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Down is, of course, the most classic pillow fill, known for its plush, “luxury hotel” feel. While sleeping on a down pillow sounds wonderful — what could be better than resting your head on an airy mound of fluffy feathers? — there are some key factors to consider when buying one, most notably firmness and your preferred sleep position.
Because down is a much softer material than memory foam or even some down-alternative fiber fills, it tends to compress a lot beneath the weight of your head and neck. I’ve tested dozens of pillows, and while I love the cushiony feel of down, it doesn’t always provide enough neck support for a back and side sleeper like me. So it’s important to make sure your down pillow isn’t too soft relative to how you usually sleep. But on the flip side, the soft compression of down can be great for stomach sleepers, who need a softer pillow that won’t push their head and neck up too high.
Down pillows can also get pretty expensive, running anywhere from $50 to over $300, depending on the percentage of down fill versus other materials, the size and firmness of the pillow (more fill equals a higher price tag), and whether or not the down is ethically sourced. To write this guide to the best down pillows, I sought out a mix of options that could provide the right combination of plushness and support, at a reasonable price. I’ve also tested many of the pillows myself, paying close attention to how soft or firm they feel and how much they support my head as I move around.
I also included a few down-alternative pillows, which provide the feeling of down without the animal product. If you’re looking for other types of pillows or want a pillow with a lot of neck support, we also have guides to the best pillows of all types and the best pillows for neck pain.
What we’re looking for
Fill power
Pillows filled with other materials like memory foam, poly fiber, and latex have generalized measurements to determine their loft, a.k.a. the height or thickness of the pillow (whenever a brand provides a loft measurement, it’s usually the distance, in inches, from the top of the pillow to the top of your mattress). For down pillows, the fill power correlates to the loft of the pillow, and you can use the fill power to judge the quality of the pillow. Manufacturers come up with the fill-power number by measuring the cubic inches of loft that one ounce of down fill produces. Basically, the higher the fill power number, the loftier the pillow will be — with a higher price tag to match. The standard fill power is around 500 to 600. Above that fill power, you are entering deluxe pillow territory.
Goose versus duck
Many pillows are filled exclusively with goose down or duck down, and the main difference between the two is that goose down has higher fill power. Goose-down pillows tend to be loftier and hold their voluminous shape for longer, while duck-down pillows are on the denser, thinner side (though still soft). That makes duck-down pillows best for stomach and back sleepers since that position can be tough on your neck, explains Dr. Janet Kennedy, clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor. Because goose-down is fluffier and has a greater fill power, goose-down pillows are more expensive than duck-down pillows.
Fill composition
You’ll notice that a few of the pillows below contain a blend of duck or goose feathers and down material, while some are filled with only down material. What your down pillow is filled with will affect the price as well as the overall feel and support of the pillow. Pillows that are 100 percent down cost more and feel particularly lush and soft. When feathers are mixed in, the pillow price and firmness can vary, making them a good choice for those who want a more affordable or more supportive option.
Fill ratio
The fill ratio provides a more specific breakdown of the fill composition, giving you an idea of how soft or firm a pillow may be. Some pillows on our list have a 95-to-5 down-to-feather ratio, meaning they are mostly filled with fluffy down. Others have a 60-to-40 feather-to-down ratio, meaning the pillow is on the firmer side and the fluff adds a smaller amount of loft and cushion.
Ethical down certifications
Ideally, any company making down products will adhere to the Responsible Down Standard, which aims to “ensure to the highest possible extent that down and feathers do not come from animals in a supply chain that have been subjected to any unnecessary harm,” or the International Down Standard, which aims to “verify that down and feather products are ethically sourced” and has fixed requirements around each link in the supply chain (including traceability, no live plucking, and no force-feeding, with minimum standards for animal and human welfare). Brands and products that meet these standards can display the RDS or IDS seal, respectively.
