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The Best Duvet Inserts: A Guide for 2020

Looking for a new comforter or duvet? We’ve got you covered for that one piece of bedding you can’t live without.

By Sheryl Grassie

A duvet is essentially a comforter that is meant to have a cover.  Originally, the term duvet, was defined as a “Down filled quilt, often with a removable cover.” The duvet is inserted into the cover, thus the term duvet insert.

The word duvet comes from the French and refers to down or bird feathers which is what early comforters were made from. In our modern marketplace, duvets are made from all kinds of different materials that include down, but also include wool, cotton, and down alternative. You can technically use a duvet without the cover, but for ease of care, the cover is a great asset. Check out our top picks for best duvet inserts.

Our Top Picks for the ​Best Duvet Inserts

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Boll & Branch duvet insert

Editor’s Pick: Boll & Branch – Down Duvet Insert 

This down duvet insert is one of the highest rated inserts on the market with comments like “truly amazing” and “sleeping on a cloud,” customers rave and are more than happy with the quality and comfort. 

Boll & Branch is proudly made in the USA and stresses fair and living wages for factory workers and farmers. They use no child labor and work with in and environmentally friendly mannor, conserving water and using detergents that are twice as safe as govermnet standards. They are committed to a different approach to business.

The baffle-box construction of this duvet keeps it even and makes for a long-wearing comforter. The cover is made from 100% organic cotton for no off-gassing. Machine wash and dry.

  • Price: $400.00 – $450.00
  • Sizes: Full/Queen or King/California King
  • Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars, 128 reviews
Brooklinen - Alternative Down Comforter

Best Down Alternative: Brooklinen – Alternative Down Comforter

Perhaps the picture says it all, but this award-winning Brooklinen Alternative Down Comforter is one of the most well-loved and best reviewed comforters out there. Wrap yourself in total contentment for the best sleep of your life.

The comforter is made from shaved microfibers that are vegan, allergy friendly, and made in the USA. These comforters are OEKO-TEX certified, meaning it has been tested against harmful chemicals. Brooklinen uses box stitching to keep the filling distributed evenly so it retains a great look and feel. It comes in two weights, an all-season for most climates, and a lightweight for warm climates and people who sleep hot. 

  • Price: $179.00 – $269.00
  • Sizes: Twin/Twin XL, Full/Queen, King/California King
  • Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars, 670 reviews

Best for Comfort: Buffy – Alternative Down Comforter

Claiming to be the earth’s softest comforter, the Buffy is another great choice for a down alternative. The cover is made from eucalyptus that is softer than cotton, and the fill is made from recycled plastic, keeping 50 bottles out of the landfill for every comforter made. This down alternative is a great temperature regulator and meant to be used in all seasons. The feel is cloud-like, and it easily tucks around you for ultimate comfort. 

Buffy strives to be environmentally friendly, noting that in addition to limiting landfill they protect 12 geese for every comforter by not using feathers. This comforter is hypoallergenic and repels dust mites and other microorganisms for a healthy sleep environment. 

  • Price: $160.00 – $200.00
  • Sizes: Full/Queen, King/California King
  • Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars, 687 reviews
Casper Humidity fighting duvet

Best Cooling: Casper – Humidity Fighting Duvet

Casper is well known for mattresses, but they make bedding as well. This duvet insert is a highly innovative hybrid of three natural materials. It is a down comforter with a layer of merino wool that is wrapped in 100% cotton for an amazing combination of features. The down is soft and warm, the wool is temperature balancing and moisture wicking, and the cotton has a nice soft finish. They are all natural fibers that can be machine washed. 

Further, the duvet insert is OEKO-TEX 100 certified for safety in chemical emissions and uses ethically sourced down. This comforter is machine wash in cold and tumble dry on a low setting. It comes with a 1 year warranty and 100 night risk-free trial. If you don’t love it, just send it back for an easy return.

  • Price: $350.00 – $450.00
  • Sizes: Twin/Twin XL, Full/Queen, King/California King
  • Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars, 787 reviews
Coyuchi Duvet insert

Best Wool: Coyuchi – Climate Beneficial Wool Duvet Insert

A great down alternative is wool. This Coyuchi duvet insert is wool batting inside a 100% organic cotton cover that is tufted to keep the wool in place. It is made in the USA.

Wool keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer while being naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant. Wool is a flatter, denser, heavier material than down and the extra weight of a wool comforter can help with sleep. It can also support sensory issues for individuals with autism.

The wool is processed with biodegradable soap and processed without chemicals. Machine wash and air dry.

  • Price: $348.00 – $498.00
  • Sizes: Twin, Full/Queen, King
  • Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars, 17 reviews
Coyuchi Organic cotton comforter

Best Organic: Coyuchi – Organic Cotton Comforter

A natural and lightweight duvet insert, the Coyuchi is made from 100% organic cotton inside and out. It can be used with or without a duvet cover and comes in a choice of colors. It is box stitched construction and a 220-thread count cover. 

