Does your pillow need an upgrade? Most people sleep on the same lumpy sack for years and that can cause neck pain, stiffness and persistent headaches even for the best of us. A good night’s sleep isn’t only dependent on your bed choice – finding the right pillow can play a crucial role in supporting your head while you sleep.
But how can you choose a quality pillow that fits the bill and checks all the boxes? There are many brands and models on the market – from high-quality products from reputable companies to cheap Chinese rubbish that we wouldn’t recommend to our worst enemy.
That’s why we created LightSleeper – to help you choose the product that is right for you and you alone and help you make that choice along the way. Companies can never pay to feature their products on LightSleeper, nor we are getting paid to recommend one product over the other – we are an independent resource, and we only recommend products that have passed our tests, and we feel that they are the best in their category.
So without further ado, let’s see what we think are the best memory foam pillows in the UK today and why:
1. Panda Bamboo Pillow – Our Pick
First, we want to introduce you to the Panda Luxury Memory Foam bamboo pillow. Panda is a company that predominately uses bamboo fibres in its products, which is a sustainable resource, making the Panda pillow environmentally friendly. Every used material is tested to ensure the absence of any harmful chemicals.
The Panda pillow features a three layers design. The centre layer is Visco memory foam, which orthopaedic experts and doctors highly recommend. Next, we have a protective mesh layer that keeps your memory foam centre clean. Lastly, we have a plush bamboo pillowcase, which works great by helping against skin irritation and allergies.
Panda’s pillowcase keeps the air flowing making it highly breathable. The unique temperature control system keeps you cool and comfortable night after night. The cover is also easily removable and machine washable.
Unlike most, this Panda pillow comes with a 30-day trial period, where you can try and test it. You also get free delivery and a 10-year guarantee that furthermore proves the high quality of this impeccable product.
2. Eve The Memory Foam Pillow
Eve has come up with a perfectly supportive foam pillow, ideal for side and back sleepers. It is designed to relieve tension and weariness each night you sleep on it. It is more supportive than squishy, and it will keep your neck and spine properly aligned for the perfect night’s sleep.
Memory foam tends to trap heat, but you don’t have to worry about overheating with Eve due to the cleverly placed air holes that get rid of unwanted heat while you sleep. Eve has excellent cooling properties because of the 100% soft and supportive PU foam and a 100% polyester removable cover for a lovely stretchy and soft feel.
It comes in one standard size (50 x 75cm) with a 14-night trial period where you can test it out for yourself and if you don’t love it, send it back – no questions asked. Eve also offers a 3-year warranty and a free delivery service within UK’s Mainland.
3. Silentnight Memory Foam Pillow
Next on our list is a bit of a budget gem – a foam pillow by Silentnight that includes a mix of memory foam and microfiber.
The Silentnight pillow can offer personalised comfort with a soft and reactive memory foam shell, which moulds to the contours of your head. You can say that it has a hybrid filling, meaning the hollow fibre surrounding the foam.
This Silentnight pillow has a microfibre removable and machine washable cover that will keep your pillow feeling fresh. It comes in one size 45 x 70cm and the colour white.
It is made right here in the UK and comes with a two-year manufacturer’s guarantee. The pillow is suitable for back and side sleepers. Overall, it’s an affordable option that is responsive and super comfortable.
4. REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow
REM-Fit is a company that focuses on sleep recovery. This has become the company’s vision in the last few years. But the Rem-Fit 500 Cool Gel pillow received a full score for overall performance by the Good Housekeeping Institute, which is a massive achievement no other pillow has managed to score.
The Rem-Fit cool gel pillow is made from memory foam that uses heat to mould and shape around your body. However, there is one downside and it is that it often retains heat. But hey, we have some good news! You get a pillow that has gel powders infused into the foam, helping reduce the overheating.
The REM-Fit 500 comes with a removable and machine washable cover made from Re-ax® fibres in one size – 40 x 64cm. The Re-ax fibres in the cover keep sweat and moisture away from your face. Not only do you get a 5-year warranty, which is a lot longer than the usual 1 to 2 years, but Rem-Fit also offers free next-day delivery to the mainland UK.
