The Best Comforters of 2021 for a Great Night’s Sleep

Comforters are meant to keep you nice and warm in bed at night, while adding considerable appeal to your bedroom décor.  

The softest of comforters could make you feel like you’re sleeping under a cloud and might be exactly what you need to consistently get a great night’s sleep. 

Comforters have traditionally been made with a cotton shell on the outside, and either duck or goose down filling on the inside. This is still the case with a lot of comforters currently on the market. But now there is a plethora of synthetic filled comforters and duvets to choose from, which are healthier for people who suffer from allergies. They also don’t clump up from washing like down does, plus synthetics are cruelty-free. A cotton outer shell offers the most breathability and baffle-box stitching ensures that the filling remains evenly distributed. 

But how are you supposed to know you’re getting the right comforter for you? Would a down filling be best, or should you choose a synthetic down alternative? What thread count is recommended for the shell? If you would like answers to any of these questions or have others, please keep reading since we’re going to cover just about everything in this article. 

Below we’ve listed our picks for the Best Comforters of 2020 and why, along with some important tips and information to help you choose the comforter that will best meet your needs: 

Comforters Comparison Table

Comforters Reviews

Linenspa Review: Best All-Season Option

The Linenspa All-Seasons comforter is one of the most popular bedding products currently on the market. It just shows that you can get a luxurious comforter for a very affordable price. The outer shell of this comforter is 100% polyester and the filling is a synthetic down made of an ultra-soft microfiber weighing 300 grams/square meter (GSM). 

Both the outer cover and inner filling are hypoallergenic, so this comforter will not trigger any allergies or irritate your skin like down-filled comforters often do. So, you get all the softness of down without the allergic reactions and odor or the quills poking out at you.  

This comforter is the perfect weight for year-round use no matter how hot or cold it is outside. It’s also reversable, so if you get tired of the color, just flip it over or slide it into a duvet cover and change the entire look of your décor. You can choose from a whole variety of neutral colors, so you will have no trouble finding a combination that blends perfectly with your color scheme.

What also makes this one of the best comforters on the market today is the sewn side and corner loops that secure it inside a duvet at 8 points rather than the usual 4. The comforter is box stitched so that the filling won’t shift or clump up, which means it always looks and feels fluffed up and soft. 

When your comforter gets soiled, you can machine wash in cold water on a delicate cycle, then toss in the dryer on low heat or air dry. Linenspa backs this product with a 3-year warranty. 

Sleep Restoration Review: Best Hotel-Quality Option

Most comforters are designed to keep you warm, but some are cozier and have more insulation than others. Sleep Restoration’s synthetic down alternative comforter is a perfect example. 

This is an oversized comforter with a high-quality synthetic down filling that is exceptionally soft and lightweight. The cover is baffle stitched to keep the filling fluffy and evenly distributed. This means you don’t have to worry about your comforter losing shape or the filling clumping up. Because this is such a beautifully made high-quality comforter, many hotel chains have them in their hotel rooms. 

This premium quality comforter is hypoallergenic, making it a great option for people with asthma or common allergies. This is a beautifully made, oversized comforter with precisely stitched hems for long-lasting durability. 

Along with the qualities already mentioned, this synthetic down alternative comforter is machine washable and dryable, making this one of the best comforters available today. It comes in 6 different colors to complement any décor and can be bought for a very reasonable price. Sleep Restoration stands behind this comforter by offering a 30-night sleep trial. 

Superior Review: Best Synthetic Down Alternative Comforter

Many people consider down-filled comforters the gold standard. But because so many people are allergic to down, synthetic down alternatives are now quite popular, plus they’re a lot less expensive. The Superior Solid White comforter looks and feels just as soft and fluffy as down, but it’s healthier to use because it’s 100% hypoallergenic. 

This comforter comes only in white, but you can find it in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen and King sizes. It can be used on its own or slipped inside a duvet cover that matches your décor. The ultra-soft microfiber shell is noiseless and filled with a fluffy polyester filling to keep you nice and warm on cold winter nights. It can also be used year-round. 

It’s made with baffle box double stitching to keep the filling from shifting and losing its fluffy shape throughout. You can machine wash and tumble dry on low heat, so it’s easy to keep clean. You can also fluff it up by tossing it in the dryer for a few minutes. 

Utopia Bedding Review: Most Durable Option

Comforters are what keep many people warm and cozy at night. If you’re in need of a warm, durable and long-lasting comforter at an affordable price, you should consider the Comforter Duvet Insert by Utopia Bedding. This exceptionally well-made comforter/duvet insert has thousands of rave reviews.

