Given the average person spends around a third of their lifetime in bed, it only makes sense to ensure those years of sleeping (and trying to get to sleep) are as comfortable as possible. This process starts by finding a comfortable mattress. Next, you’ll have to put together the right bedding. This is when you will have an important decision to make: comforter or duvet? To help you make an informed decision, we’ve put together a handy guide along with a selection of the best duvet inserts.
Duvet vs. Comforter
The most important step when deciding between a duvet and a comforter is understanding the difference between the two. As you will see, there are several overlapping elements that have resulted in blurring the lines between these commonly encountered bedding items. However, the easiest way to distinguish between a duvet and a comforter is that a comforter is a single piece, while a duvet is made up of two pieces: a duvet insert and a surrounding (duvet) cover.
If this explanation instantly makes you wonder if a comforter becomes a duvet with a duvet cover around it, you aren’t alone. Many duvet inserts are advertised as comforters and visa versa.
The most important part of this explanation is understanding why you may prefer a duvet over a comforter. Here are some of the benefits of choosing a duvet insert with a duvet cover:
- Easy to clean: If you happen to spill something on the cover, simply remove the duvet insert and throw the cover in a washing machine. This also makes regular cleaning a lot easier, too.
- Aesthetic Versatility: If you like to mix things up, it’s easy to remove the duvet cover and replace it with a different design better suited to your desires at the time.
- Easy to Replace: – If a duvet cover becomes worn or you just fancy changing things out, replacing a duvet cover, or the insert itself, can be a more affordable solution than replacing a comforter.
- Easy to Make the Bed: A lot of duvet inserts include sewn-in loops that attach to the duvet cover to ensure they remain in place. This, along with a duvet’s easily navigated orientation, means making your bed every day can be done in a matter of seconds.
What to Consider Before Buying a Duvet Insert
Before you decide which of our duvet inserts is best suited to your needs, it’s worth answering the following questions:
- How big is your bed? You should know how big your bed is and match your duvet insert accordingly. Choosing the wrong size duvet insert, especially if it’s too small, may lead to a large amount of sleeping discomfort. On top of this, ensure you purchase the same size duvet insert and duvet cover. No one likes sleeping in mismatched, clumpy bedding.
- What filling would you prefer inside your insert? The biggest decision you have to make in terms of the filling is between down/feathers and synthetic fiber. For some people, this decision comes down to ethical considerations while many people just have a natural preference for one or the other. If you aren’t sure what you like, it’s worth researching each option or dropping by a bedding store where you can get your hands on both to see which appeals to you most.
- Do you want to use your duvet year round? Some duvet inserts are designed for different times of the year. If you’re looking for a duvet insert to use throughout the year, ensure that the one you find says so. Otherwise, you may end up with a particularly thick duvet insert that will be too warm during the summer months. In addition, it’s worth noting that there are inserts designed with all kinds of sleepers in mind. So if you sleep hot, be sure to search for one of the best duvet inserts for hot sleepers.
How We Chose the Best Duvet Inserts
To ensure we only included the very best duvet inserts, each option on our list comes with a wealth of positive ratings and reviews from users who have already tried and tested them. In addition to being popular with users, the duvet inserts are also good value for money and built to last, meaning you’ll get plenty of years of use. To make sure there’s something for everyone, you’ll find a range of different duvet insert types, including ones filled with feathers, down and other synthetic fiber alternatives.
Additionally, given that the line between duvet inserts and comforters can sometimes become a little blurry, we’ve included a few options that can function as either, giving users a wider variety of options.
Below you’ll find our top 10 picks for the best duvet inserts available online.
1. Parachute Down Duvet Insert
BEST OVERALL
While this Parachute Down Duvet Insert does fall on the more expensive side of the scale, we believe its quality materials are worth the splurge. This USA-made insert is filled with premium-quality, European white down that’s surrounded by a 100% sateen cotton shell. This combination produces unbeatable comfort in every season. And if you want an insert for warmer climates, it’s also available in a lighter density option. For greater durability, all inserts feature reinforced double stitched piping seams and come with a five-year warranty.
2. Kingsley Trend Queen Comforter Duvet Insert
BEST BUDGET
At under $30, this Kingsley Trend Queen Comforter Duvet Insert is a budget-friendly answer to sleeping under a duvet. The popular insert comes backed by more than 7,500 five-star ratings and is filled with an extra-soft down alternative to deliver the right balance of warmth and weightiness. Premium quality stitching prevents the insert’s filling from shifting, while its outer is both smooth and soft to touch. Handily, the hypoallergenic insert is washer and dryer friendly and includes corner tabs for secure fitting inside a duvet cover.
