I’ve Tested Dozens of Pillows to Find the Best, and This $40 One Helps Me Sleep Like a Baby

One unfortunate truth about myself is that I generally don’t sleep well. The cause is a number of reasons from constantly checking my phone to forgetting to turn out the lamp on my nightstand. Every now and then, as a last resort, I’ll spritz my bed with a lavender-scented pillow mist to help me chill out. It usually works well, but whether or not I wake up feeling rested is still a gamble. However, when I’m traveling, I rarely have a hard time getting enough uninterrupted rest.

There’s something about hotel pillows that makes me sleep like a baby every time, but I’ve never had a pillow at home that replicates the same feeling. Until now. I tried out three pillows from hotel bedding brand Sobel Westex, including the eco-friendly Dolce Vita and popular Sobella side sleeper. But it was their Sahara Nights Pillow that won me over in the first place.

The Sahara Nights Pillow is the top seller from Sobel Westex, a brand that provides linens to hotels and resorts around the globe. Its quilted outer shell is made from 233-thread-count, 100-percent cotton that’s lightweight and smooth to the touch. On the inside, it’s gently filled with ultra-fine microfiber that’s been infused with gel to help regulate body temperature. The pillow is recommended for stomach and side sleepers due to its medium-soft feel; however, a firmer model of the pillow is available. The Sahara Night’s pillow is hypoallergic, as soft as a down pillow, and machine washable. To help retain its shape, Sobel Westex recommends adding tennis balls to the dryer to encourage the fluff. Just keep in mind that the more a pillow is washed, the more it will lose its shape so your safest bet is to cover it with a pillowcase to preserve its cleanliness and longevity.

The Sahara Nights Pillow was my introduction to Sobel Westex as a brand. I’d already heard good things about them from a colleague, so prior to trying it out for myself, I was already curious to see how a hotel-quality pillow would hold up at home. Right out of its packaging, the Sahara Nights pillow gave me high hopes as it mimics the same downy feel of pillows I love to use on vacation. Thanks to the gel-infused microfiber fill, it has cloud-like comfort with a bit of support to keep me from feeling like my head is directly on my mattress. It’s also durable and malleable: I have the pillow in a Queen size and was able to stuff it into a standard pillowcase without a problem. I didn’t think I could sleep as deeply as I do when I’m traveling, but the Sahara Nights pillow showed me that it’s not where you are, but what you use to sleep.

Buy: Sahara Nights Pillow, $40.50 (normally $45)