Testing Reveals the Top 12 Comforters and Duvet Inserts of 2024

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of snuggling up under a thick, warm blanket on a cold night. And the key to achieving an ultra cozy bed is investing in a good winter blanket with insulation, which means either a comforter or duvet insert.

“A comforter is typically one piece of bedding filled with materials, such as down, feathers, or synthetic fibers,” says Jennifer Stephan, an interior designer and founder of Jennifer Stephan Interiors in New York. “A duvet insert, on the other hand, is a separate insert that is placed inside a duvet cover. It is also filled with insulation, but it’s designed to be inserted into the cover rather than being a standalone piece.”

To find the best comforters and duvet inserts, we put a variety of options to the test at our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa. After lab testing, we continued to test these picks at home for several months. In addition to Stephan, we also consulted Jennifer Woodsen, a textiles expert and founder of JMW Textiles in Costa Mesa, California, for additional insight.

What We Tested

We evaluated 58 comforters and duvet inserts on their quality, texture, durability, and breathability. For more information on how we tested comforters and duvet inserts, check out our testing process below.

Our Top Picks

Best Comforters

Best Overall: Garnet Hill Essential Down Comforter

Lightweight but still warm in a range of bold colors, the Garnet Hill Essential Down Comforter is an excellent year-round pick. With a breathable cotton outer and soft down fill, this high-end comforter delivers cozy comfort. Plus, it’s offered in a variety of solid colors that’ll match any bedroom.

While testing it at home over two months, we appreciated how nicely this comforter could transition from warmer to slightly cooler temperatures. It has a medium weight and does an excellent job retaining warmth, but isn’t overly heavy. It’s also very breathable—a plus if you like the feel of a weightier blanket on warmer nights, or if you run hot while sleeping.

As soon as you touch this comforter, you can tell it’s high quality. In lab testing, we were instantly impressed by the smooth, cool handfeel of the outer material. None of the feathers poked out, and the fabric was clearly well constructed.

The Garnet Hill comforter is also machine-washable, which makes it one of the easier comforters to care for, especially if you have kids or pets. In home testing, we found it easy to wash and dry, and the down fill didn’t become clumpy or unevenly distributed after going through the wash. The quality felt the same post-wash, too.

Though super soft and fluffy, it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the thickest comforter we tested. If you prefer something a little denser, this may not be the best comforter for you.

Product Details: Material: Cotton | Sizes Offered: Twin, double/queen, king/California king | Certifications: Oeko-tex | Fill Type: Down

Key Terms to Know

Down Alternative: As the name suggests, down alternative picks are made with synthetic materials that resemble the feel of traditional down options.

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): The GOTS certification ensures that a product is organic throughout its entire supply chain.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100: This certification means the product is free of any substances deemed harmful by OEKO-TEX.

Best Budget: Utopia Bedding All Season 250 GSM Down Alternative Comforter

The Utopia Bedding All Season 250 GSM Down Alternative Comforter is less expensive than other options but it certainly doesn’t sacrifice quality. But in both lab and home testing, we were surprised and impressed by how high-quality this light, breathable comforter was.

There are a wide range of size options, including lesser-available twin xl and California king, and 10 beautiful colors to choose from. What’s more, the Utopia comforter held up beautifully after six months of home testing.

This blanket is made of 100% polyester with a microfiber fill, so you’re not getting the 100% cotton shell or down fill you typically find in some more expensive comforters. But this pick is lovely to touch, crisp-looking, and has a perfect soft texture.

Though lightweight, this comforter retained heat very well. It felt comfortable and cozy to lie under but didn’t become overly hot. After multiple washes, the material continued to feel soft and we didn’t notice any quality changes, suggesting it’s highly durable.

Stains washed out easily, too, and we didn’t spot any color fading. Overall, we felt that this is one comforter you’ll likely be able to use for years to come.

