Related Articles
Sweet dreams start with soft sheets. Or, at the very least, great sheets mean I sleep better, whether my dreams are peaceful or a hallucination of failed superpowers and the internet. There's a lot to navigate when buying sheets for your bed, from understanding percale and sateen to thread counts. 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 in pairing your new mattress with stale sheets?)
We've tested dozens of options to find the best sheets in nearly every style. However, there's an endless supply of sheets out there, so we'll keep updating this guide as we test more. All of the prices shown are for queen-size sets. Be sure to read our Best Mattresses, Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers, Best Organic Mattresses, and Best Pillows guides for more bedding recommendations.
Updated September 2024: We've added new percale and organic picks, plus a few more honorable mentions.
Table of ContentsLinen SheetsPercale SheetsFlannel SheetsSateen SheetsSilk SheetsOrganic SheetsAlternative Material SheetsBudget SheetsSheets to SkipDo You Need a Top Sheet?What Does Thread Count Actually Mean?How I Test Sheets
Linen Sheets
Why buy linen sheets? Linen is a woven fabric made from flax plants. It's a highly breathable material and doesn't trap heat, so it keeps you cool during the summer months. It's great for people who sleep hot. It's rougher at first than a simple cotton set, but it should soften up the more it's washed. Linen is often expensive, but it's also more durable than cotton, so a good sheet set should last a lot longer. Linen sheets are not for everyone, but if you love linen clothing, you'll probably love linen sheets.
Our Favorite Linen Sheets
Photograph: Nena Farrell
The Citizenry Stonewashed Linen Sheet Set$299 at The Citizenry$299 at The Container Store
I've slept on a lot of linen (don't miss my entire guide to linen sheets), and the Citizenry's linen set are my Goldilocks sheets. They're lightweight and breathable but still have a nice drape and softness you don't often find in brand-new linen. It usually takes a little breaking in to get to this stage, but the Citizenry's sheets feel like you've already gotten to wash and soften them up. These sheets are cool enough for warm nights thanks to great airflow, but not so cool that I wouldn’t use them year-round. They're also Oeko-Tex certified, meaning they've been tested for harmful substances and have been deemed harmless.
The Citizenry's linen sheets not only feel fantastic to sleep on but come in lots of colors to go with any color scheme your bedroom might have. Parts of the sheet set (just the top sheet, pillowcases, etc.) can be purchased individually if something happens to one of your pieces.
The Softest Linen Ever
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Cultiver Linen Sheet Set$445 at Cultiver
These sheets are the softest linen I've ever tried—so soft that my husband didn't even realize I had swapped out a soft flannel set for these! They're super comfortable to sleep on but still have that light linen feel. The Cultiver sheets feel a little silkier (a word I never thought I'd use to describe linen) and drape a little more nicely around my body and on the bed. These sheets are a splurge, but if you want extra-soft linen, these are the way to go.
The only thing I didn't like about them was the overflowing lint tray after drying them. My husband noted that they were “slippery” compared to other sheets we usually slept on, adding to the almost-silky experience of these sheets. But such softness doesn't come cheap, and these sheets are a splurge. You're able to buy pieces individually if you want to work your way up to a full set, or worry that one piece could get shredded by your cat (though my cat has yet to do any damage to these).
Other Great Linen SheetsPottery Barn Belgian Flax Linen Sheet Set for $299: These are my favorite cooling linen sheets, as they have the most breathable weave I've slept on. The airflow is great with these sheets, keeping me nice and cool. These sheets are a little thinner than the Citizenry's, but not quite as soft.Quince Linen Bamboo Sheet Set for $150: These aren't 100 percent linen, but I love the combination of bamboo softness and linen breathability they offer. They're a great pick if you want the benefits of linen but are uncertain about the roughness or texture of standard linen (or about spending too much!) Quince's European Linen Sheets ($170) are also a great price if you're looking for affordable all-linen sheets.Brooklinen Washed Linen Core Sheet Set for $319: This is great linen for the price. There are a ton of fun colors to choose from, and Brooklinen often has new options or sales. It's not the softest or lightest set we tried, but still an all-around solid set.The Company Store Legends Hotel Linen Bed Sheet Set for $327: These sheets are surprisingly smooth for a linen sheet; my husband didn't even think we were sleeping on linen. They felt as cooling as the Pottery Barn set, but The Company Store said they're replacing the line soon, so we're waiting to see if we like the updated set just as much.
