9 best anti-allergy and hypoallergenic pillows for a good night’s sleep

This is the next best thing to sleeping on a pillow slept on by the queen, because Dorma, which started producing bedlinen 100 years ago in 1921, has a royal warrant. But it’s a brand which has clearly moved with the times, because this particular polyester-filled pillow has an anti-mite treatment, although the feature we loved the most is the simplest – a label which lists the date it was made and which has space on which we can write the date of purchase. It’s springy but has a reassuring weightiness which provided just the right amount of support.

We tested this pillow on a night when the pollen count was through the roof, so the last thing we wanted was more allergens. Luckily, this pillow was more than up to the task in hand, providing a great night of sniffle-free sleep and cushioning our head with a fantastic level of support while still having a certain level of mouldability – as our head sank into it, we could feel the filling shifting into place.

It’s Oeko-Tex certified, which means no chemical nasties were added during the production process, and the filling is Tencel – fine fibres made from plant pulp and which are known for the ability to aid air circulation.

All too often manufacturers make claims relating to anti-allergy statuses without the hard facts to back them up. Not so with this Danish delight, which has had an anti-mite treatment applied to keep microscopic nasties at bay. It’s ideal for back sleepers – if you’re a side sleeper prone to pillow hugging, this probably isn’t the best option, simply because there’s not a huge amount of give.

That said, despite the fact that there’s a lot of stuffing (polyester fibre down, to be precise) packed into this pillow, it’s got a certain springiness that still cranked up the comfort while helping to keep our neck and back straight.

This British-made, polyester-filled pillow, which has the seal of approval from the British Allergy Foundation, is another one with a treatment designed to ward off dust mites, and it’s machine washable. The tightly woven (but surprisingly soft) microfibre cover will help fend off dust mites, too.

As back sleepers, we loved the firmness which held our head in place although unusually, it’s also got a certain amount of give, which means side sleepers – who tend to be pillow huggers prone to wrapping their arms around their pillows – will love it, too.

We love a good pun at Indybest so we were instantly wooed by the slogan on the side of this two-pack of polyester-filled pillows: “quality not to be sneezed at.” It’s another pillow with an allergy-related seal of approval (this time from Allergy UK) and has a treatment that doesn’t just inhibit the growth of dust mites, but fungus, too.

It’s a great balance of firm support with plenty of bend – pillow huggers will find it easy to wrap their arms around this dream machine.

We were sceptical about a pillow filled with wool until we realised it was the super soft merino kind (hence the slightly higher price tag). It’s an incredibly comfortable pillow which has a certain amount of give – something which will appeal to side sleepers and pillow huggers – along with a springiness which helped support our neck, head and shoulders.

Bonus points for Piglet’s “thank you for shopping with us” card, which comes adorned with a photo of a ridiculously cute piglet.

This is another pillow with an unusual stuffing – in this case, silk floss, which is great for anyone prone to allergies. It’s got a surprising weightiness and retains its shape well, providing brilliant support with an (unexpected) almost gel-like mouldability. Allergy sufferers will also be pleased to see that it’s got OEKO-TEX certification, which guarantees that no harmful substances were used in its production.

This is a true feel-good pillow – it comes with a pillow care guide and sleep tips, and Aeyla makes a donation to a mental health charity for every pillow sold.  It’s got a rather unusual design and is basically a pillow in a pillow – a smaller supportive pillow inside a larger, fluffier one (think of it as an extra-thick pillowcase).

It’s an odd concept but one which works, and which pairs sink-in softness with great support. We loved the reinforced edges, which help the pillow retain its shape. It’s another pillow with the OEKO-TEX certification, and the dual pillow design makes it harder to dust mites to penetrate.

We were imagining something ridiculously-hi tech when we read that this pillow, which has been treated to inhibit dust mites, was adjustable, but in reality, it’s pretty simple: four thin pillows inside a super soft case. The idea is that you remove one (or more) of the interior pillows depending on the level of firmness required, and there’s no denying that doing this is a much preferable alternative to swapping pillows around (and let’s face it, how many people own a wide enough range of pillows to do so?).

But it’s a concept which works – the pillows are easy to slip in and out, and mesh panels allow air to circulate. We plumped for three inner pillows to begin with, but their surprising firmness meant we later reduced this to two – and enjoyed one of the best night’s sleep we’ve had in a long, long time.