The Best Body Pillows, Because You're Baby

Not to get weird, but the vows are “to have and to hold” for a reason. And that reason has been proven, time and time again, by the vendors of QVC: You must see, and you must touch. You must hold, and be held in rapture by the items you surround yourself with. This is true of lovers, frenemies, and weighted blankets. Most of all, it is true of a great body pillow. 

But hold my Thera Cane, kid, because I have a bone to pick with the pillow pushers of the sleep industry. Who did the cuddle pillow so dirty? They never get the sexy marketing attention of a Casper mattress (remember the Venice Beach pop-up art installation?) despite being the backbone of so many literal human backbones come bedtime. Studies have shown that a “huggable communication medium,” otherwise known as a body pillow, actually decreases cortisol levels to bring people both physical and mental relaxation. They bring softness, comfort, and the illusion of proximity to another human pulse when the Sunday Scaries come. They do the work. And as anyone who has seen the elaborate, frilly pillow Tetris situation on the bed in Dolly Parton’s 1980s Manhattan apartment knows, pillows must bring equal parts comfort and ambiance—something that is sometimes easier said than done with body pillows, which are definitely a storage commitment. So we’ve included a variety for you to choose from, be it a first-timers foray into a plushy noodle; a U-shaped situation to make you feel as if you’ve crawled back in the womb; dense pillows to anchor your dreams; or novelty pillows to make your lover go, huh. 

We would like to be smothered in the fluff, from dawn ‘til dusk. So here’s your guide to picking out the best body pillow, from the ones that have received glowing reviews online to the cuddle pillows we’ve personally been triangle-choking like an MMA champ.

OK, so you’re new here. If you want to test what it’s like to sleep with some extra fluff and/or a feather-stuffed noodle by your side, try out a simple roll pillow (great for placing under necks, backs, and legs, or to cling to like a massive Tootsie Roll). If you’re ready to get right into the long boi pillows, however, Cosybay’s pillow is just over $20 and doesn’t require you to buy a cover separately. (Although, check out Parachute’s body pillow covers, which come in a bunch of earthy, millennial shades.) 

This highly-rated body pillow is 10% off right now on Amazon, and comes with its very own pillow cover. As one reviewer writes, “[It] has a great combination of malleability and density. I can squish it down to fit comfortably between my legs and in between my arms.”

Time to get back inside the womb, or the closest thing to it. Maybe you also have a wee babe growing inside of you, or maybe you just want to feel cradled by a U- or squiggle-shaped pillow that wraps around the contours of your body like a trail of fluffy sausage links or a perky sunflower.

You did not come here to play. You will be requiring the density of a brick of talc, and for that the Snuggle-Pedic memory foam pillow is perfection. True to the experience of sleeping with a boo, one reviewer describes repositioning it as, “akin to moving an unconscious Great Dane around on your bed.” Here for it. If you’re also in the market from new sheets with that firm pillow, head over to Buffy. Few are slinging sleep goods with as much savoir faire as those dudes, from their cooling linen sheet sets to their fluffy-firm body pillows.

You may have heard whispers of Brooklinen’s latest in-house pillow brand, Marlow, whose namesake product is a pillow as dense and comforting as a Irish soda bread, and offers varying, adjustable levels of firmness with its built-in zippers.

"After just seconds, I could instantly understand why the Scrumptious Side Sleeper is by far Honeydew's most popular pillow,” wrote Angel Kilmeister in their review of the cult-fave body pillow by Honydew, “I've been in a relationship with this pillow for two weeks now, and I genuinely feel like I'm getting that super-deep sleep where I wake up in the same position I fell asleep in. My other seven or so pillows are there, but they might be feeling a little neglected.”

Together with Tempur-Pedic and Avocado, Casper completes the holy trio of next-level sleep brands. The company’s Hug Body Pillow is designed specifically for side sleepers to be hugged, leg-squeezed, and tossed around with ease—and it’s on-sale at Amazon right now.

What better way to harken back to your aquatic-obsessed childhood than with a plushy jumbo whale? Who needs people, when you have a self-sufficient semi-torso (both with a button-down, and in the ~buff~), giant carrot, or lone booty? The realm of novelty and Etsy body pillows is truly too powerful. 

P.S. Don't forget SEX PILLOWS. Yes. Do that next.  

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.