Over the weekend, I made my annual switch from my winter duvet to the best cooling comforter. As a hot sleeper who still appreciates a lightweight layer, I don't know what I'd do without my summer duvet.
If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, or you simply tend to run a little warm, then you might get a lot of use out of a cooling comforter. There are down alternative options to suit vegan shoppers and sensitive sleepers, as well as cooling down duvets with plenty of natural loft. With so many cooling comforters on the market, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.
That's where I come in. As H&G's resident sleep writer, I lead a team of expert testers. Together, we've sampled some of the world's best duvet inserts. I've combed through our back catalog of reviews and buying guides to bring you our best cooling comforters, tested by hot sleepers, for hot sleepers.
Best cooling comforters 2024
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
As a sleep writer and a shopping editor, I know all the best places to buy comforters. I've rounded up my favorite finds from Brooklinen, Woolroom, The Company Store, and more. Good news: a lot of the best cooling comforters are listed for less in the bedding sales.
The Quick List
If you already have a specific cooling comforter in mind, you can skip straight to that section using the jump menu. If you'd rather take stock of your options, you can browse the best cooling comforters below.
The best cooling comforter overall
One of our expert testers, Alex, tested this cooling comforter in a hundred-year-old house in the middle of Texas. She's no stranger to hot nights, and she couldn't believe how cool the LaCrosse Premium Down Light Warmth Comforter kept her.
The best down cooling comforter
The Brooklinen Down Comforter comes in three weights to suit every sort of sleeper. I tested the All-Season Comforter and found it kept me just the right side of cool and dry, though seriously hot sleepers should opt for the Lightweight layer.
The best down alternative cooling comforter
For a down alternative comforter, this insert feels unbelievably light and fluffy. The Buffy Cloud Comforter has the look and feel of real down, without the heat retention: it's wrapped in a layer of eucalyptus lyocell for enhanced cooling.
The best all-season cooling comforter
If you live in a temperate climate, I suggest you invest in an adjustable comforter, like this one from Scooms. That way, you can pull apart the layers as the weather warms up and button them back together when it starts to cool again.
The best cooling comforter for night sweats
This cooling comforter is filled with organic wool, which is naturally thermoregulating and moisture-wicking. In fact, wool can hold up to a third of its body weight in water, which is ideal for hot sleepers who suffer from night sweats.
The best eco cooling comforter
Filled with a unique blend of virgin and recycled down, the Company Conscious Down Comforter maximizes loft as it minimizes waste. It's wrapped in a layer of TENCEL lyocell, botanically sourced from sustainable wood fibers.
The best cooling comforter overall
The LaCrosse Premium Down Comforter comes in four warmth weights to suit every style of sleeper and sort of climate. Our expert tester, Alex, tried the Light Warmth Comforter and found it suited her needs as a hot sleeper in the middle of Texas.
Although Alex struggles to sleep in the heat, she still needs a layer to apply some gentle pressure. She found that the LaCrosse Premium Down Light Warmth Comforter weighed just enough to keep her comfortable without trapping any excess heat.
A lot of the cooling comforters on this list only come in classic white. Luckily, The Company Store stocks the LaCrosse Premium Down Light Warmth Comforter in all sorts of shades, from thyme green to smoke blue, to complement every color palette.
I like pretty much everything about the LaCrosse Premium Down Light Warmth Comforter. Sure, it's on the more expensive side, but that's the price you pay for premium down, ethically sourced. It's worth flagging, though, that even the best down comforter is unsuitable for vegan shoppers: you'd be better off with a down alternative duvet insert, such as the Buffy Cloud Comforter.
You can find more detail in our LaCrosse Premium Down Light Warmth Comforter.
The best down cooling comforter
If you're looking for a cooling comforter to form the base of a beautiful bedspread, then you've come to the right place.
I started sleeping with the Brooklinen Down Comforter as the weather turned from winter to spring. Considering the time of year, the comforter kept me a little too cool, but it's really coming into its own now that it's summer.
The Brooklinen Down Comforter comes in three weights: Lightweight; All-Season; and Ultra-warm. I tested the All-Season weight, which I'd recommend for year-round use, apart from the depths of winter. It's fluffy and light, applying just enough pressure to help me get to sleep at night.
A lot of down comforters are filled with individual feathers, which can poke through the comforter case to scratch your skin. By contrast, the Brooklinen Down Comforter is filled with down clusters (just the fluffy, feathery bits at the end of each filament) for cooling comfort.
You can find more detail in our Brooklinen Down Comforter review.
The best down alternative cooling comforter
The Buffy Cloud Comforter sat at the top of my testing wish list for months before I had the chance to call it in. I got it just in time for summer, and I'm loving the cooling comfort it brings.
This is a down alternative duvet insert, filled with recycled plastic, which is shredded and spun into super-soft fiberfill. Buffy claims that each individual strand is thinner and lighter than an eyelash. That's what gives the Buffy Cloud Comforter its signature puff, so rare for a down alternative duvet.
Most of the cooling comforters I've tested come encased in cotton, but the Buffy Cloud Comforter is wrapped in eucalyptus lyocell. It feels cool to the touch and soft against my skin.