It comes in the standard sizes of Twin, Full, Queen, King and California King and in 4 different neutral colors. Although it can be used alone on the bed, it’s been designed as a duvet insert with loops to tie it to the cover. With duvet covers it’s easy to change your décor without totally redecorating.

This comforter is filled with an ultra-soft siliconized polyester fiberfill, which makes it perfect for year-round use. It’s made with box stitching so the filling stays evenly distributed. The piped edges form a strong wall between the layers of the comforter to keep the filling from shifting around or clumping. 

Because the filling stays evenly distributed throughout the comforter, you can stay warm and cozy all night long no matter what the temperature is outside. Because of the piped stitching on the seams, this is an extremely durable and long-lasting comforter/duvet insert. This synthetic down alternative comforter is fluffier than most, with a cloud-like feel. It’s also machine-washable, so it’s very easy to keep clean.  

Reviewers consistently say this is one of the best comforters they’ve ever had, keeping them nice and warm for how light and fluffy it feels. We feel the same, plus we were shocked by the low price!

Pinzon Review: Best 100% Polyester-Filled Comforter

This comforter is filled with 100% polyester, which is very similar to down in terms of softness. It also retains its fluffy loft and suppleness quite well. What makes this one of the best comforters currently on the market is that if provides a lot of warmth in the winter but is not too heavy to use during warm summer months. You can easily use this comforter year-round. The filling is 100% hypoallergenic, so it’s perfect for people who suffer from allergies or overly sensitive skin. 

The solid white microfiber shell is equally soft and comes with duvet tabs at each corner. This comforter is designed to be used on its own or as a duvet insert. It is entirely box-stitched to keep the filling from shifting around or clumping up, so the filling stays evenly distributed throughout. 

The Pinzon synthetic down alternative comforter is machine washable, so it’s easy to keep clean. It also complies OEKO-TEX Standard 100 as meeting environmental and safety standards. 

Dream Factory Review: Best for Children

This comforter is part of an adorable 5-piece bedding set, perfect for any child. The cartoon print is of vibrantly colored woodland animals that include birds, foxes, owls and racoons. This bedding set is made of 100% polyester, which is plenty durable for kids. It’s also reversible and machine washable. The set includes the microfiber comforter, a flat top sheet, a fitted bottom sheet, one pillowcase and one pillow sham. Set comes in Twin size only. 

Pacific Coast Review: Highest Quality Choice

Pacific Coast is known for a tradition of producing European quality bedding for more than a century. You can count on Pacific Coast products to provide the ultimate in comfort and long-lasting durability. Their European white goose down comforter is without a doubt among the best comforters currently available on the market. 

Just looking at this comforter makes you want to climb right into bed and never come out. It looks so luxurious with its distinctively woven striped pattern in pure white. The cover is 100% premium cotton woven to down-proof standards, so there will be no sharp quills poking out at you. 

The comforter is filled with the highest quality 650 fill power Pacific Coast Down from Europe that is exceptionally fluffy and durable. The 500 thread-count cotton shell is perfect for year-round use with a 100% cotton barrier weave to make it down proof. The baffle-box stitching keeps the down fluffy and the Comfort Lock border ensures that the down stays on top, for maximum loft. 

The cotton shell is hypoallergenic, so unless you’re allergic to down feathers, this comforter shouldn’t cause any reactions or irritate your skin. This comforter is sensationally comfortable and because it also comes with a 10-year warranty it ranks as one of the best comforters on the market. If you find any manufacturing defects, you can return it for a full refund. 

KASENTEX Review: Best 3-Piece Synthetic Down Comforter Set

This comforter is made with a 100% brushed microfiber cover and a synthetic down hydrophilic fiber filling on the inside designed to trap the air, so the warmth stays in. The reversible comforter can be used on its own or slipped into a duvet cover. It has corner loops, so that it stays in place. You can switch out duvet covers when you feel like changing your décor. 

The synthetic down alternative fiberfill makes this comforter extraordinarily soft and comfortable. The specialized fiber filling technology is designed to trap the air to keep the warmth in. The 3D hollow synthetic down fiber gives makes it firm and durable. The filling is not only incredibly soft and comfy, it’s also hypoallergenic. If you suffer from allergies, this comforter would be an excellent option. 

This KASENTEX comforter has a box-stitched design that not only looks elegant, it keeps the filling evenly distributed throughout, so there is no shifting or clumping. Because the comforter is reversable you can use it longer between washes by flipping it over. It also comes with loops on all corners so it can be tied to a duvet cover. 

