot throughout the night, she feels refreshed and comfortable no matter her sleep position—in other words, it’s a good choice for combination sleepers too.
