Traveling can be a hobby, a leisure activity and for some it can even be a job. Being able to visit places and different countries is one of the biggest joys in life. There are countless places to see, cultures to explore and people to meet but no matter how exciting the destination is, traveling can also be exhausting. Long distance flights in particular, tend to be very difficult to cope with as they imply sitting in a chair for many hours and when lack of sleep is involved they are even more challenging.
One of the traveler’s best companions is the travel neck pillow. For most people, a travel neck pillow is that “U” shaped pillow that keeps the head in a fixed position to make it easier to sleep. There is nothing complicated about them at first glance but if we dive deeper we can actually find some interesting products. Most people think that a travel pillow is difficult to pack but that is not always the case. There are inflatable models and all sorts of pillows that are much more travel friendly. In fact there are so many different models that it can be quite difficult to choose one. Some are inflatable so that they can be packed easily while others focus more on comfort. These are situational and both have their own pros and cons.
Best Travel Neck Pillows in 2021
For our list we had to look at several hundreds of different travel neck pillows and pick just 10. It has been difficult but we did manage to end up with a list of the most popular and practical models. Some of them are even surprisingly innovative with their design. Without delaying it any further let’s jump right into our list of the top 10 best travel neck pillows for traveling in 2021.
Last update on 2021-03-04 / Affiliate links / Price / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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10. BCOZZY Chin Supporting Travel Pillow
The BCOZZY chin supporting travel pillow is a rather innovative product with an interesting design. It is actually shaped like a ring with one side going over the other in order to provide support for the chin on the front. It actually keeps the head in a more stable position. The product is made out of a soft fleche material with a filling that actually makes it as soft as a pillow. It is safe to clean in a washing machine and can be found in two sizes, one for adults and one for children.
As useful as this model might be, its design makes it a bit big. It is comfortable but carrying on a plane can be a bit difficult. It is much more suitable for use at home or for various occasions in which it would not be an issue carrying it around.
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9. Perfect Posture Travel Neck Pillow
Perfect Posture travel neck pillow is a product that was made for the ones that have a lot of allergies. It is actually made out of a hypo-allergenic fabric that feels soft thus making it very comfortable at the same time. To support the neck the pillow has a string on the front that can be adjusted. The filling used for the pillow is memory foam which does add a bit to the comfort of the pillow. Last but not least the model also has a breathable material that increases airflow and prevents overheating.
Despite being advertised as using a special fabric that is supposed to improve airflow and preventing the user from feeling too hot, the pillow does warm up. On the other hand, it tends to be chilly in the plane cabin so this issue can be overlooked.
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8. Cloudz Microbead Travel Neck Pillow
The Cloudz Microbead travel neck pillow is the classic type of pillow that everyone is familiar with. This particular model is one of the most affordable ones in our list making it a good pick for the ones that do not want to spend too much on a travel pillow. It is made using a fleche material and it is filled with small polystyrene beads. In terms of comfort it is quite decent and comes with a snap closure in the front in order to provide better support for the head.
One common issue with such pillows is the beads inside. Polystyrene is a foam and it is soft but after a while it can remain compressed. The pillow will lose its shape after some time of usage because of the polystyrene beads.
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7. Enzo’s Private Selection Cooling Gel Memory Foam Travel Neck Pillow
Enzo’s Private Selection Cooling Gel Memory Foam Travel Neck Pillow is a great pick for the ones that value comfort. It is a special pillow that uses an interesting shape to provide better support for the neck. It also has a gel interior and memory foam that makes it soft and keeps it cool. It is one of the few pillows that actually manages to stay cool. The pillow is also hypoallergenic and non-toxic or at least this is what the manufacturers claim.
While it is a very comfortable pillow it does have one issue and that is its size. It is larger than a traditional travel pillow making it a bit more inconvenient to carry around. The pillow does come with its own travel bag but it is still big.
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6. AirComfy Inflatable Daydreamer Neck Pillow
The AirComfy inflatable travel neck pillow is a great pick for the ones that need something compact and travel friendly. Being an inflatable model is a major plus especially since it can be inflated in less than 60 seconds using the built-in inflation button. It is covered with a fleche material for extra comfort and it comes with its own small travel pouch. The is washable and features raised arch holds that promotes a proper head position while sleeping.
