The 10 Best Cooling Pillows of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night to flip your pillow to "the cool side," hoping to make it to morning without waking up damp and sweaty, it might be time to rethink your bedding. A cooling pillow, typically infused with gel or lightweight, breathable materials, offers a quick fix for a good night's sleep.

If a warm pillow is making it hard to fall asleep, there's a reason for that. "There is good evidence that humans sleep better in a cool environment," says Steven Feinsilver, MD, the director for the Center of Sleep Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Marina Dolgovina, MD, a board-certified neurologist at Advanced Medical Care in New York who specializes in sleep medicine, also explains why a cooling pillow might help. "Sleep onset is most likely to occur when the core body temperature decreases, and it hardly occurs when it increases," she says. "A cooling pillow lowers the body temperature around the head, neck, and shoulders, facilitating a faster sleep onset and deeper sleep."

To find the best cooling pillows, the Health team tested 28 of the top options at home for a week straight and held onto the pillows for additional long-term testing, including measuring size changes over time and how the pillows hold up while using the manufacturers' care instructions. We selected our top choices based on temperature and air flow, comfort, quality, durability, and value.

A pediatrician on our Medical Expert Board also reviewed this article for medical and scientific accuracy surrounding what to look for in cooling pillows, how they work, and who could benefit from using them.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Coop Sleep Goods The Eden Pillow at Amazon

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Best Overall Runner-up:

Slumber Cloud Core Down Alternative Pillow at Slumber Cloud

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Best Budget:

Himoon Cooling Pillows at Amazon

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Best for Side Sleepers:

Casper Foam Pillow at Amazon

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Best for Back Sleepers:

Saatva Latex Pillow at Saatva

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Best for Stomach Sleepers:

Sleep Number True Temp Pillow at Sleepnumber.com

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Best Tempur-Pedic:

Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Pillow at Amazon

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Best for Neck Pain:

Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow at Nest Bedding

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Best Firm:

Marlow The Pillow at Amazon

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Best Hybrid:

Casper Hybrid Pillow with Snow Technology at Nordstrom

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4.9

Coop Sleep Goods

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Our Ratings

Quality

4.8/5
Breathability

5/5
Support

5/5
Durability

5/5
Comfort

5/5

Why We Like It

With adjustable fill and all-night cooling, this pillow wowed our tester in the comfort category.

It's Worth Noting

It has a slight smell during first use, but it goes away quickly.

Our tester was immediately impressed with the pillow's temperature, noting that it was cool to the touch and stayed that way all night, even after adding a pillow case. "I think the fact that the fill has gel infused throughout, rather than in the core of the pillow, makes a really big difference in the cooling capabilities," our tester noted.

Like Coop's other pillows, the Eden comes with an additional bag of the brand's signature shredded foam and easy access to the pillow's interior to add additional filling or remove it based on your preferred sleeping position. "As a stomach sleeper, I need a flatter pillow, so I really loved that I could tailor this one to be just right. Once I got the fill where I needed it, I didn't have a bad night's sleep," our tester said. "My husband is a back and side sleeper, and he was able to add fill back in so it supported him all night long."

Overall, all of the pillow's features were a hit with our tester. "Yes, it's a cooling pillow that actually does seem to live up to that promise, but the standout features are the adjustable fill and the fact that it's fully machine washable," they said. "I honestly love this pillow and look forward to sleeping on it at night!"

The one downside our tester noted was the slight smell that comes with the pillow out of the box, but they noted that it quickly went away and may be unnoticeable for side and back sleepers.

Price at time of publication: $96

Product Details:

Material: Gel-infused memory foam
Measurements: Queen: 20 x 30 in.; King: 20 x 36 in.
Care: Machine wash and dry
Special features: Includes extra memory foam; hypoallergenic

Coop Home Goods The Eden on a gray sheet with a blue background — Health / Joy Kim

4.8

Slumbercloud

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Our Ratings

Quality

5/5
Breathability

5/5
Support

5/5
Durability

5/5
Comfort

4.5/5

Why We Like It

This small but mighty pillow impressed our tester with its low-profile comfort.

