While we don’t need to worry about survival nearly as much as our ancestors did, our lives are still quite busy and stressful, just in different ways. An important part of getting through that stress is resting and sleeping, which is why focusing on making your bed as comfortable as possible is a big deal and something we recommend to basically everyone.
One of the most elegant and simple methods you can use to get closer to peak comfort is getting a good duvet or comforter. We’ll be going over the differences between them and of course how to choose the right option for yourself so that you can experience peak coziness.
Duvet vs. comforter differences
Before we go any further let’s quickly cover the differences between duvets and comforters and why you may prefer one over the other. The differences aren’t too massive and at the end of the day, it comes down more to personal preference rather than one being strictly better so you don’t need to worry about making the wrong choice.
Comforters are made from one piece, while duvets have an inserted piece and a cover that goes over it. They both keep you warm about equally but the main differences are ease of use and how difficult they are to clean. Comforters are really simple to use since they’re just one piece but it also makes them get a lot dirtier overall, while with duvets the insert remains far cleaner and you’ll mostly just need to worry about washing the covers that go over it.
Depending on which option you prefer you’ll want one or the other but if you’re unsure and just pick the first one you see you’ll still have made a good choice. If you’re unsure which one you like better don’t let that dissuade you from getting one entirely as they are both incredibly comfortable additions to any bed and will make chilly nights seem not so cold anymore once you see how warm they keep you.
Fill power and weight
Both comforters and duvets are filled with soft and warm materials which is the reason for them being so good at retaining warmth. Fill power and weight are very important statistics that you should be looking at when buying one as they give you great insight into what they’re like before you even try them.
Fill power can be seen as a measure of how effective the duvet or comforter is at keeping warmth inside and cold outside. The higher the value is the warmer you can expect it to be during winter and cooler during summer. It’s the first number you should be looking at while you’re shopping and it will likely be the main influencing factor.
Fill weight is simply how heavy the filling is. This is more of a personal preference as some people want really light duvets and comforters while others want to be crushed by their massive fluffy blankets, both are of course valid but you need to figure out which you prefer so that you can get one which makes you satisfied and which coincides with your needs and wants.
Consider materials
Another important factor to consider when buying a duvet or comforter is choosing the right material. They all have various ups and downs compared to each other. The most basic thing you should consider is if you’ll be using your duvet or comforter during the warmer months, colder months, or perhaps all year. Since some materials are better at keeping you cold, others warm and some are balanced it’s an important decision to make so you don’t pick one that will be unsuitable for your climate. Thankfully there are a lot of guides online which go into great detail comparing each material and for what kind of climates they are best suited.
In general, most people choose goose down as it’s really good at keeping you warm but if you live in an area with a lot of humidity or if you tend to sweat a lot during the night then feathers may be a better option for you. If you want something that is suitable for all climates and which won’t make you too hot or too cold depending on the season then synthetic materials are your best bet. These also have the added benefit of being vegan-friendly so if that’s something which is important to you they may be worth considering.
How to pick the perfect size
MyTickie reports that duvets and comforters come in all kinds of shapes and sizes so it can be tricky figuring out which one is right for you. In general, you want one that is big enough to cover your entire bed so that you don’t have any uncovered areas which will let in cold drafts. You also don’t want one that is too big as it will be difficult to manage and may make your bedroom look cluttered.
A good rule of thumb is to get a duvet or comforter that is 10-20% larger than your mattress. This should give you enough coverage while still being manageable. If you’re really unsure about what size to get then it’s always better to err on the side of caution and go for a bigger one as you can always adjust it or use it on a smaller bed.
Conclusion
Whether you get a duvet or comforter the purchase will likely have a significant positive impact on your sleeping experience and will make you feel more rested once you’re out of bed and working. We hope that this guide has helped you more easily make a decision on what you want without needing to worry about making the wrong choice.
