The 8 Best Comforters of 2022

By Corrie Pelc

The bed is a sacred place — it’s where you go to rest, dream, and wake up ready to start a brand new day. Because of that, the type of bedding you choose is important as it can mean the difference between a restful night’s sleep or a night of tossing and turning. That’s why we made a comprehensive guide of the best comforters you can buy.

In the bedding world, the comforter is the icing on the bed cupcake. It’s the soft, fluffy topper that you can snuggle down under and melt into, letting you drift peacefully into sleep. It has an important role to play in your sleep quality, so finding the right comforter for your bed is important.

What is the Difference Between a Comforter and a Duvet?

When shopping for comforters, you may stumble upon the term duvet used almost interchangeably with comforter. We're here to help explain things:

• A comforter is a top layer of bedding that can be used as-is right out of the packaging to add comfort and warmth to your bed.
• A duvet is a two-piece part of the bedding that consists of a duvet insert and duvet cover. The duvet insert is meant to be the "fill" for the duvet cover and will have loops on it to attach to the duvet cover. The duvet cover is generally designed with colors, patterns, etc. to bring an aesthetic appeal to your bedroom.

Where things get potentially confusing is that some comforters can be used as duvet inserts. For example, some of the comforters on our top-rated list have loops on them that allow them to be attached to a duvet cover. Since many comforters only come in white or a limited color selection, being able to attach them to a duvet cover gives you more color and pattern options.

How to Find the Best Comforter

With so many prices and options out there today, it can be tough to figure out what type of comforter is best for your sleep style. To help narrow down the field, here are the testing factors we’ve employed to help you find the right comforter for your needs:

• Price: With so many price points available in the world of comforters, knowing what you’re getting for your money is important.
• Warmths: Some comforters will come in various “warmths” — light, medium, and heavy — for different seasons and your climates.
• Available Sizes: Sizes for comforters can range anywhere from twin to California king.
• Construction: Traditionally speaking, there are two ways that comforters are constructed — sewn-through and baffle box. With sewn-through construction, the top and bottom shell layers are sewn together, making pockets of filler throughout the comforter. People who like lightweight comforters or like to layer their comforter with other blankets and quilts typically enjoy sewn-through comforters. With baffle box, vertical strips of shell material are added, creating 3D boxes inside the comforter, which results in more airflow throughout the filler so it’s not as densely packed as with a sewn-through comforter. Baffle box comforters are great for those who sleep cold and like a substantial comforter to keep warm. Some comforters will have variations of these two constructions.
• Shell Material: The comforter shell is the outermost fabric that encases the comforter filling, and is usually made of cotton, silk, or a polyester fabric or blend. The shell is often white or a light neutral color, although there are now a lot of comforters coming in various colors and patterns.
• Filler Material: The filler of a comforter can be made with natural materials like goose or duck down (feathers), cotton, wool, or man-made fibers.
• Duvet Loops: Does the comforter provide loops to be attached to a duvet cover?
• Machine Washable: Some comforters can be washed in a washing machine, but others need special treatment for cleaning.
• Certifications: Some comforters will have specific certifications like Oeko-Tex, which means the substances used to make the comforter are not harmful to you or the environment. And for down comforters, there is also a Responsible Down Standard (RDS) seal that shows the down was collected humanely.
• Warranty & Sleep Trial: Due to their price, many comforters will come with a warranty against any defects in workmanship or materials. Additionally, some comforters will even come with a free sleep trial, meaning you can test the comforter out for a certain number of nights before deciding to keep it.

Without further ado, here’s a look at our top picks for the best comforters you can buy.

How to Take Care of Your Comforter

Now that you’ve selected the best comforter for your bed, here are some tips on how to ensure it lasts for a long time.

• Make Sure to Read the Label — While this may seem like an obvious tip, most people never take the time to read the label that tells you how to properly take care of your comforter. So before you snip it off because it's annoying you, take the time to read it thoroughly so you understand how to clean and take care of it. If you do cut it off, stow it somewhere safe so you can access it when you need it.
• Wash it Right — As you'll learn from that label we just talked about, following the laundering instructions for your comforter is essential to making sure it lasts a long time. If it says it's not machine washable, believe it — you'll be happier in the long run!
• Use a Duvet Cover — While some comforters that come in a variety of colors and patterns do not necessarily require a duvet cover, others that are a pristine white or lighter color can certainly benefit from the protection that a duvet cover can provide.
• Store it Properly — As not all comforters were designed to be used throughout the entire year, you may find you need to switch out and store comforters at some point. In general, make sure to store your comforter in a cool, dry, clean place like a linen closet. And you can also try placing it in a bag made from a breathable fabric — not plastic — for an extra layer of protection.

Do you have a comforter you love to snuggle up with? Tell us about it in the comments below!