Another strong certification to look for is the Global Traceable Down Standard, which ensures that animals have access to the Five Freedoms of animal welfare. Outside these three, there are other certifications you might see on down products that focus more on authenticity and may have limited ethical requirements.
Care instructions
Unlike memory-foam pillows that aren’t usually washing-machine friendly, down pillows are sometimes okay to toss in the washer and dryer. I’ve listed the care instructions for each pillow below.
Best down pillow overall
Fill power: 750 | Fill ratio and type: 85-to-15 percent European white duck down to down and feather fibers | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: RDS certified
$130 (and up, depending on which firmness level you buy) is a lot to spend on a pillow, yes, but the Parachute Down Pillow is worth it. To get a little in the weeds: It’s filled with a mix of European duck and goose down with a fill power of 750 and a fill ratio of 85 percent down to 15 percent down and feather fibers. That high ratio of down to feathers, as well as the higher fill power, makes it extra plush, light, and airy. The sateen-cotton cover is smooth and breathable, and the double-stitched piping along the edges gives it an extra layer of durability. Plus, the pillow is RDS-certified (meaning its feathers were plucked ethically). It really is a good deal for what it is, considering just how expensive down pillows can get.
The pillow comes in three firmness levels (soft, medium, and firm) and two sizes (standard and king). Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen tested the medium firm and liked that while it supported her head and neck, it still felt super-plush. It was easy to scrunch and mold the pillow exactly how she liked it, and compared to other down pillows she’s tried, Goertzen says this one more reliably bounces back to its original shape after being compressed, so she doesn’t have to fluff it all the time. The pillow can be dry-cleaned or machine-washed on a delicate setting and tumble-dried on low with wool dryer balls to help it retain its shape.
Best (less expensive) down pillow
Fill power: Fill power not listed | Fill ratio and type: 85-to-15 percent gray goose feathers to gray goose down | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: RDS certified
The price of down pillows can shift quite a bit depending on the fill composition and fill ratio, but feather blends tend to be cheaper. This set of two down pillows by Puredown is filled with a blend of 85 percent gray-goose feathers and 15 percent gray-goose down; the result being that they are medium firm. When I tested the pillows myself, they definitely delivered more neck support than other down pillows I’ve tried, which means you won’t have to worry about neck strain — a common issue with down pillows. The tradeoff is that these pillows don’t have as much of the plush, marshmallow-y feel I expect from down. But these are a great “starter down pillow” if you like a firmer feel, you’re a side sleeper who needs extra neck support, or if you haven’t tried down pillows before and are looking to test the waters. There are three sizes to choose from — standard, queen, and king — and the pillows can be washed on a delicate cycle and tumble-dried on low.
Best down pillow for neck support
Fill power: 600 | Fill ratio and type: 100 percent down clusters for plush; 30-to-70 percent down to feathers for mid-plush; 14-to-86 percent down to feathers for firm | Care instructions: Spot clean recommended, dry clean if needed | Certifications: DOWNMARK certified
Brooklinen’s Down pillow comes in three firmness options — plush, mid-plush, and firm. The plush version is filled solely with down clusters for the ultimate soft and cushiony feel, while the mid-plush and firm versions have a denser, firmer core of feathers at the center of the pillow, surrounded by down.
I tested the mid-plush model and was impressed with how the cushy down enveloped my head and neck, while the feather core provided some neck support. As a back-side combination sleeper, I felt it provided enough neck support when I was lying on my back, but I could have used a firmer feel on my side; the firm option might be better for side sleepers. If you love plush and squishy hotel pillows but wish they had a smidge more neck support, the Brooklinen Down could be a match for you. Plus, at just over $100 at full price, it’s among the more affordable, high-quality down pillows I’ve tested.
