After Testing Dozens of Pillows, This Budget Option Is the One I Still Sleep On

Here’s the thing: I am very fortunate. My job entails keeping up to date on the best products out there, and oftentimes that means getting my paws on them for personal testing. So yes, I have been the grateful recipient of everything from bath towels to sheets to mattresses to, most recently, pillows. I tested many, many pillows for our Best List, and let me tell you, it was quite the adventure.

Here’s the other thing: Testing pillows is hard. Not, like, the way being quarantined due to coronavirus is hard, but hard in the sense that it’s a deeply personal task. Honestly, it’s downright reckless for me to recommend you any pillows at all, because every person has very individualized preferences when it comes down to it. Some people like to sleep on two squishy pillows, while others prefer something very firm. Some people sleep hot and need their pillows to be filled with gel foam, while others like the cozy feel of down under their little heads.

So, dear reader, I really tried. I tried my best to remain a neutral party, to give everything a fair chance, and for the most part I was successful. And finally, when it was all over, I was left with too many pillows that I was then forced to choose from for my own bed. (Yes, I know, back to the “life is hard” feeling.) I selected four, and one of them was a bit of a surprise, even to me: the Ralph Lauren Logo pillow.

During my research, I knew I had to try this pillow, which is exclusive to Macy’s. First of all, it has tons of positive reviews (over 2,600 5-star reviews, in fact), and is frequently purchased by AT readers. Then, there’s the low price. Typically priced at $20 (which is already pretty low for good pillows, to be honest), it’s pretty much always on sale. I figured it could make a good budget-friendly option for my list, but I was not expecting to fall in love or anything. But that’s life, I suppose.

I selected the extra firm (it’s also available in medium and firm), and prepared to sleep on it for one night to make sure it wasn’t terrible. After all, I was testing other pillows that had bells and whistles, that cost 4 times as much, and that promised to change my life. This pillow had none of that fanfare; it’s advertised as a pillow that will help you “rest easy” and features little Ralph Lauren logos. Not exactly attention-grabbing.

And yet! The moment my head hit the pillow I was shocked. It was so comfy, so supportive, so perfect in all its simplicity. Even now, when trying to figure out what’s so great about it, I have no real answer other than that it’s shockingly comfortable. I slept like a baby, with zero pain and no tossing and turning. Of course, I shouldn’t have been surprised. My other favorite pillows are these gel ones found on Amazon that I’ve previously written about—they’re also priced low and have zero fuss. And if you’re wondering, I still absolutely love them too (they make up 2/4 of the pillows on my bed).

The only con I can come up with is that it has a down alternative fill, which can get a little too toasty for hot sleepers. Other than that though, I quite literally have no complaints. As I said earlier, this pillow is often on sale, including right now. It’s an extra 30 percent off thanks to the Friends & Family sale, meaning that one pillow is just $14. That’s under $30 for 2 pillows! Buy one for yourself, your lover, your family members, etc. It’s that good.