We updated this guide to ensure that all products tested and vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab were in stock and reflected current pricing. We also added three new picks: Slumber Cloud’s Down Comforter, The Company Store’s Alberta Down Comforter and Amazon’s Pinzon All-Season Ultra Soft Down Comforter.
It’s hard to beat crawling into bed and snuggling up with cozy bedding, especially a fluffy comforter. Down comforters are loftier than any other material and offer the best insulation, thanks to clusters that trap in heat to give you warmth, without weighing you down.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab reviews comforters of all kinds, from down and down alternative options that keep you warm to cooling comforters for hot sleepers. Over the years we have evaluated dozens of comforters — looking at the insulation, overall construction and washability — to find the ones that are both warm and long-lasting. We check everything from how consistently it keeps the fill distributed to how well it prevents the down from poking through.
When picking out a down comforter, you’ll want to consider the fill power (a higher number means more insulation), craftsmanship and responsible sourcing practices. You can read more about how to pick your best cover at the end of this article, but first, here are the best down comforters you can buy in 2021:
Care: Machine washable in large commercial machine
L.L. Bean prides itself on its innovative construction: The unique gate system means the clusters don't shift inside its cover. Its 600 fill power offers solid warmth, and online reviewers compare the fluffiness to sleeping on a cloud. To top it off, the down is both ethically sourced and repeatedly cleaned during the production process to eliminate odors and allergens. Take note: It's the most expensive comforter in our roundup, and some owners complained of a slight crinkly noise, but simply attaching a duvet cover to its built-in loops can help.
Cotton cover and permabaffle gate construction
600 fill power is warm and feels "like sleeping on a cloud"
Down comforters can get pricey, but this one is a total steal at under $100. It blends down with feathers in the fill to help keep the cost down, but still uses quality construction with its 100% cotton outer fabric, corner loops to tie on a duvet cover and RDS-certified fill to ensure traceability in the supply chain. It's also machine washable for easy care.
Incredibly warm and cozy, this luxury down duvet insert is made with quality construction and comes in three warmth levels, including Extra Warm for colder nights. Our analysts were impressed with the durable stitching to keep everything inside, the study loops to attach a cover, the smooth cotton sateen and the fact that it’s made with certified responsibly-sourced down. On top of that, one tester summarized her experience with it by saying, “I loved how warm it was, and the fill didn't shift or come out of the comforter.”
For those who overheat while they sleep, this 600 fill power cooling comforter has a layer of merino wool to help keep you cool by wicking away moisture. Plus, the brand offers free shipping and a 100-night trial so you can return it for a full refund if you don't love it. While our experts like it for summer, it's expensive, and it uses sewn-in chambers, which typically don't keep down distributed as well as a baffle box construction.
Cotton cover with a layer of moisture-wicking merino wool
100-night trial period
Machine washable in a large-capacity machine
Sewn-in chamber construction makes down fill more prone to clumping
On top of using ethically sourced down in the fill, this comforter also has features that are better for the environment like an organic cotton outer shell and plastic-free reusable packaging. The 600 fill power is lightweight and ideal for year-long use.
Note:Due to COVID-related delays, the Queen size is currently out of stock. We will monitor inventory and update as it becomes available. Pricing reflects Twin size.
Slumber Cloud’s down comforter is designed to be used year-round. It uses down for warmth and coziness, but also has a temperature regulation cover to prevent you from overheating. Our testers gave this comforter high marks overall, saying it’s “cooling” and that it kept them warm while being lightweight. The downsides? One tester found the fabric stiff, and the comforter comes only in white.
Temperature-regulating fabric to prevent overheating
This is one of the most popular comforters on Amazon with over 3,500 reviews and a 4.6 rating. It can easily be anchored inside a duvet cover that has ties with the attached loops or can be used as a standalone comforter.
It’s made with a blend of 80% down and 20% feathers, which is much more down compared to some other comforters that use mostly feathers to cut costs. The higher amount of down means that this comforter will feel less crunchy and loftier compared to comforters that use more feathers. It’s available in medium warmth and comes in five sizes and seven colors.
✔️ Look at the fill power (or the amount of space one ounce of the down takes up). You can usually find this number printed on the packaging or in the product description. The higher the number, the more air the down traps and the warmer it will be. If you're looking to stay cozy, you'll want a fill power of 600 or higher.
✔️ Check the construction. A baffle-box design (that looks like the checkered pattern on quilts) has walls of fabric inside to help contain the down so it doesn't move from one section to another and cause lumps or cold spots.
✔️ Consider how to clean. Most of our picks can be machine washed in a large-capacity washer, but some need to be dry cleaned. You can opt to use a comforter protector to keep allergens out so you won't need to wash it as often. If you're worried about allergies, check with the brand to make sure the down has been thoroughly cleaned in the production process to get rid of dust and odor.
Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping InstituteTextiles DirectorLexie Sachs earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University, and she researches, tests and reports on fabric-based products ranging from sheets, mattresses and towels to bras, fitness apparel and other clothing.
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