Best Inflatable Travel Pillow Reviews 2018
Whether you're flying, riding on a bus, train or in a car, you will doubtless feel a little tired when your trip is long. You may want to get a couple hours' shut-eye, if only getting comfy in your seat wasn’t impossible. But, there is a way! All you need to feel comfortable again is a travel pillow. But, which traveling pillow? There are so many, which one should you choose? Well, that’s why we’re here, and we’ve prepared some of the best travel pillow brands and a little guide for you so you can tell good travel pillows from bad ones.
(Updated September 15, 2017)
Watch Our Inflatable Travel Pillow Review
How Do I Choose the Best Inflatable Travel Pillow?
When you’re embarking on a long journey, whether it’s by plane, train, or automobile, comfort is a major consideration. There are many products designed to help in this regard, such as
travel blankets to keep you warm and cozy,
travel wallets for the security of your money and ID, and of course
travel mugs so you can take a cup of your favorite brew along for the ride. If you plan on stealing any sleep, or even relaxing, though, there are few things more key than a travel pillow.
For such a simple product, there are many styles and options available, made of many materials, not to mention the fillings. Inflatable models are the most widespread, and often the most effective style of travel pillow. We’re looking at inflatable pillows here, so the first thing you need to consider is what type of pillow you want. The type corresponds directly to your particular needs, as you may find some of them constricting to carry and use, while others won’t offer appropriate support.
Inflatable pillows are very useful in general, and very small and lightweight, taking up almost no room. These are the ones we’re focusing on in our article, but look out for other pages featuring different types of travel pillows. If they’re punctured, of course, they become useless and you need to replace them. As such, inflatable pillows need a larger degree of care than other styles.
Price
None too surprisingly, pillows come in different price ranges. Depending on the type of pillow and the material used, most cost somewhere between 10 and 20 dollars, but some can be as much as 65 dollars. Inflatable pillows are also the cheapest, while the title of the most expensive belongs to memory foam and microbead pillows. We did find lots of cheap inflatable travel pillows during our research, but these were a false economy, bursting after short periods of use and clad in uncomfortable materials.
Features
Pillows are very simple items, and they don't have many features. The features of pillows depend on the type of pillow. Inflatable pillows will, naturally, feature a valve to release air. Most pillows have removable covers so you can clean them. Carry bags and drawstring bags are a common way of making the pillows more transportable.
Here is a short list of things to look for in an inflatable travel pillow:
- Air release valves
- Removable covers
- Carry bags and drawstring bags
- Often machine-washable
Construction and Design
So, let’s start by sizing up the types. The most widespread type are the U-shaped pillows. These ones wrap around your neck and offer neck support, but your head can fall off to the side. J pillows offer support for one side of your head, as well as your chin, but there can be significant chafing, and general discomfort around your neck, as you feel like you're being strangled. Wedge-shaped pillows offer a significant support for the spine, while cylinder pillows offer both back and neck support, but are usually big and awkward to carry around. Collar pillows go around your entire neck, providing support from all sides, but look like neck prosthetics and can be uncomfortable in hotter weather.
Some of the best pillows are Travelrest pillows, which take the shape of a comma. They stretch along your body diagonally, resembling a car seat, and support a very natural sleeping position. However, they're big and heavy and take up a lot of room. SkyRest pillows resemble a crate with a slanted back, usually with holes on the sides and the top for your arms and face. They allow you to lean forward to sleep – another very natural sleeping position, but one that can lead to back pain.
Moving on from the types and their pros and cons, let's examine other considerations. After you've chosen a pillow type that will best support your neck, you need to consider the fabric and the durability of the pillow. Some pillows use fleece and some polyester. Fleece is very hot and good for colder weather. Polyester is good for hotter weather, although some people might be allergic. As far as fillings, pillows can be filled with air, memory foam and microbeads. Naturally, microbeads and memory foam offer the best support, but microbeads pillows tend to stretch and lose their ability to support the weight of your head. On top of that, both types require more space to carry as they can’t be folded, with microbead pillows being heavy too.
Performance and Ease of Use
Pillows, being very simple items, are absolutely no hassle to use. However, some may not be as easy to use as others, nor may they perform as well. Inflatable pillows require you to blow them up before you use them, which could be a struggle in a low-pressure environment such as an airplane. Also, depending on the materials and make, lower-end pillows may not provide adequate support for your neck. In addition, the performance of a travel pillow is often subjectively colored, as you may not like a particular type of pillow and it just might not do it for you.
What is the Best Inflatable Travel Pillow?
