If it’s been a while since you upgraded your bed, it might be time to spruce things up. Even if you don't need to replace your mattress just yet, swapping out your bedding set can make all the difference for a good night’s sleep.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab regularly tests bedding using our specialized equipment and with our panel of consumer testers. Over the past few years, we've tested more than 500sheets, comforters, pillows and other bedding items. We evaluate everything from fabric strength and shrinkage from washing to softness and overall effect on sleep quality.
This article was most recently updated in April 2022 to ensure all recommendations were up-to-date and to add new information about each pick. You can learn more about how we test and how to shop for specific bedding types at the end of each section, but first, here are the best sheets, pillows and comforters you can buy.
Not only were these sheets top performers in our bedding test, they also come with free shipping and free returns (even if you've used them and just don't love them!), so it's low risk to try them out. This style is an Internet-favorite and comes in a variety of colors, including limited edition options.
In our tests, the 100% cotton fabricwas smooth, strong and pill-resistant. Our panel also liked the feel of the fabric, calling it "soft" and "smooth." Plus, the fitted sheets have tabs labeled "long side" and "short side" so making the bed is much easier.
This polyester microfiber set is a total steal and a best-seller on Amazon with over 210,000 5-star ratings. It also wowed our consumer testers with its soft, buttery feel. On top of that, the sheets were more wrinkle-resistant than most cotton fabrics, and they barely shrunk when we washed them.
The set comes in a wide variety of options with 15 sizes (including deep pocket!) and 41 colors and prints. Just keep in mind: Synthetic bedding fabric may not feel as breathable as cotton, and some testers actually thought it was too soft.
Your best bet for smooth fabric made of a natural fiber, this 100% cotton fabric has a luxurious sateen weave and a wrinkle-resistant finish. It earned high ratings for smoothness (both for feel and appearance), and also uses long-staple fibers and a combing technique to make it feel extra soft.
Besides its feel, this set also stood out for its durability. It didn't pill at all, even after our abrasion machine rubbed the fabric 1,000 times. And even though it uses a wrinkle-resistant finish, its certified by Oeko-Tex so you don't have to worry about unsafe levels of chemicals. The pieces are sold individually so you can mix and match your set.
If you prefer light and crisp sheets over silky smooth, this set uses premium pima cotton in a basic weave that feels breathable and cool-to-the-touch. It's also more affordable than other premium cotton sets and comes in a range of solid colors (as well as a couple of prints for a higher cost).
It impressed our Lab experts with its durability, and our tester panel rated it higher than other percales. They described it as feeling like "quality hotel sheets." And while this type of weave is more prone to wrinkles, the fabric was less creased than others.
Each sheet set is tested in our Textiles lab using specialized equipment and in the homes of real consumer testers to get firsthand feedback. When we test in the Lab, we look at features like fabric strength (using a machine called an Instron, pictured above), pilling resistance, wrinkle resistance, shrinkage and appearance after laundering and more. Sleep testers weigh in with ratings on softness, comfort, temperature regulation and other aspects.
How to shop for the best bed sheets
Instead of focusing on thread count, consider the fiber and weave when you shop for sheets. Here's what to keep in mind for each:
✔️ Check the fiber content. 100% cotton is the most popular because it's soft, strong and comfortable to lie on. Polyester or cotton/polyester blends are often more durable and less expensive, but they don’t feel as natural. You can also choose from novelty fibers (like lyocell or linen) for a unique feel.
✔️ Choose the construction. Your main choices are percale (a basic, grid-like weave that feels light and crisp) or sateen (a satin weave that feels smooth). You can also opt for flannel for more warmth, microfiber that feels buttery smooth, or jersey that’s stretchy and feels more like a T-shirt.
Down tends to shift inside comforters, but this one has a baffle-box construction that helps keep the fill evenly distributed. It comes in two warmth levels: All Season, with a 700 fill power, and Extra Warm, with a 750 fill power. Both are impressively high numbers that indicate good warmth without adding extra weight.
Our experts were impressed by the quality construction, while testers gave it perfect scores for comfort and overall satisfaction. They especially loved how warm and cozy it felt to sleep under and the smoothness of the outer cover. One summarized her experience by saying, "It’s extremely soft and lightweight, and the filling stays in place."
• Fill material: Polyester down alternative • Cover: Tencel lyocell
It's hard to find down alternative comforters that stay fluffy, but this one has a special construction that makes it feel like you're sleeping in a cloud. It uses a web of fibers instead of individual clusters to prevent clumping, and there's no box stitching so the layers are less compressed. Plus, its fill uses certified recycled polyester made from water bottles.
Our product analysts and consumer testers all love the soft outer cover and lightweight fill. One user told us, "I didn't overheat, but still felt substantial," while another said, "I love how soft and quiet it is. There was no crinkly outer fabric."
• Fill material: Down and feathers • Cover: Cotton
Down comforters are pricey, but this one offers a low-cost alternative because it blends down with feathers. But don't let the price fool you, it still offers top-notch construction with its cotton outer fabric, responsibly sourced fill and machine-washable care. It also earned the Good Housekeeping Seal, so it's backed by our two-year limited warranty.
Testers said it was comfortable and that the fill didn't shift around during use. They liked how it was "warm, but not bulky" and said it was easy to tie on a duvet cover thanks to the easy-access loops on all four corners.
