Best Cooling Pillows (2026)

The Nectar Tri-Comfort Cooling Pillow caused an all-out war between tester Sosha Lewis and her husband, thanks to how comfortable and cool it was. Thus, it’s no surprise that it earned our top spot. It’s a shredded memory foam pillow with adjustable firmness, making it a versatile option for multiple sleep styles. Sosha ultimately rated her experience with this pillow at a perfect 5/5, also awarding it high marks for materials and customer service. 

While Sosha doesn’t often opt for memory foam pillows, the combination of foam clusters and microfiber fill gave the pillow a bit more give. “It sank in just the right amount, keeping my spine aligned and my neck comfortable,” she said. Of course, this feeling can be modified using the adjustable zippers on either side. 

“Zipped all the way down provides a firm pillow, zipped halfway is medium firm, and unzipped is softest,” Sosha explained. “I loved this pillow in its softest setting, while my husband, a back sleeper, preferred it on medium. Stomach sleepers will probably want to stick with firm, as that gives the lowest loft.” Sosha did notice that sometimes the zippers would get caught on the ample fill inside, so she deducted half a point for materials, but was overall impressed by the level of quality.

Where this pillow really stood out, though, was in the cooling department. “I loved that you could feel its coolness even when it was in a pillow case,” Sosha said. “But even the outer cover is smooth and durable. Most importantly, it’s truly cool-to-the-touch.” Her husband agreed, with Sosha saying she worried about him stealing it: “I thought we were going to have to arm wrestle for the rights to it. He loves how cool it is.”

Since the cover is built into the pillow, the pillow is unfortunately only spot-clean. While Sosha didn’t foresee a problem with this, thinking the material “wouldn’t easily stain,” it may pose an issue for folks who like to regularly wash and refresh their bedding. However, you can always invest in a pillowcase or pillow protector. (But if you want a fully washable pillow, check out the Coop Adjustable Pillow.)

A standard-size Nectar Tri-Comfort Cooling Pillow will run you about $129, which is a fine deal for a 3-in-one pillow with exceptional cooling. Moreover, Nectar offers a 30-night home trial with this pillow, plus a year-long warranty if you decide to keep it.

The Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow is a favorite to recommend at Mattress Clarity; I know a few folks who have owned and loved this pillow for years—my mother being one of them. As an adjustable pillow, it can be customized to fit just about any sleeper, but side sleepers should most appreciate the generous fill and loft. 

My colleague Nicole Davis tested this pillow and found that her neck pain dissipated once she found the “sweet spot” in this pillow’s configuration. She awarded the pillow a number of accolades, including high marks for its affordable price and straightforward care.

The Coop Adjustable Pillow comes stuffed with removable microfiber fill, plus an extra bag for those looking for extra-high loft. It gives the pillow a plush-but-supportive feel, and the clusters allow for air to flow through the pillow. It’s also swaddled in a bamboo-blend cover,a fabric known for its crisp and cool texture. While Nicole didn’t describe the pillow as having a super-cold, actively chilly feel, she didn’t think that hot sleepers would overheat on it.

Nicole said what drew her to trying the pillow out was its adjustability, since she wanted to ensure she could find “a pillow that could provide support in all the right areas.” This adjustability is great for combination sleepers or folks who need a medium-to-high loft. The adjusting process is fairly straightforward: simply unzip the pillow and take out or add as much fill as you need.

However, this adjustability may not work for dedicated stomach sleepers. These folks need a low-loft pillow to keep their neck from craning, and buying the Coop pillow just to take out a ton of filling may not be worth it. (If you don’t think you’ll need the adjustability, check out our pick for stomach sleepers, the Cozy Earth Silk Pillow.) 

On top of adjustability, I was impressed to find out that the Coop pillow is completely machine-washable. Nicole thought the entire pillow felt “durable and well-made,” only bolstered by the fact that it can go for a tumble in your laundry machine. She was unsure of how well it’d hold up, but my mother’s had this pillow for 2 years and still sleeps with it every night without complaint. 

The Coop Adjustable Pillow retails for just $89, which Nicole thought was more than generous for the quality of pillow she received. Coop also offers a generous 5-year warranty for this pillow, which is rare for sleep accessories. You can also return it within 100 days of purchase if you decide it’s not for you—but with the level of personalized customization you can achieve, it’s unlikely you will. 

Find out more in our Coop Adjustable Pillow review.

Stomach sleepers need to be careful about choosing the right pillow. A too-firm pillow or one with too high a loft can cause your neck to fall out of alignment with the rest of your body, leading to discomfort or pain. 

Thankfully, the Cozy Earth Silk Pillow seems made with these folks in mind. My colleague Riley Otis praised its low profile and super malleable feel for that reason. She also awarded the pillow a perfect score for the materials, thanks to its silky-smooth, luxurious construction. On top of that, it features a bamboo-based cover to up the cooling ante.

