The Best Cooling Pillows of 2021 – Stay Cool All Night Long

If you keep waking up during the night all hot and sweaty and maybe flip your pillow over or grab a glass of water to cool off, you may want to get a cooling pillow. A “cooling pillow” is any type of pillow that provides temperature neutrality so that you can stay cool during the night. Some cooling pillows promote good interior airflow and have breathable fabric covers and others are made with gel-infused memory foam or with an interior water chamber. 

Cooling pillows make people who get hot while sleeping at night much more comfortable, especially during hot summers. They’re also great for people dealing with year-round heat and humidity. The American Academy of Sleep has research showing that a cooling pillow can help chronic insomniacs by cooling down the region of the brain behind the forehead, which is called the prefrontal cortex. So, if you suffer from insomnia, a cooling pillow could help you fall asleep more easily and make you a lot more comfortable throughout the night. 

This guide will explain the various features that make them cooling pillows, plus some things to keep in mind when shopping for a cooling pillow that will best meet your needs. Below, you’ll see our list of the best cooling pillows currently on the market.

The Best Cooling Pillows

Bluewave Bedding Gel Memory Foam Pillow Review

It is hard to find a high-quality, thin pillow. The founders of Bluewave Bedding felt that most bedding brands were producing pillows that only provided a standard level of comfort, attempting to appeal to the most amount of consumers. The problem with this approach is that it ignores the needs of those who require a flatter, thinner pillow to maintain a good sleep posture.

Bluewave Bedding has a small line of pillows designed for people who sleep on their back or stomach (as well as for small-framed individuals who sleep on their side). They require a thin pillow to keep their spine properly aligned during the night - one that supports the surrounding tissues that can become painfully strained unless the head and neck get the proper support.

The Bluewave Bedding Gel Memory Foam Pillow comes in several different thicknesses and levels of firmness, to suit the needs of a broad spectrum of consumers of differing sizes and weights. Despite these variations, all choices are among the thinnest available on the market. The memory foam in this pillow is both dense and soft. It’s also earned CertiPUR-US Certification, guaranteeing that it contains no toxic chemicals, is hypoallergenic, and emits very little odor.

This cooling pillow not only supports the head and neck but also ensures your overall comfort by regulating sleep temperature. All pillows in the line are made with gel-infused particle technology as well as ventilation holes to promote airflow and regulate heat. The half-pillow design of the Bluewave Bedding Gel Memory Foam Pillow is rounded on top with a flat bottom, which is perfect for those who are not inclined to flip their pillow over during the night.  The cover is removable, and because it’s 60% polyester and 40% bamboo rayon, it is not only comfortably soft and breathable, it can be tossed in the washer and dryer!

Urban Bloom Domus Pillow Review

The most noticeable thing about the Urban Bloom Domus Pillow is how luxurious it appears, not to mention how comfortable. This beautifully-designed, cooling pillow is made with the finest of materials, and its lofty foam core 5” thick will not flatten out and will last longer than most others. It consistently distributes pressure to relieve painful pressure points while providing ergonomic support.

If you want a soft yet durable pillow, this can’t be beaten. The foam core is made with hundreds of tiny air holes to promote ventilation and airflow to keep you comfortably cool throughout the night. Small air channels disperse the heat through a 360º punctured mesh sidewall for optimal cooling.

The tufted-knit cover is extremely soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking, so it couldn’t be more luxurious. The knit fabric cover is stitched in a 1.5 mm hexagonal design with the valleys creating a series of airflow channels, which cool the sleeping surface and keep you comfortable. This lush cover is also removable and machine washable.

The Urban Bloom Domus Pillow is highly durable and long-lasting, which is why the manufacturer offers an unbeatable 10-year warranty. It only comes in Queen size, and while the cover can be tossed in a washing machine, the core must be spot cleaned only. The zipper has a pull tab made of leather, which may irritate some, but it can be easily removed.

Sleep Restoration Gel Pillow Review

This hotel-quality Sleep Restoration Gel Pillow is a bestseller on Amazon because it’s very comfortable, great-looking, and affordably-priced compared to other premium cooling pillows.

