For the foundational guidance behind these picks, see the full pillow-by-position selection framework.
The best adjustable pillows solve what wrecks most pillows: loft. Too tall and your neck cranes, too flat and it drops, so these let you add or pull out fill until the height is yours. The Coop Home Goods Original is where to start. Sleep hot, sleep on your side, or shop tight, and three of the picks below were chosen for you.
Quick verdict: Start with the Coop Home Goods Original. Its shredded foam and fiber fill comes out by the handful or goes back in, so you set the loft instead of settling for it. From there it is situational: run warm, take the cooling Eden; sleep on your side, the Cut-Out; spend less, the ViscoSoft Select.
| If you are | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Not sure what loft you need | Coop Home Goods Original | Add or remove fill until it fits |
| A hot sleeper | Coop Home Goods Eden | Gel-infused fill and breathable cover |
| A side sleeper with shoulder pressure | Coop Home Goods Cut-Out | Shoulder cut-out keeps the neck level |
| On a budget | ViscoSoft Select | Adjustable shredded foam at a lower price |
How We Picked the Best Adjustable Pillows
An adjustable pillow earns its place by solving the hardest part of pillow shopping: loft. The right loft keeps your head and neck level with your spine, and it differs by sleep position and shoulder width. A fill you can add to or remove fixes that without a return.1 Every pick here uses that add-or-remove design, and each is available on Amazon today.
Loft range did the most work in our ranking, since a wider adjustment window fits more people. Fill quality came close behind, because cheap shredded foam clumps and turns lumpy fast. Then cooling and a washable cover, which decide how the pillow lives day to day. As a hot sleeper, I lean toward gel-infused fill and an airy cover, so the cooling pick earns its own spot below.
Coop Home Goods Original: Best Overall
Why It Stands Out
The Coop Original is the pillow that made adjustable fill mainstream, and it is still the one to beat. The blend of shredded memory foam and microfiber gives it a supportive yet fluffy feel, and a zippered inner liner lets you scoop fill out for a flatter pillow or add it back for more height. That single feature makes it work for back, side, and combination sleepers from the same box. The viscose-blend cover breathes reasonably well and machine washes.
Worth Knowing
Getting the loft right takes a little trial and error on the first night or two, and the removed fill needs somewhere to live. It runs slightly warm compared with the gel Eden below. If you sleep mostly on your side, our best pillows for side sleepers roundup covers position-specific options too.
Check Price on AmazonCoop Home Goods Eden: Best for Hot Sleepers
Why It Stands Out
The Coop Eden is the cooling sibling of the Original. It uses gel-infused shredded foam plus a more breathable cover, so it sleeps closer to neutral while keeping the same add-or-remove adjustability. The fill feels a touch plusher than the Original, which back and side sleepers who want softness tend to prefer. For anyone who runs warm, this is the adjustable pillow that does not turn into a heat trap.
Worth Knowing
Gel helps but no foam fill sleeps as cool as it does on the first minute all night, so a breathable pillowcase still matters. It costs a bit more than the Original. Pair it with one of our best cooling pillows for hot sleepers picks if heat is your main complaint.
Check Price on AmazonCoop Home Goods Cut-Out: Best for Side Sleepers
Why It Stands Out
The Coop Cut-Out adds an ergonomic notch for your shoulder, which is exactly what side sleepers need. With your shoulder tucked into the cut-out and the loft tuned with adjustable fill, your neck stays level with your spine instead of bending up or down. It keeps the same shredded foam and fiber blend as the Original, so you still get the custom-loft benefit, just shaped for side sleeping.
Worth Knowing
The shaped design is built for side sleeping, so dedicated back and stomach sleepers gain less from the cut-out. If neck pain is your driver rather than position, a contoured option may suit you better; see our best cervical pillows guide.
Check Price on AmazonViscoSoft Select Shredded Memory Foam: Best Value
Why It Stands Out
The ViscoSoft Select brings the adjustable formula at a friendlier price. It uses shredded memory foam you can add or remove, with a soft, washable cover, so you get the core custom-loft benefit for less. For a guest room, a second pillow, or a first try at adjustable fill, it is an easy way to test the concept without a premium outlay.
Worth Knowing
The fill is a touch less refined than Coop’s blend, so it can feel slightly denser, and cooling is basic rather than gel-enhanced. Still, the adjustability is the point, and it delivers that. If you would rather firm up an existing pillow, our best memory foam pillows guide covers solid-core options.
