Best duvets 2023: Top duvet brands rated

There's nothing quite like snuggling into new bedding when you settle down to sleep. We've rated the best and worst duvet brands to help you find a cosy and great-value duvet.

We surveyed 2,850 Which? members to find out what they think about their duvets, meaning we can show you customer scores for eight popular brands, including Dunelm, Ikea, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Silentnight and Soak & Sleep. 

We asked survey respondents how comfortable they found their duvet, how well their duvet matches its description, and whether their duvet offered good value for money. 

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Best and worst duvet brands

Choosing the best duvet

Having the right duvet can help make the difference between a difficult night's sleep and a peaceful one. Just over half of our survey respondents had bought a new duvet during the past five years. 

There are lots of different duvet fillings to choose from, and each has its own pros and cons, so it can be difficult to know which will be best for you. 

Tog, size and type of filling were the three most important considerations reported by the duvet owners we asked. Other important thoughts were machine-washable duvets, those labelled hypoallergenic, and cheap duvets or ones on offer. 

Hollowfibre or microfibre polyester duvets are the most popular type among Which? members – nearly half own one of these. 

Feather/down duvets are also very popular, owned by around a third of members. Less popular types include wool, silk and other synthetic duvets.

A good duvet is nothing without a great mattress underneath it, and a decent pillow. Create your perfect bed by reading our Best mattresses 2023: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice to get expert tips to help you decide what to buy and our guide to the best pillows.

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What are the different types of duvets?

There are many different duvet fillings to choose from, each with its pros and cons. 

Hollowfibre, and feather and down, are the two most popular options, though you'll also find duvets in microfibre, wool and silk.

Prices can 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. 

Hollowfibre duvets: pros and cons

• Pros: Cheaper than some other types of duvet, machine washable, some are hypoallergenic
• Cons: Don't last as long as more expensive duvets, fillings can clump together

Hollowfibre duvets are the most popular with our members – two in five choose to buy these hard-wearing, comparatively affordable duvets.

Hollowfibre is a synthetic material, which can be good for allergy sufferers as it is hypoallergenic. Unlike feather duvets, these can be machine washed regularly, so they are easy to care for. 

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 for a decade.

Feather and down duvets: pros and cons

• Pros: Retains heat, prevents overheating, lasts longer than synthetics if cared for properly
• Cons: More expensive than hollowfibre, has to be professionally laundered, some people can be allergic to the filling

More than a third of Which? members surveyed choose feather and down duvets, making it the second-most popular option. These lightweight, cosy duvets retain heat well but still help you to avoid overheating. Plus, if cared for properly, they will last much longer than synthetic fibre alternatives.

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.

It's important to note that feather and down aren't always taken from the bird in a humane way. To ensure you're buying a duvet with feathers that have been ethically sourced, you'll need to check with manufacturers and retailers to find out what their policy is.

As well as having a tog rating (see below for more information on these), feather and down duvets are rated by their fill power. The higher the fill power, the larger each individual piece of down will be, resulting in a loftier, fluffier duvet, which provides better insulation.

One downside to all natural duvet fillings, including feather and down, is that you shouldn’t wash them at home as they can lose their filling more easily and are difficult to get completely dry afterwards. If they are cared for properly and professionally laundered, feather and down duvets can last more than twice as long as synthetic alternatives.

Other duvet filling options

Wool duvets

• Pros: Retains heat, prevents overheating, resistant to common allergens such as dust mites
• Cons: Can be expensive, needs 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 and 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 hollowfibre. Locally sourced wool is usually taken from sheep in a more humane way than feather and down is from ducks and geese, but it's always worth checking with the manufacturer and retailer what their policy on ethical sourcing is.

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: Keeps you warm while preventing overheating, naturally resistant to allergens
• Cons: Expensive, needs 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 all natural fillings though, they will need to be professionally laundered.

Microfibre duvets

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

Microfibre duvets are a relatively recent addition to the market, but they aren't to be confused with hollowfibre. Microfibres are finer but don't have the hollow space that hollowfibre has. Instead, microfibre is intended to be a synthetic equivalent to down; 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 as you sleep, while others prefer a heavier, more closely hugging duvet. If you're not sure which you'd prefer, make sure you try them out in store before buying.

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: what's the difference?

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, like feathers or wool. But 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. 

We asked duvet owners whether they felt buying one helped. One third felt their anti-allergic or hypoallergenic duvet had made a fair difference to allergy symptoms and around one in five felt it helped just a little. 

But whichever duvet or pillow you buy, dust mites can be killed, and their allergens removed, by washing at temperatures of 60°C and 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.

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. 

What is duvet tog?

Tog is a measurement of how thermally insulating, and therefore warm, a duvet is. A high tog (10.5-15) is better for winter, while a low tog (1-4) 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 3.5 tog) and one heavier one (usually about 10.5 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.

Standard UK duvet sizes

• Single: 135cm x 200cm
• Double: 200cm x 200cm
• King: 230cm x 220cm
• Super king: 260cm x 220cm
• Emperor size: 290cm x 235cm

These all correspond to different mattress sizes. If you tend to feel cold in bed, go for the next size up from your mattress size (for example, if you have a double bed, use a king-size duvet), so that the duvet flows over the edges to keep warm air in and any draughts out.

If you're after a cot bed mattress, head to our helpful guide on the best cot mattresses for 2023 and discover which ones are the safest for your baby.

How often do I need to buy a new duvet?

No matter the quality or how well you take care of your duvet, it'll eventually need replacing.

Higher-quality bedding should last longer, but The Sleep Council recommends changing out your duvet every five years.

You'll know your duvet is due for an upgrade when the filling becomes limp or uneven, or it starts coming through the casing. 

Where to buy a duvet

Next, Argos, Dunelm, Asda and John Lewis are some of the most searched-for duvet retailers. We’ve included links to these retailers, below, handpicked because of their stock availability, best-value price or warranty options. 

If you're heading elsewhere to buy, make sure you're handing your money over to a reputable seller. Check the retailer's returns policy and pay attention to customer feedback and reviews. For more details on shopping online safely and arranging refunds for faulty products, see our advice on shopping online. 

• Asda – offers a range of George-branded duvets via it's Asda Direct website. Prices start from just £5.50 for their cheapest single duvet. You'll also find brands including Airsprung and Silentnight. What's available to buy will depend where you live; delivery starts from £2.95, although you may be able to click  and collect some items. 
• Next – offers a wide range of duvets. Prices start from around £15 and rise to around £300. Brands include Silentnight, Snuggledown and Next's own-brand options. You can get in-store collection for free but you'll need to pay for home delivery. 
• Argos – stocks a sizeable selection of budget-friendly duvets from brands including Slumberdown, Silentnight and Argos own-brand, Argos Home. You can get same day in-store collection at selected Sainsbury's stores and if you collect Nectar points, you'll get two points for every £1 you spend. 
• Dunelm – it sells natural, synthetic and hollowfibre duvets starting from as little as £7. Tog levels range from 3 to 14 and you can pick from a variety of brands. Standard delivery is £3.95 and free for orders over £49 – all returns are free. You can also click and collect for free.
• John Lewis – has a wide range of duvets, with the majority from its own brand, John Lewis & Partners. Prices start at around £10 and go as high as around £800. Most of the duvets in their range also come with a minimum two-year warranty at no extra cost. John Lewis scores highly in our latest best mattress shops customer survey, too.  

Last checked: April 2022

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