Looking for more linen? Read about every set of linen we've tested and our shopping advice in 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's also referred to as a plain weave. It looks how you might picture a classic weave to look, with an over-under style like a checkerboard. These sheets tend to be crisp, cool, and lightweight, and they make for great cooling sheets. Think of hotel sheets or your favorite button-up shirt. They're a good middle ground if you sleep hot but don't want to spring for linen and its higher prices.
Our Favorite Breathable Percale Sheets
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Saatva Percale Sheet Set$205 at Saatva
Saatva's known for its mattresses, but you shouldn't sleep on shopping their sheets. (Definitely sleep on them, in the literal sense.) Saatva's percale is especially impressive because it does a great job of being lightweight and breathable, without feeling overly crispy or papery. Not only that, but these sheets are still soft to the touch, and my percale-hater husband didn't notice I had switched us to a new percale set.
Saatva's percale has just a 200 thread count, which is part of what keeps it light and breathable—no large numbers of threads to hold in heat. It's impressive that these sheets are still soft to the touch with that lighter thread count, too. They're now one of my go-to sets when I need cooling sheets.
The Best Soft Percale Sheets
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Pure Parima Ultra Percale Sheet Set Hotel Collection$243 at Amazon$230 at Pure Parima
As a non-percale fan, Pure Parima's percale sheets are easily my favorite percale to sleep on. They're better priced than sheets from popular brands, but are made with Egyptian Cotton (certified by the Cotton Egypt Association), which gave it a slightly softer feel without losing the crisp, breathable design that makes percale sheets popular. The extra softness got me, a sateen lover, reaching for percale sheets for the first time, especially on hot summer nights.
Pure Parima's sheets also have deep pockets and corner straps that make it easy to secure them in place. Each part of the set has a little tag denoting its size so that it's easy to keep your queen or king set versus your kid's twin sheets organized without having to triple-check whose pillowcase goes where. They're Oeko-Tex certified, too.
Other Great Percale SheetsBrooklinen Percale Core Sheet Set for $179: Brooklinen's crisp percale sheets are everything you want in classic percale: lightweight, crisp, and breathable. There's also the organic set ($239), which felt slightly softer at first, but after a few washes these sheets feel the same to the touch and to sleep on.Riley Percale Sheet Set for $260: Riley makes nice percale sheets, but they’re pricey—a fitted sheet and pillowcases cost $135, and the flat sheet costs an additional $85. We liked their crispness, but Brooklinen's are cheaper for even the organic set.Parachute Percale Sheet Set for $269: WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu says these sheets feel rough at first but soften up the more they're washed. They've held up extremely well after years of use, even with a dog sleeping in the same bed.
Looking for more percale or cooling options? We've got a whole guide to cooling sheets that includes more picks.
Flannel Sheets
Why buy flannel sheets? Flannel sheets are made of cotton, but the cotton fibers are brushed out to create a fuzzy texture. Those fluffed-out fibers also are what make flannel so warm and cozy to sleep on—the teased layers of cotton do a better job of retaining heat than other styles of cotton sheets, so you'll stay much warmer sleeping on these than other sheet styles. They're great for cooler climates.
Our Favorite Flannel Sheets
Photograph: The Company Store
The Company Store Legends Hotel Velvet Flannel Sheet Set$184 at The Company Store
The Company Store's flannel sheets initially threw me off with how pink the cream color looked, especially when placed next to other white sheets. But once I saw past that, these sheets felt the softest to the touch compared with the Coyuchi and L.L. Bean flannels I tried (see below). They're a little stiff initially, but soften up with each wash.