• Fill material: Polyester down alternative • Cover: Polyester
This one is an incredible deal at a fraction of the cost of others, plus it's incredibly popular on Amazon with over 75,000 five-star ratings. It achieves its low cost through synthetic materials (polyester for both the fill and outer cover), but users say it feels both lightweight and fluffy.
This one also stands out for its versatility: You can choose between eight sizes — including oversized options — and six colors to match any bed. It's machine washable, and polyester is typically quick-drying and shrink-resistant, so you can even choose to forego the duvet cover and wash regularly.
How we test comforters
Lexie Sachs
Our bedding pros first perform a quality inspection on the duvet inserts and comforters, checking everything from whether the stitching is secure to whether the outer fabric is quiet. We also check to see if the fill sheds and whether there are any odors upon opening. Sleep testers then use the comforters for several weeks before reporting back on aspects like the temperature, noise level, fill shifting, ease of attaching a duvet cover and more.
How to shop for the best comforter
The most important decision to make is whether you prefer down or down alternative. Here are the main things to keep in mind:
✔️Down, which comes from ducks or geese, are fluffy clusters that trap in air for better warmth. Check the fill power when you shop; it tells you how much space the clusters take up and how well it can insulate. For a warm and toasty comforter, look for a fill power over 600.
✔️Down alternatives are typically synthetic fibers, so they’re better for allergy sufferers and are usually less expensive and easier to clean. With the right construction, synthetic down can still feel fluffy and cozy.
• Fill materials: Memory foam/polyester down alternative blend • Firmness level: Medium-firm
This top-tested pillow comes with extra stuffing that you can add or remove to create your own personalized level of support. The fill is a blend of memory foam pieces and microfiber clusters that offers good support while still feeling fluffy. Our testers said was it comfortable, supportive and improved their overall sleep quality. One described the cradling comfort by saying, "it wraps around my head, and I sink into it."
We also love that the entire pillow is machine washable, which usually isn't the case for foam. It bounced back to shape in our Textile Lab's pressure tests, and the brand offers a similar version with cooling gel in the foam for hot sleepers.
• Fill material: Polyester down alternative • Firmness levels: Soft or medium
This down alternative pillow is sold as a set of two for less than the price of most other singular pillows. Yet despite the low cost, it performed better than pricier models, and testers rated it to be comfortable. They especially liked how plush it felt, with one highlighting, "I like how fluffy this pillow is and how well it maintains shape after continued use."
The pillows are machine washable for easy care, making them great for anyone suffering from allergies who needs to regularly launder their bedding. With a lower profile, they're also ideal for people who need a flatter pillow with less support, like stomach sleepers or kids.
• Fill material: Down • Firmness levels: Soft, medium or firm
If you prefer real down pillows, you'll love this fluffy option from Parachute. It was a sleep-tester favorite and outperformed dozens of other down models. Users raved about its softness and comfort,with some describing it as "absolutely dreamy" and feeling like a "marshmallow." It also comes in three different densities for every sleep position.
In the Lab, our pros appreciated how well it stood up to laundering without showing signs of wear. The down is responsibly sourced and sits inside a cotton sateen cover that prevents it from poking through. As a bonus, the lofty shape fit perfectly inside a standard pillowcase.
• Fill material: Foam • Firmness level: Medium-firm
Unlike some foam pillows that are filled with clusters, Tuft & Needle'ssolid foamoffers optimal support. Yet it's not too firm and has a squishy, resilient feel. It stood out in our Textiles Lab tests for bouncing back to shape immediately after we applied pressure, and at-home testers noted how well it maintained its shape during real-world use.
Testers also told us it felt like an upgrade from the pillows they'd previously used. One highlighted, "it was comfortable in multiple sleeping positions and the perfect level of firmness." Beyond that, the foam is infused with graphite and gel to prevent overheating, and it has holes throughout for ventilation.
How we test pillows
Danielle Occhiogrosso Daly
Our product analysts measure shape retention in the Textiles Lab by timing how quickly the pillows return to their original shape after weights are applied for an extended period, which mimics your head sleeping on it overnight. We also assess how easy the pillows are to clean (some are not even washable!) and whether they actually hold up to laundering. On top of that, we check whether they properly fit into a pillowcase.
At the same time, real consumers try out the pillows during sleep testing. Testers are each assigned a specific pillow based on a screening survey to make sure they get a proper match, then they sleep on it for several weeks before providing feedback. The pillows are scored on comfort, support, temperature regulation and more, plus testers have the opportunity to answer open-ended questions about their experiences.
How to shop for the best pillows
Besides choosing the type of pillow you prefer — i.e. whether you like down, down alternative, memory foam or latex — also consider your sleep position and body type when you shop. The ultimate goal is to have your head, neck and spine properly aligned with no tilting in any direction. Here's how to pick which pillow is right for you:
✔️ Body type: People with larger frames need a taller and firmer pillow, while smaller bodies should opt for something lower and flatter. Medium frames will fall somewhere in between.
Why trust Good Housekeeping
Lexie Sachs is the Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University and more than 15 years experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development for home products. Lexie joined Good Housekeeping in 2013 and has extensively tested all types of bedding — including mattresses, sheets, pillows, comforters and more — using specialized lab equipment and with hundreds of consumer testers.
Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping InstituteExecutive Director, Textiles, Paper & Apparel LabWith over 15 years of experience in the textiles industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University, Lexie Sachs researches, tests and reports on all fabric-based products ranging from sheets, mattresses and towels to bras, fitness apparel and other clothing.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
