A quality car neck pillow is essential for long travels. While good for sleeping, neck pillows also can increase comfort by supporting the neck muscles and improving posture. Consider buying this type of pillow if you experience a sore neck after long drives or simply need a way to nap on the road.
In this article:
- 5 Best Car Neck Pillows
- Our Review Standards
- #1 Best Neck Support: Trtl Pillow Plus
- #2 Most Compact: Sea To Summit Aeros Premium Traveller
- #3 Best Memory Foam Neck Pillow: Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow
- #4 Best For Small Heads: Bcozzy Double Support Neck Pillow
- #5 Best Neck Massager: Zyllion Shiatsu Back And Neck Massager
- Car Neck Pillow Testing Process
- Car Neck Pillow Buyers Guide
- FAQ: Car Neck Pillows
5 Best Car Neck Pillows
Car neck pillows come in many designs, and the best one for you is a matter of personal preference. To help you find the right pillow for your body, we’ve tested and evaluated several styles. For quality, comfort, and portability, we recommend any of the car neck pillows in the table above. In this review, we’ll explore all of them in greater detail.
Our Review Standards
Each car neck pillow we recommend in this article underwent two rounds of reviews. We started by searching Amazon for top products, looking at customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and prices.
We ordered several pillows and tested each, focusing on support, comfort, adjustability, and portability. We also washed each neck pillow to ensure it held up in a washing machine.
Support
A saggy neck pillow will do little to ease neck strain. Products that scored best in this category offered stable neck support and didn’t bow under the weight of the tester’s head.
Comfort
A scratchy or overly firm neck pillow can be uncomfortable. We gave the highest marks in this category to pillows that use soft cushion material and keep the head in a comfortable posture to maintain for long periods of time. Pillows made of breathable materials that don’t get overly hot also scored well in this category.
Adjustability
Everyone’s head is different, so the best neck pillow should be adjustable to fit snugly and securely. Pillows that scored best in this category feature easy-to-use mechanisms for finding the perfect fit.
Portability
Car neck pillows typically serve as travel pillows, so portability is essential. Pillows that are easy to carry and stow scored highest in this category.
#1 Best Neck Support: Trtl Pillow Plus
The Trtl Pillow Plus is a lightweight, fully adjustable travel neck pillow featuring a design well-suited for sleeping. It’s specially designed to keep your neck cool, the rigid plastic interior is sturdy, and the fleece padding is soft and comfortable.
We recommend this car neck pillow if you’re looking for superior neck support. Because it’s a little more rigid than memory foam, the Trtl isn’t the plushest car neck pillow we tested, but that may be an advantage for you.
| Overall | 4.5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Support | 5 out of 5 |
| Comfort | 4 out of 5 |
| Adjustability | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Portability | 4 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Cost: $60
- Weight: 0.5 pounds
- Cover Material: Microfleece
- Pillow Material: Plastic
- Machine Washable: Yes
Our Experience
While it took our tester a minute to figure out how to put the Trtl pillow on, it’s easy to adjust once you understand the mechanism. After attaching the pillow, we found it had the most ergonomic design of any car neck pillow. The microfiber fleece is very soft, and the rigid plastic firmly supports the head.
This was the easiest pillow to wash since we didn’t need to remove any cover. You can put the entire pillow in a washing machine set to low. It needs to air dry and takes about a day to dry out completely.
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon reviews give the Trtl an average score of 4 out of 5 stars based on over 2,000 ratings. Seventy-three percent of reviews rate the product 4 or more stars.
Many users enjoy the comfort of the Trtl pillow, and several say they used it to sleep on long flights and experienced no residual neck pain. The Trtl isn’t for everyone, however. Some people find the rigid design uncomfortable. And while the pillow is adjustable, those with particularly short or long necks find it difficult to use.
#2 Most Compact: Sea To Summit Aeros Premium Traveller
| Overall | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Support | 4 out of 5 |
| Comfort | 3.5 out of 5 |
| Adjustability | 4 out of 5 |
| Portability | 5 out of 5 |
The Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow is an ultracompact, inflatable neck pillow ideal for travel and camping. This pillow inflates in four breaths and rapidly deflates for quick storage. It’s lined with a brushed 50D polyester knit that’s soft and comfortable.
This is a good neck support pillow if you want a portable cushion you can easily pack in a backpack or suitcase. It’s simple to use but not machine washable. This pillow provides excellent support when fully inflated, but it’s not as plush as a memory foam pillow.
