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Your comfort is everything when travelling. Regardless of the means of transportation to your travel destination (even if you are flying in Business Class or in a private jet), you will need to invest in the best rated travel pillow in order to find a comfortable position to close your eyes and doze off for a few hours. No one wants to feel fatigued and drained when they arrive at their destination and that is why you need the softest, highest rated travel pillow. This post will help you decide and buy the best-rated travel pillows.
Key features of the best-rated travel pillow.
The best-rated travel pillow must have 5 key features that will help you the traveller have a more comfortable trip.
The 5 features you need to consider in the best-rated travel pillow are:
Comfortable
Breathable
Portability
Durability
Washable
Comfortable: The primary job of a travel pillow is to support the head and the neck and to provide comfort, especially during an interminable haul journey.
Breathable: A best rated travel pillow is designed with materials that are breathable and made with soft, lush materials of velvet or velour. The covering needs to be cotton and the shell of memory foam or polyurethane materials.
Portability: You should be able to take your best rated travel pillow with you conveniently. It should have a system to make it compact or have an attachment to secure it to your luggage. It could be an inflatable pillow or a non-inflatable pillow, but the size matters.
Durability: Your travel pillow should come with a warranty of at least two years or money-back guarantee.
Washable: Washing your best rated travel pillow is a must. The ability to wash your travel pillow coverings or shell without it losing shape is a key feature to note when buying a travel pillow.
Choosing the best rated travel pillow – What to consider.
For a pillow to be classed as best rated travel pillow, it should provide a comfortable and relaxing start to your holiday. So what do you need to consider when choosing the best rated travel pillow?
- Types of travel pillows
- Inflatable vs non-inflatable
Types of Travel Pillows
There are unique and innovative designs of travel pillows and understanding the difference between them will help you decide the best travel pillow that will suit your sleeping style and need.
J – Shape Travel Pillow.
The J shaped pillow looks clumsy at a first glance but when used, it gives more versatility and chin support. It keeps the head up nicely and it is great for sleeping if you have a window seat in the train, coach or plane.
Con:
The shape makes it less portable although it can be attached to your luggage through the top.
Hour-glass shape Travel Pillow.
The Hour-glass shaped pillow is versatile because you can loop it, squash it, bundle it in front of you and on the seat table in the plane and you can wear it as a scarf.
It can be used for sleeping at home too and it’s great for Business Class travellers.
Con:
The shape makes it less compact.
U shape Travel Pillow.
The U shaped is the most common travel pillow and it provides a simple support and it is portable.
Con:
The head to neck support is less felt and it can cause neck aches.
Rectangular shape Travel Pillow.
The rectangular shaped travel pillow is familiar and might be what you are used to and using at home. It is compact but rarely used by Economy Class Travellers. It is fantastic for Business Class Travellers.
Con:
The head to neck support is absent.
Inflatable versus non-inflatable travel pillows
The best rated travel pillows can either be inflatable or non-inflatable. The inflatable travel pillows manually has valves and buttons which you use to pump it up. The non-inflatable pillows are made with memory foams shell and soft coverings. The fill can be different sometimes. It can also be filled with beans, feathers or puff balls. Check the table to help you understand their key features.
Feature
Inflatable Pillow
Non-inflatable Pillow
Price
£10
£30
Material
The material the travel pillows are made from.
The shell is Polyurethane
The coverings can be velvet or velour.
The shell is memory foam
The covering can be polyester, fleece, velvet or velour.
Loft
How high it is
7.5 cm
7.5 cm – 12 cm
Adjustable Loft
Can the loft be adjusted?
Yes
No
Space
Does it save space?
Yes, inflatable pillows are compact when deflated.
No, not always. Non-inflatable travel pillows are usually more bulky and harder to fit into bags.
Washable
Yes, the coverings from the inflatable pillows can be removed and washed.
Yes, the covers can be washed and depending on the material, it can be machine washed.
Pros
Lower price
Adjustable loft
More compact will fold nicely in carry-on luggages.
Stable shape
Bigger support
Wider loft range
Cons
Air loss potential
It will not inflate if torn or with holes.
not durable
More expensive
Bulky and will not fold down quickly.
