All the Bedding That Helped Our Editors Sleep Better in 2021

Senior editor Jasmine knew she needed a mattress upgrade but wasn’t quite ready to shell out upwards of $1,000 for a new one. That’s why she turned to the Tempur-Pedic Topper, an easier, more affordable way to up her sleep quality and extend the life of her current mattress. The verdict? She couldn’t be happier with her purchase. “I’d actually forgotten how it felt to be nestled comfortably and fully supported in a bed, rather than plopping into the middle of a sinking mattress.”

Commerce director Mark is a self-described summer hater, and couldn’t find sheets that kept him cool all night while still providing the weight he needed to fall asleep — until he tried the Buffy Eucalyptus Sheets. He described the temperature-regulating eucalyptus fabric as “cool and luxurious,” and said, “I’m thrilled to say that they have put an end to my restless nights.” He recommends washing them before use to transform the breathable texture into something fit for sweaty sleepers.

As a side sleeper, finding the right pillow that supports your neck is key to waking up without aches and pains. Fellow side sleeper and commerce writer Sarah loved her Fern & Willow Premium Down Alternative Pillow so much, she ended up buying an extra set for her parents’ home when she went for an extended visit. “Fern & Willow’s pillow is a fluffy dream, made with a cooling, premium gel-infused microfiber down alternative that makes them great for hot sleepers (me) and anyone looking to go the hypoallergenic route (also me),” she said.

While we’re on the subject of finicky sleepers, managing editor Ivy was coveting the Sijo CLIMA Comforter for its eco-friendly materials and advanced temperature-regulating abilities — and found it was everything she was looking for and more. “I can sleep both hot and cold, depending on the time of year, and always find myself with an excess of blankets or not nearly enough, but this worked beautifully on its own,” she said. “The real magic was found within the scientific technology that worked incredibly well to maintain an optimal body temperature during my REM cycle.”

Perhaps, like senior editor Jasmine, you’ve never given much thought to the material of your sheets. Get ready to have your mind blown by the Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set, which was crowned the percale sheet winner on our Best List for a reason. Even after sleeping on many other brands’ cotton sheets, Jasmine still likes these airy, cozy, and hotel-quality sheets the best, and said, “Not only do these sheets totally live up to the hype, but they’ve single-handedly raised the bar for how I shop for bedding.”

Assistant shopping editor Britt tried and loved the Brooklinen Luxe Duvet Cover, which converted her from being “strictly a comforter person” to a duvet cover aficionado. “I got to enjoy everything I adore about my comforter along with the added bonus of the creamy-smooth feel of the duvet cover,” she said. “It didn’t add a ton of weight, which meant I didn’t overheat while I slept; and it gave me the chance to change up the look of my bedding without buying a brand new comforter.” She also noted that she loved the crispness of color, and that securing her comforter inside the duvet cover was a breeze, thanks to the included ties and button closures.

Managing editor Ivy referred to the Coyuchi Cascade Blanket as the transitional cardigan of blankets. Perfect for those in-between seasons where you still want extra warmth but don’t want to wake up in a dead sweat, this organic cotton blanket is the perfect medium-weight, plush but not too plush blanket that you can use on its own or in coordination with your comforter. Bonus: It folds up neatly in the same reusable drawstring bag that it comes in, so it’s easy to tuck into storage during the off-season, even in small spaces.

Hot sleepers (are you sensing a theme?), gather round the Drumi Percale Sheet Set and rejoice in your newfound ability to sleep through the night without breaking a sweat. Assistant shopping editor Britt loves these life-changing sheets, which she reports are breathable, soft to the touch, and extremely luxurious. They’re made from 400 thread count organic cotton, and have elegant finishes like a shell detail on the top left corner.

