We Tested Purple’s Top Pillows, and...We’re Very Divided as to Which Is the Best

Best for People Who Like a Medium-Firm Pillow

• Value: 16/20
• Quality: 18/20
• Support: 18/20
• Aesthetics: 16/20
• Overall Comfort: 19/20

TOTAL: 87/100

While the TwinCloud pillow ultimately edged out the Harmony pillow with a higher score, it all came down to cost. At $159, the Harmony is an investment, but it became clear within a few weeks why it came with a serious price tag. It has a hypoallergenic latex core that’s wrapped in the same kind of Purple Hex Grid design that made the brand’s mattresses so famous—the grid creates 1,500 air zones, making it incredibly breathable, while evenly cushioning your head. It’s a dream for hot sleepers (no more 3 a.m. sweat puddles!), and its gentle support means it cradles your head and neck, but you don’t feel molded in place—or worse, swallowed up by it. While other pillows started to create an indentation after a few weeks, this one has retained its shape perfectly.

Purple says it went through 50 prototypes to land on a headrest that’s roughly the same weight as your standard pillow, while being supportive and cooling, and it shows. It’s available in three heights and two sizes, making it customizable to your needs, and if you don’t like it, you have 100 days to return it, making the splurge a bit easier to justify (especially if it’s on your wedding registry).

Best for Toss-and-Turners

• Value: 18/20
• Quality: 18/20
• Support: 18/20
• Aesthetics: 16/20
• Overall Comfort: 19/20

TOTAL: 89/100

At $89, the TwinCloud is still a pricier pillow—especially if you’ve been buying the $10 generic brand ones at big box stores—but what sold us on the cost was its versatility. The TwinCloud is like a traditional down alternative with a twist: It’s folded like a taco, and you can unzip one side and fold it the other way to alternate between a softer and firmer pillow. So let’s say you’re sleeping on your back, and you want a cushy, sink-into-a-cloud feeling, so you have it on the “softer” side. But then, the next night, you want something firmer, with a little more support for your neck and shoulders. There’s no messing with inserts or stuffing; it’s just a flip, zip and shimmy on the pillowcase, and you’re good to go. Plus, if you’re a stomach sleeper, you can stick your arm in the fold of the pillow comfortably (rather than underneath it). Also, due to this design, the TwinCloud retains its shape better than the half-dozen down alternative pillows I’ve tried over the past decade.

My one complaint: Sometimes the zipper gets snagged when you’re reversing the pillow. It’s easy enough to fix, though if you’re adjusting it in the middle of the night, bleary-eyed, it can be a nuisance. Still, for roughly half the price of the Harmony—and the cushioned support it provides—I’ll gladly deal with it.