Top 20 Best Pillows For Back Pain 2021

This is an odd-looking pillow with an odd-sounding name and that meant I just had to check it out! And, what would you know, it’s actually quite good!

It has two large, elevated pieces at each side which are meant to keep your head in place while you’re sleeping and provide an armrest – they do work quite well for that purpose I must say.

The reason it’s called the “YourFace” pillow though, is because the elevated sides are also meant to stop you from turning onto your stomach and sleeping with your face mushed into the pillow. It works decently for that as well.

If you’re trying to stop sleeping on your stomach, this is a good pillow to try.

It offers decent support, though nothing too great and it won’t fit you if you have a particularly large head.

It doesn’t lose its loft quickly, and it’s definitely durable, but it doesn’t come with a pillowcase, and you will have to make do with something that just kinds fits it, but not really.

Overall, it’s a decent pillow with an interesting design that can be useful. Try it out – you can return it for free if you’re not satisfied.

This is a set of two great-looking pillows which are filled with a down-like microfiber, and they work quite well. The cost is simply a steal, and if you need two budget pillows, this double pack is a good option.

Due to their size, you can easily use one as a lumber or a knee pillow.

The thickness and firmness are decent, and the pillows provide adequate support while being of a medium firmness – about the ideal firmness for people suffering from back pain.

They seem to be quite durable too, just make sure not to wash them regularly – dry cleaning only. That will definitely prolong their lifespan.

If you need something that’s breathable, they’re good in that regard as well!

So, what’s the catch here?

Well, the only huge flaw these pillows have is that they are rather thin to start with and can flatten a lot during the night if you’re a heavier person.

Also, the filling can become lumpy over time if you don’t fluff up the pillows regularly, which is easy to forget. That can make them quite uncomfortable to sleep on.

This pillow is built on an interesting idea, and that’s water – yes, this pillow is filled with it. Or, more accurately, you’re going to fill it with it.

It works this way – it has a central chamber that can be filled with water, and that’s surrounded by a cover on both sides and a comfort layer on the side that’s meant to be slept on.

You can choose which fill you want for the upper layer – down, fiber, or memory foam, depending on what you prefer. I’d say that memory foam is probably the best choice here.

The water chamber can be filled up as much as you want, and that allows you to adjust the firmness of this pillow to what you want it to be – which is great. However, it can be quite tricky to get it right, and it took me hours to set it up properly.

Still, when I set it up, it was almost perfect, so it was worth the extra effort I would say. I also think it’s worth the high price since it’s so adjustable and it proved to be fairly durable. You don’t even have to replace the water that often.

If you can afford a little bit of risk, I’d suggest you try it out – it can do wonders for your sore back.

Ah, finally a buckwheat pillow! Should I just tell you it’s good and move on? Well, no, there’s a bit more to this one I have to say.

Let’s start with the good – it’s definitely quite firm but still moldable, and it remains quite breathable. You can also expect to have it for quite a long time since both the cover and the filling are durable.

It also has a hidden zipper, allowing you to remove or add filling if you want to adjust the loft of the pillow.

Now, here’s the catch – it’s not that thick. The loft is only a measly three inches, though it can be higher if you add more filling but that’s neither here nor there.

It also costs quite a bit more than most pillows, though the price is actually quite fair for a buckwheat pillow.

So, what would be my final verdict here? Well, I would say this pillow is worth it, and it’s going to work well for most people who suffer from back pain. However, it won’t be that great for more heavy-set people due to the low loft.

Now, while feather and down pillows are usually not ideal for people suffering from back pain, this one is a bit better than average for sure.

The filling doesn’t seem to shift around too much, and the cotton cover is fairly thick, so you won’t feel the feather quills poking at you most of the time (though you certainly will feel them sometimes).

The cover and casing are also well made, and you won’t have filling falling out all over the place. This pillow is bound to last for years.

The firmness is decent, and it’s about medium – good for people who are suffering from back pain and sleeping on their back most of the time. If you’re expecting a soft pillow, this one is certainly not that.

With that said, they can lose a lot of their loft overnight, so keep that in mind. They also don’t mold well to the shape of your head and neck.

The price is definitely reasonable, and you get two pillows in the pick, allowing you to use one for extra support for your back or legs.

Overall, this is a decent pair of pillows, and if you don’t have a feather/down allergy, they are quite useful if you suffer from back pain despite the filling used for them.