It's Worth Noting

It may not have a high enough loft for some sleepers.

Constructed with Outlast cooling technology designed for NASA, this pillow left our tester cool all night. "The pillow definitely felt cool before sleep and remained the same when I woke up the next day," our tester said. "I did not have to flip the pillow once, which is impressive."

With only a 4-inch loft—or pillow height—our tester had their doubts about this pillow's comfort, but those quickly went away after testing it. "It doesn't look like it would be the most comfortable because it is so thin, but it definitely is," they said. "I usually have to bunch up my pillows so they're very smushy and comfortable, but this one is comfy as is."

Price at time of publication: $64

Product Details:

Material: Down alternative
Measurements: Standard: 20 x 26 in.; Queen: 20 x 30 in.; King: 20 x 36 in.
Care: Machine wash and dry
Special features: Soft/medium and medium/firm firmness; 60-night trial

Slumbercloud Core Down Alternative Pillow on a gray sheet with a blue background — Health / Joy Kim

4.4

Amazon

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Our Ratings

Quality

5/5
Breathability

3/5
Support

3/5
Durability

5/5
Comfort

3/5

Why We Like It

This premium-feel pillow maintains a high loft after use and is easy to re-fluff in the dryer.

It's Worth Noting

It isn't cool to the touch.

If you want to try out a cooler pillow without spending a lot on space-approved tech, a set of two HIMOON Bed Pillows cost a fraction of the price. While they are less expensive, our tester noted that they had a "premium quality feel."

Our tester's one note is that the pillow doesn't have a cool feel, but it also doesn't heat up and keeps a neutral temperature throughout the night. "I am a hot sleeper and was very satisfied that this pillow did not [get] too warm/hot during the middle of the night," they said.

Price at time of publication: $24

Product Details:

Material: Down microfiber
Measurements: Queen: 20 x 26 in.; King: 20 x 36 in.
Care: Machine wash and dry
Special features: N/A

Related: Best Eye Masks

HIMOON Bed Pillows for Sleeping on a gray sheet with a blue background — Health / Joy Kim

4.4

Casper

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Our Ratings

Quality

5/5
Breathability

5/5
Support

5/5
Durability

4/5
Comfort

4/5

Why We Like It

Weighty and firm, this pillow keeps its shape and is cool to the touch.

It's Worth Noting

It's a little flatter than pillows typically marketed to side sleepers and may take some adjusting.

While all sleep positions can be tricky to pick a pillow for, most side sleepers agree that a weighty, firm pillow will keep your head supported for good alignment and leave you without a cramped neck the next morning. Casper—known for its mattresses—has entered the cooling pillow market with its Foam Pillow with Snow Technology, which felt plenty supportive to our tester, a side sleeper. "It's well made," they said. "I have had poorly designed, unsupportive pillows trigger muscle spasms in my neck, but this didn't do this… This pillow feels substantial (and it is quite heavy) and cool to the touch."

Its noticeable cooling sensation comes from its "Snow Technology," which pulls heat away from your head and neck during use. The pillow is also surrounded by a layer of cooling gel foam for that long-lasting cool feeling.

Our tester used this pillow during warm weather and found that it lived up to its promise of keeping cool. "This pillow absolutely kept my head cooler and I didn't wake up once to a damp pillow," they said.

While our tester did feel supported by the pillow, they noted that it did take a short breaking-in period as its loft was shorter than other pillows for side sleepers.

Price at time of publication: $139

Product Details:

Material: Foam
Measurements: Standard: 16x 24 in.; King: 16 x 32 in.
Care: Remove cover and machine wash
Special features: AirScape perforated foam; HeatDelete technology

4.3

Saatva

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Our Ratings

Quality

5/5
Breathability

4/5
Support

5/5
Durability

5/5
Comfort

4/5

Why We Like It

Its tall loft keeps back sleepers supported.

It's Worth Noting

It takes a few days to settle into place.

Latex provides one of the coolest sleeping experiences, in terms of pillow material. Amelia Jerden, a certified sleep science coach and writer at Sleepopolis, explains: "[P]illows with a latex core tend to sleep cooler than their memory foam counterparts."

