As a sleep-product reviewer with thousands of hours of testing time under my belt, I’m going to share some intel with you so you avoid any pitfalls when buying your next duvet.
The art to finding the best duvet for you is by doing some research. There’s a lot to think about – togs, sizes, seasons, fills. Luckily along with my extensive research, I recruited some experts in duvets to give you the low down.
So let’s get into it. Here are all the duvet buying mistakes you definitely don’t want to make...
1. Focusing solely on price
We’ve all done it. We need something in a hurry and gone for the cheapest option. And it’s easy to see why this might happen if you’re buying a bed – you’ve just forked out a lot of money for a bed frame and the best mattress around, so you scrimp on the duvet. But you’ll live to regret it if you do, as this is one of the most basic duvet buying mistakes. Instead it’s best to buy the best duvet you can afford.
‘While budget is important, choosing a duvet solely based on its price can be a mistake. Cheaper duvets may save money initially but can lack the quality, comfort, or durability of more premium options,’ says Sally Bonser, sleep expert at Silentnight.
‘Buying a cheaper duvet may mean you could end up buying another duvet sooner than you’d hoped for. Investing in a higher-quality duvet can pay off in the long-run by providing longevity.’
2. Not choosing the right fill for you
There are a lot of different fills to duvets out there. Don’t make the mistake I did when buying a duvet of not really understanding the difference between natural and synthetic duvets. You need to find the right type of fillings for you.
There are loads of natural-fibre duvets including bamboo (which is vegan friendly!), silk, wool, cotton and linen. These are all breathable, which is fantastic if you struggle to regulate your body temperature when you see, ie. you wake up a bit sweaty.
‘Natural fillings help breathability of your duvet, which ultimately expand its life span by keeping the filling fresh,’ says Jade Crooks, commercial director at DUSK.
However, some natural-fibre duvets can exacerbate allergies. Therefore, you might want to go for synthetic-fibre duvets. These are usual hollow fibre or microfibre – both are formats of polyester. These are fantastic at repelling dust mites – the main cause of allergies in the home. They are tend to be easier to wash, which leads us to…
3. Paying no attention to care instructions
Think about your lifestyle when it comes to your duvet. While a duvet isn’t quite as needy as a pet or child, they do still require some TLC. If you care for your duvet – including cleaning it – it should extend the lifespan dramatically – and just be fresher too.
But not all duvets are made the same, and not all care instructions are the same. Avoid duvet buying mistakes and make sure you go for a duvet you can keep clean.
‘One of the most frequent mistakes consumers make is not following the care instructions for the duvet,’ says Sally from Silentnight. Some duvets require gentle washing, specific detergents, or professional dry cleaning.'
'Washing a duvet incorrectly can damage its filling, reduce its fluffiness, and decrease its lifespan, so you should always check the care label and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to keep your duvet in top condition.’
4. Not thinking about the weight of the duvet
Before I got into duvet testing as a career (and I know – what a job!), I hadn’t thought too deeply about how heavy I like my duvet. I didn’t even really think it was a thing. Now, after hours of analysing duvets, I know I like my duvet on the heavier side. And I also know you should be thinking about duvet weight when buying your duvet.
The weight of a duvet can help you sleep better. Whether you like the anxiety-soothing heavy-weight blankets, or if you move around a lot you might like something lighter weight. The same goes if you overheat, and like to sleep with a foot or leg out from the duvet.
‘When making your purchase, don’t overlook how the weight of a duvet affects sleep comfort’ says Silentnight’s Sally Bonner. ‘Some people enjoy the comforting feel of a heavier duvet, while others prefer a lightweight option that feels less restrictive.'
'Failing to consider your personal preference for duvet weight can lead to discomfort and disrupted sleep so it’s important to think about what weight will make you feel most comfortable and rested.’
5. Buying the wrong size duvet
Maybe it seems obvious, but you’d be surprised. Always triple check you’re buying the right-sized duvet for your bed.
‘The size of your bed might seem like an easy thing to consider, however, it’s one of the most common duvet buying mistakes that believing matching the duvet size to the bed size is enough,’ says Jade from DUSK.
