How to Find the Best Bed Sheets [2021]: Our Top 5 Picks

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Haron Omaita

Haron loves to give gifts and knows that a nice cozy blanket or a soft set of sheets can be perfect for the right person. He also knows a lot about home improvement and how to make a space homey and cozy. He's excellent at narrowing down all of the options and explaining what makes each one great so you can be confident in your choice!

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• How to Find the Best Winter Comforter: Top 5 Picks [2022] - October 21, 2021

Considering that you spend about a third of your life sleeping, you should get a good mattress. If you’ve ever slept at a cheap hotel, you know how important that is.

But you don’t stop at the mattress—you should also buy good bedding. If you’re sick of being tired the next day, it might be because you don’t have the right bed sheets. There’s no point in putting up with the annoying sheet snap, wrinkles, or sweating profusely all night.

But the truth is that bed sheets come in all sorts of materials, textures, and sizes. With so many choices on the market, finding good new bedsheets might be a bit confusing. Many new bedding companies are now producing supple, luxurious bed sheets using high-quality materials.

So how do you go about choosing bed sheets? In this bed sheet buying guide, we’ll go over what you need to consider if you’re looking to buy new sheets, as well as take a look at some awesome bed sheet selections on the market today to help you find the right fit for you.

Types of Bed Sheet Materials

When selecting sheet material, consider the material as well as the weave. Here are the best options for each.

Material

basically what’s used to make the fabric. Almost all bedsheets have their fiber content displayed on the label when you buy online.

Cotton

Cotton is the most common option because the material feels natural against the skin, and is also soft and durable. Long-staple cotton options (like Pima or Egyptian) are typically more durable and smoother, but here’s a word of warning: There have been cases of brands misleadingly labeling bed sheets with these high-quality fibers.

Polyester

Bed sheets made of polyester are more wrinkle-resistant, shrink-resistant, and affordable. But while they’re incredibly smooth, they aren’t as high-quality as cotton and often feel synthetic. In addition, there are polyester and cotton blends (mostly cotton) available for something in between the two.

Silk

Super smooth and naturally temperature-regulating, silk bed sheets are the best luxury purchase. But the downside to them is that they’re far more expensive and don’t stand up well to frequent washing.

Linen

Popular for the hot season, linen sheets feel airy and breathable. They’re crisp and boast a one-of-a-kind texture with a comfortable look. Likewise, hemp sheets are becoming more and more popular as they feel like linen.

Regeneration cellulose

More popularly referred to as “lyocell”, “viscose”, “rayon”, these bed sheets are made of plants such as eucalyptus or bamboo trees that are chemically turned into fibers. These fabrics feel incredibly soft—even much softer than cotton bed sheets.

Weave

Refers to how the material is constructed (no matter what fibers are used) and significantly affects how the bed sheets feel. Most bed sheet brands display the weave in packaging and online descriptions.

Sateen

This weave shouldn’t be mistaken for satin (another weave variety). Sateen is an incredibly soft bed sheet that comes with a smooth and glossy feel, not too different from the texture of satin.

Satin

These sheets are typically made from various materials, including cotton, polyester, silk, or wool. Satin tends to be a quality fabric thanks to its shiny appearance and soft feel. It’s also an amazing fabric for keeping you warm during colder nights. But the only drawback is that satin sheets can be difficult to take care of and aren’t as long-lasting as other varieties.

Flannel

Typically made from pure cotton, this weave is a medium to heavyweight fabric. With its brushed finish, it boasts a soft and comforting feel, making it perfect for winter because the soft, fluffy weave retains heat to keep you comfortable.

Jersey knit

These bedsheets have similar cotton knit as amazingly comfortable t-shirts. Their stretchy softness makes jersey knit incredibly cozy to sleep in. On the other hand, the quality of the cotton affects the feel of the jersey sheets.

Percale

Almost always cotton, this plain-weave fabric has more than 220 threads in every square 10cm. Percale is closely woven and lightweight, which creates a crispy feel and smooth finish. The better the quality of the cotton used to make percale, the better will be your bedsheets.

Microfiber

These are small polyester fibers that are as soft as butter. They’re usually inexpensive but can feel a little more delicate than others.

