At AD, your optimal sleep setup doesn’t have to be a fantasy. Sourcing the best comforters and duvet inserts—from down toppers to fluffy, featherless options—makes a downy bedscape a reality. We’ve tested dozens of options over the years for our annual Sleep Week, so we know the difference between down and down alternative options. Our editors can also identify linen from sateen from lyocell with their eyes closed. We care about quality, a good night’s sleep, and easy laundering.
Featured in this article
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With that in mind, we found the Brooklinen Down Comforter to be an all-around favorite for its texture, weight, warmth, and easy care instructions. It also comes in three weights and all bed sizes to suit any sleeper’s personal preferences. But there are lots of fabulous comforters out there, so we’re sharing our full lineup in case something else better fits the bill. Our list includes heavyweight contenders for cold nights and eco-friendly comforters made with sustainably sourced materials. Most of these comforters don’t require dry cleaning, but routine washing and a tumble dry cycle can extend the life of your comforter. (Don’t forget to tackle tiny messes with a quick spot-clean.) Read on for all of our top duvet and comforter picks for your bedroom.
For consistency, the prices in this story reflect queen sizes. However, many brands offer options ranging from a twin to a king size.
Best Overall
Specs
- Sizes available: Twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king
- Fill content: Natural down clusters and feathers sustainably sourced in Canada
- Comforter cover: 400 thread count, 100% long-staple cotton
- Care instructions: Spot-clean recommended. Dry-clean if needed. Do not bleach. Do not iron. Keep your comforters’s filling distributed evenly with daily fluffing.
Upsides
- High-quality
- Multiple weight options
- Hypoallergenic
Downsides
High price point
We’re big fans of Brooklinen, especially contributor Rebecca Grambone, who called this comforter “very high quality and luxurious and gave off strong hotel bed vibes.” Brooklinen’s high-quality bedding never disappoints, and their down comforter is no exception. It comes in three varieties: lightweight (650 fill power), all-season (700 fill power), and ultra-warm (750 fill power). The hypoallergenic, antimicrobial comforter features corner loops, should you want to use it as a duvet cover instead.
Best Value
Specs
- Sizes available: Twin, full/queen, and king/California king
- Fill content: European 650-fill power white goose down
- Outer shell: 100% cotton sateen shell
- Care instructions: Spot-clean recommended. Dry-clean if needed. Do not bleach. Do not iron.
Upsides
- Multiple weight options
- Double-stitched seams
- Affordable price point
Downsides
Not vegan
Quince makes some of our favorite bedding, and we think this goose down comforter is another safe bet for a good night’s sleep. Contributor Zoë Sessum agrees, noting that the price point (especially compared to offerings from competitors) is incredible for such high-quality bedding. “I would have no hesitation recommending anything from the brand,” she says. Filled with European white goose down and available in both lightweight and all-season options, this down duvet insert is designed with double-stitched seams and a baffle box construction to prevent lumps.
Best Fluffy
Specs
- Sizes available: Twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king
- Fill content: White down and feather blend
- Outer shell: 300 thread count sateen weave lyocell shell
- Care instructions: Machine wash cold (large commercial washers work best!) with your favorite pro-planet detergent and hang to dry. You can certainly dry the Cloud in your drying machine as long as it is a larger format machine and the Cloud fits comfortably. If it’s too snug, we encourage you to hang dry, so as to avoid potentially damaging the comforter.
Upsides
- Affordable price point
- Airy
- Keeps you warm but never stuffy
Downsides
Limited size options
The Cloud comforter receives high praise from both AD editors and readers as a cozy comforter and duvet insert with corner loops to accommodate duvet covers. Coming in at $195 full price (though it often goes on sale), it makes a great budget choice for college grads and anyone else who tends to complain about the room being too cold at night. Contributor Sydney Gore has owned this comforter since its release in 2017, noting in her review that “it’s light, soft, breathable…everything you would ever want in a comforter that stays on your bed all year round.” Alternative down fills (like this one) don’t typically list a fill power, but a Buffy rep told us this has a fill power equivalent of 700.
