Best Pillows For Bed Reading – UK 2022

Reading pillows are ideal for sitting up in bed with a supported back and neck, and are a perfect solution for people who want to read for long hours. They come in a range of different shapes such as a body with two extended arms, and wedge shapes.

This article will look at how to choose the right reading pillow for you, as well as some pros and cons of reading pillows.

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The Best Reading Pillows

Best Overall – Milliard Therapeutic Reading Pillow

Best For Comfort – icon Teddy Bear Reading Pillow

Best For Value – Super Soft Anti Allergic Batwing Pillow

Best For Luxury – NOFFA Reading Pillow

Best Multifunctioning – Byre® Wedge Pillow

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How do I Use a Reading Pillow?

Reading pillows are typically large, with a base and top to be propped against the headboard of your bed. In the case of a wedge shape, the more significant portion of the pillow would be placed at the bottom, rating against the headboard so that you can sit with your back flush against it. The pillow should be adjusted so your back is in a neutral position for optimal comfort.

How do I Choose a Reading Pillow?

There are a few factors to consider when choosing a reading pillow:

• What material makes up the inner fill.
• What the outer fabric is made up of.
• The shape of the pillow.

How Do I Choose the Right Inner Fill for my Reading Pillow?

Inner fill is an important part to consider for reading pillows as it can affect the comfort levels. Typically, memory foam is a great option for inner fill as it can contour to the shape of your body. For breathability, you can consider shredded foam instead.

Polyester fibre for an inner fill is not as ideal as memory foam as polyester is not as durable. However, polyester is also less expensive.

How Do I Choose the Right Outer Fabric for my Reading Pillow?

The outer fabric comes in many fabric styles for reading pillows, such as velvet, velour, cotton, and faux suede. Each type of fabric needs a different cleaning option, with velvet being the most difficult to care for and one of the softest and most luxurious.

If your reading pillow has the chance of a removable cover, this is always a great option. Otherwise, you can only spot clean your reading pillow, which does not allow for in-depth cleaning.

How Do I Choose the Right Shape for my Reading Pillow?

Consider what type of space you are working with when it comes to your reading pillow, and how you want to use it. If you have a small bed and you will be the only one using it, you can consider finding a small reading pillow or wedge-shaped pillow.

If, however, your bed is large and you know you will have more than one person using the pillow at a time, consider finding a long wedge pillow.

Our Best Selections

Best Overall – Milliard Therapeutic Reading Pillow

The Milliard Therapeutic Reading Pillow is a shredded memory foam pillow with extending arms for great levels of support. It is incredibly popular with over 8,500 ratings on Amazon. Over 85% of these are 4 or 5 stars. Highlights from customer reviews include ‘‘This item has been a godsend for comfort in sitting up in bed, I suffer from acid night reflux and the product helps me to keep sitting up.’’ and ‘‘Really pleased with it. And the stuffing hasn’t gone saggy or lumpy, it’s still keeping the shape.’’

The pillow is quite large and heavy for a pillow, measuring 45cm x 38cm. It comes with the ability to change the fill level lets you add or remove filling to your liking and even extend the life of the pillow by adding new filling over time. The outer of the pillow is a zippered velour cover that features a carry handle to move the pillow more easily and is fully machine washable.

Best For Comfort – icon Teddy Bear Reading Pillow

The icon teddy bear cuddle cushion is a bean-filled reading pillow with a super soft fleece cover. It is much less popular than the previous pillow mentioned. It is well rated though with over 80% of ratings being 4 or 5 stars. Some highlights from customer reviews include ‘’It’s nice and soft and well stitched. The standard size gives you good support for when you are watching TV in bed or feeding a baby’’ and ‘’Words genuinely can’t describe how much of a godsend this is.’’

Designed and made in Britain, the icon teddy bear pillow measures 63 x 74 x 50 cm and should fit the average person well. It is super soft and the bean bag style filling moulds to the body well to make a very comfortable pillow. One downside is that the filling is not contained in an inner cover so can spill out very easily if the zip is opened. This also makes it a bit trickier to clean.

Best For Value – Super Soft Anti Allergic Batwing Pillow

The super-soft batwing pillow by Bedding Home is basic but effective. It is the pillow with the least ratings on this list but is still highly regarded. Over 80% of customers have rated it 4 or 5 stars in over 200 ratings. Highlights from reviews include ‘’It’s better than your normal v pillow as it’s got padding down the middle to support your back.’’ and ‘’Great support cushion for sitting up in bed whilst reading a book or watching TV. It saves having to move your pillows about to get comfy.’’

