Choosing the

Best Pillows

Travel Pillows

Getting a good night's sleep can depend on the kind of pillow you buy

To the untrained eye, all pillows pretty much look alike -- but if you peek underneath the covers you'll find a bewildering array of fillings, including soft, traditional down and feathers; latex foam; polyester gel and memory foam; even such exotic materials as buckwheat hulls.

Experts say comfort is your primary consideration, but it shouldn't be the only factor to consider when buying pillows. You also have to think about neck support (most pillow types fall short in this department), potential allergens and long-term durability. Often, the most expensive pillows aren't the ones that give you the best night's sleep.

Although all pillow types have their pluses and minuses, experts especially like latex and buckwheat pillows, which are firm, durable, adjustable and able to spring back to their original shape. Depending on your needs, you may also want to consider memory foam or natural fabric (cotton, wool or silk) pillows. This ConsumerSearch buying guide shows you the pros and cons of all these pillow types.

Types of Pillows

Feather and Down

$50 to $100

Advantages

Soft and comfortable
Durable

Disadvantages

Expensive
Poor neck support
May trigger allergies

Down and feather pillows are very plump and comfortable and tend to last longer than other fillings. However, experts say down and feather pillows don't offer enough neck support, and can cause allergies in susceptible individuals (hypoallergenic down and feather pillows are more expensive).

Latex Foam

$Latex Foam$ $25 to $100

Advantages

Good neck support
Hypoallergenic
Won't bunch or clump

Disadvantages

Can be expensive
May have slight odor when new

They're not as soft and plump as some other types of bed pillows, but experts say latex foam pillows offer excellent neck support, and they won't bunch or clump. However, their resistance to dust mites is uncertain, and new pillows can emit an unpleasant smell that goes away in a few days.

Memory Foam

$25 to $100

Advantages

Good neck support
Most maintain shape well

Disadvantages

Poor air flow
Unpleasant initial odor
Some concerns about durability

Some like the feel of memory foam pillows, which revert back to their original shape after sleep and offer very good neck support. However, they're also dense, with poor airflow, and new pillows can emit an unpleasant smell which usually dissipates within a few days. There are also some reports of memory foam pillows losing their resilience over time.

Buckwheat

$10 to $50

Advantages

Inexpensive
Good neck support
Better air flow than other pillows

Disadvantages

Relatively heavy
Shifting can cause noise
Too firm for some sleepers

Buckwheat pillows are stuffed with thousands of buckwheat husks, which offer firm support and better air flow than other pillow fillings (meaning the pillow feels much cooler during sleep). However, these pillows are heavy, noisy (when their insides shift), and some users may find them uncomfortably firm.

Polyester

$10 to $50

Advantages

Cheap
Relatively durable
Machine washable

Disadvantages

Poor neck support
May be vulnerable to dust mites
Gel-filled pillows may emit chemical odor

As a rule, experts aren't very fond of polyester fiber or gel pillows, which offer poor or so-so neck support and attract dust mites. On the plus side, these pillows are relatively cheap and easy to replace when worn out. Plus, most are machine washable.

Cotton, Silk and Wool

$75 to $150

Advantages

Good neck support
Allergy-free
All-natural materials

Disadvantages

Expensive
Not as plump as other pillows
May flatten over time

Pillows stuffed with cotton, silk or wool are pricier than other formulations, but reviewers like their all-natural ingredients, which they say offer good neck support. The downside is that these fabric pillows flatten over time as their filling compacts, and they tend to absorb sweat or facial oils more readily than other fabrics, requiring more frequent cleaning.