Coyuchi is an environmentally friendly company that gives back and supports its workers. Their products are tested for safety and organically certified. This cotton comforter is a great choice for hot sleepers or as an additional layer. The cotton is soft and completely chemical free. Wash in cool water and use natural detergents. Tumble dry low with dryer balls.

  • Price: $198.00 – $298.00
  • Sizes: Twin, Full/Queen, King
  • Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars, 62 reviews
Land's End Goose Down comforter

Best Down: Lands’ End – Elite Goose Down Comforter

This Land’s End comforter is a great value, and the company often has sales to boot. The down is prewashed and then washed again for extra clean down and to eliminate any orders or dust. The down is sourced responsibly and encased in a 300-thread count cotton cover using box construction, so the down won’t shift or bunch, eliminating cold spots. The comforter is 75% down (the softest inner feathers) and 25% feathers. The fill is 550 for a medium loft among down comforters that is great for warmer sleepers. 

This well-made, high quality duvet insert has fabric loops to secure it inside the duvet cover. It is hypoallergenic and machine washable. Dry on low with dryer balls.

  • Price: $189.95 – $279.95
  • Sizes: Twin, Full/Queen, King
  • Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars, 49 reviews
L.L. Bean sateen comforter

Best for Warmth: L.L. Bean – Sateen White Goose Down Comforter

For some climates you really want a very warm duvet. This white goose down comforter is a luxurious sateen covered heavy weight (700 fill) insert for colder climates and winter months. L.L. Bean uses responsibly sourced down from humanely traded birds and the feathers are repeatedly washed to eliminate orders, dust or any contaminants, leaving pure down. 

The comforter is baffle-box constructed for stabilization of the down and to eliminate cold spots. It is encased in a 400-thread count cotton cover. This comforter is top-of the line and the reviews support it with near perfect ratings. Machine wash and dry.

  • Price: $499.00
  • Sizes: Queen
  • Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars, 64 reviews
Woolroom classic wool comforter

Best Budget: Woolroom – Classic Wool Comforter – Light

This British company makes great wool comforters for an amazingly affordable price and they come in a variety of weights for different temperature preferences. This light comforter is a luxurious blend of organic wool and alpaca that helps regulate your temperature and can easily be used all year round. 

This company uses no synthetic fibers, and the duvet insert is covered in all-natural 200 thread count cotton. All the materials used by Woolroom are natural, sustainable, and healthy. Wool is naturally hypoallergenic, mold, mildew, and dust mite resistant. They recommend dry clean only.

  • Price: $54.99 -$95.49
  • Sizes: Single, Double, King, Super King
  • Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars, 4,436 reviews

How to Care for Your Duvet Insert

The first thing to note about care is that duvet inserts are meant to be covered. This allows you to remove and wash the cover on a regular basis and only clean the insert periodically. Recommendations can be from every 6 months to every 5 years depending on conditions. Duvets are large items that can require commercial size washers or dry cleaning, so the cover makes maintaining them far easier. 

  • Start by Reading the Instructions: Your duvet insert will have specific instructions that will include washing or dry cleaning, types of detergent, dry settings and more. If you follow the instructions, it should keep your insert in good shape. 
  • Have a Schedule: You may only need to wash your comforter every year, but you may want to do it more often or less often depending on how much work it is and if it really needs it. It helps to keep track of when you last washed it, so times don’t get away from you. If you have a good cover, you can wash that every couple of weeks, and the duvet will remain protected. 
  • Washer Size: Most at home machines will easily hold a queen-size duvet. For larger sizes or if you have a small washer, you may need to find a commercial machine, take it to the cleaners, or wash in the tub. 
  • Detergent: Especially if you bought an organic comforter, but even if you didn’t, you may want to buy some kind of natural soap. Chemical or synthetic laundry soaps shorten the life of the duvet and add in toxins that many manufacturers are working to keep out of their products. Natural soaps are better for the environment and safer for you to breathe while sleeping. 
  • Dryer Balls: These are especially helpful for down and down alternative to keep the feather or fibers from drying in clumps. The dryer balls bounce around in the dryer and break up the clumps that occurred from washing. Try clean tennis balls or purchase dryer balls which come in felted wool, plastic, and other assorted materials. 

Summary

Our picks for the best duvet inserts are listed above and encompass a wide variety of materials including down/feathers, wool, cotton, and synthetic. All of these different materials can make wonderful comforters. Choosing the best duvet insert for you means knowing how much warmth you want, thinking through the kind of material you like best, and choosing the type of company you want to support. Do you want something natural, organic, sustainable, or fair-trade? Let our list of the best duvet inserts for 2020 be your purchasing guide.

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