Best Comforters

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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.

Disclosure: By clicking on the product links in this article, Mattress Nerd may receive a commission fee at no cost to you, the reader. Read full disclosure statement.

Best Comforters of 2023

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Buffy Comforter

Best All-Around
Buffy is one of the most eco-friendly, ethically sourced sleep accessories on the market. Made from recycled materials that have a cool feel, it features a 300 thread count and is made from lyocell, a textile derived from the pulp of, in this case, eucalyptus trees. The fill is made with a down alternative fiber made from recycled bottles. This product certainly doesn’t feel like you’re sleeping on trees and bottles, and it has “cloud-like volume,” according to Buffy. Temperature-regulating, eco-friendly, and soft with a low loft, this is our favorite comforter of the crowd.

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PlushBeds Handmade Wool Comforter

Best Luxury
This is a luxury option made by PlushBeds featuring premium Eco-Wool fill encased in a 100% certified organic cotton sateen cover. This is a nice all-season option, as wool is known for its ability to wick away moisture in hotter seasons while providing softness and warmth during the winter. It has a lightweight feel, despite the density of the wool, and the year-round temperature regulation can help you achieve deeper, REM sleep on a regular basis. This comforter can be used with or without a cover. 

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Silk Camel Silk Comforter

Best for Hot Sleepers
This comforter is filled with 100% natural mulberry silk, known for its moisture-wicking and cooling properties, and is encased in a lightweight, breathable cotton shell. It’s a great choice if you sleep hot or want a lighter comforter in the warm seasons. The silk naturally repels allergens, bed bugs, dust mites, mold, and mildew, giving you a leg up on these common bedding-related issues. It weighs just 3.75 pounds and has corner and side clasps that attach to the mattress to avoid the sliding and slipping that can occur with lightweight bedding. It also comes with a portable bag, so you can bring it with you when you travel, if you desire.

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Homelike Moment Reversible Comforter

Best Value
Comforters can have price points that are sky-high, but this comforter combines quality and affordability into one product. Oeko-Tex certified, reversible, lightweight, and filled with down-alternative whole piece microfiber that doesn’t clump, this is well worth the $33.99 you’ll pay for a full/queen size. The thin design makes it great for dorm rooms, travel, and first-time apartments, and it has easy care instructions for simple cleaning. 

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Sleep Restoration Down Alternative Comforter

Best Warming
Whether you live in an exceptionally cold area or like to crank your home’s temperature way down for improved sleep, the Down Alternative Comforter from Sleep Restoration will offer a more insulating night’s sleep than other comforters. Inside is a high-quality alternative down fill that’s soft, fluffy, warm, and encased in a dense cover with baffled stitching. It comes in twin, queen, and king sizes and in nine colors, and it’s hypoallergenic. One reviewer called it “incredibly soft and warm.” 

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.

Weighted Blankets

A weighted blanket can be a great alternative to a comforter if you’re looking for a potentially anxiety relieving option. If the benefits of weighted blankets are appealing to you, just know that you may be spending a little bit more than you would on a traditional comforter. Check out the Sleep Number True Temp Weighted Blanket to learn about one of our favorite options.