The best bed sheets should look good, keep cool, wash well, and lie beautifully on your bed. No two sheet sets feel the same: linen is tough and textured, where percale is cool and crisp, and sateen is smooth and silky. With so much on the market, it's easy to feel spoiled for choice.
That's where I come in. As the resident Sleep Editor at Homes & Gardens, I lead a team of expert testers in the search to find the world's best bed sheets. Together, we've spent years in the sleep industry, sampling sheets made from cotton, linen, bamboo, eucalyptus, and more. We know the pros and cons of all the most popular bed sheet types, and we want to share our wisdom with you.
We sleep on each sheet set for eight hours a night, seven nights a week, for a minimum of one month before we write our reviews. That's hundreds of hours of testing for look and feel, thermoregulation, and durability. We also consider the practical side of shopping for sheets, including the range of colors and sizes available. Our reigning champion is the Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set, for silky softness that withstands the washing machine, but you might find that another of our sheet sets is a better match for you.
Best bed sheets 2025 – 9 tested options, at a glance
Below, you'll find a bite-size summary of each sheet set, outlining what it costs and who it suits. To learn more about a particular product, keep scrolling, or press 'read more below' to shortcut to that section. There, I've listed the need-to-know specs, including material composition, before diving into the details.
This silky-smooth sateen sheet set is a real crowd-pleaser, with more than 17,000 verified five-star reviews on Brooklinen. Available in a wide range of colors, prints, and patterns, the Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set should blend with any bedroom decor.
Naturally moisture-wicking and antimicrobial, bamboo is built to bust the bacteria that breed in sweaty, sticky environments, such as beds. I recommend ettitude for hot sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers: these sheets are certified organic.
If you live in a warm climate, or you're looking for cooling sheets for summer, our expert testers recommend the Martha Stewart 100% Cotton Sheet Set. These sheets are lightweight and breathable with deep pockets to accommodate thicker mattresses.
Breathable and durable, cotton sheets are classic for a reason. I like the crisp, cool look and feel of cotton percale: that's the weave you find in high-end hotels. These Riley Home sheets come in a range of cool tones, from cloud blue to slate gray, and they get softer with each wash.
With more than 250,000 verified five-star reviews to its name, the Mellanni Queen Sheet Set is one of Amazon's best-selling bedding bundles. Available in bright block shades, pinstripes, and playful prints, the Mellanni Queen Sheet Set could complement any color palette.
You can build your own bedding bundle with Piglet in Bed. Create a core collection or add extras, including duvet covers and spare pillowcases, while you mix and match between warm and cool colors. Each sheet is made from European flax, which is breathable and durable, but also prone to wrinkling.
For strength and softness, try Egyptian cotton. The Yalda Sheet Set is woven from extra-long staples to prevent pilling and finished with a double hem-stitch for neatness. The fitted sheet features full-length elastication and corner straps, so it shouldn't come off in the night.
If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, you need a sheet set to regulate your temperature and wick away sweat, keeping you just the right side of cool and dry. Naturally moisture-wicking and cool to the touch, the Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set is one of my favorites for warm weather.
It's a common misconception that organic bedding is prohibitively expensive. You can pick up an organic sheet set for just $65 at Target, which is one of the best places to buy affordable bedding. These cotton sheets are certified Made in Green by OEKO-TEX and woven into percale for breathability.
The best bed sheets overall
'I made a huge mistake,' reads one recent review: 'I bought a Luxe Sateen set for one of my guest bedrooms. Now I'm beginning to wonder if my guests will ever want to leave. These sheets and pillowcases look better and feel softer than any I've sampled in luxury hotels. When my guests start asking for room service, I'll know I'm in real trouble.'
I have a healthy skepticism of five-star reviews, so I decided to order a Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set and test it for myself. Now, I believe the hype. The cotton sateen feels soft and smooth against my skin, tightly woven to retain heat and keep me cozy, but sufficiently lightweight that I don't start sweating. Still, if you prefer a cooler, crisper feel, you should consider cotton percale.
One of the best things about shopping at Brooklinen is the range of colors on offer. I opted for solid white, but you could try botanical green or storm blue, as well as limited edition prints and patterns. Brooklinen bedding isn't just pretty: it's practical, too. The fitted sheets feature 'long' and 'short' side tags, so it's much easier for you to make the bed.
