Our fave features: Though it’s only “slightly heavier than a top sheet,” our tester was surprised by how “warm” and “snuggly” the Puffy feels—but thankfully not sweaty. “Getting into bed, I felt warm almost instantly—and I felt just as warm when I woke up the next morning,” she says. “The comforter is great at retaining heat, but it never felt stifling or suffocating.”
Other winning options: Puffy’s Deluxe Blanket looks and feels like faux fur—fancy!
Shell material: Cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fill: Down alternative fiber | Care: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low
Pros
- Six color options
- Includes shams: one for twin, two for queen, king, and California king
Cons
- Not for those who want a lofty comforter
- Textured fabric is more likely to snag
- Multiple reviewers say the ivory shade looks more yellow in real life
Why we picked it: This quilt features four layers of gauzy, breathable cotton, and one tester says the naturally textured look (and the olive shade she chose) looks “so elevated” on her bed.
Our fave features: “I had a great experience laundering it at home,” the tester says, adding that it’s “such a win” to have a quilt that doesn’t need to be dry-cleaned. She adds that the fill remained “evenly distributed throughout” after washing as well, thanks to the intermittent stitching throughout that helps prevent bunching and clumping.
Who it’s for:The breathable long-staple organic cotton makes this comforter a good option for warmer sleepers, though our tester did kick it off a few times in the middle of night. “In general though, the sleeping experience wasn’t uncomfortably hot,” she says.
Just so you know: The shell of this quilt is cotton, but the fill is 100% recycled polyester.
Shell material: Cotton | Weight: Lightweight | Fill: Recycled polyester | Care: Machine wash cool, tumble dry low or hang dry
How to choose a comforter
This isn’t an eeny-meeny-miny-moe type of choice. Each detail of a comforter, from the inside out, can affect how comfortably you sleep. Beyond sleep quality, your comforter can impact your health in other ways: It can be a “reservoir” for allergens, Chirag Patel, MD, chief of allergy and immunology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, tells SELF. So being picky is good thing!
Cover material
The encasing is “probably the most important part” of picking a comforter, says Dr. Patel, who adds that covers with high thread counts are better for reducing allergen exposure. Thread count refers to how many threads are in each square inch of the cover. A higher thread count might add durability (more threads means a higher density and overall strength) and softness but also more heat, since the tightly woven threads leave less room for airflow. The number can vary, but thread count is often between 200 and 600.
Other factors matter when picking material, but are more so a matter of personal preference. For instance, crisp cotton might feel breathable but be too noisy for easily-woken sleepers, while bamboo viscose might feel silky but too chilly in the cold.
Types of fill
The two main types of stuffing that you’ll find inside a comforter are down and down alternative.
Down fill is made with actual fluffy goose down (and often blended with duck and goose feathers). These comforters are extraordinarily fluffy, cozy, and warm—all while staying relatively lightweight, thanks to the material’s insulating properties. When shopping for a down comforter, we recommend looking for one that’s made with Responsible Down Standard (RDS) down, which means the goose farms are held to more humane expectations.
Down comforters can be especially nice if you live in a colder climate or get chilly at night. Just be sure to read the care instructions, as some require delicate detergent or dry cleaning. And if you’re worried about allergies, know this: According to one study, feather allergies are actually fairly rare. If down comforters have made you sneeze in the past, it’s more likely due to mite allergens found in feathers—meaning you should be even more diligent about cleaning your bedding. Catherine Monteleone, MD, a professor of medicine in the Allergy, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases division at Rutgers Health, adds that you can also look for a down comforter with a shell made from the same material as barrier encasings, which are protective covers typically made for mattresses, boxsprings and pillows: “These may be more impermeable to allergens.”
Down alternative fill is typically made with microfiber polyester, lyocell, silk, or wool. Silk and polyester fill are usually on the warmer end of the spectrum, whereas lyocell (which is made with plants like eucalyptus and wood pulp) is on the cooler end. These comforters are often less expensive than down options, but they also aren’t always as fluffy. Another bonus: Assuming you have a large enough washing machine, you can usually throw these right in to clean them. Some favorite down alternative picks from our list are the Saatva All-Year Down Alternative Comforter, the Puffy Deluxe Comforter, the Silk & Snow Down Alternative Comforter, and the Brooklinen Down Alternative Comforter.
Weight
Once you decide on a filling, think about how warm you like to be. “I prefer that my patients sleep on the cooler side, because data has shown that lower core body temperature promotes deep sleep,” Daniel Barone, MD, a New York City–based sleep medicine neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells SELF.
