These Memory Foam Pillows Aren’t Just Supportive—They Keep Their Shape Too

After a long day when you’ve been dreaming about bed, is there anything worse than being greeted by a lumpy pillow? Enter: Why we think the best memory foam pillows deserve a little more love. Yes, we like a lot of things for a bedroom (that’s right, we host Sleep Week every year), but this category is truly one of one. Unlike squishy down pillows or durable latex pillows, this type of pillow feels like it’s actually giving your head a hug from a balance of fluff and contouring pressure relief.

Our Top Picks for the Best Memory Foam Pillows

Best Overall

Coop Sleep Goods Original Loft Pillow

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$89

Amazon

Best Personalizable

Luxome LAYR Customizable Pillow (Set of 2)

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$235

Amazon

For Cooling Comfort

Brooklinen Marlow Pillow

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$65 $55 (15% off)

Brooklinen

And that’s just the start. There are so many high-quality, customized memory foam options with moisture-wicking covers for hot sleepers and adjustable fills with foam pieces so you can get the feel just right, whether you like a plush or extra-firm pillow to rest on each night. All of our selections are editor-tested, so you know you’re getting the best the AD team has come across over the years. Mosey below for all the best pillows that are right for you.

Prices in this story reflect standard/queen sizes; however, all of the picks in our list come in king sizes too.

Our top pick is the talk of the town—well, at least in the Condé Nast office. Made with an adjustable memory foam fill, two of our staffers own and love this pillow for the ability to make it softer for stomach sleepers or a little firmer for back sleepers or people who need extra neck support. Associate commerce director Lori Keong is on her second one of these Coop pillows, which she says is plushy for all sleep positions.

“I’ve been singing the praises of Coop’s adjustable memory foam pillow for years and years, which has occupied a prime spot on my bed and never been dethroned despite testing so many other pillows since then,” she says. “The shredded fill is easy to remove or add to as you see fit, and there’s enough of a mound in there to begin with to firmly (or at least medium firmly) prop your head up.”

Commerce producer Lauren Arzbaecher says this comfy bed pillow is “life-changing” for sleep routine, as she alternates between sleeping on her side and stomach. “The memory foam and microfiber combo has helped with movement isolation so I don’t wake up with a stiff neck anymore; plus, it just feels luxurious,” she adds.

Slightly different from the Coop shredded memory foam pillow, this one comes with memory foam layers for an easily adjustable loft. “There are four (!) inserts inside the quilted shell,” says contributor Yelena Alpert. “I am no math whiz, but that’s at least 10 combinations for fill loftiness.” She loves keeping this bed accessory in her guest room so people can personalize their pillow with a high loft or whatever fits their sleeping preference. “The extras also come with designated pillow covers for storage so you’re never just sticking these in your linen closet haphazardly,” she says.

Bonus: It comes with a machine-washable quilted cover, which Alpert says is a nice touch and adds to the plushness factor.

Hot sleepers: This cooling pillow is calling your name. “The shell texture is nice and crisp and it comes with a pillowcase cover that has the same freshness to it,” says Alpert. “Basically, when you think of fresh crisp bedding, the feel of Marlow is what you would imagine it to be.”

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.

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.

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.”

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.

“It has a structured build and feels slightly firm to the touch, but it shapes to my head when I lay down for a soft, cradling feel as I sleep,” she says, adding that its support helps keep neck pain at bay. “Another perk that caught me by surprise was its cooling gel pad that actually feels refreshing. It’s been a go-to when the weather heats up so I can comfortably doze off.” Baker has had this memory foam pillow for over a year and says it hasn’t flattened at all.

Like the other shredded foam pillows in Coop’s collection, the adjustable fill of this pick is basically the same—but you get an added bonus from the cooling power. Baker also has this pillow in her bedroom and says it lives up to its name. “I have it in the crescent design, so it slightly hugs my neck when I lay in really any position,” she says. “I immediately noticed in my first few nights with it that it was like having an ice pack around my shoulders from the cooling sensation.”

As for the fill? Baker says each piece is so soft, almost like squeezing mini chunks of cotton candy. Fair warning: Give the pillow about a day to fully expand to its full shape after unpacking it since it’s sealed pretty tight in plastic when it ships, kind of like a mattress in a box. She liked the fill as is since it was just the right amount of plush for stomach sleeping but supportive for side sleeping, but it came with an extra bag of those airy foam pieces to give her pillow some more oomph. She also appreciates the machine-washable cover to keep the interior cover free of any residue from her hair or skin-care routine.

Consider us the sleep expert you’ve always wanted for basically every recommendation you could think of when it comes to bedding. As design editors, we’re always on the market for the latest and greatest products from trusted brands that can elevate the sleep setups in our very own homes. After getting a real feel (at least a month or so) of testing, we confidently share what’s become a mainstay on our beds. For this roundup, we took into consideration other factors like machine-washable covers for easy upkeep, fill materials (like the blend of foam pieces), and other standout features like graphite-infused fabrics for a refreshing yet cozy pillow to curl up with each night. We also looked for options with an extensive return or warranty policy in case it’s not a fit.