You can machine wash this comforter, making it easy to keep clean. Even though the comforter absorbs moisture, it doesn’t lose its shape. It comes in 6 different colors and 3 sizes, which include Twin/Single, Full/Queen and King, with the appropriate size shams. 

Buffy Comforter Review: Best Eco-Friendly Option

The Buffy Comforter is utterly ingenious in using a fabric made from fibers derived from eucalyptus trees for the cover and recycled plastic for the filling. The cover is soft and breathable, so it can be comfortably used during the summer and the filling provides plenty of insulation and warmth for use during the cold winter months. Furthermore, the filling is air-blown so you feel as if you’re sleeping on a fluffy cloud. What’s great is that each comforter contains approximately 50 plastic bottles, replacing the down that would have been plucked from 12 geese. This alone makes the Buffy one of the very best comforters on the market. 

The naturally hypoallergenic cover resists mites, microbes and other allergens, so it’s perfect for those with allergies and/or overly sensitive skin. It comes in 4 different sizes, including Twin, Twin XL, Full/Queen and King/California King. The manufacturer also offers a free trial, including free shipping and returns. You will be happy to know that the Forest Stewardship Council certifies the packaging that Buffy Comforters are shipped in.  

Ella Jayne Home Review: Most Affordable Option

High-quality bedding can get expensive, especially comforters. But you’ll be happy to know that the All-Season Comforter by Ella Jayne comes at a very affordable price. It has a very soft 220 thread count brushed microfiber cover with a synthetic down polyester fiber filling. This is a very comfortable combination that keeps you warm and toasty in the winter and nice and cool on hot summer nights. 

This comforter can be used as it is or slipped into a duvet cover. It is made with baffle box stitching, so the filling won’t shift around or clump up. It comes in 7 different colors and 3 sizes that include, Twin, Full/Queen and King. This is an incredibly soft comforter and very well made for the price. It’s also machine-washable, so very easy to keep clean. 

Guide to Choosing the Best Comforter to Suit Your Needs

Comforters & Duvets

While shopping you’re going to notice the words “comforter” and “duvet” being used interchangeably. It’s important that you know exactly what these terms refer to and whether they’re the same or not. The main difference between the two is in how each is designed to be used. 

Comforters

A comforter is a common term for the thickest cover placed on a bed to insulate the sleeper. It’s used for warmth when it’s cold outside and to keep you cool when it’s hot. If what you have on your bed is not a quilt, which is thinner and made of various heavy fabrics stitched together in a patchwork, then you likely have a comforter. 

Comforters are designed to be placed on top of a flat sheet for the purpose of holding in the heat in cold weather and to help insulate from heat when it’s hot outside. Basically, they’re made for year-round use. 

Comforters are typically made with a cotton or polyester fabric outer shell and a soft filling inside. The outer fabric could also be silk, linen, wool or some other fabric. The outer casing is often decorative in nature, either in a rich solid color or patterned. However, when it’s time to change your décor or your color scheme, you’re forced to work with the color or pattern on your comforter. But that problem can all be solved with a duvet cover. 

Duvets

A duvet is a certain type of comforter but has traditionally been filled with down. Duvets are designed to be inserted into a “duvet cover,” which can be described as a huge pillowcase type cover. This protects the duvet or comforter inside and can be easily changed out when you want to change your color scheme or décor. Duvets often come with matching sheet sets and can either be solid colors or patterned. 

People love duvets because they can be used on their own as a simple comforter or covered. They serve the same purpose, to insulate from both cold and hot temperatures, with most intended for year-round use. Buyers can choose the fill power, with a higher fill power for more filling and a lower fill power for less filling, depending on the climate. 

Using A Comforter Offers Many Benefits

Creates a Consistent Sleep Temperature

Our bodies are naturally habitual, so when there are drastic changes in our sleep environment it affects how well we sleep. When we consistently use the same comforter, our bodies adapt and are able to relax at the temperature provided by the comforter. 

Prevents Hot Flashes, Sweating & Cold Feet

A comforter also provides warmth for a longer period of time, without intermittent the hot flashes and sweating mixed in with cold feet. The best comforters are made with a fabric and filling that allow air to flow, so they’re breathable and can regulate your body temperature. Ideally, your comforter wicks away your sweat, so the moisture evaporates and cools you down. 

Silky Smooth Sleeping Surface

The best comforters are made with a soft fabric shell that ideally provides a silky-smooth sleeping surface due to a high thread count in the 300+ range. This softness combined with the fluffiness of a great filling definitely contributes to a good night’s sleep. 

