The Best Sheets, Duvets, and Pillowcases, According to Our Editors

Nov 13, 2023

You probably spend more time in bed than anywhere else. Think about it: Is there another place in your home, office, axe-throwing venue, or local dive bar where you spend more than eight hours a day? (If the answer is "yes"... is that a good thing?) If you’re gonna be spending a third of your life horizontal (or… in a variety of positions) in this rectangular roost of comfort, it’d better be nice. They say to invest in yourself, and that means putting a little extra thought into the swaddlings that envelop you for your shut-eye every night. Those pilling, navy sheets from Target that you’ve had since 2014 have gotta go. You’re an adult now.

With countless options when it comes to materials and knits and duvets and throws, however, it can be tough to know what truly is the best bedding. Are the best sheets percale, linen, or cashmere? Are the best pillows stuffed with down, optimized for side sleepers, or foam triangles to help you master the Kama Sutra? Our editors are here to help. We’ve test run a veritable cornucopia of bedding and can authoritatively tell you that these are our actual faves—the stuff we’re snuggling up with night after night. Read on for our staff picks for the best bedding your hard-earned dollars can buy. (The only thing we can't help you with is taking your duvet cover on and off—that's on you.)

Honeydew's perfect-temperature bamboo sheets

For years, I dutifully switched out my sheets to linen in the summer, jersey in the fall, and flannel in the winter, and while I heard whispers that bamboo bedding rocks, I didn't take the plunge until quite recently. Now, I genuinely never want to go back. The temperature-regulating capabilities of these sheets from Honeydew are (I would say literally here in earnest) magical. It's summer? I’m cool as a cucumber. It's winter? I’m cozy as a baby snow leopard. They’re also super-soft to the touch and look great wash after wash, and are currently on sale for $100 off. —Hilary Pollack

Bed Threads’ linen bedding bundle

When I was younger, I would have been fine sleeping in a garbage bag; but now, as a grown ass man who has nice things and hosts dinner parties, I decided it was time to sleep in style. Thus, my bed has a beautiful, 100% flax linen, turmeric-colored duvet and sheet set from Bed Threads that looks as luxurious as it feels. It might have taken me over three decades to get to a point where I enjoy getting in bed, but goddamn if it wasn't worth the wait. (It's also 15% off this week with the promo code LIGHTSOUT.) —Adam Rothbarth

Kitsch's satin pillowcases

I am obsessed with silk and satin pillowcases. If you haven't ventured into heavenly silk territory yet, just know that you’re missing out. Once you lay your weary head upon the hair-smoothing, skin-caressing indulgence that is sleeping on a silky fabric, you will never want to go back—which is why I started ordering Kitsch's satin pillowcases in pairs, since I discovered how incredibly affordable they are (and just as luxurious as my much pricier silver-infused silk pillowcase that launched my addiction in the first place). —Becca Blasdel

Brooklinen cashmere sheets

Cashmere… sheets? Yes, friends. It's a thing. I was skeptical, but once I swaddled my tuchus in this magical cashmere-blend bedding from Brooklinen, I was sold. Yes, they really do feel like an expensive TSE sweater, and no, you won't be drenched in sweat (that's where the cotton blend is key). These ones are for cooler seasons, for sure—but they make me feel like a millionaire luxuriating in a penthouse apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of Central Park. Let's be real: cashmere sheets. They’re a flex, but a worthwhile one. (Thanks to Sleep Week, they’re 20% off right now.) —Hilary Pollack

Sheets that emit royal vibes

I’m all for a 100% silk moment, but these satin sheets are the next best thing (and won't leave you pulling out your pockets looking for what happened to the grocery money). I find them to be perfect for hot sleepers (aka me), while also looking ultra suave. I personally picked these sheets up in cobalt blue because I’m fancy. —Nicolette Accardi