3 Best Rated Travel pillows review.
This is a unbiased biased review of three best rated travel pillows. I have personally used these products. The travel pillow review answers your questions on the best neck travel pillows, the best air plane travel pillow and the best rated travel pillow.
Review of the Best Neck Travel Pillow : J-Pillow
Best Neck Travel Pillow
The J-shaped pillow is designed to have two possible positions: with one arm under the chin creating a cradle for the side of your head or with one arm around the back of your neck and a cradle for the side of your head – my favourite, with the most supportive-feeling.
The J-shaped pillow is designed to have two possible positions: with one arm under the chin creating a cradle for the side of your head or with one arm around the back of your neck and a cradle for the side of your head – my favourite, with the most supportive-feeling.
Cons
Pillow attached to the outside of your luggage.
Review of the Best Air Plane Travel Pillow: Huzi Design Infinity Travel Pillow
Best Air plane Travel Pillow
The Huzi Design Infinity Pillow is designed to have infinity ways to use it and it is absolutely brilliant. You can fold it , loop it around your neck for a super-luxurious feel, or bundling it onto a seat-back table and face planting into it. This versatility makes the Infinity absolutely perfect for those long-haul flights where you have to manoeuvre yourself into endless sleeping positions just to stay sane.
Pros
Adjustable
Washable
Breathable
Durable
Cons
Bulky
Review of the Best Rated Travel Pillow: Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Pillow.
Best Rated Travel Pillow
If you want to get a great night’s sleep, invest in some memory foam. This pillow is filled with the glorious stuff, making it one of the best options on the list. U-shaped, it supports the back of the head without keeping it too propped up, whilst the raised side supports and cushions the neck. Great if you want to listen to music to help you drift off.
Pros
Adjustable – supports the neck
Washable
Breathable
Durable
Cons
Bulky
The best rated travel pillow: Final thoughts
The best rated travel pillows should give you an overall comfort, portability, loft customisation and allow your neck to be upright. This post has explained the key features of the best rated travel pillow, the types of travel pillows available and how to choose the best travel pillow. I will leave you with tips for sleeping well while travelling.
- Be comfortable when travelling – tale a jumper or scarf.
- Use sleeping masks to drown out the light.
- Be hydrated – take water bottles with you.
- Pack healthy fruits and snacks that will help you sleep.
- Wear compression socks and don’t cross your legs for long periods of time.
I hope you have found this post useful, use the links to buy the travel pillows if you wish to and let me know in the comments what your experiences of travel pillows are?
Check out my review of the best rated travel irons.
Check out my review of the best family travel insurance.
74 thoughts on “3 Best Rated Travel Pillows”
Travel Pillows are so needed when you have those long travel hours. I use the u shaped one with memory foam. I know what you mean by saying it gives you a neck strain at times but have figured how to make it comfortable now. Thanks for the other options. Will look out for those.
It’s great that you have figured out how to adjust to the U-shaped travel pillow.
Yes, I agree.. we need to be comfortable when traveling. This is such a good break down of the few because I never had pillows while traveling. I always thought it was too much to have.
Travel Pillows are so worth it. A few hours of sleep does the body good especially during long haul flights.
Good reviews! These neck pillows are a must especially when travelling to protect our neck and cervical spine.
I agree, we need to protect our neck and spines.
Good reviews! Neck pillows are a must when travelling to protect our neck and cervical spine.
I agree with you. They are very important for our neck and spine.
I have a U Shaped pillow and don’t love it. I’m not surprised to see the J Shaped pillow is best rated, it appears to provide the most support. I’m adding the memory foam pillow to my Christmas list, it’s compact and washable
Yes, the J Shaped pillow provides the best support for me as well. The memory foam pillows are great and you should surely add them to your Christmas list.
I love a comfortable pillow, and sometimes the price isn’t an issue as long as it will give me so much comfort. I usually bring a neck pillow during my trips and it was nice. I’ll consider your recommendation coz, I need to add another travel pillow 🙂
I agree, when it comes to comfort, the price shouldn’t be an issue, after all, you might need to pay more for a strained neck.