Product Details: Material: Polyester | Sizes Offered: Twin, twin xl, full, queen, king, and California king | Certifications: None | Fill Type: Microfiber

Best Splurge: Cozy Earth Comforter with Silk Fill

If you’re after a truly indulgent comforter that will elevate your bedroom to luxury hotel status, the Cozy Earth Comforter with Silk Fill is the one. We tested this pick at home for two months and were wowed by the incredibly soft and fluffy fill, lovely breathability, and luxurious texture.

With this pick, you have the option of silk or bamboo microfiber filling. We selected the silk version that’s made of 100% Mulberry silk and is soft and fluffy as a cloud.

This comforter is medium weight with a nice drape, and makes no noise when you slide under it. There weren’t any odors whatsoever when we first opened the package and the fabric felt as expensive as it is.

It’s also highly breathable. In testing, we noticed the comforter feels cool when you first touch it—but the material warms up quickly against your skin. It’s warm and cozy to snuggle up in, but doesn’t make you too hot.

The quality remained excellent during home testing and we didn’t observe any wear and tear over time. If there is one downside, it’s that this comforter isn’t the easiest to care for. Cozy Earth recommends spot- or dry-cleaning it, which can be costly for bigger messes, and may not make this the best comforter for anyone with kids or pets.

Product Details: Material: Silk or bamboo viscose | Sizes Offered: Twin, twin xl, full, queen, king, and California king | Certifications: None | Fill Type: Silk or bamboo viscose

Best Down: Casaluna Premium Down Comforter

One of the first things we noticed about the Casaluna Premium Down Comforter was its substantial weight: This is clearly a heavy, well-made down comforter packed with lush puffs of down filling. Oversized and luxurious, it has the traditional fluffiness you expect from a nice down blanket and feels beautifully made and high-end.

The Casaluna comforter continued to perform beautifully after two months of home testing. We washed it twice during that time, and didn’t notice any changes in the texture or quality whatsoever. After months of use, there were no stains, tears, or holes, so we think this comforter has great durability.

We were impressed by how even the down filling felt when you pinch the fabric or lie underneath it. Despite being packed with feathers—you can feel the pressure from the weight—this comforter doesn’t cause you to overheat.

Equally nice is how large it is, so there’s plenty of fabric to snuggle up in. Each piece of square pocket down filling moved perfectly with us as we tossed and turned on the mattress; it curves perfectly to the shape of your body for a cozy sleep experience.

Though you could also use this as a duvet insert, the outer material on this blanket is nice-looking enough to function as a minimalist-looking comforter. Made of brushed cotton, it feels thick, sturdy, and structured but still is soft against skin—and as a bonus, the fabric is hypoallergenic.

Product Details: Material: Cotton | Sizes Offered: Twin, full/queen, and king | Certifications: Oeko-tex | Fill Type: Down

Best Cooling: Rest Evercool Cooling Comforter

At first, we weren’t sure how we felt about the texture of the Rest Evercool Cooling Comforter. Made of a nylon/spandex blend, the outer material feels buttery soft but also slightly slinky, similar to suede or velvet. But after using this comforter in the lab and at home for two months, we were convinced it’s one of the best comforters to consider.

In a home setting, this comforter did a great job at keeping us cool on colder nights, and we assumed it would be the perfect summer blanket. But as the seasons changed, we still found ourselves reaching for this versatile comforter. Even on cold nights, it helps keep us warm without resulting in overheating.

It has a soft feel with a little bit of stretch, but it doesn’t pull and feels wonderfully smooth and cool to the touch. In fact, before long, we started nicknaming this comforter “the Cucumber,” since the outer material remains surprisingly crisp, even on warm nights. If you’re a hot sleeper, you’ll appreciate how soft and breathable it feels, as well as the fact that it doesn’t cause you to sweat.

Though this is a relatively flat-looking comforter, it still feels fluffy and pillowy when you snuggle up in it. This may be because it has lightweight filling and the slick outer surface is relatively thin. It drapes beautifully, doesn’t feel restricting or overly heavy, and feels relatively moisture-wicking. We did note there was a slightly slinky feeling to it, but we didn’t think it was a dealbreaker.

