The Best Cooling Comforters for Hot Sleepers

Hot sleepers have a hard time sleeping comfortably already. Throw in high temperatures and unbearable humidity, and sleeping in the summer is more of a nightmare than an actual nightmare. If you’re someone who needs to be covered to fall asleep, these comforters offer all the coziness of a duvet, minus the night sweats.

What to Look For in a Cooling Comforter

Material

What is a cooling comforter, you ask? Well, it all comes down to materials. Most comforters will have an outer shell made of something, like cotton or polyester, that may have breathable, moisture-wicking properties. But when discussing cooling comforter materials, fill is just as, if not more, important. Here are some common comforter fill materials and how they affect your sleep.

Down: Down offers that plush and comforting feel that a lot of people love, but its ability to insulate heat makes it a so-so material for a cooling comforter.

Wool: Wool might seem counterintuitive for staying cool, but merino wool has the natural ability to wick away moisture

Cotton: Cotton comes in a wide variety of styles so it’s hard to say that cotton overall is a good or bad option for fill. Generally, cotton is affordable and it definitely won’t be too insulating, so it’s a good middle-of-the-road option for those who don’t sleep too hot at night

Down alternative: Some people don’t like down because it can be expensive, and it’s also an allergen. Typically polyester, down alternative can be configured to be more cooling, and it’s why a lot of the options here have down alternative fill.

Duvet vs. Comforter

A duvet and a comforter are interchangeable terms. You’ll hear duvet more often when used in association with a duvet cover — you put the duvet into the duvet cover, which extends the longevity of the duvet. However, a comforter (or duvet) is quite different than other blankets you might encounter in the bedding sphere, like quilts or throw blankets. For example, a comforter is typically thicker because it’s filled with a material you might find in a pillow, such as down or a type of down alternative.

Unlike other types of blankets, they’re specifically designed for your bed and may have features that help them attach to a duvet cover, including ties or buttons in the corners of the comforter. Because they’re usually meant to be in a duvet cover, you’ll find that most comforters are usually plain white, with some exceptions, so you’ll typically want to focus on its feel rather than looks.

Slumbercloud

Best Overall Cooling Comforter

SlumberCloud Lightweight Comforter

• $199.00 at Slumber Cloud

• Material: Cotton
• Fill: 50% Outlast Polyester Fiberfill and 50% Polyester Fiberfill

While this is a lightweight comforter, it’s good enough for year-round use. The SlumberCloud Lightweight Comforter uses NASA-backed technology to prevent overheating when you’re under the covers. The comforter is filled with ClimaDry by Outlast fiberfill, which regulates heat and moisture. Basically, once your body starts to warm up, the comforter will absorb the heat and push it outward. Combine its cooling capabilities with the fact that it’s machine washable and certified by Oeko-Tex to be free of harmful substances, and you have an excellent overall comforter.

Buffy

Best Upgrade Cooling Comforter

Buffy Breeze Comforter

• $212.00 at Buffy
  $249.00 (15% off)

• Material: Tencel lyocell
• Fill: Tencel lyocell fiber

Buffy is known for making bedding for hot sleepers. Look no further than its eucalyptus sheets or flagship Cloud Comforter. For those who get really hot when they sleep, the Breeze comforter will provide a cooling effect — at a price. It is made entirely of Tencel, which helps to suck up body moisture while keeping cool to the touch.

“I’ve been a hot sleeper for my whole life and this is genuinely the first comforter that keeps me from waking up sweaty,” our tester said. “The TENCEL material is cool and silky to the touch and there’s just enough loft to provide the weight of a standard comforter without the heat.” The comforter itself remains thin so you don’t feel weighed down by it, but its thinness might mean you’ll need to layer up at night when it’s cold out.

