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To bring you the best body pillows, we researched 25+ high-ranking models available today, then bought and tested the top 6 for side-by-side comparison. We understand it's tough to predict how a pillow will feel. Plus, this type of added luxury is not always cheap. The unique combinations of length, loft, and design yield different experiences for different body types, which is why we're here to help. We tested them in a variety of daily scenarios, from lounging to sleeping, taking note of the perks and nuisances of each. After assessing the comfort, adjustability, product care, and durability, we've determined what we feel to be the best of the best.
Synthetic down Fusion Fiberfill (extended polymer/polyester)
Polyester fiber
100% polyester memory fiber filling
Care
Remove outer cover, secure zipper of inner lining with safety pin. Machine wash cold, gentle, do not use fabric softerner or bleach. Tumble dry low or air dry.
Cover: Machine wash cold separately, tumble dry low. Do not bleach.
Pillow: Machine wash cold, gentle, do not bleach, tumble dry low.
Machine wash cold, gentle, dry on low heat to start
Spot clean with mild soap. Machine wash gentle in front load wash if necessary, dry low with tennis ball/beater.
Case: Machine wash gentle with mild detergent, tumble dry low.
Cover: machine wash warm, gentle, tumble dry low.
Pillow: Do not wash, spot clean only, air dry.
Cover: Machine wash cold, tumble or sun dry
Dryer Fluff
Yes, 10 minutes every 6 months.
Yes
Yes, 20 minutes high heat
Yes
Yes
Yes
Adjustable Fill
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Made in
USA
China
USA
USA
USA
China
Warranty
5 yrs
NA
20 yrs
Lifetime
90-Day Liminted
NA
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The Coop Home Goods Adjustable Body Pillow is one of our favorite pillows for side sleepers due to its impressive soft cover and inner foam. This model includes a removable outer cover, and the pillow itself has a zipper that allows access to the inner foam, allowing the user to adjust the amount of fill to personal preference. We particularly like options that allow us to adjust pillow plumpness to our own needs, especially in body pillows. In our testing, the memory foam was very supportive and not too firm, though we found room temperature did affect this pillow's firmness. This pillow is designed to be used without a traditional pillowcase, though we would recommend using a pillowcase, as we noticed the bamboo-derived cover began to pill over our several months of extended testing. Overall, the comfort, adjustability, and modest product care make this pillow a recommended investment.
When it first arrives, be ready to let this model air out for several days. The potent odor of the memory foam is strong, but it goes away. Washing the pillow requires an extra step — you have to safety-pin the zipper tab that accesses the inner fill to prevent it from opening while machine washing. But, if you can commit to using a safety pin when washing, we think this high-quality pillow is a great choice for a variety of uses, our favorites being for side-sleeping (after fill adjustments), for supporting the lumbar spine when lounging, and for therapeutically lifting tired, achy legs.
After adjusting the amount of fill to her liking, our lead tester felt the COOP was very comfortable for side-sleeping.
Credit: Sara Aranda
Best Bang for Your Buck
Oubonun Premium Adjustable Loft Quilted Body Pillow
The Oubonun Premium Adjustable Loft Quilted Body Pillow is initially quite thick and lofty, but the polyester fiber fill can be adjusted via zipper access. The comfort is high and maintenance low. It's entirely machine washable, so you won't have to fuss when it comes to product care. The manufacturer also provides a removable pillowcase to boost defense against wear and tear, body oils, and odors. Fairly lightweight, the pillow is soft and great for side sleepers when adjusted appropriately. If you leave all of the filling in, we think it's best suited as support for sitting and lounging rather than sleeping.
When removing fill, however, be sure to massage the pillow afterward to redistribute what's left. This took longer than we expected due to the polyester sticking to itself. Polyester fiber also isn't as resistant to “flattening” over time as memory foam, and it isn't as firm. Some people will like how soft this pillow is, while others may note that it isn't supportive enough. When one of our testers kneeled into the pillow, for example, there was minimal resistance to prevent their knees from impacting the floor. Overall, the quality and comfort of the Oubonun are very notable, which earns our recommendation as a more affordable alternative to memory foam.
