All modern cars have headrests, but what about neck support? One thing’s for sure no headrest will support your neck; in fact, they actually work against any support for your neck.
If you’re in the midst of a long journey, or you’ve just got back from one, you’ll be feeling what we all have experienced; that’s the pain we suffer in our neck and shoulder muscles. Even if you make a stop on the way to grab some much-needed sleep, there’s a considerable difference from sleeping in your bed to attempting to sleep upright in your car’s seat; even if you recline the seat, you’re still more vertical than horizontal.
We’re going to discuss the type of neck pillow, not the kind you take on aircraft; you know the style you wear around your neck. No, these are car neck pillows that you attach to your vehicle’s seat.
This type of neck pillow is nothing like a regular pillow you might have in bed. These are smaller, and you position the pillow behind your neck and ensure there’s no gap between your neck and the vehicle’s headrest.
Picking out the best car neck pillow can be a time-consuming task, which is why we have compiled this car neck pillow buying guide.
In this guide, you’ll find the best quality that offers the best support for the most reasonable prices.
Best Car Neck Pillow
The Dreamer car pillow is a balanced-softness memory foam that will bounce back into shape after use. The car pillow incorporates an adjustable strap so you can find the ideal position for your neck and shoulders.
Position the strap around the headrest support or move it up and around the headrest itself and feel the relief it brings to your neck pain and muscle tension.
The ergonomic design fits comfortably behind your neck and perfectly compliments the curve of your spine. This molded shape helps you align yourself when driving and prevents your head from hanging down, placing even more stress on the shoulders.
The Dreamer car pillow has two covers over the memory foam, the outer cover is machine-washable polyester fiber, and the inner cover is non-washable cotton.
The car pillow’s dimensions are 10.83 x 9.45 x 5.51 inches and weigh only 14.1 ounces.
You will probably need to adjust your car seat a little when using a car pillow because it will push your head forward, and that can be uncomfortable with the seat in the incorrect position.
Key Features
- The pillow’s dimensions are 10.83 x 9.45 x 5.51 inches.
- An outer layer of machine-washable polyester fiber.
- Incorporates an adjustable headrest strap.
- High-density memory foam.
- Reduces neck pressure.
- Weighs only 14.1 ounces.
- 1-year guarantee.
Why We Like It:
The Dreamer car pillow is an excellent car neck support pillow with a headrest strap.
The Bangled car neck pillow is 90% high-density memory foam and will relieve the pressure on the neck and shoulders from driving over extended periods.
Using this car neck pillow over time will help relieve spinal pressure by supporting the head, both sides of your shoulders and relaxing the neck muscles.
The pillow dimensions are 11.8 x 7.9 x 4 inches, and it weighs just over one pound. When you take delivery, it will expand to its full shape and size within 48 hours.
The pillow’s fabric cover is a breathable mesh design that ensures good airflow through the pillow.
Use the Bangled pillow as a sleeping pillow for when you rest on long road trips or use it to keep your spine straight without tilting your head when driving. The position of the pillow for either purpose is adjustable via the strap and the headrest.
Key Features
- The pillow’s dimensions are 11.8 x 7.9 x 4 inches.
- Weighs just over one pound.
- 90% high-density memory foam.
- Breathable mesh fabric.
- Relieves pressure on the neck and spine.
- Washable cover.
Why We Like It:
The Bangled car pillow is terrific for neck support while driving.
The Zatooto car neck pillow will comfortably fill in the gap between the back of your neck and shoulders and the car’s headrest.
Combining two installation methods because of its shape and depending on your height, invert the pillow, the narrow part points up or down.
The car neck pillow is of top-quality high-density memory foam with slow rebound and will not deform. The pillow’s back is a zipper to remove the memory foam when the breathable fabric requires washing.
The strap at the back of the neck pillow is adjustable; you can position it around the headrest supports or if you need it higher, then place the straps around the headrest.
