The Best Cooling Pillows to Beat the Heat, Tested By Our Editors
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The Coop Eden Pillow aced our test, keeping us cool and comfortable all night
Verywell Health / Joy Kim
Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MDFact checked by Rich Scherr
Cooling pillows provide an easy way to help your head regulate your overall body temperature while you sleep. Constructed with breathable, moisture-wicking, and foam- or latex-based materials, these pillows work on two fronts (inside and outside) to keep your head cool, often utilizing unique airflow designs and gel layers to further prevent overheating.
Experts we spoke to said the best cooling pillows won’t just help you feel cool and comfortable while sleeping—they also need to be supportive of your head, neck, and shoulders, accommodating the unique way that you sleep. “The ideal [cooling] pillow should be medium-firm, made of memory foam or other material that conforms to your body shape and weight without flattening out during the night, and should be machine washable to allow adequate and frequent cleaning,” says Carleara Weiss, PhD, science advisor for Aeroflow Sleep.
Our editors slept on 28 pillows for at least one week each in different sleeping positions. Throughout the test, we paid close attention to how cool a pillow was to the touch and how much airflow it promoted during sleep, as well as how well a pillow retained its cooling properties, loft, and supportiveness over time (including after washing, for washable pillows). We followed care instructions for machine washing and continued to sleep on them to see if they lost any of their cooling or supportive qualities. We continue to test the top performing pillows to see how they maintain performance overtime.
Best Overall: Coop Sleep Goods The Eden Pillow
Pros
Adjustable loft
Filling includes cooling gel
Structured gusset
Cons
Slight odor that dissipates with time
You may need to readjust the filling after washing and drying
The best cooling pillows keep your sleep surface cool all night long and promote ultimate comfort, and that’s just what we discovered when we slept on our best overall pick, the Coop Home Goods Eden Pillow. From the soft, well-constructed outer cover to the adjustable gel-infused memory foam filling, everything about this pillow is designed to help you get a better night’s sleep.
In testing, we found the Eden really delivered when it came to both cooling and comfort. Not only does the pillow stay cool through the entire night without needing to be flipped over, it's able to be used by more than one type of sleeper because the filling is adjustable; it can be added or removed to match anyone’s loft needs exactly. For instance, when our stomach sleeper tested the pillow, she was able to remove fill to make it flatter to provide proper neck and spine alignment, while side and back sleepers were able to add more fill and fluff it as needed to find their appropriate level of support. This is especially desirable for those who value and seek out customization, whether it be pillows or an adjustable bed. Because each individual piece of filling is infused with cooling gel, this pillow maintains its temperature better than pillows we tested with cooling cores made of latex, like the Saatva.
Finally, we were impressed by the Eden’s washability—not only is the entire pillow washable, but it fluffs up nicely after washing and even feels cool right out of the dryer. Thanks to its flexible comfort and commitment to cool, the Eden was a clear frontrunner for our best overall pick.
Price at time of publication: $96
Fill Material: Memory foam, microfiber | Cover Material: Viscose rayon, polyester | Sizes Available: Queen, king
Verywell Health / Joy Kim
Best Overall Runner-up: Slumber Cloud Core Down Alternative Pillow
Pros
Easy to wash
Promotes airflow
Cons
Not adjustable
The Slumbercloud Core Down Alternative Pillow came in a close second place during, losing a few points to the Eden mostly because it doesn't feature adjustable fill. But in every other way, we found the Slumbercloud to be a cool-to-the-touch option that’s not too hard or too soft and that washes up beautifully, maintaining its shape, size, and loft.
Where temperature and airflow are concerned, the Slumbercloud scored performs exactly how you want it to: , we didn’t have to flip the pillow over during the night to find a cool surface and the pillow promotes plenty of airflow while sleeping. In fact, one of our editors, who describes themself as "picky about pillows," had nothing but good things to say about how comfortable the down-alternative fill is and how easy it is to follow the directions for washing. Even after washing, the pillow maintains its size and fluff.