With many different products on the market, it can be a daunting task picking the right travel pillow. We hope out guide helped you get an idea what you’re looking for in an inflatable travel pillow. Now, let’s head in to our featured products so you can decide whether any of them are the right choice for you.
Our Top Choice
A good travel pillow inflates fast. The Jerrybox Travel Pillow is one such product, and it’s very comfy to boot! Would you also like a collapsible drinks bottle to take with you on your travels? The
Jerrybox Collapsible Water Bottle - 26 oz with BPA Free Silicone may be just what you’re after.
Jerrybox Inflating Neck Travel Pillow with Adjustable Breathable U-Shape Support Head, Neck and Chin – Available in 3 Color and 2 Materials
Jerrybox Inflatable Travel Pillow COMIN18JU090000 – Velvet, Blue
Features
Jerrybox is a rather new brand. It was founded in 2016 as an extension of the Shenzhen Jieying Technology Corporation and deals mostly in creating affordable and convenient products. The company makes a wide variety of products, as big as makeup and vanity mirrors and as small as travel mugs and bottles, with the travel products being the most prominent, and of solid quality. Jerrybox has excellent 24/7 customer support, with centers covering the entire world, and offers an 18-month warranty on all products.
This travel pillow is one of the best products on the market. It’s compact, convenient, and – best of all – inflates quickly. Most pillows require you to blow on them to inflate, which is inconvenient and often frustrating. Instead, Jerrybox decided to cater this product to users. The pillow is inflated at a press of a button (or rather, two buttons), and inflates to full in only 10 seconds. The pillow deflates just as quickly.
One of the best things about the pillow is that it's actually two pillows in one. There are two air compartments on either side of your head, which allows you to gauge the amount of air in either one for the best experience. The pillow is incredibly anatomically sound and extremely comfortable to sleep on. On the back, there is a slightly raised part that offers extra support for your neck. The velvet cover is also easy to remove for cleaning.
All in all, this is one mean pillow. The fact it inflates so quickly is enough for you to buy it, but the added neck support and dual airbags make this product the absolutely best. You can get it in either blue, grey or grey black, as well as in velvet or Roman fabric materials.
Best Value
The Lewis N Clark On Air Adjustable and Inflatable Neck Pillow is easily inflated and very comfortable to sleep on – a great and affordable addition to any frequent traveler’s kit. If you are looking for an equally comfortable pillow made of fabric and a cooling gel to prevent any body heat buildup, we suggest that you go for the
Lewis N Clark Cooling Gel Memory Foam Neck Pillow.
Lewis N. Clark On Air Adjustable and Inflatable Neck Pillow
Lewis N. Clark Inflatable Travel Pillow 520-Blue
Features
Lewis N Clark, named after two of America's most famous explorers, is a veteran travel equipment manufacturer founded in 1990 as a subsidiary company to LCI Brands. Since then, it’s been a leader in this industry. It started out making luggage trollies, caddies and packing totes but soon started to expand by adding more innovative products. Now, Lewis N Clark offers one of the finest and largest selections of products on the market.
Its product we’re presenting today is a simple but nonetheless amazing travel pillow. It’s naturally inflatable, but you will have to blow in it, unlike some others. Even so, the pillow inflates with only a few breaths and, once fully inflated, is one of the softest and most comfortable pillows around. An intuitive valve allows you to adjust the softness of the pillow to cater to your needs.
Naturally, the goal of the pillow is to provide support for your back so you can sleep well and without back or neck pain when you wake up. To this end, this Lewis N Clark pillow has a strategically planned design that is anatomically sound, allowing the pillow to place your neck in a superbly comfortable position.
All in all Lewis N Clark has made a marvelous yet simple pillow. You do have to put in some extra effort inflating it, but it only takes a few breaths for a solid few hours of comfortable sleep on the road.
Simptech Inflatable Travel Pillow, Ergonomic and Portable Head Neck Rest Pillow – Available in 3 Colors
Simptech Inflatable Travel Pillow STP01 - Grey
Features
Though Simptech is a company mainly focused on making electronics, such as headphones, speakers, and earbuds, it made it on our list with this one amazing product. The company was started in 2008 and has been delivering amazing products that are cutting edge, efficient, innovative, and most importantly, simple. The same innovation and the same principle of simplicity and effectiveness has been applied to this pillow, which is why it's here on our list today.