Being an inflatable model does translate into a problem that is easy to notice. Inflatable pillows are not that comfortable no matter what fabric they are covered with. They are decent but not great. This is a trade-off for all inflatable pillows.
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5. Lewis N. Clark On Air Adjustable and Inflatable Neck Pillow
Lewis N. Clark On Air travel neck pillow is a cheap and decent travel pillow. Its greatest plus is the compact form factor when not inflated. It uses a thin fabric that simply makes it take much less storage space. The model has a small valve that can be used to inflate it or it can be used to deflate it a bit to adjust its hardness. It is made entirely out polyester and it includes a small storage case.
The fact that it is not covered with a fleche material and it is inflatable makes it a bit uncomfortable when compared with other models. However, for the price it is difficult to find a better deal.
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4. Aeris Memory Foam Travel Neck Pillow
The Aeris travel neck pillow offers a great deal for the money. It is a pillow made using memory foam and a soft fabric covering the upper side. The product comes as a bundle that includes a sleep mask, ear plugs and a small travel pouch for storage. On the front side of the pillow the manufacturers added two straps that can be used to tie it and provide better support for the chin and neck. The pillow can be found in multiple colors.
One odd thing that some users discovered is that the softness of the fabric is not the same for all pillows. In fact it seems that it varies with the color of the pillow. So far, multiple users reported that the black one is much softer and the fabric is a bit different.
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3. Travelmate Memory Foam Neck Pillow
Travelmate travel neck pillow is a great pick for the ones that are looking for something cheap and simple. It is a classic travel neck pillow with a rounded shape and a soft polystyrene foam filling. The model features a removable insert that allows the user to adjust its thickness. Its memory foam does make it comfortable as it promotes a proper posture and offers support for the neck and chin. The model is also the cheapest in our list which is also a major plus.
One negative comment that can be made about the pillow is the absence of a strap or system to tie down the two frontal ends that would help secure its shape and the position of the head. Most other similar models have such a feature.
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2. Trtl Pillow Super Soft Neck Support Travel Pillow
The Trtl travel pillow might look a bit odd at first. It uses an innovative design that makes it half the size of a regular travel pillow. It is also much lighter as it weighs just 148 grams. Basically the pillow looks like a small blanket that is placed around the neck. What makes it work is a hard insert that maintains its shape in such a way that it keeps the neck upright and provides support for the head.
Despite its innovative design the travel pillow is not the most comfortable one that money can buy. It works great but having the hard insert does take away the comfort that a soft pillow would offer.
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1. J-Pillow Travel Pillow
The J-Pillow is by far the best selling product in our list. It has accompanied thousands of travelers and that is due to several reasons. For a travel pillow the model is very compact. It is about half the size of a regular “U” shaped travel pillow. It does offer support for just one side of the head but somehow the pillow works. It is made out of a soft fleche material and a very soft filling. It is a great travel companion and it comes with a decent price tag.
The only issue that some users might have with the J-Pillow is its size. For some it will seem a bit small but for the vast majority of people it should be just big enough.
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Things To Consider
The vast majority of travelers will prefer an Get it now on Amazon.com >inflatable model over all other pillows because they take very little storage space. This does imply one compromise and that is comfort. An inflatable pillow is just hard but good enough to help someone get a few hours of sleep during a flight.
One important thing to keep in mind that a more expensive pillow is not necessarily better. There are some cheap pillows that are quite comfortable. The only true downside of travel pillows is that they are not travel friendly. Some of them can be quite large and a bit difficult to travel with. There are some compact models that make things a bit easier but other than that, the inflatable ones are the most convenient for travelers.
Bcozzy looks nice. We tried to order 2 pillows on Amazon a week ago for a Transpacific flight in 3 days. I called customer service to see why they were never shipped and found out they never had stock. Amazon no longer honestly reports stocking status. Order from anyone else but Amazon if you are going on a trip