Best bedding 2022: your search starts and ends right here
Here at Real Homes, we've slept on a lot of bedding. As part of the job, we test sheet sets, duvets, protectors, pillows and more on our very own beds.
In fact, our linen closets are absolutely overflowing with items that we've evaluated from best places to buy bedding. Thank goodness for vacuum-sealed bags.
While we offer multiple guides that showcase the best options among a variety of superlatives, we've also rounded up the best of the best bedding that we've tried and tested, and put them all in one place for you to see the overall picks. Consider it a great night's sleep starter pack.
So whether you're looking to overhaul your bedroom, starting with the best mattress or down to a fresh duvet set, or switch out aging bedding with something that matches your current needs, the following best bedding products represent the items we use in our day-to-day lives and think you'll love too.
Best bedding 2022
1. Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Bundle
Best bed sheets
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King | Material: 100% Long-Staple Cotton | Colors: Solid White, Cream, Graphite, Deep Navy, Rose, Clay and Various Limited edition prints | Thread Count: 480 | Includes: 1 Fitted Sheet Set, 1 Top Sheet, 1 Duvet Cover, and 2 Pillowcases | Duvet?: Available | RRP: $159-$229
Soft to the touch
OEKO-TEK certified
Compatible with deep mattresses
Available in several stylish colors and patterns, and set options
Luxurious sheen finish
Gets softer with each wash
Can appear slightly wrinkled after washing
Some limited edition colors can sell out
With close to 80,000 rave reviews and a near-perfect rating, Brooklinen's Luxe Sateen sheets are a clear favorite of its customers. They feature a rich, buttery soft texture, thanks to their sateen fabric, which gives off a satin-like shine, and sleeps cozy without causing overheating. Brooklinen offers an array of colors and patterns and keeps things fresh by constantly incorporating new limited edition color trends and prints.
The fitted sheet accommodates a mattress that’s up to 15 inches thick and comes with long/short side tags to take out the guesswork of making the bed. The pillowcases also have a convenient envelope closure to keep pillows secure.
The sheets are customizable to your needs, including the basic Luxe Starter set ($120-$170) with just a fitted sheet and two pillowcases, the Luxe Core ($169- $239) with a traditional fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillowcases, or the Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle ($363-$493), which includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, duvet cover, and four pillowcases.
See more of our top picks of the best bed sheets
2. Casper Original Pillow
Best pillow
Sizes: Standard, King | Material: Polyester down-alternative fill, cotton shell | RRP: $65-$85
Resilient and fill bounces back
Cloud-like
Sleeps cool
May be too soft for those seeking a FIRM pillow
Med-fill could be a tight fit in some standard pillowcases
After sleeping with countless offerings while testing the best pillows, and rotating through a number, the Casper Original Pillow is the one mainstay on my bed. It's my perfect pillow. The medium loft design is built to suit all sleep styles, though I could see the pillow being too voluminous for a strict stomach sleeper. It offers the right combination of fluffy comfort and support, doesn't seem to lose its loft or fill over time, and sleeps cool. It perfectly cushions my head and is pretty decent at raising back up again, without needing to refluff come morning.
3. Brooklinen Down Comforter
Best down duvet
Sizes: Twin/Twin XL, Full/Queen, King/Cal King | Material: Cotton/ duck down | Weights: Lightweight, All-Season, Heavyweight | RRP: $189-$609
Ethically sourced duck down from Hutterite Farms in Canada
Hypoallergenic
1 year trial period
Also, offer a down-alt option
Doesn't give a super full look
Spot clean or dry cleaning recommended
With three weights to choose from, there's a warmth level for everybody. While the construction is the same, they vary in fill and feather type. The lightweight has 650 fill of recycled down; all-season is right in the middle with its 700-fill power of duck down, and the heavyweight has a 750 fill of goose down. I use the all-season, the best of both worlds, that is the perfect balance of cool and cozy.
Thanks to its baffle box construction, The fill is evenly distributed and I don't find myself needing to shake it out every morning. Each duvet is made with soft 100-thread count long-staple cotton in a sateen weave. While some down can have seedy origins, the down is sustainably sourced from Hutterite farms and DOWNMARK certified by the non-profit Down Association of Canada. For those nervous about allergies, the fill has been rated hypoallergenic, and the cover is treated with Ultra-Fresh Antimicrobials to keep odors at bay.
We've slept with several duvet inserts to find the best ones
4. Saatva All-Year Down Alternative Comforter
Best down-alternative duvet
Warmth: N/A | Fill Type: Lyocell | Fill Power: N/A | Material: Certified organic percale cotton | Sizes: Twin/Twin XL, Full/Queen, King/Cal King | RRP: $225-$295
Blend of cloud-like 3D down alternative fiber and naturally moisture-wicking lyocell fill
Machine washable
Hypoallergenic
Only one weight available
As an alternative to down, for whatever your reason, Saatva's luxurious down-alternative duvet offering made a great impression, from its sustainable lyocell fill to cloud-like loft. A thick organic cotton percale shell is complemented with a unique blend of 3D down alternative and sustainable lyocell fill for a cloud-like loft, that stays in place throughout the blanket, thanks to the baffle box construction. We also appreciate that it's Fair Trade Certified.