Right off the bat, you can tell the Simptech pillow is no ordinary pillow. In fact, it actually looks like a piece of Kevlar body armor and as if it can be worn on your body. It's got holes on the sides and the top for your arms and head. However, this pillow's arched front is a cushion that you're supposed to lean on. The hole on the top allows you to put your head or chin through it for maximum comfort, and the hole is just the right shape to support your head and put it in a comfortable position, so you wouldn't wake up feeling sore.
As for the holes on the side, they allow you to put your hands through them and pull the pillow closer to you. Not only that, you can also enjoy playing with your phone in the privacy of the Simptech pillow. This pillow requires you to blow into it to inflate it, but you can deflate it easily with the press of a button. This also allows you to adjust the softness of the product and set it the way you prefer. Don’t forget that it’s available in grey, black and purple colors.
In the end, the Simptech inflatable pillow is unusual but very effective at what it does. Its strange shape actually supports a very natural forward-leaning sleeping position and, having slept on Simptech, you are guaranteed to wake up well-rested and pain free.
AirComfy Inflatable Multi-Purpose Travel Pillow, Ergonomic Neck and Lumbar Support for Prevention of Cervical and Lower Back Pain – Available in 2 Colors
AirComfy Inflatable Travel Pillow - Taupe
Features
Family-owned businesses are some of the most trusted businesses around. They don’t produce a large number of products, but every item is made with love. That is the story of AirComfy – a small company owned by a family of seven that is eager to serve you and to fix all your sleeping problems on the road.
The product we're presenting you with today is the AirComfy Inflatable Multipurpose travel pillow. Unlike most ordinary pillows, this one doesn't have a standard horseshoe design but looks like a regular pillow squished in the middle. This unique shape allows the product to be very gentle on your neck, cradling and supporting it. The pillow also has a strap that lets you secure it to your seat, so you don't have to worry about it moving around. It inflates easily and can be adjusted according to preference.
Now, what about the "multi purpose" part? Well, the shape of the pillow doesn’t only serve as support for your neck, it's also great for your back. If you suffer from back problems or simply find the seats too uncomfortable for you, you can put the pillow behind you and lean back, and you'll have excellent lumbar support, making your trip more comfortable. You have the liberty to choose between black and taupe colors to match your travel needs.
In the end, AirComfty knows what anatomic travel pillows are all about, and they’ve proven it with this product. This AirComfy pillow is one of the best pillows around, thanks to its great shape and multipurpose use.
Want a great pillow and a few items on the side? Check out MLVOC Inflatable Neck Pillow with Ear Plugs, Eye Mask, and Drawstring Bag. Willing to pay a little more for convenience? The Inflatable Travel Pillow,
MLVOC Push-Button Soft Velvet and includes a push-button inflation system.
MLVOC Inflatable Neck Pillow with Ear Plugs, Eye Mask and Drawstring Bag – Available in 5 Colors
MLVOC Inflatable Travel Pillow SYNCHKG086752 - Blue
Features
Last, but not least, is MLVOC. This is a rather young company, and may not have many products in stock, but what’s there is very solid. MLVOC sells sleeping masks, portable chargers, and, yes, you guessed it, neck pillows. It strives for excellence, convenience, and innovation in all products, and you can always expect top-of-the line items.
Available in 5 cool colors the Inflatable Neck pillow is very similar in shape to the Jerrybox pillow, with improved neck support. However, it's not push to inflate, so you need to blow into it to inflate it. However, the product features a valve that lets you deflate the pillow in only three seconds. The pillow is very soft and made of good-quality material that won’t cause chafing.
Aside from the pillow, you will get a few more items as part of a set. Along with the pillow, you will also get a pair of ear plugs and a sleeping mask, all packed in a neat drawstring bag. This makes MLVOC a very good choice, particularly for those who travel a lot, as you can get all the things you need in a single place.
All in all, this pillow does what it’s supposed to, and does it well. The pillow also comes as a part of a very convenient travel set.
Get the Best Inflatable Travel Pillow of 2018!
We hope you enjoyed reading our guide, and, most importantly, we hope you’ve learned something too. Pillows are a dime a dozen, and it can be quite hard to choose, as they’re all the best at what they do. In the end, the choice falls on you, and you will choose a pillow that will cater to your needs in greatest measure. If none of these options quite fit the bill, rest assured the brands we chose are a good choice, even if you pick an alternative one of their products.
Best Value
Lewis N. Clark On Air Adjustable and Inflatable Neck Pillow
Simptech Inflatable Travel Pillow
AirComfy Inflatable Multi-Purpose Travel Pillow
MLVOC Portable Travel Neck Pillow