If you’re looking for a bamboo pillow but don’t want to spend too much money on it – this one is a good choice. It’s also good for back pain to boot.

It’s mostly made out of memory foam which is not quite breathable by nature, but the bamboo cover makes it all a bit better – there’s also the fact that shredded memory foam is used, so it’s a bit loose and lets the air through.

Speaking of that, you can unzip the pillow and remove or add more filling to adjust the firmness and loft to your liking. As is, it’s fairly good, but not everyone is built the same way as me.

Unlike a lot of other memory foam pillows, this one can be put into the washing machine or the dryer without worrying about it, allowing for easy maintenance.

While it’s not the most durable pillow around as I’ll admit, it does work well, and for this price, it’s more than acceptable.

Overall, it’s a good pillow at a great price, and you even get a lifetime replacement guarantee if you are unsatisfied. There’s literally no reason to try it out.

And, here’s the first pillow made for use with your legs – though you can use it for your head if you’re feeling adventurous! I wouldn’t recommend it, though.

For its intended use, it’s quite great, and it has an amazing design. You can use it as is to put between your legs if you’re sleeping on your side or you can unfold it to put it under your knees if you’re more of a back sleeper.

If you like changing your position a lot or there are multiple people that want to use it, this is a great feature.

It’s made out of memory foam, so it molds well to the shape of your body and it’s not low-quality foam either, so it is also rather durable. To maintain it you can just remove the cover and machine-wash it, no problem.

The cover itself is high-quality as well – made out of microfiber and silky soft.

The only major problem with this pillow is that it’s not quite firm. If you have large and heavy legs, it will flatten easily and won’t provide a lot of support at all.

Also, like most memory foam products, it smells rancid when you first unpack it.

Still, it’s good for lighter individuals, and it will definitely help with back pain, and due to the great price, there’s no reason not to try it out at the very least.

What is this? A pillow with springs?

Why yes, it is just that, and it works rather well! I was surprised too, I expect to be poked in the head all night, but that’s not the case here since the casing is well-made and quite thick and the springs are wrapped in cotton.

If you’re constantly having problems with pillows flattening overnight, this one will stay at about the same loft during the entire night.

You also won’t sweat overnight since it’s a fairly breathable pillow with a lot of room for air circulation.

Despite what you might think since it uses steel coils, this pillow is surprisingly lightweight, probably due to the coils being fairly small and thin.

The whole pillow is quite thin though – only 2 inches thick in the middle and less on the sides. It does offer good support, but if you’re heavy-set, it just won’t be enough.

Also, don’t fluff it up too often – the coils are not well-fixed, and it can shake them loose, which will completely ruin the pillow. Yes, it is a huge flaw.

Overall, I think it’s good and if you’re a bit hesitant to try it out – don’t be. It has a 90-day free trial, so feel free to give it a shot. You might find out that it’s the right pillow for dealing with your back pain.

This is another pillow using down and feather filling that’s surprisingly good for people suffering from back pain.

The main reason for this is its surprising firmness – well, for a down pillow at least. Usually, this would be a negative against it, but it’s a definite positive if you have back pain problems.

Since the filling is tightly packed in there, there’s also not a lot of shifting around present so you can fluff it up without too much worry. Not that you will need to since it holds its loft surprisingly well.

Here’s the kicker though – the loft is only 3 inches. If you’re heavy set, it’s going to lose its loft overnight since it’s relatively thin, keep that in mind.

This is another pillow which you can wash in the machine and dry in the dryer, which is super helpful and makes maintenance easy to do.

However, you probably shouldn’t tumble it too much since this is not the most durable pillow around, not by a long shot. The price is good, I’ll give it that, and I think it’s worth buying despite the fact that it won’t last for too long.

This is a certified therapeutic pillow, primarily meant for elevating your legs after surgery – but it can also be used if you haven’t gone under the knife recently.

The best use of this pillow is for supporting your legs of course, and it does well at that. It’s helpful with conditions related to your legs or your hips as well, and if you suffer from other types of chronic pain besides back pain, it can be amazing.

Of course, as it is you can only use it while sleeping on your back – it’s not quite useful otherwise. However, in that position, it’s great, and it offers amazing support.

