Best duvets: tried and tested for comfort

The best duvets give you that just right cosy feeling when you snuggle down to sleep.

We've enlisted the help of more than 40 testers to help you find a cosy and great-value duvet. Our testing also reveals which duvets are preferred by sleepers who like a lighter option and those who prefer a heavy one. 

We've tested a mix of winter and all-season duvets with synthetic or natural feather fillings. 

We've also discovered that the best duvets needn't break the bank. We've found a Great Value recommendation that's among the cheapest we've tested, as well as our two Best Buy recommendations.

The best synthetic duvets 

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The synthetic duvets we tested 

All the synthetic duvets we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

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Emma 4-Seasons Duvet

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Need to know Tog rating not stated, 2.61kg weight, machine washable at 60°C, soft cotton cover

Fogarty Extra Toasty 13.5 Tog Duvet

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Available from Dunelm (£60)

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Need to know 13.5 tog, 3.09kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, soft cotton cover

George Soft Touch Microfibre Duvet 13.5 Tog

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Available from Asda George (£14)

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Need to know 13.5 tog, 2.94kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, cotton cover

John Lewis Synthetic Soft Touch Washable 3-in-1 Duvet

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Need to know All season duvet with a 4.5 tog and 9 tog duvets that can be combined to total 13.5 tog, 3.87kg weight, machine washable at 60°C, silky cotton cover

After the best night's sleep? See our reviews of the best mattresses, the best mattress deals and best pillows you can buy

Panda Cloud Duvet

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Need to know 10.5 tog, 4.78kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, silky finish on the cover

Silentnight Luxury Hotel Collection Duvet 13.5 tog 

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Need to know 13.5 tog, 3.3kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, embossed silky finish

Simba Hybrid 3-in-1

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Need to know All-season duvet with a 7 tog and 3.5 tog duvet that can be combined to achieve 10.5 tog, 5.1kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, cotton finish

Slumberdown Winter Warm 13.5 Tog

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Need to know 13.5 tog, 3.1kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, cotton finish

The best feather duvets

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The feather duvets we tested 

All the feather duvets we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

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EarthKind Recycled Feather & Down Duvet 13.5 Tog

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Need to know 13.5 tog, 3.38kg weight, machine washable at 60°C, silky cotton cover

Fogarty White Duck Feather and Down 13.5 Tog

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Need to know 13.5 tog duvet, 4.18kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, cotton finish

Get an even more comfy night's sleep with the best mattress toppers, best ear plugs and best eye masks

Ikea Fjallhavre

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Need to know 13.5 tog, 4.15kg weight, machine washable at 60°C, ribbed cotton cover

M&S Duck Feather and Down 13.5 Tog All Season Duvet

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Available from Marks & Spencer (£89)

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Need to know All-season duvet with a 9 tog and 4.5 tog duvet that can be combined for a 13.5 tog duvet, 5.94kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, cotton finish

Snuggledown Natural Duck Feather and Down 3-in-1 Duvet 13.5 Tog

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Need to know All-season duvet with a 9 tog and 4.5 tog duvet that can be combined for a 13.5 tog duvet, 5.53kg weight, machine washable at 40°C, cotton finish

Soak & Sleep All Season Goose Feather and Down Duvet

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Available from Soak & Sleep (£109.73)

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Need to know All-season duvet with a 9 tog and 4.5 tog duvet that can be combined for a 13.5 tog duvet, 5.8kg weight, machine washable at 30°C, cotton finish

How we test duvets

We recruit a 40 strong army of testers to put each duvet through its paces for comfort, and we also send the best duvets home with researchers for further testing over a longer period. Each duvet we test is king size. 

In addition to comfort tests we also weigh each duvet, and assess each one for how easy it is to use and the quality of the overall product. Each duvet is also washed according to its care instructions and examined afterwards for any defects. 

• Comfort Each duvet is rated by 40 testers for comfort and whether it's a suitable weight or not. By segmenting the results by those who prefer a light duvet and those who prefer a heavy one, we can provide a recommendation on whether each duvet is most suitable for those who prefer a heavy or light duvet. Following on from this initial assessment with a large number of testers, the best duvets are taken home and slept under for a longer period, for further testing and insight.
• Duvet weight Each duvet is weighed and assessed by each tester for whether it's a comfortable weight to lie under.
• Build quality Each duvet is inspected for loose stitching, how easy it is to attach the two duvets if it's an all-season duvet and how evenly distributed the filling is.
• Washing Each duvet is washed according to its instructions and then examined for loose stitching, wear and tear, and how evenly the filling is distributed. 

We regularly revisit the duvets on sale to see if there are any more popular ones that need testing and when we find them we do.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

What's the best duvet type for me?

Prices vary depending on the type of filling, the tog rating, size and many other features. Some duvets can cost as little as £20, while others can cost more than £700. 

Synthetic duvets: pros and cons

• Pros Sometimes cheaper than other types of duvet, machine washable, some are hypoallergenic (meaning they're unlikely to cause an allergic reaction)
• Cons Don't last as long as more expensive duvets, fillings can clump together

Synthetic, sometimes known as hollowfibre duvets, are made from man made materials and can sometimes be cheaper than feather or wool duvets.