Check Price on AmazonRecommended read: Not sure which loft your position needs? Our guide on how to choose a pillow for side sleepers walks through loft, firmness, and fill by sleep style.
What Makes a Pillow Adjustable
Add-or-Remove Fill
The most common design uses loose fill, usually shredded memory foam or a foam-and-fiber blend, inside a zippered inner liner. You unzip it, scoop fill out for a lower, softer pillow, or add fill for a taller, firmer one. Because you control the volume, you also nudge the firmness, since a fuller pillow packs denser.
Zip-and-Layer Designs
A second style swaps loose fill for stacked inserts or a single zip that raises or lowers loft without the mess. These are tidier to adjust and easier to get consistent, though they usually offer fewer fine increments than loose fill. Both approaches solve the same problem: matching loft to your body.
How to Choose an Adjustable Pillow
Loft Range and Sleep Position
Match the loft to your position. Side sleepers usually need the most height to fill the gap between the shoulder and the ear. Back sleepers want a medium loft that cradles the neck’s curve. Stomach sleepers need the least, so a pillow you can take fill out of is ideal for them.
Fill Type and Quality
Shredded memory foam contours and holds shape; a foam-and-fiber blend feels fluffier and more pillow-like. Lower-grade shredded foam can clump and go lumpy, so fill quality matters as much as quantity. A blend tends to resist clumping better than bargain foam scraps.
Cooling and Heat
Dense foam fill holds warmth. Gel-infused fill and an open, breathable cover both move heat away, and a percale or moisture-wicking pillowcase helps further. If you sleep hot, treat cooling as a priority rather than a bonus.
Cover and Washability
A removable, machine-washable cover keeps the pillow fresh and is worth checking before you buy. Some inner liners are washable too, while the loose fill usually is not, so read the care guidance to avoid ruining the fill.
Trial and Fill Storage
Plan for a short break-in while you find your loft, and keep a bag for any fill you remove so you can add it back if your needs change. A sleep trial helps, since a pillow is hard to judge in a few minutes.
Adjustable vs Fixed-Loft Pillows
When Adjustable Wins
If you are between lofts, sleep in more than one position, or have returned pillows before for being too high or too flat, adjustable is the safer buy. You tune it once and stop guessing, and you can re-tune it if your mattress or body changes.
When Fixed Loft Is Fine
If you already know your ideal height and want a specific contoured shape, a fixed pillow built for that purpose can feel more refined. Contour and cervical pillows, for instance, are shaped deliberately and are not meant to be adjusted.
How to Adjust and Care for Your Pillow
Dialing In the Loft
Start fuller than you think you need, then remove small handfuls over a couple of nights until your neck rests level with your spine. Lying in your normal sleep position while you adjust gives the most honest read. Save whatever you take out.
Keeping It Fresh
Wash the cover on a gentle cycle and let the fill air out periodically to keep it lofty. Avoid washing loose foam fill unless the maker says it is safe. For technique on the cover and liner, see our guide on how to wash pillows without ruining them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best adjustable pillow?
The Coop Home Goods Original leads the field. You add or remove its shredded foam and fiber fill to set the loft, so one pillow serves back, side, and combination sleepers, and the cover machine washes when it needs a refresh.
Are adjustable pillows good for side sleepers?
Yes. Side sleepers need the most loft to keep the neck level with the spine, and an adjustable pillow lets you add fill until that gap is filled. A shoulder cut-out design adds even more support for the side-sleeping position.
How do you adjust a shredded memory foam pillow?
Unzip the inner liner and remove fill by the handful for a lower, softer pillow, or add fill for a taller, firmer one. Adjust in small amounts over a night or two while lying in your usual position, and store any fill you take out.
Do adjustable pillows go flat?
Quality shredded foam holds loft for a long time, though all fill compresses gradually with use. Fluffing the pillow and airing the fill restores loft, and you can top up a pillow that has thinned if you saved the removed fill.
Are adjustable pillows worth it?
For anyone unsure of their ideal loft or who sleeps in more than one position, they are worth it. Tuning the height yourself removes the guesswork that causes most pillow returns, and one pillow can serve different sleepers or change as your needs do.
Sources
- Sleep Foundation. Pillow loft, fill types, and the role of neck and spinal alignment in choosing a pillow. sleepfoundation.org.
