Buy Down Comforter Online
To find out what makes an excellent comforter, we spoke with down expert Jack Sukalac on two different occasions when writing and updating this guide. Sukalac is an engineer who started repairing down comforters more than 40 years ago. And he turned it into a business, All About Down, making and repairing down comforters in his Seattle basement. We also consulted David Sweet, then-president of the American Down and Feather Council; Gary Peterson, a longtime manager at famed outdoor-gear maker Western Mountaineering; Daniel Uretsky, president of down and down-alternative supplier Allied Feather + Down; and Shannon Maher, interim dean at the Fashion Institute of Technology and former product designer for The Company Store.
Wirecutter senior staff writer Jackie Reeve, who worked on the latest update of this guide, has written almost all of our bedding guides, including those for sheets, blankets, and pillows. She built on the excellent work of Alex Arpaia, who wrote about comforters from 2017 to 2019, when she was a staff writer at Wirecutter.
All comforters consist of two outer layers of fabric with an insulating material (like down) sandwiched between them. Most are stuffed with clumps of fill (like down, feathers, or polyfil) that are evenly distributed in channels throughout the entire comforter. There are two ways to do this: the sewn-through method and the baffle-box method, illustrated by the comforter cross-sections below.
Duvet or comforter: Technically, a comforter is a bed covering that is filled with some kind of insulation and sewn shut; it usually features a color or pattern and does not require a cover. A duvet typically contains down or down-alternative fill and is made to be inserted into a duvet cover. However, according to Shannon Maher, the interim dean at the Fashion Institute of Technology, in the US these terms have become interchangeable.
In past years we have also tested the following now-discontinued comforters: the Target Fieldcrest Comforters (the mid-weight was a former budget pick), the IKEA Hönsbär and Sötvedel comforters, the Balichun Goose Down Comforter, and the Downlite Hotel & Resort European Down Comforter.
A quality down comforter can last from 10 years up to as long as 20 years, depending on the care it has been given. If the filling starts to come out, or it is not fluffy anymore, it's time to consider replacing the comforter."}},"@type": "Question","name": "How much fill power should I get in a lightweight down comforter?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "For a lightweight down comforter that is great for those warmer summer days, look for a fill power of 400 or below. If you want a down comforter that can work all year-round, the fill power should be around 400 to 600.","@type": "Question","name": "Down vs. down alternative comforter","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "The difference between a down comforter and a down alternative comforter is quite simply the fill. Down comforters have the down from geese or ducks for the filling, while down alternative comforters have cotton or a polyester/synthetic fill."]}]}] .icon-garden-review-1fill:#b1dede.icon-garden-review-2fill:none;stroke:#01727a;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round > buttonbuttonThe Spruce The Spruce's Instagram The Spruce's TikTok The Spruce's Pinterest The Spruce's Facebook NewslettersClose search formOpen search formSearch DecorRoom DesignDecoratingDesign StylesSmall SpacesFeng Shui See all GardenPlants A to ZHouseplantsLandscapingPests & ProblemsWild BirdsIn the Weeds With Plant PeopleThe Spruce Gardening Review Board See all Home ImprovementSkills & SpecialtiesPaintingKitchenBathroomInterior RemodelExteriorsOutdoor BuildingHome ServicesGreen ImprovementsThe Spruce Home Improvement Review Board See all CleaningCleaningOrganizingLaundryPest ControlThe Spruce Cleaning Review Board See all CelebrationsEvents & PartiesEtiquette & AdviceBirthdaysGraduations See all What to BuyHow We Test