The Best Feather Pillows

• Best overall feather pillow: Down & Feather Company The Original Feather Pillow
• Best feather and down pillow: Queen Anne Bedroom Company The Duchess Pillow
• Best budget feather pillow: Ikea LUNDTRAV Pillow
• Best firm feather pillow: The Company Store Firmest Feather and Down Pillow
• Best organic feather pillow: Down & Feather Company Natural Nights Classic Feather Pillow
• Best feather body pillow: Canadian Down & Feather Company Quilted White Goose Feather Body Pillow

Since we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, choosing a high quality pillow on which to rest our heads (and sometimes bodies) is essential.

While there isn’t concrete research on exactly how long pillows last, or how often you should switch them out, it’s safe to say a good feather pillow can last for 5 to 10 years with proper care. So, even though pillows can be pricey, consider them an investment.

If you’re ready to purchase a feather pillow, we rounded up six of the best ones for you to consider.

We looked for pillows that were:

• Highly rated. We read many customer reviews and used their input to determine the best feather pillows. We also considered comments about each company’s customer service.
• Mostly feather. Each pillow on our list is mostly or completely filled with feathers rather than down, which has a totally different feel.
• Ethically made. This roundup includes pillows that are made with Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified feathers. RDS certified feathers don’t come from live-plucked or force-fed birds.

Pricing guide

• $ = under $60
• $$ = $60–$130
• $$$ = over $130

Best overall feather pillow

Down & Feather Company The Original Feather Pillow

• Price: $$–$$$
• Sizes: standard, queen, king, Euro 26 x 26
• Firmness: soft, medium, firm, extra firm

The Original Feather Pillow from Down & Feather Company is our best overall feather pillow because of the wide range of firmness levels and sizes. Filled with 100 percent Hungarian goose feathers, these pillows are certified by RDS and made in the United States. Each pillow is made to order.

Reviewers love these pillows, as well as the excellent customer service provided by the Down & Feather Company. Many reviews mention that sleeping on these pillows meant waking up with no neck pain, while others say they wished that the fabric was thicker.

The Down & Feather Company recommends purchasing a pillow protector to help your pillow last longer. They also suggest only spot-cleaning the pillows in order to preserve the natural oils of the feathers.

Best feather and down pillow

Queen Anne Bedroom Company The Duchess Pillow

• Price: $$
• Sizes: standard, queen, king
• Firmness: soft, medium, firm

The Duchess Pillow from Queen Anne Bedroom Company is a blend of goose and duck feathers and down: 75 percent feather and 25 percent down. The cover is 100 percent cotton, yet it’s thick enough to prevent feather quills poking through. The pillows are dry-clean only.

According to reviewers, the Duchess pillow is the perfect firmness for those who love the softness of down pillows but don’t want to sink into their pillows completely. However, some warn that the pillow does require regular fluffing in order to maintain its firmness night after night.

Many reviewers mention having arthritis and other neck pain that seemed to be helped by sleeping on this pillow. They also report that it’s odor-free.

According to the brand, they source their down and feathers ethically and follow RDS guidelines.

Best budget feather pillow

Ikea LUNDTRAV Pillow

• Price: $
• Sizes: queen
• Firmness: firm

For less than $20, the Ikea LUNDTRAV pillow offers a feather pillow beyond the expectations of most. It’s made from 90 percent duck feathers and 10 percent duck down, and it has a 100 percent cotton cover.

The cotton is guaranteed to be from sustainable sources, meaning it’s either recycled or produced with less water and soil. IKEA also says their duck down is ethically sourced.

The LUNDTRAV is machine washable with extra hot water and a small amount of detergent.

This pillow is “unbelievable for this price,” according to several reviewers who love the fact that they could afford a feather pillow. Others, however, feel that the cover was too flimsy. Some customers recommend sleeping on two LUNDTRAV pillows for more support.

Customer service responded to negative reviews promptly in order to remedy any issues.

Best firm feather pillow

The Company Store Firmest Feather and Down Pillow

• Price: $
• Sizes: standard, queen, king
• Firmness: firm

The Firmest Feather and Down Pillow from The Company Store is made of 95 percent feathers and 5 percent down inside a 200 thread count cotton cover. All The Company Store’s feather pillows are RDS certified, so you can rest easy knowing that the feathers are ethically sourced.

The Company Store’s lifetime guarantee means that the pillow can be returned at any time for any reason in exchange for merchandise credit or a replacement pillow. But the company is confident you won’t need to.

Reviewers love how the pillow is firm but still has a softness to it. These pillows are a budget-friendly yet quality product that lasts a long time.

Best organic feather pillow

Down & Feather Company Natural Nights Classic Feather Pillow

• Price: $$$
• Sizes: standard, queen, king
• Firmness: soft, medium, firm, extra firm

Made of 75 percent Hungarian goose feathers and 25 percent Hungarian goose down, the Natural Nights Classic Feather Pillow comes in a wide variety of sizes and firmness levels.