The Cozy Earth pillow is filled with 100-percent long-strand mulberry silk, a luxuriously soft fiber had Riley sinking deep into the pillow’s surface. “This pillow can basically be folded in half, and offers very minimal support—but it’s not lightweight,” she explained. This gave the pillow a hefty, durable feel despite its softness. “It’s heavier than most pillows I own,” Riley added. 

The low loft, while not to Riley’s personal taste, was the perfect fit for stomach sleepers. “They won’t crane their necks or compromise alignment resting on this pillow,” she said. Even though she’s not a stomach sleeper herself, she liked the weighted feel for other reasons: “It makes a great cuddle pillow to snuggle up with, like a weighted stuffed animal!”

Riley found the pillow’s cover was just as silky as the inside of it, too. “It’s made of 100-percent premium bamboo viscose, which feels super-soft,” she said. “It has a crisp feeling, too, so you could skip a pillow case if necessary.” However, this pillow is spot-clean only, and Cozy Earth recommends using a cover to ensure your pillow remains fresh and clean, a sentiment Riley echoed. Hot sleepers may want to opt for a super-thin pillowcase to keep things smooth and cool.

The Cozy Earth Silk Pillow currently retails at $198 for a standard-size, though we’ve seen it go for higher in the past. “These are very luxurious materials, and I know long-strand fibers are more durable, but it’s definitely for a higher budget,” Riley said. If you’re looking to ball on a budget, you might prefer something like the Coop Adjustable Pillow.

But this investment is definitely backed up by Coop’s policies—the pillow is covered by a 10-year warranty, and the brand offers a 100-night return policy if you decide it isn’t for you. Interested? You can read more about this pillow in our dedicated Cozy Earth Silk Pillow review.

Some sleepers like to sink deeply into a soft, downy pillow—but if you’re looking for a firmer, more supportive pillow, you might like a latex pillow. Brooklyn Bedding’s Talalay Latex pillow is made from a solid chunk of latex, yielding a dense, thick sleep surface that’s great for back and side sleepers seeking maximum lift. It was a favorite of my colleague Cait Giddings, who gave the pillow 5/5 scores for materials, experience, and customer service.

Latex has an inherently springy and buoyant feel, which Cait loved as soon as she lay her head down on this pillow for the first time. “I’m a side sleeper, and this really fills in the gap at my neck and shoulder,” she said. “But it still collapses enough to remain comfortable on my back. Plus, the bounce makes it easier to move your head around when switching positions.” 

Cait tried an older version of the pillow, which didn’t feature Brooklyn Bedding’s new fancy cooling cover, and even then, she found that the pillow didn’t overheat. “It doesn’t feel stuffy at all,” she added. Unlike foam, latex has more breathability, which should keep air moving through the pillow. The new cover, made with TENCEL lyocell fibers, should only enhance its temperature-regulation benefits. 

The cover is also easily removed and entirely machine-washable, which Cait appreciated. The interior of the pillow is a solid chunk of latex foam, so it makes sense that it can only be spot-cleaned if necessary. The provided cover is plenty thick to prevent staining, and if you add a pillowcase on top, you should be set.

If you’re interested in purchasing the Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow, it retails for about $129 with frequent discounts and comes with a generous 3-year warranty. Cait called it “beyond reasonable” for the quality and comfort, and I also agree that it’s quite affordable for pure latex. 

I’ll note that latex’s dense, springy nature may be too firm for stomach sleepers. These folks are welcome to take advantage of the brand’s 30-day trial period to give the low-loft option the college try (or check out the Cozy Earth Silk Pillow for a truly soft pick). Otherwise, check out our Brooklyn Bedding Latex Pillow review for more information.

Memory foam pillows are a popular choice for their classic cushioning feel, but their styles and firmnesses vary. The Luxome LAYR pillow is an adjustable pillow made up of multiple inserts; inside, there’s both shredded foam and solid foam chunks, all infused with cooling gel. My colleague Matt Schickling was wowed by the sheer level of customization, awarding the pillow perfect scores for both materials and overall experience.

The Luxome LAYR pillow is an “adjustable inception,” per Matt. Inside, you’ll find three inserts: a soft, medium, and firm insert. The soft insert is made with down alternative fill, while the medium features both shredded memory foam and microfiber fill. The firm insert is actually two more inserts, each a different-size slab of denser memory foam. 

Matt found this pillow “pretty comfortable right away,” even without much tinkering. But he eventually found the configuration that worked best for him, and he hasn’t looked back since. “It’s only become more comfortable the longer I’ve used it,” he said. “The quality of construction is great too—everything feels well-stitched and durably made, and the zippers are jacket-style, none of the cheap stuff.”