The Slumbercloud also earns a high mark for value, as it is one of the cheaper options on this list without sacrificing any quality. It fits easily into standard pillowcases and doesn’t need much fluffing or adjusting during use. In fact, it actually helped us fall asleep faster, which makes it a solid cost-saving alternative to the Eden pillow.
Price at time of publication: $79
Fill Material: Down alternative fiber-fill | Cover Material: 100% cotton | Sizes Available: Standard, king
Verywell Health / Joy Kim
Best Budget: Himoon Bed Pillows
Pros
Good value for two pillows
Maintains its loft
Fluffs up in dryer
Cons
No noticeable “cool to the touch” feeling
If you have more than one person in your house in need of a cooling pillow, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to make everyone happy: in testing, we found the pack of two HIMOON Bed Pillows to be a supportive option that allows for plenty of airflow while sleeping. While the pillows do lack that signature “cool to the touch” feeling of our best overall pick, we have no complaints about overheating or sweating during the night. So even though these pillows don’t feel as chilly as their competitors, they still work hard to maintain a neutral sleeping temperature. If you're looking to bump up the chill factor, try pairing the pillows with a set of cooling sheets.
In other features, the HIMOON pillows earned top scores both quality and durability; throughout our testing, they've provided stable support for side sleeping, with a loft that lasts through washing (and, speaking of washing, these pillows came out of the dryer looking fluffier than ever, so no issues there).
Price at time of publication: $23
Fill Material: Polyester, microfiber | Cover Material: Polyester | Sizes Available: Standard, queen, king
Best for Side Sleepers: Casper Foam Pillow with Snow Technology
Pros
Substantial and well-made
Holds its shape
Cons
Not adjustable
Heavy
For an ultra-cooling pillow for side sleepers, you can’t beat the Casper Foam Pillow with Snow Technology; in our testing, this pillow was an overachiever when it came to keeping us cool even when the summer temperatures hit the 90’s. We like that it’s a well-designed pillow made of multiple layers of foam that promote cooling and airflow. Since it's not adjustable, we think its loft works best for side sleepers (stomach and back sleepers often need adjustability to avoid neck issues).
The Casper consistently impressed us across categories like comfort, durability, and value thanks to its substantial heft and weight, its easily-washable cover, and its ability to keep its shape through use. We found it to be cool to the touch and it didn’t seem to have any trouble keeping us cool all night long. Our only caveat is that it’s not quite as tall as some other pillows, and since it’s not adjustable, you’ll need to make sure its height works for your body size and sleeping style.
Price at time of publication: $139
Fill Material: Polyurethane foam | Cover Material: Polyester, spandex | Sizes Available: Standard, king
Related: The 12 Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers of 2023
Best for Back Sleepers: Saatva Latex Pillow
Pros
Hotel-quality pillow
Fully washable
Cons
Not good for stomach sleepers
Expensive
While it's not for everyone, the Saatva Latex Pillow is a hotel-quality pillow that works well for back and combination side-and-back sleepers (our editor who is a stomach sleeper found its loft too tall to sleep comfortably without any neck and back pain). It also impressed us with it's quality and durability, thanks to its multiple layers of construction, most of which are washable, and its lack of any chemical odor.
In our experience, even for back and side sleepers, it took a few nights to get used to. But once we broke it in, we were able to sleep comfortably and—most importantly—it kept us cool all night long. We also think it's a good pick for snorers. Throughout our test, partners reported that back sleepers snored less!
While it's a great pillow with excellent quality and durability, it comes at a steep price—especially if you need a pair for your bed.
Price at time of publication: $165
Fill Material: Microdenier fiber, latex | Cover Material: 100% cotton | Sizes Available: Queen, king
Related: The 11 Best Body Pillows of 2023
Best for Stomach Sleepers: Purple Harmony Pillow
Pros
Ventilated grid construction
Maintains its shape
Moisture-wicking cover
Cons
Expensive
The best pillows for stomach sleepers are flatter than the ones side and back sleepers in order to promote proper neck and spine alignment. In fact, stomach sleepers often have a hard time getting comfortable, but our stomach sleeper had no trouble at all getting comfortable with the Purple Harmony Pillow—it is the perfect combination of squishy and supportive, and kept them cool all night long.
