Memory Foam Pillow Reviews, Ratings and Comparisons

Based on 3,800+ Consumer Experiences

April 25, 2013

What You Need To Know

THE GOOD: Memory foam pillows tend to be soft yet supportive. Their pain-relief potential is above-average. Memory foam will not clump, shift or develop hollow areas, and fluffing / shaking are not required.

THE BAD: Initial off gassing odor is possible. Loft and support may not suit individual needs, and firmness can be excessive for some. Memory foam pillows are somewhat more likely to act as a heat trap compared to the average pillow.

THE PILLOWS: Memory foam pillows come in many varieties, including contoured and traditional shape. Memory foam consists of millions of spherical open cells made from polyurethane with additional chemicals to increase density.

THE COMPETITION: Memory foam pillows often compete most directly with latex pillows. See how memory foam pillows compare to these and other pillow types in the pillow reviews summary.

Memory Foam Pillow Ratings: As a Group

The ratings below show how memory foam pillows overall as a group are evaluated by owners. For information on specific brands, see the section following this one.

Owner satisfaction	c-	Memory foam pillows overall as a group have 76% owner satisfaction. (76 out of 100 based on 3862 reviews.) This is slightly below average compared to all pillows overall. Unlike most other pillow types, satisfaction can differ significantly by memory foam pillow brand and model. Overall, traditional-shaped memory foam pillows rate somewhat higher in owner satisfaction than the contoured-shaped variety.
Durability / longevity	c	Owner experience data suggests that the pillows overall have about average durability / longevity. They will lose their “memory” and supportiveness over time. They have on average a 2.5 year lifespan.
Price	c+	The price range is $12-$160. Owners on average paid $41.
Less pain	b	The pillows overall perform well on this issue. 17% of owners say that their pillow results in less pain, especially neck pain. About 8% of owners, however, say that their pillow causes pain, usually due to excessive firmness or lack of support. The contoured variety has a higher potential to both relieve and cause pain compared to the traditional-shaped variety.
Supportive	b	Most owners say that their memory foam pillow provides at least adequate support and holds its shape during the night. Being at least somewhat temperature sensitive, memory foam contours itself to the head and neck.
Moldable	d+	A "moldable" pillow is one whose shape can be easily altered or "scrunched" to increase comfort and support. Other pillow types, such as down, perform significantly better than memory foam on this issue.
Cuddly	c+	A "cuddly" pillow is one that is soft and huggable, as opposed to hard, rigid, stiff and or heavy. Cuddliness is generally not a clear strength of the pillows. Nevertheless, standard memory foam pillows are likely more cuddly than the contoured variety.
Contents won't shift / clump	a	A strength of the pillows.
Back sleep friendly	c	Loft may not suit some back sleepers.
Stomach sleep friendly	c	Loft may be too high for some stomach sleepers.
Side sleep friendly	c	Loft usually cannot be made lower or higher (by scrunching) so some side sleepers may be dissatisfied.
No initial odor / off gassing	d-	Off gassing is the main owner complaint. At least 15% of owners report a significant problem. Off gassing is the release of a chemical-like smell that occurs due to the manufacturing and / or packaging process. Off gassing usually stops after a few days but can last much longer in some cases. Whether the product will smell is largely random. Some owners report returning the pillow because of the persistence and strength of the odor. Reports of headaches, nausea, eye and throat irritation, sweating, sleeplessness and asthma resulting from off gassing occur in less than 2% of memory foam pillow owner experiences.
Good air flow / no sleeping hot	c-	5% of owners say their memory foam pillow is too warm, which is slightly higher than the rate for most other pillow types.
No noise	b	Some covers may make a rustling sound when compressed.
Fewer allergies	b-	The foam is antimicrobial and resistant to allergens. Dust mites reportedly do not eat the foam but still may live inside to feed on skin cells.
No need to fluff / shake	a	No fluffing or shaking is needed.
Ease of cleaning	b	The covers can usually be machined washed and dried. The pillow itself should be spot cleaned.
Lightweight	c-	As a group, memory foam pillows weigh somewhat above average, usually between 2-5 lbs.

Top-Rated Memory Foam Pillows

The table below evaluates only memory foam pillows which rate highest in owner satisfaction (75% and above) based on a significant sample size; the table does not include all memory foam pillows available on the market. (Links below go to Amazon.com.)

Important: Information below regarding firmness, loft and sleeping position shows only what tends to be true for most owners. Your personal evaluation of the pillow may differ.

	Owner Satisfaction / Sample Size	Price	Retailer	Sizes Available	Firmness	Loft	Sleeping Position(s) Best Suited For	Main Complaints (% of owners)	Return Policy

Bodipedic Standard Contour	91% / 374	$20	overstock.com	standard	medium	medium- low	back, perhaps stomach	too thin and small (5%), goes flat and lacks support (3%)	30 days
Italian 6-inch	89% / 483	$65	overstock.com	queen	medium- firm	medium- high	side, perhaps back	too high / thick (7%), too firm (5%), lacks support (3%)	30 days
Sleep Innovations 2-in-1 (poly-fill & memory foam)	80% / 346	$25-$45	amazon.com, walmart.com / Wal-Mart	standard, king	medium- firm	medium- high	back, side	too flat (6%), short lifespan (3%)	amazon.com: 30 days. walmart.com: 90 days
Z by Malouf	80% / 381	$42-$58	amazon.com	queen, king	variety offered	variety offered	all	odor (15%), too firm (12%), too thick (11%), lacks support (8%)	30 days
Sleep Better Iso-Cool	79% / 1,014	$40	amazon.com	standard	medium	variety offered	all	odor (14%), not cool as advertised (13%), goes flat / lacks support (9%)	amazon.com: 30 days
Mainstays Contour	76% / 209	$12	walmart.com	standard	medium- firm	medium	back, perhaps side, stomach	odor (15%), lacks support (9%), too firm (8%), too small (8%)	90 days
Sleep Innovations Contour	77% / 423	$21-$42	amazon.com	standard, queen	medium	medium	back, side	odor (20%), lacks support (10%), causes pain (9%), too soft or too firm (8%)	30 days

At Amazon: A Top-Rated Memory Foam Pillow

About our unbiased memory foam Bed pillow reviews and research

Our ratings are based on 3,800+ memory foam bed pillow owner reviews and experiences that were collected using an accurate research methodology.

We receive NO compensation of any kind from any company, organization or individual to affect in any way or degree the content of our bed pillow research findings.

Remember

– Memory foam pillows overall perform better than average on the issue of pain relief. About 17 percent of owners report a pain-relief benefit, including reduced neck pain.

– At least 15 percent of memory foam pillow owners report substantial off gassing. Off gassing is the release of a chemical-like smell that occurs when the pillow is new.

– Off gassing usually stops after a few days but can persist for weeks or even months in some cases. Whether a memory foam pillow will off gas and the degree to which it does appears to be largely random.

At Amazon: A Top-Rated Memory Foam Pillow

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