Being the proud owner of one of the best duvets to snuggle under all night (and day, as the case may be) is something of a small luxury – no matter the season. With summer on its way, a new duvet – with a lower duvet tog for the incoming heat – could be the much-needed purchase your bedroom is lacking.
That said, any form of after-dark warmth is still largely absent here in the UK.
Luckily, just as the best summer duvets keep us from overheating in the tropical (we wish) summer months, the best duvets can keep us warm and toasty when temperatures are a bit lower, too.
We’ve been getting granular about the whole sleep thing of late – testing duvet covers, bed sheets, mattress toppers, the best mattresses, best pillows, body pillows, memory foam pillows, weighted blankets, silk pillowcases, bed frames, pillow sprays and sleep masks – all in the name of a good night’s kip.
Now, it’s time to turn our attention to the shining star of any bed. The duvet. If you’ve ever left a weekend break wondering what duvets luxury hotels use, you’re in luck. We’ve tried, we’ve tested and we’ve spoken to industry leaders in luxury bedding to find out what is the best type of duvet to buy. Sure, everyone has a different preference when it comes to duvets… there are Hungarian goose down duvets, wool duvets, microfibre duvets, 3-in-1 duvets, natural duvets, “feels like down” duvets and temperature regulating duvets. Overwhelming, huh? Rest assured, this guide should help you find your sweet spot. Here’s everything you need to know.
First up: how often should you change your duvet?
According to The Sleep Council, you should replace your middle-of-the-range duvet once every five years. That said, if your last duvet was an inexpensive one, you might want to replace it just two or three years after purchase. On the contrary, expensive and high-quality duvets (like The White Company’s Hungarian Goose Down Duvet) come with a ten-year guarantee.
Hungarian Goose-Down Duvet – 4.5 Tog
Got it. And what’s a tog rating?
A tog rating refers to the warmth or thermal resistance of a duvet. The higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet will be. With that in mind, some sleepers prefer to use a high-tog duvet in the winter and a duvet with a lower tog rating in the summer. The “tog” scale ranges from one all the way up to 18 (the warmest duvet available in the UK). We’ve got the best duvet for every tog rating in our edit.
What tog rating is best for hot sleepers?
While tog ratings should only be used as a rough guide as to how warm you’ll be (the filling, quality and drape of the duvet are important, too), something of around 4.5 togs should do you well in the summer. We’d opt for that if you’re a hot sleeper. In the winter, you might look at investing in a duvet with a 10+ tog rating.
What is the best tog duvet for all-year-round?
If you don’t want to change your duvet between seasons, consider a 3-in-1 duvet. For example, the John Lewis & Partners Natural Duck Down 3-in-1 Duvet features two duvets of different togs which can be used separately or together, to provide different levels of warmth throughout the year. Clever, huh?
John Lewis & Partners Natural Duck Down 3-in-1 Duvet, 13.5 Tog (4.5 + 9 Tog)
What are the different types of duvet filling?
There are four main types of duvet: feather and down duvets, wool duvets, silk duvets and synthetic duvets. All duvet types are available in a range of sizes to suit your bed frame – from single duvet up to king size. Some duvet types are better for allergy sufferers – keeping dust mites at bay – while others place warmth at the forefront.