Best Comforters for 2023 – CNET

A good comforter can complete your bed setup, elevate its feel and make it so cozy that you might have a hard time crawling out of bed in the morning. Comforters are made with different materials, textures and fabrics, making some more appealing than others if you want a specific feel. 

We’ve been testing sleep products for years, covering everything from mattresses to pillows to bed protectors. To help you with your search, we tested some of the top comforters on the market and reviewed each with our honest insights. 

Read more: Best Mattress of 2023

What is the best comforter overall? 

During our testing, we found the best comforter to be the Buffy Cloud. With a eucalyptus fabric shell and eco-friendly, certified-recycled fill, the Buffy Cloud comforter has a lightweight and airy feel. It’s the type of comforter that just about anyone will like. It’s also one of the most affordable comforters on this list.

Best comforters for 2023

A bed made with a Buffy Comforter in a bedroom with a brick wall.

Buffy

Buffy is one of the best-known brands in the bedding world, and you’ve probably encountered its comforters in your search for new bedding. Between the Buffy Breeze comforter and the Cloud, the Cloud comforter is its warmer, plusher pick, perfect for cooler weather, or for all seasons if you don’t have any issues sleeping hot.

Unlike with most comforters I’ve seen, the outside shell of the Buffy Cloud is made with eucalyptus fabric, which offers a softer and more breathable option than cotton. Inside is a soft, eco-friendly, certified-recycled fiber fill that gives the blanket a fluffy, lightweight and airy feel. It’s an ultracozy addition to any bed — I had it myself for a year before making a switch when I reviewed picks for this Best Comforter list.

I had no trouble sleeping hot with it, but my partner is a hot sleeper who’d get a little warm when we used it during the summer. If that’s the case for you, check out the brand’s cooler Buffy Breeze for those high-temp months, or the Cozy Earth listed below.

A full/queen size Buffy Cloud comforter retails for $189.

Pros:

  • Plush and warm 
  • Soft and breathable eucalyptus fabric 
  • Eco-friendly bedding option 

Cons: 

  • Not for people who want a down comforter 
  • No color options

Additional details: 

  • Thread count: 300-thread count
  • Material: Eucalyptus fabric 
  • Fill: Recycled fiber 
  • Care: Machine washable 
  • Trial period: 50-night trial
  • Price: $$

Sleep Number duvet

Sleep Number

For people who sleep with another person who tends to kick the blanket off while you’re freezing, consider the Create Your Perfect Comforter from Sleep Number. I’ve been sleeping with this blanket for the last few months, and I really like it. 

It’s two blankets joined by a zipper down the center. The zipper is under two fabric flaps, so you barely notice it’s there. Each person gets to choose how warm they want their side of the blanket to be. You have the choice of light, medium and extra warmth. I opted for the extra warmth, while my partner had the lightest. The extra warmth version provides plenty of warmth while still being breathable. 

The one thing to watch for with this blanket is that you have to add each side to your cart individually. 

Pros: 

  • Super comfortable
  • Three warmth options 
  • Two fill options: down or down alternative 

Cons:

  • The zipper was stiff at first 
  • More expensive than other blankets
  • It’s white, so you probably want a duvet 

Additional details: 

  • Material: 100% cotton shell
  • Fill: Down or down alternative 
  • Care: Machine washable 
  • Trial period: 100-night trial; 1-year 
  • Price: $$

A bed made with a Layla Down Alternative comforter with a nightstand next to it.

Layla Sleep

There are a few benefits to having a down alternative cover over a down. It’s more affordable and eco-conscious. The best alternative comforter I’ve tested comes from Layla, the maker of the popular flippable Layla mattress

The outside shell is made with 100% cotton, and the inside is filled with what Layla calls Cluster-Loft. It’s a soft and fluffy material that replicates the feel of down feathers, but no animals were involved in its production.

It has a baffle box stitch construction, but instead of square boxes like a traditional comforter, it features an octagon stitch — a Layla signature. The brand says it also helps keep the filling from bunching in the corners. Each octagon looks and feels particularly puffy, and I think the design gives the comforter a unique look. 

This is one of the best budget-friendly options on our best comforter list. The Layla Down Alternative comforter retails for $229, but the company often offers deals that drop the price to around $150.

Pros:

  • Down alternative is more affordable and hypoallergenic 
  • Baffle box stitch keeps fill in place

Cons: 

  • Only available in white and a light gray

Additional details: 

  • Thread count: 300-thread count
  • Material: 100% cotton shell
  • Fill: Down alternative 
  • Care: Machine washable 
  • Trial period: 120-night trial
  • Price: $

The Brooklinen comforter on a mattress with white and green pillows, and an orange headboard.

McKenzie Dillon/CNET

I unboxed the comforter, and while it was inside its plastic packaging, I was surprised to feel how lightweight it was. I know down is synonymous with soft, but this comforter is seriously like one big pile of cotton candy. Its baffle box design (stitched squares) makes each pocket just as puffy as the last. You won’t have to worry about filling shifting to one side of the blanket.

The outer shell of the Brooklinen down comforter is made with 100% cotton and a sateen weave, while the inside is filled with soft down clusters. Speaking of fill, you can customize your fill level to your preferred coziness. Choose between lightweight, medium or extra fill for extra warmth. I chose the medium fill, and I think it’s perfectly warm and cozy while maintaining a weightless feel. It’s a great pick for the cooler fall and winter seasons or for people who don’t sleep hot.

A full/queen size Brooklinen down comforter in medium fill retails for $379.

Pros:

  • Baffle box design keeps the fill in place
  • Down fill is sustainably sourced from duck or geese living on Hutterite farms in Canada
  • Three fill options

Cons: 

  • Not a budget choice
  • Not the fluffiest option out there

Additional details: 

  • Thread count: 400-thread count
  • Material: 100% cotton sateen shell
  • Fill: Down cluster fill
  • Care: Dry-clean only
  • Trial period: 365-night trial
  • Price: $$$