They're cozy to sleep on and definitely warm—these were the warmest I slept on out of the bunch. If you're looking for soft and warm at a reasonable price, these sheets deliver.
Most PopularGearThe Top New Features Coming to Apple’s iOS 18 and iPadOS 18By Julian ChokkattuGearHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Polestar?By Carlton ReidGearThe Best Hearing Aids We’ve Personally Tested and Vetted With an ExpertBy Christopher NullGearEverything Apple Announced TodayBy Boone AshworthOther Great Flannel (Or Similar) SheetsL.L. Bean's UltraSoft Flannel Sheets for $139: These are definitely soft, but not as soft as our top flannel pick, and they feel lighter too. They're almost like a warm jersey rather than a flannel. If you're looking for a light but still soft set of sheets, this is a good choice.Coyuchi Cloud Brushed Organic Flannel Sheet Set for $278: These sheets are super soft and fantastic to sleep on. They're warm and cozy, yet a little lighter than the Company Store's set. But they're a splurge. If your budget can stretch, these are my favorite flannel sheets.Brooklinen's Heathered Cashmere Sheets for $350: These sheets are a major splurge. They're 95 percent cotton and 5 percent cashmere wool, giving them a little rougher texture than your usual flannel sheets. I still really liked sleeping on them and found them warm and cozy, but my husband, who favors soft sheets, didn't care for them.
Sateen Sheets
Why buy sateen sheets? Sateen is a cotton weave similar to percale, but it uses a three-over-one thread style weave compared to one-over-one. Those extra threads give it a silkier feel even though it's still cotton, and it tends to be both cooler and a little heavier. They're great for summer months if you want something cool to the touch, but they also work for colder months if you aren't looking for something too heat-trapping like flannel but still want to retain some heat.
Our Favorite Sateen Sheets
Photograph: JCPenney
JCPenney Wrinkle Guard Sateen Sheet Set$140 at JCPenney
I have a few sets of JCPenney’s Wrinkle Guard sateen sheets in my linen closet thanks to my wedding registry. They’re soft and cool to the touch, with the silky finish sateen is known for without being slippery. They drape well on my bed and don’t keep me too warm, but be careful how you fold them, as they aren't completely wrinkle-free.
The craziest thing to me about these sheets is that I can barely tell the difference between them and the Brooklinen Luxe Core Set, which is double the price (also courtesy of my wedding registry). They’re similar and both incredibly comfortable to sleep on, but JCPenney’s sheets are just hard to beat on value.
Most PopularGearThe Top New Features Coming to Apple’s iOS 18 and iPadOS 18By Julian ChokkattuGearHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Polestar?By Carlton ReidGearThe Best Hearing Aids We’ve Personally Tested and Vetted With an ExpertBy Christopher NullGearEverything Apple Announced TodayBy Boone AshworthOther Great Sateen SheetsQuince Luxury Organic Signature Sateen Sheet Set for $100: We prefer Quince’s linen sheets, but if you want cotton, these are a good choice. Former WIRED reviewer Haley Sprankle raved about these sheets being the perfect combination of lightweight and sumptuous. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano liked these too, though she prefers other materials over sateen. Some people might find sateen hot, but we did not find that to be the case with these.Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set for $189: These sheets are similar to JCPenney’s set but more expensive. They’re a touch silkier thanks to a higher thread count—Brooklinen has 480 versus JCPenney’s 400. We explain thread counts further below.Pure Parima Triple Luxe Sateen Sheet Set Hotel Collection for $350: If you don't think standard sateen is soft enough, then it's time to try Egyptian Cotton sateen. The long-staple cotton is Cotton Egypt Association certified, and it's Oeko-Tex certified too. But most important, it's super soft without being overly heavy, and isn't slippery like bamboo or silk. It's a splurge, but if you're craving soft, these are the way to go.
