Height is the one thing a fixed pillow cannot change, and it matters more than anything else about a pillow. Researchers who reviewed the evidence on pillow height found no firm answer on the best height for back or side sleepers, which is why adjustable fill makes sense: you match the pillow to your own shoulders and mattress instead of a maker's average.
Adjustable pillows are a minority of the 53 we rank, and these are the ten with the highest score, two per brand at most. That fill counts toward the fit-range part of the score, so every pick here does well on fit.
The list
- SUPA MODERN Cooling Shredded Memory Foam Pillow (Best overall)
- Three Geese Adjustable Layer Goose Feather Pillow (Best adjustable feather)
- QUTOOL Bamboo Rayon Adjustable Pillow (Medium feel, below median price)
- QUTOOL Firm Shredded Memory Foam Pillow (Firmest by the maker's word)
- Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow (Most-rated pick)
- Coop Sleep Goods Eden Pillow (Premium pick)
- Puredown Shredded Memory Foam Pillow (Cheapest adjustable)
- Beckham Hotel Collection Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow (Highest neck-support share)
- Utopia Bedding Shredded Memory Foam Pillow (Cheapest sold singly)
- Nuzzle Adjustable Pillow (Fewest complaints)
| # | Photo | Model | Score | Fill | Adjustable | Stars | Ratings | Per pillow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
SUPA MODERN Cooling Shredded Memory Foam Pillow | 7.9 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.3 | 23,026 | $19 |
| 2 |  |
Three Geese Adjustable Layer Goose Feather Pillow | 7.9 | Feather & down | Yes | 4.4 | 5,006 | $44.99 |
| 3 |  |
QUTOOL Bamboo Rayon Adjustable Pillow | 7.8 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.4 | 1,546 | $19 |
| 4 |  |
QUTOOL Firm Shredded Memory Foam Pillow | 7.8 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.4 | 819 | $19 |
| 5 |  |
Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow | 7.6 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.5 | 64,006 | $89 |
| 9 |  |
Coop Sleep Goods Eden Pillow | 7.3 | Solid memory foam | Yes | 4.4 | 15,193 | $109 |
| 11 |  |
Puredown Shredded Memory Foam Pillow | 7.3 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.4 | 697 | $13.50 |
| 14 |  |
Beckham Hotel Collection Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow | 7.2 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.4 | 1,728 | $45 |
| 15 |  |
Utopia Bedding Shredded Memory Foam Pillow | 7.2 | Shredded memory foam | Yes | 4.3 | 327 | $20.89 |
| 18 |  |
Nuzzle Adjustable Pillow | 7.0 | Down alternative fiber | Yes | 4.2 | 10,142 | $48.99 |
1. SUPA MODERN Cooling Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
First of the adjustable pillows by score: you unzip the side and add or remove fill, which SUPA MODERN lists as 85% cross-cut memory foam and 15% microfiber.
It costs $19 a pillow, and firmness, the thing you adjust, draws 67% positive from 1,269 buyers.
7.9out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.3 (23,026)
- Per pillow$19
2. Three Geese Adjustable Layer Goose Feather Pillow
The only pick here that adjusts with feather: goose-feather inserts inside an outer case filled with polyester fiber. Of the 214 buyers who mention adjustability, 100% are positive.
The maker lists the stack as soft, medium and firm, and the whole pillow goes in the washer.
7.9out of 10
- FillFeather & down
- Stars4.4 (5,006)
- Per pillow$44.99
3. QUTOOL Bamboo Rayon Adjustable Pillow
Medium by the maker's word and priced at $19, under the $27.49 median for shredded foam, with a cover that zips off for washing.
Buyers rate the adjustability well: 87% positive from 30 mentions.
7.8out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.4 (1,546)
- Per pillow$19
4. QUTOOL Firm Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Start extra firm and remove fill until it is not: that is the range this pillow covers, and 86% of the buyers who mention adjustability are positive.
QUTOOL lists a 90-night trial on its homepage but 30-day returns on its shipping page, so the time you have to tune it is unclear.
7.8out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.4 (819)
- Per pillow$19
5. Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow
The most-rated adjustable pillow we rank, with 64,006 ratings. Coop says an extra bag of fill comes in the box, so you can raise the height as well as lower it.
The 100-day trial covers direct purchases only, which matters for a pillow you tune over weeks, and Coop gives a 5-year limited warranty on its pillows.
7.6out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.5 (64,006)
- Per pillow$89
6. Coop Sleep Goods Eden Pillow
Gel-infused memory foam and microfiber fill you can add or remove, with a gusseted edge. Of the 788 buyers who mention adjustability, 89% are positive.