Sheets that work for every season

I don't set out to play favorites with my bedding—different fabrics for different seasons, mate—but this cooling, cotton percale sheet set from Quince is my pan-seasonal ride-or-die. It packs an impressive 270 thread count (but costs 60% less than comparable sets at Brooklinen and Parachute), and it always feels smooth and cool to the touch. —Mary Frances "Francky" Knapp

A very Margaritaville silk pillowcase

Yep, another silky option. Nothing comes between me and my Jimmy Buffett sunset-colored silk pillow. It's so soft, and it's capable of withstanding a lot of abuse; it says to hand-wash only, but I throw it in the send-out laundry bag and it comes back fine every time. (Bonus: It's 25% off for Sleep Week.) —Mary Frances "Francky" Knapp

Quince's linen duvet cover

If you haven't checked out Quince yet, the TL;DR is that it's an online retailer offering fancy home goods, clothing, and accessories made by the same manufacturers as luxury retailers but for a fraction of the price. This ethos is demonstrated perfectly in the brand's linen duvet covers, which have that ideal cozy, rumpled, broken-in look and feel and can be scored for under $140 for a queen size—unheard of in this economy. I love the wide array of colorful and neutral tones, but went with "terracotta" for my bed, because it's both rich and subdued. —Angel Kilmister

West Elm's flannel duvet cover set

I know not everyone loves flannel (some argue it's too cozy but in the fall and winter, I absolutely love sleeping under a flannel comforter. I feel like I’m being hugged by an ethereal lumberjack. Anyway, I bought this set from West Elm a while back and I love pulling it out when the temperatures drop. Linen for summer, this for winter, and you’re golden.

Magic Linen's natural linen duvet cover

I’ve been very loyal to white linen bedding for many years. I love the crisp simple look, but it's a literal nightmare to keep clean, and always seems to always get so dull and yellow after several washes. I finally decided to try this natural-colored duvet from Magic Linen and have been shocked with how much I love it. The weave is thick and durable, without the scratchy stiff feeling that's common with new linen products. Plus, the color is the perfect neutral—not too yellow, red, or green—and still gives me the calm vibe I’m always after. —Kate Spencer

Honeydew Scrumptious Side Sleeper pillow

When I tell you this thing changed my life… I used to wake up in the middle of the night constantly, with cricks in my neck and existential woes bouncing around in my restless skull. I did not think a pillow would be able to resolve this under any circumstances, but since I am very decidedly a side sleeper, I decided to give this ergonomic, position-optimized pillow from Honeydew a shot. Y’all, it has completely done a 180 on my quality of sleep (very much for the better). Read my full review here, and run, don't walk, if you want to enjoy sleep so super-deep you’ll wake up in the exact position you fell asleep in. (And yes, it's on sale right now.) —Angel Kilmister

A giant blanket that won't break the bank

Living in central Texas, it's not often that I need to have anything particularly warm… until, all of a sudden, I do. With a spate of ice storms hitting the region from the end of last year and into the early months of 2023, it became very clear that relying solely on my summer-ready bedding wasn't going to cut it—even in a Texan winter. This fleece blanket from Lands’ End is unfussy and simple, made with synthetic fleece that's super soft to the touch ("plush" is definitely in the product name for a reason). Great as a mid-layer set under a duvet in winter or used as a duvet replacement in summer, it's surprising how quickly this became a mainstay on my bed for all-year-round use. Given that I sleep in a king-sized bed, the fact that this blanket fits my massive mattress without costing a small fortune didn't hurt either. (Use the promo code KEEL to get it at a major discount this week.) —Gregory Babcock

No one is asking, but I would give up all my plasma to be West Elm VIP and cop a few more of these faux fur throws. They’re buttery soft, look like the real thing, and double as a great sex blanket because they’re smooth enough to not give you rug burn, but still provide traction and ample fabric for all your horny liquids. —Mary Frances "Francky" Knapp

We’ll see you in the sheets.

For more tips on how to be good in bed, check out the rest of our Sleep Week coverage.

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