You can enter the lot number of any RDS-certified piece into Allied Feather + Down’s TrackMyDown to trace the down back to its source. Although many of them came with budget-friendly prices, the comforters were substantially lacking in quality. We then looked closely at customer reviews on various department store and home bedding sites. It’s not as lightweight as the Authenticity 50, but the cotton is cloud-like and breezy. We focused on employing the comforters as most people would in their own homes, spending a night or two under each and using five sleep testers—including an 8-year-old child—over the course of two years. Our favorite flannel sheets, the L.L.Bean Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set, will warm up any bed this winter. That might make this comforter a better choice if you have pets who sleep on the bed or for a guest room (since you might want to wash it in between visitors). It somehow feels smooth to the touch, but also grips the comforter like a second skin.”. Sleeping under it feels like you are wrapped in a cloud. It comes in eight solid colors, plus check and stripe prints—more options than you get from many flannel covers we researched. If you’re allergic to down or not keen on using animal products, opt for a down-alternative comforter. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. It lofts higher than any of our other picks, has a wonderfully soft cotton shell, and comes in three warmths (we slept with the Medium and Light versions, but Feathered Friends also offers an Arctic model). If you’re concerned about animal welfare, it’s worth taking a close look at the down products you buy. An exposed comforter will accumulate more body oils, causing the down and shell to break down more quickly. Range of sizes: We looked for covers available in all bed sizes. The expert consensus: Always use a duvet cover to protect your investment. If you’re looking to cover your down or down-alternative comforter, you may be confused by the term “duvet cover.” Technically, a comforter is a covering that’s sewn shut, usually comes in a pattern or color, and doesn’t require a cover—think bed-in-a-bag bed toppers. A great duvet cover will keep your bed looking neat and feeling cozy. It’s Oeko-Tex–certified and filled with RDS-certified duck down. With a new duvet cover you can completely change the look and feel of your room, while also bringing a whole new level of comfort to your sleep. Previously she was a school librarian, and she’s been a quilter for about 15 years. For Alex’s 2019 update, two testers slept in a bedroom with average temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit—similar to a room with the heat turned on. Colors: white, natural, dark gray, yellow. We eliminated the Linenspa Down Alternative Microfiber Comforter early in our tests because its outer shell felt terrible right out of the bag; also, the comforter was heavy and felt flat. Ideally you should use a front-loading washer, since they clean bulky items more effectively. We hoped the Target Matelasse Medallion would be a good cover with more texture and visual appeal, and it looks lovely, but the cover feels heavy and unruly. Fill power and fill type: siliconized fiberfillConstruction: sewn-throughCertifications: n/aSizes available: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king/California king. The Allied Home Deluxe White Down Comforter, another budget option, scored the lowest overall in our 2020 budget-comforter testing: It leaked clusters of down in our shake tests and lacked corner ties for attaching a duvet cover. From shop ExclusiveFabrics. There were months-long stretches when it was impossible to buy it at all. This makes it easier for kids to make their own beds or for grownups to shove everything in the wash at once (a bonus when kids get sick). With a cotton sateen weave, RiLEY White Goose Down Comforters are so soft and pretty you’ll (almost) think of ditching a duvet cover. Oeko-Tex–approved items (cotton, in the case of most comforter shells) are certified as free from substances that are potentially harmful to humans and the environment, such as formaldehyde, heavy metals, and plasticizers. Flaws but not dealbreakers: It looks a little more rumpled out of the wash than the L.L.Bean percale, but the wrinkles are minimal overall. The cover was the favorite of my dog, Hamilton, who looked crushed when it was time to swap it out during testing. And it comes in only four colors. (See our care and maintenance section for more details about cleaning.) It’s the most breathable cheap alt-down comforter we’ve ever tested, beating out many higher-priced models. Description Features Size Guide Your 5-Star American-made Duvet Cover Why compromise on your Duvet Cover? Bedsure Duvet Cover Queen Size Set Grey with Zipper Closure, Ultra Soft Hypoallergenic 3 Pieces Washed Comforter Cover Sets (1 Duvet Cover + 2 Pillow Shams), 90x90 inches 4.5 out of … It’s a full matelassé