It also comes with an unbleached, long-staple Egyptian cotton cover and is certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard. No pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, ammonia, chlorine compounds, or optical brighteners were involved in the creation of these pillows.

They’re definitely an investment at the highest price point, but Down & Feather Company provides quality products to last for years. Like other Down & Feather Company pillows, this pillow can only be spot-cleaned, and a separate pillow protector is encouraged.

Perhaps the greatest compliment paid to these pillows by reviewers is that they make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. Considering the restful night’s sleep they provide, most customers say they were far more refreshed after sleeping on these pillows.

Best feather body pillow

Canadian Down & Feather Company Quilted White Goose Feather Body Pillow

• Price: $$
• Sizes: 20 inches x 48 inches and 20 inches x 60 inches
• Firmness: medium

Many side sleepers enjoy the support of a body pillow in addition to the typical pillow that cradles the head.

The Quilted White Goose Feather Body Pillow by the Canadian Down & Feather Company is stuffed in Canada with RDS certified goose feathers. To clean it, you’ll need to have it professionally washed or dry-cleaned.

Reviewers love the firmness of this body pillow. Customer service also appears to be positive: One unhappy reviewer was able to return her body pillow seamlessly, while another reviewer who complained about feathers poking them was assured by customer service that this was a production error and that it would be covered by the warranty.

While both feather and down pillows are stuffed with material plucked from geese, ducks, or swans, down and feathers are two different things. Down is the fluffy covering of the animal’s chest and underbelly, while feathers have quills and come from the animal’s wings and back.

Since down pillows are made from the quill-less, soft material from the bird, they require a lot more stuffing in order to avoid going completely flat. If a down pillow is sufficiently filled, it should spring back a bit when you touch it. Sleeping on a down pillow should feel like sleeping on a cloud, so they’re best for sleepers who prefer a softer pillow.

Feather pillows can compress over time because of how feathers tend to flatten and line up, so it may be necessary to fluff them from time to time to redistribute the fill. They’re good pillows for back sleepers, or for side sleepers who like to cuddle their pillow.

Here’s what to consider as you shop for your new pillow.

Pillow covering

When shopping for a feather pillow, pay attention to the thread count of the pillow covering. Feather quills will have an easier time poking through a more loosely woven fabric.

Firmness

Firmness is determined by the amount of feathers or down within each pillow. The more feathers, the firmer the sleeping surface. If you prefer a softer pillow or sleep on your stomach, opt for a lower fill level. If you prefer a firmer pillow or sleep on your back or side, go for a more densely packed pillow.

Fill

Some pillows are made entirely of feathers, plucked from the backs and wings of ducks, swans, or geese, while others are a blend of feathers and down, the soft, cotton candy-like poof that comes from a bird’s chest and underbelly.

Purely feather pillows don’t last as long as purely down pillows, which are considerably more pricey. But fully down pillows aren’t ideal for sleepers who run hot, as they retain heat much more than their feather counterparts.

Loft

Loft is the height of a pillow.

Back sleepers usually prefer a medium loft, while side sleepers like a higher loft to fit the space between their shoulder and head. The broadness of your shoulders will also factor into your decision, since broader shoulders means more space between the head and shoulder.

Stomach sleepers tend to need a lower loft, as a higher loft pillow could cause neck strain.

Price

While there’s a wide range of price points for feather pillows, higher quality pillows made from certified feathers with higher thread count casing can run almost $100 for standard-size pillows.

Certifications

The main concern surrounding feather pillow certification is the humane harvesting of both feathers and down. The three main ethical certifications for down and feathers are:

• Responsible Down Standard (RDS). This is the most common standard that applies to down and feather pillows.
• Downpass. Downpass is a Germany-based certification that does certify some American products.
• Global Traceable Down Standard (GTDS). GTDS certifies apparel, as well as some household and commercial products.

In order to be RDS certified, the down and feathers must come from birds that aren’t force fed or plucked live. The birds must also be treated per the Five Freedoms of animal welfare:

• freedom from hunger and thirst
• freedom from discomfort
• freedom from pain, injury, or disease
• the ability to express normal and natural behavior
• freedom from fear and distress

Always keep a separate, clean pillow case over your feather pillows, and change this weekly.

Some feather pillows can be washed in your washing machine at home. Others are dry-clean only.

If you wash your pillow in a washing machine, use a gentle detergent. Wash two pillows together if possible to keep the spin cycle balanced. Use the extra rinse and highest speed spin to get out all the soap and excess water before putting your pillows in the dryer.

Drying your pillows thoroughly is critical. It may take more than one cycle, but doing so is well worth the effort. Not drying them all the way can encourage mold growth, which will ruin your pillows. This may take more than one cycle.

If you’re prone to allergies, adding an allergen protector to your feather pillow can help alleviate any reactions.

Feather pillows are pricey, but they’re also a good investment that can help improve your sleep. They’re easy to care for, last longer than their synthetic alternatives, and can be enjoyed by many sleepers.