The Best Cooling Pillows To Keep Even The Hottest Sleepers Comfortable

Forbes

14-05-2025

If you constantly flip your pillow throughout the night in search of a chillier surface, then you might want to consider upgrading to one of the best cooling pillows. They feature advanced cooling materials and technology to keep you comfortable all night without sacrificing necessary support, ultimately helping you sleep better. Our top pick overall is the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Dual Cooling Pillow, as it features cooling layers on both sides, a breathable cover and a medium firmness perfect for various sleep positions.
The best cooling pillows not only help with temperature, they also keep you comfortable all night.
The Tempur-Cloud contains the brand's signature memory foam, which might not appeal to everyone. For that reason, we rounded up six other cooling pillows with different materials, firmnesses and feels to accommodate more sleepers. Read on to find the best match for you.
Tempur-Pedic
Fill material: Tempur foam, cooling gel | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 6.4 inches | Trial/warranty: No trial, 5-year warranty
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Tempur-Pedic is known for its high-quality proprietary materials, and this Tempur-Cloud pillow is packed with them. The cover is made from 100% cotton, which is a naturally breathable material; it's also removable and machine washable. Then there is a layer of cooling gel on both sides of the pillow, which helps draw heat away from your head. Sandwiched in the middle is a 6.4-inch tall piece of Tempur Material, a proprietary memory foam that offers a hugging sensation and a medium firmness.
'If you overheat at night, the Tempur-Cloud is a great option,' says one of our testers. 'I've slept hot for as long as I can remember. I'd flip my pillow over countless times, trying to find the cool side. With the Tempur-Cloud, I find that the surface stays cool all night.' The Tempur-Cloud doesn't come with a return policy, but it is backed by a five-year warranty against manufacturing defects. Just note that though the brand says it can work for all sleeping positions, we think it's too lofty for most stomach sleepers and is best suited for back and side sleepers.
GhostBed
Fill material: Gel memory foam, phase change material, mesh | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 6 inches | Trial/warranty: 101-night trial, 5-year warranty
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GhostBed mattresses have impressed us with their cooling abilities, and the brand's Ghost Pillow is no different. It features a cool-to-the-touch cover that protects a memory foam core. Unlike traditional memory foam that's known for trapping heat, this foam is perforated and has phase change material and mesh covering it. The different layers work together to pull heat away from the head and allow for air to pass through.
Mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon says, 'This was the first pillow that made me believe they could truly be cooling. My husband sleeps hot, and the Ghost Pillow has worked wonders for him. The cooling material in the cover has also stood the test of time, as it's still cold to the touch after two years.' Note that you can unzip the outer cover and machine wash it on a delicate, cold cycle (then hang dry).
Coop Sleep Goods
Fill material: Gel-infused memory foam, cooling gel, microfiber | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: Adjustable | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 5-year warranty
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Coop Sleep Goods regularly tops our best pillows lists with its adjustable, conforming microfiber fill, but the Cool+ model takes it up a notch with a cool-to-the-touch cover and gel-infused, plus-shaped memory foam. It has a very similar look as the bestselling Original Adjustable Pillow, but with added cooling prowess. The pillow comes with extra fill, so you can plump it up (or down) to your liking. I tested this pillow and found it has a cooling sensation and is a very breathable option. The plus-shaped foam offers a fluffy, contouring memory foam feel without any quicksand tendencies. The cut-out shape also allows for healthy alignment as a side sleeper.
If you switch to your back throughout the night, Coop Sleep Goods also offers a similar crescent version of the pillow for both sleep positions—or if you'd prefer a standard pillow shape, it offers that, too. Regardless of the shape you choose, the brand provides a 100-night trial and five-year warranty, so you can remain confident in your purchasing decision. Just note it takes time to figure out the best level of fill for your individual needs.
Purple
Fill material: Hyper-elastic polymer, ventilated Talalay latex | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 5.5 (low), 6.5 (medium), 7.5 (tall) inches | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 1-year warranty
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I was initially hesitant to try the Purple Harmony Pillow, as it gives a nontraditional feel that seemed far-fetched for comfort, but, wow, was I quick to change my tune. It's been my favorite pillow now for almost a year. Along with a breathable cover made with moisture-wicking mesh, it features Purple's GelFlex Grid (a gel-like, honeycomb-pattern material) wrapped around Talalay latex; the blend does an exceptional job promoting airflow and maintaining a cool sensation. The pillow's supportive yet airy and offers a bouncy feel.
It comes in three different heights designed for different sleeping positions and body frames. The low is recommended for smaller body types along with stomach and back sleepers, while the medium and tall are recommended for side and combination sleepers or folks with medium to larger frames. Purple offers a 100-night trial and a one-year warranty. Similar to others on this list, only the cover is machine washable on a cold cycle and should be air dried.
Plufl
Fill material: Memory foam, microfiber | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 9 inches | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 1-year warranty
