The best cooling pillows for 2026, tested and reviewed

If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night, trying to find the "cool spot" on the pillow, we get it. For every person out there who can never have too many blankets or lofty duvets , there's someone who can't stand feeling warm in bed. Studies show that people fall asleep when their body temperature decreases — that's where the best cooling pillows may help speed the process. While these products won't solve every case of night sweats, they have features that hot sleepers should look for.

If your pillow isn't just right, will you be able to get a good night's rest? Probably not. That's why my fellow Yahoo home editors and I have spent the past several months testing the most popular pillows on the market. For this guide (and the Yahoo Sleep Awards ), we tried memory foam , down, down-alternative and latex pillows designed to be cooling to see if they really are better at regulating temperature than others.

Best cooling pillows of 2026

Factors to consider when choosing a cooling pillow

• Fill:Cooling properties are not limited to one kind of fill, though certain types tend to sleep cooler than others.

  • Memory foamtends to provide more support and stability, but solid memory foam sleeps on the warmer side. Shredded memory foam offers greater flexibility and breathability, as the shreds create pockets for airflow. Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, an orthopedic and spinal surgeon and founder of The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care , says he'd recommend shredded over solid memory foam to "most people who sleep hot, toss and turn, or want some cushion without the sinking feeling."

  • Latexresponds quickly to changing positions throughout the night and is supportive like memory foam, though it tends to cost more and be very heavy. Temperature-wise, latex generally feels cooler than memory foam. If you sleep hot, consider shredded latex.

  • Down-alternativeand downare made with individual fibers and/or feathers, and as a result, they can feel more breathable than memory foam or latex. But if they're densely stuffed or very heavy, they can sleep warm.

• Cooling technology:Given their warmer nature, many foam pillows are often infused or layered with gel, says Okubadejo. You can also find pillows made with other fills that boast some type of cooling feature, whether it's a moisture-wicking cover or temperature-regulating technology like Outlast and 37.5 Technology . Bear in mind that using a pillowcase can diminish the effect of certain cooling features, so if you plan to sleep directly on your pillow, make sure the cover can go in the wash.

• Dimensions:Wider pillows allow for more wiggle room, especially for those with larger frames. When it comes to height (or thickness), Dr. Theresa Marko, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) spokesperson and founder of Marko Physical Therapy PLLC , notes that thin pillows provide cushioning without altering spinal alignment, while thick pillows fill the spaces created by the natural curvature of the spine and hips. "When you're on your back, you want to fill up the space that is often created underneath your neck between the shoulders and your neck," she advises. "Same with sleeping on your side — you need to take up the amount of space from your shoulder to your head/neck, and that is going to be different for everyone since we all have different body sizes."

• Firmness:"Soft pillows compress with the weight of the body part, whereas medium-firm pillows provide some support but also 'give' a little and firm pillows maintain shape and offer the most support," explains Marko. For back sleepers, a lower, firm pillow for the head often works best, supporting the natural curve of your neck without pushing your head too far forward. If you sleep on your stomach, with your head turned to the side, Okubadejo advises going with a very flat pillow — or forgoing a pillow altogether — to reduce stress on the neck.

• Care instructions:Many of the pillows we tested can go in the washing machine or feature machine-washable covers for easy cleaning. Remember to always remove pillow fill before doing so, unless otherwise instructed.

• Adjustability:A lot of brands now offer adjustable pillows, with extra pillow pads and/or fill so that you can customize the height and/or cushiness of your pillow — either initially or with time as needed. As a general rule, as long as the pillow case has a zipper, you can "flatten" any shredded foam pillow by simply removing some of the fill.

• Certifications: Oeko-Tex , Made Safe , Greenguard Gold and CertiPUR-US-certified products must meet certain safety standards, and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic products must meet a list of established criteria for ecological and social responsibility.

How we test pillows

My fellow Yahoo home editors and I put each pillow through a series of tests to see if it deserves a spot on your bed. Here is a quick rundown:

• Design:After we unbox each pillow, we note how fast the pillow takes its proper shape and if there are any imperfections. We put the pillow in a standard-size cotton pillowcase to see if it fits.

• Performance:Each tester sleeps on the pillow for at least three nights and reports back on how comfortable the pillow was, if it offered good support and whether or not it had any cooling properties. We also measure the pillow's height before and after sleeping on it to assess whether it retains its shape.

• Care:We prioritize pillows that are machine-washable or come with covers that can go in the washer and dryer. Based on the pillow's care label, we determine how easy maintenance will be.

