sweet dreams begin With soft sheets. Or, at least, bigger sheets mean I sleep better, whether my dreams are peaceful or hallucinations of failed superpowers and InternetThere's a lot to consider when purchasing sheets for your bed, from understanding percale and sateen to thread count. But the right set of sheets can make your old bed feel like a hotel, or be the perfect pairing with a brand new mattress. (Because what's the point of pairing your new mattress with stale sheets?)
We've tested dozens of options to find the best sheets in nearly every style. However, there is an endless supply of sheets out there, so we'll keep updating this guide as we test more. All prices shown are for a queen-size set. Our must read best mattresses, Best Mattress for Side Sleepers, best organic mattressesAnd best pillows Guides for more bedding recommendations.
UPDATE November 2024: We've updated our Linen, Percale, Organic and Bamboo sheet sections with new picks and honorable mentions.
table of contents
linen sheets
Why buy linen sheets? Linen is a woven fabric made from flax plants. It is a highly breathable material and does not retain heat, so it keeps you cool during the summer months. This is great for people who sleep hot. In the beginning it is rougher than an ordinary cotton set, but it will become softer as it is washed. Linen is often expensive, but it is also more durable than cotton, so a good sheet set should last a long time. Linen sheets aren't for everyone, but if you like linen clothing, you'll probably love linen sheets too.
Our Favorite Linen Sheets
I've slept on a lot of linen (don't look). My Complete Guide to Linen Sheets), and Citizenry's linen set are my Goldilocks sheets. They're lightweight and breathable, but still have a nice drape and softness that you don't often find in brand new linens. It usually takes a bit of breaking in to get to this stage, but Citizenry's sheets feel like you've already washed them and softened them. Because of the good airflow, these sheets are cool enough for hot nights, but not so cold that I can't use them year-round. there are also Oeko-tex certifiedWhich means they have been tested for harmful substances and deemed harmless.
Citizenry's linen sheets not only look great in gold, but come in a variety of colors to match any color scheme of your bedroom. Parts of a sheet set (top sheet only, pillowcases, etc.) can be purchased separately if something happens to one of your pieces.
Softest Linen Ever
These sheets are the softest linen I've ever tried – so soft that my husband didn't even notice I'd swapped them for a soft flannel set! They are extremely comfortable to sleep on but still have the feel of lightweight linen. Cultivar's sheets feel a little silkier (a word I never thought I'd use to describe linens) and draped a little more snugly around my body and onto the bed. These sheets are expensive, but if you want extra soft linens, they may be the way to go.
The only thing I didn't like about them was the lint tray falling out after drying them. My husband noted that they were “slippery” compared to other sheets we typically slept on, making these sheets have an almost silky feel. But such softness doesn't come cheap, and these sheets are expensive. If you want to build the entire set your way or worry that one piece might be torn to pieces by your cat, you can purchase the individual pieces (although my cat has yet to do any damage to these. Has delivered).
Other Best Linen Sheets
- Pottery Barn Belgian Flax Linen Sheet Set for $299, These are my favorite cooling linen sheets, because they have the most breathable weave I've slept on. The airflow through these sheets is great, keeping me nice and cool. These sheets are a little thinner than Citizenry but not as soft.
- Quince Linens Bamboo Deluxe Sheet Set for $240:These aren't 100 percent linen, but I love the combination of bamboo's softness and linen's breathability. If you want the benefits of linen, but are unsure about the roughness or texture of standard linen (or about spending too much!) then they are a great option! The basic sheet set is sold out, as is this deluxe set, but you can get on the waiting list for the deluxe. Quince's European Linen Sheets ($170) This is also a great price if you're looking for affordable all-linen sheets.
- Thuma Flax Linen Sheet Set for $275, These linen sheets were solid linen all around, keeping me nice and cool, and they also had a good weight and structure. They're not as soft as our top choices, but a little softer than other options like Brooklinen.
Looking for more linens? Read about each set of linens we tested and our buying advice Our guide to the best linen sheets,
percale sheets
Why buy percale sheets? Percale is a type of cotton weave, not a type of fabric. It is also called plain weave. It looks like how you might imagine a classic knit with a checkerboard-like over-under style. These sheets are crisp, cool, and light, and they make great cooling sheets. Think hotel sheets or your favorite button-up shirt. This is a good middle ground if you sleep warm but don't want to bother with linen and its high prices.
Our Favorite Breathable Percale Sheets
I shouldn't be surprised at how much I liked these percale sheets considering how much I liked Citizenry's linen sheets. Citizenry launched their Percale line this summer, and it has become one of my favorite cooling sheets for sleeping. I'm not usually a huge fan of percale, as I don't like overly crispy sheets, but Citizenry's percale manages to be soft without losing the airflow and slight stiffness that makes percale, well, percale.
Although these are not quite as soft as Supima or Egyptian cotton – there are more options with the cottons below! – Citizenry uses long-staple cotton which helps these sheets feel softer than regular cotton percale sheets. This sheet set is also organic and is Oeko-tex and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified.
Another great percale set
Buffy is famous for the alternative materials behind her bed. Specifically, Buffy typically uses eucalyptus-based lyocell to make its sheets and comforters. But Buffy now has its first cotton bedding on the menu: Supima Cotton Percale Sheets. As the name suggests it is not just made of cotton, but supima cottonWhich is a high quality cotton with longer fiber and better strength. That longer fiber helps make these cotton sheets softer than your standard percale without compromising the airflow and structure that makes percale so great for sleeping.
Buffy runs a lot of sales, so although these sheets are usually the same price as Citizenry, you can get them for even cheaper.
Other Great Percale Sheets
- Saatva Percale Sheet Set for $205, I love these sheets as much as the Citizenry one above. They cost a little more, but both are great percale sets that keep you cool and are as soft as they are crisp.
- Pure Parima Ultra Percale Sheet Set for $230, These sheets are extremely soft because of the Egyptian cotton. They're a little more expensive and a little heavier than other percales, but if you want something super soft without going full satin or bamboo, these are a great option.
- Riley Percale Sheet Set for $260, Riley makes good percale sheets, but they're expensive – a fitted sheet and pillowcases cost $135, and flat sheets cost an additional $85. We liked their crispness, but they're also cheaper than the Brooklinen organic set.
- Parachute Percale Sheet Set for $269, Wired reviewer Julian Chokattu says these sheets feel rough at first but become softer as they are washed. They hold up very well after years of use, even with a dog sleeping in the same bed.
Are you looking for more percale or cooling options? we have one The Complete Guide to Cooling Sheets Including more percale selections and testing notes.
flannel sheets
Why buy flannel sheets? Flannel sheets are made of cotton, but the cotton fibers are brushed to create a fuzzy texture. They're also the fluffy fibers that make flannel so warm and comfortable to sleep on — the interlaced layers of cotton do a better job of retaining heat than other styles of cotton sheets, so you'll be more comfortable with these than other sheets. Will be warmer than sleeping. Styles. They are great for cold climates.
Our Favorite Flannel Sheet
The Company Store's flannel sheets initially surprised me with how pink the cream color looked, especially when placed next to other white sheets. But once I looked past that, these sheets felt the softest to the touch compared to the Coyuchi and LL Bean flannels I've tried (see below). They are a little hard in the beginning, but become softer after every wash.
They are comfortable to sleep on and definitely warm – these were the warmest I have slept on. If you're looking for soft and warm sheets at a reasonable price, these sheets deliver.