Other Factors to Consider When Shopping for Bed Sheets

Certain claims will stand out when you read reviews and take a look at sheets. Here’s what they refer to as well as whether they’re important.

Thread Count

A good thread count for bed sheets will depend on the kind of material used and the truth is that it can be difficult to identify the perfect thread count.

The thread count offers a clear idea about the number of yarns per square inch of material. While a higher thread count can be a sign of quality, that’s not always the case.

• A very high thread count is not always better because an extremely dense material may feel heavy and might obstruct cooling airflow.
• If the yarns are of poor quality, a high thread count might not mean much.
• Thread count is more important in certain kinds of fabric than others and some sheet sets may not list thread count.
• Some sheets may be listed as having a thread count of 900 but could actually be inferior to other sheet sets with a 300 thread count.

For the most part, a thread count of over 600 is rare to find, so if you notice a higher figure than that, it’s highly likely that the manufacturer is counting multi-ply yarns. If that’s the case, keep in mind that this isn’t necessarily a sign of a higher-end material.

For different types of bed sheets, you should generally go for the following ranges of thread counts while keeping in mind that thread count is not the most important thing in fabric.

• Percale weave: 200-400
• Linen: 80-200 (thread count is rarely indicated in many cases)
• Sateen weave: 300-600
• Egyptian cotton: 200-400
• Bamboo: 200-300
• Supima cotton: 200-400

For some fabrics, weight describes the fabric density instead of thread count. Like thread count, you shouldn’t treat these figures as the be-all and end-all when it comes to quality.

• Jersey: At least 10 ounces per yarn
• Flannel: At least 170 grams for every square meter
• Microfiber: 90-120 grams for every square meter
• Silk: 17-22 pounds for every 100 yarns

Breathability

Sheets that promote comfort cooling (the body’s natural way of regulating temperature) are breathable. This means they can soak up moisture from your body and let air flow through the material so that the humidity evaporates.

This process, called moisture-wicking, may help keep you cool even during hot nights and is most important to those who like to sleep hot.

Durability

It may be difficult to know whether a fabric will last long simply by checking out the specs. Generally speaking, polyester fibers last longer than cotton since they resist pilling and shrinking better.

Care Instructions

Most bed sheets are washable by machine, but some require delicate cycles or cold water. Hot or warm water cleans sheets best, so it’s advisable to go for sheets that can hold out against these settings if you don’t regularly wash your sheets or normally sweat while sleeping.

Wrinkle Resistance

This purely depends on personal preference, but people generally prefer sheets that make fewer creases. Cotton sateen sheets don’t wrinkle as much as percale and sometimes come with a wrinkle-resistant finish.

A blend of polyester and cotton or polyester alone doesn’t wrinkle as much as cotton, while linen wrinkles the most. Still, it boils down to personal preference if you like a wrinkled set for a more casual look.

Feel

When it comes to the feel of sheets, there are multiple aspects involved. One important aspect is softness because some weaves and materials will feel plusher.

Sheets can be super smooth, buttery even, or have more texture and coarseness. Certain fabrics boast a crisp and lightweight feel, while others, such as linen, usually have a little more heft.

Design, Pattern, and Color

It’s also important to consider how your sheets look, particularly if the interior decor is your thing. Sheets may have a matte, shiny, or more understated finish.

Their propensity to bend and the manner in which they drape over your bed also affect appearance. Certain sheet manufacturers offer a wide range of patterns and colors.

Mattress Height

Taller mattresses need deep pocket sheets. This usually means any mattresses that are more than 12-13 inches tall. Be sure to measure your mattress to ensure your new bed sheets fit well as nothing is more frustrating than sheets that don’t fit a bed.

Certifications

To support organic farming techniques or avoid synthetic substances, check out for certifications such as Oeko-Tex or GOTS (Global Organic Textile Certification).

GOTS makes sure that the cotton fabric used to make the sheet is grown organically and also follows strict processing standards, banning the use of certain solvents and toxic metals, as well as monitors the energy and water required for manufacturing.

Fabrics that are Oeko-Tex-certified aren’t explicitly organic but instead are certified (through comprehensive tests) to be free of potentially toxic substances such as heavy metals, plasticizers, and formaldehyde.