Designed for Year-Round Use

You should be able to use your comforter all year long, in cold wintery weather and on hot summer nights. Comforters are specifically designed for year-round use because they keep you warm when it’s cold outside and cool when it’s hot. If you tend to get hot and sweaty in bed at night, by using the right comforter you can eliminate that problem. 

Great to Snuggle With

Comforters are just that, they comfort you at night when you’re sleeping because they’re perfect for snuggling. They come in a variety of weights and fluffiness depending on the type and amount of filling. The best comforter for you is the one you would enjoy snuggling with the most. 

Require Little Maintenance

Comforters are basically very low maintenance. If you’re sleeping with a top sheet between you and your comforter, you shouldn’t need to wash your comforter all that frequently. However, if you are like most people, you use your bed for things other than sleeping. Many people have pets that jump up on the bed and sometimes even sleep there. We often eat in bed and do projects on our beds that can soil the comforter. Fortunately, the best comforters are machine washable and dryable on a delicate cycle and low heat. This makes it easy for you to wash your comforter as often as needed. 

Choosing the Right Comforter

Size

One of the most important considerations when selecting a comforter is the size. Comforters come in a variety of sizes designed to fit the bed: Twin/Single, Twin XL, Full/Double, Full/Queen, Oversized Queen, King, California King, Oversized King. 

It’s really up to you to decide which size you’re going to be most comfortable with. Some people like a comforter that precisely fits their bed, and others prefer it to be oversized, so it drapes down from the edges. European-style comforters are sized to fit precisely on top of the bed with little or no draping. But Americans tend to prefer comforters that hang over the edges, much like a bedspread. If you want a comforter that drapes off the edges, an oversized comforter would be your best option. 

The Fit Inside A Duvet Cover

If you’re going to place your comforter inside a duvet cover or if you are looking for a down comforter to go inside an outer cover, you need to be sure of the fit. 

Here are some options: 

•You can try to match your comforter as closely as possible to a duvet cover. However, there really is no industrywide standard.

•You might prefer a comforter that is slightly larger than a duvet cover so that it will be fluffier once it’s inside the duvet cover. 

•You could choose a larger duvet cover than your comforter to achieve the draping you want without having to pay for a larger sized comforter. 

•When couples sleep together sometimes one grabs all the covers when rolling over, which leaves the other freezing cold. In these cases, it’s best to get an oversized comforter so both can stay nice and warm throughout the night. 

Types of Filling

The material inside the comforter is the filling and this material is what most determines how warm the comforter is. There are several different types of filling and each has its pros and cons. 

The most common fillings are as follows: 

Synthetic Down Alternatives

If you are allergic to feathers you will want to stay away from comforters filled with duck or goose down. You should instead look for a synthetic material, often referred to as a “down alternative.” Look for this in the specifications on the label or tag. It should go on to explain the type of filling, which could be 100% cotton fibers, a cotton/polyester blend, 100% polyester, gel fibers or others. 

The most expensive of the synthetic down alternatives is the gel fibers. This is because it really is the softest while providing the most effective heat dissipation, so that you can stay comfortably cool all night long for a good night’s sleep.

Down Clusters

Down clusters are the absolute fluffiest part of the feathers on either ducks or geese. These clusters are located right under the main part of the feather. When these down clusters are used as filling in comforters, they make the comforter much warmer. 

Most manufacturers list the percentages of the contents of the filling on the label or tag. If there is a high percentage of down clusters, the comforter would be of higher quality. This also means that the filling would have a higher fill power, making the comforter more comfortable as well. 

Duck Down

Duck down is very commonly used as a filling in comforters manufactured all across North America. It is much more common than goose down. However, duck down is nowhere near as soft and fluffy as goose down. 

Despite this, many comforters are filled with duck down because they are less expensive and sell better than goose down comforters. The highest quality down comforters are filled with goose down, not duck down. So, keep this in mind if you’re looking for a high-quality down comforter and don’t mind the added expense. 

Goose Down

Goose down comforters are more prevalent in Europe than in the United States. In fact, it is the most commonly used filling because it is so much fluffier than duck down. But make no mistake, goose down is not the very best filling option. 

The truth is that goose down clusters are softer and fluffier than just plain goose down. If you want a down filling and are looking for the very best comforter you can buy, we strongly recommend that you look to see how much down cluster is in the goose down filling of the comforter you’re considering. If the percentage of goose down cluster is high, this indicates a softer, fluffier more snuggly comforter.

