Staring down the barrel of an 11-and-a-half-hour flight in economy is usually a daunting one, especially if you are hoping to get some sleep and arrive feeling rested. But, as I boarded my flight from Malé, the capital of the Maldives, to London Heathrow, I was feeling surprisingly optimistic about my ability to catch up on some much-needed rest and land back at home feeling fresh and on the right time zone. And the reason for my confidence?

That comes in the form of a £10 travel pillow I picked up at Boots in Heathrow Airport a few months ago and has been my trusted travel companion ever since.

The pillow, Boots’ ‘Hybrid Travel Pillow’, was something I purchased on a whim – and I was incredibly surprised at just how useful it is, despite the bargain price tag. I’ve tried travel pillows before. Blow-up pillows, “memory foam” pillows, even one filled with little beads, and none of them have ever done me much good on a flight. But the Boots travel pillow, this time something was different.

I managed to clock up a decent six hours of sleep on my flight from Malé and woke up without the annoying cramped neck you often get in economy, all thanks to the handy travel pillow. In my opinion, it does the job at a cut of the price of some other specialist travel pillows on the market.

But, what is it that makes this pillow so special? Made from memory foam and encased in a soft, suede-like fabric, the pillow is firm enough to support the neck while soft enough to comfortably rest your cheek.

It also comes with a handy press stud clip which can be fastened onto the neck and secured in place – so that it doesn’t fall off mid-snooze.

With the help of the travel pillow and the handy adjustable headrest on British Airways ‘ long-haul economy seats, I was able to make sure I got enough sleep before I landed back at Heathrow.

As you might imagine, the Boots Travel Pillow can be purchased at most Boots stores, including its numerous airport locations. You can also purchase the neck pillow online, with the option to either pick it up at the airport or have it delivered straight to your front door.

Click and collect costs £1.50 or is free if you spend £15 or more from your choice of 2,200 stores. Standard delivery to home will cost £3.95 or is free when you spend £25 or more.

Of course, the Boots neck pillow certainly isn’t the only option out there, with countless other brands to choose from at varying price points. Express.co.uk has rounded up just a few of our favourite offers on neck pillows for travel below: