Bed Pillow Sizes Guide

Finding the right size pillow for your bed is crucial for both practical and aesthetic reasons alike. If you’ve got a smaller bed, you’ll want your pillows to fit snugly without hanging off the edges; similarly, if your bed is bigger, you won’t want your pillows to get lost in the extra space. With so many bed sizes, and so many pillow sizes too, finding the ideal pillow can be an overwhelming process. Fortunately, In this guide, we’ve detailed each of the most common UK pillow sizes and their ideal corresponding bed sizes.

Depending on the size of your bed, you may require standard, king size, or super king size pillows; this decision will correlate with the size of your bed, whether that’s a single, double, or king size. Along with your bed size, you must consider whether you want to fit one singular pillow or two pillows side-by-side. You may also wish to add additional specialty pillows like square or body pillows for extra support or decoration. 

Pillow Sizes Overview Chart

See our chart below for a quick reference of the most common pillow sizes in the UK. Take note that the dimensions we’ve provided are only to be used as guidance, as exact sizes can vary slightly between manufacturers. 

Pillow Size Recommendations

In this section, we’ve gone into a bit more detail on our recommendations for each pillow size.

Standard Pillow Size

1 Standard Pillow Will Fit:

• Small singles
• Singles
• Small doubles

2 Standard Pillows Will Fit:

• Doubles

The most popular size of pillow is the standard pillow, measuring around 50cm by 75cm, or 19 inches by 29 inches. As you’d expect, standard pillows fit best in standard size pillowcases.

A singular standard pillow will fit nicely on a small single, single, or double bed. A double bed, being roughly 135cm wide, would be able to accommodate two standard pillows. Single mattresses have a much smaller width and therefore only one standard pillow will fit on this bed size.

As they’re one of the smallest options available, standard pillows are not suitable for larger beds. For instance, it would take three standard pillows to fit the full width of a king size mattress. The pillows would fit, of course, but they would leave a lot of empty space either side due to the bed’s additional width. It’s therefore best to opt for a larger pillow like a king or super king if your bed is king size or larger.

King Pillow Size

1 King Size Pillow Will Fit:

• Singles
• Small doubles
• Doubles

2 King Size Pillows Will Fit:

• Kings
• Super kings

King size pillows are the next size up, being 50cm by 90cm, or 20 inches by 36 inches. You’ll need a larger king size pillowcase to fit a king size pillow; even if you did manage to squeeze one into a standard case, this would compress the filling and make the pillow uncomfortable. 

King size pillows are the ideal size for their namesake, having been specifically designed for beds with a longer width. A single king size pillow is half the width of a king size bed (i.e. 180cm or 6 foot). As such, two king size pillows will fit perfectly onto a king size or super king size bed. You could also fit a singular king size pillow onto a single, small double, or double bed; this is a good option if you want one pillow that will give a small bed a fuller look. 

However, if you want to fit two pillows side-by-side on a small double or double bed, king size pillows aren’t recommended; their total width will exceed the widths of these smaller bed sizes. On small singles, you wouldn’t be able to fit even one king size pillow - you’ll have to opt for a standard pillow size for these beds instead. 

Super King Pillow Size

1 Super King Size Pillow Will Fit:

• Small doubles
• Doubles
• King sizes

2 Super King Size Pillows Will Fit:

• Super kings

Super king pillows are the largest pillow size available, measuring 50cm by 107 cm, or 20 inches by 42 inches. You’ll need to purchase pillowcases specially designed for super king pillows to accommodate this larger width.

Again, the clue is in the name with the size of bed that super king pillows fit best. They are slightly larger in width than king size pillows to match the extra width of super king size beds. A super king size bed is typically around 214cm wide, meaning it will fit two super king pillows perfectly. For a fuller look on small doubles, doubles, and king size beds, you’ll be able to fit one super king size pillow.

You may be able to squeeze 2 super king pillows onto a king size bed; however, this isn’t recommended as the extra width may just exceed the width of the bed. It’s best to reserve super king pillows for super king beds only if you wish to use two pillows side-by-side.

Square Pillow Size

Square Pillows Will Fit:

• All bed sizes

Standard square pillows are about 65cm by 65cm, or 26 inches by 26 inches. You’ll need a square pillowcase specifically for these pillows due to their particular shape.

Square pillows are generally used on beds of all sizes for decoration or upright support, rather than for sleep. Their shape creates a pillow that can prop up the head and upper body better than a standard rectangular pillow; in this sense, they’re best for reading in bed or acting as an alternative to a headboard. Decoratively, square pillows can also be used to add dimension and interest to a bed. Otherwise, you’re better opting for rectangular pillows if you’re using the pillows for sleep. 

Body Pillow Size

1 Body Pillow Will Fit:

• Kings
• Super kings
• All bed sizes (lengthways)

Body pillow sizes vary, but are usually around 50cm by 150cm, or 20 inches by 59 inches. These pillows usually come with their own pillowcases of the correct size. 

Lengthways, you’ll be able to fit a body pillow on any bed size. These pillows are great for improving sleeping posture, aligning the head, neck, and back when cradled from the side. If you want to use a body pillow as your main pillow, you’ll need a king or super king size bed to accommodate their extra length.