The 4 best down pillows in 2021

The smart pillow-in-pillow design of the Pacific Coast Double Down Around King Pillow Set gives you a mix of support and comfort with high-quality duck down and feathers.

Pros: Pillow-in-pillow design has a good mix of support and comfort, offers good support no matter the sleeping position, good hypoallergenic properties

Cons: May not quite match pillows you'll find in luxury hotels

If one of your complaints about down pillows is the lack of support, the Pacific Coast Double Down Around Pillow has an interesting design to solve that problem.

The Pacific Coast down pillow has an inner core of feathers with a down filling around it. It consists of all-natural duck down and feathers in a design that is almost like a pillow inside a pillow. The inner core gives you a nice level of support while sleeping, and the down filling gives you a great level of comfort.

Pacific Coast describes the pillow as medium support, so it should work well for most sleepers. You get two pillows in the set, and each one has a fill power of 550. The pillows are machine washable and hypoallergenic.

Pacific Coast also offers a 30-day guarantee, so if you dislike the pillow for any reason, you can return it and get your money back.

Filled with 75% down and 25% feathers, the Royal Hotel Down Pillow has a ton of firm support.

Pros: High ratio of down to feathers, firm, comfortable support 

Cons: Only sold by the pair 

Some down pillows are stuffed mostly with feathers that aren't as soft or bouncy as down — and you run the risk of being poked by a stray quill. The Royal Hotel Down Pillow is filled with 75% down and 25% feather, so you'll enjoy a luxuriously comfortable night of sleep.

Royal Hotel doesn't skimp on the down either. With 750 fill power and 42-ounce fill weight for a Standard or Queen pillow, and 52 ounces for a King, you're getting lots of comfort that's neither too soft nor firm. Plus, the down is sanitized to remove allergens, so you can enjoy the pillow even if you're usually allergic. The cover of the pillow is 100% cotton, with a 500-thread count, so it's soft and smooth, but strong enough to contain the down.

To keep the pillow in the best shape, fluff them every so often for the highest loft and dry clean only.

For down pillows, the price is actually quite reasonable, but Royal Hotel only sells the pillows by the pair, making it a more expensive purchase overall. — Michelle Ullman

The 100% goose down in the Continental Bedding Premium White Goose Down Pillow gives it a feeling of luxury that justifies its cost.

Pros: Extra comfort from goose down, uses an all-cotton pillow cover for breathability

Cons: Not as flexible as some down pillows, may compress too flat  

While price doesn't always equate to quality, the higher cost associated with the Continental Bedding Premium White Goose Down Pillow is justified in its soft, fluffy comfort.

With 100% goose down instead of a mix of down and feathers or duck down, you get a softer and fluffier pillow with a high level of comfort that's justified. It has a 550 fill power so it's pretty supportive, and the pillow is hypoallergenic.

This also has among the widest range of pillows we've seen for down pillows and comes in Standard, Queen, and King sizes with Soft or Firm variations of each. You can also buy a single pillow or a set of two.

The Puredown Natural Goose Down and Feather Pillow has a mix of feathers and down, and doesn't sacrifice comfort.

Pros: Includes pillow cover for comfort and breathability, very soft and comfortable 

Cons: Compresses too much for some people, higher percentage of feathers than down

If your eyes are widening at high prices you see for most down pillows, you'll appreciate the price tag on the Puredown Natural Goose Down and Feather Pillow, which gives you two down pillows for the price you'd normally pay for one.

These Puredown pillows include goose down and feathers, which typically carries a higher price tag than duck down and feathers. But the pillows are filled with 95% feathers and just 5% down, which explains the lower-than-usual price. They're soft but may compress too much under pressure, not giving sleepers the support they need. If you like firmer pillows, these may not be the ones for you. But for someone who might be experimenting with down pillows without the full investment, this is a financially smart choice. 

Puredown follows the Responsible Down Standard when it selects the down and feathers used in its pillows. These pillows have 32 ounces of down and feathers for medium support.

The 100% cotton, 233 thread count cover keeps the pillow comfortable and breathable while also protecting it from wear. The cover is durable and prevents feathers from leaking out.

What type of down pillow should I buy?

Here are the most common types of down in pillows:

• Duck down is the least expensive type of down pillow. Duck down gives you a nice cushioning, but it does sometimes have an odor to it.
• Goose down costs more than duck down, but it's higher quality. Goose down tends to retain heat better than duck down, too, which is nice for cold nights. If you're someone who sleepts hot, you may want to reconsider and go with duck down.
• Eider down is easily the most expensive style of down used in pillows, as it comes exclusively from the eider duck. It's incredibly soft and comfortable, but you'll have to hunt quite a bit to find this type of pillow.

What is down?

Down is the soft, protective covering on a bird around the chest and underbelly, and usually comes from a duck or goose. Most pillows will consist of a mix of down and feathers for comfort, support, and breathability — percentages of 50%, 75%, and 95% down are common, and the higher the down, the softer a pillow will be.

What is fill power?

Fill power measures the loft of the down, or how much it rises when not compressed by an outside force such as your head or hands. This gives you a clue as to the durability of a pillow, as well as its ability to retain its shape. Fill powers of 700 and higher are the best quality because they retain their shape longer, though 550 fill power is the most common for medium down pillows.

Fill weight is how much down is physically packed into the pillow. The higher the fill weight, the firmer the resulting pillow. It's important not to confuse fill power with fill weight. A 700 fill power pillow will not be firmer than a 550 fill power pillow with the same fill weight, but it will be more durable. On the other hand, a pillow with a 32-ounce fill weight will be much firmer than a pillow with a 16-ounce fill weight, even if they both use 550 fill power down.

How can I clean a down pillow?

Caring for your down pillow depends on the manufacturer's instruction. Some down pillows are machine washable, which is convenient, while others must be dry cleaned or only may be spot cleaned. Some have removable covers that can be washed, while other covers cannot be removed. Be sure to check the care and maintenance before you purchase.

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