Thanks to the jello-like interior, it earned top marks for comfort. We love the fact that it springs right back to its original shape when not in use (and when it is in use, it still holds its shape, never sinking down or requiring fluffing). In terms of quality, we found the Harmony to be well-made, without any initial odors out of the box. And while the latex and polymer filling was a bit heavier than we were used to, we liked that its heft made the pillow seem stable, not flimsy.
As far as cooling, we weren’t wowed—but we weren’t disappointed, either. Although there’s no noticeable cooling sensation when using the pillow, we didn’t have any issues with overheating during the night. Overall, the Harmony is a reliably comfortable option for stomach sleepers, though there are (cheaper) options out there that perform similarly.
Price at time of publication: $179
Fill Material: Latex, polymer | Cover Material: Nylon and spandex | Sizes Available: Low, medium, tall in standard and king
Related: The 7 Best Pillows for Stomach Sleepers in 2023
Best Latex: Sijo Clima Latex Pillow
Pros
Doesn't sag over time
Soft and high-quality fabric
Cons
No noticeable “cool-to-the-touch” feeling
The Sijo Clima Adaptive Latex Pillow scored similar marks to the Saatva Latex Pillow, but with one important deviation that sets it apart as our best latex pick: overall value. While it's also on the more expensive side, we think the Sijo Clima is worth the cost, especially since we think it will last for several years of use without sagging or becoming misshapen.
This pillow impressed us when it came to temperature and airflow and comfort. While it’s not cool to the touch, it doesn't cause overheating or require flipping during the night. And night after night, we find that it's super comfy (if not a little bouncier than most other pillows). That bounce is thanks to the latex core, which also gives this pillow its high durability rating—throughout our test, it hasn't lost any of its loft, and its solid construction has us convinced you won’t need to replace it any time soon.
Price at time of publication: $110
Fill Material: Latex | Cover Material: Tencel | Sizes Available: Standard, king
Best Memory Foam: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow
Pros
Pillow adjusts to changing sleep positions
Soft, luxurious construction
Cons
Heavy
Memory foam pillows may not be everyone's preferred type of pillow fill, but the Tempur-Pedic Temper-Cloud Pillow really impressed us throughout our test: it is a luxurious, well-made pillow that remains cool throughout throughout the entire night and adapted to our changing sleep positions with ease.
It earned top marks for temperature/airflow, comfort, and value. We have yet to find a reason to complain about how easy (and comfortable!) it is to sleep with this pillow. We don't need to flip it over or adjust it during the night no matter our sleep position; the pillow cover is soft and washes up nicely; and although it’s a bit expensive, we think it's a worthwhile investment considering how well we slept while using it.
Because it’s memory foam, the Temper-Cloud is heavier than the average pillow, but so far that hasn't been a sticking point for us; if anything, it made us feel more confident in the quality and durability of the pillow, and its potential to last for a long time before needing to be replaced.
Price at time of publication: $89
Fill Material: Memory foam | Cover Material: Polyester | Sizes Available: Standard
Best with Gel: Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow
Pros
Feels cool and stays cool with use
Supportive
Maintains its loft
Cons
Slight odor lingers for the first few days of use
Only the cover is washable
If you’re looking for a pillow that feels cool to the touch no matter how long you use it, we recommend the gel-based Tuft & Needle Pillow, which had a noticeable cooling sensation right off the bat and doesn't seem to absorb or transfer any of our body heat during use, either. Made with adaptive foam infused with graphite and cooling gel, this pillow maintains a distinct level of chill and promotes good air circulation, making it a stellar choice for a cooling gel pillow.
In terms of comfort, it supports the head and neck through changing sleep styles and keeps its overall shape. We like that it's made from high-quality materials, fills pillowcases evenly and manages to be soft, supportive and slightly bouncy all at the same time.
The only areas where the Tuft & Needle fell a little flat were with odor (it had a slight smell for a few days after opening the package) and the fact that only the cover can be washed, not the entire pillow. Still, we think that the combination of support and intense cooling make it worth the investment.