Cotton

A cotton filling is more often found in the least expensive comforters. Cotton fabric is frequently used for the outer shells of comforters, but it really doesn’t provide much warmth when used as a filling. 

Wool

A wool filling will absolutely provide warmth during the cold winter months, but when the weather gets hotter it does wick away moisture and is breathable. However, comforters with a wool filling are not as lofty or fluffy as those with down filling. Therefore, wool comforters need to be heavier to keep you warm enough. 

Silk

There is no doubt about how light and soft silk is, but when used as a filling it just doesn’t achieve much loft and really isn’t warm enough compared to down or most synthetic downs. This is why silk is used mostly in summer comforters. 

Types of Cover Fabrics

The outside encasement of a comforter is called the cover or shell. The most commonly used fabrics for comforter shells are as follows: 

Cotton

Cotton shells are very common on comforters, especially the softest types of cotton. Cotton is quite breathable and cool, which is what you need for warm weather comforters. 

Silk 

Silk shells have a luxuriously soft feel, which makes for a superb sleeping surface. Silk is also a breathable fabric as well as cool to the touch. It sounds perfect, but unfortunately silk is difficult to keep clean so is not the ideal fabric to use on a comforter. 

Wool 

Wool has a lot of great attributes like wicking away moisture, being odor and bacteria resistant and for its warmth and softness. However, some wools can be a bit scratchy, so if you have sensitive skin you may want to avoid comforters with wool shells unless you feel them first in person. Wool also tends to be more expensive than other materials.  

Polyester 

Polyester is a man-made synthetic material that is more affordable than cotton while being stronger and less apt to fade than cotton. On the other hand, a lot of people are not as comfortable sleeping under polyester, especially those who tend to get hot and sweaty at night. 

Cotton/Polyester Blend

A cotton/polyester blend makes the shell a bit stretchy and more breathable than 100% cotton and is still plenty soft. People who find that polyester makes them a little too hot, may find a comforter with a cotton/polyester blend shell quite comfortable. 

Fill Power

Most people have no idea what “fill power” is or how that characteristic affects comforters. Fill power is the amount of volume that 1 oz. of down will take up. The higher the number for fill power, the more down the comforter contains. 

A high fill power implies a filling that can provide a higher level of insulation. An average fill power would be about 600, so a comforter with a fill power of 600 would provide you no more than an average amount of warmth, comfort and durability. It would basically be a comforter of mediocre quality. If you are looking for the best comforter to meet your needs, you should look for a higher fill power than this. The level of warmth a comforter provides is greatly determined by its fill power, as follows: 

Less Than 400

A comforter that has a filling with no more than 400 fill power will not make you very warm at all. It won’t have much loft or thickness, so you’ll need additional blankets to keep you warm in winter. 

400-599 

A comforter with a fill power in this range will do a better job of holding in the heat and keeping you warm. However, the loft is still fairly limited so it may not keep you warm enough in very cold weather. 

600-799 

A filling in this fill power range would work well for year-round and high-end winter comforters. With this amount of loft, the filling would be able to trap plenty of heat, enough to keep you warm and cozy throughout the night. 

800 and Up 

A down comforter with this level of fill power would have the densest down clusters and feather combo and thus provide the most loft, durability and warmth. This is going to be a very expensive comforter, but it may well be worth the price. 

Fill Weight

Another factor to consider when choosing a down comforter would be its fill weight, or how many ounces of down filling the comforter contains. Comforters with a high fill power are likely to have a lower fill weight. This is because the fill power refers to how well the down filling traps air, not to how much the down weighs. This is why a down comforter with a higher fill power that works well on cold winter nights may actually weigh less than one with lower fill power that is meant for use in warmer weather. 

How warm a comforter keeps you depends upon balancing the fill power with the will weight. Having said that, downs with a higher fill power are typically used in warmer comforters, which is why the guidelines above usually apply. All this information is important because the temperature under your covers determines how well you sleep. If you’re either too hot or too cold, you won’t sleep very well. 

Thread Count

Thread count is the number of threads going vertically and horizontally in a square inch of fabric. A fabric with a higher thread count is generally more tightly woven. A comforter’s threat count isn’t that important if your skin won’t be directly touching it due to a flat sheet or duvet cover being in between. 

Many people think the higher the thread count of a fabric, the better the fabric. But that’s not always the case because a fabric with a high thread count may be made of an inferior fiber that is so densely woven that it’s stiff. A good rule to follow is not to buy anything made with a fabric that has a thread count higher than 800 or lower than 300. 