coverlet (which is a heavy thing) with a thin piece of sheeting on the back. Flaws but not dealbreakers: The corner ties—which are supposed to hold the duvet in place—are the weakest of any we tested. FREE Shipping. Why it’s great: The Cultiver linen cover we recommend is softer, but IKEA’s Puderviva cover is fantastic for its price. But because the bigger boxes can also allow the down clusters to shift around, it’s a good idea to shake out your comforter to keep the down evenly distributed and fluffy. It’s well priced, built to last, and dreamy to sleep with. It’s also made to last a long, long time. Lighter and loftier than other comforters, this high-quality pick has a silky-soft sateen shell and goose-down filling, and it feels better to sleep under than much pricier models we tried. *At the time of publishing, the price was $101. It’s held up beautifully, and even though this cover doesn’t have corner ties, she says it doesn’t need them—the fabric clings to a duvet and keeps it in place. None of the other comforters we tried felt nearly as cloud-like or light as this one. At just over 5 pounds, it’s the lightest we’ve tested, and it feels durable—it should easily last for decades if you care for it properly. It seems like the company has made a real effort to improve but we will continue to monitor the situation to make sure. But if you don’t have one, there are some relatively simple and affordable steps you can take to keep your bedroom cool. The RDS seal appears on items from companies that are operating within the standard’s requirements and whose products are audited and certified by Control Union. Thankfully, some comforter companies are trying to use humanely harvested down only. Sukalac has washed comforters in all water temperatures—depending on the stains—but said cold water is best if your comforter is not heavily soiled. High fill power can also mean higher-quality fill. From our years of testing bedding we know the brands that are the most consistent—from their fabrics to their quality control to their customer service. Most duvets can be washed in a machine (you'll probably have to use a commercial washer due to the duvet's bulky size). Waking up drenched in sweat and trapped under this comforter was awful. Many high-quality comforter shells are also made from sateen (a softer, shinier weave, usually of cotton) or jacquard, which often has a decorative weave pattern. We paid attention to how noisy the shells were. If you prefer crisp, hotel-like bedding, this isn’t it—the fabric is softer than the other percale covers from L.L.Bean and Brooklinen. The percale cotton felt thick and hot, and it wrinkled more than any other cover we tested, to the point that the creases prevented it from laying flat. Why it’s great: The sumptuous Cuddledown 400 Thread Count Sateen Duvet Cover makes it easy to create a luxe-looking bed—its slinky, subtle sheen looks more elegant than far pricier fabrics, and it’s one of the softest covers on this list. One of our deputy editors has been long-term testing both of our linen duvet cover picks since 2018, and although she really likes the Cultiver one, she noted that she often reaches for the IKEA cover instead. Although there’s no industry-standard warmth rating in the US, most companies break it down simply: light, medium (often called all-season), and heavy. If you have a top-loader, try to keep the load balanced—it’s easy for comforters to get tangled or possibly torn on an agitator. It’s American-made and slightly less expensive than our picks, but stock has been unpredictable during the COVID-19 pandemic because of factory shutdowns. Also, as with the Authenticity 50 cover, the Ultra-Fine cover’s fabric is delicate, so we don’t know how well it will hold up to regular use. The old ties frayed and tangled, but now they’re made of a different material that seems much more likely to withstand wear. Breathable washed textured 100% linen fabrics. Bedsure Duvet Cover Set Double Size - Grey & Ivory Branch Pattern Bedding Sets 3 pcs with Zipper Closure 200x200cm with 2 Pillow covers 50x75cm Ultra Soft Hypoallergenic Microfiber Quilt Cover. “The dark color is more forgiving,” she said, “and even though it’s not as soft as the Cultiver, the fact that it’s cheaper makes me less concerned about my cats or children ruining it.”