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Our editors reveal the ones they love to lean on.
If you've spent a few hours responding to emails, reading, or watching TV from bed, you've definitely experienced the back pain that comes with it. After all, beds are designed for you to lay flat, not sit up for prolonged periods of time. However, lounging in your favorite spot will be much more enjoyable once you find the best back pillows for sitting up in bed. Gone are the days of stacking multiple sleeping pillows atop one another, only to see them slumping over and caving in. These back pillows, which come in both husband (the thick cushion with two arms on either side) and wedge form, will improve your bed setup so much that you'll wonder why you didn't buy one sooner.
How, you may wonder, do we know these pillows are good? Well, we tested them ourselves to ensure that every product we recommend to readers is well worth it. Find out more about how we reviewed each pillow and what info we used to make our selects, but for now, look at our favorite pillows to make hanging out in bed even better—whether it's a Sunday morning, Saturday night, or anything in between.
When we think of a classic pillow designed for sitting up in bed, something like this doesn't exactly come to mind. In fact, we tend to picture the ever-popular "husband pillow" with arms that, when you lean against it, feels like a hug. This wedge, though, is giving the husband a run for its money. "I usually have to create a ridiculous stack of pillows behind me to have softness against my skin but enough push on my lower back when I'm sitting in bed," Associate Shopping Editor Janae McKenzie says. "This pillow is very firm, but I found it was just what I needed. I swear I can feel my spine aligning as I rested against it." It is quite firm, so this is definitely not designed to be slept on comfortably, but if you want to work, read, or watch TV from bed, you can't go wrong with this find.
Behold, the classic husband pillow, which Unhide has welcomingly renamed the Squish backrest pillow. "For those who do their best work with their feet up, this backrest pillow offers a surprisingly supportive surface to keep you propped up and comfy for as long as you need," Senior Digital Editor Melanie Yates says. "For long stints of reading and writing in bed, I’ve previously leaned against my normal bed pillows, which are far too squishy for the job. This sizable 31-inch-wide pillow is responsive enough to lean against without feeling muscle fatigue." Not to mention, unlike some of the other pillows on the list, this one doesn't require more than a few seconds to puff up to its full volume after removing it from the box. "I love the furry, removable cover that makes it easy to wash, though keep in mind that the furriness reduces friction, so you might find yourself sliding down this pillow after an hour or so of sitting." Yates also admits it's hard to store when she's not using it because it's so big, so be warned if you live in a small apartment without much storage.
You may know Avocado for its selection of extremely comfortable and sustainably made mattresses, so you can trust that their bed accessories, including this organic latex wedge pillow, will do its job. Visual Assistant Natalie Boyce gave this a try to resolve her persistent back pain on days she works from home and agrees: It's fantastic. "I do not have a desk at home (not including my dining table) and I like to work in the quiet of my bedroom on my bed, so up until now I would use both my sleeping and throw pillows for back support. Not anymore!" she says. "This back pillow is a game changer. Its shape prompts me to sit up straighter, and it's firm enough not to sink into it but soft enough to be comfortable." What's more, she adds, it's heavy, durable, and the perfect size. "The top of it lands right at the back of my head and it's wide enough that my elbows don't hit the wall when I twist."
Like Avocado, Casper is more famous for its mattresses than its accessories, but that doesn't mean they're not worth buying. In fact, Assistant Social Media Editor Bianca Bonetti is pretty struck by the backrest pillow, which looks just like a pillow you'd sleep on, but with a little more heft at the base. "I normally have to prop up multiple pillows to feel comfortable sitting up in bed and they end up getting flattened pretty quickly. I sleep with Casper pillows and was very excited to try the back pillow. This backrest pillow is really sturdy and provides excellent support. The backrest is tall enough to provide neck and head support," she notes. "I was able to work for several hours with my lap desk while sitting against the pillow. My back and legs never got achy. Honestly, an adjustable lap desk, a weighted blanket, and this Casper pillow make for the perfect work-from-home setup."
