Every sleeper has probably faced that one blanket in their life that’s stiff and actually keeps them from falling asleep. Thankfully, the softest comforters we love are anything but that. Picture freshly made cotton candy or a thick cashmere sweater—that’s what lots of the bedding comforters in this list feel like. And we can prove it; our editors are all about getting a good night’s sleep and are constantly switching up our bedspreads in favor of what feels coziest.
Our Top Picks for the Softest Comforters
Some of our favorite brands like Brooklinen and Boll & Branch are leading the charge with spongy fills like down feathers and supple sateen covers that make sleep a luxury instead of an afterthought. From picks for hot sleepers to the warmest for winter, take a peek below for the best comforters with a soft feel our team keeps in rotation (plus a surprise we have on our own wishlists).
Editor’s note: We include queen-size picks for consistency, but most of the brands have options available in twin-size through king-size .
Best Overall
Upsides
- Comes in lightweight and heavyweight options
- Available on Amazon for quick shipping
- The sateen cover feels smooth and soothing to the touch
- Great insulation for cold weather
Downsides
Might be a bit pricey depending on your budget
Specs
- Fill Material: 100% natural Canadian duck down
- Cover Material: 100% cotton
- Sizes: Twin/twin XL; full/queen; king/California king
- Care Instructions: Machine-wash. Use a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Wash in a large capacity machine to allow proper agitation. Add a few clean tennis balls or wool dryer balls during drying to help maintain fluffiness. Dry on low heat and check frequently to prevent overheating.
“Very high quality” and “luxurious” are just a couple points of praise our contributor Rebecca Grambone gives Brooklinen’s signature down comforter. It comes in multiple weights, including lightweight and heavyweight, but it’s ultra-soft no matter what because of the marshmallow-y goose down fill. The smooth 100% cotton sateen shell is the finishing touch that Grambone says gives off “strong hotel bed vibes.” For eco-conscious shoppers, rest assured that it’s a hypoallergenic option and made with ethically sourced Downmark-certified down clusters and feathers.
Best Fluffy Comforter
Upsides
- A couple of our editors (a.k.a. testers) have tried this bedding and say it has the loft of down feathers.
- Hypoallergenic
- Has a subtle design that’s nice for dressing a bed without a duvet cover
Downsides
Might be too lofty for minimalists
Specs
- Fill Material: Fibers spun from 100% recycled BPA and phthalate-free PET bottles
- Cover Material: Tencel lyocell
- Sizes: Twin/twin XL; full/queen; king/California king
- Care Instructions: Machine-wash and machine-dry according to the product specifications. Use a gentle cycle with cold water. Dry on a delicate cycle with three to five tennis balls to prevent fill clumping.
The product name is already a dead giveaway, but this Buffy comforter is, you guessed it, made for cloudlike comfort. Our contributor Sydney Gore has had it for almost a decade, ever since the brand debuted it in its collection. She says “it’s light, soft, breathable…everything you would ever want in a comforter that stays on your bed year-round.” It’s definitely a pick for maximalists who want something extra lofty to fill inside a patterned duvet cover.
Best All-Season Comforter
Upsides
- IDS-certified down fill
- Triple-washed to keep the lofty nature
- Even fill
Downsides
Pricier than most picks in this guide
Specs
- Fill Material: Triple-washed, cruelty-free, IDS-certified down fill
- Cover Material: Down-proof cotton cover
- Sizes: Twin/twin XL; full/queen; and king/California king
- Care Instructions: Cold water on gentle cycle, tumble dry low. Wash seasonally.
More on the luxury end of the spectrum, this down duvet insert is perfect for fancy sleepers looking for something comfortable year-round. We imagine the higher price is because the fill is IDS-certified, which means the down was sourced with the highest quality and ethical standards. The down was also triple-washed to help guarantee the feathers are clean and keep its loftiness without flattening over time. AD PRO senior editor Mel Studach says its construction is sturdy, especially the organic cotton shell that feels softer with wear and care and keeps the feathers from poking though. “The duvet insert made a great first impression,” she says. “The baffle-box construction keeps the down evenly distributed throughout the cover.”
Best Down Alternative
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Upsides
- Soft option that’s not overly lofty
- Great option for layering bedding
- Machine washable
- Ideal for minimalists
Downsides
Our tester says that if you’re a hot sleeper and want an Arctic-level comforter, you might want to look at other options like the Luxome in this guide
Specs
- Fill Material: 100% recycled polyester
- Cover Material: 100% Tencel lyocell
- Sizes: Full/queen; king/California king
- Care Instructions: Machine-wash cold on a gentle cycle with like colors. Tumble dry low.
If you want something soft without the loft, this Casper down alternative comforter is second to none. Commerce director Rachel Fletcher sleeps with this year-round since she has allergies and can’t be bothered with the down options out there, and she’s generally a hot sleeper who can’t fall asleep with bedding that’s too thick. Fletcher says this is her “lightweight but effective and low-maintenance layer” that’s soft to the touch without feeling suffocating. If you’re someone who likes to style their bed with lots of blankets, this is a great option to layer with quilts or throws since it’ll keep you comfortable without making your bed look like a mountain. “Unlike my previous comforter, this one is easy breezy and machine washable,” Fletcher adds. “Having a dog [Leona, pictured above] and perhaps slight OCD means that I wash and dry it pretty regularly.”
Best Adjustable
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Upsides
- The adjustable panels stays in place with durable
- Sweater-like wood buttons
- Smooth, sateen cover
Downsides
You might need to separate all parts first to easily machine-wash and clean.
Specs
- Fill Material: 100% polyester microfiber fill
- Cover Material: 300 thread count cotton sateen shell
- Sizes: Full/queen; king/California king
- Care Instructions: Dry-clean or machine-wash cool on a delicate cycle using mild liquid laundry detergent. Remove panels and wash all pieces as individual parts. Tumble dry low, remove promptly.
As someone who loves switching up their bedding every season but also lives in NYC with a tight storage situation, this adjustable comforter brings senior commerce editor Nashia Baker the type of bliss she didn’t know existed. It has a double panel design that can be removed or stacked on top of each other, which is especially helpful for co-sleeping. All in all, the cover is cushy from the squishy inner fill, but it’s buttery to the touch thanks to the polished cotton sateen shell. “Now that it’s safe to say it’ll be cold here until April, I’ve been using the double panels on my bed for extra warmth,” Baker says. “It almost feels like a gentle weighted blanket to ease me to sleep each night.” The wooden buttons are reminiscent of a cozy sweater and their delicate yet durable design puts the comforter panels in place. Hosting tip: Consider this for a guest room when you don’t know if overnighters sleep hot or cold.
Best Cooling Comforter
Upsides
- Similar in feel to a bamboo comforter
- Resists bunching
- Temperature-regulating design
Downsides
Doesn’t come in a twin size
Specs
- Fill Material: 75% polyester and 25% 37.5 polyester
- Cover Material: 80% cotton and 20% 37.5 polyester
- Sizes: Full/queen; king/California king
- Care Instructions: To preserve the performance of your comforter, the brand recommends spot-cleaning or dry-cleaning as needed. Do not bleach. Do not iron. Do not wash in the washing machine. Small spots may be removed by using warm water and soft soap like Woolite.
Night sweats are never fun, especially if you’re a hot sleeper who’s already kicking off the covers when there’s frost outside. This cotton comforter almost looks and feels like down because it’s super soft and has that loftiness to it that you usually get with a feather-filled duvet. But it won’t weigh you down (pun intended) at all. In fact, it’s lightweight and has a proprietary moisture-wicking material that keeps Baker refreshed every time she sleeps with it. “This comforter is what fluffy bedding dreams are made of,” she says. “I like to use it with a silky bamboo viscose duvet cover to keep the cool vibes going and protect it, but I haven’t noticed any wear when I use it like a regular blanket on my bed.”
Best Budget Option
Upsides
- The combo of the down fill and cotton cover is meant to feel insulating without stuffy.
- The warm design is ideal for winter and cold sleepers throughout the year.
- Thoughtful fabric stitching
Downsides
The site doesn’t note Oeko-Tex or other sustainability certifications.
Specs
- Fill Material: 60% duck down and 40% down feathers
- Cover Material: Cotton
- Sizes: Twin; full/queen; king
- Care Instructions: Machine-wash. 140°F/60°C is the recommendation by the brand since this temperature can kill dust mites.
Even if you’re not trekking through the snow (and almost slipping on ice) every time you step outside like pretty much all of our NYC-based editors right now, we think you deserve a soft comfort blanket like this to curl up under after a long day. We haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but our team is pretty devoted to IKEA’s collections so this is bound to make it on one of our beds this winter. It’s defined by mounds of plush down and feathers and its stitched inner walls that are designed to keep heat from escaping for an extra-warm feel.