It’s worth noting that Brooklinen’s pillow has the DOWNMARK certification — this is a Canadian quality-assurance certification. DOWNMARK does enforce certain ethical standards, such as forbidding live plucking and foie gras down (raising ducks for foie gras involves force-feeding the birds, a controversial practice that many animal-rights advocates consider unethical). However, DOWNMARK’s stated purpose is to ensure quality and certify genuine down; it is not an ethics-focused certification, first and foremost.
Best (runner-up) down pillow for neck support
Fill power: 650 to 700 | Fill ratio and type: Ratio not listed, farm-raised duck-down and feathers | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: IDS certified
Filled with triple-washed, farm-raised duck down and feathers, the Boll & Branch down pillow is not only a comfortable and well-priced pillow, it stands out for its transparent and ethical down sourcing. Similar to the Brooklinen Down pillow, Boll & Branch’s comes in three firmness options — soft, medium, and firm — with a varied down-to-feather ratio. The soft version is only filled with down, while the medium and firm versions have feathers in a middle chamber and down in the outer chambers, to create a firmer feel and provide more support while still feeling plush.
I tested the medium version of the Boll & Branch Down Chamber pillow and had a similar experience as with the mid-plush Brooklinen Down pillow. The Boll & Branch pillow has the plush, cloudlike feel that down is known for, but I liked how I still got some neck support from the feather core. I also found this pillow worked well for back sleeping — it provided the right level of support to keep my neck neutral. I think the soft and firm versions would be better for stomach and side sleepers, respectively.
I ended up ranking Brooklinen’s a bit higher because of the lower price point. However, it is worth noting that the Boll & Branch pillow has an IDS certification, which is a high certification for ethical standards, versus Brooklinen’s DOWNMARK certification, which focuses more on quality assurance.
Best all-goose down pillow
Fill power: 650 | Fill ratio and type: 80-to-20 percent European white goose down to feathers | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: Down sourcing standards not listed
Goose-down clusters tend to be fluffier and loftier than duck-down clusters, making goose down the more luxurious (and expensive) pillow-fill type. These down pillows by Kassatex are exceptionally lofty, making them a solid choice for back and side sleepers, who need more height in a pillow to keep their head aligned with their neck and spine. Featuring a fill power of 650 with European white goose down, these fluffy pillows are encased in a 350-thread-count cotton shell. They are machine washable and dryer-friendly, and you can choose from three density levels (firm, medium, and soft) and two sizes (king and standard).
Best down-alternative pillow
Fill power: N/A | Fill ratio and type: Down-alternative polyester fiber fill | Care instructions: Spot clean or dry clean only | Certifications: N/A
If you are vegan, have allergies, or simply don’t like the idea of using pillows that contain animal products, a down-alternative pillow like this one from Brooklinen can deliver all of the softness of a down pillow, feather- and down-free. Filled with recycled polyester-fiber fill, the pillow re-creates the fluffiness that down pillows are known for. Former Strategist writer Latifah Miles slept on this pillow intermittently for about nine months and found it to be very soft — however, she liked it best when paired with a firmer pillow. It isn’t especially supportive, but when coupled with a good pillow underneath it for neck support, it provides just the right level of cushion. It may also be good for stomach sleepers who need a lower-loft pillow.
Best cooling down-alternative pillow
Fill power: N/A | Fill ratio and type: Down-alternative fiber fill | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: N/A
Slumber Cloud’s vegan-friendly down-alternative pillow is on the firmer side when compared to real down, but still offers a lot of the plushness that down fans love. It also features the brand’s Outlast cooling cotton cover, which contains a phase change material intended to regulate your temperature while lying on the pillow.
The pillow is available in two sizes, king and standard, and two fill densities, soft/medium and medium/firm. When Miles tested the medium/firm version, she said its puffy, overstuffed shape surprised her at first, as most of the down pillows she’d slept on were squishier, with a lower loft. However, she found Sluber Cloud’s hefty puffiness nicely cradled her head and the pillow didn’t go flat.