Cost

You don’t have to break the bank to get quality sheets. For a combination of high quality and good value, the price range of $100 to $200 is just about the best fit. Having said that, some luxury sheet sets that cost more than $200 are worth the additional cost, and there are also some great options available for less than $100.

Our Top Picks

According to many industry experts, here are our best bed sheet picks to consider today, from cooling bamboo to cozy flannel.

Best Sheets Overall: Luxe Core Sheet Set

This hot sheet set from Brooklinen is a top choice. The 100% percent sateen fabric is strong, doesn’t pill easily, washes well, and customers consider it “smooth”.

As an added advantage, it’s much easier to make your bed with these sheets thanks to smart tabs dubbed “short side” and “long side” on the sheets. These sheets are available in a range of neutral prints and colors, with seasonal colors included regularly.

Brooklinen offers a lenient return policy for a whole year, so there’s hardly any risk in giving it a try.

Pros:

• Labels make making your bed easier
• Sturdy fabric that washes fairly well
• Generous 12-month return policy

Cons:

• 15-inch fitted bed sheets can be taut on taller mattresses

Best Value Bed Sheets: Mellanni Queen Hotel Luxury Bed Sheets

You’ll love this Amazon best-seller for the soft, buttery texture of the microfiber, as over 200,000 online customer reviews show. Moreover, the sheets are amply sized, wrinkle less than many cotton materials, and hardly shrink in the wash.

Another benefit is that the sheets come in many variations for various bed sizes, with choices for taller or split mattresses as well. They are also available in an impressive 42 prints and colors.

Just remember that microfiber may be less breathable than natural cotton, and people who like a crisp sheet may find the material too soft.

That said, if you’re looking for the best value for your money and want to save some cash, the value of this one is unbeatable.

Pros:

• Smooth, soft, and shrink-resistant
• Affordable

Cons:

• Synthetic microfiber fabric isn’t as crisp to the touch as cotton

Best Wrinkle-Resistant Sheets: Cuddledown Z5145 Hotel Sateen Sheets

If you don’t like the look of creased sheets, this sheet set from Cuddletown has the smoothest look after washing thanks to its crumple-resistant finish. And although there are usually concerns about toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde in crease-resistant fabrics, Cuddledown Z5145 Hotel Sateen Sheets is Oeko-Tex-certified, so you can be sure that it doesn’t have any toxic substances.

The sateen material is combed for added softness (meaning that there are no short, poking fibers) and you’ll especially love its smooth feel. The fabric is durable overall and is amply sized, fitting your mattress with space to spare.

Pros:

• Combed for added softness
• Wrinkle-resistant finish

Cons:

• Average fabric strength

Best Sateen Fabric Sheets: Garnet Hill Wrinkle-Resistant Sateen Sheets

This set sheet is your best option for natural fiber soft sheets. It’s made with special processes that make it super smooth, both in appearance and feel.

It makes use of combed cotton, so you don’t have to worry about short fibers poking you. The sateen weave feels silky smooth, too, and its wrinkle-resistant finish helps prevent creases. In addition, the sheets are Oeko-Tex-certified, so there’s no risk of coming into contact with toxic chemicals in the finish.

These sheets are durable and don’t pill by any means, which is quite an impressive feat. The sheets and pillowcases are sold individually, so you can try different color combinations, buy what you need only, or order spares.

Pros:

• Smooth, soft, pill-resistant fabric
• You can create your own bedding set

Cons:

• Buying bedding separately drives up the cost

Softest Sheets: Legends Hotel Sateen Wrinkle-Free Sheets

If you don’t mind splashing out on bedsheets, this deluxe sheet set is certainly worth the added cost. The cost goes up even higher than other options since the flatted sheet, fitted sheet, and pillowcases are sold separately.

These sheets are the softest of all our picks. The sateen fabric is also sturdy and shrink-resistant, but it does show some pilling if you rub the fabrics together and has some creases after washing (despite the “wrinkle-free” label).

These mix and match sheets are available in 15 colors and six sizes, as well as deep-pocket varieties for those who have taller mattresses.

Pros:

• Plenty of size and color options
• Super soft deluxe cotton fabric

Cons:

• Shows some pilling
• Expensive

FAQs on How to Find the Best Bed Sheets