These Memory Foam Pillows Are Better Than the $85 Version Everyone Owns (And On Sale!)

A few years ago, I did a bed makeover, replacing pretty much everything but the mattress. The upgrade I was most excited to make? Swapping out my decade-old down-alternative pillows for pillows with adjustable memory foam filling, which were touted by the internet at the time as some of the best you could buy. And indeed they were great, for a while — until I started waking up to neck pain. Adjusting the filling seemed to be of no use, so I tried to adjust my attitude: New aches and pains are just part of your mid-30s, right? 

But then I remembered the Qutool adjustable memory foam pillows I had received for product testing and stuffed away in my linen closet. At the time of testing, I wasn’t experiencing neck pain, so when the trial period was over and I had given a satisfactory rating, I put them out of sight and thus out of mind. Once I started sleeping on them again, I could feel my neck pain dissipate each day, until one day I woke up without a smidge of discomfort. And right now, a set of two queen pillows is on sale for under $20 apiece — nearly four times less than the price of my old pillows.

Qutool is a brand that specializes in cooling and comfy products — namely pillows, bedding, and back and seat cushions — and with nearly 14,000 five-star ratings, its adjustable shredded memory foam pillows are its most popular product on Amazon. Adding or removing filling lets you find the right loft and firmness for your sleeping position, whether that’s back, side, stomach, or a combination of the three, like me.

The pillows I own have a double-sided cover where one side features soft, bamboo-derived materials and the other is icy cool to the touch and promotes breathable heat dispersal. The latter is my preferred side, and for a few more bucks, you can get pillows where both sides are the cool side. (Had I known they existed, I would have requested to test that version!) The cooling sensation feels just as strong as the first night I slept on these pillows nearly 18 months ago, and they haven’t flattened out in that time, either.

Average Rating: 4.4/5 stars

“I’m a side sleeper and have a closet full of pillows that I tried and failed. I found these while visiting friends and ordered them when I got home. First night it was too firm. I removed some of the foam and had a great second night’s sleep and woke up without pain or a headache. Can’t beat the quality and price for 2 Queen pillows.” —Susan

“These pillows are so easy to fluff back in shape after a cool night’s sleep. My neck pain has disappeared and I’m sleeping much better.” —Dawn Iles

“So glad I got these! They are the perfect size and I am delighted with the cooling feature. For me, it feels ice cold the whole time and I don’t need to constantly flip my pillow to stay on the cold side. I am amazed with the ability to adjust the firmness since I have a neck injury that has made finding the perfect pillow very difficult. The material is so soft and easy to wash, and it comes with a bag to hold any stuffing you decide to remove. I also love the design, so I haven’t even felt [the] need to cover with an actual pillow case.” —Amazon Customer

Qutool’s memory foam pillows are available in standard, queen, and king sizes both as single pillows and sets of two, and body pillows are available as well. Oh, and a word to the wise: The pillows emit a not-so-pleasant smell right after unboxing, so let them air out for a night or two before laying your head down. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!

Buy: Qutool Cooling Pillows, Queen Size, Set of 2, $38.99 (normally $59.99)