Product Details: Material: Nylon and spandex | Sizes Offered: Kid/throw, twin/twin xl, Full/Queen, King/California King | Certifications: None | Fill Type: Tencel Lyocell and sorona fiber

Other Comforters We Tested

Madison Park Amherst Collection Faux Silk Comforter

The Madison Park Amherst Collection Faux Silk Comforter is a good middle-of-the-road comforter: Not too heavy, not too light, and very affordable. But the texture isn’t as soft as we would have liked, and we also noticed quite a few loose threads and small imperfections.

Best Duvet Inserts

Best Overall: Buffy Breeze Comforter

Compared to other duvet inserts we tested, the Buffy Breeze Comforter is something of a Goldilocks: It’s gloriously pillowy and soft but not too poofy or super packed with fill. We tossed and turned under this duvet insert in the lab but it never made a sound, and it kept us warm and comfortable throughout two months of home testing.

The seams and construction on this duvet insert felt solid. The pockets are large and sewn with wavy, abstract stitching, and the filling is uniform throughout. There were no clumps and the filling—which is soft and light—remains in place perfectly. The outer material (Tencel eucalyptus lyocell) felt smooth and soft. We found the duvet insert to be nice and breathable, and it warmed us easily without overheating.

We appreciated that it was also very easy to put the duvet into the cover. There are sturdy loops on each corner of the insert that we could tie cover ribbons around. The knots held on tightly throughout the testing period, but also could be easily removed to wash it.

While testing this duvet insert for two months at home, we found it to be very breathable, continuously comfortable, and highly durable. We didn’t note any changes in quality or texture during this time.

All in all, there was nothing about this duvet insert that we disliked. It may not be the absolute warmest product on the market—if you live somewhere very cold, you might prefer a duvet insert that’s a little more insulated—but we think it strikes the perfect balance for both warm and cooler nights.

Product Details: Material: Tencel eucalyptus lyocell | Sizes Offered: Twin/twin xl, full/queen, king/California king | Certifications: None | Fill Type: Tencel eucalyptus lyocell fiber

Best Budget: Bedsure Duvet Insert

The Bedsure Duvet Insert is a fraction of the price of the other best duvet inserts on this list, but it wowed us in the lab and during two months of home testing. Despite its lower price, this pick seemed well made—the stitches on the outer perimeter are not noticeable and the fill felt nice and even.

Though the outer material and fill are both polyester, typically a less breathable material, this duvet insert felt relatively soft and moisture-wicking—in fact, we thought at first that it felt like cotton even though it’s not.

We didn’t become overly hot while sleeping under it. The fill remained evenly placed, even as we tossed and turned beneath the blanket. It provides sufficient coverage and didn’t bunch up while we slept either.

It’s worth noting that this is relatively thin as far as duvet inserts go and has a very low loft. We liked how lightweight it feels and didn’t mind the flatter appearance, but if you’re after a very plush and fluffy duvet, this might not be the best option for you. Depending on where you live, it also might not be the best option for the colder months of the year.

It continued to impress us during the two-month home testing period. We washed it during this time (it’s machine-washable) and didn’t note any loose threads, tears, marks, or stains. The filling didn’t clump up or become less fluffy after being laundered.

Product Details: Material: Polyester | Sizes Offered: Twin, twin xl, full, queen, king, oversize queen, king, and California king | Certifications: None | Fill Type: Polyester

Best Splurge: Boll & Branch Down Alternative Duvet Insert

We could instantly tell that the Boll & Branch Down Alternative Duvet Insert is well-made. With an organic cotton shell and fluffy down alternative fill, this felt like an ultra luxurious blanket during testing and two months of using it at home.

The pockets are packed with evenly distributed fill, and the construction is obviously high-end. The outer material—100% organic cotton—is smooth, soft, and cool to the touch.

It felt fluffy with a nice weight, and we could move around comfortably underneath it without feeling restricted. Overall, it felt cozy and oversized—like being wrapped in a warm hug. It’s generously sized and there was plenty of fabric to snuggle up in.