Sleeping on this cubic memory foam pillow could be the answer to your stiff neck and restless nights, as it was for commerce director Mark. Yes, it’s a splurge for a pillow, and yes, at first glance, it looks unnaturally large and cumbersome. But trust the process: After using the Pillow Cube Pro for a month, Mark said he was glad he made the switch, that he was continuing to sleep blissfully and wasn’t starting his day with the aches and pains that his old pillows gave him. Side sleepers will love the support of the memory foam, and it comes in several lengths to support a variety of sleepers.

With no exaggeration, managing editor Terri became a new person after trying the Crane & Canopy 400 Thread Count Bright White Percale Sheets. “In my entire life, I’ve never had strong opinions about my sheets,” she says. “But after trying these, I do.” Unlike some percale sheets, they’re luxuriously soft from the get-go, and Terri noted that they don’t lose their crisp white color even after several washes. (In fact, they even made our percale sheet Best List in the “best white” category!)

There’s a lot to consider when you’re thinking about investing in a weighted blanket: What kind of fill do you want? How heavy? What style? But ultimately, you can’t go wrong with one of Best List writer Kendall's favorites: The Hugger by Bearaby. The full-size version of the blanket comes in at a hefty 35 pounds, and covers an entire queen-size bed with room to spare. It’s knit entirely from organic cotton (no beads inside), and is extremely breathable, even if you’re sharing.

Managing editor Ivy loved the color (a subtle and sleek gray) of the Saatva percale duvet cover and the convenient ties in each corner that keep her comforter in place (efficient and easy to manipulate), not to mention the hidden zipper at the bottom (barely visible). The fact that it was easy to wash and made from high quality organic cotton sealed the deal, making this duvet cover one of her new bedding essentials.

After waking up day after day with an aching neck, Best List writer Kendall decided to try the Casper Hybrid Pillow, and she couldn’t be happier with the results. “It alone, and in a single night, was able to free me from my morning pain, get me to sleep in record time, and allow me to stay asleep without tossing and turning.” Back and stomach sleepers love the low-loft style to help keep the neck and spine in line, while side sleepers can opt for the mid-loft. The difference is slight, but even the smallest shifts can make or break a night of sleep.

There are lots of reasons the Coop Home Goods Mattress Topper holds the number one spot on our list of Best Mattress Toppers. It has two sides — medium-firm and medium-plush — and elastic straps keep in place throughout the night. After using it for just one night, Best List writer Kendall quickly noticed a difference. “The next morning, I woke up and actually got up right away without trying to squeeze every minute of sleep out of the morning that I didn’t get the night before.”

Managing editor Ivy calls Under the Canopy’s Sateen Sheet Set “the softest set of sheets I’ve ever tried (I’m talking butter soft).” They’re made from 100 percent long-staple organic cotton with no harsh chemicals, boast a 300 thread count, resist wrinkles, and are responsibly made with GOTS certification and OEKO-TEX® Made in Green certification. Plus, they look absolutely fantastic and get softer with each wash. Says Ivy, “It was the bedding upgrade I didn’t know I needed”

Using the same cushioning technology that makes the brand’s innovative mattresses so great, Purple's Harmony Pillow is made with a layer of honeycomb-patterned Purple Grid Hex material surrounded by an inner layer of ventilated latex, for a pillow that is quite literally the definition of supportive and cooling. After trying it out, writer Grace was a fan. “If you’re struggling to make a decision out of the thousands of pillows out there, then I’d definitely recommend giving the Purple Harmony Pillow a try.”

Sleep Number is well known for its innovative and customizable mattresses, but did you know that they offer an array of thoughtful bedding, too? The True Temp line incorporates the same technology used in athletic wear to strip away heat and keep your body at a steady temperature. For senior editor Jasmine, the True Temp Blanket was a game changer. “Night after night, I woke up feeling cooler and more refreshed than before,” she says. “It’s completely transformed my sleep.”

After using Saatva’s Mattress Topper for a few months, commerce director Mark had only one regret: not trying it sooner. This innovative topper is basically a 1.5-inch “pad” of breathable latex designed to give you comfort and support all night long. “I tend to change positions a lot throughout the night, and I could definitely feel a difference in the way the topper responded to my movements vs. just the mattress,” Mark says.

