9 best travel pillows 2023: We tried Tempur, Trtl and Go Pillow
TRAVEL pillows are one of life’s essentials on long journeys that once discovered, are never forgotten and you’ll wonder how you ever travelled without one.
The best travel pillows help you sleep, whether you’re journeying by plane, train, boat, coach or car. They come in different sizes and shapes, often with varying functions: some are actual pillows that give you somewhere soft and comfortable to rest your head, others fit around your neck or act as a collar to support your head.
Perhaps the most recognisable type are inflatable pillows. These have been around for many years and are generally the least expensive. They’re perfect for squeezing into your hand luggage as they take up very little space when flat; they’re also good for camping or hiking trips where all your gear is carried in a backpack and space is at a premium.
A newer style of travel pillow is the neck collar. This design cradles your neck and supports it at the same time, stopping your head lolling to one side as you sleep and providing a comfortable space for dozing. These pillows may contain memory foam or may have a removable rigid support inside – both types are incredibly comfortable and both often have removable, washable covers. If you can sleep sitting up then this model will suit you, if however you prefer to lean against your pillow, you may be better off with an actual pillow.
Back in the day, I used to take a full-size pillow on long coach or train trips, as even a few hours shut-eye makes a big difference. Now, you can buy your favourite pillow in a travel-size version, whether you’re a memory foam, wool or feathers fan – and generally they’re easy to roll up, tucking away into their dedicated travel bags when not in use.
Use them as you would your usual pillow – propped against the train window, reclined in your seat or if you’re lucky enough to be flying business class, lying down. They even come in ergonomic designs to keep your neck and spine aligned, reducing back pain and leaving you more refreshed when you wake up.
There are so many different designs of travel pillow available, there’s bound to be one to suit you, in terms of style, comfort and budget.
Best travel pillow at a glance:
- Best memory foam travel pillow: Tempur Original Travel Pillow
- Best organic travel pillow: Woolroom Organic Washable Wool Baby/Travel Pillow
- Best neck support travel pillow: Trtl Travel Trtl Pillow Original
- Best inflatable pillow: Lifeventure Inflatable Pillow
- Best collar travel pillow: Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow
Tempur Original Travel Pillow
- Tempur Original Travel Pillow, £85 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: comfort, memory foam cradles your head, supports your spine and neck, will last years, folds up into its own travel case
Cons: price, weight more than some other travel pillows
Rating: 4.5/5
The Tempur Original Travel Pillow is made from the same material as the full-size version – memory foam first developed by NASA for use in space. It is ergonomically shaped to support your spine and neck, easing any back or shoulder pain you might have and helping you get a good night’s sleep.
It is a good size and comes into its own for hotel stays as well as travelling, but the great thing is you can roll it up and pop it into its travel bag when not in use. That said, it’s still bigger than some of the other pillows we looked at.
It’s also heavier too, but you have to bear in mind this is a proper pillow that you could sleep on for your entire holiday and even use at home in place of your regular pillow if the fancy takes you.
I found the pillow comfortable, but after a while, it was too high for me. I sleep on really soft pillows so perhaps I’m just not used to the structured shape. I’m going to persevere though as I know it will be better for my neck in the long run and anything that helps with my shoulder and upper back pain is a keeper.
Although this travel pillow is expensive, it is an investment that will pay off in terms of better sleep and support – and it should last for years.
The cover is removable and machine washable at 60°– unlike many other travel pillows. The Tempur Original also comes with a three-year guarantee.
Material: Tempur memory foam, cover: 75% cotton and 25% polyester, size: 31 x 25 x 10/7, weight: 760g, type: memory foam, style: ergonomic neck and spine support
Lifeventure Inflatable Pillow
- Lifeventure Inflatable Pillow, 12.99 from Lifeventure – buy here
Pros: good size, inflates quickly, price, storage bag
Cons: not comfortable enough for long-term use while away
Rating: 4/5
This travel pillow from Lifeventure is easy to inflate and it deflates in moments, with the amount of air easily adjustable to suit personal preference. It’s a good size for an inflatable pillow and so could be used as a camping pillow, as well as while travelling.
The finish is quite soft to the touch, though if I was using it for long periods I would use a pillowcase over it for extra softness, but perhaps that’s just me.
It can also be used for lumbar support during travel and I’ve also use it to support my lower back while sitting at the computer.
When deflated the travel pillow packs away into a small storage bag which will take up hardly any space in your hand luggage or carry-on.
