Whether you’re wanting to stay cozy and warm in winter or stay cool and breezy in summer, a comforter can make a significant difference in the quality of your sleep. A comforter is sewn in one piece with no removable insert, unlike a duvet, which requires a cover. Finding the right one can present a challenge as the price range, materials, designs, and qualities widely vary. In this guide, we’re covering our top picks for comforters by category as well as tips for what to look for in a comforter and how to clean them.

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Best Comforters

Types of Comforters

Comforters are typically categorized by their shell and fill material. Shell materials can include:

• Cotton: Known for softness, this is the most common comforter shell material. It’s breathable and cool and can come in a variety of weaves that either enhance breathability or alter how it feels to the touch.
• Silk: A comforter with a silk shell will have a slight sheen and a soft feel to the touch. While breathable and cool, silk can be troublesome to clean.
• Cotton-Polyester Blends: Blends offer softness with more stretch and breathability than many cotton shells. 
• Wool: Wool is soft and warm in winter yet wicks away moisture and perspiration in summer. These are more expensive comforters but are great all-season options.

The fill, or the material found on the interior of the comforter, can include:

• Down: Goose down is soft and very lightweight but bigger and fluffier than duck down. Duck down is smaller but offers warmth and loft, and it’s more affordable.
• Down Alternative: Derived from polyester microfibers, down alternatives offer the same benefits as down with a friendlier price.
• Cotton: Shredded cotton is a fill that’s affordable and offers warmth. 
• Silk: Silk, which is best for warm-weather comforters, is light, soft, and thin.
• Wool: Wool is a nice all-season option for fill, providing moisture-wicking in the summer and warmth in the winter. It tends to be more expensive.

What to Look for in a Comforter

There are several important factors to consider when purchasing a comforter, including thread count, construction, care and maintenance requirements, cost, and size. 

Thread count refers to the density of yarn per square inch of fabric. Higher thread counts are usually associated with a softer feel, but it’s important to know that manufacturers can inflate the thread count, so a 1,000 thread count isn’t necessarily better than a 400 thread count. For most comforters from a high-quality manufacturer, a thread count of 300 to 500 will be sufficient. 

Construction elements of the comforter to consider include shell and fill material, fill power, and stitching style. 

Shell and fill material. The most common fill materials include cotton, silk, wool, and cotton blends, and each has its own pros and cons. Cotton is the most common shell material, as it’s known for softness and is breathable. Be sure to research the shell materials prior to purchase. The material inside the comforter is known as the fill, and it can be made from goose or duck down, down alternative, cotton, wool, or silk. The fill will influence the warmth and weight of the end product. Goose down, for example, offers serious warmth year-round, whereas wool provides warmth in the winter and moisture-wicking in the summer.

Fill power is only a consideration for down and down alternative comforters and is defined as how much volume an ounce of down has. The higher the fill power, the more volume, and warmth the comforter can offer. Fill powers range from below 400 to 800+, with 400 having limited warmth and loft and 800 having dense clusters of feathers and the highest level of warmth, durability, and loft available. Generally, the higher the fill power, the more expensive the comforter. 

Stitching style: This is important because the stitching style can affect the final product’s ability to keep you warm, its durability, and its quality. Stitching styles include gusseted, sewn-through, baffle stitching, and diamond-quilted. We recommend familiarizing yourself with the pros and cons of each style prior to shopping.

Cost is another important consideration, as comforters can have price points beyond several hundred dollars. A budget comforter will average around $60. You can expect to pay $300 or $400 for a high-end comforter that will last for years. 

How to Clean a Comforter

In general, machine washing and drying aren’t recommended for comforters unless the manufacturer’s tag or website explicitly says that’s okay. Most comforters can be dry cleaned instead. If the comforter is machine-washable, use a delicate setting, mild detergent, and cold water. A front-loading washing machine is preferred, as it will prevent bunching throughout the washing process. Dry on low heat with a few tennis balls for plumping.