If you've never slept on a latex pillow, you might wonder about the comfort factor, but Jerden says that they provide a similar experience to memory foam. "Latex foam maintains a cooler temperature than memory foam and doesn't absorb as much heat, so they tend to sleep much cooler while providing a similar feel to memory foam," Jerden says.

This pillow was our choice for back sleepers thanks to its high loft and construction that keeps its shape. Our tester noted that while it took a couple of nights for the material to settle into place, its 8-inch loft was comfortable and supportive.

While Saatva's Latex Pillow offers a luxury experience, it matches it with a luxury price. Cooling pillows tend to be more expensive than the standard variety, but Saatva's latex pillow is additionally expensive which may be a negative for some buyers.

Price at time of publication: $165

Product Details:

Material: Shredded latex
Measurements: Queen: 18 x 28 in.; King: 18 x 34 in.
Care: Machine washable
Special features: 45-day trial

Related: Best Cooling Weighted Blankets

4.3

Sleep Number

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Our Ratings

Quality

4.5/5
Breathability

4.5/5
Support

4/5
Durability

4/5
Comfort

4/5

Why We Like It

Its low profile makes it perfect for stomach sleepers.

It's Worth Noting

It loses some of its cooling power when in a pillow case.

We tested the Classic version of the pillow, which has less fluff and a lower loft than the True Temp Pillow's other versions, the Contour and Ultimate. The Classic, thanks to its lower profile, is great for stomach sleepers who generally prefer a lower profile for better alignment.

While the pillow is available in three shapes, they're all constructed with Sleep Number's 37.5 Technology, which claims to adapt to your temperature throughout the night, dissipating heat and humidity. Our tester said, "The pillow is very cool to the touch…I never woke up hot during the night and never needed to flip it over to find a new cool spot."

Price at time of publication: $110

Product Details:

Material: Foam
Measurements: Standard: 26 x 20; King: 36 x 20
Care: Hand wash and air dry
Special features: Available in three pillow shapes—classic, contour, and ultimate

4.6

Amazon

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Our Ratings

Quality

4/5
Breathability

5/5
Support

5/5
Durability

4/5
Comfort

5/5

Why We Like It

It adjusts with you throughout the night for constant cooling comfort.

It's Worth Noting

The only negative our tester found with this pillow was how heavy it is.

With a reputation for making quality memory foam mattresses, it makes sense that Tempur-Pedic also makes a comfortable cooling pillow. Using its TEMPUR material, our tester liked its custom-fit feel. "I genuinely love this pillow! No matter how many times I change positions throughout the night, this pillow adjusts and accommodates my body position," they said.

The comfortable cooling effect was immediately noticeable to our tester, who noted: "This pillow may have decreased the time it takes for me to fall asleep and stay in REM."

One of our tester's only complaints was the weight of the pillow. Its heavy-weight materials were noticeable, but our tester still found the pillow to be soft and comfortable. This pillow also comes in at more of an investment price, but our tester felt like the price made sense considering the pillow's quality.

Price at time of publication: $89

Product Details:

Material: Memory foam
Measurements: 24 x 15.5 in.
Care: Cover is machine washable
Special features: N/A

4.7

Nest Bedding

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Our Ratings

Quality

5/5
Breathability

3.5/5
Support

4.5/5
Durability

4/5
Comfort

4/5

Why We Like It

It's easily adjustable and keeps its shape even after washing.

It's Worth Noting

Adding a pillowcase takes away some of the pillow's cooling effect.

Like some of the other pillows on our list, the Nest Easy Breather Pillow offers customizable stuffing, but Nest suggests using the current stuffing level for a night and then adjusting, which our tester found slightly uncomfortable. "I followed instructions on the first night and did not remove any stuffing," they said. "I did wake up with a sore neck the next day. The next night I removed some stuffing and it was much better."

After adjusting the filling, our tester found the pillow comfortable and that it "formed to my sleeping habits" while still holding its shape and not flattening.

While our tester thought that the pillow was cooling and provided excellent airflow, they also noted that adding a pillowcase diminished some of the cooling feel.