So if you’ve got your heart set on a big, fluffy down comforter, you should turn down your thermostat or opt for cooling bed sheets to achieve that lower core body temp. Alternatively, you can also pick a lighter, down alternative comforter or one with a lower gram-per-square-meter (GSM) count in order to sleep cool. The GSM count refers to the weight of a comforter, and the higher the count, the heavier (and warmer!) it will be. Going higher will keep you warm in, say, Northeastern winters. A lower GSM is ideal for sweaty sleepers or people who live in a warmer climate.
In addition to the weight and warmth of the comforter, we suggest looking for one that is described as having baffle-box construction or diamond stitching, which means there are sections within the comforter to keep the fill from clumping or redistributing over time.
How the comforter materials compare
Here’s a handy guide to help you know which material might be best for you, based on how hot you run:
How to care for a comforter
Comforters usually have very specific washing and drying instructions. Comforter care can impact not only the look and longevity of your purchase but also your health, as inhaling allergens (like dust mite fecal matter—yuck) can lead to symptoms like nasal congestion, Dr. Patel explains. Learn more about comforter care below.
How often should you wash your comforter?
Dust mites can be found “even in the cleanest of homes,” says Dr. Monteleone. You should wash your comforter about once a week if you’re not using a duvet cover or protective encasings, Ryan Steele, DO, board-certified allergist-immunologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Yale School of Medicine, previously told SELF.
But, eep! The inconvenience of washing (and drying) a comforter once a week may seem super overwhelming—which is where those handy covers and top sheets come into play. Lauri Leadley, CCSH, RPSGT, clinical sleep educator and president of Valley Sleep Center, says once or twice a month should do the trick when a protective layer is involved, since a comforter “doesn’t really touch the skin like a fitted or flat sheet.”
How to wash your comforter
Dr. Patel recommends washing your comforter in hot water of “at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit” to most successfully kill dust mites and therefore reduce allergens. Then, he says, dry them at a high temperature for best results.
Some comforters are strictly dry-clean-only, while others allow for spot cleaning, meaning you can wipe away individual spots of dirt with a damp cloth. Machine-washable picks may feel like an easier choice, but some do require tumble drying on low, as many of the comforters on our list show. This might lead to a few sequential dryer cycles (and a higher electric bill)—and is less recommended for allergies, as noted above.
How we tested these comforters
Our testers have reviewed hundreds of sleep products in our labs and at home to help you find your match. We dive deep into each comforter’s coziness, warmth level, and more so you can make the right choice for you. Here are three factors we zero in on when testing comforters:
Even if a comforter feels warm and toasty—or ice cold—at first, its materials and fill power (how full and fluffy the inside is) can act as their own fickle thermostats, changing up how hot or chilly you feel throughout the night. Testers score this category by rating their own experience (and also share whether they’re hot or cold sleepers by nature, so we can contextualize their scores).
All comforters come with care instructions, but putting them to the test ourselves is the only way to truly know how they’ll survive a wash cycle. Fill could become clumpy, edges could fray, covers could tear—the works. Apart from machine washes, testers score a comforter’s spot-cleaning capabilities to measure ease or difficulty of maintenance: Do liquids sink in or swipe right off? We also note if a comforter is strictly dry-clean-only, so you can decide if it’s worth that extra cost (or if you want to grab a washable duvet cover).
Testers settle in under the comforters to see how much, and how quickly, they overheat. The stuffier they feel, the less breathable we rate a comforter.
For more on how we test all sleep products, check out our full methodology.
FAQs
Let’s get back to basics. Get the lowdown on comforters below with quick answers to the most frequently asked questions.
What comforter material is best?
This is highly dependent on the person using it. “I can’t really endorse one [material] over the other,” says Dr. Patel. Those who have allergies might choose a comforter with a tightly-woven cover to reduce the number of dust mites camping out, while a super hot sleeper might seek out bamboo for its cooling properties, for example.
What is the difference between a duvet and a comforter?
Some people (and even some bedding brands) see “comforter” and “duvet” as a “you say ‘tomato,’ I say ‘tomahto’” situation, but they are not the same. The main difference is that a duvet features two pieces, an insert and a cover, while a comforter can be used on its own. Many comforters do have duvet loops, meaning you can easily attach a cover.
What is a standard-sized comforter?
There is no standard size for a comforter. The most common sizes are twin/twin XL, full/queen, king, and California king. Your mattress’s size and depth can help determine which you need. Pull out the tape measure to double-check before ordering.
How much does a quality comforter cost?
While price can be a hint toward the quality of a comforter, you can find awesome options at a range of prices. The comforters on our list range from just over $100 to $300-plus, depending on the size.
When is the best time to buy a comforter?
“Technically, any time is a good time to buy a comforter,” says Dr. Patel. If you want to score a killer deal, however, bedding tends to go on sale around big shopping holidays like Labor Day weekend, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday.
With reporting from Sarah Madaus
Read the full article here