‘You instead should consider the need for duvet coverage, especially if sharing a bed with a partner. A duvet that is too small for two can cause restless nights and fighting over the covers.’
We’ll come on to whether to get an oversize duvet further down this article.
6. Not thinking about the season
Your duvet needs to last you the whole year round, and as we all know in the UK, the temperature is variable. If you buy one duvet, you might find it’s great in summer; it just doesn’t cut the mustard on cold winter’s nights.
‘One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to bedding is using a duvet that doesn’t match the season’ says Jade from DUSK. ‘Whilst this is good for saving space within your home, it’s not suitable for the changing temperatures throughout the course of a year.’
‘If you are buying a duvet, consider what season you are going to use it in,’ says Jade. ‘If the weather is warmer, you are going to want to opt for something breathable and lightweight. However, if your duvet is going to be used during the colder months, you’ll need one that is going to offer the best insulation.'
‘If space is an issue in your home, you could opt for an all-seasons duvet. These are made up of two lighter-weight duvets that are fastened together with buttons.’ If you're switching between the two, however, also pay attention to the best time to change between your winter and summer duvets.
7. Not paying enough attention to the tog rating
I can’t emphasise this enough: do a deep dive into what tog rating is best for you. The tog rating is going to massively impact the quality of your sleep.
‘Selecting the wrong tog is often one of the duvet buying mistakes,’ says Olivia Shykles, filled bedding buyer at John Lewis. ‘There can be confusion around what it means and therefore which to select.'
‘Your temperature at night can have a significant impact on not only falling asleep but the quality of that sleep. More commonly people can feel too hot at night but feeling chilly can have as much of an impact when trying to drift off.'
‘Tog stands for "Thermal Overall Grade". A duvet's tog rating is important as it relates to its warmth (but not its weight, which depends on filling). Simply put, the higher the tog rating the warmer the duvet.’
Our favourite duvets
These are some of our absolute favourite duvets to help you along your duvet buying journey.
We crowned this our 'Best Summer Duvet' thanks to its lightweight Tog, breathability and luxurious fill.
This option is super cosy for winter, but is actually two duvets in one, so if there's a mild patch in autumn you can take off some of the weight.
Our 'Best All Season Duvet' can not only be adapted to work in cold or warm weather, but washes easily and is delightfully quick to dry, too.
FAQs
Should I size up when buying a duvet?
By sizing up, we mean getting a duvet that’s at least one size up from your mattress size – a kingsize duvet on a double bed, for example. This entirely a personal preference thing, but many couples find it stops the disagreements other duvet theft…
‘A great hack is to buy a duvet a size larger than your bed, this will not only ensure you have plenty of covers to keep warm but will prevent any nighttime tussles over them, allowing for a more peaceful sleep,’ says Jade from DUSK.
What tog duvet do hotels use?
If anyone knows duvets, it’s the hotel industry. They juggle the problem of finding the right duvet on an epic scale.
Some hotels kindly let us know what duvets they’ve plumped for. ‘We have 10.5 tog Savoy duvets for all seasons,’ says Vicky Bielinski, assistant executive housekeeper at The Grove.
And Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts, who offer luxury stays beside the world's most prestigious golf courses in Scotland and Northern Ireland, say their duvets are 10.5 tog.
It seems most hotels err on the side of caution and go for a middle ground on the tog factor.
Best all-season duvet overall
If you're looking for one easy-to-care-for duvet to see you through all the seasons then a synthetic duvet is a very practical option. Simba's Hybrid 3-in-1 Duvet offers one 3.5 and one 7 tog duvet that can be combined into a warmer 10.5 tog winter duvet. It also has the benefit of being easy to wash and quick to dry, and is a great option if you want a duvet filling that doesn't use any animal byproducts.
The usual downsides of synthetics are a lack of breathability, but Simba goes further than most to address this via the addition of 'Stratos® technology' to one side of the duvet which is designed to absorb, store, and release heat when you need it for better temperature regulation. In a bid to limit the impact of synthetic materials on the environment, the duvet fill is also made from a mix of recycled PET fibres (made from things like plastic bottles). All in all, it's a favourite with our vegan reviewers.