3. Bedsure Queen Comforter Duvet Insert
BEST ALTERNATIVE
If having goose or duck feathers inside your insert isn’t really your thing, turn to one of the best alternative duvet insert fillings instead. This Bedsure Queen Comforter Duvet Insert is crammed full of whole piece, 100% polyester microfiber that has been box stitched around to ensure it remains in place and won’t bunch up during use. It’s also available in several sizes and more than 10 different colors. And unlike many of its competitors, this insert includes eight stitched-in tabs to make your duvet cover especially secure. Furthermore, this machine washable, reversible insert comes with more than 30,000 five-star ratings from happy Amazon customers.
4. Utopia Bedding Comforter Duvet Insert
MOST POPULAR
With more than 65,000 five-star ratings from Amazon users, this Utopia Bedding Comforter Duvet Insert is one of the most popular and best-rated options on our list. The insert is made from a combination of materials, with 100% microfiber on the face and 100% polyester inside. It’s also available in 10 different colors, six sizes and features four sewn-in corner tabs to make fitting and securing a duvet cover especially easy. Furthermore, it can be washed in a machine on a gentle cycle and dried using the low setting on your dryer.
5. COHOME California King 2100 Series Cooling Duvet Insert
BEST FOR HOT SLEEPERS
If you tend to sleep hot and want a duvet insert that can help manage the extra heat, try this COHOME California King 2100 Series Cooling Duvet Insert. It’s filled with a lightweight and fluffy down alternative and surrounded by a breathable fabric, which helps deliver a comfortable sleeping experience no matter the temperature. The all-season insert also includes corner tabs for attaching the duvet cover and features box stitching to prevent clumping and leakage. Additionally, the soft fabric produces zero noise to ensure your sleep isn’t interrupted by unpleasant crumpling sounds.
6. Martha Stewart White Feather and Down Comforter
BEST COMFORTER
As the line between what makes a comforter a comforter is not exact, we’ve included some duvet cover–compatible comforters. In the case of this Martha Stewart White Feather and Down Comforter, the design includes corner loops that make it easy and secure to house it inside a duvet cover. Its white feather and down fill provides breathability and warmth for a range of different sleepers while its end-to-end box quilting helps keep the fill in place during use. In addition, the comforter’s FreshLOFT production process ensures the comforter is free of dust, dirt and allergens.
7. Brooklinen Down Alternative Comforter
BEST WEIGHT RANGE
Thanks to the lightweight, ultra-warm and all-season available weights, we’re confident there’s a Brooklinen Down Alternative Comforter to suit every sleeper’s preferences. This popular comforter has positive reviews from over 95% of Brooklinen customers. Inside each comforter’s 100% cotton sateen shell, you’ll find an alternative filling made from recycled PET bottles. Additionally, each comforter sports loops for attaching a duvet cover and comes with a one-year warranty.
8. Buffy Breeze Comforter
PLANT-BASED PICK
For something a bit friendlier to Mother Earth, you may want to choose this Buffy Breeze Comforter. It’s made from plant-based TENCEL lyocell fiber that’s more environmentally friendly and absorbs moisture more efficiently than traditional cotton, delivering a sleeping experience that’s both cooler and drier. The comforter is recommended for use by warmer sleepers or during the cooler seasons. It’s also available in three sizes and features loops in every corner for attaching a cover. Furthermore, you can choose to add a eucalyptus duvet cover to complete your plant-based setup.
9. The Company Store LaCrosse Classic Down Comforter
MOST VERSATILE
With more than 20 colors, five sizes and four thicknesses to choose from, it’s easy to ensure you get the The Company Store LaCrosse Classic Down Comforter you want. This machine washable, hypoallergenic insert is filled with duck down that delivers a medium level of warmth, making it an ideal choice for year-round use. It also boasts a 295 thread count cotton shell that feels soft and comfortable against your skin if you decide to forgo a cover. Plus, you’ll find corner loops sewn into the comforter to let you house it inside a duvet cover if you choose.
10. Casper Humidity Fighting Duvet Insert
BEST SPLURGE
Thanks to its humidity-fighting technology, this Casper Duvet Insert is ideal for hot sleepers or anyone who likes a constant sleeping temperature. Every insert, which comes in multiple sizes and either a lightweight or midweight option, features a layer of merino wool that is capable of naturally wicking away moisture, maintaining the temperature of your sleeping environment. On top of this, the design includes sewn-in chambers that help regulate temperature and keep the ethically-sourced down fill in place.
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