The gusseted cover design allows the gel-fiber filling to expand while providing structure to the pillow. The additional fabric in the gussets creates space for a fluffier, more cloud-like cushion, while the no-shift construction keeps you comfortable in whatever sleeping position you choose. The gel-fiber fill, along with the gusseted cover work to ensure you have the support you need throughout the night.

The 233-thread count, polyester/cotton blend cover creates a luxuriously plush comfortable sleeping surface that resists fading, stains, mold, mildew, and dust mites. It’s also hypoallergenic and free of any toxic chemicals. This is a great choice for people with allergies, asthma, and/or other respiratory problems, which explains why the Sleep Restoration is in such demand. Aside from all these benefits, the design combines traditional aspects with contemporary advancements.

This beautiful Sleep Restoration Gel Pillow comes in both Queen and King sizes and can be used to sleep with or to enhance your décor. They come two in a pack at an unbeatable price considering the quality, making it one of the best choices on our list.

Consumers can buy with confidence since they get a 30-day money-back guarantee. These cooling pillows can be machine washed and are designed to provide optimal comfort in all sleeping positions.

Zen Bamboo Ultra Plush Gel pillow (Pack of 2) Review

The Zen Bamboo Ultra Plush Gel pillow (Pack of 2) is like sleeping on a cloud, putting you in a Zen-like state. This soft, chemical-free cooling pillow will make you feel like you’re staying in a luxury hotel room, without leaving your home and spending exorbitant amounts of money.

The soft cloud-like feel of this pillow cradles you in its fluffiness like nothing else, lulling you into sleeping like a baby. The Zen Bamboo has a fresh, clean appeal that is utterly irresistible. The filling is hypoallergenic, resisting mold and mildew with a chemical-free bamboo fabric cover that is soft, breathable, and cool. This machine-washable pillow is both stain and fade resistant, designed to look new for years of use. The “no-shift” construction provides a good night’s sleep in any sleeping position you choose.

The Zen Bamboo Ultra Plush Gel pillow (Pack of 2) comes in Queen size only. All in all, its plushy cloud-like softness and affordable price earns it a place on our list. This pillow comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

WEEKENDER Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow Review

The WEEKENDER Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow is firmer than a down or synthetic down pillow because its primary purpose is to provide support and pressure relief. This pillow can help you stop tossing and turning during the night so you can sleep like a baby.

This cooling is not only made with gel-infused memory foam but also has an innovative ventilation system that promotes optimum air circulation and breathability to keep you cool all night long. It is also 5” thick so that you are well-supported and aligned and can wake up pain-free, ready to take on the day.

It comes with a removable, machine-washable cover, making it easy to keep clean, fresh, and soft at all times. This pillow comes in 3 different sizes and works great whether you sleep on your back, side, or stomach. The design is fairly simple, making WEEKENDER Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow one of the most affordable options. This pillow has earned the CertiPUR-US Certification, so you can be sure it was made with no toxic chemicals, and comes with a 3-year warranty.

Coop Home Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow Review

The Coop Home Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow is filled with a combination of a microfiber blend and gel-infused shredded foam that promotes airflow. This cooling pillow also has a natural eco-friendly bamboo fiber cover, which is not only breathable but hypoallergenic as well, making this a great choice for people suffering from allergies.

The quilted cover is in itself, a great pillow casing because its thickness offers ample protection, while still providing a nice soft sleeping surface. You can easily use a standard cotton pillowcase on this pillow, as well. However, it could retain some heat if the pillowcase is too tightly woven or if the room is unusually hot.

To ensure the safety and quality, Coop Home Goods submits their products for testing by third-party labs, and as a result, they’ve earned certifications by GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US. This tells consumers that no toxic chemicals have been used in the manufacturing process.

The Coop Home Goods Eden Adjustable Pillow works well for all sleep positions, providing edge-to-edge support due to its gusseted design. You can adjust the pillow by adding or removing fill to suit your comfort level and sleep position for a healthy sleep posture. This is a breathable pillow that keeps you cool throughout the night by not retaining body heat. Made in the USA, each pillow has a 5-year warranty. 

Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow Review

The Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow will keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night. This is a medium-soft pillow that will perfectly conform to your body no matter which sleeping position you prefer. The memory foam inside is shredded into a lot of very small pieces that are extremely soft and fluffy, making this one of the lightest and most resilient pillows on the market.