Had never known or realized the different types of travel pillows there were and all the options of materials! Gracias for the info, will definitely be looking into this for traveling.
Fantastic. There are many options and that’s why I have provided this guide to help you find the best one for you.
Honestly, I had no idea there were so many types of travel pillows! This was really helpful for me, to give me an idea of the pros and cons of each type.
This is good news to my ears. I’m so glad you found the review on the best-rated travel pillow helpful.
I have one filled with tiny foam beads, like a beanbag, and I love it, but it’s not super practical because when I clip it to my bag it part of it always drags a little.
Oh, I suggest you get a better travel pillow. Your sleep can’t be compromised with a travel pillow that isn’t practical.
A good travel pillow is so important! I will have to check these out. Wish I had one of these when we traveled from NY to Seattle!
I can imagine the distance and the discomfort you might have felt.With a good travel pillow, the journey will be a little easier.
Travel pillows are something I haven’t thought much about before. I will say our two kids love to use them though!
Oh, you will need a travel pillow for quick naps while travelling.
The J shaped pillow makes the most sense to me. I would love to try that one because of the chin support.
The J shaped pillows are really great for the neck support especially if you have the window seat in the plane.
I always make sure I have a travel pillow with me. It really makes the trip less exhausting.
I couldn’t agree more. A good travel pillow makes a trip less exhausting.
Interesting and informative article to read. You definitely give us an idea on choosing the right traveling pillow for us, now I know mine and thank you for that.
Thanks Gervin. I’m so glad you found this article informative and useful in helping you choose a travel pillow.
A good travel pillow is essential. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these pillows. I need to try one of them
You are right a good travel pillow is essential. If you are looking for a great one, I recommend the J-shaped pillows.
When traveling I have only used a neck pillow but after seeing this I think I need to invest in a good travel pillow.
If you are looking to invest in a good pillow, I will recommend the J-pillow mainly because it is fantastic for neck support.
I have never tried traveling with a travel pillow. My husband is my pillow. LOL. But I think I’m going to get one next time we’re going to travel. It’s 22 hours to my home country, you know. 🙂
You’re lucky you always to get to sit together, I think you will need a travel pillow for the times when you are not travelling together or for such long haul travel at 22 hours. You might want to change your position too.
This is very informative. But what I have seen around mostly the people using are the U shaped ones. I have always wanted to use one but carrying it as another luggage has kept me away from buying. Probably now I would go in for an inflatable one which seems a good option.
Absolutely, the inflatable travel pillow can easily be compressed and pushed into hand luggage when you get to your destination. I strongly recommend the itrunk travel pillows to those who don’t like the extra luggage the pillow is.
This is such a thorough look into the best travel pillows! I never realized how many options there are out there.
Oh yes, there are different types of travel pillows. The best-rated travel pillow is the J Pillow. They provide great support.
Another fantastic travel pillow post! I am researching for a set of pillows I am planning to purchase.
That’s great to know Agnes. If you are looking for the best-rated travel pillow, I recommend the J Pillow. The comfort they provide is amazing.
The J shape sounds great,seems comfortable. Though it looks unusual to me.
I agree with you Chris, the unusual shape is the first thing people notice. However, when you use the J shaped pillow, you will discover how comfortable they are especially if you have a window swat in the plan or the passenger’s seat in a vehicle.
This is a really great, detailed post – thank you for sharing! Everyone should invest in a travel pillow especially for flights longer than 3 hours!
I agree that we all need the best-rated travel pillow for journeys for more than 3 hours. No one wants to be too tired on arrival.
hi
Never knew that there are so many types of travel pillows. The key features mentioned in your well-researched article are important conversations when selecting a travel pillow. reading your article I would select a J type travel pillow as it does support the head and also in addition the neck region. this article is very helpful for many of us who travel frequently.
I absolutely agree that the J pillow-shaped are the best-rated travel pillows. They provide the best support for the head and the neck especially when travelling and sat next to the window seat. Travel pillows are a must for those who travel regularly too.
I have a travel pillow but it’s bulky. I want to invest in one of the hour glass shaped pillows.