This pillow is quite thick when it first arrives, which is great for lounging, sharing, and increasing downtime comfort, even in a van. Adjusting the fill makes it easier to sleep with.
The Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Memory Foam Full Body Pillow is a favorite of ours because we can appreciate how slim and relatively firm it is. It's closer to a traditional memory foam pillow than most, and we like that it arrives ready to go with a more appropriate amount of fill for side-sleeping or beneath-the-legs comfort. If you're looking for firmer support, this model fits the bill for us. The shredded memory foam is CertiPUR-US certified, and the fabric is a viscose combination of bamboo and polyester. Although the pillow is at the heavier end of the spectrum, we still think it's easy to maneuver during the night. It is also more than long enough to share with a partner, and we were able to shift about without dramatically disturbing their side.
The foam is shredded, so it's prone to lumping up during general use, which can take some massaging to correct. Although this isn't fun to do often, we know some people enjoy this style of pillow that offers more support in one area and less in another. There is no zipper or alternative access to add or remove the foam. There also isn't a removable cover, which means you have to wash the whole pillow every time you want to clean it. Overall, the quality is high, and the fact that the pillow is fully machine washable leaves us little to complain about. It's best for those who desire firm support without the hassle of fine-tuning the amount of fill.
This model isn't adjustable, but it's hassle-free and ready to go out of the box.
The Moonlight Slumber Comfort U Total Body stands out for its versatility and semi-customizable comfort. Taking the long “arms,” you can fold, coil, and adjust the shape to a given space differently than a traditional pillow. It comes with a removable, zippered case that is machine washable, making general care fairly easy. The pillow is more firm than soft, but it's still comfortable and supportive. We like setting it up on the couch as an extra backrest or laying it out on the floor, then crossing the arms for support under the knees. The design is meant to embrace the user's body, so if you have the space for it, this pillow can accommodate a variety of activities.
The pillow itself is also machine washable, but the manufacturer only recommends doing so if it's absolutely necessary (in a front-loading machine). Tennis balls are recommended for the dryer, upping the maintenance effort if you don't have them on hand. The pillow is also quite large and heavy, which might not be for everyone. If you're a smaller person, the pillow can feel overwhelming. U-shaped pillows are notably a niche design but have provided much-needed comfort during pregnancy, for example. If this type of support is what you're looking for, this design is a recommended upgrade from the standard pillow experience.
Cozy and large, this pillow is unique for its shape and versatility.
Credit: Sara Aranda
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Why Trust GearLab
For this review, we spent hours researching the best body pillows on the market, comparing specs and materials to guide our selection of the top-performing models available today. We bought and shipped them to our lead tester, who chose to share them with friends and family to get a more diverse perspective on each model. We tested the comfort, adjustability, and maintenance aspects of each pillow. From lounging to working from home to overnight use, we compared the varying designs and dimensions. For more lab-like testing, we used weighted objects to measure the loft and how well it rebounds. We also practiced removing, washing, and replacing any covers the pillows may have come with, especially the atypically shaped ones. We continue testing all year in order to track long-term performance as well. We are confident that our assessments will help you determine the best body pillow for your needs.
Sara Aranda, our lead tester, has been utilizing pillows beneath her legs for nearly a decade due to her athletic lifestyle and the need to prevent her knees from hyperextending while sleeping. She brings a welcomed critique of what a quality pillow should provide when it comes to general body support. She is also a heavy side sleeper, and with all the running she does, she often needs extra help to achieve maximum comfort. She aims to provide a detail-oriented perspective with years of gear testing experience and writing.
We used about 14.5 pounds of weight in a pot to get a general idea of how well the loft resists pressure and how well it seems to rebound afterward. We also dropped our knees onto the pillows to gain a different perspective on firmness vs softness.