Price at time of publication: $107

Product Details:

Material: Foam
Measurements: Standard: 24 x 16 in.; Queen: 28 in. x 18 in.; King: 34 in. x 18 in.; Side Sleeper: 29 in. x 17 in.
Care: Cover is machine washable
Special features: Customizable firmness; special side sleeper size available

4.2

Marlow

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Our Ratings

Quality

4.5/5
Breathability

4.5/5
Support

4.5/5
Durability

4/5
Comfort

4.5/5

Why We Like It

With two side zippers, it offers plenty of adjustability for any kind of sleeper.

It's Worth Noting

It doesn't have a strong cooling sensation.

If you're looking for a pillow that keeps you cool without sacrificing support, Marlow's The Pillow offers three firmness levels via its two side zippers. Our tester noted that the pillow moves easily between the settings without flattening. "I haven't needed to fluff it up at all during the testing, as it bounces back into shape," our tester said.

While our tester mentioned that the pillow isn't cool to the touch, the pillow kept them from waking up in a sweat, unlike with regular pillows. "I've only awoken a few times in the night to feel dampness or sweat, and even then it's slight, not overwhelming like with my regular pillows," they said.

Price at time of publication: $85

Product Details:

Material: Memory foam
Measurements: Standard: 17.5 x 26 in.; King: 17.5 x 36
Care: Spot clean only
Special features: Three loft profiles

4.8

Casper

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Our Ratings

Quality

4.8/5
Breathability

5/5
Support

5/5
Durability

5/5
Comfort

5/5

Why We Like It

It feels like touching the cool side of the pillow all the time—even after a week straight of sleeping.

It's Worth Noting

If you're not a hot sleeper, it's a little expensive for a pillow that you might only reach for during the summer months.

Hybrid pillows combine the best of several worlds, mixing materials so you can find the right fit without having to commit to just foam or only fiber. The Casper Hybrid Snow Cooling Pillow impressed us with its quality construction and blend of foam and down alternative fill that supported our head and neck while keeping its shape throughout testing, which is why we named it our best hybrid cooling pillow. But in addition to the totally supportive feel we got while sleeping, we were blown away by how cool the pillow felt. It was cool to the touch even through a pillow case and never felt like it heated up or changed temperature during testing.

We couldn't find many negatives with this pick, but you might find its price point a little steep if you're not reaching for a cooling pillow every night. That said, we did think the price made sense when considering its quality feel and long-lasting cooling.

Price at time of publication: $149

Product Details:

Material: Memory foam and down alternative fill
Measurements: Standard: 18 x 26 in.; King: 18 x 34
Care: Wash cover on delicate; dry flat
Special features: N/A

Our Testing Process

The Health team tested 29 of the top pillows on the market at home. We had 18 different testers—including side, back, and stomach sleepers—sleep on their cooling pillows for seven nights. In addition to incorporating the pillows into their sleep routines, they also washed the pillows according to the manufacturers' instructions and measured the pillows right out of the box and after washing. They judged the pillows based on cooling capabilities, comfort, quality, value, and durability. We also spoke to sleep experts to discuss what to look for when selecting a cooling pillow. Experts we spoke to included:

Steven Feinsilver, MD, the director for the Center of Sleep Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital
Amelia Jerden, a certified sleep science coach and writer at Sleepopolis
Maria Dolgovina, MD, a board-certified neurologist at Advanced Medical Care in New York
Peter Polos, MD, PhD, FCCP, FAASM, sleep medicine specialist at JFK University Medical Center and sleep expert for Sleep Number

Our testers kept the pillows for continued testing at home. We'll update our results with long-term testing insights as they become available.

What to Know About Cooling Pillows

Material

Cooling pillows are available in various materials, each with their own benefits. "There is a big difference in the experience you'll have with a pillow that uses more breathable materials like cotton and shredded foam versus a latex core pillow or a pillow cover that uses a cool-to-the-touch material like Phase Change Material," says Amelia Jerden, a certified sleep coach.

We spoke to sleep medicine doctors and sleep specialists to find out which materials work best.