The best bamboo bed sheets
Bamboo is the material of choice for hot sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers. According to ettitude, bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, growing three times faster than we can harvest it. Still, some bamboo blends are better for the environment than others. Bamboo viscose and bamboo poly-blends pollute the natural goodness of bamboo with harmful chemicals and plastics.
The most sustainable option is organic bamboo lyocell, or what's known at ettitude as CleanBamboo. Grown with 100% rainwater and treated with food-grade solvents, these bamboo bed sheets are non-toxic and biodegradable.
As a hot sleeper, I need natural fibers to wick away my night sweats. I've found that bamboo is naturally thermoregulating and moisture-wicking, keeping me cool and dry. These sateen sheets look and feel silky-smooth, just the thing to elevate your bedspread. If you like your bedding a little more textured, you could consider organic cotton percale or linen options.
The best cooling bed sheets
Whether you suffer from night sweats and hot flashes, or you're searching for a lightweight summer sheet set, you should browse our buying guide for the best cooling sheets. Out of all the sets we've tested, the Martha Stewart 100% Cotton Sheet Set offers the best performance at the lowest price. It's just a shame about the limited size range: these sheets only come in Twin, Full, Queen, and King.
'I've spent the last year sleeping on Martha Stewart bedding,' says expert tester Camryn Rabideau. 'I didn't want to admit it, but I'm really impressed with the feel and weight of these sheets. Cotton is a natural thermoregulator, and I find that these sheets keep me warm in winter and cool in summer. They seem to be getting softer with each wash.'
Intrigued, our Content Director, Lucy Searle, ordered her own set of Martha Stewart sheets. 'The light sheen on the gray gingham set, which I hadn't noticed when I ordered it, made me wonder whether those sheets might trap heat,' says Lucy. 'That sort of sheen usually indicates synthetic strands, which aren't as breathable as natural fibers. Still, when I put these lightweight sheets to the test, I managed to sleep well through the summer.'
The best cotton bed sheets
Breathable and durable, cotton is a classic for a reason. If cotton sateen feels a little too soft and slippery for your taste, then you might prefer the crisp finish of cotton percale. Loosely woven one thread over, one thread under, cotton percale is light and airy: an ideal material for a summer sheet set.
'After a long day looking after five children, I love slipping into these crisp, cool cotton percale sheets,' says expert tester Alex Frost. 'It's the sort of thing you normally find in high-end hotels.' The colors are classic, cool tones. If you want wider colorways, I suggest you shop elsewhere: Piglet in Bed stock a wide range of warm and cool tones, as well as prints and patterns.
'Unlike some sheet sets, which lose their softness over time, the Riley Home Percale Sheet Set is designed to get softer with each wash,' Alex continues. 'I found that these sheets held up well to washing and drying, and I didn't notice any rough patches after laundry day.'
The best bed sheets on Amazon
Home to big-name brands as well as specialist sleep stores, Amazon is one of the best places to buy affordable bedding. The Mellanni Sheet Set is one of the best-selling bedding bundles on the Internet. This microfiber set consistently ranks in the top five for sheet and pillowcase sets on Amazon, and it sits in pole position in our best affordable bed sheets buying guide.
I wanted to see what makes this microfiber sheet set special, so I went digging in the customer reviews. The Mellanni Sheet Set boasts a 4.4 average star rating from more than 330,000 verified five-star reviews.
'These sheets are a fantastic choice for anyone seeking hotel-quality luxury at home,' reads one recent review. 'The fabric is ultra-soft and smooth, giving it that silky feel without being too slippery. The sheets fit snugly on a king-sized bed, and the deep pockets make sure they stay in place without slipping off. The durability is impressive too – these sheets hold up well after multiple washes, retaining their softness and vibrant color.'
The most common complaint about the Mellanni Sheet Set concerns its breathability, or lack thereof. If you're a hot sleeper, microfiber is one of the bedding materials to avoid: the synthetic strands aren't as breathable as natural fibers.
The best luxury bed sheets
The best luxury bed sheets could instantly elevate your bedspread. In a world where second-rate sleep stores shill cheap sheets in core collections with block colors, 'luxury' means choice − of colors, of sizes, of which pieces you buy and which pieces you don't.
