Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck Pillow review

TEMPUR-Neck is one molded block of Tempur-Pedic's memory foam, shaped like a wave: a tall roll for your neck and a lower dip for your head. Tempur-Pedic describes the core as formed TEMPUR material in an extra-firm feel, though the same page lists the feel simply as firm. The standard cover is a removable 100% polyester knit that the brand calls hypoallergenic^[1]. Under that cover, the foam sits in polyester netting^[2].

Every size shares the same 20 x 12.5 in (51 x 32 cm) footprint. Only the height of the tallest point changes: 3.5 in for Small, 4 in for Medium and 4.75 in for Large^[1,3]. Those numbers are measured at the neck roll. Your head rests in the lower dip, so the foam under your skull is thinner than the listed loft^[2]. A Travel size measures 10 x 12 x 4 in^[1].

Published heights wobble by a fraction of an inch. Sleep Foundation lists the three sizes as 3, 4 and 4.5 in^[4], and the law tags for the cooling version give finished heights of 3.3, 4 and 4.7 in^[5]. Treat each size as a band, and choose by the shoulder chart below rather than the decimals.

The “+ Cooling” version changes the cover, not the shape: it has heat-absorbing fibers woven in^[1]. Its tags list that cover as 56% polyethylene and 44% polyester over 100% molded polyurethane foam^[5].

Measure from the base of your neck to the outside edge of your shoulder, then read the chart for the position you sleep in most. Tempur-Pedic says to hold a ruler perpendicular to your neck for the measurement, and to pick the smaller size if you fall between two^[1].

For measurements between 4 and 10 inches, the chart gives side sleepers one size taller than back sleepers^[1]. If you split the night between both positions, read our side and back sleeper guide before you choose.

A few things nudge the answer. Mattress Clarity's Tony Klespis notes that sleepers over 230 lb (104 kg) compress the foam a little more and suggests the Large for most of them. He points people with very large frames to taller side-sleeper pillows altogether^[6], since 4.75 in is as high as the TEMPUR-Neck goes. Your mattress matters too. A soft mattress lets your shoulder sink, which shrinks the gap the pillow has to fill, so on a plush bed the smaller of two candidate sizes is the safer bet (see factoring in your mattress).

Ignore advice to size by height. NBC Select's roundup says to choose by how tall you are^[7], but Tempur-Pedic's own chart and help page use the distance from neck to shoulder^[3].

Expect it to feel firm, and give it a few weeks before you decide. Mattress Clarity calls it hands down the firmest pillow Tempur-Pedic makes^[6], and Tom's Guide agrees^[8]. It's still memory foam, though. Sleepopolis's Amelia Jerden found it pretty firm but soft enough to sink into for some contouring^[2]. Squeeze it and it takes a second to come back^[6]. Tom's Guide left a 10 lb (4.5 kg) kettlebell on it for five minutes, and the foam sprang back without a visible dent^[8].

Tempur-Pedic says its pillows can feel firmer at first and soften over a few weeks as they respond to your weight and warmth. To speed that up, it suggests rolling and unrolling the pillow, kneading the foam by hand, or tucking it behind your back while you sit on the couch^[9]. Tempur's UK site goes further and suggests using the pillow as a daytime cushion for the first two to three weeks^[10]. The shape takes getting used to as well. Mattress Clarity's tester flagged an adjustment period^[6], and Tom's Guide's tester, who prefers softer pillows, found the curve slightly distracting after a week^[8].

Your bedroom temperature changes the feel. Memory foam stiffens in the cold and softens as it warms, with its best “memory” response between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C)^[11]. Tempur's UK care guide says to expect a firmer feel at 64°F (18°C) or below^[10]. A TEMPUR-Neck in a cold room will feel firmer and taller than one in a warm store. For more on how this foam behaves, see our memory foam guide.

Some long-time owners say new Tempur pillows feel firmer than the ones they bought years ago. Mattress Clarity saw the same complaint in customer reviews, along with claims that a softer version once existed^[6], and it's one of the main complaints in our pooled Tempur-Pedic owner data^[12]. Part of that gap may be age: Tempur-Pedic's warranty treats a normal increase in softness as expected, not as a defect^[13].

Put the larger rounded roll under your neck and let your head settle into the dip behind it. Sleepopolis and Mattress Clarity both describe that orientation^[2,6]. On your side, the tall part should fill the space between your neck and shoulder so your head doesn't tip toward the mattress^[6]. Fortune's tester said the hump filled that space completely and her neck felt straight and in line with her spine^[14].

Plan around the small footprint. Mattress Clarity's tester switches sides often, and the short length meant he either worked to stay on his side of the bed when he turned over or ended up off the pillow^[6]. He and Sleepopolis's Matt Schickling both found that a regular pillowcase left loose fabric bunched around it^[6,15]. Because the zip-off cover is washable, you can skip the pillowcase altogether^[2]. Don't plan to hug it or put it between your knees: Sleepopolis found the uneven, firm shape poor at both^[2].

Tempur-Pedic designs it for back and side sleepers^[1]. Testers at Sleepopolis, Fortune and Mattress Clarity all rule out stomach sleeping^[6], and the first two warn that the roll cranes the neck upward^[2,14]. Tom's Guide adds that it doesn't suit side sleepers who also spend part of the night on their stomach^[16]. If that's you, see our side and stomach sleeper picks.

It sleeps warmer than airy latex or shredded pillows, though testers who don't run hot rarely noticed. Sleepopolis's tester didn't find it overly hot but said it didn't feel particularly cool^[2]. Tom's Guide's reviewer never overheated, but she isn't a hot sleeper, and she noted the knit cover isn't a light, breathable fabric^[8]. Mattress Clarity scored its cooling 3 out of 5, against 5 out of 5 for support^[6]. The “+ Cooling” cover is the in-line fix, but if sleeping hot is a big problem, Tom's Guide recommends a dedicated cooling pillow instead^[8], such as the TEMPUR-Cloud Dual Cooling or a pick from our cooling guide.