At $109 it is the dearest adjustable pillow here, with the same 100-day direct trial and 5-year warranty as the Original.
7.3out of 10
- FillSolid memory foam
- Stars4.4 (15,193)
- Per pillow$109
7. Puredown Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
The cheapest way into adjustable foam on this list, $13.50 a pillow in a queen pair. Of the buyers who mention adjustability, 95% are positive.
Firmness divides buyers more, 38% negative, and Puredown prints no care instructions.
7.3out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.4 (697)
- Per pillow$13.50
8. Beckham Hotel Collection Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow
Beckham sells it as a pair of king pillows whose shredded foam comes out of a zipped inner case, firm by the maker's word.
Of 43 buyers who mention adjustability, 88% are positive, and 88% of those who mention neck support, the best share on this list.
7.2out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.4 (1,728)
- Per pillow$45
9. Utopia Bedding Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
One queen for $20.89, the cheapest single pillow here, so you can try adjustable fill without buying a pair. Utopia Bedding says an extra 8 oz of foam comes with it.
Of the buyers who mention adjustability, 95% are positive, but the care label says spot clean only.
7.2out of 10
- FillShredded memory foam
- Stars4.3 (327)
- Per pillow$20.89
10. Nuzzle Adjustable Pillow
Loose fiber you can remove, extra soft by the maker's word, with the best complaint profile on this list, 8.0. Of 797 buyers who mention adjustability, 93% are positive.
It costs $48.99 a pillow against a $25 median for fiber, which holds value to 5.9. Nuzzle states a 90-day trial in its FAQ and 60 days in its refund policy.
7.0out of 10
- FillDown alternative fiber
- Stars4.2 (10,142)
- Per pillow$48.99
How it works
Three ways a pillow adjusts
Most adjustable pillows hold loose memory foam behind a zipper: you open the inner case and pull fill out, or put it back. Eight of these ten work that way, seven with shredded foam and Coop's Eden with a foam and microfiber blend. The Three Geese pillow uses separate feather inserts instead, and the Nuzzle uses loose fiber. Our shredded memory foam page covers the foam in detail.
Keep whatever fill you remove. Coop says an extra bag of fill ships with both its pillows, and Utopia Bedding says the same of its own, so you can raise the height later as well as lower it now.
The fill also changes the feel at any height. Nuzzle calls its loose fiber extra soft, Three Geese lists its feather stack as soft, medium and firm, and QUTOOL sells its firm pillow as extra firm. If you already know you like a pillow that does not give, start with that one and remove fill only for height.
Setting it up
Find your height over a week, not a night
Start full and sleep a night. Then remove a handful if your chin tips toward your chest on your back or your head tips up on your side, and give each change a night or two. Our loft guide explains how shoulder width and mattress move the target, and a chiropractor writing for Cleveland Clinic adds that a firmer mattress usually calls for a thicker pillow.
New shredded foam often smells. On Coop, 71% of the 3,790 buyers who mention odor are negative. Furnishings are on the EPA's list of indoor sources of volatile organic compounds, and the agency advises ventilation while noting that little is known about effects at typical household levels, so air the fill before you sleep on it.
Care and price
What you pay for the extra control
Adjustable pillows here run from $13.50 to $109 a pillow. Fill decides the wash: the Three Geese feather pillow and the Nuzzle fiber pillow are sold as washable whole, the six foam picks with zip-off covers wash the cover only, Utopia Bedding's is spot clean only, and Puredown gives no care instructions. Read our washing guide before the first wash, and compare Coop with Nuzzle if you are choosing between those two.
Questions
Questions buyers ask
Is an adjustable pillow worth it if you are unsure of your loft?
Yes, because you can change the height at home instead of guessing at checkout. Researchers have found no single best pillow height for back or side sleepers. If you already own a fixed pillow you like, an adjustable one adds little.
How much fill should you remove from an adjustable pillow?
As little as you can at a time. Take out a handful, sleep on it a night or two, and repeat until your head sits level. Keep the removed fill in a bag in case you go too far.
Can you wash an adjustable pillow?
Mostly the cover. Six picks have covers that zip off for the wash, and SUPA MODERN says the foam inside its pillow is not washable. The Three Geese Adjustable Layer Goose Feather Pillow and the Nuzzle are sold as washable whole. Utopia Bedding's label says spot clean only, and Puredown gives no instructions.
Which adjustable pillow do buyers rate highest?
By stars, the Coop Original holds 4.5 from 64,006 ratings, the highest average here. On our full score the SUPA MODERN leads at 7.9, mostly because it costs $19 a pillow against Coop's $89.