Zatooto guarantees their pillow’s quality; if there’s any fault with the pillow, they will replace free of charge, and this they guarantee for 12 months.
Key Features
- Pillow’s dimensions are 11.8 x 9.4 x 5.5 inches.
- Weight 13.8 ounces.
- High-density memory foam.
- Pillow can be inverted depending on the driver’s height.
- Back zipper to remove the cover.
- The cover is breathable and washable material.
- An adjustable back strap.
Why We Like It:
The Zatooto car neck pillow is an excellent neck pillow for driving or sleeping during a break from driving.
The Infanzia kids neck pillow is perfect for young children’s head, neck, and chin support while sitting in a car seat.
A huge problem for young kids falling asleep in the car seats is their head falling forward; sometimes, it can look as though they are about to fall forward and out of the car seat. This problem isn’t going to happen with the Infanzia neck pillow because it encloses the neck, and there is a snap button to hold the pillow together, preventing the child’s head from snapping forward.
Choose the neck pillow you like best from a choice of blue with a snap, gray with a snap, little devil, panda, or red with a snap.
This child’s neck pillow is 100% cotton pique fabric with a honeycomb cloth surface, making the pillow far more breathable and easier to keep dry. Infanzia pillow will not deform and is 100% washable.
The pillow’s shape is widened bilaterally, giving excellent support in the pillow’s sides; around the pillow’s back is slightly thinner, helping the child’s head from falling forward and allowing for complete 360-degree support of the child’s head, chin, and neck.
Key Features
- Ergonomic design.
- Pure cotton pique fabric.
- 100% machine washable.
- Adjustable snap button.
- Breathable and comfortable.
- 360-degree support for head, neck, and chin.
- Choice of colors and designs.
- Not bulky around the back of the pillow.
Why We Like It:
The Infanzia kids travel neck pillow is the best car seat neck support pillow for kids.
If you drive a vehicle with headrests that incorporate supporting poles, then the Buluby premium car neck pillow might just be the one you’re looking for.
Buluby uses an exclusive adjustable bracket that fixes around the headrest poles. This fixing system allows you to adjust the neck pillow forwards, backward, up, or down depending on your height. For example, if you’re taller than average, raise the headrest on its poles higher than it would typically be and fix the bracket to the poles. This action would lift the neck pillow to a more comfortable position for you when driving.
It’s possible to adjust the front-to-back movement by two inches and the vertical direction by three-point two inches. Adjusting the neck pillow’s horizontal and vertical position will allow you the maximum support for your head, neck, and shoulders when driving; the 3D concave curved surface fits perfectly with the neck’s curve.
You’ll find the combination of slow-rebound memory foam and ultra-soft suede material of the outer cloth both soft, comfortable, and hard-wearing; the memory foam will effectively absorb the head’s impact under harsh driving conditions or accidents.
There’s a choice of colors to match most vehicle’s interiors, including black, beige, grey, and pink.
Key Features
- A 3D concave curve on the pillow.
- Vertical and horizontal adjustments are possible.
- Features an Innovative fixing bracket.
- The outer cover is a soft suede material.
- The interior is slow-rebound memory foam.
- Choice of colors.
- Ergonomic design.
- Not suitable for vehicles without headrest poles.
- Eighteen-month warranty.
Why We Like It:
The Buluby premium car neck pillow features an innovative bracket design to ensure maximum comfort with vertical and horizontal adjustments.
The Hswt car neck pillow has an innovative, ergonomic design that supports the head to relieve the stress and tension in your neck and shoulder muscles should you wish to sleep in the car seats.
The Hswt pillow’s design allows you to sleep more comfortably in a slightly upright posture, which is typically such a big problem when trying to sleep in a vehicle’s seats. The neck pillow will effectively support your head on either side.
With a built-in 180-degree rotation, the pillow can adjust to various height requirements, whether it’s for adults, teens, young kids, or older adults; lift the pillow or lower it down to suit. When driving, you can raise the pillow, so it’s entirely out of the way.