Smell reports differ. The pillow ships at full size rather than vacuum-packed, and Mattress Clarity noticed no off-gassing^[6]. Healthline lists a slight chemical smell on opening as a con^[17]. If yours smells, Tempur-Pedic suggests airing it out for several days, rolling it up tightly like a sleeping bag to push the odor out, and washing the cover before first use^[18].

Only the cover gets washed. Wash it in cold water with a gentle detergent; air drying is best, but a cool dryer setting is fine. Never clean the foam with liquid. To freshen it, gently roll and unroll it, and don't keep it tightly compressed for long periods^[1]. Tempur-Pedic also advises against heating pads, because high heat interferes with how the foam responds to your body^[19].

The foam is built to last for years, but you can't send it back because you picked the wrong size. Tom's Guide gave its build quality 5 out of 5 and found it doesn't sag or need fluffing^[8]. Mattress Clarity rated durability 4.5 out of 5^[6]. In our pooled Tempur-Pedic owner data, which mixes several models, durability is the most-discussed topic after comfort, with 8 of 11 mentions positive^[12].

The 5-year limited warranty covers foam that splits or cracks in normal use, and cell breakdown that stops the pillow returning to its original shape. It doesn't cover normal softening. Tempur-Pedic repairs or replaces the pillow at its option, and you pay a handling cost. The cover has a separate 2-year warranty. Coverage is for the original buyer from Tempur-Pedic or an authorized retailer, and you'll need proof of purchase if you didn't buy direct^[13]. A claim needs your receipt, photos of the pillow and its law tag and, if it has lost support, a video of the foam being pressed and released^[20].

Tempur-Pedic sells its pillows without a trial and takes them back only if they arrive damaged or defective^[21,22]. Mattress Clarity calls the adjustment period a daunting feat for that reason^[23]. Other retailers set their own return terms, and online marketplaces can carry counterfeits^[24], which also matters for the authorized-retailer rule above. Check the seller and the return window on the listing before you sleep on it.

Testers agree on the neck support and split on whether it's tall enough. Sleepopolis names it the best side-sleeper pillow for neck pain^[15], Mattress Clarity the best cervical pillow for neck pain^[25], Fortune the best memory foam pillow for side sleepers^[14] and Tom's Guide the best pillow for side sleepers^[16]. Sleep Foundation picks it as the best Tempur-Pedic pillow for neck pain, with a test lab score of 8.5 out of 10^[4]. In NBC Select's roundup, chiropractor Dr. Allen Conrad likes it for side sleepers because the sizes let you choose a height^[7].

The disagreements are worth reading. Sleepopolis's side-sleeper tester found it significantly smaller and lower than a traditional pillow^[15], while the same site's shoulder-pain roundup, which names it the best firm pillow, credits its higher loft with keeping your ears in line with your shoulders^[26]. Healthline's 2022 roundup says it may suit back sleepers better and give side sleepers less support^[17]. Both camps can be right. The roll is tall where your neck rests and lower under your head, so whether it fills your gap comes down to the size you choose.

Our owner data, charted below, covers 51 comments about Tempur-Pedic pillows: 48 from Reddit owners and 3 tester notes. They mix the TEMPUR-Neck with the TEMPUR-Cloud, the TEMPUR-Ergo and unnamed models, because owners often don't say which one they have^[12]. Every one of the 19 mentions of support or neck-pain relief was positive. The negatives cluster around flattening after years of use, firmness, pillows that felt too tall, pressure on the ear and price, which matches what the firm, fixed-height design predicts.

Trials don't show that a contour shape by itself beats a well-fitted regular pillow. In an Australian field trial, 106 side sleepers spent a week each on several pillows, including a foam contour. The contour showed no advantage over regular shapes, and latex did best for waking neck pain^[27]. In a Canadian trial of adults with chronic neck pain, a contoured neck-support pillow on its own did no better than the control treatment. The pillow combined with neck exercises, taught by physical therapists, gave the best result^[28].

A meta-analysis concluded that alignment on your side may depend more on a pillow's shape and height than on its fill^[29]. So the case for the TEMPUR-Neck is fit and consistency: three fixed heights in a foam that holds its shape. If you have ongoing neck pain, use it alongside treatment rather than expecting the pillow alone to fix it. More in our neck pain guide.

Choose the TEMPUR-Neck for firm, fixed contour support. Choose an adjustable pillow if you're unsure of your size or want a return window.

• Saatva Latex: our top pick for neck pain. Latex has the best, if modest, trial record of any fill^[27,29]. It comes in two lofts and is plusher on the surface, and Saatva gives you a 45-night trial^[26].
• Coop Original Adjustable and Coop Crescent: shredded foam you add or remove until your head sits level, so a measuring mistake is fixable. The Crescent curves around your lower shoulder. Coop offers a 100-day return window on orders placed with Coop, though not on Amazon orders^[30].
• Osteo Cervical: our budget contour pick. Its butterfly shape flips between two heights, so one pillow covers two sizes, and its foam is less firm.
• TEMPUR-Cloud: the same brand with the opposite feel. It's an extra-soft 5 in slab that Tempur-Pedic designs for back and stomach sleepers^[31].

Buy the TEMPUR-Neck if you sleep on your back and side, like a firm surface, tend to stay in one spot and can measure your shoulders before ordering. Skip it if you sleep on your stomach, roam across the bed, want something plush to sink into, or need more than 4.75 inches of height.