. Instead, opt for a high-quality duvet cover. Its comforters not only meet the Responsible Down Standard requirements, but each comforter also comes with a tracking number that buyers can enter at TrackMyDown to see the source of each comforter’s fill. If you tend to stain your bedding, choose white, the easiest color to wash on hot with bleach or OxiClean. The shell is stiffer and noisier than the Riley’s fabric, but we don’t think most people will mind once it’s tucked inside a duvet cover. If you can find it, it’s a great choice. It’s difficult to sort out exactly where down is coming from, let alone whether it was collected by plucking a live duck or a live goose. The bedding industry doesn’t follow standardized sizes—the dimensions of a king-size comforter and king-size duvet cover will usually vary by a few inches from brand to brand. This comforter is expensive, topping $500 for the queen size, but if you have the means we think it’s a good investment. For the price, though, you’re better off getting the Utopia comforter, which is significantly less expensive. Wirecutter is reader-supported. The best duvet covers are made of high-quality cotton that breathes, so you stay warm in February and cool in July. The dryer is really the place where dust mites and pathogens will be killed off. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-duvet-cover However, we’ve tested enough linen to know how hard it is to find good linen bedding that lasts (one of our editors has used Cultiver’s linen sheets since 2017 with no problems yet), so we think the colors in the original weave still deserve our recommendation. “If you wash it every year, it’s just going to send you back to get [a new comforter] sooner.” Use a duvet cover to maximize the time needed between washings. Because we had many lighter-weight down-alternative options, we cut this one. David Sweet of the American Down & Feather Council told us that if you’re not interested in having to maintain something, go with a sewn-through comforter. We looked at a range of budget options from retailers like Amazon, JCPenney, and other big-box stores. Goose down or duck down: The down in comforters comes from either ducks or geese. It has loops on each corner to keep it in place inside a cover with corner ties. We’ve since spoken with its team, most recently in November 2020, and believe the company has resolved these problems, but we’ll be keeping tabs on its stock and service moving forward. Here’s what we recommend to prepare your bedroom for winter. Our picks include modern prints, a super-lightweight cover, our favorite linen (and a budget-friendly linen), hard-wearing percale, a luxurious splurge, smooth sateen, and warm flannel. If you don’t mind texture or wrinkles (linen will never stay smooth unless you iron it), you may like linen; it’s one of the most breathable fabrics we’ve tested, and great for both summer and winter use. Down alternative comforters are the least delicate and can generally be washed like most other bedding; follow the care instructions on the label. We think that with good care, this comforter should last well beyond the warranty. © 2021 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company. The queen-size extra-warmth version has 34 ounces of down in 750 fill power, which is a more-common comforter fill weight (and comparable to our picks from Feathered Friends and L.L.Bean). The Company Store’s Legends Hotel Organic Cotton Down Comforter’s shell felt like it was made from very low-quality cotton, and the stitching looked shoddy. But because of these delays, one of our editors recently bought the 850 Light version (which has a higher fill power). If you hate sleeping under heavy bedding, this percale cover—the lightest we tried—will help reduce the weight of a comforter. It wrinkled even more after sleeping under it, and we thought it made for an untidy bed. If you have a strong dust mite allergy, he said you could put your comforter in the dryer every three weeks or so without washing it, for 20 minutes on high heat, to kill them off. The Riley is available in two weights, which the company refers to as all-season and extra-warmth. In everyday life, we’re not always right there to pull laundry out immediately, and we wanted to see how wrinkled and rumpled these covers would get. “It’s so light it feels like it’s floating over my body, but I’m perfectly warm. The sateen shell is densely woven to prevent feathers from escaping, and its sewn-through construction keeps the down in place. Changing your duvet cover has to be one of the easiest ways to transform your whole room, whether you're looking to add a touch of luxury or to follow the latest celebrity trends. We eliminated many of the competitors in the budget category because they had thin-feeling or poorly made outer shells that seemed likely to wear out more quickly. Each duvet cover is made from European flax that has been stone washed for extra softness and to prevent shrinkage. Brooklinen Classic Duvet Cover (Full/Queen) Deal price: $96 with code WIRECUTTER; street price: $120 Unfortunately, the price of this item has risen and it's no longer a deal. We’ve long-term tested this cover for two summers, and after several washes and a lot of love from my dog, it’s in great shape. Jackie Reeve is a senior staff writer covering bedding, organization, and home goods at Wirecutter since 2015. We retested the Snowe Down Comforter in late 2019, after two years without testing it. But it’s frequently out of stock. R 919.50 – R 999.50 Select options; View Details Linen House Elysian White Duvet