It is a rather large pillow measuring 76 x 94cm and has a polycotton outer cover and a hollowfibre fill. It also doubles up as a lumbar support pillow as well as a reading pillow. Unfortunately, it does not come with a cover and finding one that will fit well can prove quite tricky. It is well priced though and the design of the pillow is effective. A bonus is that it is fully machine washable and can also be put in the dryer.

Best For Luxury – NOFFA Reading Pillow

The NOFFA reading pillow is a memory foam wedge pillow that includes a head rest to help with neck support. Over 450 people have left a rating for this pillow with over 70% of them rating the pillow 4 or 5 stars. A couple of highlights from the reviews include ‘’I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for back support while in a sitting position’’ and ‘’it supports my back & head brilliantly’’

The pillow measures 58 x 45 x 28cm and weighs 1.7kg. The memory foam used in this pillow makes it firmer than the average reading pillow. Because of this, it holds its shape well over time. The soft, grey cover is also removable and machine washable, making it easy to keep clean. When first received the pillow will need to be left for 24-48 hours to allow it to reach its full size. 

Best Multifunctioning – Byre® Wedge Pillow

The Byre wedge pillow is a foam pillow that has a folding 5 in 1 design. It has over 1,500 ratings on Amazon with over 80% of them being 4 or 5 stars. Highlights from the reviews left on it include ‘’The light grey velvet washable cover is a really good idea as it holds you in position, you don’t slide down it’’ and ‘’For me, the cushion is hard enough that it is supportive but soft enough to be comfortable.’’

It measures 55 x 55 x 26 centimetres and weighs just 2.2kg. The cover is made from a super-soft velvet polyester which can be easily machine washed. The foam core of the pillow is not machine washable and gives it a firmer than average feel. Depending on what you prefer, the pillow can be set at a 30 or 60-degree angle, making finding the reading position which suits you best much easier. 

What Types of Reading Pillows Are Available?

 

Reading pillows come in several shapes and sizes, such as:

• The traditional shape with a high back and two arms support extending from the base.
• The wedge pillow is shaped in a contoured or straight triangle.
• A long wedge shape is suitable for two people.
• An orthopaedic reading pillow with lumbar and knee support.

What is the Traditional Shape of Reading Pillows?

The traditional shape, which resembles a beanie bag body with two arms extending out of the base’s sides, is the most common type of reading pillow seen. They are an excellent mix of comfort and support for both your back and arms while reading in bed. Some of these types of reading pillows also come with a strap along the top to allow for easy portability.

What is a Wedge-shaped Reading Pillow?

Wedge pillows are ideal for sitting up in bed while watching a movie, with one edge flush against the headboard while the other side is at an ideal incline to support your back.

What is a Long Wedge-shaped Reading Pillow?

Similar to the wedge shape, this particular type of pillow is elongated and large. This makes portability a bit difficult, but also allows up to two people to use the pillow at the same time for reading or watching a movie.

What is a Orthopaedic Support Reading Pillow?

Orthopaedic pillows are typically made up of two pillows, lumbar support, and a knee support pillow. The lumbar pillow has a scooped-shaped back that allows for lumbar relief. Sometimes these also come with a headrest for extra comfort. And the knee pillow ensures the person sitting is in a natural position.

 

What Types of Material are Used in Reading PIllows?

Typically, reading pillows are made of solid or shredded memory foam or polyester fibres. Depending on your budget, each of these has its pros and cons, with shredded memory foam being a good middle ground for price, breathability, and comfort.

Are Reading Pillows Good for You?

Reading pillows are a popular option for their functionality as they provide needed support while reading in bed.

Normally, reading in bed is a difficult chore as it takes two to three pillows to make enough of a support base for your back against the headrest. However, reading pillows are designed especially to tackle this issue.

Reading pillows make it so your back and neck stay aligned while reading, improving your posture and keeping your body relaxed and free of aches and sores from poor posture.

Not only that but reading pillows are beneficial to those who are recovering from an injury that needs careful back or neck support or is more sensitive to discomfort in general.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Reading Pillow?

 

Reading pillows can make reading in bed easy with proper support, especially if you find yourself sitting in bed for a long period. Some pillows also come with extra features, such as a velvet cover or pockets.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Using a Reading Pillow?

Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API