The 8 best blankets for winter in the UK
The best blankets for winter and how to choose from down, synthetics or wool
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Super cozy bedding is essential to make ours beds as comfortable as possible while we sleep and wait for better weather.
That’s why we’ve rounded up the best down comforters, all designed to keep us as warm as possible while sleeping, reading or watching TV in bed.
How often should you change a down comforter
The joy of sleepadvises replacing your blanket every five years – unless you have a cheap blanket, in which case you’ll likely need to replace it after two years.
By contrast, expensive duvets – the kind found in fancy hotels – usually last ten years.
What is a rating?
The tog rating describes the blanket’s warmth or heat resistance. The higher the rating, the warmer the blanket.
If you are a more careful sleeper, you can use a duvet with a high draw in winter and a blanket with a lower tog rating in the summer. The ‘tog’ scale ranges from one to 18 (the warmest down comforter available in the UK).
Which rating is best for winter?
In the winter, you can invest in a blanket with a 10+ rating.
Luxury hotels tend to have feather/down duvets that exceed that lovely, warm and cozy feeling by about 10.5 snug.
A quick overview of the best winter blankets:
What are the fillings for blankets?
Down comforters come in four main forms of filling: feather/down, wool, silk comforters, and synthetic comforters. Each type is available in a variety of sizes to fit standard bed frames – that is, from singles to super-kings.
Different materials suit different lifestyles – some are better for allergy sufferers and others are great if you want to stay cozy.
These ubiquitous blankets are known for their warmth and luxury. If your blanket has a high proportion of down and feathers, it will be lightweight. Reverse – more feather to down, denser. Down blankets are great at keeping you warm – great for those with a cold, but can cause you to overheat (especially a problem if you have night sweats).
These dense, thick hypoallergenic ones are great for allergy sufferers. They also retain air well, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. Also, since it is a natural material, they are sustainable and recyclable.
One of the most luxurious (and sensual) materials out there, it’s an indulgent choice, but it’s also breathable, hypoallergenic and durable.
Synthetic down comforters (such as hollow or microfiber)
They mimic the qualities of feather/down blankets, but cost less. Easy to wash in the washing machine, they are breathable and hypoallergenic.
What kind of blankets are used in luxury hotels?
Luxury hotels tend to have feather/down duvets that give off that lovely, warm and cozy feeling, costing around 10.5 tugos.
THE SIMBA Hybrid® Duvet
This double-sided blanket features “Stratos” fabric on one side, originally created by NASA to help astronauts regulate their temperatures at night.
The other side has breathable 300 thread count cotton – a breathable material. Ironically, these two materials wrap the duck down filling.
What you end up with is a 10.5 tog, extremely toasty blanket that is nevertheless breathable and plush.
Fluffy, toasty, machine washable and available in four sizes, this is a truly impressive winter blanket.
Marlowe goose down duvet
Yes, the price is staggering, but my goodness, it is the epitome of luxury.
We try not to mention clouds when we write about bedding – it’s quite a cliché – but gosh, if you were wrapped in cumulus clouds, this would be it.
Filled with ethically sourced Hungarian goose down, its studs ensure even distribution of filling. The cover is 305 thread count Egyptian cotton – blissfully soft and breathable.
At 10.5 it will toast you in the winter, but that cotton exterior ensures you won’t overheat even in the summer.
Heavenly – and available in four sizes, from single to super king.
Scooms Hungarian Down Blanket
Fluffy like cotton candy, but much softer and cozier.
This is another great option (cheaper than Brooke + Wilde, but still an investment piece), using sustainable, ethical materials, including 90% Hungarian goose down and 10% fine Hungarian goose feathers.
The natural materials used regulate moisture and temperature – excellent protection against dust mites, so a comfortable choice if you suffer from allergies. Usually, people with allergies have to stay away from natural filling: there is no such problem here.
It’s quilted to ensure even filling distribution – this makes for a fluffy blanket year after year (it comes with a 10-year guarantee).
Our favorite feature of these machine washable blankets is that you combine thickness ratings – ie. combine a 3.5 blanket and a 9 blanket to create a winter blanket (both are delicately buttoned). Then you can separate for summer and fall use.
Comes with a 60-day trial period.
Panda Cloud Down Blanket
we love Panda towels are wonderfully fluffy, luxurious bamboo rooms that dry easily, and their down comforter offering is just as great.
Its outer layer is also made of bamboo, and the filling is half bamboo, half nano-microfiber.
This makes the blanket environmentally friendly: bamboo can be grown without pesticides, uses less water than cotton and absorbs a lot of CO.
All of this would be moot if it wasn’t comfortable: but it’s wonderful, as soft as a down/feather blanket, but made in a much more sustainable way.
Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic – great for allergy sufferers. At 10.5 tog, it’s a toasty number, but also breathable – no night sweats here. The whole package.
Nectar down comforter
A bit of a bargain, this is a luxury property at a reasonable price.
Nectar down blankets are filled with 20% modal (a derivative of natural wood pulp) – its properties include moisture permeability and air permeability. At the risk of repeating myself, this means – yes – cozy warmth, without overheating or sweating.
This blanket is thinner than some of the other options, which initially fooled us into thinking it wouldn’t be soft – not at all, it’s a lovely treat.
At 10.5 toga, it retains excellent warmth, but its breathability makes it a year-round option.
All this, and it’s machine washable at up to 60 degrees – great news for allergy sufferers.
Soak and Sleep 100% New Zealand Wool Mitchell Duvet
Like bamboo, wool is another sustainable, recyclable material that’s also hypoallergenic, moisture wicking, and breathable (hello sleepers!).
This affordable wool blanket from Soak and Sleep is filled with Mitchell’s wool super fiber and provides comfort without feeling dense or heavy.
It’s similar to down (but cheaper) – so you have to shake it out in the morning to redistribute the fur.
Machine washable at 30 degrees, this is an impressive, inexpensive and environmentally friendly option.
The White Company Hypoallergenic Soft and Lightweight Breathable Blanket – 10.5 Tog
Oh, the White Company knows how to make you feel comfortable. You won’t want to get out of bed with this number on.
At 10.5 tog, it’s very snug but not squishy, ​​and comes with a five-year warranty. It was an 80% Smartfil® polyester and 20% Modal microfiber filling wrapped in 200 thread count cotton percale. This creates a breathable, soft blanket with an even distribution that is also great for allergy sufferers.
The price also offers excellent value for money.
Jasmine Silk All Seasons Down Duvet, 100% Mulberry Silk Filling
As noted, silk blankets are wonderful for allergy sufferers and are also luxurious to the touch. Breathable, this 9tog down comforter is great when you don’t want to change seasons – the silk filling keeps you comfortably cool in the summer and soft in the winter.
Mulberry silk helps regulate body temperature during sleep, making it a great choice for those suffering from menopause.
https://www.farminglife.com/recommended/best-duvets-for-winter-2022-uk-3537335 The 8 best blankets for winter in the UK
