Big Fluffy White Comforter or Duvet
March 14, 2018 8:20 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for a big fluffy white comforter or duvet for my full size bed. Obviously, a down comforter is the best choice, but I'm a student on a limited budget, so down is probably out. I'd like to find one for less than $100. Where should I be looking? Places like the Company Store are too expensive, and when I look on amazon, I see a bunch of white comforters that are super cheap and thinner than I want. I'm looking for thick, fluffy, comforters that feel nice on the skin.
Best answer: I have a wonderfully fluffy white down comforter that I got from Costco for 80-90 bucks several years ago. I love it and it is my favorite, and I weep when the summer comes since I can't keep it on my bed. Down isn't out of reach.
posted by phunniemee at 8:28 AM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 8:28 AM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
IKEA has some excellent duvets for great bargainous prices - I am in the UK though so your prices may vary! I have a Honsbar that’s kept on being fluffy for at least three years now.
posted by ozgirlabroad at 8:31 AM on March 14, 2018 [11 favorites]
posted by ozgirlabroad at 8:31 AM on March 14, 2018 [11 favorites]
I would use Overstock and go with reviews with the type of experience you're looking for. And it doesn't have to be down to be good necessarily. I love the comforter my mom got from Target and it's a light one that is somehow really warm. Sometimes I actually find our down duvet too heavy and feathers can be problematic for health. So I wouldn't discount technical fibers, they've come a long way!
However, if you want something that feels good on the skin I would suggest you invest in a duvet cover. When I was a student I preferred the softness of jersey. But now I prefer high thread count cotton. It'll make your duvet last longer as you won't have to wash it, you can just wash the cover.
posted by like_neon at 8:32 AM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
However, if you want something that feels good on the skin I would suggest you invest in a duvet cover. When I was a student I preferred the softness of jersey. But now I prefer high thread count cotton. It'll make your duvet last longer as you won't have to wash it, you can just wash the cover.
posted by like_neon at 8:32 AM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
I'd invest in a nice white duvet cover and inner duvet. I bought a duvet cover on Amazon for $50 From this mini-store and got one of the many matching filler inners.
posted by bbqturtle at 8:37 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by bbqturtle at 8:37 AM on March 14, 2018
Best answer: We have the budget pick from the Wirecutter's down comforter recommendations and we love it! I recommended it to my mom as well.
It's from Costco, and the queen size costs $89.99. It's totally worth it!
posted by telepanda at 8:38 AM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
It's from Costco, and the queen size costs $89.99. It's totally worth it!
posted by telepanda at 8:38 AM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
So, my advice for "fluffy amazing bed on the cheap" is to troll eBay. I prefer (particularly in winter) a bed with way too many down comforters, and I've bought all of them from eBay sellers. There are several who sell company returns (usually from The Company Store). I don't think I've ever paid more than ~$80 for one, and often as little as $30-50 for ones that would be > $200 retail. Unfortunately, my favorite seller doesn't have any inventory of them at the moment, but I'd look there.
Overstock can be good, but you want to look at down/feather percentage carefully (same with Ikea).
And yes to the duvet cover (I like Ikea's, because they're inexpensive for the nice ones, and hold up well... think $40 for duvet cover and pillowcases; they have cheaper, but the fabric takes a long time to get soft on the $20 sets).
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 8:39 AM on March 14, 2018
Overstock can be good, but you want to look at down/feather percentage carefully (same with Ikea).
And yes to the duvet cover (I like Ikea's, because they're inexpensive for the nice ones, and hold up well... think $40 for duvet cover and pillowcases; they have cheaper, but the fabric takes a long time to get soft on the $20 sets).
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 8:39 AM on March 14, 2018
What bbqturtle says. It's not the duvet itself that needs to feel soft on the skin. Get a really nice duvet cover, and you can find a cheaper duvet that you can always replace later when you can afford better. I don't like most of IKEA's linens because they don't feel as nice on the skin, but certainly you can find a 100% cotton duvet cover somewhere.
posted by clone boulevard at 8:41 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by clone boulevard at 8:41 AM on March 14, 2018
I have this duvet cover from IKEA and it is so nice and soft and makes my duvet (which was just a cheap one also from IKEA!) feel very fluffy and comfortable.
posted by lunasol at 8:46 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by lunasol at 8:46 AM on March 14, 2018
echoing the IKEA suggestions; mine has held up well for four+ years now and feels nice with or without a duvet cover (though spring for a cover, if you can)
posted by halation at 8:48 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by halation at 8:48 AM on March 14, 2018
I have this duvet cover from IKEA and it is very soft, like an oxford cloth shirt.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:58 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:58 AM on March 14, 2018
I got this one a few months ago and it's heavy and soft and fluffy. I put a duvet cover on it because I'm like that. Fair warning, it's got black piping around the edges. Also it's the only blanket on my bed and I've never been cold even though my bedroom is regularly 45F degrees. I have no idea how comfortable it's going to be come August.
posted by elsietheeel at 9:10 AM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by elsietheeel at 9:10 AM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's too expensive an item, and too expensive to clean, not to use a cover. But that means you don't have to quite as concerned about the duvet fabric itself, since it won't be directly on your skin.