Material: polyester and TPU bonded fabric, size: 51 x 36 x 10cm, weight: 77g, type: inflatable, style: oblong
READ MORE:
Organic Washable Wool Baby/Travel Pillow
- Organic Washable Wool Baby/Travel Pillow, £71.24 from Woolroom – buy here
Pros: organic fabric and filling, very comfortable, machine washable, great size
Cons: price
Rating: 5/5
This supremely squishy pillow is billed by Woolroom as suitable for babies over a year old and for travel, so it’s a great one to comfort your tired child during a long journey. However, the size is big enough for adults to enjoy too, and I have to say, it is really comfortable. I love it.
The outer casing is made from unbleached 100% organic cotton with a thread count of 200. The stuffing inside is 100% organic British wool.
Usefully, especially where kids are concerned, it’s also machine washable on a wool/delicate cycle.
This travel pillow is endorsed by Allergy UK because it’s naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to house-dust mites, fungus and bacteria. Wool has excellent temperature-regulating properties too, so it keeps you warm when you’re cold and cool when you’re hot.
All wool used in Woolroom products is traceable through the Wool-ID programme back to the individual farms from which it was sourced and the sheep that produce it are kept in quality conditions with high welfare standards.
The pillow also meets the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and is certified by the Soil Association.
Comes in a zip-top carry bag for storage when not in use.
Material: 100% organic cotton outer cover and 100% organic British wool filling, size: 60 x 40cm, type: regular pillow, style: rectangular
Trtl Pillow Original
- Trtl Pillow Original, £39.99 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: Stops your head falling to one side while you sleep, keeps your neck supported and in a neutral position, keeps your neck warm
Cons: a bit fiddly to fit at first
Rating: 4/5
The Trtl pillow took a bit of getting used to as it’s not like any travel pillow I’ve ever used before. I wasn’t convinced I was fitting it correctly at first. But, happily, there are videos on the website that show you what to do.
Once I got the hang of it I found it really comfortable. It looks like a scarf or snood, but it has a hidden support inside that fits to your neck, supporting your head so it doesn’t fall to one side – you know, that awful feeling when you’re just dropping off and your head jerks. With this, you can doze in peace.
You can also pull the fleece scarf up over your eyes if you want to block out the light while you sleep.
It’s lightweight and folds up small (though not tiny because of the inner frame). It’s also washable at 30° – simply remove the support before putting the scarf in the washing machine.
Available in coral, red, black and grey.
Also available for children from eight years old https://uk.trtltravel.com/products/trtl-pillow-junior and in a height-adjustable plus version https://uk.trtltravel.com/products/trtl-pillow-plus
Material: hypoallergenic 100% polyester fleece, filling: 100% polyurethane foam, size: 60 x 40cm, weight: 100g type: snood/scarf, style: neck support
Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow
- Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow, £55 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: easy to put on, comfortable to wear, supports your neck and head, storage case
Cons: price
Rating: 4/5
The Go Neck Pillow is made from high-quality memory foam and is encased in a soft, washable cover.
It’s shaped like a neck collar, providing support for both sides of your neck, so your head won’t loll to one side as you drop off and the support also means your head won’t fall forwards.
I found it easy to fit – it has an adjustable Velcro fastening – and extremely comfortable. It also kept my neck warm which is a bonus because when travelling I often find the aircon too cold, which keeps me awake.
When you’re not using it just roll it up and store it in the accompanying travel pouch. The memory foam squashes down amazingly small and just bounces back into shape when you take it out of the pouch.
The Go is available in four colours: blue reef, deep blue, dark night and midnight grey and if you’re not sure about your purchase Ostrichpillow offers a generous 100-day returns policy.
Sustainability is important to the company and it offsets its carbon dioxide production to achieve carbon neutrality, investing in carbon-offsetting projects around the world. This is a bonus for those of us who also care about the environment.
The Go pillow comes with a two-year warranty.
Material: 95% viscose and 4% elastane cover with a BASF memory foam core, size: 25 x 17 x 7cm, weight: 350g type: collar, style: neck support
Craghoppers Travel Pillow
- Craghoppers Travel Pillow, £7.50 from Craghoppers – buy here
Pros: folds up really small, easy to inflate, comes with own bag, inexpensive
Cons: the edge is a little scratchy against your neck
Rating: 3/5
This nifty little travel pillow inflates easily with no effort – it took just four breaths and it was fully inflated, in fact, I had to let a little of the air out so it wasn’t so tight against my neck, so I reckon three breaths would be enough.
