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Michelle Ullman,Ayn-Monique KlahreDec 14, 2018, 21:05 IST
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Crisp, cool, and comfortable against your skin, these sheets make bedtime a treat.
Few would deny that at the end of a long, hard day, sliding into a comfortable bed outfitted with soft, smooth sheets that pamper your skin is one of life's greatest pleasures. After all, you spend nearly a third of your life between those sheets, so why wouldn't you want the best? So we've made it easy for you: We checked out all the top consumer buying websites, listened to opinions from bed sheet buyers, and tried sheets ourselves to compile our list of the five best bed sheet sets you can buy.
Thread count: higher isn't always better
When it's time to buy sheets, many people simply assume that the higher the thread count, the better, and make their choice based on this feature alone. While it's true that thread count (a measurement of how many threads run vertically and horizontally in one square inch of fabric) is important, it turns out that there's another factor that plays a bigger part in sheet comfort: type of fabric.
In fact, according to Consumer Reports, there's no reason to pay extra for sheets with a thread count over 400, but it is worth your while to spend a little more on sheets made from the best cottons: Pima, Egyptian, or Supima. These long-fiber cottons weave into the softest, most comfortable sheets.
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What about weave?
Weave is also important when it comes to choosing sheets you'll love. There are two basic weaves: percale and sateen.
Percale sheets have the same number of combed, tightly woven threads running horizontally and vertically. If you prefer sheets with a slightly crisp, cool feel, this is the weave to choose. Percale sheets are durable and strong, standing up to repeated washing even in hot water. Look for a thread count between 200 and 400 for lightweight sheets, 400 to 600 if you prefer more weight.
Sateen sheets (not the same as satin, which is a fabric, not a weave) have more threads running vertically than horizontally, creating fabric with a slight sheen and a very soft, silky feel. Sateen sheets are generally more delicate than percale bedding, and more likely to pill or come apart in the wash. Still, if you crave the silkiest feel against your skin, this is the weave for you. Thread counts between 300 and 600 are the sweet spot for softness and strength.
Updated on 12/14/2018 by Kylie Joyner: Added Brooklyn Bedding sheets based on testing. Also updated prices and formatting.
Read on in the slides below to learn all about our favorite sheets.
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Why you'll love them: L.L. Bean’s wonderfully smooth 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets are durable, comfortable, and just the right weight to give you sweet dreams all year round.
Woven from 100% Pima cotton for the smoothest, softest, make-you-want-to-wiggle feel, L.L. Bean struck gold with its highly rated percale sheet set. As with all percale sheets, these have just a bit of a “crisp” finish, which feels nice and cool against your skin. They are the perfect weight for summer, and unless you live in a very cold climate or prefer to switch to heavier winter sheets, they are cozy enough for the colder months with the addition of a heavier blanket or comforter.
When you toss them in your washing machine and dryer, the sheets come out fresh, unwrinkled, and ready to coax you into the land of Nod. Sized to fit over mattresses up to 15 inches thick, these cotton sheets won’t slip or slide as you sleep, and they hold firm to the mattress. They are available in seven basic colors, although alas, no brights. There are a few prints, as well.
L.L. Bean customers praise these sheets for their refusal to pill, long life, and wrinkle resistance. Quite a few customers commented that they have purchased several sets of the L.L Bean sheets, and a common remark was, “These are the only sheets I’ll buy.”
Professional reviewers agree. We chose these sheets as our top pick in our guide to the best cotton sheets. In our testing, these sheets had a soft hand feel right out of the packaging and they were cool and soft to sleep on.
We're not the only ones who think the sheets are great. The Wirecutter has chosen the L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Percale Sheets as its number one choice three years running, saying these sheets offer a “superior cool feel at a great price.” The Wirecutteradded that its experts love L.L. Bean’s lifetime guarantee, meaning you can return the sheets at any time for any reason.
Consumer Search is another review website that picked the L.L. Bean sheets as its top pick, saying the sheets are “ideal for lovers of crisp, 'old-school' cotton sheets.” The reviewer did comment that some buyers felt the sheets were a bit too rough, however, although they do get softer the more they are washed.
Why you'll love them: If you take your sleep comfort seriously, the pampering touch and good looks of Brooklinen’s Luxe Sheets will have you sleeping like a baby.
Started as a Kickstarter project in 2014, Brooklinen has quickly soared to the heights of success, due to its reasonable prices for high-quality bedding. Luxe Sheets start with the best long-fiber cotton, which is woven into single-ply yarn for the finest, yet softest threads. This also means that the finished thread count of 480 is the true number; many other manufacturers weave lower quality, 3-ply yarn into their sheets, then use this trick to inflate their thread count.
Brooklinen’s Luxe Collection is a sateen weave, with a soft-as-the-clouds feel. Because sateen is woven more tightly than percale, you’ll find these sheets cozy and warm, with a soothingly “heavy” feel that many sleepers love. In fact, the commerce editor of our Insider Picks' team has been sleeping on these sheets for more than two years, and reports that they are “hands down the best sheets I've ever put on my bed.”