Both of the side head pillows detach from the unit for ease of fixing to the car’s headrest. The support rod that attaches to the vehicle’s headrest poles is strong ABS material, and you can adjust it to suit any headrest pole’s thickness from 85mm to 170mm. The side pillows are breathable leather material with inserts of high-density memory foam.
You have a choice of colors to suit the interior decor of your vehicle, including black, grey, beige, or brown.
This car neck pillow is a sleeping device when the vehicle is not moving; it’s not for use when driving.
Key Features
- 180-degree rotation of the pillows.
- Ergonomic design features.
- Choice of colors.
- High-density memory foam.
- The pillow’s outer material is leather material.
- The fixing bracket is high-quality ABS material.
- Relieves stress and tension in the neck and shoulder muscles.
- Not suitable to use while driving the vehicle.
Why We Like It:
The Hswt car neck pillow is an innovative design that achieves a comfortable head position while sleeping upright in a car seat.
The Aeris car headrest pillow’s design makes it ideal for filling that awkward gap between the seat and the headrest, which always gives drivers a stiff neck and aching shoulder muscles. The car’s headrest pushes a driver’s head forward, which places strain on the spine.
Placing the Aeris pillow in the gap enables the driver to attain a much more comfortable and relaxing posture when driving, particularly if you suffer from neck issues or arthritis.
The pillow incorporates supportive and soft memory foam. Having such a versatile shape enables the pillow suitable for several other uses such as lumbar cushion, leg spacer, nap pillow, etc. You can compress the pillow down to 50% of its standard size to fit into a portable travel bag and take it wherever you like.
You can adjust the neck pillow’s strap to suit any height and most car seats and headrests; if you need it, there’s also an 8-inch extension if you are exceptionally tall.
Cleaning is quick and straightforward; you remove the outer pillow cover, a piece of soft velour fabric, and machine wash the whole cover.
Key Features
- Fills the gap between the headrest and seat.
- Adjusts to any height and most headrests.
- The Interior is memory foam.
- The outer cover is machine-washable velour.
- With dimensions of 11.81 x 7.87 x 3.54 inches.
- The pillow compresses to 50% of its standard size.
- Portable carry bag.
Why We Like It:
The Aeris headrest pillow is the best neck pillow for driving, incorporating an 8-inch strap extension.
The Jesenband car seat headrest cushion is a high-quality 100% memory foam pillow that will not harden when extremely cold and providing support for your head, neck, and spine.
The pillow’s outer cover is a soft, breathable sports fabric that is exceptionally soft to the touch yet is removable and 100% machine-washable.
The neck pillow features an elasticated strap that can fit horizontally or vertically around your headrest and horizontally around the headrest’s poles.
The Jesenband is longer than most neck pillows (36cm); this extra length is to ensure the pillow slides under the shoulders to provide additional support in that area of your body as well as giving support to your head when driving.
Key Features
- Full support for neck and shoulders.
- The cover is removable and 100% machine-washable.
- Extra-long neck pillow (36cm).
- High-density memory foam.
- Features an elasticated strap.
- Ergonomic shape.
Why We Like It:
The Jesenband neck rest cushion provides some of the best neck support while driving.
The Carfond headrest pillow is high-quality PU leather, and adding to the shiny bling appearance, the manufacturers have inlaid four rings of rhinestones into the headrest.
Should you like this pillow’s stylish look, then you’ll also find it very comfortable and supportive. Carfond uses high-density memory foam for the interior, and you will not see it deform after use.
An elasticated strap and fastening buckle can attach to either your vehicle’s headrest or the poles supporting the headrest.
Choose either black, blue, or pink PU leather, depending on your preference.
While the outer cover is perfectly safe to clean, do not attempt to wash the memory foam; if you feel you want to refresh, it requires only a wipe down with a damp cloth or wet wipe; after wiping, allow to dry in a well-ventilated and cool space.