This light and fluffy shredded memory foam helps you sleep cooler than standard foam and provides unparalleled breathability so that air can flow easily throughout the pillow, which is why it can keep you cool and comfortable all through the night. It comes with a breathable cover made of a bamboo and polyester blend fabric. Through a side zipper, you can add or remove shredded foam to make it just as soft or firm as you wish.

The Snuggle-Pedic is not only hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant, but it is also CertiPUR-US certified and has the eco-friendly Biogreen certification as well. These two certifications signify that the product has not been made with any PBDE fire retardants, ozone depleters, phthalates, lead, mercury, or any other harmful heavy metals.

The high-quality materials in this cooling pillow ensure that it stays fluffy, but you can periodically fluff it up by putting it in the dryer on a high heat setting for 20 minutes. This will pump air into the billions of foam cells to re-inflate and revitalize the pillow. The cover is machine washable, and you can even safely machine wash the entire pillow if you follow the instructions included in the package. One reason we included the Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow in our list is that it comes with an unmatched 20-year limited warranty, which is a testament to its durability.

Buying Guide: How to Find the Best Cooling Pillow for You

There are a number of factors that you should consider before deciding which cooling pillow would work best for you. For example, the pillow may feel nice and cool when you pick it up, but will it stay cool all night long? Will the pill disperse heat evenly or will you constantly be flipping it over? If you get hot and sweaty during the night, you need to find one that wicks away moisture, so you can stay dry as well. The best cooling pillows keep sleepers comfortably cool and dry throughout the night. 

Continue reading to learn about the pros and cons of cooling pillows and the things you need to consider before making a purchase: 

How Well Do Cooling Pillows Actually Work?

The ability to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night is extremely important to most people looking for a new pillow. 

But is this really possible? 

Yes. The best cooling pillows on the market today do this by employing a variety of mechanisms: 

Airflow & Breathability

The filling can be ventilated with holes and gaps to allow air to circulate freely throughout the pillow, which is what makes it breathable. Some fillings are naturally breathable while others have to be manufactured to promote airflow. For example, if you have a pillow filled with solid foam or latex it will trap body heat, whereas a shredded foam filling is not as likely to because air can flow freely between the foam pieces. 

You can test how breathable a pillow is by pressing into it and then observe whether air flows easily through the fabric cover. If no air escapes, then that pillow is not very breathable. But if you’re looking at pillows online and can’t physically perform this test, choose one with a shredded filling. Otherwise, your pillow would likely retain your body heat, which would warm you up while you’re trying to sleep!

Breathability is enhanced when a pillow isn’t tightly compressed. For example, a down-filled pillow may feel fluffy and full of air, but down can be tightly compressed and when that happens the air cannot flow freely, and it doesn’t take much to compress down feathers. So, shredded foam has far more breathability than solid foam and pillows filled with buckwheat hulls do not compress easily, so these would be fairly breathable as well. 

Moisture-Wicking Fabric Cover

People who get hot and sweaty during the night can benefit from a pillow with a moisture-wicking fabric cover. If you don’t know what “moisture-wicking” means, it’s something that draws moisture from the body, pulling it into the fabric where it will easily evaporate. 

A good moisture-wicking fabric will dissipate moisture into the atmosphere rather than hanging onto it, so a pillow cover that absorbs moisture will dissipate sweat so feel comfortable. A bamboo-based fabric, polyester and Tencel (eco-friendly substitute for cotton) are all examples of fabrics that are inherently moisture-wicking. 

Special Cooling Features

If a breathable filling and a sweat-wicking cover don’t do the job, you may need to focus your efforts on pillows with even more cooling features. Water chambers, cooling gel pads or beads, graphite and/or copper infusions, mesh panels or ventilation systems, and Phase Change Materials (PCM) all take cooling pillows to the next level: 

• Water chambers: Water has the ability to transfer heat. In fact, we do this ourselves when we get hot and start sweating. The process of evaporation that occurs helps cool us down, as the heat disperses into the atmosphere. Water chambers built into a pillow pull heat from the surface away from you to keep you cool. 