Brooklinen customers echo our writer’s words, with most saying they loved the softness of the sheets, which increases every time they are washed. As a bonus, the sheets’ wrinkle-resistance improves with each wash, as well. And, by the way, you can do that washing in your machine, then either line-dry your bedding or use your dryer on low heat.
The buzz doesn’t stop there. Brooklinen has received positive press all over the web, with InStyle saying, “In order to design beautiful, affordable, and ridiculously comfortable sheets, Brooklinen co-founders Rich and Vicki simply focus on quality and manufacturing responsibly.” Vogue writes, “the allure of this brand is certainly its technique and use of long-staple Egyptian cotton, which produces sheets and comforters that are softer than most.”
Brooklinen offers the Luxe Sheets in five solid colors, along with stripes and dots. You can even mix-and-match colors or patterns within a sheet set, which is definitely a unique perk. The sheets fit mattresses up to 15 inches thick, so be sure to measure before ordering.
Pros: Super soft, high quality, mix-and-match sheet sets
Why you'll love them: The Threshold Performance Sheet Set is way cheaper than most cotton sheets without losing out on comfort.
At a fraction of the price of other sateen sheets, the Threshold Performance Sheet Sets are a bargain price for 100% cotton sheets that don't sacrifice comfort. The 16-inch deep pocket on the fitted sheet has two layers of elastic to create a patented “stretch and fit to hold” performance that keeps the fitted sheet in place for mattresses of various depths.
These sheets are also Oeko-Tex certified to be free of harmful chemicals. Target sells the sheets in 21 solid colors, so they're a great option for people who like to coordinate sheets to their decor. To the touch, the Threshold sheets feel crisper than other sateen sheets, making them a good compromise for couples with different sleep preferences.
These sheets can be returned in-store or online for up to a year after purchase, though you may have trouble if the packaging is opened. They are available in twin, full, queen, and king sizes. Threshold's sheets are also the top budget pick at the Wirecutter, where testers found the sheets to be just as durable as pricier brands, but slightly more wrinkle-prone and less breathable. — Ayn-Monique Klahre
Pros: Available in 21 colors, well-priced, 16-inch pocket depth
Cons: Slightly less soft and breathable than other brands
Why you'll love them: Crane & Canopy makes beautiful, silky soft sheets in tons of fun patterns and colors.
Crane & Canopy is a startup that began selling easy-to-use duvet covers in 2012. Since then, the company has branched out into sheets, comforters, pillows, blankets, towels, washcloths, and more. We tried a set of sheets from Crane & Canopy and we loved them. Not only are the sheets silky smooth and soft straight out of the package, they also come in several fun prints and colors.
If you're bored with solid colors and your pile of white sheets, you'll enjoy looking through Crane & Canopy's selection. You can get polka dots, stripes, herringbone, embroidery, and other unique prints that look different from your run of the mill chevron. There are also fun solid colors like coral and lilac as well as more traditional shades like cream, white, gray, and blue.
We tried the gray striped 300-thread count cotton sheet set on our bed, and it felt amazingly soft right out of the package. The fitted sheet is generous in size so you don't feel like you're running out of fabric when it comes time to tuck it in under your mattress. The stripes look classic and cool, especially with a fun bright blanket and pillowcases on the bed for contrast.
Crane & Canopy gives you the option to buy a set with one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two pillowcases or you can buy each piece on its own. It's nice to have the option because sometimes you just don't need more pillowcases or flat sheets, but you do need a new fitted sheet to fit a new mattress or what have you.
All the sheets are made from long staple cotton or Belgian linen, and the company's bedding is Oeko-Tex certified, so you know your sheets are free from strange chemicals. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Super soft out of the package, fun colors and prints, can buy as sets or as individual pieces, decent price, long-staple cotton
Why you'll love them: Cozy as a hug and warm as a sweater, the Pinzon Heavyweight Velvet Flannel Sheets are the perfect accompaniment to your cold weather Zzz’s.
When Old Man Winter starts nipping at your nose, it’s time to break out the flannel sheets. The Pinzon Heavyweight Velvet Flannel Sheets will keep you sleeping cozy, and the great price won’t have you waking up in a cold sweat.
Made from 100 percent combed cotton, these sheets are crafted in Portugal, and have a double-napped, velvety soft finish. Flannel sheets are not rated in thread count, but rather, in ounces per square yard. The sweet spot for high-quality flannel sheets is 5 to 6 ounces per square yard, and at 5.6 ounces, these are perfect. The weight adds to the coziness, giving you a snug feeling that Amazon buyers loved. They’re very soft, as well, and just plain feel good against your skin.
One caution: While the Pinzon sheets are very durable, and resist pilling or ripping, quite a few Amazon buyers did complain that the sheets shed for the first few washes, so you might want to send your set through several washing machine cycles before making up your bed for the first time.
Consumer Search rated the Pinzon Heavyweight Flannel Sheets highly, recommending them for their soft, substantial comfort, durability, and resistance to wrinkles. Sleep Like the Dead found that 95 percent of the 3,668 customers surveyed were very pleased with the sheets, and on Amazon, the Pinzon sheets currently have 3,900 reviews, with 93 percent four stars and up.