I like almost everything about the Buffy Cloud Comforter, aside from the length of the sleep trial. You get just 7 days to test the fit and feel before you commit to your purchase. I'm a professional product tester, and I still don't think that's enough time to make your mind up.
The best all-season cooling comforter
Unless you're a seriously hot sleeper, or your AC is broken, you probably won't want to sleep with a cooling comforter all year round. You might get more use out of an adjustable comforter, like this one from Scooms.
The Scooms Hungarian Goose Down Duvet comes in three weights: a lightweight layer (2.5 tog), a summer duvet (4.5 tog), and a winter weather weight (9 tog). You get to pick and choose between the togs to create a bespoke bedspread that meets your sleep needs.
Each layer is attached with duvet fasteners (a simple series of poppers) As the weather warms up, I like to pull apart the layers to sleep under a lighter duvet. Just make sure you find somewhere to store the other half of your comforter and button the pieces back together for fall.
I love everything about this cooling comforter, but I'm not a huge fan of the site: the European sizes get a little confusing. If you struggle to tell the difference between US vs UK bed sizes, check out our expert explainer.
The best cooling comforter for night sweats
The Woolroom Organic Washable Wool Comforter could be a game-changer for hot sleepers who suffer from night sweats. I first tried it on the Woolroom Sleep Retreat and liked it so much that I ordered one for long-term testing at home.
Wool is a miracle worker for moisture-wicking. I put it down to those porous natural fibers, which can hold up to a third of their weight in water. That moisture should evaporate first thing in the morning, as soon as you get out of bed. Wool is one of the best materials to keep your bed and body feeling fresh.
Thermoregulating, hypoallergenic, and totally free from synthetic materials and fibers, the Woolroom Organic Washable Wool Comforter is a great option for eco-conscious shoppers and sensitive sleepers. Unlike almost any other wool product on the market, this comforter is machine-washable for quick, convenient cleaning.
One practical point: the Woolroom Organic Washable Wool Comforter only comes in sizes Twin, Full, Queen, and King. If you're shopping for a Twin XL or California King, you'll need to look elsewhere.
The best eco cooling comforter
If you love the look and feel of real down, but you're keen to shop more sustainably, I suggest the Company Conscious Down Comforter. It's breathable, buttery-soft, and filled with the finest RDS-certified down to ensure ethical practice from farm to factory.
The Company Conscious Down Comforter is filled with a blend of virgin and recycled duck down to maximize loft and minimize waste. The cooling cover is made from a mixture of cotton and TENCEL lyocell, woven into silky-smooth sateen.
The Company Conscious Down Comforter boasts a 4.9 average star rating on The Company Store site. Happy customers praise the look and feel of the comforter, which is slightly oversized for a dramatic drape on either side of the bed.
I couldn't review the Company Conscious Down Comforter without mentioning the price. You'd have to fork out $389 to get a Queen at full price. I'd argue it's worth the money, but if you're unsure, you can bag it for 70% of its RRP in the Memorial Day bedding sales.
How we test comforters
We put a lot of thought into how we test comforters. Our sleep experts sample comforters for several weeks, if not months, to monitor their performance over time.
We assess each comforter against the same criteria: comfort; breathability; sustainability; and ease of care. Obviously, in the case of cooling comforters, we pay especial attention to breathability.
Where possible, we cross-check our findings with verified customer reviews to show a range of experience with the same comforter. Finally, we bring it all back to the price to help you determine value for money.
Meet the team
Emilia is our resident sleep writer at H&G. She spends her days tracking prices on the hottest products and spends her nights testing out the best bedding. She reviewed the Brooklinen Down Comforter and the Buffy Cloud Comforter for the purpose of this review.
Alex is one of our regular freelancers. Her work also appears in outlets such as Architectural Digest, Dwell, and Real Homes. She reviewed the LaCrosse Premium Down Light Warmth Comforter for inclusion in this buying guide.
Cooling comforter FAQs
How should I choose a cooling comforter?
When you're shopping for a cooling comforter, there are three key considerations to keep in mind.
Cooling features
Many of the best cooling comforters incorporate thermoregulating technology to absorb and release heat at strategic intervals overnight.
Breathable fabrics
This is a non-negotiable. Since natural fibers are more breathable than stuffy synthetics, I suggest you shop for comforters encased in cotton, bamboo, wool, or other moisture-wicking materials.
Lightweight feel
While down duvet inserts have the most luxurious loft, all that air can trap heat. If you're set on a down comforter, make sure to select the lightweight option.
Do cooling comforters really work?
The best ones do. Quality cooling comforters are stuffed with thermoregulating fills and wrapped in breathable fabrics to dissipate heat and wick moisture.
Final thoughts
Once you've invested in one of the best cooling comforters, it's important to take good care of it. It's worth learning how to wash a comforter and how to dry a comforter at home to elongate the life of your bedding.
Seriously hot sleepers could layer a set of the best cooling sheets beneath their comforter or place the best cooling mattress protector between their bed and their body. If you've tried everything, and you're still struggling to sleep in the heat, you should invest in the best cooling mattress.
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