Key Features
- Cost: $43
- Weight: 0.2 pounds
- Cover Material: Polyester knit
- Pillow Material: Inflatable plastic
- Machine Washable: No
Our Experience
Our tester found the Aeros Pillow quite comfortable when fully inflated. It deploys easily and is ready to go after only four strong breaths. Deflating the pillow is just as easy and allows you to adjust its firmness.
If you’ve rested on any inflatable pillow or inner tube, you have an idea how this feels. However, the Aeros is a bit more comfortable than a typical inner tube because of the microfleece cover.
The biggest downside of this car seat neck pillow is you can’t clean it in the washing machine. You must hand wash it in warm water.
What Customers Are Saying
The Aeros Pillow has an average Amazon review score of 4.3 stars based on just over 45 user reviews. Eighty-one percent of reviews award the product at least 4 stars.
Users appreciate how easy the pillow is to inflate and deflate for packing away. Many customers praise the adjustable snaps and supersoft lining, and several users prefer the inflatable pillow to a foam car pillow because it allows you to adjust the firmness.
Some users received pillows with leaky valves and say they deflate during use. Our tester didn’t experience this problem, so it may be an issue only with certain defective products.
#3 Best Memory Foam Neck Pillow: Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow
The Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel pillow features a memory foam core and a soft polyester fabric covering. This pillow comes with a travel bag to compress and stow it.
Memory foam is a good material for neck support because it’s firm and plush. This type of car neck pillow is ideal if you’re looking for a softer neck pillow.
The downside of a memory foam pillow such as the Cabeau Evolution S3 is that it can get hot and doesn’t provide good air circulation.
| Overall | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Support | 4 out of 5 |
| Comfort | 4 out of 5 |
| Adjustability | 3.5 out of 5 |
| Portability | 4 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Cost: $40
- Weight: 0.7 pounds
- Cover Material: Polyester
- Pillow Material: Memory foam
- Machine Washable: Yes
Our Experience
While the Cabeau neck pillow doesn’t offer the same level of neck support as the Trtl, it’s much softer. We found the Cabeau comfortable and easy to sleep with, though it’s somewhat warmer than the other pillows on this list.
The Cabeau also loses points for adjustability. While the elastic strap in front is adjustable, the pillow's height isn’t. Depending on how your head fits into the pillow, you may experience different results.
You can easily clean the removable cover in the washing machine, and it wasn’t damaged during our test cycle.
What Customers Are Saying
The Cabeau Evolution 3S travel pillow has an average Amazon review score of 4.5 from over 3,200 ratings. Eighty-five percent of reviews give the product 4 or more stars.
Most users are thankful the Cabeau pillow provides stable support, and many reviewers managed to sleep in cars and planes thanks to this handy product.
Short people sometimes complain that this pillow doesn’t suit them. For some, the sides of the pillow come up too high, covering the ears and creating an uncomfortable car seat headrest pillow. Others say the pillow can get hot. A few people have experienced issues with broken drawstrings, which are necessary for supporting the pillow and creating the necessary shape for neck support.
#4 Best For Small Heads: Bcozzy Double Support Neck Pillow
The Bcozzy double support neck pillow is designed for smaller heads and comes in a wide variety of colors. The spiral design allows for three possible configurations, and this pillow can serve as a side sleeper or be evenly wrapped for upright neck support.
The Bcozzy runs small and is a good option for children. It comes in eight colors and three sizes. Be aware that even the largest size was a little too small for our tester, who stood at 5 feet, 10 inches.
| Overall | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Support | 3.5 out of 5 |
| Comfort | 4 out of 5 |
| Adjustability | 4 out of 5 |
| Portability | 4 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Cost: $35
- Weight: 0.4 pounds
- Cover Material: Polyester
- Pillow Material: Polyester filling
- Machine Washable: Yes
Our Experience
Though on the small side for our tester, the Bcozzy neck pillow is quite comfortable. It may be small for some adults, but it’s easy to use and adjust. This pillow offers excellent neck support when you fully wrap it around your neck, and you can use it as a side pillow.
Because it’s so small, the Bcozzy pillow is portable, though it’s not as compact as the Aeros.
The Bcozzy is simple to wash and doesn’t have a removable cover, and you can toss it into the washing machine. It takes about a day to fully dry out.
What Customers Are Saying
The Bcozzy neck pillow gets an average of 4.3 stars based on over 13,000 Amazon reviews. Seventy-nine percent of reviewers score the product a minimum of 4 stars.
