Coop and Tempur-Pedic make two of the most popular memory foam pillows, but they take opposite approaches. The Coop Home Goods Original is filled with shredded memory foam you can add or remove until the height is right for you. The TEMPUR-Cloud is a single block of dense TEMPUR foam with a soft, fixed shape that never changes. This Coop vs Tempur-Pedic pillow comparison lines up our test results so you can see which one suits the way you sleep.
The short version: the Coop is the better pick for most people, especially side and combination sleepers, because you can set your own loft and it sleeps cooler. The TEMPUR-Cloud is the better pick for back sleepers who want a soft, pressure-free cradle that holds its shape for years.
Quick Verdict
Coop vs Tempur-Pedic comes down to whether you want to adjust your pillow, and how warm you sleep.
Choose the Coop Original if you:
- sleep on your side, or switch between side and back
- want to set your own loft — our testers used anywhere from 3.5 to 5.5 inches
- run warm — it built up much less heat
- want a 100-night trial
Choose the TEMPUR-Cloud if you:
- sleep on your back
- want a soft, pressure-free feel with no lumps or shifting fill
- want a pillow that keeps its shape — it lost no loft in eight weeks
- don't sleep hot
Quick Verdict: Coop wins for side, combination and warm sleepers; TEMPUR-Cloud wins for back sleepers who want a soft, durable cradle.
Coop vs Tempur-Pedic at a Glance
| Coop Home Goods Original | TEMPUR-Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Fill | Shredded memory foam, adjustable | Solid TEMPUR foam |
| Feel | Moldable, medium | Soft, slow cradle |
| Loft | Adjustable (testers used 3.5–5.5 in) | Fixed |
| Surface heat rise (2 hrs, 70°F) | +3.2°F | +5.1°F |
| Shape over time | Loses about 0.5 in overnight; fluff to restore | 100% loft kept after 8 weeks |
| Best for | Side and combination sleepers | Back sleepers |
| Trial | 100 nights | Check retailer terms |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years |
| Typical price | $69–$89 | $79–$99 |
Prices change often, so check today's price before you buy.
How Are They Built? Shredded vs Solid Foam
The Coop is filled with loose shredded foam; the TEMPUR-Cloud is one solid block. That single difference drives almost every result below.
The Coop Original is filled with shredded memory foam inside a breathable cover made of polyester and bamboo-derived viscose. It comes overstuffed, and you unzip it to remove fill until your neck feels level. No tester in our group kept the factory fill.
The TEMPUR-Cloud is made from Tempur-Pedic's dense TEMPUR material in a soft, fixed shape, with a Cool-Touch cover. You can't adjust it — you get the height and feel you buy — but solid foam doesn't clump, shift or flatten.
Which Is Better for Your Sleep Position?
Side sleepers
Coop. Side sleepers need a tall loft to fill the gap between ear and shoulder, and the right height varies with your frame. Our side sleepers set the Coop to 4.5–5.5 inches. The TEMPUR-Cloud's soft, fixed shape may not give broad-shouldered side sleepers enough height. See our best pillow for side sleepers.
Back sleepers
TEMPUR-Cloud. Back sleepers are its best match: it cradles the head with no pressure points, and its soft feel suits people with ear or temple soreness. The Coop also works well for back sleepers once you remove some fill — ours settled around 4–4.25 inches — and it cut average neck stiffness by 70% by week eight across our testers.
Combination sleepers
Coop. Shredded foam moves with you, and you can set a middle loft that works on your side and back; our combination sleeper chose 3.5 inches. The TEMPUR-Cloud's slow foam and fixed height make it a poorer match if you change position a lot.
Stomach sleepers
Neither is ideal. Stomach sleepers need a very flat 1–2 inch pillow. You can take the Coop that low by removing most of the fill, but a purpose-built thin pillow is easier. We don't recommend the TEMPUR-Cloud for stomach sleepers.
Which Sleeps Cooler?
The Coop Original. In the same two-hour test at 70°F, its surface rose 3.2°F, against 5.1°F for the TEMPUR-Cloud. Air moves between the shredded pieces; dense, solid TEMPUR foam holds more heat.
The TEMPUR-Cloud's Cool-Touch cover lowered the perceived surface temperature by about 0.6°F, which helps at the start of the night but doesn't change the foam underneath.