Follow these thread-count guidelines: 

300-400 

A thread count ranging from 300 to 400 should be sufficient for most comforter covers. It would give you a smooth enough surface and would contain the fill. 

400-500

A fabric with a thread count in this range is a bit more tightly woven, giving it more long-lasting durability. 

500-800 

Generally speaking, fabrics with a thread count of 500 to 800 are not much different than fabrics with a lower thread count. In fact, fabrics with this higher thread count are often woven with two-ply yarns, rather than more individual threads and this can be misleading. 

800+

Just like with the thread count range of 500 to 800, this level typically is the result of counting two-ply yarns twice, which does not mean the feel or durability of the fabric is substantially different. 

The truth is that the feel and durability of a fabric depends on a lot more than its thread count. This is especially true for fabrics that claim to be down proof. To ensure that no down can leak through the fabric, it needs to be very tightly woven. This is the only way that the down filling will stay inside your comforter. Ideally, a down-proof fabric will be durable and lightweight, and this can best be achieved with a thread count ranging 300 to 500. For example, a fabric with a thread count of 1000 would feel too heavy and be made with small weak threads, so it would be less likely to be down proof. 

Allergies

Down comforters have traditionally been considered the gold standard in terms of the warmth and fluffiness they provide. However, a down filled comforter may not be the best option for people who suffer from allergies because down traps dust mites, pollen and other allergens. To play it safe, it would be best for allergy suffers to choose a comforter with a synthetic down filling. 

However, while shopping you’ll see down comforters made with hypoallergenic shell covers that supposedly keep allergens from getting into the filling. You will also see down comforters with down that has been thoroughly washed to cleanse it of any allergens, however this will not guarantee no allergens in the down filling. This is why people with allergies should avoid comforters with a down filling altogether and choose one with a synthetic down alternative. 

Types of Construction & Stitching

When we’re talking about a comforter’s construction, we’re referring to the additional interior stitching that keeps the filling from shifting around and clumping up, which causes flat empty areas. Most types of fillings will do this to some extent, but down is more prone to clumping than others. So, if you’re looking for a down comforter it is extremely important that you find one with good construction. 

There are several ways of constructing a comforter, and the primary methods are discussed below: 

Channel 

This type of construction is evident by the name in that it involves parallel channels of filling. Stitching the comforter in this manner allows the filling to shift around inside each channel. So, if you want to adjust the level of warmth to favor one side of your body, or if you have a partner that prefers more or less warmth, you can shift the filling around to suit your needs. 

Baffle Box 

The best comforters are usually the most expensive and when it comes to down comforters, most of these have baffle box construction. On the surface the stitching is in a checkerboard pattern, which a lot of comforters have. However, if you look beneath the surface you will see fabric walls built around each square to keep the down confined in each cell. This way the down cannot migrate through the stitching, clump up and create empty spaces. The result is a uniformly warm comforter. 

Quilt Stitched

Comforters with quilt stitching look similar to those with baffle box construction, with a checkerboard pattern. But there are no fabric walls or baffles sewn around each section to keep the filling in place. This may be good enough for down comforters with a lower fill power that are not expected to provide maximum warmth and fluffiness. Quilt stitched comforters are less expensive than those with baffle box construction. 

Gusseted

Most comforters with gusseted construction also use baffle box construction with fabric walls surrounding each section to keep the filling within its own section. These comforters provide uniform warmth with no clumping or empty areas. The gussets are added around all four sides of the finished comforter to further secure the filling and add durability. Many consider gusseted down comforters that incorporate baffle box construction to be the very best comforters you can for warmth, loft and long-lasting durability. 

Softness & Fluffiness

The softness and fluffiness of a comforter seems to be the main consideration for many people when trying to choose which one to buy. There may be some who prefer a firmer comforter, but the vast majority are looking for an extremely soft and fluffy comforter. 

For the ultimate in softness there are a variety of fillings to choose from. However, if you choose one that is too soft, it may retain too much heat and be too bulky to be comfortable. Try to get the softness you need without going overboard. 

Warmth & Breathability

The weight of your comforter should be aligned with the temperature of your sleeping environment. This is how to choose the best comforter for meeting your needs. You may already have a warm sleeping environment due to living in a warm climate, sleeping on a foam mattress, having a naturally warm body temperature or habitually sipping a glass of wine in the evening. 