Other cooling pillows we tested

Birch by Helix Talalay Latex Pillow :This natural latex pillow is designed for airflow to keep you cool through the night. It has a bouncy feel that memory and down do not, but if you are interested in a pillow that conforms to your head and neck or compresses when you lie down, this is not it. It was too firm for me as a petite side sleeper, but it might work for someone with a larger frame. This pillow did not feel particularly cool or warm throughout the night.

Tempur-Coud Dual Cooling Pillow :Under the removable 100% cotton cover, there’s a layer of cooling gel on both sides, with a core that's a single piece of Tempur-Pedic memory foam. And while lots of pillows claim to be cooling, this one truly felt chilly to me, plus it provides excellent support for your head and neck if it's the right height for your body. It didn't make our list because it was too big (too tall for my petite frame and too large for a standard pillowcase) and too heavy to move around at night.

Saybrook Sleep Adjustable Pillow :Our tester found this 7.5-inch tall pillow too lofty and decided to remove some of its memory foam and microfiber shredded fill. Even after removing the fill, she noted it was a bit too firm and tall for her, but she appreciated its machine-washable cooling-gel cover. She suggested it may be a good pick for those with broader shoulders, or who run hot and don’t mind tinkering with the filling.

Sealy To Go Cooling Gel Memory Foam Pillow :This is one of the few more affordable cooling pillows we tested, at $50 when not on sale. However, it's so large and lofty that it doesn't fit well in a standard pillowcase. It's quite heavy and firm, and though there is a cooling gel layer on one side (that resembles bubble wrap), I couldn't sleep comfortably on it.

Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Gel Memory Foam Pillow :Another large, heavy memory foam pillow with a layer of cooling gel on one side, this Brooklyn Bedding pillow is a bit too big for a standard pillowcase. It's very similar to the Sealy pillow we tested, but with a much higher price tag ($200 when not on sale) and a removable, machine-washable cover. The brand offers a 30-day return policy and a 3-year warranty.

Cozy Earth Silk Pillow :This pillow sells for a steep $200, is filled with mulberry silk (a higher-grade than regular silk) and arrives in its own canvas tote bag — it might have been a candidate for the title of best luxury cooling pillow. It's fancy, but that doesn't necessarily translate to comfort and durability. I found it more breathable than the solid memory foam pillows I tried, but not truly cooling. It's soft and yielding, compressing when you rest on it but not springing back. After several weeks of use, the shape became lopsided and the fill distribution uneven, plus it's spot- or dry-clean-only.

Coop Eden Adjustable Pillow :This is a hybrid pillow filled with a blend of cooling gel bead-infused memory foam and microfiber fill with a cover made from polyester and bamboo-derived viscose. This is one of the few memory foam pillows that can go in the washing machine. Our tester, Amanda Garrity , Gifting Editor, is a side sleeper with neck and shoulder pain. Once she added half a bag of fill to the pillow, she felt more supported and woke up without aches and pains. Though the brand touts its memory foam as infused with cooling gel beads, Garrity didn't feel the pillow was particularly cool through the night.

Cooling pillow FAQs

Do cooling pillows really work?

They may work, depending on their fill and their cover material. Solid memory foam tends to trap heat, while less-dense fills such as shredded memory foam, shredded latex, down alternative and down may allow for more breathability. A cool-to-the-touch gel layer on the top of the pillow can help you feel cool on contact. Pillow covers made from moisture-wicking fabrics (think synthetic fibers like lyocell, nylon and polyester, and natural ones like cotton, silk and linen) can also help you regulate your temperature. Because keeping your head cool helps your whole body stay cool — and that helps you fall and stay asleep — it's worth investing in the right cooling pillow.

Should I use a pillowcase on my cooling pillow?

The short answer is yes, because a machine-washable pillowcase will extend the life of your pillow and keep it sanitary. Some cooling pillow brands recommend that you don't use a pillowcase. If that's the case, make sure the pillow cover is machine-washable, as it's advisable to wash your pillowcase once a week , and if you sleep with pets, have allergies, sweat heavily or have acne-prone skin, you'll want to up that frequency.

What is the best pillow for hot sleepers?

"When choosing a cooling pillow, the fabric and fill material are crucial," says Jill Zwarensteyn , a certified sleep science coach at Sleep Advisor. She suggests looking for materials like shredded latex and memory foam, as they are more breathable than solid foam and many thick down fills. "The pillow cover also matters, so opt for materials like bamboo, silk or other moisture-wicking, breathable fabrics."

Meet our experts

• Dr. Theresa Marko, spokesperson, APTA and founder, Marko Physical Therapy PLLC

• Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, orthopedic and spinal surgeon, The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care

• Jill Zwarensteyn , certified sleep science coach at Sleep Advisor

We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.