Best Pillows for Back Sleepers

What separates the top picks for back sleepers?

Five pillows, each slept on for seven nights and measured on the same rig. The scores run from 8.9 down to 8.0, and the differences come down to fill, loft and heat.

The Coop Home Goods Original scores 8.9 at $72. It is shredded memory foam you adjust: our back sleeper removed a third of the fill. It held loft under load better than any shredded pillow here, and it is fully machine washable. It runs warm, and the foam can feel lumpy until fluffed.

The Purple Harmony scores 8.2 at $199. It had the lowest surface temperature rise in the test, its latex core keeps its shape night after night, and it comes in three loft heights. It is the most expensive here and heavy.

The Casper Original Pillow scores 8.1 at $65. Its inner core kept 3.6 inches under load, far better than plain down-alternative, and the soft outer layer feels like down. It is not adjustable, and the 30-night trial is short.

The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Pillow scores 8.1 at $89. It kept our back sleeper's neck on the laser line all week, and the dense foam will outlast shredded and down fills. It was the warmest pillow in the test and too low for our side sleeper.

The Brooklinen Down Pillow scores 8.0 at $69. Both testers rated it the most luxurious, it comes in three firmnesses with a 365-day trial, and it is machine washable. It compressed to 2.8 inches under load, the flattest here, and needs daily fluffing.

What should you check before buying a pillow for back sleeping?

Our scoring criteria weight support and alignment at 30, comfort at 20, cooling at 15, materials and durability at 15, and value at 20. Those weights tell you what to look for.

• Support and alignment: the Tempur-Pedic kept a back sleeper's neck on the laser line all week; the Brooklinen flattened to 2.8 inches under load.
• Adjustability: the Coop Home Goods Original lets you add or remove fill; the Casper Original Pillow is not adjustable.
• Cooling: the Purple Harmony had the lowest surface temperature rise; the Tempur-Pedic was the warmest in the test.
• Durability: dense foam outlasts shredded and down fills, but shredded foam can feel lumpy until fluffed.
• Value: prices here run from $65 to $199, and trials run from 30 nights to 365 days.

Coop Home Goods Original

Best for back sleepers who want to tune the fill themselves and keep the pillow washable. $72, 8.9.

Purple Harmony

Best for hot sleepers who want a cool surface and a shape that never needs fluffing. $199, 8.2.

Casper Original Pillow

Best for people who want a down feel with a supportive core. $65, 8.1.

Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Pillow

Best for back sleepers who want a low profile and the neck alignment our test measured. $89, 8.1.

Brooklinen Down Pillow

Best for sleepers who want a classic down feel and a long trial. $69, 8.0.

For a back sleeper who wants to adjust the fill, the Coop Home Goods Original at $72 is the pick. If heat is the problem, the Purple Harmony at $199 ran coolest in the test. For a low profile with measured neck alignment, the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Pillow at $89 fits.