An All-Season Comforter
Specs
- Sizes available: Twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king
- Fill content: Triple-washed, cruelty-free, IDS-certified down fill
- Comforter cover: Down-proof cotton shell
- Care instructions: Cold water on gentle cycle, tumble dry low. Wash seasonally.
Upsides
- Lofty
- Fair-trade certified
- The down stays evenly distributed
Downsides
Limited size options
Boll & Branch has cracked the code for breathable, exquisitely crafted bedding with this down duvet insert. The retailer is conscientious with their approach to supply chain and holistic practices, earning seals for Fair Trade Certified and Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS), which certifies you’re sleeping under something luxe that isn’t packed with microplastics.
AD PRO senior editor Mel Studach can attest to this: This down insert has a 100% organic cotton shell that works as a breathable layer that’s strong enough to keep the fills from poking through. “The duvet insert made a great first impression,” Studach says, “and with attachable corner loops, the insert was easy to situate within my Blu Dot duvet cover. The baffle box construction keeps the down evenly distributed throughout the cover.” Studach recommends this for a year-round option if you like to keep your room cold and snuggle up. One last perk: Not only is it made with better-for-you materials, but the various weight options mean you can better personalize it to your sleep preferences.
The Winter Wonder
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Specs
- Sizes available: Twin, full/queen, king
- Fill Content: 100% British wool traceable back to UK farms
- Comforter Cover: 200 thread organic cotton quilted cover
- Care Instructions: Machine wash on a wool/delicate cycle at 30 degrees using wool detergent, a spin speed lower than 800RPM, and then line dry. The brand does not recommend tumble drying in any circumstances.
Upsides
- Our tester hasn’t noticed any wear after years of use
- Made with ethically sourced British wool, hypoallergenic fill
- Purchase comes with two inserts (a thicker 350 g/m2 fill weight and a lighter 200 g/m2 fill weight)
Downsides
Adding both inserts inside a duvet cover can feel heavy and harder to wrangle
Contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert has had this wool comforter for over two years, and it’s her favorite for cool weather. The bedding is durable with a little heft, and the fill is a breathable medium weight. This is an ideal compromise with her husband since she’s a cold sleeper and he is constantly throwing off covers.
The organic cotton shell makes it feel crisp to the touch, but the wool fill makes it plush on the inside. The comforter makes Alpert’s bed an oasis after tending to her two elementary school-aged kids throughout the day. “Once they are off to bed, all I want to do is burrow in my comforter and read a book,” she says. “Because I live in a historical brick home, even when the heat is on, the upstairs remains chill, so my bed has to have a lofty layer and I quite truly hibernate under this duvet.”
Best Down Alternative
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Specs
- Sizes available: Full/queen, king/California king
- Fill Content: 100% recycled polyester
- Comforter Cover: 100% TENCEL Lyocell
- Care Instructions: Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle with like colors. Tumble dry low.
Upsides
- The tencel lyocell cover has a similar silky texture to bamboo viscose
- One-year warranty
- Temperature-regulating design keeps sleepers from overheating
- Moisture-wicking
Downsides
- Our tester says if you want an Arctic level
- Fluffy hotel comforter
- You might want to look elsewhere
All the sneezy sleepers out there will be relieved to know that one, you’re not alone. And two, there’s an AD editor-approved comforter we recommend despite all of the animal feather-filled options on the market. Commerce director Rachel Fletcher suffers from allergies and generally considers herself a hot and restless sleeper, so she’s vetted duvets that have fit all her needs. She has happily settled on this Casper down alternative option for the last three years and says “it’s not even an inch thick but keeps me warm without suffocating.”
The breathability and cooling factors are big—the tencel lyocell cover is smooth and moisture wicking, and the recycled polyester is soft without being overwhelming. Fletcher calls this her “lightweight but effective and low-maintenance layer,” which is perfect for her as someone who likes a thin bedspread all year long (even in the winter).
The simple care is the cherry on top. “Unlike my previous comforter, this one is easy breezy and machine washable,” Fletcher says. “Having a dog [Leona, pictured above] and perhaps slight OCD means that I wash and dry it pretty regularly.” Even with all this in mind, she hasn’t noticed any wear or fraying or fill bunching through the years.