Here, all the rectangular pillows we tested are stacked. You can see how they compare in thickness, with the very soft BioPEDIC at the bottom being flattened by the weight.
Four of the pillows have removable covers (only 3 shown in photo), which is a great perk when it comes to product care. The Moonlight Slumber Comfort U has the easiest cover to remove with its very long and robust zipper.
Analysis and Test Results
We designed a specific testing regimen to compare each model. This involved assessing the pillows across four critical performance metrics: comfort, adjustability, maintenance, and durability. Multiple testers thoroughly vetted each model, and we're ready to share which ones stand out so that you can find the perfect pillow companion.
What's the Best Value?
Though we don't factor value into our product scoring, we appreciate a great deal as much as the next person. We pay attention to products with a high price-to-performance ratio and note those that are particularly impressive. The Oubonun Premium Adjustable Loft Quilted scores quite well for its comfort and adjustability while maintaining one of the lower price tags in our test group. The Snuggle-Pedic Bamboo Memory Foam pillow costs a bit more but does quite well across the board. We recommend the Coop Home Goods pillow if you want the best. Despite costing a bit more than the value options, it's a good deal for its durability, longevity, and high comfort level.
Comfort
Comfort is ultimately the most important make-or-break quality of any pillow, but it can be difficult to test due to particular preferences (i.e., soft vs. firm). For this metric, we considered other aspects that contribute to the overall feel and function, such as whether the fill provides adequate support and relief in addition to simply feeling nice. We took note of the weight, dimensions, and how certain design or material choices may impact ease of use.
Not so surprisingly, the memory foam pillows performed the best due to the nature of such premium technology. The COOP and the Snuggle-Pedic pillows both utilize shredded polyurethane memory foam (the COOP also has polyester microfiber), which yields soft, yet functional support. The Snuggle is slimmer and firmer, which is perfect for those who are used to the traditional shape and feel of memory foam pillows. Though, we really enjoy the thick loft of the COOP and how it can feel both ultra-soft and supportive at the same time.
The remaining pillows don't match the comfort of the two mentioned above for various reasons. The Oubonun model is filled with an immense amount of polyester fiber, which is very soft but not as supportive as memory foam. Without adjustments, we think the Oubonun is too thick for side-sleeping. The Moonlight Slumber is notably heavy and long, making it difficult to carry and maneuver, especially if you like to roll around while sleeping. The ELNIDO is almost too soft. If we drop onto this pillow with our knees, we can feel the floor. Lastly, the Leachco Snoogle is relatively narrow and feels a tad rigid to us. This combination seems more likely to create pressure points. The cover is also very taught and doesn't stretch well where the pillow curves, which we found to be far from comfortable.
The Snuggle-Pedic offers firm support with a soft touch.
Credit: Sara Aranda
Adjustability
Making a pillow adjustable is the best way to accommodate a wider variety of users. The COOP and the Oubonun both feature zipper access to add or remove the filling, which we found easy to do without creating a mess. Once we removed some of the fill, we then had to massage the pillows to redistribute what was left. This felt a tad more difficult to do with the Oubonun. Due to their adjustable natures, we suspect this is why their fill is so initially thick, almost overfilled even. Before adjustments, they weren't as comfortable to use for smaller body sizes, but afterward, they approached personal perfection. This customizability makes a huge difference (we recommend keeping any fill you remove somewhere, just in case).
The shredded memory foam and polyester fiber blend in the COOP Home Goods is extraordinarily soft, easy to access and simple to remove. Massage the pillow afterward to redistribute.
The polyester stuffing is easily accessed in the MoMa and it is easy to pull out for adjusting the thickness and firmness of the pillow.
While the other pillows are not adjustable in this same way, the Snuggle-Pedic has memory foam that you can massage to create more or less support in certain areas (the manufacturer also states in a pamphlet that they will alter the fill to your liking at no cost). The Moonlight Slumber and Leachco Snoogle can be piled, coiled, or laid out in various ways to cater to different scenarios, such as sitting on the couch or lying in bed reading a book. We consider these adjustments to lend some versatility, but the actual comfort and firmness of the fill cannot be changed. The ELNIDO ranked last in this metric because it is straightforward — it's just a longer version of the standard pillow.