Amazon

Best Budget Cooling Comforter

COHOME Queen 2100 Series Cooling Comforter

• $37.00 at Amazon
  $50.00 (26% off)

• Outer Cover Material: Cotton
• Fill: Polyfill

On Amazon, this comforter has over 9,000 five-star reviews, with most people praising its price and comfort, plus giving it extra points for helping them stay cool when they sleep. The comforter doesn’t have any special cooling abilities other than being made of a breathable brushed fabric. And for hygiene purposes, the comforter is fully machine washable.

Purple

Best Lightweight Cooling Comforter

Purple TempBalance Duvet

• $207.00 at Purple
  $259.00 (20% off)

• Material: Cotton
• Fill: Polyester

Purple is known for its grid construction, which helps hot sleepers sleep cooler on its mattresses and pillows. Its duvet doesn’t have that grid (probably because the grid itself is crazy heavy). Its comforter is a down-alternative option for those with bad allergies, and it’s fitted with a smooth, luxurious cotton. Because of how light it is, you can keep it on during the warmer months without worrying about being wrapped up like a mummy.

Courtesy

Best Year-Round Cooling Comforter

Quince All-Season Premium Down Alternative Comforter

• $130.00 at quince.com

• Material: Cotton
• Fill: Microfiber

Quince has a pretty expansive catalog, from washable silk clothing to leather bags to bedding, but it manages to do all of it quite well. I’ve been sleeping with the brand’s down alternative comforter for about nine months now, and I don’t see myself ever giving it up. I’m a hot sleeper, but I like a little bit of weight to my blankets. I took a risk and opted for the all-season version of the comforter (there’s also a lightweight option for $10 less), and I can honestly say I’ve had no issues.

Quince’s comforter doesn’t have quite the same softness as a down comforter might, but the baffle box quilting keeps it nice and fluffy. Paired with the brand’s breathable linen duvet cover, this combo is a definite win for hot sleepers. And it’s relatively affordable, especially when you consider the quality.

Wayfair

Best Down Alternative Cooling Comforter

Alwyn Home Lightweight Polyester Down Alternative Comforter

• $58.00 at Wayfair
  $80.00 (27% off)

• Material: Polyester
• Fill: Polyester

Everything you need to know about this comforter seems to be in its name: It’s lightweight, and it has polyester fill. The outer cover is made of microfiber, which makes this good to throw in the washer and the dryer. Plus, it’s Oeko-Tex certified as an added bonus.

Pottery Barn

Best Moisture-Wicking Cooling Comforter

Pottery Barn Hydrocool Moisture Wicking Down Alternative Duvet Insert

• $229.00 at Pottery Barn

• Material: Cotton
• Fill: 60% regenerated polyester and 40% HydroCool performance polyester

Pottery Barn’s Hydrocool duvet is filled with its namesake down alternative, Hydrocool, which wicks away moisture so you don’t wake up in a puddle of your own sweat. There’s an ultra-plush option for cooler climates, but if you’re worried about getting too hot in your sleep, opt for the midweight option.

Brooklinen

Best Down Cooling Comforter

Brooklinen Lightweight Down Comforter

• $269.00 at Brooklinen

• Material: Cotton sateen
• Fill: Down cluster

The internet’s favorite bedding company, Brooklinen, offers its down comforter in three weights, but its lightweight option is where it’s at for hot sleepers. Housed in a sateen cotton shell, the down clusters and feathers offer softness and comfort without overheating you. The comforter trends towards the pricier side, but the down is sourced sustainably, the materials are high quality and you get 365 days to determine whether or not it’s for you — so you could say it justifies its own price.

Casper

Best Cozy Cooling Comforter

Casper Humidity Fighting Duvet

• $314.00 at Casper
  $349.00 (10% off)

• Material: Cotton
• Fill: Down

We’ll state the obvious first: This is an expensive comforter. However, we think it justifies its price. First, the real down is ethically sourced, and it offers the plushness of a heavy comforter without the actual weight. The sewn-in chambers of the comforter keep the fill in place, with Casper comparing it to your favorite down jacket. The entire comforter is finished off with a layer of merino wool, which is known to naturally wick away moisture while being a good insulator, so it’s a good year-round comforter.

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