Guiding you through your Winter Down Purchase
Down comforters are the industry standard in fine winter bedding. While these comforters are widely believed to be the softest and most insulating bedroom fabric option, all those styles and down attributes make choosing the right down comforter daunting.
But with all the types of down bedding available, how does one choose the comforter that fits their needs and their budget? Shopping for a comforter may seem intimidating, but really only a few key qualities need to be considered to make an educated decision. Staying aware of the following will help you to make the correct down comforter decision.
The finest down available is Siberian Goose Feathered down. This down is considered the warmest and softest, but it is also the most expensive. Hungarian Down is another high quality option. Both Hungarian and Siberian downs come in very high fill powers – from 600 and up – making these comforters valuable in extremely cold climates. Less expensive down offered are downs feathers from geese used for foods, and combinations of heavier duck feathers and goose styles of down.
It is important to include a duvet cover with your down comforter purchase. Acting as a protective pillowcase for your comforter, duvets allow for additional designs and bedroom color.
Fill power, thread count, and the baffle box are all important quality metrics for down comforters. Fill power measures the space a single ounce of feather ‘fills’. The higher the fill number, the greater the down comforter is at keeping you warm. Generally, high quality down comforters are made with higher fills. This is because high fill levels in low quality downs leads to too much weight and bulk in the down bed in question.
The tightness of the outer cover’s weave or thread count is another important aspect of a down comforter. The tendency for down’s small feathers to get out requires a tightly weaved exterior, so the higher the thread count of your comforter, the longer it will last. The same is true when shopping for your duvet cover. Since higher quality downs contain smaller feathers, the better quality of down you want will help you to determine what thread count you’ll need.
Baffling is a style of vertically sewn cloth walls to avoid clumping or shifting which is common with down blankets. Down comforters with no baffle box develop cold spots because the down naturally clumps. The bigger your bed, the more baffling you’ll need. Twin sized comforters need no baffling, while king sized beds demand some level of baffling to avoid uneven clumps in your comforter.
A less common trick to discern down quality is to check the comforter’s department store warranty. Because down weathers easily, a warranty can tell you a lot about a comforter. If a comforter price looks too good to be true and has a one-year warranty on top of it, pass it by… The highest quality down comes with lifetime warranties allowing you to replace your comforter if anything is wrong with it. Learn about your down comforters’ warranty and avoid getting scammed for winter bedding.
Many are allergic to the dust and dander that feathered bedding collects. Hypo down is a form of down comforter made with milkweed and for allergy sufferers. Hypo down’s soft milkweed clusters repel the dust that clings to traditional downs.
Though an expensive investment, nothing trumps the softness and warmth of a down comforter. Since down bedding can last as long as a decade if cared for properly, it is critical to shop for the best comforter that fits your budget. Take your time to find the down bedding just right for you, and you’ll notice a dramatic difference in your bedroom comfort this year.
Jonathon Gerald Billingsworth does article marketing for the interior decor and bedroom merchandise industry. He considered an interior design expert, and has written extensively on bedding products from Sealy Bedding to contour foam pillows and other bedding merchandise.