• Cooling gel pads or beads: These are built into the filling to make the pillow feel cool on the surface. A pillow made of solid foam will often have a cooling gel pad inserted to counteract the heat-retaining foam. Gel-infused pillows or those with gel beads in the filling can draw heat away from your body, keeping you cooler. These are the same cooling gels in ice packs and coolers, and they slow down the heat transfer process, which keeps your pillow from retaining heat. 

• Graphite and/or copper infusions: These materials are often infused into the filling or cover fabric of a pillow to pull body heat away. Graphite or copper will not make a pillow cool on the surface, but they can keep the pillow from retaining body heat. 

• Mesh panels or ventilation systems: Pillows with these features are designed to enhance the consistent flow of air throughout the pillow. These will not on their own make the pillow feel cool on the surface, but they keep the filling feeling fresh and breezy.

• Phase Change Material: This is well-known within the bedding industry because it’s been developed to make fabric feel like ice. Phase Change Materials are able to absorb and discharge thermal energy and works on a variety of fabrics. 

These materials are often mixed with paraffin plant oil, Celliant, or cool yarn to create a cool and crispy feel. When you first encounter a pillow treated with a PCM, you’ll immediately think it’s been refrigerated. NASA originally developed PCM so their spacesuits could absorb, hold and discharge heat to keep their astronauts comfortable. 

Who Can Most Benefit from Sleeping with a Cooling Pillow?

Just about anyone can benefit by sleeping with a cooling pillow because it’s important that everyone, no matter which sleeping position they prefer, maintain a healthy body temperature during the night. Cooling pillows can make all the difference to people who get hot and sweaty at night, whereas for others it may simply be a luxury. But there’s no doubt that this is something everyone can benefit from. If you find yourself in one of the following categories, you should definitely put a good cooling pillow at the top of your shopping list:  

Hot & Sweaty Sleepers

It’s clear that a cooling pillow would benefit people that tend to get hot and sweaty in bed at night. Check your utility bill because if you’re running the air conditioning all night long just to stay cool, you may be wasting money. If the room air is cool while you’re hot in sweaty in bed, you clearly have a mattress with a ventilation problem, the wrong bedding and/or pillows. By buying a cooling pillow you’re investing in something that can make a huge difference in your ability to get a good night’s sleep. 

Women in Menopause

Menopause causes all sorts of symptoms, but the one we hear about most is the hot flashes that occur day and night. If you’re going through menopause you might be like most women who say that a night hardly goes by without them waking up from a hot flash. One of the best ways of coping with this is to have breathable bedding. In just about every category, whether it be mattresses, sheets, blankets, or pillows there is a cooling option. Buying a cooling pillow would definitely make sense when you start experiencing hot flashes. 

Couples

When you sleep with a partner it’s hard to maintain a consistent temperature in bed throughout the night. Science has shown that men tend to get hotter while sleeping than women, which makes it very difficult to keep both partners comfortable at night. Fortunately, there are cooling pillows and mattress pads that can help men cool down without disturbing his partner. Both are entitled to be comfortable in bed at night. 

Budget-Minded

If you’re on a budget and looking for ways to cut down on your bills, why not start with the electric bill? Rather than running the air conditioning all night, get some cooling pillows for every member of the family. They offer an energy-efficient way to keep you cool and comfortable during hot summer nights. 

Insomniacs

There is no one cure for all sleeping problems, but people who suffer from chronic insomnia can certainly benefit from a good cooling pillow. When your body heats up in bed at night, you naturally become restless, which wakes you up. Sleeping with a cooling pillow will help you stay cool and comfortable, which can help you fall asleep and hopefully stay asleep until morning. 

Even if you don’t fall into any one of these categories, you still might want to try a cooling pillow. Science shows that people with a lower body temperature sleep better, so it only makes sense that you try one to see if it can improve your sleep.

Benefits & Drawbacks of Sleeping with a Cooling Pillow

Pros

Retain Little if Any Body Heat

As the name implies, most cooling pillows retain very little if any body heat, which keeps people cool and comfortable all night long while they’re sleeping. 

Quiet

Since most cooling pillows are filled with memory foam or latex, they make very little if any noise once they bear weight. 

Provide Support

Memory foam and latex filled cooling pillows provide better than average support if you compare them to other pillows because they conform to the sleeper’s body shape and remain stable all night long. 

Offer Pain & Pressure Relief

Memory foam and latex filled cooling pillows align the spine, which helps in reducing pressure and pain while sleeping. 

