How Are Duvets Different From Comforters?

When it comes to bedding, it’s easy to mistake a duvet for a comforter, especially if you’re in someone else’s bedroom and aren’t responsible for making any beds. To make matters worse, some manufacturers may even use the terms interchangeably.

In terms of similarities, both are bed toppers, and they’re usually made from comparable materials, such as cotton, polyester, or a blend of synthetic fibers. Both may have colorful designs or sewn-in patterns to keep things together, and they cost roughly the same price, depending on the materials inside.

Though they might share the same characteristics, there are some pretty sizable differences between comforters and duvets. They also offer different benefits for sleepers. Let’s take a look down below.

What Is a Comforter?
What Is a Duvet?
Duvets vs. Comforters: Which One Is Right for You?

What Is a Comforter?

If you want something ready to go out of the box, then go with a comforter. This type of bedding is typically thick, plush, and fluffy. The inner material can be comprised of either synthetic (like down alternative) or natural materials (such as cotton, actual down, and so forth).

They can be ideal for hot sleepers or folks looking for hypoallergenic bedding but also warm enough to use at night without any other blankets. Comforters usually come in bedding sets with pillowcases and a top sheet and are designed to give your bed a layered look that drapes over your bed onto the floor.

Comforters are just one piece, which can be really convenient ... until it’s time to clean one. Because they’re one piece, comforters can be a hassle to clean and may have to be taken to a professional dry cleaner. Washing one at home could end up taking a lot longer than planned because of the added heft that comes from the blanket’s filling (meaning it may take multiple spins in the dryer to get rid of excess moisture).

Most experts recommend cleaning your comforter a few times per year if it has a separate cover (or is being used inside a duvet, but more on that later). Without a cover, comforters should be cleaned on a monthly basis, just to maintain good sleep hygiene. Another potential downside? Comforters are often big and bulky, so they can also be difficult to store when not in use.

What Is a Duvet?

On the other hand, if you want something that you can mix and match throughout the seasons to change things up, opt for a duvet.

Duvets come in two pieces: The cover, which is essentially a big pillowcase with buttons, zippers, clips, clasps, or ties, and the insert, which is like a quilt or comforter, as it were. In most instances, you wouldn't want to sleep with just a duvet cover alone. To get that added warmth and comfort during the winter months, you definitely need to use it with an insert.

There are some perks to this kind of bedding, though. For starters, you don’t need a top sheet with a duvet, as the cover serves as one on its own. (This is referred to as the Scandinavian sleeping method—or sleeping European style—and includes having a separate blanket from your partner at night.)

Additionally, duvets are often easier to clean than comforters because you can take off the duvet cover and pop it in a washing machine and dryer (experts suggest doing this at least once per month, but weekly cleanings are optimal). They can often be less bulky and easy to store when not in use.

That said, duvets can also be more cumbersome than comforters in certain ways because they can be annoying to put together, thanks to technically being two pieces. Duvets can also get lumpy, especially if you shift around or toss and turn a lot when you sleep.

	Duvet	Comforter
Pieces	Technically two—you need a duvet insert for inside the duvet cover.	All-in-one
Materials	Cotton, polyester, flannel, bamboo, linen, etc.	Cotton, polyester, flannel, bamboo, etc.
Size	Designed to hang slightly over the sides of the bed.	Usually larger than duvet covers
Care and Maintenance	Machine washable and usually easier—just remove and wash the duvet cover.	Machine washable but may be bulky, heavy, or require multiple spins through the dryer.

Duvets vs. Comforters: Which One Is Right for You?

The only significant difference—beyond care and maintenance—between these bedding types is that duvets are two pieces, while comforters are just one. For uncertain shoppers, however, this doesn’t make purchasing decisions any easier.

Though the debate over whether duvets are actually better than comforters is far from over, figuring out which is best for you is all about personal preference. If you want something that’s easy to put on a bed and covers a lot of it overall, then go with a comforter. You won’t be able to mix and match like you would with a duvet, which is an important consideration. But whatever you pick, there’s no need to lose sleep over your choice.

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