There are three densities to choose from and we tested the “ultraweight” version. While we did feel very warm under this duvet insert, we didn’t overheat. It would definitely be an excellent option for cold weather.

During the two-month home testing period, we found that this Boll & Branch duvet insert made our bed noticeably cozier. It’s warm and fluffy, and the quality was consistent even after months of use.

This luxurious duvet insert has few downsides, but we did find it a little cumbersome to get inside its cover. Though there were helpful sewn-in loops, the insert bunched up slightly inside. It also made a light rustling noise when we were lying under it, but it wasn’t enough to be disturbing.

Product Details: Material: Cotton | Sizes Offered: Full/queen, king/California king | Certifications: Oeko-tex | Fill Type: PrimaLoft luxury down alternative

Best All-Season: Riley Down Alternative Comforter

While testing the Riley Down Alternative Comforter in our lab and at home for two months, we loved the quality construction, the evenly spread fill (a microfiber down alternative), and the soft, cooling feel of the outer fabric.

This duvet insert is nice and fluffy with a medium thickness. The outer material is 100% premium long-staple combed cotton percale, which is known for being smooth and crisp, and we found it to have a pleasant cooling effect.

We appreciated that it’s fairly simple to put the insert into its cover. We were able to easily turn the cover inside out, attach the loops to the duvet, and tie the ribbons on. The down alternative fill remained nicely spaced even as we tossed and turned under the comforter.

We continued to be impressed by this duvet insert in the two-month home testing period. Though we didn’t need to wash the insert itself, we washed the cover multiple times and it held up nicely.

Because it’s not the most plush comforter, we believe it works well for both all types of sleepers and seasons. Whether you run hot or cold at night, it regulates your body temperature nicely. It’s warming enough that you may not need an additional blanket in the winter.

Product Details: Material: Cotton percale | Sizes Offered: Twin/twin xl, full/queen, king/California king | Certifications: None | Fill Type: Microfiber down alternative

Best Down: Alwyn Home All Season Goose Down Comforter

The Alwyn Home All Season Goose Down Comforter looks and feels top-of-the-line but it’s one of the least expensive options we tested. We tried this option in our testing lab and at home for two months and were impressed by the quality and feel.

The construction on this duvet insert was impeccable, the pockets of goose down feathers fluffy and evenly spread, and it didn’t make any noise when we shifted underneath it. There’s even gold piping stitched around the edges—a small but lovely, luxurious-looking detail.

The Alwyn Home All Season Goose Down Comforter was also a pleasure to use during the two-month home testing period. We appreciated how firmly it stayed within the cover (there are four helpful corner tabs to anchor the cover to the insert effortlessly) and how high-quality it felt. We thought the weight was perfect — it hugged our body beautifully and we never felt like we needed to kick it off to cool down.

We tested this insert on a cooler night, and at first we were skeptical that it would be warming enough. But within minutes, we felt perfectly cozy. With its high-end fill (a mix of goose feathers and down), the quality is clearly excellent.

In the lab, we noted that the outer material on this duvet insert feels ideal: not too soft, not too stiff or crisp. It has the perfect amount of fluff without being overly heavy or thin. It’s comfortable to lay under and stays in place nicely, even as we moved around beneath it. The only criticism we had in the lab was the way the feathers could fall to the bottom of each pocket while you shake it, but this is a small complaint.

While we found this duvet insert comfortable to sleep in during a variety of temperatures, it’s probably best for the colder months. Though we didn’t find it to cause overheating, it’s definitely not lightweight, so you may not want a super plush and fluffy blanket during the hottest part of the year.

Product Details: Material: Cotton | Sizes Offered: Twin, full, queen, and king | Certifications: RDS (responsible down standard) | Fill Type: Natural white goose down

Best Down Alternative: Brooklinen Down Alternative Comforter

“Pristine” is the word that first came to mind when assessing the quality of the Brooklinen Down Alternative Comforter in our lab. This duvet insert had excellent construction and a soft, lightweight down alternative fill (a type of recycled microfiber) that’s evenly spread