Without a pillowcase, there is a noticeable coolness to the pillow’s cover. When Miles laid her hand on the Slumber Core versus the Parachute down pillow to compare their surface temperatures, her hand felt cooler on the Slumber Core. While she slept, she says she didn’t feel a blast of coolness, but didn’t wake up sweating or overheated either. I’ve tested other pillows coated with Outlast and had a similar experience as Miles — it is noticeably cool but doesn’t feel like sleeping on an ice cube.
Best hybrid down-and-feather pillow
Fill power: 550 | Fill ratio and type: 95-to-5 feather to down inner core with 100 percent down outer layers | Care instructions: Not listed | Certifications: RDS certified
One hundred percent down pillows can be too soft for some people. This Helix down-and-feather blend pillow has some extra firmness and support thanks to a core filled with a sturdier down-and-feather blend, giving it a high loft of six to eight inches. It has a three-chamber construction, similar to the Brooklinen and Boll & Branch pillows above (which use a feather core for their medium and firm densities); the center chamber has a supportive 95-to-5 percent down-to-feather ratio, while the two outermost chambers are filled with 100 percent down. It comes in two sizes, standard and king.
Best gusseted down pillow
Fill power: 450 inner chambers and 650 in outer chambers | Fill ratio and type: 60-to-40 white duck down to feather inner core with 80-to-20 white duck down to feather outer cambers | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: RDS certified
A gusseted pillow has an extra panel of fabric sewn around the perimeter of the cover, creating a boxy, squared-off shape; this construction can make a pillow feel more supportive and gives it a consistent loft across the whole surface of the pillow. The Casper down pillow has a two-inch gusset, as well as a five-chamber construction that is filled with feathers and white duck down. The outer chambers have an 80-to-20 down-to-feather ratio for a plush feel, and the inner chambers have a 60-to-40 down-to-feather ratio to provide more structured support and pressure relief for your head and neck.
Goertzen tested this pillow and found that, even with a slightly puffed middle, the pillow’s down fill dispersed quite a bit, resulting in a lower loft while she slept than when she first lay down. And while the Casper Down Pillow is flatter compared to the brand’s microfiber-filled Original Pillow — which Goertzen has slept on for years — Goertzen says the lower loft of the Down Pillow works well for stomach sleepers like her because there’s less chance of waking up with a sore neck due to an upward tilt of your head. She also found that it was easy to bunch up the pillow for more support, if needed. The pillow is available in standard and king sizes, and it’s safe to put in the washing machine and dryer.
Best down pillow for side sleepers
Fill power: 750 | Fill ratio and type: 85-to-15 percent European white duck and goose down clusters to down and feather fibers | Care instructions: Machine washable | Certifications: RDS certified
Intentionally designed for side sleepers, this version of the Parachute down pillow has a 3.5-inch gusset with reinforced piping for more structure. Filled with an 85-to-15 percent ratio of European white-goose and duck-down clusters to down and feather fibers, the pillow’s feel is light and airy, though it is generously stuffed.
When Miles slept on this pillow, the wider-than-usual gusset was a standout feature. Instead of compressing under the weight of her head, the pillow kept its lofty, boxy shape; this made the pillow more supportive for side sleeping than she expected. Throughout the night, she found her head didn’t sink in very much, so she didn’t have to mold or reshape the pillow to get enough support.
Unlike the standard Parachute down pillow, this one isn’t available in different densities and since it is quite lofty, I’d opt for our top-pick standard version if you sleep mostly on your back or stomach.
Some more Strategist-approved bedding to complete your bedroom upgrade
Our experts
• Dr. Dennis Colonello, chiropractor at Peak Wellness
• Brenley Goertzen, Strategist writer
• Dr. Janet Kennedy, clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor
• Latifah Miles, former Strategist writer
• JD Velilla, founder of Designing Sleep and former head of sleep experience for Tuft & Needle
Additional reporting by Latifah Miles and Brenley Goertzen
Update on May 31, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
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