Out of all the specialist sleep stores I've sampled, Piglet in Bed offers the most choice. I built my own bedding bundle to create a bespoke bedspread. I chose to color-drench in sage green, but you might prefer to mix and match between warm and cool tones. I skipped a flat sheet in favor of a duvet cover, but you might want both, or neither. At Piglet in Bed, you get to choose.
As for the bedding itself, these are easily the best linen sheets I've ever tried. Lower-quality linen sometimes feels a little stiff and starchy, but the Piglet in Bed Heritage 100% Linen Bundle gets softer with each wash. Breezy and breathable, it's one of my favorite summer sheet sets. Admittedly, these sheets are expensive, but you could save some money when you shop the bedding sales.
The best Egyptian cotton bed sheets
As the resident Sleep Editor and in-house expert at Homes & Gardens, I'm often asked: 'Are Egyptian cotton bed sheets best?' I can make a strong argument in their favor: Egyptian cotton is strong, yet soft, woven from extra-long-staple cotton fibers into durable sheets with a lustrous sheen.
Egyptian cotton has all the benefits of regular cotton: it's natural, renewable, and sustainable, with top-tier thermoregulation for hot sleepers. What sets Egyptian cotton apart is its rarity: only a particular species of cotton plant, Gossypium Barbadense, which grows on the fertile banks of the River Nile, will be authenticated by the Cotton Egypt Association. If you don't see that badge, chances are you're looking at a cheaper blend of lower-grade cottons.
The Yalda Sheet Set gets the seal of approval from the CEA as well as OEKO-TEX. Each sheet is tightly woven into silky sateen and finished with an elegant double-hem stitch. Compared to some of the sheets on this list, the Yalda Sheet Set is on the more expensive side, but that's the price you have to pay for authentic Egyptian cotton.
The best bed sheets for night sweats
Perhaps you're shopping for a summer sheet set, and you're looking for bedding that can keep you cool and dry. Maybe you're going through the menopause, and you want to defend against hot flashes in the middle of the night. To combat night sweats, you need the breathability of natural fibers: I recommend bamboo.
Naturally moisture-wicking and antimicrobial, the Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set is built to bust bacteria and keep you just the right side of cool and dry. Our expert tester, Sophie Edwards, has been sleeping on the Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set for the past six months, and she says the sheets are really coming into their own as the weather warms up.
Sophie still remembers the first night she spent in the Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set: 'At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, my partner literally gasped in disbelief at how soft they were after slipping into them. I truly can't emphasize enough how silky these sheets are. Even if you prefer crisper percale bedding, I think these sateen sheets are a good choice because of their lightness and breathability. They're well worth the spend.'
The best organic bed sheets
Organic bedding has a reputation for being prohibitively expensive. More often than not, buyers on a budget are forced to buy cheap synthetic sheets that will wear out within a few years and end up sitting in landfill.
If you're an eco-conscious shopper, and you're looking for affordable bed sheets, I recommend the Threshold Organic Percale Sheet Set at Target. These sheets are certified Made in Green by OEKO-TEX, with minimal waste and responsible handling of materials and manufacture.
'These sheets are all that I buy for my kid's rooms,' reads one recent review. 'They’re better than the sheets from some of the higher-end stores (like PB Kids.) I tried several brands and types before I found these, and I was really impressed. They wash well, soften up nicely over time, and my kids like them.'
The most common complaint about the Threshold Organic Percale Sheet Set is that it's prone to wrinkling, but that's par for the course with natural fibers. I'd encourage you to line dry your sheets and let gravity do the work, or else run a hot iron over them before you make up the bed.
Honorable mentions
Over the years, our team has tested dozens of sheet sets. Our top nine represents the best of the best for comfort, cooling, and cost. Still, I wanted to shout out three more sheet sets that I keep in regular rotation.
- Sleep Number Essential Fit Cotton Sheet Set: I move around a lot in my sleep. I often wake up to find my flat sheet tangled up between my feet and my fitted sheet popping off at the corners. It's annoying, which is why I appreciate the SmartFit design on the Sleep Number fitted sheet. It's fully elasticated around the edge, with anchor bands to keep the corners in place. As for the sheets themselves, they're cool and crisp. My biggest grievance is that they only come in a narrow range of cool colors.
- Buffy Supima Cotton Sheet Set: strong yet soft, Supima cotton is breathable and durable, with the additional benefit of being sown and grown in the USA. I've just started testing this Supima sheet set from Buffy, which comes in a wide range of super-saturated colors, including powder blue and pimento red. These sheets have a sheen to them, so they catch the light, but they're a little thin for my taste.