The Leachco Snoogle can be coiled into a unique pillow to lean against, creating a more customizable sense of comfort than the standard pillow.
Credit: Sara Aranda
Maintenance
Most of us are guilty of detesting laundry, so the less care a product requires, the better. Typically, pillows have removable pillowcases to protect the main pillow body/fill, making laundering easy. Unfortunately, each pillow we tested had its own product care requirements and nuances. For us, the best performers were those with the simplest care instructions and those with removable cases.
The Moonlight Slumber wins in this department because of the huge zipper that runs the outside length of the pillow, which is critical for its U-shaped construction. The zipper is easy to use, and the case washes well. Thankfully, if you do have to wash the pillow itself, it is machine washable and dryer safe, too (but requires tennis balls/beaters).
The zipper on the Moonlight Slumber cover makes it very quick and easy to remove.
Credit: Sara Aranda
The majority of the pillows are machine washable with certain conditions, like gentle wash cycles and mild detergents. Most can also be tumble-dried on low heat. Always refer to the labels and/or the manufacturer's website for information specific to the product.
For best results, most manufacturers recommend using a front-loading washing machine. But since we know that not everyone has access to one, this might mean that hand washing is your only option. Consider this eventuality, especially if the pillow doesn't come with a removable cover.
The COOP is an example of a model that requires a special step that most people might miss when browsing care instructions. It requires that the main zipper be safety-pinned shut to prevent the zipper from opening and the filling from escaping. We tested one model that is not machine washable — the Leachco Snoogle is strictly spot clean and air dry only, though it includes a removable, machine-washable case. We found the case collects lint and dirt far more easily than any of the other pillows, though, and removing and replacing it on the twisty pillow is a serious task.
Such large pillows take up a lot of space not just on the bed but also in a standard washing machine or dryer. Having a removable cover is the best and easiest way to accommodate space and time.
Credit: Sara Aranda
Durability
This is a tough metric to evaluate, so we took note of any assembly defects and concerns. Most standard polyester pillows flatten over time, which is why memory foam scores better in durability. The COOP and the Snuggle-Pedic both showcase quality stitching and the use of premium materials. The bamboo-fabric covers didn't snag easily for us, but the COOP is starting to pill, leading us to believe that buying an extra pillowcase is necessary to prevent this. But we still expect to see a long life from these two.
Having removable covers helps protect the pillows themselves, lengthening the lifespan, so the Moonlight Slumber is a great example of durable construction and design. The cover zipper is smooth, large-toothed, and made with a cotton and polyester blend. The Oubonun also seems to be similarly durable, especially because it comes with an incredible amount of polyester fiber fill that rebounds well after use. The quilted stitching is a nice touch and appears to be well done. The extra cotton pillowcase is a plus, so overall durability is above-average.
The Snuggle-Pedic is a well-made product in our opinion, with a very nice bamboo-based outer fabric.
Credit: Sara Aranda
The pillows that performed low in this category were the Leachco Snoogle, and ELNIDO. The Leachco isn't machine washable, which makes long-term care more difficult. Since the ELNIDO is so soft, we can flatten it very easily, and the rebound isn't impressive, requiring a few minutes in the dryer to re-fluff.
The stitching strikes us as high quality, and with the extra pillowcase they provide (shown folded back), washing the whole pillow won't have to be done very often.
Credit: Sara Aranda
Conclusion
With so many things to consider, remember that your comfort is key. For us, comfort encompasses ease of use and adequate support for our limbs and back, whether for lounging, sleeping, or sitting. A balance of soft fabrics and semi-firm fill seems to embody these qualities, in our opinion, but we encourage you to consider which aspects and test results are most important to your needs.