Many Amazon customers say this neck travel pillow worked for them while other brands failed. The unique design fully wraps around the neck and can prevent your head from lolling forward.
A few reviews say the Bcozzy doesn’t maintain its shape well over time and begins to straighten out. Others complain about the travel strap quickly breaking (the travel strap lets you attach the pillow to a backpack).
One customer says the pillow had a strong odor when new, but we didn’t notice this in our testing.
#5 Best Neck Massager: Zyllion Shiatsu Back And Neck Massager
Rounding out our list is the Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager. This isn’t exactly a neck pillow suitable for napping, but it’s a comfortable device that can help with neck pain relief and easily attaches to a car seat headrest.
This pillow is heavier and less portable than other options, and it’s not useful for neck support. However, it’s comfortable and helps reduce neck tension.
| Overall | 3.5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Support | 3 out of 5 |
| Comfort | 4 out of 5 |
| Adjustability | 3 out of 5 |
| Portability | 3.5 out of 5 |
Key Features
- Cost: $65
- Weight: 4.5 pounds
- Cover Material: Faux leather
- Pillow Material: Plastic
- Machine Washable: Yes
Our Experience
The Zyllian is powered through the car’s outlet. Once turned on, the pillow produces heat and two motorized balls massage the neck. This pillow doesn’t provide much neck support and isn’t ideal for sleeping.
However, you can place the Zyllian anywhere on the seat, making it a versatile massager good not only for the neck but also for lower back muscles.
To wash the Zyllian, we had to remove the faux leather cover and disconnect a few attached cables. While it’s easy to put the cover in the washing machine, removing it from the massager is a bit of a hassle.
What Customers Are Saying
More than 40,000 Amazon ratings give the Zyllion massager an average score of 4.5 stars. Eight-eight percent of reviewers award the product 4 stars or higher, making it one of the best-reviewed neck pillows on this list.
Satisfied users praise the Zyllion for its durable, solid construction. Customers say it offers a top-quality massage, and several reviewers mention they use this pillow daily.
Some users believe the massage is too intense and don’t like the feel of this pillow. In one case, a customer says the strap was too short and didn’t easily fit around her office chair. While several reviewers say this pillow has served them for several years, other users complain about shorted wires or malfunctioning motors after a couple of months.
Car Neck Pillow Testing Process
To test car neck pillows, our review team affixed each pillow according to the manufacturer's directions. Our tester wore each pillow for an hour while seated in a cloth-upholstered car seat. While wearing each pillow, our tester assumed various postures that included sitting upright and trying to rest with his head inclined.
We also removed the cover from each neck pillow and gave it a run in the washing machine (except for the Aeros pillow, which you must wash by hand in warm water).
Car Neck Pillow Buyers Guide
When shopping for the perfect car neck pillow, your best option will depend on your preferences and needs. Consider how and where you plan to use the pillow. Do you want a pillow for napping during long car rides? In that case, you’ll want something plush that uses a soft fabric. If you need more neck support, you’ll want something firm and adjustable with reliable support.
Pillow Material
Many car neck pillows are made from memory foam, which is soft yet firm for increased comfort and support. Other pillows are made from lined plastic, which can offer firmer support.
Cover Material
The cover material envelops the pillow and touches your skin. If you struggle with allergies, look for a pillow that features a hypoallergenic cover.
Style
Some neck pillows wrap around your neck completely, while others attach to your car’s headrest. If you need a car neck pillow that doubles as a plane neck pillow, you may want to purchase a design not exclusive to a car seat.
FAQ: Car Neck Pillows
Do car neck pillows work?
Car neck pillows work to ease neck strain and tension. Many can be quite comfortable for napping in a vehicle during long trips. To find the car neck pillow that works for you, you may need to do your own testing to figure out the most comfortable style.
What is the purpose of a neck pillow?
The purpose of a neck pillow is to reduce strain on the neck during long periods of travel, such as a road trip. Some people need a car neck pillow to fall asleep while seated upright.
How do you use a neck pillow in a car?
Some car neck pillows attach to your neck. Others attach to the back of the car seat. To find the best way to install and adjust a car neck pillow, consult the owner's manual.
Is your neck connected to your spine?
Yes, your neck is a part of your spine. The human spine connects to the base of the skull and terminates with the tailbone.
Which neck pillow is best?
After testing several car neck pillows, we believe the Trtl Pillow Plus is the best car neck pillow. The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller, Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow, Bcozzy Double Support Neck Pillow, and Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager are also solid options.