The cover on it is machine washable, so it’s fairly easy to maintain despite being quite huge. Sadly, the cover can snag on a lot of different fabric, as well as casts, which is a problem if you do need this after leg surgery or fracture, for example.

It’s also not the most breathable thing around, and it can smell – which is expected from memory foam but still an annoyance.

Overall, it can be an incredibly useful tool, and it might be worth trying out – and you can do that risk-free since it’s covered by a 100% money back guarantee.

This is an orthopedic knee pillow meant for side sleepers, and it does its job fairly well as far as I can see.

It’s made out of memory foam, so it does adjust well to the shape of your body, but it’s still firm enough to support you properly, even if you’re a bit heavier than average. It’s made out of visco-elastic memory foam, making it quite flexible.

With that said, it’s a bit thinner than I expected it to be, but it still holds up. It’s also a bit smaller than I thought it should be.

The durability is great, and it’s relatively easy to maintain since the casing can be taken off and washed in a washing machine without a problem.

Overall, it’s a fairly simple pillow, but it’s well-designed, it has a great shape, and it just works. It also doesn’t cost too much, which is always a plus so there’s no harm in trying it out if it seems like it could be useful.

This pillow is best suited for back sleepers who suffer from back pain due its shape – it has a depression in the middle made to cradle your head while the rest of the pillow supports your neck.

The filling is down alternative, and it’s quite tightly packed so it’s decently firm and it definitely holds its loft. It’s not the most durable thing around though, and the thickness is low, so it’s not for the more heavy-set among you.

Still, it doesn’t cause allergies like down might, and it remains pleasantly cool throughout the night no matter what.

It’s also comfortable since the cover feels plush and soft on your skin and not abrasive like some covers might.

The price is reasonable for what you get here, and I’d say this is a pillow worth getting and trying out. Sadly, it doesn’t come with a free trial, so there is some risk involved, but I’d still give it a shot, especially if you’re a back sleeper.

This is a unique memory foam pillow that’s made to support your head properly and avoid the trap of being too hot to sleep on in the summer.

How does it manage to do that?

Well, it has a unique shape – it’s elevated on the part that supports your neck and slightly longer as well with a downward slope.

The middle also has holes in it, allowing the air to cycle through which is also helped by the amazingly breathable bamboo fabric cover that’s easy to take off and wash in the washing machine.

This is not a pillow just for back sleepers though – if you’re a side sleeper just use one of the sides of the pillow, and it should fit you well too.

However, it doesn’t manage to avoid the smell problem that most memory foam products have and it can stick around for weeks no matter how much you air it out.

Also, while the shape is great, it works only if you’re fairly average-sized. If your head is smaller than average it can still work, but if you’re larger, it just won’t fit you at all, so be aware of that.

This is an incredibly breathable pillow made using gel-infused polyurethane foam and made with a unique design that ensures maximum breathability for a foam-based pillow. The removable and washable Tencel cover also helps a lot in that regard.

While the shape of this pillow is fairly mundane, it is quite good for supporting your head and neck, especially for side sleepers. The thickness is right, and the firmness is up to par as well.

It’s a durable pillow too and doesn’t lose its loft after repeated use, and it doesn’t flatten overnight. You can rely on it for years to come if you want to keep it that long.

It’s quite heavy though, and it can be difficult to move if you need to move it around during the night.

With all that said, I do think the price is a bit too steep for comfort. The pillow is good, don’t get me wrong, but you’ll have a tough decision to make here if you’re a budget-minded person.

In the end, it’s up to you to decide, and it’s definitely a great pillow.

While this memory foam pillow from Sleep Innovations is not terribly innovative or original, it is a good, reliable pillow that can definitely help a lot with your back pain problems.

The shape is classing and great for supporting your neck while you’re sleeping on your back. The thickness is good as is the firmness and the pillow is definitely able to keep its shape throughout the night.

It also keeps its shape over time and doesn’t degrade a lot. It’s made in the USA, and it’s made well, so that’s no surprise.

However, it is made out of memory foam, and it has all the problems that come with it. This includes the lack of breathability that makes it hot in the summer months and the nasty smell that it has when you first unpack it, which lasts for weeks.

Overall, it is a reliable pillow at a reasonable price – you just need to be aware of its negatives before you buy it.

Here’s a pillow made specifically for your lumbar area and it’s a great one. It’s made specifically for back sleepers and made to be able to fit everyone.