Winner: Coop Original. If you sleep very hot, the Coop Cool+ ran cooler still at +2.1°F — see our best cooling pillow.
Which Lasts Longer?
The TEMPUR-Cloud holds its shape better. It kept 100% of its loft after eight weeks, and we'd expect three to five years of support. Solid foam doesn't clump or shift.
The Coop loses about 0.5 inches (11%) of loft overnight as the fill settles — far less than the 30% we see with fiberfill — and a quick fluff restores it. The fill can shift and clump over time, so occasional reshaping is part of owning one. Both come with a 5-year warranty.
Winner: TEMPUR-Cloud.
Setup and Care
The Coop has a mild shredded-foam smell when you unbox it that fades within 24–48 hours, and it takes 5–10 minutes to dial in your loft — then two or three nights of fine-tuning. The TEMPUR-Cloud arrives compressed and needs 24–48 hours to fully expand, but there's nothing to adjust.
Winner: TEMPUR-Cloud for simplicity; Coop if you want control.
Price and Value: Which Is Better Value?
The Coop Original. It usually costs a little less ($69–$89 against $79–$99), comes with a 100-night trial, and its adjustable fill means one pillow can fit almost anyone. Both scored 4.6/5 overall in our testing, so you aren't giving up quality to save money.
Winner: Coop Original.
What About the TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow?
If you're a back sleeper with neck pain, Tempur-Pedic's contoured TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow is worth a look. It earned 9.6/10 for back-sleeper neck support — the highest score we've recorded — and kept 99% of its loft after eight weeks. The trade-offs: it costs $119–$139, needs a two-to-three-week break-in, and was the warmest pillow we've tested at +5.6°F. See our best pillow for neck pain.
Who Should Choose the Coop Original
The Coop is the safer pick if you're not sure what you need.
- a side sleeper who needs a tall loft
- a back sleeper with neck stiffness who wants to fine-tune height
- a combination sleeper
- a warm sleeper who finds solid foam stuffy
- you sleep strictly on your stomach
- you love the feel of down or feather
- you sleep very hot (try the Coop Cool+)
Who Should Choose the TEMPUR-Cloud
The TEMPUR-Cloud rewards back sleepers who want a soft, consistent pillow.
- a back sleeper
- someone with ear or temple soreness
- an average-temperature or cool sleeper
- looking for a pillow that keeps its shape for years
- you sleep hot
- you're a broad-shouldered side sleeper
- you want adjustable loft
Final Verdict
For most sleepers, the Coop Home Goods Original is the better buy. Adjustable fill lets you set the right height for your frame and position, it sleeps noticeably cooler, and it costs a little less with a 100-night trial.
The TEMPUR-Cloud is the better choice for back sleepers who want a soft, pressure-free cradle and don't run hot. It never needs fluffing or adjusting and holds its shape for years. Start with our Coop Original review if you sleep on your side or switch positions, or the TEMPUR-Cloud review if you sleep on your back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coop or Tempur-Pedic better for side sleepers?
Coop. Side sleepers need a tall loft, and the Coop lets you set it — our side sleepers used 4.5–5.5 inches.
The TEMPUR-Cloud's soft, fixed shape may be too low for broad shoulders.
Is Coop or Tempur-Pedic better for back sleepers?
The TEMPUR-Cloud, for a soft cradle with no pressure points. The Coop also works well once you remove some fill, and for back sleepers with neck pain, the TEMPUR-Ergo scored highest of all.
Which pillow sleeps cooler, Coop or Tempur-Pedic?
The Coop Original. Its surface rose 3.2°F in our two-hour test, against 5.1°F for the TEMPUR-Cloud.
The Coop Cool+ ran cooler still at 2.1°F.
Does the Coop pillow go flat?
It loses about half an inch overnight as the fill settles, which a quick fluff restores. That's far less than fiberfill pillows, but more than solid TEMPUR foam, which kept 100% of its loft in our test.
Is the TEMPUR-Cloud worth the money?
For back sleepers who don't sleep hot, yes. It costs only a little more than the Coop and holds its shape for years.
Side sleepers and warm sleepers will usually do better with the Coop.
Can I adjust a Tempur-Pedic pillow?
No. TEMPUR pillows are solid foam with a fixed shape.
If you want to set your own height, choose a shredded-fill pillow like the Coop Original.