Saatva's duvet is currently only available as an all-season option, but it proved comfortable during the summer, and according to Saatva, it's warm enough for mid-winter, too.
5. The Nectar Mattress Protector
Best mattress protector
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King | Material: Polyester, polyurethane and Tencel | RRP: $99-$119
Waterproof
Breathable
Resistant to dust & allergies
Machine washable
Fits mattresses up to 22"
Fit could be more snug
The Nectar Mattress Protector has graced the bed of several Real Homes staff members, who appreciate that it is a 100 percent waterproof and ultra-breathable.
Erase any pre-existing thoughts on waterproof mattress protectors, this one is made with eco-friendly Tencel, which is more absorbent than cotton and cooler than linen. It's silky to the touch, quiet, and stretchy, too. Though, depending on your mattress size, it could have a snugger fit. It's resistant to allergens and dust, making it a good buy for both allergy sufferers and pet owners. It comes with a five-year warranty and is easily machine-washable, too. If you are after the best mattress protector, look no further.
6. Lucid Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper
Best mattress topper
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Full XL, Queen, King, Cal King | Thickness: 2" or 3" | Type: Gel infused memory foam | RRP: $50- $119
Cooling gel layer
Value priced
Meets CertiPUR-US standards
No straps to hold it in place
You don't have to spend a fortune to change the feel of your mattress, and the Lucid Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper is one of best examples we can think of. It's super comfortable and supportive, hypoallergenic, and gel-infused and ventilated for a cooling effect – and the largest size (California King) comes in at under $125. It also meets CertiPUR-US standards and is made without the use of harsh chemicals, which is an essential certification to look for when bringing foam based products into your bedroom.
While we're all about the three-inch version, the two-inch offering is a good slightly firmer option. For whichever comfort level you choose, the topper adds support to help reduce any pain, joint pressure, and other discomforts, and reduces motion transfer that may come from your partner (or pet's) movements.
7. Bearaby Napper
Best weighted blanket
Weights Available: 10, 15, 20, 25 lb. | Material: Cotton, Tencel, or Velvet | RRP: $199-$299
Stylish, chunky knit design and gorgeous color options
Improves sleep and facilitates relaxation
Constructed of eco-friendly materials and no artificial fillers
Breathable
Machine-washable
Available in velvet, cotton, and Tencel
Expensive
Handle with care: toes poke through holes, and it's easy to stretch out the weave
Weighted blankets are great options proven to help you relax and sleep more deeply as well as ease stress and anxiety. Our top pick is a trifecta of form, function, and sustainability, with tons of colors, weights, and materials to choose from.
It's available in three material configurations, the original cotton made with organic cotton; the Tree napper, made of TENCEL and the most breathable of the lineup; and the indulgent Velvet Napper. The latter uses Eco-velvet, which is manufactured from recycled marine plastic, aka 900 plastic bottles that are upcycled into 100 percent recycled polyester.
Bearaby's signature weighted blanket, the Napper, is a chunky hand-knit design that gets its heft from the weight of layers and layers of the fabric molded together, as opposed to any microscopic fillers, that could shift, cause sounds, or potentially leak. The open-knit design also promotes airflow, but our only note of caution: the chunky knit can space out if pulled on too much, and you may notice your toes poking through.
8. LILYSILK 19 Momme silk pillowcase
Best silk pillowcase
Sizes: Standard, Queen, King | Type: 19 mm 100% Mulberry silk | Color(s): 14 | RRP: $39-$54
Grade 6A momme silk
Also available in 22 and 26 momme options
Offer silk bedding too
Can be monogrammed (for an extra cost)
Professional dry cleaning recommended
For our readers looking for a little beauty sleep, let us put you on to the benefits of silk bedding, especially a silk pillowcase, which protects hair from friction reducing tangles, frizz and hair loss. And bonus points: it hydrates and soothes skin, too.
As an expert in silk, LILYSILK offers bedding, loungewear, and clothing in luxurious silk. Plus they have a 60-day hassle-free return policy. The LILYSILK 19 Momme Silk Pillowcase is made of 100 percent, non-toxic, OEKO-TEX certified Grade 6A mulberry silk. They are available in 16 colors, to match the look of your room, and amply sized to accommodate the fluffiest of pillows.
LILYSILK'S natural silk fibers are degradable and only take one to five years to decompose (50 times faster than synthetic pillowcases!). We also love that LILYSILK operates as a ZERO-Waste business meaning every fabric scrap is utilized in some way, and they have a partnership with TerraCycle for a closed-loop recycling process for products at the end of their lifespan.
How we tested the products for this list
As our in-house sleep expert, I get sent a lot of bedding to put to the test. I sleep on them for a minimum of two weeks (a month for mattresses and toppers) and then put my favorites into our buying guides. This list is a culmination of the top picks for each of those guides. Many items here have also been tested by other team members.
To find out more, read about the Real Homes review process.
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