There’s nothing better than snuggling under the covers after a long day. Whether you like to curl yourself up into a ball and cocoon yourself in, or starfish across the bed with one leg sticking off the side, your duvet should provide you with ultimate comfort for a great night’s sleep. The best duvet will keep you cool when you're warm and warm when you're cold, read on for our pick of the best.
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Many of us find ourselves too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, which could be a sign that our duvets are the wrong tog. To us, that means it’s ability to keep warmth in in the winter could be too little, while it’s ability to retain warmth in the summer could be too much.
Most duvets will go through rigorous testing to work out where they sit on the tog spectrum and it’s not necessarily thickness that automatically puts it as the best one to buy for winter. It’s material and material density also play a huge part, and are certainly things you should be looking out for when considering which one to buy.
The spectrum ranges from 1 to 18. 1 for sheet-like thickness, 18 for those arctic blasts. It therefore makes sense to invest in one that sits midway for the spring and the autumn, one that sits on the lower end for summer and the higher end for winter.
You’ll also need to consider the different duvet types out there - down for those that love the feeling of the duvet sinking around you, blocking any kind of chill. Silk for that luxurious, weightless feel. Or how about intelligent micro-fibre that offers you almost everything that down does with no animal involvement.
Whatever you need, we’re here to help you achieve that perfect balance for a dreamy night’s sleep.
Many of you may have noticed the up-rising of the breathable microfibre duvet and done a double take at the price compared to the more basic ones. If you’re looking into breathable microfibre, it may be worth you checking out this silk duvet by John Lewis which offers you the breathability of microfibre with the soft, luxurious touch of silk for not an awful lot more money. It’s also worth mentioning that the silk is naturally breathable, hypoallergenic and regulates your body temperature for an uninterrupted night’s sleep. With a tog of 6-7, this is your ideal spring and autumn duvet for when the nights are in that inbetween temperature.
This duvet will bring you as close to the warm fire/cold day kind of cosiness that you can possibly get to in bedding standards. Down is naturally lighter than feather, but offers superior insulation properties to keep you snuggly and warm even during the coldest nights. For those of us who like to sleep with their window open whatever the weather, this duvet should keep you warm without the need for an extra blanket during the winter. Machine washable, you can make sure it’s fresh and clean for use winter after winter.
Whether you’re son or daughter is flying the nest and needs a warm duvet to get them on their way or you don’t feel like spending an arm or a leg on a guest duvet that will only get occasional use, there’s one thing for certain - this duvet is great value for money with an RRP of under £10. It has a tog of 13.5, which means it’s a great one for the winter months and while it’s not as breathable as other duvets, it is machine washable, so if you do get a bit warm occasionally, you can pop it in for a re-fresh before it comes out again next winter.
If you’re a get up and get out the door kind of person, the morning ‘fluff up’ can sometimes be a bit of a faff but with this duvet, you can just realign and get on the road. If you love a big, plump duvet, this is the one for you, but if you prefer to snuggle right in and wrap it around yourself, down or feather will mould more to your body. With a tog of 10.5, it’s great for the inter-seasons and can be paired up with a fluffy blanket in the winter if you want to avoid the additional cost of buying separate duvets for each season.
This duvet is a true all-in-one contender. Consisting of two different duvets - a 4.5 tog for the summer and a 10.5 for the spring and autumn- this can be optimised for your sleeping comfort. For those who get hot easily in bed, a 10.5 with a blanket on chilly winter nights could be enough, and for those who get cold easily in bed, put the 4.5 and the 10.5 together to create a super snuggly 15 tog duvet that’ll promise to keep out even the most iciest of chills. Add to the mix the fact that it is anti-allergy, and for the RRP of £100, you’re onto a winner.
If you’re looking for a set for the spare room, you can’t go wrong with this duvet, pillow and mattress protector all-in-one. For the RRP of £25, you can get your hands on a warm, comfortable duvet that can be used all year round (especially in the British climate where summers are cooler and winter are milder than our European neighbours).You also get two pillows and a mattress protector. While the pillows are pretty basic in terms of comfort level, they’re more than adequate for a couple of nights, and the mattress protector will keep your mattress fresh no matter who stays in the bed.
Washable within a day, this is the perfect choice for children moving into their big bed. If the result of an accident or a sick bug from school gets onto the duvet, then you can calmly pop it in the wash the next day to refresh it. Featuring both a 4 tog and a 9 tog duvet, this is a great all-year-rounder, using either in combination or separately. With that the case, you won’t need to fret about spending any more money than you have to on seasonal items.
Wondering where you could put your summer or winter duvet when it's not in use? We've compiled a list of the best beds with storage for the ideal solution. Pillows are just as important as duvets when it comes to a good night sleep, so take a look at our guide of the best.
