Finding the perfect mattress is one thing, but it’s an entirely different battle when it comes to choosing your pillows.
If you prefer a soft, plush pillow to fall into at night, we have a list of the best soft pillows. From memory foam to the best option for back sleepers, we did the research so you don’t have to!
The Best Soft Pillows
- Lagoon Fox – Best Soft Memory Foam Pillow
- Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow – Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain
- Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow – Best Cooling Soft Pillow
- Plushbeds Sateen White Goose Down Pillow – Best Soft Down Pillow
- Tuft & Needle Luxury Down Pillow – Best Soft Pillow for Back Sleepers
- Purple Cloud Pillow – Best Soft Pillow for Side Sleepers
Best Soft Memory Foam Pillow – Lagoon Fox
The Lagoon Fox Pillow is a CertiPUR-US certified product that incorporates soft memory foam. It's also adjustable, allowing sleepers to fit the loft to their own needs.
Lagoon Fox Pillow
Who’s It For?
The Lagoon Fox pillow has a shredded memory foam and polyester filling that offers a soft, slow-moving, yet supportive feel. This pillow is fully adjustable so you can remove or add as much support as you need.
Hot sleepers will rest comfortably with this breathable, cooling pillow. It’s also a good option for folks who are sensitive to allergens, as this pillow is hypoallergenic.
What Makes the Lagoon Fox Pillow Stand Out?
- It’s an adjustable pillow, so you can customize it to your needs. Lagoon even offers a bag for extra foam.
- The memory foam has a CertiPUR-US© certification, meaning the production process is free of harmful chemicals.
- It’s ideal for any sleeping position because of its adjustable filling.
See what we have to say about some of the Lagoon pillows in our review.
Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain – Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow
The Adjustable Shredded Memory Foam Pillow from Coop Sleep Goods is distinct in more than one way. The memory foam shredded filling is responsive and guarantees the pillow will never go flat, plus sleepers can remove as much filling as they like which makes it great for people who sleep in several positions.
Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow
Mattress Clarity Score
4.70 / 5
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Who’s It For?
The Coop Sleep Goods adjustable pillow is fit for anyone looking to relieve neck pain with an adjustable pillow. This pillow comes with an extra half pound of filling so you can create your perfect pillow. Once you’ve found that sweet spot to keep your head and neck in a neutral position, you should see a decrease in neck pain.
This pillow is also great for those looking for easy-care bedding — its cover is machine-washable. Another perk: this hypoallergenic pillow has a 100-night sleep trial so sleepers can make sure it suits their needs before fully committing.
What Makes the Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow Stand Out?
- An adjustable pillow allows you to find a comfortable loft and firmness, which should relieve neck pain.
- It has a hypoallergenic fill and cover for those who are sensitive to allergens.
- The microfiber and memory foam fillings are GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US© certified
Check out our Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow review!
Best Cooling Soft Pillow – Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow
Brooklyn Bedding's Talalay Latex Pillow is a supportive and pressure relieving blended latex foam pillow. It has a ventilated core and removable soft knit cover. It comes in two loft options, making it a good choice for any sleep position.
Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow
Mattress Clarity Score
4.70 / 5
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Who’s It For?
The Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex pillow is soft, plush and supportive. This pillow has been optimized for cooling: the cover and latex core are breathable and allow for airflow, making it a great choice for hot sleepers.
Because of its natural materials, this pillow is hypoallergenic for those who are environmentally friendly or suffer from allergies. It comes in two loft options, making it work well for just about anyone.
What Makes the Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillow Stand Out?
- The latex and organic cotton cover are very breathable, making this pillow sleep very cool.
- The latex feels very bouncy and responsive, making it easy to move around on.
- It’s hypoallergenic and gentle on the skin for those who have asthma or allergies
Check out our full review of the Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex pillow.
Best Soft Down Pillow – Plushbeds Sateen White Goose Down Pillow
If you love down pillows, then check out the Plushbeds Goose Down pillow. Goose down is some of the softest out there, but with two firmnesses available, there's something for everyone.
Plushbeds Goose Down Pillow
Mattress Clarity Score
4.80 / 5
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Who’s It For?
This Plushbeds Goose Down pillow is filled with goose feathers, which makes it feel fluffy, soft, and plush. This cushiony pillow has multiple firmness options, but we’re focusing on the soft model. This is best for stomach sleepers because its softness allows it to become rather flat, which is perfect for this sleeping position.
Hot sleepers can rest cool with this breathable pillow, as it’s made with a soft cotton sateen cover that won’t trap heat. Additionally, shoppers can purchase this pillow worry-free because Plushbeds offers a two-year warranty.
What Makes the Plushbeds Sateen White Goose Down Pillow Stand Out?
- The cotton sateen cover is very soft and smooth, yet breathable
- The down used is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified so shoppers can know the feathers were ethically sourced.
- It is machine-washable which means it has easy care.
Check out our full review of the Plushbeds Sateen White Goose Down pillow here!
Best Soft Pillow for Back Sleepers – Tuft & Needle Luxury Down Pillow
The Tuft & Needle Down Alternative pillow comes to you in a 2-pack! This high-quality down alternative pillow feels soft and plush and works well for side sleepers.
Tuft & Needle Down Alternative PIllow
Who’s It For?