If this is the case, a lightweight comforter would be your best option. But if you’re not sure you can even go lighter knowing that you can just add a blanket. If you buy a comforter that keeps you too warm, you’re stuck with it unless the brand has a good return policy. People living in cold climates definitely need a thick warm comforter, especially when it’s below zero outside during the winter.

How to Care for Your Comforter

If you want your comforter to last a good long time while continuing to look great, you’ll need to take proper care of it. This means following the manufacturer’s instructions, so you don’t risk ruining the filling or outer cover. Generally speaking, comforters made of down, silk and wool are more difficult to keep clean than those made of cotton or synthetic materials. 

In order for some warranties to remain valid they require the owner to follow specific care instructions, otherwise the warranty is null and void. The recommendations offered here are fairly standard and you should follow the specific cleaning instructions provided by the manufacturer. 

Washing 

Front-loading washing machines are recommended over top-loading machines. In terms of water temperature, check the manufacturer’s instructions. Run the washer on a delicate cycle and you may want to add another rinse cycle to remove all the detergent and as much moisture as possible before you put your comforter in the dryer. 

Drying

When it’s ready to go in the dryer, we recommend that you toss in some dryer balls because they will help fluff it up. Don’t worry if the dryer seems a bit small for your comforter, just push it in and use a gentle cycle on medium-warm heat. It’s very common for comforters not to get fully dry in just one dry cycle because they tend to bunch up and get twisted in the dryer. To combat this, remove it from the dryer several times during the cycle and shake it out before putting it back in. If your comforter is not dry when the cycle end, just run it again until it’s completely dry. 

You also have the option of taking it out of the dryer even though it may be damp in parts. You can hang it up or lay it out flat to air dry. This takes longer but prevents wrinkles while saving energy.

Spot Cleaning

If you just have a few small stains on the outer cover, we suggest you spot clean those as it will cause less wear and tear on the comforter and it poses few risks. Refer to the manufacturer’s care instructions with regard to which spot cleaner they recommend. 

Maintaining Freshness

Between washings you can freshen up your comforter by hanging it outside on a clothes line for a few hours on a warm dry day. To keep it fresh during the warm summer months if you decide to store your comforter away, make sure you place it in a ventilated bag or container because a plastic bag or container can cause mildew. 

Fluffing

Fluffing up your comforter on a regular basis helps redistribute the filling so it’s spread out over the entire comforter and it also adds loft. Down comforters require the most fluffing, especially those with baffle-box stitching. If you’re just taking your comforter out of the cupboard after being stored, toss it in the dryer on low heat for about 5 minutes. It helps to toss in a couple of dryer balls, clean tennis balls or dryer rings to keep the filling from getting all matted. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people like sleeping with a comforter more than a regular blanket? 

Everyone has their own preferences, but many people love the feeling of sleeping under a soft fluffy comforter rather than a heavy blanket. Comforters provide a lot of warmth without being overly heavy.

Which type of comforter would you say is the best?

Again, it’s a matter of personal preference. People who suffer from allergies should definitely get a comforter with a synthetic down alternative filling and a hypoallergenic cover. People looking for a fluffier warm comforter with good airflow and breathability may want to consider a down filling. 

Do I need two comforters, a thick one for winter and a lighter one for summer?

The best comforters are made for year-round use no matter what the temperature is outside. We would recommend that you get an all-season comforter. Look at the comforters we’ve reviewed above, and you will see a couple of really good ones. This will save you time, space and money. 

If you do decide to buy two different comforters, make sure that the one you buy for summer use will insulate you so that you stay cool at night. You do not want to get all hot and sweaty during the night. 

Which best bedding brand are the most reputable?

There are quite a few highly reputable bedding brands. For us to fully trust a manufacturer they must use the highest quality materials in their products. When it comes to comforters, they must be made with the best sewing technology so that the filling doesn’t leak or clump up and instead stays evenly distributed across the whole comforter. 

Having said this, some of the best bedding brands are Egyptian Bedding, Linenspa, Pacific Coast, Pinzon, Sleep Better, Sleep Restoration, and Utopia Bedding. There are others of this same caliber, but these brands come to mind first. 

Should people who tend to get hot and sweaty at night use a comforter?

If you’re talking about yourself, we would recommend that you carefully select your comforter. You want to make sure that the one you choose can effectively dissipate the heat. You definitely do not want to exacerbate the situation. 

We would recommend that you choose a comforter made predominately of a gel material, which has the ability to evenly disperse the heat across the entire surface of the comforter, so you don’t sweat. It will also help you to sleep cooler. 

Do they make comforters for allergy sufferers?

