The 10 Best Car Pillows
Special Honors
Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion Long-haul truckers can appreciate the Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion, a large option with a contoured groove that helps encourage good posture. It's on the expensive side, but for those spending eight or more hours driving every day, the comfort it offers may just be worth it. purple.com
Sea to Summit Aeros Down For camping trips with friends, take the Sea to Summit Aeros Down along, so you can catch some shuteye both in the tent and when it's not your turn to drive. Although this handy pillow is lightweight, it's more comfortable than most inflatable options thanks to the down top. seatosummitusa.com
Beddinginn Casual Series Sofa If you have a "go big or go home" mentality, then the Beddinginn Casual Series Sofa is the way to go. True to the name, they turn your car seats into a mini sofa with plenty of cushioning for your whole body, from head to legs. They're extremely eye-catching, though, so be prepared for people to notice them. beddinginn.com
Editor's Notes
June 05, 2020:
Whether you have chronic pain, or just find sitting in the car uncomfortable, a good car pillow can make or break a trip. But it's important to remember that using one, whether behind your neck or to sit on, can alter the way your body interacts with a car's safety systems in a crash. Be sure to choose one that doesn't interfere with your seatbelt, and remember that adding one to your seat may carry some risk. Further, many experts agree that it's unwise to place a bulky pillow in a child's car seat, so we have not included any models made for that purpose; we removed The Wolf Moon Verisa, as well.
If it's your neck that needs support, you might look to the Dreamer Car or the Bosoner Premium, for a model that attaches to the headrest, or the Travelmate Neck, for a strapless, portable option. The former two are on the bulky side, so very petite users might find them frustrating, but they offer plenty of support behind the neck. The Travelmate model might be too much for a driver, but for passengers, it can make sleeping against a window much more comfortable. For something a little fancier, there's the Nursal Shiatsu, which will actually massage the tense muscles in your neck.
If it's your lumbar area that needs a little cushioning, consider the Ziraki Lumbar Cushion or the LoveHome Kit. The latter comes in two colors, whereas the former only comes in gray, in case color is a concern, but they're both firm and supportive. Or, if your rear is sore from sitting for long periods, there's the Everlasting Comfort Wedge. This car seat cushion boasts memory foam for long-lasting comfort, and has a nonslip rubber bottom that keeps it in place. The materials used for this bottom can stain light leather, however, so you may need to place something under it.