Long-lasting Durability

Shredded memory foam or latex cooling pillows typically last a good 3-4 years, with some lasting even longer. This is longer than most other pillows. 

Cons

Price

Cooling pillows tend to come with a hefty price tag compared to non-cooling pillows, which can be attributed to their highly specialized designs. 

Heavy

Cooling pillows with shredded memory foam or latex are somewhat dense and heavier than most other pillows at over 5 lbs. for some models. Their weight makes them a little more difficult to adjust or move around during the night than most other pillows. 

May Have an Odor

Memory foam pillows often have a strong off-gassing smell when they first come out of the package, which mostly dissipates in time. Latex pillow often have a rubbery smell that can linger since latex is derived from rubber trees.  

Allergic Reactions

Memory foam tends to attract dust mites, which can cause an allergic reaction. Some people are allergic to latex, so they would have an allergic reaction to a latex pillow, especially if it contained a lot of natural latex. 

Maintenance Issues

Cooling pillows filled with shredded memory foam need to be fluffed up frequently to keep a full shape. Cooling pillows filled with a solid piece of latex do not need fluffing up or shaken, but they cannot be machine washed, so would need to either be dry cleaned or spotted cleaned. 

Limited Availability & Options

Cooling pillows are not easy to find compared to standard pillows, and the options in terms of firmness and thickness are limited. 

Choosing the Best Cooling Pillow to Meet Your Unique Needs

If you’re still wondering if you have enough information to choose the best cooling pillow for you, we’ve compiled a list of the features you need to consider, along with some tips on how to choose one that will meet your specific needs: 

Filling Materials

Buckwheat Hulls

Pillows filled with tiny buckwheat seed hulls, which are the hard casings that grow around the kernels, have exceptional breathability because air can easily circulate throughout the pillow. This is why they are considered cooling pillows, plus the fact that most come with an organic cotton cover, which is also quite breathable. 

All these tiny hulls allow the pillow to conform to the sleeper’s shape, offering them the support they need for the head and neck. Although buckwheat pillows work well for hot sleepers, they may feel too hard for some. 

Down 

Down is the small soft and fluffy plumage that grows under the larger outer feathers of geese and ducks. These tiny down feathers keep geese and ducks warm because down retains heat, which means that down-filled pillows are not considered cooling pillows. They’re also expensive, plus a lot of people are allergic to feathers, and this includes down feathers. 

Synthetic Down

Synthetic down is made of puffy balls of polyester designed to duplicate the light, fluffy, soft feel of authentic down. These down alternatives support the head and neck quite well and since the material does not come from animals, synthetic down pillows cost a lot less than real down. Synthetic down pillows also sleep a lot cooler than real down because the polyester puffballs absorb less body heat, which means they are a cool option for people who get hot at night and want a really nice soft pillow. 

Feather 

Feather pillows are filled with the coarse surface feathers of ducks and geese. These feathers have better airflow and retain less heat than down feathers. They are also a lot firmer than down pillows and work well for people wanting to stay cool while sleeping.  

Latex 

Latex comes from the sap that oozes from rubber trees, so it’s a naturally resilient material. Latex pillows offer good neck support and require very little maintenance. Although latex can retain heat, many latex-filled pillows are aerated to promote airflow. In fact, these are very popular among people who tend to get hot in bed at night. Single-piece foam pillows will retain more heat, but some can sleep quite cool. 

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a type of polyfoam, but engineered to soften up from body heat, then resume its original shape once it cools down. People often complain about getting too hot at night when sleeping with a memory foam pillow made with a solid piece of foam. To resolve this problem, some brands have introduced gel-infused memory foam pillows while others use shredded memory foam that promotes air circulation. For people who are specifically seeking a cooling pillow, we can recommend memory foam pillows it the foam has been shredded or infused with cooling gel. 

Gel layers are also being used in bedding materials because gel conducts heat away from the body, which makes for a cooler sleep. Gel can take on the ambient temperature of the room, however. But overall, they are an excellent addition to other cooling mechanisms to keep you more comfortable in bed at night. 

We do need to point out though, that if you have a pillow with cooling gel and put a regular pillowcase on it, you will lose some of the cooling effect. Fortunately, most of the models we’ve recommended above come with a specially designed cover that is breathable and wicks moisture away from the skin to improve the cooling effect of the pillow. 