- Sijo AiryWeight Eucalyptus Sheet Set: this is one of the first sheet sets I reviewed for Homes & Gardens. To this day, I bring out this sheet set to weather hot nights and heat waves. Much like bamboo, eucalyptus is naturally cooling and antimicrobial. These sheets are super lightweight with deep pockets to accommodate thicker mattresses. You can opt in and out of a flat sheet and choose between a range of cool colors. For me, the Sijo AiryWeight Eucalyptus Sheet Set feels a little slippery, but you might appreciate the silky-smooth texture.
How we test bed sheets
As the resident Sleep Editor at Homes & Gardens, I lead a team of expert testers across the country. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, sleep styles, and body types. We live right across the country, in all sorts of climates, and we test all year round, through heat waves and cold snaps. We sample sheets for a minimum of 30 nights before we publish our initial reviews. To learn more about how we test bed sheets, consult our expert guide.
For the sake of a fair fight, we assess each sheet set against the same criteria: look and feel; thermoregulation; and durability. To describe look and feel, we consider whether the sheets are rough or smooth; whether they look matte or lustrous; and whether they're prone to wrinkling. To assess thermoregulation, we switch off our HVAC systems before we sleep and make note of any nights where we wake up in a sweat. To assess durability, we wash the sheets according to the instructions on the care tag. Then, we remake the bed and consider how the sheets continue to perform.
We also consider the practicalities of shopping for sheets: in particular, the range of sizes and colors. We're looking for sheets that stay on the bed, perhaps fitted with deep pockets or all-around elastic. Where possible, we like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to pick up recurring customer concerns. Finally, we compare the performance of the sheet set against the price to help you determine value for money.
How to choose bed sheets
Consider your sleep temperature
When you're shopping for sheets, it's important to consider the typical temperature of your bedroom: whether you live in a warm, cool, or temperate climate; whether your bedroom faces the sun for long stretches of the day; and whether your bedroom has an in-built HVAC system.
Next, try to gauge your own internal temperature. If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, then you're what's known as a hot sleeper. You need breathable sheets to keep cool. I recommend natural fibers, including cotton, linen, and bamboo.
If you live in a colder part of the country, or you're one of life's refrigerators, then you're more of a cold sleeper. You could use a winter sheet set to keep warm: consider materials such as flannel and jersey.
Get the right size
Most of the best places to buy bedding sell sheets in six standard sizes: Twin; Twin XL; Full; Queen; King; and California King. If you like the look of a dramatic drape, then you might choose to size up. Before you buy, it's worth checking the dimensions of your sheet set against our mattress size chart.
Set a budget
I'm often asked, 'how much should I spend on sheets?' Only you know the ins and outs of your financial situation, but here's a rough guide.
Personally, I wouldn't spend less than $50 on a sheet set containing a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, and two pillowcases. Much lower, and you're likely working with cheap synthetic materials that will trap heat and wear in the wash. I think you can get a perfectly good sheet set for $150, but the most I'd spend is $300.
I suggest you set your own minimum and maximum budget before you start shopping.
Consider your bedroom decor
With so many colors, prints, and patterns to choose from, it's easy to find something to suit your taste and blend with your bedroom decor Remember: the best white bed sheets are a classic for a reason.
FAQs
Where can I buy the best bed sheets?
Before you start shopping, browse the best places to buy bedding. Exactly where you should shop for the best bed sheets depends on a number of factors, including your sleep style and your budget constraints. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Brooklinen: everything from cooling cotton to cozy flannel in a wide range of colors, prints, and patterns
- ettitude: bamboo bedding for hot sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers
- Amazon: deep discounts from big brands and specialist sleep stores
What bed sheets do hotels use?
I've written an entire article answering the question, 'which bedding do luxury hotels use?' Interviewing top hoteliers and head housekeepers, I discovered that most high-end hotels use cotton percale sheets. They're durable, able to withstand countless cycles in the washing machine, and they aren't prone to wrinkling. Cotton percale is crisp and cool, ideal for hotels in hot climates.
Once you've bought the best bed sheets, it's important to take good care of them. If you want to keep your sheet set in good condition, it's worth learning about the bedding laundry mistakes to avoid.
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