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Foreshadowed by its name, the Hugl is a body pillow you can comfortably hug, and feel hugged in return (thanks to its ergonomic shape). It's a cozy hug but not a warm one—the cover's made with moisture-wicking bamboo and cooling polyethylene fabric, while the fill is adjustable and promotes airflow. One of our testers says the pillow kept her body temperature comfortable during the hottest summer nights in New York City.
But it doesn't just shine in temperature regulation—the memory foam and microfiber fill offer a supportive, medium-firm feel that can keep you comfortable all night. Our tester especially appreciates the contoured shape of the Hugl Body Pillow, saying, 'This makes sinking into it incredibly comfortable, with the bonus of also being comfortable when adjusted against my headboard into a more upright position that's suitable for reading or watching TV.' The cover's also machine washable. You can choose between a standard or large size but, depending on the size and color combination, you may have to pre-order.
Sleep Number
Fill material: Foam | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 4 to 5 inches | Trial/warranty: 100-night trial, 1-year warranty
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Rather than having removable shredded fill like most adjustable pillows, the True Temp Adapt Pillow (ultimate model) has three removable inserts that you can experiment with to find your best fit. As for its firmness, one of our testers who prefers extra-soft pillows says, 'While this pillow is a tad firmer than I would like, I really appreciate that I can adjust the loft depending on whether I'm sleeping (I use two inserts) or using it under my knees when my lower back sometimes bothers me (in this case I use all three).' She notes it's helped relieve her back tension as a side-back combo sleeper.
On top of its foam inserts, the True Tempt Adapt has a cooling cover made of polyethylene, polyester and spandex, along with interior layers consisting of cotton and lyocell (a material made from wood pulp) that are breathable and moisture wicking. Our tester notes, 'I always sleep hot and wake up sweaty. I like the cool-touch cover because it's true to its name; that said, it is a bit slippery and tends to slide a bit. Luckily, it is still temperature regulating even with the linen pillowcase I put over it.' The cover is also machine washable and can be tumble dried on low.
Bedgear
Fill material: Foam, cooling gel, silklike fibers | Washable: Yes, cover | Height: 4.75, 5.25, 5.75 and 6.5 inches | Trial/warranty: 30-night trial, 1-year warranty
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Every layer of the Bedgear Night Ice Performance Pillow has advanced tech and thoughtful cooling touches in it, from the ventilated cover to the cooling gel foam and silklike fibers inside. Our tester says it delivers a cool-to-the-touch sensation that she compares to leaving your pillow in the car overnight during the winter. And not only does she report that it stays that way while sleeping, she notes that she felt its cooling powers through three different types of pillowcases. (She felt the washable cover was a little scratchy without one.)
The Night Ice Performance Pillow is offered in four different height profiles; you can fill out three questions to get a recommendation from the brand on which one to choose. In general, though, side sleepers do best with a loftier pillow, back sleepers with a medium loft and stomach sleepers with a low profile. If you choose the wrong loft and/or don't like it, you can return the pillow within 30 days. Bedgear also offers a 100-night return window for unopened pillows and a one-year warranty.
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When choosing the best cooling pillows, we started by looking at top-rated products from reputable brands.
There are many considerations to take into account when choosing a pillow in general, but even more so when also wanting a cooling option. From what makes the pillow cooling to your own sleep style, here's what to consider.
Most of the pillows on this list feature cooling technology that's either popular in the cooling fabric space, such as Outlast or 37.5, or is a proprietary material from the brand. Fabrics infused with this tech actively work to pull heat away from the body and maintain a cooling sensation. Some of the foam pillows on this list also include gel infusions or perforations to help promote airflow and prevent body heat from trapping.
There are also more natural cooling materials and fibers often used in cooling pillows' covers, such as bamboo, Tencel or cotton. 'Cooler fibers like those found in natural fibers like cotton can be helpful mainly because of their structure," says Bea Ovalle, CEO and founder of O-valle. Cotton's hollow, tubular structure in particular promotes breathability and keeps moisture from trapping.
The fill material is important for cooling, but it's also what provides the necessary support and comfort for your head and neck. There are different types of fills brands use for cooling pillows, with these being some of the most popular:
Sleeping position plays a huge role in the pillow you should choose: 'Depending on your preferred sleep position, the needed support will likely be a little bit different,' says Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, a board-certified physician and certified sleep specialist. She says back sleepers need medium-firm support, side sleepers need firm, thicker support and stomach sleepers need softer, more compressible support in order to maintain healthy sleep posture. It's important to find the right support and firmness level for your sleeping position to prevent neck or back pain.
Yes, we've tested several cooling pillows that actually work, including the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow. It features gel cooling layers along with a cool-touch cover.
We think the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow is a great pillow to keep you cool and is best suited for side and back sleepers. If you're a stomach sleeper, the Purple Harmony in the lowest height is a better option.
A cooling pillow with a low loft, or height, is the best for stomach sleepers, such as the thinnest Purple Harmony Pillow model or the Coop Sleep Goods Cool+ Adjustable Pillow (standard model) with less fill inside.