There are eight colors to choose from, but no patterns. The Pinzon sheets fit mattresses up to 18 inches thick, but are only available for queen and California king sizes. King sizes are currently sold out.
Pros: Cozy, soft warmth at a great price
Cons: Some shedding, not available for twin or full mattresses
Boll & Branch's sateen sheets are made from 300-thread-count long-staple organic cotton, which makes them an unusual find since only 2% of the world’s cotton is considered organic. Beyond that, they’re both GOTS certified (which means the whole manufacturing process is considered organic) and Fair Trade certified, which means they hit standards for ethical wages and working conditions.
If that alone doesn’t make you feel good about the sheets, the quality of the fabric will convince you. We found them to be super soft and silky to the touch.
Boll & Branch's sheets were also top pick at the Good Housekeeping textile labs, where testers found that the sheets keep their generous sizing even after washing. Although they’re more expensive than other sheets, more than 3,000 buyers left reviews saying they consider the sheets a luxury that's worth it.
The sheets are available in nine tasteful colors and have a 17-inch deep pocket to accommodate taller mattresses. Boll & Branch sells the sheets in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split king sizes. These sheets can returned for free for a full refund within 30 days. — Ayn-Monique Klahre
Pros: Super-soft, organic, good color range, 17-inch-deep pocket, more size options
Cons: Slightly less soft and breathable than other brands
Why you'll love them: If you crave the softness of silk without the diva-level fuss and bother silk demands, you’ll love the feel of Pure Beech’s Modal Sateen Sheets.
Modal is another fairly new addition to the bed sheet scene, and like bamboo, it's quickly rising in popularity. Also like bamboo, modal is a form of rayon. It starts with beechwood chips, which are dissolved into pulp, dried, and then spun into thread. The resulting material is extremely soft, resists shrinking, fading, or discoloring, and breathes quite well. Modal tends to resist pilling and is very durable.
Pure Beech specializes in modal sheets, and the Modal Sateen Sheets are remarkably soft and breathe well, remaining cool even on hot summer nights.
Bed, Bath and Beyond sells the Pure Beech sheets, and buyers there are quite pleased with them. With more than 400 reviews, the sheets have an average of 4.3 stars. Over and over again, reviewers mention that these are the softest, most luxurious sheets they have ever owned, and many also comment that the sheets resist wrinkling and remain cool throughout the night.
On the downside, several buyers mentioned that the sheets did not last as long as they expected, and ripped or shredded after just a year or two of use. The problem may well lie in the sheet’s care. Unlike cotton, modal must be washed in cold water and dried on low — not subjected to the high temperatures that cotton tolerates.
The Pure Beech Modal Sateen Sheets are 400 thread count, fit mattresses up to 16 inches thick, and are available in ten colors for twin through California king beds.
Pros: Extremely soft, resist fading or shrinking, don’t pill or become scratchy, good selection of colors
Cons: Need to be washed and dried on cool settings, may weaken or tear otherwise
Brooklyn Bedding made its first appearance in the bedding industry with mattresses crafted in the US and sold directly to shoppers for a more affordable price. This company was one of the first to become a part of the bed-in-a-box industry. Since then, the product line has expanded to include sheets and pillows.
I tested the Brushed Microfiber Sheets, and was immediately impressed with how soft they felt right out of the package. These aren’t the type of sheets you’ll have to wash multiple times to “break in.” I also liked that they didn’t feel too thin. These are durable sheets that hold up well in the wash, and I’ve washed and dried them multiple times with no issues.
They come out of the dryer feeling as soft as they did when I first took them out of the packaging. These aren’t as prone to wrinkling as cotton or bamboo-derived sheets tend to be, which is great if you’re like me and you tend to procrastinate when it comes to folding your laundry.
The Brooklyn Bedding Bushed Microfiber sheets are made from 100% polyester, constructed with a tight weave that lends to their soft feel. Surprisingly, these sheets do have a lower thread count at 300, but in my experience, this didn’t affect the quality at all. Thanks to the material used, I also like that they won’t have you sleeping too warm. They have a durable feel, but they don’t trap in heat during the night.
These fit our Saatva mattress perfectly, but if you do have a thinner mattress, you may find that they are a little roomier than you’d like, causing them to slip around a bit. If you’re unsure, Brooklyn Bedding offers a 120-night trial, so you can return them no questions asked if you find you don’t like them.
With the comfort, high-quality feel, and durability these sheets offer, I was especially impressed with their affordable price. Other reviewers are equally pleased with the quality and price of the Brooklyn Bedding Brushed Microfiber sheets.
Brooklyn Bedding reviewer Alice A. says, “These sheets are great in every way! Lightweight, a perfect fit on my queen bed, great color and soft to the touch. Additionally, the price was uneatable!”
When it comes to size and options, there are plenty with these sheets. You can choose from 6 different solid colors, and they’re available in a wide range of sizes, from Twin to California King, so you can find the perfect fit for your bed. — Kylie Joyner
Pros: Soft and comfortable, durable, affordable, color options available, come with a 120-night trial and one year warranty for extra peace of mind
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