The 5 Best Seatbelt Pillows

If only they made built-in pillows on seatbelts. I'm sure at one point or another, we've all thought it, because listen: seat belts can be pretty dang uncomfortable. Sure, they're life-saving devices that we all wear (er, or at least all should wear), but they can cut into you, rub on your skin, and otherwise be a bit of a nuisance if you're traveling long distance, have had recent surgery, are pregnant, or are a kid in the backseat nodding off to sleep. While there aren't built-in pillows for seatbelts, some genius along the way did invent one that you can add on to your seatbelt. These are the top 5.

SSAWcasa Seat Belt Pillow

A Plush, Comfy Sealtbelt Pillow

Whether you're a kiddo in the backseat or a parent in the front, this carseat pillow is ultra comfortable.

Best Overall

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These premium seatbelt pillows are best-sellers for a reason: not only are the supremely comfy, but they help to prevent a sore neck and shoulders. For adults and kids alike, they also are a seriously great addition to a car nap…just slide the pillow to your preferred height, and voila…a cushy pillow to pass out on. The pillow is filled with PP cotton for support and comfort, while the covering is an ultra-soft micro suede that won’t irritate your skin. The hook and loop opening and closing won’t irritate where it lays against your body, either.

Easy to take on and off as well as adjust mid car-ride, this seatbelt pillow is easy to remove and wash whenever necessary.

Pros:

Ideal for neck and head support.
Great for use as a seatbelt pillow for kids, it’ll also fit adult size passengers as well.

Cons:

Brand’s name is monogramed on front of the seatbelt pillow.

Cloudz Kids Plush Seat Belt Buddy

A Seatbelt Buddy

For youngsters who tend to snooze in car rides, these fun seatbelt buddies are a must.

Best for Little Kids

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These fun, soft, cuddly little travel pillows are the ideal travel companion. They’re not only adorable, but they also act as a cozy sleeping companion for longer car trips. And parents of little tykes: these will even work with carseats, as long as they are installed and used correctly.

Parents, you’re in luck. For drooling, snacking, mess-making little ones in the backseat, these little seatbelt protectors can easily be removed and washed.

Pros:

For use in carseats, with seat belts, and for stroller straps.
Large variety of animals to choose from.
Large enough for bigger kids, too.
Helps to prevent skin irritation from seatbelts that cut into the skin.

Cons:

Product has a bit of an odor at first. After airing out, it disappears.

SSAWcasa Belt Adjuster and Pillow

Seatbelt Adjuster and Pillow

The best of both worlds, a seatbelt pillow and adjuster.

Best for Overall Protection

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This little seatbelt kit is everything you need to make long car rides more comfortable and even safer for smaller people. Not only does it come with a super plush, cozy seatbelt pillow, but it comes with a seatbelt adjuster that repositions the shoulder and lap belt. Additionally, when used properly, both the pillow and the adjuster absorbs shocks and sudden stops. It’ll also keep each belt a safe distance from vulnerable body parts such as your neck and stomach.

The pillow is made from PP cotton and entirely covered with an incredibly soft micro-suede.

Pros:

Universal fit.
Completely removable and totally washable.
Easy to install.

Cons:

Recommended only for adults and for children who have outgrown their booster seat.

Rainbowstar Post-Surgery Pillow

For Comfort, Post-Surgery

The best seatbelt pillow for post-surgery comfort in the car (and beyond).

Best for Post Surgery

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Whether you’ve recently had a cesarean section, chest surgery, or any other surgery on your front body that makes riding in the car especially painful to properly wear a seatbelt, this post-surgery seatbelt pillow is a wonderful invention. Although it was designed specifically for folks in recovery from chest surgery (breast cancer surgery recovery in particular), this is an incredibly soft, supportive pillow that protects the chest and supports the front body in general. Not just for the car, it’s highly portable and can be used for comfy sleeping, lounging, or whenever it’s necessary to keep your arms elevated and your front body cushioned and protected.

The pillow has a few built-ins, as well, that make it super convenient: a front pocket for any necessary items, and rounded arm cut-outs that allow for your arms to fall comfortably.

Pros:

After you’ve begun to heal and feel better, it can still be used as a comfy car pillow.
Completely protects your wounds.
Works with seatbelt positioning of both left and right side.

Cons:

There is no strap to hold this to your body, but in the car, your seatbelt keeps it in place.

Luckyiren Carseat Head Protector

A Handy Head Belt for Toddlers

Not quite a seatbelt pillow, but a useful head belt car gadget just the same.

Best Carseat Head Protector

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Okay, so this isn’t exactly a seatbelt pillow but it made the cut because it acts like a head belt, and it’s for the car. Plus, it’s a game-changer for napping forward-facing toddlers. For any parent or caregiver out there, you know: when a kid has reached the age where they can be forward-facing, their car naps take a bit of a comfort hit. As you face a child forward, their body and head becomes more upright. With this, they lose the ability to settle into their carseat during a nap, and instead their head often flops around and rolls forward.

Enter the Luckyiren Carseat Head Protector. Made with a heavy-duty plastic buckle that’s attached to a nylon strap that clips around the back of the carseat, this head protector features a cotton forehead band that keeps your toddler safely in line when they’re in their carseat.

Pros:

Works in car seats, strollers, high back booster seats, convertible seats, and toddler seats.
Useful for very long car trips.

Cons:

Many children don’t like it on them when they’re awake, as it constricts their forward movement. It does easily slide over them once they’re asleep, however.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do carseat pillows negate the safety of a seatbelt?

While seatbelt pillows shouldn’t be used in a carseat, if your kiddo is old enough to use a standard seat belt, a seatbelt pillow is a great addition to long car rides or road trips.

Seatbelt pillows aren’t just for children, by the way. They’re a perfectly cozy, and safe, option for adults as well.

How do you install a seatbelt pillow?

For most seatbelt pillows, it’s a pretty straightforward installation process. Most likely, your pillow will fold over the seatbelt and secure. They’re typically easy to move and adjust as needed in use, as well. The seatbelt pillow that you’ve chosen will likely come with a manual, but if not, it’s likely because they’re pretty self-explanatory. You just attach your pillow, adjust as needed, and relax into the road trip.

For kiddos in carseats, you’ll need to either consult an expert or make sure that you’re not using a pillow that negates the safety of the carseat straps.