Price at time of publication: $85
Fill Material: Foam | Cover Material: Tencel | Sizes Available: Standard, king
How We Rated the Cooling Pillows
4.8 to 5 stars: These are the best cooling pillows we tested. We recommend them without reservation.
4.5 to 4.7 stars: These cooling pillows are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.
4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great cooling pillows, but others are better.
3.5 to 3.9 stars: These cooling pillows are just average.
3.4 and below: We don't recommend cooling pillows with this rating; you won't find any on our list.
How We Tested the Cooling Pillows
We tested 28 cooling pillows at home to see how they performed amongst a few key attributes, including quality, temperature/airflow, comfort, durability, and value. We paid special attention to the pillows’ breathability and ability to keep us cool while sleeping, as well as how easily the pillows could be washed without losing any of their supportiveness or comfort.
Our editors brought these pillows home and slept with them for at least one week each at first, evaluating their overall size, adjustability, support, temperature regulation, and washability. (While the only thing a cooling pillow has to do well is help you maintain a comfortable sleeping temperature, a pillow that’s too soft or too firm, or one that’ll need to be replaced in a few short months, isn’t a pillow we think anyone would want to sleep on, no matter how cool it keeps you.) After the initial testing period, we've slept on our top scoring pillows for nearly a year now and are updating our reviews with notes on their continued performance.
To make sure the pillows we chose were high-quality, we measured the height of the loft before use and then again after one week of use (and following care instructions, if the pillows were machine washable), to see if any notable compression or flattening had occurred. We also observed whether the pillows felt cool to the touch at first, along with how well they maintained that coolness; we didn’t want to select pillows that had to be turned over during the night due to overheating or left us waking up covered in sweat.
Comfort is subjective to different users, but we considered how well our heads and necks felt supported in our unique sleeping positions and how many times we woke up during the night to adjust our pillows. We also evaluated how easy or hard it was to adjust pillows with removable filling to get the right loft. Finally, pillows that were fully washable from inside out—and how well they survived regular cleanings, including coming out of the wash just as cool and fluffy as before they went in—scored higher marks in our testing than pillows with washable covers only.
To help in the process, we consulted several experts, including:
Terry Cralle, RN, certified clinical sleep educator for the Better Sleep Council
Ashtaad Dalal, MD, sleep medicine and family medicine practitioner in Virginia
Carleara Weiss, PhD, science advisor for Aeroflow Sleep
Cooling Pillows We Also Tested
So far we've tested 28 cooling pillows, though only recommend nine of them. These three pillows helped us stay reasonably cool throughout the night, but didn’t impress us in terms of durability and comfort. If none of the nine pillows on our list work for you, it might be worth trying one of these other options.
Sleepnumber True Temp Pillow: The Classic is breathable and made from quality materials, but our testers didn’t think it was supportive enough for side sleepers.
Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Memory Foam Pillow: It maintains a neutral temperature for sleeping, but our testers noted that it compresses more than the average memory foam pillow and isn’t worth its high price tag.
The Company Store Cooling Gel Memory Foam Pillow: This pillow is reasonably priced, but our testers found it to be too stiff and bulky for comfort (and it didn’t fit easily into standard pillowcases, either).
What to Look for in Cooling Pillows
Firmness
The good news is there is no “correct” amount of firmness for a pillow, so you’re free to choose one as soft and fluffy or as solid and supportive as you want. The bad news is that finding the right firmness level for you might take some trial and error.
“You should consider multiple factors when deciding on a pillow’s firmness, including body and head position while sleeping, frequency of use, and any medical conditions [you have, like] arthritis or back pain,” says Ashtaad Dalal, MD, sleep medicine and family medicine practitioner in Virginia. “The general idea should be to find a pillow that helps keep your head, neck, and back aligned throughout the night.”
Some of this may even come down to your body type: Larger users (with heavier heads) may need a firmer pillow that can withstand their weight, while young adults or lightweight users may prefer something a little softer that offers some give.
The bottom line? “The firmness level of your pillow is a highly subjective matter, but it’s an extremely important one,” says Dr. Dalal.
