Pillow Reviews > Memory Foam Pillow Reviews
Memory Foam Pillows → Review, Ratings & Complaints Based on Data From Over 3,300 Actual Owners
Page last updated January 23, 2012
What You Need To Know
Owner satisfaction: Memory foam pillows overall have 77% owner satisfaction.
Pros: Good compromise between soft and supportive; above-average pain relief; contoured support; quiet; contents won't clump or shift; easy to care for.
Cons: Initial off gassing odor possible; loft / support may not suit individual needs; too firm for some people; may act as a heat trap.
Price: $12-$160
What is memory foam? Memory foam is made up of millions of spherical shaped, open cells. It is temperature and weight sensitive which means that it tends to contour effectively to one's head and neck.
Competition: See how memory foam pillows compare to other pillow types in the pillow comparison.
Memory Foam Pillow Ratings: As a Group
The ratings below are based on over 3,300 memory foam pillow owner / consumer reviews that were collected using an unbiased, accurate methodology. The ratings discuss how the pillows overall as a group are evaluated by owners. For information on specific brands, see the section following this one.
| Owner satisfaction | fair | With 77% owner satisfaction, memory foam pillows as a group rate somewhat below average compared to other pillow types. |
| Durability / longevity | fair | Owner data suggests that the pillows have about average durability / longevity. They will lose their “memory” and supportiveness over time. |
| Price | fair | The price range is $12-$160. Owners on average paid $32 which is higher than the average price paid for several other pillow types. |
| Less pain | good | Memory foam pillows overall do better than average on this issue. 17% of owners say that their pillow results in less pain, especially neck pain. About 3% of owners say that it causes pain. |
| Supportive | good | Most owners say that their memory foam pillow provides at least adequate support and holds its shape during the night. The temperature sensitivity of the foam means it gets softer in warmer areas (where your body is making the most contact with the surface) and remains firmer in cooler areas (where less or no body contact is being made). |
| Moldable | good | Owners tend to like how the product molds itself to the head and neck. |
| Cuddly | fair | A "cuddly" pillow is one that is soft and huggable, as opposed to hard, rigid, stiff and or heavy. Being cuddly is generally not a clear strength of the product. Nevertheless, standard memory foam pillows are likely more cuddly than the contoured variety. |
| Contents won't shift / clump | good | A strength of the pillow. |
| Loft variety | good | Thicker and thinner memory foam pillows are available. Loft is generally considered adequate, but about 15% of owners say that the memory foam pillow is too high or too low. |
| Back sleep | good | Back sleepers are often pleased. |
| Stomach sleep | fair | Loft may be too high for some stomach sleepers. |
| Side sleep | fair | Loft usually cannot be made lower or higher (by scrunching) so some side sleepers may be dissatisfied. |
| No initial odor / off gassing | poor | Off-gassing occurs when the foam gives off a chemical-like smell due to the manufacturing and / or packaging process. The odor usually stops after a few days, but it can last much longer. Whether the product will smell is largely random. Some owners report returning their pillow because of the persistence and strength of the odor. |
| Air flow | fair | 3% of owners say that their memory foam pillow is too warm, which is about the same as most other pillow types. |
| No noise | good | There are no complaints about the pillow itself making noise. Some covers however may make a rustling sound. |
| Fewer allergies | fair | A few owners report fewer allergies and some report a reaction to the off gassing. Dust mites do not eat the foam but still can live inside to feed on shedded skin cells. |
| Ease of use / maintenance | good | No fluffing or shaking is needed. The cover can be machined washed and dried. The pillow itself can be spot cleaned. |
| Lightweight | fair | The product generally has average to above average weight (2-5 lbs.). |
Memory Foam Pillow Ratings: By Brand
Several memory foam pillows are compared below on factors that can vary at least somewhat from brand to brand. In addition, the chart below evaluates only those pillows for which we could find significant owner experience data and had reasonably high owner satisfaction; in other words, the chart does not include all memory foam pillows available on the market.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner Satisfaction / Sample Size | Price / Retailer |
Firmness* | Loft* | Sleeping Positions* | Main Complaints (% of owners) | Main Praise (% of owners) |
Return Policy | |
| Bodipedic Standard Contour | 88% / 220 | $20 / Overstock | Medium | Low-
Medium |
Back, perhaps Stomach | Too thin (14%) | Contoured Support (56%), Less Pain (37%), Value (15%) | 30 days |
| Italian 6-inch | 89% / 356 | $60 / Overstock | Medium- Firm |
Medium- High |
Side, perhaps back | Too High / Thick (16%), Too firm (13%), Odor (10%) | Supportive (66%), Less Pain (43%), Quality (28%) | 30 days |
| Mainstays | 76% / 131 | $12 / Walmart.com | Medium- Firm |
Medium | Side, Back, perhaps stomach | Odor (48%), Too firm (15%), Too small (8%) | contoured support (51%), less pain (41%), value (34)% | 90 days |
| Serta Contour | 75% / 2230 | $30 for 2 / Overstock |
Medium | Medium | Back, Perhaps Side, stomach | Odor (28%), lacks support (22%) | Supportive (41%), Less Pain (33%), Value (48%) | 30 days |
Sleep Better Iso-Cool Amazon.com |
78% / 343 | $55 / JCPenney.com, $43 / Amazon |
Medium | Medium-
High |
Side | Odor (28%), Hot (18%) | Conforming Support (35%), Less Pain (29%), Cool (20%) | 90 days |
Sleep Innovations 2-in-1 (Amazon.com) |
82% / 66 | $24 / Amazon |
Soft-Firm | Medium | All | Too flat (6%), Short lifespan (3%) | Less Pain (55%), Soft / supportive (36%) | 30 days |
Sleep Innovations Contour Amazon.com |
77% / 166 | $30 / Amazon | Medium- Soft |
Medium-
Low |
Back, perhaps side and stomach | Odor (57%), Lack support (21%), Causes Pain (13%) | Contoured (42%), Soft / Supportive (25%) | 30 days |
| Tempurpedic | 79% / 48 | $70-$190 / Tempur- Pedic.com |
Medium- Firm |
Medium | Side, Perhaps back | Causes Pain (15%), Pricey (14%) | Less Pain (51%), Soft / supportive (32%) | No returns |
* This information is what tends to be true in most owner experiences, but not necessarily all. In addition, this information is based on actual owner experiences, not on manufacturer claims which can often be inaccurate.