The Luxury Hotel Pick
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Specs
- Sizes available: Twin, queen, king
- Fill Content: 85% goose down, 15% feathers
- Comforter Cover: 380 thread count 100% cotton sateen
- Care Instructions: Machine washable. See care label for details.
Upsides
- A high-quality investment piece of bedding
- Includes strong insulation and down materials that don’t feel heavy
- Machine washable
Downsides
Pricier than other duvet inserts and comforters in this list
Global features director Sam Cochran can’t stop singing this duvet insert’s praises—it has just the right coziness from the medium-weight blend of Polish goose down and feathers (which is considered the best sourced in the world since the warm fill is fluffy without weighing you down). “I love that it’s lightweight but not too lightweight—you can use it in winter and summer, though I tend to add a quilt to my bedscape,” Cochran says, adding that it's the perfect companion to his Tekla linen duvet cover.
When it’s not in a cover, this comforter has subtle touches like a double stitch seam and decorative piping, as well as a luxurious feel from the polished cotton sateen cover that almost mirrors the texture of mulberry silk. “My previous duvet was filled with down alternative that made a kind of maddening, synthetic swishing sound whenever the fabrics rubbed up against one another—but my not beloved Frette,” Cochran shares. “And somehow, despite not having loops at its corners to affix to duvet-cover ties, this insert stays in place.”
All the above give it that extra high-end hotel quality that Frette is known for—its bedding like this is even featured at our favorite stays in the world, like The Palace Hotel in Madrid.
Best Cooling Comforter
Specs
- Sizes available: Twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king
- Fill content: 100% Tencel lyocell
- Comforter cover: 100% eucalyptus fiber shell
- Care instructions: Dry-cleaning is the preferred method of care for this comforter, as it also helps keep the interior fiber fill distributed evenly
Upsides
- Lightweight yet cozy for hot and cold sleepers
- Hypoallergenic
- Down-alternative fill
Downsides
Less breathable than other options on this list
At long last, a cold sleeper. Alpert tested this down alternative comforter with the stipulation that it keeps her warm throughout the night—she admits to sleeping under several layers. On the search for a “duvet insert that is lightweight but also does the job of keeping me warm (or at least helps me layer without the bulk),” she turned to Sijo, known for making some of the best cooling and lightweight products that are also hypoallergenic.
The eucalyptus fiber is sleek and durable without feeling as fancy as silk. This duvet is 100% Tencel lyocell, and according to Alpert, “you can see and feel the quality, especially when you take a closer look at the stitching.” This style comes with corner straps and a mini loop in the center so you can secure a duvet cover in the center without slippage. Long story short: This is a superb choice for a lightweight comforter and Alpert’s favorite by far. She adds, “It’s my go-to duvet insert for those in-between months of spring and early fall, when the weather is just chilly enough to want something cozy.”
The Softest Option
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Specs
- Sizes available: Full/queen, king/California king
- Fill Content: 80% white duck down and 20% white duck feather
- Comforter Cover: 100% cotton
- Care Instructions: N/A
Upsides
- RDS and Oeko-tex-certified materials
- Super soft feel
- Body-hugging design
Downsides
Our tester says a heavyweight flannel duvet cover might be too warm paired with this insert for hot sleepers
If you dream of a marshmallow-y bedspread, don’t skip this review. Whenever Alpert sits on her fully made bed, she says this duvet insert feels like someone put cotton candy inside of it. “If I try to squeeze one of the pockets, it shrinks and then automatically fills right back up,” she says. “Originally, I was worried that it might feel too heavy, but it is the lightest duvet insert I have, yet it is also the warmest.”
The white duck down and feather combo creates what Alpert says is like “a little hibernation chamber” that almost conforms to her body as she gets ready to doze off. It’s all a big plus considering she lives in Cleveland where temperatures dip below zero all the time in winter. “I love that this duvet gives me a sense of security (and sanity)—I basically treat my bed as a staycation through the month of January,” she says. “Right now I have the Piglet in Bed linen gingham print cover and sleeping under the duvet is like something out of a storybook.”