Sleep Style
For any type of pillow, it’s important to consider what type of sleeper you are (i.e., side, stomach, or back), and this holds true for cooling pillows. Even though they have the added feature of helping you regulate your body temperature, a cooling pillow still needs to be supportive of your head, neck, shoulders, and back; how well a pillow does this will largely depend on how you sleep. What works for a back sleeper won’t work as well for a side sleeper simply because of positioning.
“A back sleeper may prefer a different kind of pillow than a stomach sleeper, [who] may prefer a thinner pillow than a side sleeper—who may prefer a thicker pillow,” says Terry Cralle, RN, certified clinical sleep educator for the Better Sleep Council.
Because of this, you may want to choose a pillow with some adjustability in terms of height or the pillow’s “loft.” Many cooling pillows allow you to remove or add filling to achieve that just-right amount of fluff for your sleep style and ergonomic needs. Others offer multiple layers of memory foam you can remove or add to get that same adjustability.
Material
When considering materials that promote cooling, you’ll have to take a look at what the pillow is made of and what materials it’s covered with. Both can contribute to the cooling effects of the pillow and assist with temperature regulation.
Inside the pillow, you should look for materials like latex, foam, buckwheat, and gel, says Foley. (As a bonus, she adds that these materials are often hypoallergenic.) Solid memory foam layers benefit from ventilation holes, while shredded foam or synthetic fill pillows naturally offer protection against the trapping of heat. On the outside of the pillow, you may want to look for covers made from bamboo cotton or polyester, which tend to have strong moisture-wicking properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do cooling pillows help you sleep better?
What, exactly, does the temperature of your head have to do with sleeping well at night? Studies have shown that sleep is highly affected by temperature; sleeping in a room that’s too hot or too cold can make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. The same goes for sleeping on a pillow that keeps your head too warm or too cold.
“Cooling the head can improve sleep quality [because] cooling pillows provide a cool or a temperature-neutral surface,” says Cralle. “They are made to draw heat away from the sleeper and increase airflow, [and] some cooling pillows can help wick away moisture and sweat.”
The materials these pillows are constructed with go a long way towards giving you these cooling effects, Cralle adds, noting that while some are simply designed to be more breathable and well-ventilated than traditional pillows, preventing warm air from being trapped inside, others are made from “phase change materials” like graphite and gel that actually pull heat away from you while you sleep.
How long do cooling pillows last?
Splurging on a luxury-priced cooling pillow may not be in your budget, but it might help to know that many cooling pillows actually outlive their non-cooling counterparts, so it can be worth the investment in the long run.
“Generally, cooling pillows can last anywhere from two to four years,” says Dr. Dalal. “[You can] expect cooling pillows to last longer, or rather maintain their shape and firmness [longer] compared to standard pillows, as a result of them being made from more durable materials.”
How do you clean a cooling pillow?
There’s no one answer here, because it depends entirely on what your pillow is made from.
“A variety of different materials are used for cooling pillows, including gel, memory foam, shredded-memory-foam, and down feathers,” says Dr. Dalal, “and the way to clean cooling pillows will vary because [of that].”
Many cooling pillows will need to be spot cleaned, he adds, because their materials aren’t compatible with a machine wash. You may want to use a removable and washable pillow cover—in addition to your pillowcase—to further protect your pillow and limit the need for cleaning.
Finally, make sure that you read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for cleaning, since they will give you specific tips on how to clean your pillow based on the materials it’s made from.
How much do cooling pillows cost?
You can expect to spend anywhere between $20-200 on a quality cooling pillow. That's a broad range and while most cooling pillows on our list cost between $80-150, one of the top performers in our test was the HIMOON set, which only costs $23 for a set of two, but we didn't find it as cool to the touch as many of our other recommendations.
Why Trust Verywell Health
Sarah Bradley has been writing health content since 2017: everything from product roundups and illness FAQs to nutrition explainers and the dish on diet trends. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that help you manage everyday conditions. Although she didn’t personally test the cooling pillows featured in this list, she has experience testing other personal care products for Verywell Health—and as a migraine sufferer, she understands the importance of finding a pillow that improves your sleep instead of keeping you up at night.