Tuft & Needle offers a classic down fill with the Luxury Down pillow. This soft pillow still offers just the right amount of firmness to give back sleepers the perfect amount of support. It will keep your head and neck in a neutral alignment while you sleep.
Environmentally conscious folks can sleep stress-free because Tuft & Needle uses responsibly sourced and OEKO-TEX® certified materials. And this pillow is great for hot sleepers because the materials used are temperature regulating and moisture-wicking.
What Makes the Tuft & Needle Luxury Down Pillow Stand Out?
- It is ideal for hot sleepers because of its temperature regulating and moisture wicking properties
- It is made without harmful chemicals, earning an OEKO-TEX® certification
- Tuft & Needle offers a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year limited warranty
Find our full review of the Tuft & Needle Luxury Down pillow here!
Best Soft Pillow for Side Sleepers – Purple Cloud Pillow
If you love plush down alternative pillows, the Purple Cloud is for you! This soft, plush pillow is tall and supportive and works best for back and side sleepers.
Purple Cloud Pillow
Mattress Clarity Score
4.10 / 5
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Who’s It For?
The Purple Cloud pillow is filled with down alternative, which are ultra fine gel fibers. Side sleepers will rest comfortably on this pillow because it offers the right amount of support and height for a neutral alignment. Side sleepers need tall pillows to keep their heads elevated, and this comes in at a whopping 7” tall.
This pillow is hypoallergenic and machine-washable for those who are sensitive to allergens or have sensitive skin. Shoppers can test out this pillow before fully committing with Purple’s 100-night sleep trial.
What Makes the Purple Cloud Pillow Stand Out?
- The Purple Cloud pillow is made up of silicon-covered gel fibers, so it won’t fall flat
- The fill of this pillow offers ideal support for your head and neck when sleeping on your side
- The cotton cover is breathable and the filling doesn’t trap heat, making it a cooling pillow
Dive into our full review of the Purple Cloud pillow here!
Firm vs Soft Pillows
Firm pillows are great for side and back sleepers because they offer the correct amount of support to keep their head and neck in a neutral alignment. Firm pillows are usually made of latex and memory foam because these materials can be made to feel firm and dense.
Soft pillows are perfect for stomach sleepers because they can be compressed much easier. Getting a low loft pillow contributes to a neutral spine alignment for this sleeping position. Commonly used materials for soft pillows are down, down alternative, and shredded foam. These materials offer a more plush, cushion-like feel to the pillow.
When choosing a pillow, be sure to read the product description to understand the level of firmness before purchasing.
Who Should Use a Soft Pillow
A soft pillow is the best choice for stomach sleepers. This is because soft pillows are easier to flatten.. This means it won’t strain a stomach sleeper’s neck in any way, making it the most comfortable option. If you and your sleeping position love the feel of a soft pillow and mattress, check out our top picks for best soft mattresses and best pillows!
Best Material for Soft Pillows
The most common materials used for soft pillows are down, down alternative, or shredded foam.
- Down filling: duck or goose feathers that give a pillow a plush, cushioning feel.
- Down alternative: A material that mimics the feeling of feathers (ex: Purple’s ultra fine gel fibers). Down alternative is usually made from synthetic polyester.
- Shredded foam: any type of cut up memory foam. There are some shredded latex foam pillows as well.
These materials are used for soft pillows because they give a plush, soft feel. Soft pillows are easily flattened, unlike solid slabs of memory foam pillows that contour to your body.
How to Make a Hard Pillow Softer
If your pillow is a bit too firm for your liking, there are a couple tricks you can use to make it softer.
First, you can fluff your pillow by massaging it and moving the filling or material around. If that doesn’t change it enough, you can put it in the dryer and throw a tennis ball in with it. The tennis ball helps massage the pillow while the heat loosens the filling.
Read our full guide to fluffing your pillow and making it softer if you aren’t ready for a new pillow just yet.
Summary
Find a quick summary of our top picks for soft pillows down below!
| Pillow | Superlative |
| Lagoon Fox | Best Soft Memory Foam Pillow |
| Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable | Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain |
|
Best Cooling Soft Pillow |
|
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Best Soft Memory Foam Pillow |
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| Best Soft Pillow for Back Sleepers | |
| Best Soft Pillow for Side Sleepers |
FAQs
Still have questions? We’ve got the answers in our FAQ section!
Are firm or soft pillows better?
Which is better is based on your sleeping position and personal preference. Generally, firm pillows are better for side and back sleepers and soft pillows are better for stomach sleepers. This boils down to the proper alignment of your head and neck, so whichever pillow supports your natural alignment is best for you.
Can soft pillows cause neck pain?
If a pillow is too soft and not supportive enough of your head and neck, it can cause neck pain. However, this depends on your sleeping position. Learn more in our full guide to finding out if your pillow is causing neck pain.
Do memory foam pillows get softer?
No, memory foam pillows are made to contour to your body and bounce back after. The exception to this is an adjustable memory foam pillow that allows you to change firmness by adding or removing filling.
Can soft pillows cause headaches?
Yes, soft pillows (but really any pillow) can cause headaches. From the incorrect amount of support to an allergy to the materials used, there are a few ways your pillow could be causing headaches. Read our full breakdown to learn more about this connection.