The entire pillow is also encased in a cooling bamboo cover, something Matt appreciated as a hot sleeper. “It’s also stretchy, even with all that you can stuff inside the pillow,” he added. You can also remove it to wash in your laundry machine, alongside each of the insert’s covers. Matt added, “You can really see the level of care and consideration that went into designing this pillow.” 

A standard-size LAYR pillow will run you about $150, with extra markdowns if you choose to buy two. Matt called it “a value at the cost,” describing it as “a luxury option at a fairly decent price point.” Still, it might be a bit much for budget shoppers, especially if they don’t want to contend with all the moving parts of this adjustable pillow. If it sounds like you, take a look at Nectar’s Tri-Comfort Cooling Pillow, which is a bit cheaper and has a simpler adjustability mechanism.

Read more about this pillow in our Luxome LAYR pillow review.

While feather and foam pillows are some of the most popular picks, they’re not always the coolest—temperature-wise, I mean. Latex pillows are a great alternative if you’re seeking a more breathable material.

The Saatva Latex pillow takes this up a notch with shredded latex, which not only increases airflow within the pillow but gives it a fluffier feel that can rival down. My colleague Cait Giddings awarded it 5/5 in almost every category and recommended it for side and back sleepers seeking a luxurious, pressure-relieving pillow.

Cait loves the bouncy, springy feel of traditional latex pillows, but noted that the Saatva pillow deviated from the norm. “You sink in a little bit, but the overall feel is more supportive. The fill doesn’t clump together or separate, so there’s no uncomfortable ‘pillow cleavage’ to get stuck in,” she said. 

The pillow is made up of two layers inside the cover: an adjustable outer fill of organic cotton and microfiber, then the shredded latex core within. Cait likened it to a “pillow turducken.” You can take out as much fill as you like and even remove the inner core if you so desire, but Cait found that with everything inside, the loft was a perfect fit for side sleeping, and pretty good for back sleeping. “The low loft might be better for back and stomach sleepers who don’t need as much lift,” she added.

Even with its plusher feel, Cait never felt that it was trapping any heat. “I wouldn’t call it a particularly icy-cool pillow, but hot sleepers should like the breathability you get from all the moving parts,” she explained. These moving parts are also machine-washable (save for the shredded latex core), so long as you take care to secure the zippers before tossing them into the wash. Cait thought that was particularly impressive for an adjustable pillow. 

The Saatva Latex Pillow usually retails for $165 for the standard size, which Cait noted was “definitely a luxury price tag.” But she praised Saatva’s policies and top-notch customer service. You get 45 nights to try out this pillow, and after that, it’s backed by a 1-year warranty. 

For a cheaper latex pillow that also has a bouncier feel, check out the Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex pillow. But you can find out more about this pillow in our Saatva Latex Pillow review.

The Cariloha brand aims to bring the feel of a 5-star resort to your bedroom at home, and it’s no different with the brand’s Gel Pillow. As the name suggests, this luxury pillow has cooling gel right at the surface, strategically placed in a head shape within the graphite-infused foam. 

Coincidentally, I have this pillow on my bed, where it’s remained since the first round of testing. I love its dense, supportive feel, and that cooling gel infusion always feels crisp around my neck and shoulder. After testing this bad boy out, I awarded it 4.5/5 for both materials and experience. 

This pillow is quite large, even in its standard size, and rather thick. Even my largest pillowcase still has some give around it. But as someone who moves around a lot in my sleep, it gives me plenty of wiggle room to get comfortable. It’s also great for side and back sleeping, since there isn’t too much sinkage, and I’d call the loft fairly generous. Sometimes, if I scooch my head down to the very edge, I can rest on my stomach, but I wouldn’t recommend sleeping like this long-term.

The provided cover, a thick bamboo one, is soft and machine-washable, but it does put a damper on the pillow’s cooling effect. Since I also prefer using my own silk pillowcase, I tried this pillow with and without its included cover. 

For hot sleepers, I definitely recommend going without it. The cooling gel was much more noticeable; it was almost like holding an ice pack against my neck and the back of my head. I will note that it’s only on one side of the pillow—but sometimes it even gets too chilly, so I like the option of flipping it over during the colder season. 

This pillow retails for $125, which I’d consider acceptable for a luxury pillow. Moreover, I think you get a lot of pillow for the price, even as a standard size. I think this pillow could sit on a king-size bed and not look out of place. 

However, Cariloha only offers a 100-night sleep trial, and there’s no warranty to speak of. While I don’t consider warranties necessary for sleep accessories, it’d be nice to have for a higher-end item. If you’re looking for a pillow with more generous policies, check out the Cozy Earth Silk Pillow.