The soft finish is comfortable against your face, as well as supportive when leaning against it.
It deflates in seconds and folds up really small, ready to be stored in the bag that comes with it. Ideal when space is at a premium as it takes up barely any. A bargain currently with 50% off.
Material: polyester, type: inflatable, style: crescent-shaped neck pillow
Vango Foldaway Pillow
- Vango Foldaway Pillow, £10 from Vango – buy here
Pros: price, size, travel bag
Cons: goes flat, the travel bag is attached to the pillow
Rating: 3/5
The Vango is a regular rectangular-shaped pillow that once unfolded is a good size. It doesn’t need inflating and you can use it straight away. I found it soft for lying on, which is my preference for any pillow – but I found it went flat after a while so it’s a little too soft for me.
The cover is finished in soft-feel fabric, but it’s not removable, which is a shame. The fact the storage bag is attached to the pillow is a little weird too – okay it means you won’t lose it, but the orange drawstring with its plastic toggle got in the way a bit.
For travelling in a car, coach or plane you may need to fold it in half for extra support, but for camping, it should be fine, albeit a little soft as mentioned.
Machine washable at 30°C or you could pop it in a pillowcase before first use, that way you only need to wash the pillowcase.
Easy to stuff back into its storage bag.
Material: 100% polyester filling and cover, size: 40 x 30cm, weight: 162g, type: regular pillow, style: rectangular
Snugpak Butterfly Self-Inflating Neck Pillow
- Snugpak Butterfly Self-Inflating Neck Pillow, £27 from Snugpak – buy here
Pros: comfy, comes with storage bag, folds up small
Cons: takes a few attempts to reach optimum inflation level, price, difficult to fit back into storage bag
Rating: 3/5
This is an ingenious idea – a pillow that self-inflates when you take it out of its bag, no breath needed.
When I took it out of its storage bag the Snugpack was flat, but reassuringly thick. The pillow is compressed so you need to open the valve situated on the top left and leave it to inflate – the instructions state it could take several attempts at inflating and deflating before the pillow reaches an inflated state you’re happy with.
Taking that into account it might be better to do this before you want to use it. Though you can boost the inflation level by blowing into the valve.
The butterfly shape supports your head on both sides and I found it really comfortable and supportive for my neck when dozing during a car journey – I imagine it would be the same on a plane. It is too small though to use for lying on.
The finish is soft against your face and the 70D nylon means it should last.
It’s a bit of a faff squeezing it back into its storage bag as I couldn’t seem to squash enough air out of it to get it back to the size it was originally.
Material: polyester, weight: 100g, type: self-inflating, style: butterfly
Hästens Travel Pillow
- Hästens Travel Pillow, £165 from Jones & Tomlin – buy here
Pros: very comfortable, filled with natural fibres, reversible, unzips to form a mini-quilt
Cons: expensive
Rating: 4/5
This luxury travel pillow is filled with 70% duck feathers and 30% duck down. It’s an ideal choice for people who eschew manmade fibres in their pillows at home and want the same standards when they travel.
I really like the fact the pillow is reversible – on one side it’s finished in a blue-check 100% combed cotton percale, while the other side is in a white soft-feel cotton.
What is unique about this travel pillow though is you can unzip it along three sides to double the size, you can then use it as a mini quilt across your knees or along your legs for warmth, for example in the cold air conditioning of the plane.
It’s so comfortable you could use this for sleeping on while you’re on holiday, especially if your hotel pillows leave a lot to be desired.
The feather and down meet European Traumpass standards – they are premium quality, can be traced back to origin and are not sourced from live animals.
Dry clean only.
Material: 100% cotton percale cover, filling: 70% duck features and 30% duck down, size: 39 x 29cm, type: feather pillow, style: rectangular
Where to buy travel pillows in the UK
Travel pillows are available in both high-street stores and online. You can even find them over the summer in some supermarkets alongside other travel accessories.
We found the travel pillows we reviewed at:
You can also find travel pillows at:
How much do travel pillows cost?
Travel pillows range in price from cheap travel pillows to luxury travel pillows. They can cost just a few pounds, but equally, you could pay over £100 at the top end of the scale.
Inflatable travel pillows are usually the most inexpensive and are suitable for single trips or camping; mid-range pillows – those around the £40 level – generally offer more support to your neck and head, and they should last for years.
Materials also affect price. For example, memory foam, duck down and wool will cost more.
The pillows reviewed here cost from £7.50 – £165.