Comparing Our Top Picks
| Duvet Insert | Price | Fill | Weight Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklinen Down Comforter | $299 | Natural down clusters and feathers sustainably sourced in Canada | 3 |
| Quince Premium Down Comforter | $200 | European 650-fill power white goose down | 3 |
| Buffy Cloud Comforter | $200 | White down and feather blend | 2 |
| Boll & Branch Down Duvet Insert | $489 | Triple-washed, cruelty-free, IDS-certified down fill | 3 |
| Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Comforter | $362 | 100% British wool traceable back to UK farms | 3 |
| Casper Down-Alt Duvet | $229 | 100% recycled polyester | 2 |
| Frette Cortina Medium Down Duvet Filler | $2,100 | 85% goose down, 15% feathers | 3 |
| Sijo AiryWeight Eucalyptus Comforter | $235 | 100% Tencel lyocell | 2 |
| Ostermoor Down Duvet | $495 | 80% white duck down and 20% white duck feather | 1 |
How We Chose the Best Duvet Inserts
FAQs
What is the difference between a comforter and a duvet insert?
A comforter is a single, often quilted, piece of bedding with a fabric cover encasing the plush fill in between the two fabric layers. A duvet, on the other hand, refers to both the insert and fabric cover. A comforter can be colorful or white, and made in a variety of fabrics. The fabric cover of a comforter is stitched directly onto the fill (down, feathers, or polyester are most common). A duvet’s cover is removable, and often tied to the corners via loops attached to the insert.
How do I wash a duvet insert/comforter?
It’s important to always check your specific product’s care instructions before washing. For example, the Buffy Breeze duvet insert recommends a spot clean or dry clean only, while the Boll & Branch comforter is machine washable on a gentle cycle. To take out the guesswork, we’ve included the product’s care instructions right above each of our review descriptions.
Diana Ciechorska, general manager at Park Slope Cleaning, a commercial cleaning company in New York City, says the standard first step for washing your comforter includes treating any visible stains before you load the comforter into the washing machine. “Opt for a gentle cycle with cold water, using a mild detergent,” she says. “An extra rinse cycle ensures no detergent residue remains.”
When taking a comforter out of the dryer, Parima Ijaz, the New Jersey–based founder of bedding line Pure Parima, recommends holding the corners to shake and fluff it. This allows the fill to distribute even after being jumbled up in the dryer. If possible, she says it’s ideal to let the comforter air-dry for an extra day to make sure it is completely dry before dressing your bed.
How often should you wash your comforter?
Comforters and duvet inserts accumulate “ dust, sweat, and oils, which can cause allergies and wear down the fabric,” says Camden Olivero, COO and cofounder of Clotheslyne, an on-demand pick-up and delivery laundry service. We recommend washing your comforter two to three times a year to help keep allergens at bay and the covering in its best condition, though make sure to check the label first.
Do I need a duvet cover?
Not necessarily. Many duvet inserts are designed to be used on their own, as a comforter, or with a cover. We recommend a cover to help protect your duvet insert, ensure it lasts as long as possible, and make laundry day as easy as possible. Duvet covers act as a protective layer, keeping sweat, body oils, and normal wear from affecting your duvet insert. Plus, duvet covers allow you to add personality to your bed-scape, whether you prefer an all-white look or a maximalist ruffle.
How do you put a duvet cover on an insert or comforter?
Follow these steps from Monelle Totah, co-founder of Hudson Grace, for a lump-free way to put an insert or comforter inside a duvet cover:
- Step 1: Turn the duvet cover inside out.
- Step 2: Lay the insert on top of the cover, aligning the corners.
- Step 3: If there are ties or snap closure, attach the duvet insert to the duvet cover.
- Step 4. Roll them up together.
- Step 5: Flip the cover right-side-out over the roll.
- Step 6: Unroll the duvet cover with the insert, then fluff the bedding.
How do you dispose of old comforters?
