Why you'll love it: If you often wake up hot and sweaty, then you owe it to yourself to invest in the Classic Brands Cool Sleep Ventilated Gel Pillow.
Many nights when my wife and I bed down together, I'm wearing only a pair of boxers, while she is wearing a long sleeve t-shirt, pajama pants, and socks. And often, I awake in the middle of the night too warm for comfort despite finding that I have kicked the comforter off my body and have worked the sheet down off most of my torso. Next to me, she'll be burrowed down under the sheet, comforter, and with pillows piled on either side.
Human physiology varies from person to person — that's the takeaway here. And that's why I'm a fan of the Classic Brands Cool Sleep Ventilated Gel Pillow.
First off, this pillow provides the support and comfort you expect of memory foam. You sink into it slowly and steadily, and then your head is cradled until you shift. The fact that said memory foam is infused with a cooling gel that readily absorbs and redistributes endothermic body heat is the second plus.
But what truly sets this pillow apart from other gel pillows are the multiple channels that perforate the foam and that allow air to circulate throughout the pillow. Most gel pillows can draw off some heat but then essentially hold onto it, albeit holding it removed from your person. This pillow can actively dissipate heat and bring cool air thanks to the many channels bored into the foam.
With more than 800 reviews on Amazon, the Classic Brands Cool Sleep Ventilated Gel Pillow has a decent 3.6-star average at the time of this writing, with most complaints referring to its hardness on initial contact. I'll gently rejoin that this is what one must expect with all memory foam pillows, but people can say what they will. My own sentiments are echoed by a customer who called it an "awesome memory foam pillow" that was not only cooling, but also "helped with [his] neck pain."
A writer from Health called this gel pillow "ventilated for optimal air flow" and "good choice for side and back sleepers."
Pros: Excellent cooling properties, good for side or back sleeping, hypoallergenic materials
Cons: To dense feeling for some people
Buy a Classic Brands Cool Sleep Ventilated Gel Pillow on Amazon for $42