TRAVEL | 3 Of The Highest Rated Travel Pillows On Amazon Reviewed – Which Is Best?
Over the last 5 years, I’ve flown all over Europe and have taken longer flights to the Maldives, Egypt, Mexico and Antigua and with an upcoming flight to Mauritius, I purchased my fourth travel pillow and this time, I think I might just have cracked it. Read on to find out what I think is the best travel pillow to spend your money on.
Most Travel Pillows Are Crap
Traditional travel pillows, of the ubiquitous padded neck doughnut variety, have left me perplexed. I mean, what’s the point of having padding around your neck, but absolutely nothing to support your actual head? Proper head support feels like it should have been cracked decades ago, yet very little has changed in the world of travel pillows, save for the introduction of memory foam.
What’s worse yet is that some airlines don’t even have headrests with the little side flaps, so unless you snag the chance to lean against the window, or you’re one of those freaks that can sleep sitting in a bolt-upright position, the chances of nodding off and getting any meaningful sleep is minimal.
Economy Class Psychopaths
No matter how tired I am, I find it almost impossible to sleep on economy-class flights and harbour envy verging on intense mean-girl jealousy for fellow passengers (psychopaths?) who settle in and sleep for the majority of a 12 hour flight. HOW?!
Perhaps the worst thing I’ve ever done though, is experience how the other half lives. For our honeymoon in the Maldives, I made the mistake of reaching the check-in desk and enquiring about seat upgrades. I was given a price that was too tempting not to get the credit card out for.
Don’t Fly Business Class, You’ll Regret It For Life
Turning left was probably the 4th best experience of my entire life (the 1st being the birth of my daughter and the 2nd and 3rd being family members given the post-cancer treatment all clear), but it was a big mistake.
Once you go left and experience the sheer joy and indulgence of a flat bed, champagne and superb food, flying any other way becomes an ongoing major disappointment, you’ll never stop reminiscing about that one time you got to feel all fancy and didn’t arrive on holiday feeling like shit.
So, if like me, you’re an economy-class povo desperate to make the experience of flying a little less horrendous, read on for my 3 best recommended travel neck pillows.
The 3 Best Travel Pillows Ranked
3. Trtl Travel Pillow RRP £59.99
- Our Score 6.5/10
- Buy Trtl travel pillow on Amazon
The moment I saw the Trtl travel pillow I was intrigued and after doing heaps of research and reading reviews, I was convinced this was the one for me. It wasn’t. It still gets really good reviews over on Amazon though, proving that just because a travel pillow suits one person, it doesn’t mean we’ll all get on with it.
Although the design is a little different, this pillow is worn more like a scarf, and despite my high hopes, I found far more negatives than positives with the Trtl travel pillow. This is the most expensive neck pillow I’ve purchased, yet I’ve only taken it away with me once, which says it all.
After trying it every way around and adjusting and readjusting, I still couldn’t let my head rest fully without the other side of my neck feeling pulled. Had I been in a window seat and had something additional to rest against to take the full weight of my head, then the additional neck support may have worked better for me.
Overall, whilst it is better than a basic doughnut neck pillow, I just didn’t like the feeling of being strangled and the height of the support was a little lacking, regardless of which way up or around I used it.
Trtl Pillow Pros
- Rated a full 5* by 53% of Amazon reviewers
- Light and compact with a bag
- Kids and adult versions plus a newer XL option available
- The fleece material is lovely and soft
- The internal structure is supportive without being too rigid
- A great array of colours and patterns
- More support than a basic neck pillow
Trtl Pillow Cons
- Generally priced around £59.99 it’s expensive, particularly if you find you don’t get on with it
- Not tall enough to support my head fully
- I used it once and then have never chosen to use it on a flight since
- The fleece material felt restrictive and made me too hot
2. Snugl Travel Pillow RRP £44
- Our Score 8/10
- Buy Snugl travel pillow on Amazon
The Snugl travel pillow was a design that I liked the look of and was eager to try out, using it for a lengthy flight to the Maldives and the slightly less horrendous flights to Egypt. With additional padding and firm memory foam, I really liked this pillow and particularly liked that it can be used in multiple different positions.
The sturdy front strap keeps it secure, but it can feel quite warm and a little suffocating if you don’t get the position right. In terms of quality, it’s excellent and the little carry pouch includes a carabiner making it simple to clip onto luggage.
Pros
- I love this and find it super comfortable
- Excellent quality
- Great value for money
- Can be worn/positioned multiple ways
- Great for added head-leaning comfort for those with a window seat
Cons
- Still missing a little bit of height/support to rest my head fully
- More expensive than a standard neck cushion
1. Cabeau Evo S3 Travel Pillow RRP £37
- Our Score 9/10
- Buy Cabeau Evolution S3 travel pillow on Amazon
I’ve saved the best until last because the Cabeau Evo S3 is absolutely my favourite pick of the bunch, offering excellent neck and head support. The flat-back design means your head is held in a more natural position and which translated to greater comfort on my most recent long-haul economy flight.
The biggest difference with this travel pillow is the straps on the rear that allow you to attach the pillow to the aeroplane seat headrest. This meant that whilst I still couldn’t sleep through the entire flight like some lucky folks seem to be able to do, I was able to rest fully and nod off without my neck feeling sore. Hands down the best travel pillow I’ve encountered so far.
Pros
- Fantastic value for money
- Lovely quality soft feel to fabric
- The rear straps allow the pillow to be secured to a plane headrest
- Flatter back, so the neck remains in a more natural position
- Comfortable to wear for extended periods of time on a long-haul flight
Cons
- The front toggles don’t feel massively strong but are surviving so far
The Winning Travel Neck Pillow
The winner is absolutely the Cabeau Evolution S3 travel pillow and I only wish I’d stumbled across this sooner! A worthy second place is awarded to the Snugl travel pillow whilst the Trtl travel pillow comes in third.
Where to next?
- TRAVEL | How To Live Your Best Travel Life – Are You Guilty Of Making These 4 Common Excuses?
- TRAVEL | This Is My Ultimate Adventure & Travel Bucket List – What’s On Yours?
- TRAVEL | What To Pack For An Active Beach Holiday – Essential Tropical Packing List
From open water swimming, snowboarding and kayaking to hill walks and meditation, Shell shares her travels and microadventures here on the blog and in various publications she's written for, Shell has a particular interest in promoting wellbeing and the many benefits of nature therapy.