If your old comforter is still in good condition, we recommend donating it to charities in your area. However, if you’re looking to purely dispose of old comforters, organizations like Trashie ethically recycle textiles for you to keep them out of landfills—so long as they’re clean and free of soil like motor oil or paint.
How should you store a comforter?
Like your other linens, it’s best to keep your comforter in a cool, dry place to avoid mold or moisture buildup. Keep the comforter out of plastic and cedar too, as these materials can cause yellowing.
What to Look for in a Quality Comforter
Not all duvet inserts are created equal. This is a lesson you learn early on in adulthood, when you wake up either sweating or freezing in the middle of the night, cursing the damn thing. What's more irksome than that lovely experience? The fact that it's completely avoidable. Reading up on the duvet insert you're considering buying—and actually understanding what all the terms mean—will tell you everything you need to know, including how hot it's going to be and whether or not the down is going to end up smooshed in one corner come morning. So, we put together this guide with the help of Danielle Trotter, the textiles technical designer at West Elm, to break down what to consider in the confusing world that is duvet insert fillings, fill power, and the different types of construction.
Fill Power: The measure of how much down occupies a cubic inch of space in the insert, a.k.a. how "lofty" it feels. You'll see numbers in the 500s and up. Fill power measures the fluffiness and insulation of the comforter. The higher the fill power, the fluffier and warmer it will feel. We typically like fill powers that hover around 800 during the colder months. This fill power is typically on the marshmallowy side of the spectrum and feels cozier when the temperature outside starts to drop.
Corner Loops: If there are corner loops or anchor loops, that means you can use the comforter as a duvet insert. If there are no loops, the comforter can be prone to clumping and bunching within the duvet. Some of the loops in this list reach up to 12, which our editors find to be incredibly helpful to keep the fill even.
Fill Content: Fill material is usually classified as either down or down alternative options.
- Down refers to filling that’s made with duck down or goose feathers. Duck feathers tend to be less fluffy and have a firmer feel since the feathers are often from smaller ducks. Goose feathers lean softer and loftier.
- Down alternative is a man-made material including cotton and polyester fills, recycled materials, and plant-based fibers. Other than the fact that it's hypoallergenic and ideal for those with a down allergy, "it’s a good option for those that prefer to be 'vegan' in their home," says Trotter.
Outer Shell: The material on the outer shell of your comforter or duvet insert matters. Look at the thread count. We find that fabrics with thread counts around 300 are typically soft and airy. Consider your preferred sleeping temperature and whether a cotton sateen shell that’s smooth but slightly thicker is a better option than one made of crisp percale cotton. If you’re a hot sleeper, you’ll probably want a cooling material with breathability, like eucalyptus or Tencel lyocell.
Size and Color: The size of your insert is dictated by the size of your bed. Companies usually offer all standard sizes from twin to king, with some brands offering California king as well. In terms of color, white is most popular for the duvet insert, but you can also find ivory relatively easily. Comforter color ranges are more expansive, and you can likely find a hue that fits your decor. We’ve called out what’s available in each of our picks.
Thread Count: This is the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch of the duvet insert's outer fabric. Expert tip: "In theory, people think that the higher the thread count, the better the quality because more yarns are being used,” Trotter says. “However, it’s the quality of the yarns or even the type of weave that really matters!"
Baffle-Box vs. Sewn-Through Construction
Baffle-Box Construction: This design means the comforter or duvet insert has sewn-in square chambers with side walls. “Each chamber has an equal amount of fill, and the side walls prevent the fill from shifting,” says Trotter. “This construction is considered to be of a better quality because warmth is evenly distributed.”
Sewn-Through Construction: This type of construction is when the duvet insert is made of two pieces of fabric sewn around the perimeter, then filled and quilted into squares. This means the top and bottom of the comforter are sewn together. In turn, the fill is shift- and bunch-resistant. While this is a great option for those who like low-maintenance laundry days since you can typically toss these comforter types in the washing machine, the tighter construction usually makes the fill less lofty. Plus, cold air can seep through the seams, so it’s more ideal for a summer bedscape.