Cover Set R 1,549.00 – R 1,799.00 Select options; View Details Linen House Elka 500 Thread Count Bamboo&Cotton Duvet Cover Also, because Casaluna is one of Target’s own brands, it’s covered by a one-year return policy instead of Target’s usual 90 days; we confirmed this with the company. We tested three of the most expensive sheets sets available—ranging from $1,000 to $2,000—to see how they compared with the cotton sheets we already recommend. The diminished quality, along with issues we’ve had with Snowe’s customer service in the past, make it impossible for us to recommend this comforter. Why it’s great: Brooklinen is one of the few bedding brands we’ve tested that offer prints, and they’re the most modern prints we’ve seen. The Hemstitch 400 Thread Count Solid Cotton Duvet Cover is available from Target and Overstock, and it was one of the three moderately priced covers we tested. All RDS-certified comforters are supposed to come with a tracking number, but we’ve found that they rarely do. We tested both the Buffy Cloud and Breeze comforters—and even slept for a night with the Cloud—but they were both extremely heavy on our bodies and didn’t breathe at all. The L.L.Bean Classic Colors Down Comforter has 600 fill power and great reviews, but it’s so thin that it feels more like a summer-weight comforter. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Not all of the solids are made of the linen weave we tested and recommend for linen sheets. We eliminated our former pick, the Company Store Legends Hotel Alberta Down Comforter, because the 2019 model was of much lower quality than those we’ve tested in the past—all of our picks felt and performed better. This cover is made with the same fabric as our top-pick percale sheets, which we’ve been testing and recommending since 2014 and still stand by in regards to the quality and construction. However, during testing in winter 2019–20, we found that it was breathable while still very warm and cozy. This warm, cozy down comforter is a smart choice for children and teens because it comes in more than a dozen colors, it doesn’t need a separate cover, and it’s easy to wash. Jack Sukalac, engineer and down comforter expert at All About Down, interview, October 16, 2020, Top-Rated Comforters, Sleep Like The Dead, Ashley Poskin, No Need to Dry Clean: How To Wash A Down Comforter, Apartment Therapy, June 5, 2019, Shannon Maher, Interim Dean, Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology at Fashion Institute of Technology, interview, David Sweet, former president of the American Down and Feather Council, interview, Daniel Uretsky, president of Allied Feather & Down, interview, Gary Peterson, general manager at Western Mountaineering, interview. None of the other comforters we evaluated felt nearly as cloud-like or light as this one. It felt nearly as lofty as our upgrade pick from Feathered Friends. Best for: Trying out linen bedding before spending $$$. Her quilt patterns and her other written work have appeared in various publications. In fact, it was the only budget comforter in our 2020 testing that didn’t release tufts of fluff in our shake tests. But for the price, we think you’d be better off going with our upgrade pick from Feathered Friends, which feels much loftier. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Because sateen packs more threads into its weave than percale, it’s also heavier. We spent a combined 95 hours researching duvet covers and testing 15 to find nine well-made and comfortable options for a range of climates and tastes. It’s a treat to crawl under. They do wrinkle and shrink more than synthetics, but they can also be washed on hotter temperatures (cotton can withstand more heat than linen), which is the best way to get them clean. Baffle-box comforters use vertical strips of fabric inside to create three-dimensional walls, allowing the down to move around and air to circulate better than it does through the more densely packed down in a sewn-through comforter (in which the top and bottom of the shell are sewn together). Many of them will keep you warm, but an exceptional comforter should also be as light as a cloud, with a shell that keeps feathers and fluff tightly sealed inside. One of our lead editors has been long-term testing this cover since 2018, and she loves the weight and feel. Also, although we love the loftiness offered by baffle-box quilts, down expert Jack Sukelac notes that baffle-box comforters are more challenging to wash than sewn-through styles. However, Oeko-Tex–certified items are not explicitly organic. I know what well-made bedding should look and feel like, and I know how to create a cozy, comfortable bed. Stomach-sleepers should try the Sleep Number PlushComfort Ultimate. Its shell fabric is soft but surprisingly grippy—it never shifts around inside my duvet cover, something that constantly annoyed me about my previous comforter,” she said. While most people are familiar with the feel