People with allergies can safely use most comforters because most are made with hypoallergenic materials. However, you should definitely read the label, so you know exactly what each comforter you’re considering is made of. For example, some people are allergic to wool and if this is the case, they certainly would not want a comforter that contained any wool. A lot of people have sensitive skin, so it’s important that the cover of any comforter they’re considering not irritate their skin. 

What should I look for in a top-quality down comforter?

A top-quality down comforter will have a high fill power combined with a heavy fill weight, both of which will ensure a very fluffy comforter. 

You also need to find out exactly what the filling is, whether it’s a high-quality white goose down or maybe something else. The best down comforters are made with baffle box construction, which adds to the durability while allowing the filling to fully expand.  

Is it more economical to buy a bedding set or to get all my bedding as separates?

If you want your bedding to be a single coordinated design or pattern, it would be more affordable to buy a comforter set rather than separates. This would make even more sense if  in addition to the comforter, sheets and pillow cases and/or shams you want a matching bed skirt and maybe some decorative throw pillows. 

How come the down feathers poke out of a lot of down comforters?

If the fabric shell is not tightly enough woven to keep the quills from poking out, this can happen. A fully down-proof fabric may seem a little stiff and crinkly at first, but it softens up with each washing. Truthfully, there are different degrees of down-proofness but you’re not going to find out any of this from the manufacturer. 

The best way to avoid getting a down comforter with quills that poke out and stab you is to buy it from a highly reputable brand. Pacific Coast uses a proprietary weave on their down comforters called a Barrier Weave®. This is a very high down-proof standard that most fabrics cannot meet. They also use an innovative finishing process on their fabrics that further ensures that the down doesn’t leak. 

Why do some down comforters keep you warmer than others?

Just so you know, “fill power” is not the same as “fill weight.” We don’t want you thinking that more fill power means a warmer comforter. This may be true to some extent, but it’s not the whole story.

Fill power has to do with how fluffy or lofty the comforter is. It indicates the quality of the filling and is determined by how much volume 1 oz. of down filling takes up. A higher volume means a higher fill power. A down comforter with a high fill power means a lighter, fluffier comforter for a particular level of warmth. 

Fill weight is what really determines warmth. This tells you how many oz. of down there is in the entire comforter. The more down, the warmer the comforter. It doesn’t take much down to create a lot of warmth, so looks can fool you. 

How warm a comforter keeps you is a combination of the fill power along with the fill weight and the opposite is true if you want less warmth. 

How often should a comforter be replaced?

If you take excellent care of a high-quality comforter it should last you 8 to 10 years with constant use. It will last even longer if it’s only used intermittently. If it’s a down comforter, body weight will break down the down over a period of time. 

Down comforters begin wearing out first in the shoulder area since people grab it here quite often. It helps to rotate down comforters for this reason. You can tell when they’re wearing out by holding it up to a sunlit window. When you start seeing empty boxes, that means the stitching and barrier fabrics are wearing out and it’s time to get a new one. 

Is my comforter machine washable?

Follow the manufacturer’s washing instructions. They will tell you if it is safe to put it in a washing machine. If so, use a mild detergent, and wash in cold water on a gentle cycle. Front-loading washers are better because they prevent bunching up.  

How should a comforter be stored during the summer?

If your comforter keeps you too warm in summer weather, carefully store it in a breathable bag or container without compressing it too much. Avoid stuffing it in a box or placing it in a plastic vacuum-sealed bag. You can fold it up nice and neat and put it out in the open on a shelf in a dry cupboard or closet or place it in a clean cotton storage bag. 

Is baffle-box construction better than sewn through?

A comforter with baffle-box construction is made with fabric barriers around each box that keeps the filling in place in each pocket. This keeps the filling distributed evenly throughout the comforter with no shifting to one corner or clumping up. 

Sewn-through construction means that the comforter is sewn from top to bottom around each section, forming patterns which could be squares, diamonds, channels or curved rectangles. Many people think baffle-box construction is sturdier than sewn-through and vice versa. I guess it all depends on how well made the comforter is overall. 

Conclusion

After reading this article you are probably surprised by how much there is to consider when trying to choose the best comforter to meet your needs and preferences. 

We hope that the information we’ve conveyed here will help simplify your shopping experience so that you end up buying the perfect comforter. Our goal is to take the stress out of shopping so that you can easily find what you need. 

Don’t forget to consider the comforters we’ve listed as the Best Comforters of 2020. We’ve done our research and even tried them ourselves in order to save you a lot of time and energy. These are all high-quality comforters that meet specific needs, so they are definitely worth considering.