Brooklinen’s Marlow Pillow is truly revolutionary. It’s adjustable! The fitness is determined by zippers along the long sides of the pillow. When it’s zipped up, the Marlow Pillow is firm. As you unzip, it becomes softer. That means there’s no need to open up the pillow to refill it to increase its support and softness. Assistant shopping editor Britt absolutely loves her Marlow Pillow, which she usually uses with both zippers open. “No matter which way I turned in my sleep, I never felt the need to readjust the pillow for comfort.”

Want to feel like you’re sleeping in a fancy hotel every night of the week? Then Quince’s Belgian Linen Sheets are the choice for you. In fact, they’re so luxe that they cured commerce director Mark’s penny-pinching ways. “Trust this cheapskate when I tell you: Quince's sheets are the upgrade you deserve,” he says. “The linen sheets were only a bit more weighty than my usual bedding but a thousand times more luxurious.”

Engineered for sleepers who prefer down and down alternative pillows, the Purple Cloud Pillow is actually made with tiny gel fibers that shape to your body to support your head and neck. “I love how it has the puffy shape of a down or down alternative pillow, but it doesn’t get lumpy or look crumpled after use,” says assistant shopping editor Britt, who counts the Cloud Pillow as one of her go-to bedding staples. “It’s light, fluffy, and breathable, she says. “I never get too hot while sleeping on the Cloud.”

If you’re a hot sleeper, it can be a challenge to get the right setup for optimal, sweat-free sleep — unless you have the Layla Down Alternative Comforter, of course. Made from 100 percent cotton, containing hexagon-shaped quilting, and weighted with 10-ounce fill, this hypoallergenic blanket is cool enough to use in the summer but also heavy enough for cold weather. “When I slid into bed underneath the comforter, I could tell right away that I was moving in the right direction toward my ideal bedding needs,” says assistant shopping editor Britt.

Senior editor Jasmine calls the Tempur-Cloud Pillow the “Goldilocks of Pillows,” and for good reason. It’s not too soft or too firm, helping you to wake up well rested. It’s designed with both back and side sleepers in mind, instead adapting to your body position. It even comes with a removable cover that you can throw into the washing machine when it needs a refresh. Says Jasmine, “I now truly know what a quality pillow should be.”

When it comes to bedding, Martha Stewart can do no wrong. In fact, after trying out the Martha Stewart Collection Cotton Percale Set from Macy’s, commerce director Mark “was enamored. These sheets felt so much softer than my previous budget brand.” The 100 percent cotton, 400-thread-count sheets are cool to the touch, breathable, and somehow get softer with each wash while still maintaining their crispness. “Sleeping in these sheets almost feels indulgent, and it’s hard to believe they don’t come with a hefty price tag.”

Snagging the title of Best Memory Foam Pillow on our annual Best List, Tuft & Needle’s Original Foam Pillow costs a fraction of the price of other top-rated memory foam pillows. The cover’s breathable wicking material helps pillowcases glide right on, and the custom-cut foam pillow, cooling gel beds, and graphite technology work together beautifully to create a cooling base with the perfect density. Says managing editor Ivy, “The pillow was firm enough to support my head and neck in any position, but soft and squishy enough to sink right in. (If you’re looking for a medium-firm or a medium-plush feel, this is a perfect pick.)”

Moisture-wicking and friendly on the skin, bamboo sheets are becoming more and more popular. Sweave’s Bamboo Sheets are made from a blend of bamboo viscose and cotton, so they’re super soft to the touch. “Although they’re light and airy, they didn’t feel flimsy and thin like other bamboo sheets I’ve tried,” says senior editor Jasmine. “What I thought would end up just being a transitional pair of sheets until the colder months arrived ended up being one of my favorite sets in my linen closet."