The design is relatively simple – the pillow is slightly curved on the top, and it’s actually three foam pads stacked on one another.

You can easily take out one or two foam pads in order to reduce the thickness and firmness of the pillow and make it fit you perfectly. It’s nicely firm in any form; it’s just a matter of gradients and personal preference.

It’s a durable pillow too, and it holds up quite well over time – it doesn’t lose its loft, and I think the adjustable construction helps with that.

Now, the issues with it are the same as with most other memory foam pillows – it gets quite hot, and the smell is just the worst when you first get it. Still, it’s relatively affordable, and despite those negatives, I think it’s the best lumbar pillow around.

Do you like pillows that are strangely shaped? If you do, this one will be a real threat for you.

It looks quite crazy and strange, I know, but it’s not made that way just for the visual impact – it’s a functional shape too.

The elevated sleeping part has a double function – if you place the wider side of it under your neck, it makes the pillow perfect for back sleeping.

If you turn it the other way around, however, it becomes a great pillow of relieving back pain while sleeping on your side. You even get a nice arm-rest on the side!

It’s a firm and durable pillow too since it’s made out of high-density memory foam and it remains good for years. It keeps its loft throughout the night while also easily conforming to the shape of your neck and head.

However, as with all uniquely shaped pillows, it only fits people of relatively average size – if you’re larger or smaller, it’s not gonna be so good for you.

It also has the old common memory foam problem – it absorbs a lot of body heat, and it’s not breathable at all, so you’re going to sweat on it during the summer, that’s unavoidable.

Still, if you think it can fit you, try it out. The price is definitely decent, and this pillow can help a lot with back pain.

This is a pillow made with breathability in mind above almost everything else – but that doesn’t mean it’s bad in other regards either and it’s great if you suffer from back pain.

If you’re in pain during the night you’re probably going to feel uncomfortable and sweat a lot; it’s a given. This pillow is lined with a cooling gel meant to disperse body heat while staying as cool as possible, and it does a good job of that.

The shape is also great, and it supports your neck well. Since the core is made out of memory foam, it also tends to mold well to the shape of your head and neck.

It does have one flaw, however – it’s fairly soft overall, probably because of the gel. It doesn’t keep its loft well, especially if you put a bit more weight onto it.

It is a durable pillow though, and it will keep its shape for a long time, as long as you don’t force it to take on too much weight on a regular basis, that is.

The other issue it has is the smell – it’s horrible, and it seems to be coming from both the gel and the memory foam. It lasts for longer than usual and airing it out doesn’t seem to help a lot.

Overall, it is an exceptionally cool pillow, but you have to ask yourself is that worth the pain of the horrible smell and if it will fit your body weight. Still, if you want something that won’t get hot, it’s one of the best options around.

This is an amazing gel-infused pillow made from memory foam featuring a striking dark grey cover that’s incredibly soft and comfortable. It’s machine-washable too, so maintaining it is not difficult at all.

It’s an incredibly breathable pillow since it is made with gel-infused foam and the cover itself is breathable too. It stays relatively cool throughout most nights.

At its core, it is a decently firm pillow, though it’s not too thick and it does conform well to your body. It does manage to keep its loft throughout the night, which is commendable.

It’s a shame, then, that it doesn’t stay that way for too long since it does seem to have some problems with durability. The cover stays intact to be fair, but the inside of the pillow seems to degrade too quickly for my liking.

It also smells bad when you first get it, which you can expect from memory foam pillows, but it’s no more pleasant than if you don’t expect it.

Overall, this is a fairly middle-of-the-road pillow, but it’s still good and worth checking out.

For the final product of today, here’s another pillow meant for use between your knees while you’re sleeping on your side.

As is usual, this one is also made out of memory foam, and it has the usual shape you would expect.

However, it is more firm than most pillows like this due to being made out of high-density foam and manages to keep its shape well, even if your legs are a bit heavier than average.

This is what makes it great not just for people suffering from regular back pain but also for pregnant ladies that need a bit more support during sleep.

The price for it is fair, and it’s relatively easy to afford. But it won’t last for too long I have to say. It does degrade fairly quickly, and you’ll have to replace it fairly soon.

It’s also bogged down by the usual memory foam problems – it’s too hot, and it smells rancid when unpacked.

Still, I think it’s worth getting simply because it is so firm and supportive even if you’ll only use it for a relatively short time.