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8 best winter duvets to keep you cosy on cold nights

Stay snug in these high-tog heroes when the temperature drops

<p>We considered their weight, fluffiness, breathability and how easy they were to clean</p>

We considered their weight, fluffiness, breathability and how easy they were to clean

As the nights draw in, it’s a good idea to ditch the lightweight bedding that kept you cool over summer and swap to a dedicated winter duvet.

The tog will tell you just how toasty any duvet is. Short for thermal overall guide, the number measures a duvet’s warmth; the higher the number, the cosier you’ll be. As a general rule, a winter duvet should be 10.5 or above to keep you snug but you could also go for an all-seasons version, which combines a low tog summer duvet with a separate medium tog duvet for spring and autumn.

It’s worth considering filling too. While a cotton or silk exterior feels plush, it’s what’s inside a duvet that really counts. Down is the most high-end option, yet still feels lightweight. Feathers tend to be heavier and are often combined with down to make it more affordable.

Other natural fillings include silk and wool, which are hypoallergenic and help regulate body temperature. Synthetic fillings include hollowfibre and microfibre are a great choice for anyone who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on their duvet or has allergies.

How we tested

We literally slept on the job and bedded down with every duvet to test its snooze factor. We judged each on its weight, fluffiness and breathability to make sure we didn’t wake up sweltering and whether any caused problems for our allergy-prone co-tester. We also considered if the duvet could be machine-washed and if it used traceable, ethical fillings where relevant. All prices are for a standard-size single unless otherwise stated.

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The best winter duvets for 2022 are:

  • Best overall – Scooms all-seasons Hungarian goose down duvet: £315, Scooms.com
  • Best for allergy sufferers – Nectar Sleep the Nectar duvet: £63, Nectarsleep.co.uk
  • Best wool duvet – Piglet merino wool medium weight duvet: £129, Piglet.com
  • Best for couples – Silentnight yours and mine dual tog duvet: £35, Silentnight.co.uk
  • Best for hotel luxe – Brook and Wilde the marlowe goose down duvet: £629, Brookandwilde.com
  • Best for year round use – Fogarty anti allergy white goose feather and down duvet: £75, Dunelm.com
  • Best for all-seasons – Made To Last euroquilt duck feather and down duvet: £50.99, Madetolast.co.uk
  • Best for unusual bed sizes – BedGuru custom hotel dacron comforel duvet: £75, BedGuru.co.uk

Scooms all-seasons Hungarian goose down duvet

Best: Overall

  • Tog: 13.5 (4.5 + 9)
  • Filling: Hungarian goose down and feather
  • Rating: 9/10

This duvet is so fluffy, it felt like we were snuggling down in a freshly made hotel bed. It’s made using sustainable and ethically sourced materials with 90 per cent Hungarian goose down and 10 per cent small Hungarian goose feather for an ultra-comfy feel. All the down is washed with natural thermal water so no chemicals or plastics were used in the manufacturing process.

The duvet also has natural temperature and moisture regulating properties which prevent dust mites. This means it comes with the anti-allergen Nomite standard. Our allergic co-tester was staggered to find this didn’t trigger a reaction like many naturally-filled duvets do.

It’s machine-washable, has a 10-year guarantee and is super-soft too, with a 100 per cent 300 thread count sateen cotton cover that slips easily into bedding when changing the sheets. Small pockets trap the down to ensure the filling stays even and the fluff factor remains night after night. We especially liked the fact the all-seasons duvet comes in a range of options, so you can match 2.5 and 4.5 tog duvets or 2.5 and 9 tog ones if you prefer something a little lighter, though our mix of 4.5 and 9 togs felt like the perfect cuddly combination for chilly winter nights. You can even try it out first for 60 nights to make sure you love it or you’ll get a full refund.

The Nectar duvet

Best: For allergy sufferers

  • Tog: 10.5
  • Filling: Smartfil + modal
  • Rating: 7/10

This is a fantastically priced duvet for anyone with allergies and who wants bedding that will work all year round. It’s filled with 20 per cent modal, which is derived from natural wood pulp, wicks moisture away from the body and is extremely breathable. This means you won’t wake up in a sweaty mess, even when the weather warms up or if the heating kicks in overnight.

We were staggered by just how soft this duvet was, making us feel like we were all wrapped up in candy floss. Plus, it never seemed to get lumpy. It was slightly thinner than some of the other duvets we tested but this makes it a good year-round choice. We didn’t feel at all chilly despite this. Allergy sufferers will also love the fact it can be machine washed up to 60 degrees to keep it in hygienic condition.

Piglet merino wool medium weight duvet

Best: Wool duvet

  • Tog: n/a
  • Filling: Merino wool
  • Rating: 9/10

Forget all you know about tog ratings because wool duvets have their own rules. Merino wool doesn’t have a rating but steadily maintains body temperature all year, however cold it gets outside. It also draws moisture away from the body which is a godsend for any night-sweaters.

We thought this naturally hypoallergenic duvet sounded too good to be true but we were wowed by its smooth organic cotton cover and soft feel. Made from humanely sourced wool from free-range flocks, it did smell a little when we first pulled it from the included storage case but this dispersed after airing it for a short amount of time. Similarly, though the duvet can be machine-washed, Piglet advise to only do this if necessary and instead air on the washing line four times a year to naturally expand the wool and revitalise the duvet. Though the medium duvet is not bulky, it kept us warm all night. A year-round winner.