of percale and sateen sheets (even if they don’t know them by name), linen is a less common bedding fabric. You can use duvet clips to keep them secure without ties (I’ve used this style many times over the years), but they can break easily, so invest in a few sets for backup. Some call it a duvet. Reliable brands: We pay attention to companies’ responsiveness, website navigation, inventory, return policies, and the quality of the bedding itself so that we’re confident that you will have the same experience we did. The five-year warranty Riley offers is better than the coverage on the L.L.Bean and Target comforters we recommend. Duvet covers are an easy and affordable way to change your bedroom décor. For our 2020 update she built on the excellent work of Alex Arpaia, who covered comforters from 2017-19, and on the research of Eric Hanson, Amy Westervelt, and Jamie Wiebe, who worked on previous versions. It’s a high-quality cover, homegrown. We focused on covers with plenty of color options, and some with prints, to fit a variety of tastes and room styles. This cover also isn’t available in a twin size. Swapping the cover can easily transform your bedding—a heavier fabric will boost your duvet’s warmth, a luxe cover will instantly elevate its style. We also appreciate Authenticity 50 because everything on this cover, from the buttons to the corner ties, is made in the United States. We washed only one comforter, the Garnet Hill Essential Down we tested in 2020, because we were recommending it for kids and wanted to test for durability. Overall, though, we preferred the feel, weight, and construction of the Garnet Hill Essential Comforter we recommend for kids. Make sure to use a duvet cover, and read our care and maintenance section for tips on how to launder. It comes with L.L.Bean’s satisfaction guarantee, covering returns for any reason for up to a year. The prints tend to change frequently (as they did while we were working on this guide; the matchstick model we photographed is no longer available). Some of our duvet cover picks, like the L.L.Bean flannel and the Cultiver linen, weigh more than 5 pounds before you add the insert. $22.99 $ 22. We’re impressed that the Casaluna is both Oeko-Tex– and RDS-certified. Interior ties on the corners hold it in place, and the button closure conceals your comforter. It’s a change we’ve noticed with other Target brands over the past couple of years, too. It kept its loft, and we didn’t wake up sweaty midway through the night (an issue with many of its down-alternative competitors). Our favorite comforter is the light and lofty Riley White Goose Down Comforter. The cover feels sturdy and solid, like it will last a long time. It’s expensive considering it doesn’t have a true sewn-through design—the stitching stops 2 inches before the edge, allowing the down to shift around the periphery, which is a bummer. The Target Casaluna Light Weight and Ultra Weight down comforters were just as well made as the Mid Weight, our budget pick, but we didn’t think they offered the right level of warmth for most people to use year-round. Solid construction: The best duvet covers have strong seams that don’t fray, they shrink minimally in the wash, and they have securely attached buttons, zippers, or snaps at the closure. This is the best policy on our list, next to that of the Garnet Hill Essential Down Comforter. With the exception of the Garnet Hill Essential Down Comforter (which is ready to use as is out of the bag), we recommend using a duvet cover on any comforter you choose—skipping it might void the warranty on your comforter, according to some policies we’ve seen. One is not better than the other, it’s more about your personal preference. Two of our testers were hot sleepers, and three were average-warmth sleepers. We also left them in the dryer for a while after the cycle was finished. The fabric is Supima cotton, the highest-quality long-staple American-grown cotton available, and the covers and sheets are made in the company’s South Carolina factory (we were getting a cover for testing just as Hurricane Florence was set to arrive—the company’s staff and facilities were thankfully all unharmed). Bring tones of silver together to create a metallic, monochromatic pattern. The Company Store’s LaCrosse Dual LoftAIRE Down Alternative Comforter costs as much as many real down comforters we tried, but it ran much warmer and didn’t breathe nearly as well as the Utopia (though its construction and materials were of higher quality). But we found that many of the sewn-through comforters we tested—including our luxurious upgrade pick—were just as warm and fluffy as those with baffles. The Puderviva (available in dark gray, white, dark pink, green, and yellow) is one of the few covers we’ve tested without having also tried the coordinating sheets—they weren’t available when we last updated our linen sheet guide. All sizes cost less than $50, so we think that this comforter