Polyester

Polyester pillows are filled with synthetic microfibers, and most have decent temperature neutrality. These microfibers do retain a certain amount of heat, but less than other pillow fillings. If you tend to get hot and sweaty at night, a polyester pillow would not be our first recommendation. However, they are fairly inexpensive if you’re looking for a bargain. 

Water-Based

The cooling mechanism of these types of pillows is through layers of water, which can absorb body heat and disperse it through the rest of the water in that chamber. These pillows conform to the shape of your head and neck, providing quite a bit of support. However, if there is any air in the water chamber, it can be noisy when you move around. We would not recommend a water-based pillow for a light sleeper. 

Pillow Cover Materials

If you’re looking for an effective cooling pillow, you need to consider the type of fabric being used to cover the pillow because some retain body heat more than others. The most commonly used cover materials for cooling pillows are as follows: 

Cotton

Because of the way cotton is spun to make a fabric, the material turns out to be more breathable and softer than the majority of fabrics made of synthetic materials. Egyptian and Pima cottons seem to be the best in terms of their cooling properties. Organic cotton fabrics are also quite breathable. 

Bamboo Rayon 

The rayon that we’re all familiar with is a synthetic, but some pillows come with a cover made of a type of rayon that comes from bamboo fibers. Bamboo rayon feels like silk and is also cool and breathable, so it makes for a great pillow cover. Some pillows have covers made of eucalyptus rayon, which is also naturally cooling. 

Phase Change Material (PCM)

PCM fabrics absorb body heat until the body gets to a specific temperature, when it ceases to retain heat and instead maintains that temperature continually through the night. PCMs are not only used on pillow covers, but also on mattress covers.

Copper

Copper is naturally cooling, so some cooling pillows come with covers that have been infused with copper. The metal element also promotes blood flow. So, if you suffer from poor circulation you may want to consider a pillow with a copper-infused cover as well as a copper-infused filling, made of either memory foam or latex. 

Thread-Count

A cooling pillow’s cover should be breathable for optimum cooling. A material with a high thread-count may feel soft and luxurious to the touch, but regardless of the type of fiber, the higher its thread-count, the less air can flow through the threads. Therefore, in this instance a lower thread-count would be better, preferably below 400 (the lower the better). This will allow air to freely flow through the cloth for improved breathability and less heat retention. 

Pillow Size

Like most other pillows, cooling pillows generally come in the following sizes: 

Standard

The Standard size pillow is the size most people use. It’s compact and all things being equal, the least expensive as well. 

Queen

A Queen size pillow measures 4” longer than a Standard size pillow. These are perfect for larger people who feel that a Standard size is just too small. It’s also a good size for people who toss and turn and change positions throughout the night. 

King 

King size pillows measures 10” longer than a Standard size, which makes them 6” longer than the Queen. Like the Queen, these work well for people who move around a lot during the night. They also work well as backrests for people who like to sit up and watch TV, read or use their laptop in bed. 

Specialty

Some brands make cooling pillows in a specialty size measuring about 24” x 16” and they call this a Queen size, even though it’s not the normal Queen size. 

Level of Firmness

The firmness of a pillow is a major factor in how comfortable you’ll be in using it and how much support it will offer. It may not be as significant as the cooling aspect, but you certainly need to find this out before buying. You need a pillow that suits your style of sleeping, will keep you cool, offer support where you need it and is soft enough to be comfortable. These are very personal decisions. 

People who sleep on their stomachs benefit most from soft, thin pillows. 

Side sleepers usually prefer a firmer thicker pillow that gives them the support they need for the head, neck, shoulders and upper back.

Back sleepers are comfortable using most pillows, so a medium level of firmness would probably be best for them. 

Loft or Thickness

Selecting a pillow with the perfect loft or thickness to suit your needs is important because you need the right neck support to be comfortable. There are three levels of loft that you can choose from: 

1. Low loft is less than 3” thick.
2. Medium loft is anywhere from 3” to 5” thick.
3. High loft is over 6” thick.

The loft that will be best for you are determined by the overall size of your body, your head size, sleeping position, how firm your mattress is, the width of your shoulders and pillow placement. 

Hypoallergenic

The term “hypoallergenic” is more of a marketing term, not a scientific description. Pillows cannot totally block out allergens, however certain materials are less likely to cause an allergic reaction. For example, pillow covers made of fabrics with extremely tiny pores can block out dust mites and other types of allergens. Bamboo, Tencel and organic cotton are the fabrics we recommend most for pillow covers. 

When it comes to the filling material, many people are allergic to latex and down, whereas memory foam is considered hypoallergenic. 

CertiPUR Certification

CertiPUR is an unbiased nonprofit organization that conducts tests on various types of bedding products for the presence of unhealthy toxins, which include the following:

• Flame retardants
• Formaldehyde
• Heavy Metals
• Ozone
• Phthalates
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

The committee making these determinations include academics, consumer advocates, environmentalists and scientists. A CertiPUR Certification tag is attached to the bedding products that have been tested to show that the product contains none of these toxins. You would definitely want your pillow to have this certification as the best cooling pillows all have this. 

Washing or Cleaning Instructions

Certain cooling pillows can safely be machine washed, while others would need hand washing, spot cleaning or dry cleaning. Generally, water-based cooling pillows can be tossed in a washing machine if the water chambers are removed ahead of time. The best cooling pillows have machine-washable covers, making it easy to keep them clean. 

Price

We have found that cooling pillows are a bit more expensive than standard pillows. The reason for this is that it is more costly to manufacture them. Even so, you should still compare prices by looking at the “materials description” because it may be advertised as a cooling pillow, but in reading this description you may find that it really isn’t. 

For example, you may notice on a brand’s website that a 100% polyester pillow is being advertised as a “cooling pillow.” But when you look deeper into the description you do not see any of the cooling materials we’ve mentioned in this article. It may keep you somewhat cool, but it is not really a cooling pillow. 

Warranty

When shopping for a cooling pillow you’re going to want one that offers a trial period with a money-back guarantee. You’re also going to want a longer warranty period. This will give you the assurance you need to move forward with the purchase. The best cooling pillows available on the market come with a 3-year warranty at the very least. This ensures that the manufacturers are confident about the quality of the pillows they’re selling.

Other Factors to Consider When Selecting a Cooling Pillow

There are many different kinds of cooling pillows and they’re not all equal. You may be looking for a way to stay cooler in bed at night, but don’t just choose the pillow with the highest ratings as it may not be your best option. Yes, look at the reviews but understand that no two people are alike and you need to choose the pillow that not only keeps you cool at night, but works well for your sleep position, is comfortable and offers you the support you need. 

Do you tend to get hot and sweaty in bed at night?

If this is the case, you need to pay attention to all the factors that may be preventing you from getting a cool night’s sleep. These factors are the type of mattress you have, mattress pad, pillow, the sheets you’re using, what you wear to bed and the room temperature. Beyond cooling pillows, there are a lot of other products on the market to help you sleep cooler. 

Do you have control over your room temperature?

If you’re sleeping in a hot room, a cooling pillow may not do you much good because the heat in the room can warm your pillow up to a certain extent. If you have no control over your room temperature you may want to use a fan so that you have better air circulation. This will help to dissipate your body heat so that you can be more comfortable. 

What type of pillowcase are you using?

As we discussed earlier, the type of pillowcase you have on your pillow can change its cooling effect. Your best option for staying cool is to have a pillowcase made of a natural fiber, one with a low thread count. 

How to Properly Maintain a Cooling Pillow

It is recommended that you replace a standard pillow once a year, but a fairly good cooling pillow should last you much longer and many come with multiple-year warranties. The best cooling pillows will carry a 3-5-year warranty. But if you want them to continue keeping you cool while providing you with the support you need, you must take good care of them. 

Some cooling pillows have different features on each side, like a layer of cooling gel on one side and on the opposite side it has memory foam. If you use one side a lot more than the other, that side will get more wear. You need to rotate it on a regular basis, so the entire pillow wears down evenly. 

If you have a memory foam cooling pillow, cleaning it will take several steps:

1. Remove the pillowcase and pluck out any debris you see or hair.
2. Using an attachment, vacuum the entire surface.
3. Using a mild cleaner, spot clean the stains you see without saturating the foam.
4. Find a well-ventilated area and place it upright to air dry.
5. You may want to sprinkle baking soda on it for odor control, which you can vacuum off later.

The best thing you can do for your cooling pillow is to change the cover once or twice a week. The best cooling pillows come with removable machine-washable covers, which makes it easy to keep your pillow cover clean. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a cooling pillow relieve my hot flashes?

Yes, it can. My advice would be to get one with a breathable fabric cover. You may also want to go organic and buy one with hemp or buckwheat stuffing. If those options don’t do the trick, you may want to try a cooling pillow with water chambers. If the feel of water swishing around inside bothers you, get one with shredded memory foam, as that should keep you cool. 

Will a cooling pillow work for me since I sleep on my stomach?

Stomach sleepers need a thin, nearly flat pillow. Your best bet for staying cool would be to buy a cooling pillow mat. Or, you could get an adjustable shredded memory foam pillow and remove some of the filling so you can be comfortable. 

Are there cooling pillows made for side sleepers?

Yes, there are plenty of cooling pillows for side sleepers. Look for one made of top-quality materials as well as memory foam, which are both a bit pricey, but well worth it in the end. 

Can a cooling pillow help relieve my neck pain?

Yes, quite possibly. However, you really should speak with your doctor before buying any type of pillow because he/she may want you to get an orthopedic pillow. 

Would a cooling pillow help relieve my migraine headaches?

Yes, cooling pillows have helped many migraine sufferers. However, we think you should ask your doctor whether this would be your best option. 

Should I put a cooling pillow in my baby’s crib?

Babies under 2 years of age should not sleep with a pillow due to the risk of smothering. That being said, children older than that can safely use a cooling pillow because the materials used in them are all chosen with safety in mind. The best cooling pillows, including the ones we’ve recommended, are all hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant. Additionally, the cool sleeping surface does not cause children to catch cold, as it only provides a cool breathable sleeping surface, which is nice on a hot summer night. 

Where can I get a therapeutic cooling pillow?

Unfortunately, our research has not uncovered any cooling pillows that would be considered medically therapeutic. However, many brands (including the ones we’ve recommended above) claim their cooling pillows are therapeutic in nature. These claims are unsubstantiated by the medical community. However, water-based pillows are widely used in healthcare facilities, and you could call them “therapeutic.” 

Can a cooling pillow help an insomniac get to sleep?

Yes, research has shown that people suffering from insomnia can get to sleep faster on a cool pillow. Apparently, if you have insomnia and your prefrontal cortex cools down, you can fall asleep faster. Also, sleeping on a cool surface will make it less likely that you will stay asleep throughout the night without waking up. This way you can wake up in the morning feeling more refreshed. 

Are gel-infused cooling pillows safe?

It’s true that people across the world are becoming more focused on using natural products. With gel-infused cooling pillows the worry might be that they contain a lot of harmful chemicals. When you add the fact that people spend 8 hours every night pressing their faces into these pillows, it’s clear why many are concerned about their safety. 

The truth is that gel-infused cooling pillows can safely be used on a nightly basis. There are millions of these pillows being sold each year across the world. A tiny percentage of users may have an adverse reaction, but that could be said of most other products as well. 

When you first open the package containing your cooling pillow, you may smell a strong chemical odor. This happens with memory foam products and most gel-infused cooling pillows are made of memory foam. 

The odor, which smells like wet paint, is the result of the manufacturing process. It may seem strong at first, but it doesn’t take long to dissipate. If you have a shredded memory foam pillow you can just toss it in the dryer for maybe 20 minutes and that will get rid of the smell. Otherwise, just leave it out in the open air for several hours. 

Once it doesn’t smell any longer, the pillow shouldn’t pose any health risks at all. 

Conclusion

A good cooling pillow can be a huge benefit for people who have difficulty sleeping because they get hot and sweaty under the covers at night. They can also help women going through menopause who are plagued with hot flashes, as well as others who suffer from common sleeping disorders. 

The best cooling pillows are made with breathable fabric covers and filled with ventilated cooling materials for good temperature regulation and airflow. We sincerely hope our Buying Guide has given you the information you need to select the perfect cooling pillow to meet your needs. When you are comfortably cool at night you can sleep much better and wake up feeling well rested.