Silentnight yours and mine dual tog duvet

Best: For couples

  • Tog: 10.5 + 13.5
  • Filling: Hollowfibre
  • Rating: 7/10

Say goodnight to bedtime arguments for good with this ingenious duvet-slash-relationship-saver. Though it looks like an ordinary duvet with a silky microfibre cover and soft hollowfibre filling, it combines two different togs in one duvet. One half has a higher 10.5 tog for those who sweat year-round, the other is a warmer 13.5 tog for anyone who wants to keep the cold at bay. For warmer nights, it’s also available in a combination of 4.5 and 7.5 togs too and needless to say, it only comes in double or king size.

We were cynical this duvet could really be as good as it promised but were duly impressed. It looked no different from any other duvet when on the bed, but there was none of the usual moaning from our permanently sweltering other half about being too warm. Though it wasn’t quite as fluffy as some of the other duvets we tested, it’s definitely a winner for bedroom harmony.

Brook and Wilde The Marlowe goose down duvet

Best: For hotel luxe

  • Tog: 10.5
  • Filling: Hungarian goose down
  • Rating: 9/10

We can’t guarantee you’ll ever get out of bed again if you splurge on this duvet. Firstly, it’s so pillowy soft, it feels like you’re sleeping under a cloud. Secondly, it’s so wallet-wincingly expensive, you’ll want to make sure you get your money’s worth.

If you can afford it, you won’t regret it though. Brook and Wilde already make some of the best mattresses around and this duvet is just as luxurious. It’s stuffed with evenly distributed and ethically sourced Hungarian goose down and covered in 305 thread count Egyptian cotton for a plump feel that is made for hunkering down under.

Best of all, it’s blissfully breathable so will keep you cosy when the nights draw in but won’t leave you a sweaty mess during summer. That means you won’t need to faff around changing your duvet every season but can keep this 10.5 tog one on your bed year-round and feel like you’ve moved into a five-star hotel.

Fogarty anti allergy white goose feather and down duvet

Best: For year-round use

  • Tog: 10.5
  • Filling: Goose feather and down
  • Rating: 8/10

No need to find space to store spare duvets with this well-priced option, which will work all year but still keep you snuggly enough on chilly nights. With a 10.5 tog, it won’t be too steamy come summer yet we were surprised by just how warm it felt when the temperature dropped too.

Available in single, double, king and super king size, the duvet is filled with 90 per cent goose feathers and 10 per cent down so it’s a little heavier than other duvets but we thought this upped the cushy factor. We loved the crisp 100 per cent cotton cover and the whole thing can also be machine washed and tumble dried on a low heat setting. We found an occasional shake to redistribute the filling and kept it in top notch condition the rest of the time.

Made To Last euroquilt duck feather and down duvet

Best: For all-seasons

  • Tog: 13.5 (4.5 + 9)
  • Filling: Duck feather and down
  • Rating: 8/10

This is a fantastic option if you crave the snuggle factor of down but don’t fancy the price tag. This UK-made duvet is filled with 85 per cent duck feather and 15 per cent down and is luxurious, with a breathable 233 thread count cotton cover. The piped edge finish with a filled box-wall design ensures the filling is spread evenly throughout so you don’t end up with a cold spot by morning. It’s also Nomite and Downafresh certified for allergy sufferers.

The duvet has a one-year guarantee and is available in 4.5, 9, 10.5 and 13.5 tog, but we went for all-out cosiness with the all-seasons version, where 4.5 and 9 tog duvets are fastened together for winter. This means we could easily use one on its own once the weather warmed up while the unused duvet would come in handy for visitors the rest of the year. It’s machine washable and we loved the extra weightiness from the feathers that gave us one of the best sleeps we’ve had in ages.

BedGuru custom hotel dacron comforel duvet

Best: For unusual bed sizes

  • Tog: 10.5
  • Filling: Coolmax fill
  • Rating: 9/10

If your bed’s not a standard size, this is the duvet for you. Available in a huge range of unusual sizes including UK emperor, EU long single and UK small double plus custom-made sizes, this British-made duvet is a good value option for every bed.

It has a synthetic hypoallergenic filling designed to match the feeling of down and it certainly felt plush to sleep under, with a crisp lightweight feeling we wouldn’t expect from synthetic filling. We were impressed by how well it kept its shape too, looking plump each morning even when we’d hastily pulled up the duvet rather than making the bed properly (don’t judge us).

It also went down a treat with our allergy suffering tester who slept well under it. It’s all wrapped up in a soft 233 thread count cotton case that is machine washable and available in 9 or 13.5 tog versions so you can find exactly the right duvet for you.

The verdict: Winter duvets

The Scooms Hungarian goose down duvet is a great year-round option that will keep you toasty all winter. It feels buttery soft, holds its shape and made us want to sleep in every morning. If you’d prefer a synthetic filling, go for the BedGuru custom hotel dacron comforel duvet which our allergy sufferer loved and felt just as dreamy as down.

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