Latex: As Jerden discussed, latex pillows tend to be cooler to the touch than memory foam pillows while still mimicking the custom feel of foam. It achieves this feeling by trapping less heat throughout the night, keeping your pillow cool.
Plant-based materials: Jerden explains that materials derived from plants tend to do a good job of keeping pillows cool. "Bamboo, Tencel, modal, and other viscose fabrics derived from plant fibers are also very effective at temperature regulation and moisture-wicking," she says.
Foam and memory foam: Foam and memory foam can also make good materials for cooling pillows, but their effectiveness depends mostly on their structure. A shredded foam pillow tends to be more cooling than a block foam pillow thanks to the additional airflow between its materials.
Microfiber: Microfiber is a popular option for sheets and other bedding, but it's not the best choice for a cooling pillow. While it wicks away moisture, microfiber tends to retain heat. "If you're a hot sleeper, you should avoid materials that retain heat as that can promote the hot feeling and interfere with sleep," says Peter Polos, MD, PhD, FCCP, FAASM, sleep medicine specialist at JFK University Medical Center and sleep expert for Sleep Number.

Maintenance and care for cooling pillows

Different manufacturers have different instructions for cooling pillow care. Several of the options on our list are fully machine washable and dryer-safe, thanks to their shredded foam interiors that easily fluff back into shape.

How much to expect to pay for a quality cooling pillow

Many cooling pillows incorporate expensive materials and proprietary technology, so it's not surprising to see one that costs more than $100. Many of the options our testers favored were a little less expensive, but many were still fairly pricey. The most expensive option on our list was the Saatva Pillow, made with expensive latex material, at $165. The HIMOON Bed Pillows—our budget pick—came in at $20 for a set of two.

More Cooling Pillows to Consider

While not all of the pillows we tested made our list, these ones just missed the cutoff due to issues with value and comfort.

Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow: While this pillow is comfortable, cooling, and durable, our tester thought these qualities might come at too much of a premium.

Purple Harmony Pillow: Our tester thought this pillow's comfort and quality are probably available at a lower price, especially since the tester didn't feel much of a cooling effect.

Allswell Gel Cooling Pillow: While comfortable and cooling, our tester gave it lower marks for a poorly-designed case and faint rubber smell.

Cozy Earth Silk Pillows: Our side sleeper tester found that while this pillow is luxurious and cooling, it was fairly soft and flat.

Sijo Clima Adaptive Latex Pillow: Our tester found that this pillow was a little outside of their price range, especially without being cool to the touch.

Your Questions, Answered

How do cooling pillows work?

Cooling pillows work by moving heat away from the body, either by absorbing heat or by using a phase change material, which gives the cool to the touch feeling as Jerden mentioned. How, specifically, cooling pillows work depends on the material that your pillow uses, but a pillow of any material plays an important role in the sleep environment.

"Temperature is a common complaint or issue for many sleepers. It's also one of the most important components for promoting a good sleep environment," says Dr. Polos. "A cooling pillow can help to absorb excess body heat and get you to your ideal internal temperature."

Who are cooling pillows good for?

Cooling pillows are an option for anyone, but they're great for those who experience night sweats, which can be caused by a wide variety of conditions including menopause. "They can be especially helpful if you consider yourself a hot sleeper or get frustrated by constantly flipping your pillow to the cooler side," says Dr. Polos. "There's no harm in using a cooling pillow since it's more about personal choice and comfort."

Drs. Polos and Dolgovina agree that temperature plays one of the most important roles in getting a good night's sleep. "To improve the quality of sleep and sleep onset, the room must be dark, quiet, and not too hot (cooled to the individual comfort)," says Dr. Dolgovina, with Dr. Polos specifying that 68 degrees is the perfect temperature for your sleep environment to avoid poor sleep.

Additionally, Dr. Feinsilver mentioned evidence for cooling pillows promoting better sleep over just having a cool sleep environment. One real-world study of people with insomnia found that the majority of sleepers reported better sleep with a temperature-regulated pillow.

Who We Are

Jaylyn Pruitt has a Master of Library and Information Science with a focus on health information. Her goal is to provide easy-to-understand information with a patient perspective in mind.