would be a great choice for a child’s bed or in a guest room. Filled with 25 ounces of lofty goose down, the Riley is the most breathable yet warm comforter we’ve tested. When we initially tested the Ultra-Fine sheets a few years ago, we almost thought they were sateen because they were so silky and soft. See the graphic below on how to choose the appropriate weight. Another one of our editors recently bought the 850 Light version because the king-size 700 she wanted had been out of stock for some time. We’ve reordered our picks to highlight our favorite covers for winter. Previously she was a school librarian, and she’s been a quilter for about 15 years. Queen Duvet Cover Set Grid, 90x90 Soft Bedding Cover, Luxury Cool Lightweight Microfiber 3pc Set ( 1 Cover 2 Pillowcase ) with Zip, Tie - Best Modern Style Bed Quilt Cover … In the past two years, L.L Bean has had consistent problems keeping this comforter in stock. Also, the cover we tested in 2016 was made with long-staple Egyptian cotton, but now Brooklinen’s site simply says “long-staple cotton.” It’s hard to feel the differences between a new cover and one that’s been washed and used for several years, so we’ll have to long-term test the new one to see if it’s as durable. High quality Wire Cutters inspired duvet covers by independent artists and designers from around the world. The Primary Goods duvet is our top pick, offering both luxury and practicality to it’s shoppers. Flaws but not dealbreakers: The ties were the weakest of any we tested—one tore free of the cover during our shake tests. With competing down-alternative comforters, including the pricier Brooklinen, we often woke up halfway through the night, sweaty and eager to toss off the covers. The L.L.Bean comforter’s cotton shell does feel rougher than those of many other comforters we considered, but we don’t think the feel will bother most people since the comforter should be kept in a duvet cover anyway. We tested the cover in Fog, a medium gray that highlighted the subtle depth of color in the yarns. This type of construction compresses the down more than the baffle-box comforters we recommend, so it’s less lofty and cloud-like. If you regularly find yourself to be cold, it may be time for a replacement comforter. We recommend only the softer linen in the remaining colors. 99 $32.99 $32.99. Or take your comforter to the laundromat and use a machine that’s meant for oversize items. Sign up for our five-day email challenge to learn how small tweaks to your bedroom and mindset can optimize your sleep. This percale weave is as soft as the Cuddledown sateen cover’s, but not as heavy. It wrinkled a bit less out of the dryer than many of the percale covers we dismissed (a feat for an infamously wrinkly fabric). Comforters tend to sell out in the fall, but this year we’ve seen more stock problems than ever on all of our picks. But “comforter” and “duvet” are generally used interchangeably in the US, according to FIT’s Shannon Maher. Why it’s great: On super-cold nights, L.L.Bean’s Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Comforter Cover will boost the warmth of your bedding and, unlike sliding between icy percale sheets, the fleecy fabric will warm up your toes quicker than any other cover we tried. To make a comforter warmer in the fall and winter, add a flannel cover, and for spring and summer, opt for a lightweight linen or percale cover. Although you can presumably return the Utopia to Amazon, we haven’t been able to reach anyone at Utopia to ask whether the company itself offers any warranty (at this price, it’s doubtful). They began to rip loose from the cover with just a little shaking and tugging. It didn’t wash out, and picking it all out with tweezers would’ve taken hours. Not so with the Utopia: It has sturdy stitching with piped edges and lofty, siliconized, fiber-filled boxes. A cover also keeps dirt off your comforter’s shell (which might cause discoloration), and it can help keep feathers from leaking. The twin size we tested was easy to throw in the wash without overloading our machines (as was the king-size blanket version we’d tested previously), and we didn’t see any loose feathers or clusters in the lint trap or on the comforter itself. IKEA’s Dvala cover was our old budget pick, the best of a not-great group of low-priced covers. Though not as luxurious or as light as the down options we tested, the fiberfill Utopia Bedding Queen Comforter Duvet Insert remains the best under-$50 option we’ve tried. Either way, it's too nice for that friend who always crashes at your place. This means the Riley’s down clusters have more room to puff up inside the baffle boxes, trapping more heat, providing better insulation, and making the Riley feel perfectly warm while still being light enough to use year-round (depending on your preference and climate). This comforter was previously our top pick, but we recently downgraded it due to consistent, frustrating stock problems.