The best synthetic duvets in our test scored just as highly, and in some cases higher, for comfort with our testers as feather and down duvets.

Synthetic materials can be good for allergy sufferers, as they're less likely to cause an allergic reaction. 

They can lose their tog value more quickly than natural alternatives and therefore don’t last quite as long, although a hollowfibre duvet should still last at least five years, if cared for properly. Duvets with natural fillings such as feather and down or silk can last as long as a decade.

Feather and down duvets: pros and cons

• Pros Retain heat, prevent overheating, last longer than synthetics if cared for properly
• Cons Can be more expensive than synthetic, some people can be allergic to the filling

Feather duvets tend to be heavier than their synthetic counterparts, which will either be a pro or a con, depending on your preference. 

As the name suggests, feather and down duvets combine feathers (the outer part of a bird’s plumage) with down, the lighter, fluffier fibres that lie beneath feathers and provide insulation. The ratio of feather to down will affect the duvet's warmth and price.

Most feather and down duvets are able to be washed at home nowadays, either at a 40°C or 60°C wash. Read our reviews for washing instructions. They can be more difficult to dry properly than synthetic duvets, so consider the time of year before you start. 

Wool duvets: pros and cons

• Pros Retain heat, can prevent overheating, resistant to common allergens such as dust mites
• Cons Can be expensive, need to be washed gently at a low temperature, can seem flat in comparison with other fillings

Wool is a less common choice of duvet filling. It's similarly priced to feather and down, and excellent at retaining warm air, keeping you warm when cold as well as removing heat and moisture when you’re warm. Unlike feather and down, it’s naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites.

Wool is renewable, sustainable and biodegradable, so it’s better for the environment than synthetic fillings.

However, you'll need to be careful when looking after a wool duvet – washing too often and at too high a temperature will reduce its lifespan. 

Silk duvets: pros and cons

• Pros Keep you warm while preventing overheating, naturally resistant to allergens
• Cons Expensive, need to be professionally laundered

Often viewed as the height of luxury, silk duvets are naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, and therefore ideal for people with eczema or asthma. 

Like wool, silk will help you stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Like most natural fillings, though, they will need to be professionally laundered.

Microfibre duvets: pros and cons

• Pros Lightweight and soft, anti-allergens options available
• Cons Don't regulate heat

Microfibre duvets are a relatively new type, but they aren't to be confused with hollowfibre – both are synthetic materials. However, microfibres are finer and don't have the hollow space that hollowfibre has. Instead, microfibre is intended to be a synthetic equivalent to down and its extra-fine fibres give the same feel. 

It's one of the lightest and most supple fillings, meaning even a 14 tog microfibre duvet will feel light. Some people prefer this as the duvet won't feel heavy on you, while others prefer a heavier, more closely hugging duvet. If you're not sure which you'd prefer, read our reviews.

While microfibre feels similar to down, it's lighter and often cheaper. So if you've always had natural duvets but are looking for a slight change, microfibre might be for you.

Hypoallergenic and anti-allergy duvets

Hypoallergenic doesn't mean the same thing as anti-allergy, so it's important to know the difference before buying.

• Hypoallergenic means that the actual material and filling of the duvet isn't made of a known potential allergen, such as feathers or wool. However, other allergens, mainly dust mites, can still develop on these types of duvets.
• Anti-allergy means the filling and casing will have been treated to resist and combat the development of dust mites. You might find that this type of duvet is good for you if you have asthma, eczema or rhinitis, all of which could be exacerbated by allergens. 

Whichever duvet or pillow you buy, dust mites can be killed and their allergens removed by washing at temperatures of 60°C or above. If you're looking for bedding to help with allergies, it's therefore important to check that it can endure repeated washing at this temperature or higher roughly once every one to two months. Read our reviews for washing instructions.

If your duvet cover needs washing, but you're putting if off because of the effort involved in getting your duvet back into it, here's the easiest way to do this

Should you buy an anti-allergy duvet?

To know if you should consider an anti-allergy duvet, you should check to see if you have the symptoms of dust mite allergy:

• Watery, red eyes when you wake up
• Runny or itchy nose and sneezing in bed
• Sore throat or hoarse voice in the morning
• Coughing and other breathing problems
• Skin rash and itching
• Worsening of any existing asthma.

Get your symptoms checked out if you're not sure dust mites are the problem, in case it's anything more serious. 

Duvet tog explained

Duvet tog is a measurement of how thermally insulating, and therefore warm, a duvet is.

What's the right tog?

Tog ranges from 1 up to about 15. The higher the number, the warmer the duvet. Which number tog you pick will depend on the time of year and your preference. You'll likely want a higher tog in the winter and a lower tog in the summer.

What's the highest tog? 

The highest tog is about 15, but most winter duvets are sold at 13.5, which is warm enough for British winters.

What tog is best for winter?

A high tog (10.5 to 15) is better for winter, while a low tog (1 to 4) will be light enough for summer.

Some duvets come in 'four-seasons' or 'all-seasons' sets. With these you get one light duvet (usually about 4.5 tog) and one heavier one (usually about 9 tog). The light one will be enough in hot summer months and the heavy one suits spring and autumn weather. When you need extra warmth in winter, you can combine both.

Shopping for a new mattress too? See our guide to UK sizes