Which Pillow Is the Best? The Honest Answer

There is no single best pillow. There is only the pillow that suits your body, your sleeping position and your mattress. This page explains how to find it.

Why is there no single best pillow?

A pillow (in Austria often called a Polster) is meant to fill the gap between your head and the mattress. How big that gap is depends on you. Shoulder width, neck circumference and neck length are different for everyone. For side sleepers, for example, the distance between the ear and the shoulder point matters a great deal.

Then there are your sleeping position and your mattress. A pillow that is just right for one person is too high or too low for another. That has nothing to do with quality. It is a question of fit.

The right height comes from your body measurements, your sleeping position and your mattress, not from a pillow's price or popularity.

Which criteria decide which pillow is right for me?

The table below shows what matters. Height comes first because it makes the biggest difference.

No single criterion decides on its own. Only the combination shows which pillow suits you.

What actually is an ergonomic pillow?

On its own, the term “ergonomic” says little about whether a pillow suits you. It usually means a pillow that supports your head and cervical spine so that both are in line. At the same time, your shoulder should not press against the pillow.

Whether that works depends, once again, on your measurements. A pillow can be well designed in shape and still turn out too high for you. Ergonomics is therefore not a quality that a pillow offers everyone equally. It only comes about when pillow and body fit together.

Which material is the right one?

Here you can compare honestly. Each material has its own properties, and none is inherently worse than another.

• Memory foam (viscoelastic foam): gives way slowly and adapts to the shape of your head and neck. The height stays stable, but the pillow cannot be plumped up. You can read more in our guide to memory foam pillows.
• Latex: feels more elastic and springy. Your head tends to rest on the pillow rather than in it.
• Feathers and down: can be shaped and plumped up. The height changes depending on the filling and how the pillow is used.
• Synthetic fibre: is often light and easy to care for. The height depends heavily on the amount of filling and the age of the pillow.

Any material can work if the height is right and you like how it feels to lie on. So sort out the height first and the material afterwards.

Which height suits my sleeping position and mattress?

Your sleeping position gives a first indication:

• Side sleepers need to bridge the distance between head and mattress. That usually calls for more height. You will find details in the guide The right pillow for side sleepers.
• Back sleepers usually need less height, because the head lies closer to the mattress. More on this: Pillows for back sleepers.
• Front sleepers lie with their head turned. A fairly flat pillow prevents the neck from being overextended. More on this: Pillows for front sleepers.

Your mattress shifts these guide values. If you lie on a soft mattress, your shoulder sinks in deeper, so you often need a lower pillow than you would on a firm mattress. That explains why two people with the same sleeping position can need different pillows.

The page Calculating pillow height shows how to work out the height in general. If you already have a pillow and are unsure about it, Pillow too high or too low? can help. If you would also like an overview of the usual dimensions, you can read Pillow size: standard formats and what really matters.

How does Pillowise deal with these criteria?

Pillowise grew out of a physiotherapy practice. As a physiotherapist, Thijs van der Hilst specialised in neck and shoulder complaints. He could not recommend a suitable pillow to his patients, so he developed a method for measuring the right pillow. Together with United Comfort Industries, which has been making ergonomic sleep products in its own factory in the Netherlands since 1990, this became Pillowise.

Your size is determined from three measurements:

1. Shoulder width: measured around the curve of your back, with the tape measure not pulled tight.
2. Neck circumference: once completely around your neck.
3. Neck length: from the lower edge of your ear to the shoulder point.

Your sleeping position (back, side, front) and your mattress (soft, medium, firm) are also taken into account. An algorithm uses these to select the best-fitting pillow. There are six sizes, each with its own colour: pink, orange, green, blue, red and purple.

The pillow measures 55 x 35 cm. The core is 100% memory foam and is made in the Netherlands. The cover has a moisture-regulating top layer of Tencel and a bottom layer of polyester. It can be machine washed at 40 °C. The materials are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX. You can find more about the product on the page The Pillowise pillow. If you would like to see how this measured approach translates into a product, take a look at the Pillowise sleep pillow.

There are two ways to measure:

• You can be measured at a stockist with the Pillowise tape measure. Stockists include, for example, chiropractors, physiotherapists, sleep specialists, wellness practices and specialist retailers.
• You can work out your size yourself with PillowScan at scan.pillowise.com, using your smartphone or a QR code.

Pillowise does not have its own online shop for consumers. The pillow is available through the stockists. At a stockist you can try lying on your size and, for comparison, another size.

For children aged 4 to 15 there is Pillowise Junior in three sizes. You can find more guides in the overview Guides: the right pillow.

We replace guesswork with measuring. Even so, the right pillow remains a personal decision.

What can the right pillow do, and what can it not do?

The right pillow helps your head and cervical spine to stay in line and gives your shoulder room. That can improve your sleeping comfort. It is not a cure.

If you regularly wake up with neck or shoulder complaints, the cause may lie elsewhere. Please have this assessed by a doctor. You will find general information on the subject in the guide Pillows for neck tension. It is not a substitute for treatment.

Please also note: if you have slept on a different pillow for a long time, a new one often feels unfamiliar at first. Your body may need a few nights to adjust.

So: which pillow is the best?

The one that suits you. Height comes first, followed by firmness and material. Your sleeping position and mattress determine how high the pillow should be. Your body measurements show which size that is.

If you are happy with your pillow and wake up feeling relaxed in the morning, you do not need to change anything. A pillow that feels right does not need replacing. If, on the other hand, you have already tried several pillows or are unsure about the height, it is worth being measured.

Which pillow suits you?

With three measurements you can determine your pillow size, either yourself or with the help of a stockist.

Find your size or find a stockist near you

Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise