Sweaty sleeper? Forever waking up to flip your pillow in the night? You NEED (and the emphasis on need is very necessary) a cooling pillow. Yes, this type of pillow is designed to keep hot sleepers' body temperatures regulated at night. A cooling pillow will be one of the best things you buy as a warm sleeper, along with a cooling mattress topper, too. Trust us on this one.
We pooled together all of the Real Homes team members that admitted to sleeping warm, whether that's full-on night sweats or that they sleep with a fan every day of the year. And here, we've reviewed and rated three of the best cooling pillows, as recommended by reviewers and our team for you to buy.
Quick Menu:
1. Cooling pillow reviews
2. FAQs
3. How we test
Before you get started, it's worth mentioning that a cooling pillow will be a little more expensive than your standard pillow. This is because they usually have some sort of extra material in them (probably gel) to keep your pillow from getting as warm as you do. With this in mind, we wouldn't recommend buying two. Instead, use your cooling pillow on its own if it's thick enough, or as your top pillow with a thinner pillow underneath it to reap the benefits.
You can thank us later, hot stuff.
The best cooling pillows to buy this summer
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Cooling pillow reviews
Filling: 100% virgin foam fill
Firmness: Medium-firm
Cover: Viscose polyurethane foam w/gel and polyester fiber
Care: Spot clean/machine wash and tumble dry cover on low
Price: $139
+ Adjustable height
+ 100-night trial
+ 5-year warranty
+ Two sizes
- Spot clean only
Seriously, this cooling pillow is something else. We enlisted the help of a seriously sweaty sleeper (Annie's husband) to test it for us, and he's never changing back to a regular pillow. Period. It's super cool to the touch and the other thing we love about it is that it's perfect for all types of sleepers as it comes with extra filling so you can tailor its height to your requirements. Our reviewer, as a side/back sleeper, added all of the extra filling. While testing, he's never had to flip his pillow throughout the night to get that cold shot, though it does have two different sides — one firm and the other more plush. It's nice and thick, even without the extra oomph, meaning it's a great solo pillow if you prefer to sleep with just one. Its cover can be cleaned in the washing machine, but the inner portion can only deal with spot cleaning.
Review coming soon.
Filling: Latex
Firmness: Low, medium, tall
Cover: Nylon, spandex
Care: Machine wash cover, spot clean core
Price: $159 standard, $191 king
+ Cooling
+ 100-night trial
+ 1-year warranty
- Spendy (but worth it)
- Spot clean core
If you’re looking for an alternative to a full foam pillow, Purple’s latex alternative is a comfortable option. Our staff writer Eve (a back and side sleeper who tosses and turns) tested it for us and admits it did take some getting used to, but after four weeks of sleeping on it, she knew that she’d never slept better in her life. It's supportive where you need it, and its ability to keep shape is second to none. She tested it during an unseasonably warm June and claims it stayed at the same cool temperature — even on the warmest night. It comes in two sizes and three depths, and Eve tested the medium-height pillow, which cradled her head and neck well. Stomach and back sleepers should opt for the low version. It's a little pricier because it's made of latex, and those with a latex allergy should obviously avoid it. Note that you can only spot-clean its core.
Review coming soon.
Filling: Alternative down
Firmness: Soft/medium or medium/firm
Cover: Outlast cotton
Care: Machine wash and tumble dry low
Price: $89
+ 60-night trial
+ 180-day warranty
+ Affordable
- Not hypoallergenic
If you struggle with temperature regulation and are a hot sleeper, then this NASA-engineered pillow is the one for you. Thanks to its cooling fabric shell, it's designed to prevent overheating. It also stores heat instead of wicking it away and then releases it only when it's needed. Our reviewer Jaclyn (who sleeps on her back) found it to be super comfortable and like sleeping on a cool cloud. And that price point? It's arguably the most affordable cooling pillow out there that's worth your money. It comes in two sizes and two firmness levels. While the brand doesn't say if it's hypoallergenic, it's totally washable in your machine and it can fluff up in your tumble dryer — a big perk in our books.
FAQs
Visit our guide on how to choose a pillow if you're confused about which type of pillow is best for your sleeping position.
Is there a cooling pillow that actually works?
All three of the cooling pillows that we recommend do actually work, as we noted while testing. However, one stands tall out of the rest — the Coop Home Goods Eden Cool+ Pillow, which you can buy on Amazon. It comes at a higher price, but it will definitely keep you cold at night. You'll never ever flip your pillow again either.
How we review cooling pillows
Coop Home Goods Eden Cool + Pillow
These cooling pillows have been reviewed by sweaty sleepers only, and they've been reviewed in the summertime so that we know that they really do work. All of them have been tested by the Real Homes team in a location with unseasonally warm weather.
While testing these pillows for comfort, we've also scored them on how well they stay cool throughout the night. That and we consider each pillow's price, plus how easy it is to care for.
Meet our cooling pillow reviewers:
Annie has been testing products for Real Homes since 2018 and has tested 10+ pillows. She enlisted the help of her husband who sleeps hot to test the Coop Home Goods Eden Cool + Pillow.
Jaclyn used to be our sleep commerce editor, frequently testing out and staying up to date on all things mattresses and bedding. As a back sleeper who needs her full eight hours, she tested the Slumber Cloud UltraCool Pillow for Real Homes.
Eve joined the team a few months ago and has since reviewed quite a few products for us. She sleeps on her back and side and often tosses and turns at night. She's sleeping on the Purple Harmony Pillow right now and is also testing their bed sheets and more.