Oh, a bulky travel pillow is not very convenient. I will suggest you consider the Huzi design infinity pillow, an hourglass-shaped pillow. They are super cosy and can be used everywhere.
Thank you for sharing!! I need a nice new travel pillow. Everyone that I have tried has been horrible.
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that every travel pillow you have tried has been horrible. I strongly recommend the Huzi Infinity travel pillow. They are very cosy and can be used anywhere.
This is such a great post, I often fall asleep when travelling (it’s a bit of a mechanism against feeling sick) and I could do with something to stop myself getting so sore.
Absolutely, feeling sore and fatigue is not a great way to start a holiday so that is why you need to check out one of these travel pillows when you’re ready to travel again.
I didn’t know there were so many kinds of travel pillows. But planes are so uncomfortable so if I ever get on one again, I’ll check one of these out. Lol
I hope you get to check one of the top-rated travel pillows out. They are a must-have for travelling on the planes.
These look like some great pillows! I don’t have a travel pillow. I usually use the one the airline gives me if I travel long distances.
You definitely need a travel pillow. The pillows from the airlines are very basic and I find them very uncomfortable. I hope you get to check out one of these.
I must admit I am a bit like the princess and the pea with pillows. And always have trouble finding a good one when we travel. I have often travelled with my full sized pillow from home. For a pillow to use during travel, I also have tried a whole bunch and have yet to find the perfect one. I like the Cabeau Evolution one you show. This looks like it would support the whole neck. Maybe one that will finally work!
We are very similar in this regard. I also love my sleep so I have used several travel pillows over the years. The 3 best-rated travel blogs are definitely worth a try. As you said, the Cabeau Evolution is my favourite now.
I’ve bought a lot of travel pillows over the years and never found one I liked. Thanks for your list ??
I know, I have brought several travel pillows too and finally streamlined it to the 3 best-rated travel pillows out there now. I hope you check them out and decide which one will work best for you.
I really enjoyed reading this post about the best-rated travel pillows. This is really helpful information to know and I will be referring back to it when I’m travelling.
Thank you Tasheena. I hope you find the best-rated pillow for your next travel.
I have an awful neck problem, so a good travel pillow is really worth the money for long flights. Thanks for sharing!
Most people have the same issue. Neck aches when sleeping and travelling. A good travel pillow will definitely do the trick and probably help with your neck problem.
Hey,
I’m glad I came across your article, as it’s very informative and something that I have needed for a while. I go travelling quite a bit with my job. Usually I travel on train but sometimes I travel by plane too. I don’t have a travel pillow, but I have been having issues with my neck and also my sleep, and I believe it’s down to not sleeping on my travel because it is too awkward.
I need to look a bit deeper into your pillow options, so I will let you know what I decide.
Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work.
All the best,
Tom
You will need to look at the best rated neck pillow if you are travelling a lot on trains and for work, you might want to consider the inflatable pillows because it will be more convenient to deflate after every use. Please let me know what you decide to buy.
I’m one of those travellers who find it hard to sleep on planes. I’m quite drawn to the Huzi hourglass shaped pillow. I like the fact that it’s adjustable and that I can wash it too. Very important when travelling, even more so now!
The Huzi Hourglass Shaped pillow is my favourite for long haul travelling. I normally wrap it around my ears or place it in front of the table for a good sleep.
Great review. I’m a travel lover and can’t tell you enough about the importance of a good pillow. At least once a year I travel on 24 flight journey all together so it is an essential item for me. I use the U format. It is more comfortable for me… it is non-inflatable. The only problem of this one is that I can’t stick it to my luggage and I already lost 2 because of that. So next time I will pay attention on that. Thanks for the tips. Very helpful.
Yes, when the travel pillows don’t have attachments, they get lost quickly.
Thank you for this…I’m always on the hunt for the perfect travel pillow. I was not aware of the J Pillow but it sounds like what I need when I finally start traveling after all the quarantine restrictions are lifted.
Fantastic. I am pleased I have introduced you to a new travel pillow.
Thanks for sharing this information with us. I never know there is so many different shape of travel pillow until I have read your post. Now I have many options for travel pillow before travelling. Thanks again.
I’m glad you found the review of the different travel pillows useful.