Keep in mind also that a nicer duvet (higher fill power) should also feel lighter, not heavier. It's a bit counterintuitive.
posted by praemunire at 9:12 AM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
Keep in mind also that a nicer duvet (higher fill power) should also feel lighter, not heavier. It's a bit counterintuitive.
posted by praemunire at 9:12 AM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
Agree with Overstock! I have had good luck with them for both inserts and covers. I think the insert I had was "down alternative" but it was still pretty awesome.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 9:12 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by Snarl Furillo at 9:12 AM on March 14, 2018
This might be a long shot depending on where you live, but maybe goodwill? I got my comforter (white, fluffy, part down/part polyester fill) in its original packaging for twenty bucks at our local gw.
posted by pepper bird at 9:17 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by pepper bird at 9:17 AM on March 14, 2018
You can get a big fluffy down comforter for well under $100 from IKEA. They're perfectly nice. I love mine.
posted by Cygnet at 9:19 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by Cygnet at 9:19 AM on March 14, 2018
While wrestling the duvet cover off and on is non-trivial, it is much easier to wash and dry the cover than the down comforter.
posted by theora55 at 9:51 AM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 9:51 AM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
My partner just bought a $29 synthetic comforter from Ross (I chided him for being such a cheapskate), then a linen cover from Ikea at my urging. The cover was $80, but we found a few for half that in the dinted/damaged area, and I can't tell you how much the cover makes even a cheap comforter twice as luxurious.
(Pair it with a heavy, soft blanket like this, or a cheaper one, and it's especially cozy.)
posted by tapir-whorf at 10:26 AM on March 14, 2018
(Pair it with a heavy, soft blanket like this, or a cheaper one, and it's especially cozy.)
posted by tapir-whorf at 10:26 AM on March 14, 2018
IKEA had some seriously decent ones at a decent price when I was in last week.
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2018
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2018
Best answer: I also have the wirecutter budget pick and those ubiquitous striped IKEA duvet covers (am I a metafilter cliche?). Looks like they sell an all-white cover from the same material for $25, which isn't too bad.
My needs are similar to yours and I've been very happy with it for several years. I'm someone who likes a bit of heft to a blanket and the Costco one is both thick and heavy enough to give me that, while still being perfectly pleasant for year-round use. My only gripe about both the comforter and the cover is that I wish they had ties on the corner to hold them in place, but they can be added pretty easily (and actually the comforter doesn't get screwed up in the cover nearly as often as some others I've had, have).
There are also some ethical issues associated with cheap down; that's something for you to make your own call on (like I said, I do own that down comforter myself) but you may or may not choose to let that weigh in on the decision as well.
Another consideration: if you find anywhere that has marked down a duvet that feels nice but is also kinda ugly, you can always put it in a cover, so no need to rule it out on that account.
posted by mosst at 12:07 PM on March 14, 2018
My needs are similar to yours and I've been very happy with it for several years. I'm someone who likes a bit of heft to a blanket and the Costco one is both thick and heavy enough to give me that, while still being perfectly pleasant for year-round use. My only gripe about both the comforter and the cover is that I wish they had ties on the corner to hold them in place, but they can be added pretty easily (and actually the comforter doesn't get screwed up in the cover nearly as often as some others I've had, have).
There are also some ethical issues associated with cheap down; that's something for you to make your own call on (like I said, I do own that down comforter myself) but you may or may not choose to let that weigh in on the decision as well.
Another consideration: if you find anywhere that has marked down a duvet that feels nice but is also kinda ugly, you can always put it in a cover, so no need to rule it out on that account.
posted by mosst at 12:07 PM on March 14, 2018
Nthing the Costco option (Pacific down). I find the IKEA ones to have too may feahers vs. down and are pokey. I would get a cover from IKEA if possible; the quality ranges but they better ones last for AGES even with weekly washing. I like the ones with the snaps vs the ties; they make some that open across the bottom fully but I think my version of that had buttons which were a pain.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 12:54 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 12:54 PM on March 14, 2018
Ooh, I love Warm Things. I had just the duvet you're seeking for several years and loved it for its quality, fluffiness, and warmth. I had a down alternative one for allergy reasons, but they do also have down options. Prices are super reasonable. I only got rid of it because I moved. IME, way better quality and durability than Ikea.
posted by stillmoving at 12:57 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by stillmoving at 12:57 PM on March 14, 2018
I have a polyfil duvet from ikea and a cover from Threadless. I bought a queen size duvet for my double bed and while it does hang over the edge it is super cuddly!
posted by janepanic at 3:29 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by janepanic at 3:29 PM on March 14, 2018
I think you want this, from JCPenney. I have 2 and I love them. I had a nice duvet and covers for years and I hated the bunching & extra fabric at the edges. This one is so soft and comfy and it’s machine washable. It’s also reversible and there’s a white/white option.
posted by peep at 5:30 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by peep at 5:30 PM on March 14, 2018
nth-ing Ikea: I have two down comforters from there, they are fluffy and warm and holding up really well (this is year 8 and honestly they're good as new).
posted by marlys at 8:00 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by marlys at 8:00 PM on March 14, 2018
Duvets originated in Scandinavia, I think, and I've found ones from IKEA to be excellent .. so echoing many replies above. IKEA sheets etc are also good and really low cost.
posted by anadem at 8:35 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by anadem at 8:35 PM on March 14, 2018
Nth-ing IKEA. We've gotten great fluffy soft comforters there.
posted by SLC Mom at 12:01 AM on March 15, 2018
posted by SLC Mom at 12:01 AM on March 15, 2018
I just this week got this goose down duvet and LOVE it. It's super cozy. There's a lighter-weight version for cheaper.
posted by Stewriffic at 10:16 AM on March 15, 2018
posted by Stewriffic at 10:16 AM on March 15, 2018
Response by poster: I ended up with the Costco comforter in an IKEA duvet cover. My bed is fluffy, white, and cozy now!
posted by ocherdraco at 7:12 AM on April 14, 2018
posted by ocherdraco at 7:12 AM on April 14, 2018
« Older Providers for fibromyalgia in Cleveland, Ohio | Bookfilter: How acting affects humans Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by General Malaise at 8:24 AM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]