Typically, down- or feather-filled pillows don't tend to hold their shape, making them secondary choices for back pillows, but this one from The Company Store is different. "The down wedge pillow is extremely soft and malleable, making it a great option if you like feeling like you're laying down on a cloud," Assistant Editor Meghan Shouse explains. "It's also really easy to clean: You just have to throw it in the wash on a gentle cold cycle, then tumble dry low, and it's as good as new." What's more, Shouse says that it's soft enough to work as a nightly pillow, too. "While I personally like a bit more support and structure in my wedge pillows, this one is definitely great for people who prefer something softer," Shouse adds.
Since contributing writer Kelsey Mulvey works from home most of the time, she needed a comfortable pillow that would make producing content from her bed, her couch, or anywhere else in her house comfortable. Enter this WOWMAX wedge pillow. "Whether I'm engrossed in whatever's on the screen or casually catching up on work, I need to be propped up during streaming sessions. Otherwise, you better believe I'll fall asleep in 20 minutes and miss the entire plot of whatever movie I'm watching," she notes. "So when I had the opportunity to test out this wedge pillow, I was optimistic it could be a complete game-changer to my lazy day hangs...and it was. Upon opening my package, I was admittedly skeptical that this pillow would actually raise me: Compared to the husband pillows I remember seeing in my teen furniture catalogs, this is relatively slim." She adds that this wedge "is like the Goldilocks of back pillows" in that it keeps her propped up at a comfortable angle without feeling completely upright.
When it came to determining the best pillows for sitting up in bed, we, of course, had to review quite a few of them to decide whether or not they were genuinely of good quality. Several of my fellow House Beautiful editors tested all of the aforementioned options in our homes for at least two months to give them enough time to review the pillows properly as the weather got colder and comfort became paramount.
We'll be the first to preface by saying that what is supportive and cozy to us may not feel the same for you, so if you want to get a real sense of feel, read more about the material and fill power, which will give you a better idea. With that in mind, we do break down all the important elements, from material to down type and their support levels, so that you can make an informed decision on which pillows sound the best for your own personal lounging habits.
We also did not hold back on pointing out some pros and cons for shoppers to consider, as this is the most realistic way to purchase products. It's up to you if the pros outweigh the cons for you and vice versa. Luckily, these editors just so happened to love all of the pillows they tested and plan on keeping them in our rotation for, well, as long as they'll last.
When it comes to pillows ideal for sitting up in bed, there are two options: the classic ones with arms and the wedge. Neither is better than the other, but one may feel more comfortable depending on how you like to lounge and what your desired level of firmness may be. Wedge pillows tend to be a bit firmer and heavier, making them slightly more supportive than their husband pillow alternatives. Husband pillows, on the other hand, are a bit softer, so if you want that plushness, go with these. They also have arm support, which is always a nice touch.
A sitting pillow works if you can lounge against it for a while (we'd consider a while to be any amount of time over an hour) without developing an achy back or sore neck. We can't speak for all sitting pillows, but we will definitely confirm that the ones House Beautiful editors tested work wonders. They offer the perfect amount of support and are as comfortable as they are firm.
When it comes to picking out the best (and most affordable) pieces for any bedroom, including my own, I am always on the hunt for pieces that will make a positive difference in my life. In fact, I have been reviewing bedding products for more than eight years, and I shamelessly own more than eight (yes, eight!) sets of sheets and two comforters (one of which is filled with down and the other is filled with eucalyptus lyocell because I sleep warm in the summer), so who better to write about the best bedding options from some of House Beautiful's favorite brands than me? During my tenure as a shopping editor at House Beautiful, I have written about my personal favorite bamboo sheets, sustainable sheets, silk pillowcases, and more. For this story, several of my fellow editors spent weeks lounging on the top-rated bedding brands to determine the best pillows to purchase ourselves and recommend to readers. If you're trying to snag more for your bed than just a pillow for sitting up though, I've also written about the most comfortable latex pillows, cooling mattress toppers, and more, so shop away.
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