Key Features
- Will fit all vehicle headrests.
- Invisible zipper.
- Elasticated strap with easy-fasten buckle.
- The dimensions are 11.81 x 6.61 x 4.76 inches.
- Weight 11.8 ounces.
- The outer material is quality PU leather.
- 100% memory foam.
- Stylish rhinestone lattice.
Why We Like It:
The Carfond neck pillow has a cool, stylish look and is ideal for those drivers who like to add sparkle to their cars.
The Alibo Car Neck Pillow is a circular cervical pillow conforming to the spine’s curvature to alleviate neck pain and shoulder muscle ache from sitting and driving with a bad posture.
The high-density memory foam pillow will mold to the shape of your neck and retain warmth to ease muscle tension. The pillow’s outer cover is removable and is a 100% machine-washable satin material. The pillow perfectly fits into the gap between the car’s headrest and the seat.
The pillow features an adjustable strap that you can use to attach the cushion to the car’s headrest or the headrest supporting poles; the belt has a quick-fastening buckle.
If you are taller than average, the headrest of your vehicle probably pushes your head forward. Some drivers experience incredible neck and shoulder pain because of this posture; the Alibo neck pillow will help relieve this situation.
Key Features
- Circular cervical pillow.
- High-density memory foam.
- The outer cover is machine-washable satin material.
- The pillow has dimensions of 11.02 x 4.33 x 4.33 inches.
- Weight 0.53 pounds.
- Two-color choices.
- It has an elasticated fastening strap.
Why We Like It:
The Alibo neck pillow is an excellent car neck support pillow with a car headrest strap.
Benefits Of The Best Car Neck Pillow
Pain Relief: It’s fair to say that anyone who drives or sits upright for any period is going to suffer pain. Unfortunately, we don’t maintain the necessary body posture to eliminate pain, no matter how hard we try.
A quality neck pillow strategically placed, especially when driving, can eliminate painful neck and shoulder pain.
Bad Posture: If you could permanently maintain the best posture, it would eliminate your neck, shoulder, and headaches caused by a terrible posture.
But for most of us, it’s too late; we’ve already given in to those bad habits of slouching when driving or sitting. But using a high-quality neck pillow consistently doesn’t just offer immediate effects; it may even help you in the long term.
Portable Neck Pillows: The best car neck pillows will all offer a strap to fasten the pillow to the car’s headrest or headrest poles. Without the belt, the pillow is always going to slip down the minute you move your head. But the pillow can still be portable. The neck pillow helps in many different settings, from car seats, train seats, plane seats, and even the office.
Straightforward Use: The car neck pillow is convenient and straightforward to use; simply position in the gap between the headrest and car seat and bring the strap around the back of the poles or headrest. Some straps are adjustable, so you can tighten the tension and adjust them higher or lower depending on your height.
Some neck pillows now have innovative fixing brackets that fit tight to the headrest poles and allow for adjusting the pillow, bringing them further forward and moving them up and down.
There’s no hardship when it comes to keeping them clean the good neck pillows all have removable and machine-washable covers that dry in no time.
Neck Pillows Fit All Vehicles: There’s a neck pillow for virtually every vehicle; it’s just checking the size and shape. Some of the fittings might not work in some cars; for example, the brackets that fit around the headrest poles are not suitable for vehicles with no headrest poles such as the Tesla or Volvo. You might need to effect some adjustments once you attempt to attach the pillow, but a neck pillow will typically fit any vehicle.
Final Thoughts
A good neck pillow is a must-have piece of equipment for your car, especially if you’re in the car for hours on end. We all allow our postures to sag, and that’s what gives the neck and shoulder pain. Sitting slumped in the driver’s seat with our spine out of alignment will never make life comfortable.
As we mentioned at the start of the article buying the best car neck pillow while it won’t kick you in the butt about your posture will undoubtedly help alleviate the pain, and for the time you’re in the car, at least, help to realign your posture.