5. Simba-Pure Pillow
The Simba-Pure pillow comes in a 42 x 62cm size and is made from 100% viscoelastic polyurethane foam with a 100% polyester cover that is removable and machine washable. This manufacturer takes great care to ensure the lowest environmental impact possible from production to delivery.
Simba’s option has cooling airflow channels that allow heat to escape and air to circulate through the pillow, so you can keep a cool head even when the heat is on.
In general, Simba provides you with responsive support that cradles your head and neck, while the 100% hypoallergenic materials allow even sensitive sleepers to rest undisturbed. This brand will replace any Simba pillow which exhibits a material defect and falls within the scope of the one-year guarantee.
How to choose a memory foam pillow?
Nowadays, the bedding industry has been flooded with manufacturers that offer various types of memory foam products at different price points. However, some foams can trap heat and overheat your head.
When you’re searching for a new pillow, it’s essential to know the basics behind how they are constructed and what kind of options are there. Here are some of the factors you have to take into account before making a purchase:
One-Piece vs Shredded
Memory foam pillows come in two types: one piece and shredded. The one-piece products are made of a single solid block of memory foam that can have a different shape. Sometimes it will have the traditional pillow shape, and other times it may be tailored to mimic the curves of the head and neck. This type conforms very closely and has a slower response to pressure, but they tend to go back to their original shape when you take your head off of them.
On the other side, shredded memory foam pillows can be made in a few ways. In some situations, they can contain 100% shredded memory foam, and in others, they can be a blend with other materials such as latex or fiberfill. This type can be beneficial for an individual that doesn’t know their preferred loft and thickness since they can mise the shape of the pillow to a certain extent. Shredded items also allow for better airflow.
Firmness
The firmness level you choose should depend on your body type, sleep position and personal preference. In general, most memory foam products are usually medium-soft to medium. As we mentioned above, one-piece items have one firmness, whereas shredded products allow you to customise the firmness by adding or removing the filling to your liking.
Materials
Memory foam is a material that will eventually lose its ability to bounce back to its original shape, which is why you should select a higher-quality option, which will last longer than an inferior one. Materials often go hand in hand with the price, and the quality of the foam will often reflect it.
Cooling Properties
There has been a stereotype that implies memory foam tends to trap heat, but that’s not always true. Heat build-up can make a person uncomfortably warm and disrupt their sleep. With that said, some brands were able to get around the heat retention issue by opting for shredded pillows or gel-infused products.
Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position should be one of the main features that dictate the type of pillow you choose. Thicker pillows are typically well-suited for side sleepers, whereas stomach and back sleepers should opt for a slimmer loft, like shredded pillows that allow customization.
Pressure Relief
Memory foam is a known pressure relief companion since it conforms to you and prevents pressure build-up in the head and neck. That’s one of the main reasons for the memory foam to be used in specialised orthopaedic pillows, which aid individuals with their neck pain or other issues.
Loft
The height of a pillow is also crucial since it helps keep your head and back aligned while preventing neck pain. One-piece options usually have a higher loft, while shredded ones allow loft adjustment to your preference. However, some solid-foam items have removable inserts, which let you between two or more settings.
Price
Memory foam pillows come with a higher price tag compared to traditional options, but they also come with many benefits that a feather pillow can’t provide. The advice we can give you regarding price is, to read some customer reviews and look at the pricing before setting a budget so that you are well-informed.
Bottom line
Finding the right pillow that will cradle and support your head is just as important as finding a supportive mattress. When you’re shopping for a foam pillow, you should consider the type of foam and any special features that can provide you with quality sleep. You can find the right fit no matter your sleeping position, body type or weight. You just have to know where to look!
All of the bed products we listed above have great customer reviews and are well received. We hope you could find what you were looking for in our guide. To simplify your shopping experience, we’ve selected the top 10 models for this year. Alternatively, you can check out the rest of our pillows buying guides as well.
Brands in the bed industry frequently change, and so do the products they offer, which is why we will continue to provide you with the most up-to-date information. We hope that this article was helpful, and that you could find what you are looking for.
Now it’s our turn to hear from you if any questions regarding the subject were left unanswered. If you want to share some information, we would gladly hear about it in the comments below.