Silk Sheets and Pillowcases
Why buy silk sheets? Silk stays cool and slick when you need it, so you shouldn't heat up and stick to your bed in the middle of the night. But it also is capable of insulating you decently well to keep you warm in the winter months. Silk is also better for your beauty rest and the reason why silk scarves, bonnets, and pillowcases are so popular. It absorbs less moisture from your hair and skin, so you stay hydrated and don't lose all your expensive beauty products to your pillow. It also causes less friction, pulling less at your skin during the night. If you're a side or stomach sleeper where your face makes direct contact with your pillow, silk is a great option to consider.
If you Google silk sheets, you'll see results for things like “eucalyptus silk” or “silky Tencel.” These might still be comfortable and soft, but they are not real silk. Real silk sheets are categorized by their density and weight, called momme. A higher number equals more threads, a higher density, and more durability. For example, 25-momme sheets are a higher quality and more durable, but also more expensive. The 19-momme sheets we recommend here are a perfectly good set. It's worth noting that some people find sleeping on a full silk bed to be annoying, with their pillows slipping around and the corners coming untucked, but we didn't encounter this.
Our Favorite Silk Sheets
Photograph: Lilysilk
Lilysilk 19 Momme Seamless Silk Sheets$249 at Lilysilk (Flat Sheet)$259 at Lilysilk (Fitted Sheet)
Sleeping on these silk sheets feels like true luxury. They're soft and smooth without being freezing cold. Lilysilk is the only brand of silk sheets we’ve tested, and it's very expensive to get a full set—you're looking at over $800 for one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and two pillowcases—but the brand offers each piece individually. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano tried the fitted sheet with a regular percale top sheet and found it cooling and comfortable. If you can spend a little more, Lilysilk has 22- and 25-momme sets available. They're a little more durable, but 19 is still very high quality.
Our Favorite Silk Pillowcase
Photograph: Quince
Quince Silk Mulberry Pillowcase$40 at Quince
Switching to a silk pillowcase might make a difference for a lot less money than replacing the whole set. Silk sheets boast benefits for hair and skin, and a pillowcase targets those benefits to your face and hair. While using a silk pillowcase didn't fix all my hair problems, my hair was certainly softer while I slept on one of these. Of the silk pillowcases I've tested, these are my favorites.
This silk pillowcase is a great value at $40, and it has a better weight for that price than other brands. Quince's silk pillowcase is 22-momme, where others usually have a 19-momme for that price, and that heavier weight makes it slightly thicker and softer to the touch. It has a zipper enclosure, which I liked since it kept the pillowcase looking polished, and I didn't have to worry about my pillow wiggling its way out of the case while I tossed and turned in the night. Sleep Number's Silk Pillowcase ($50) felt very similar to it and also has a zipper enclosure, but it costs $10 more and is a slightly lighter weight (21-momme).
Most PopularGearThe Top New Features Coming to Apple’s iOS 18 and iPadOS 18By Julian ChokkattuGearHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Polestar?By Carlton ReidGearThe Best Hearing Aids We’ve Personally Tested and Vetted With an ExpertBy Christopher NullGearEverything Apple Announced TodayBy Boone AshworthOther Great Silk (or Similar) PillowcasesLilySilk 19-Momme Silk Pillowcase for $45: This is the same price as the Quince pillowcase, but a lighter weight, though it's barely noticeable side by side. If you prefer no zipper, though, this is the silk pillowcase for you. It does have a few colors and prints that Quince doesn't, so you might want to peruse the two brands and choose based on your color preference.Silken Pure Silk Envelope Pillowcase for $98: This pillowcase is a splurge, but the Silken Pure is noticeably higher-end. Giordano found it's not as slippery as other, cheaper pillowcases, but it is super cooling on your skin. She says it's held up great in the wash too. She does find she has to adjust it in the morning, since it doesn't have a zipper enclosure.Kitsch Satin Pillowcase for $19: This pillowcase is satin, not silk, but Giordano said it's better than similarly priced silk options. If you're not looking to spend more than $20 to $25, she says to choose this one over the cheap silk pillowcases you'll find on Amazon.
Organic Sheets
Why buy organic sheets? If you're buying an organic mattress, you probably want to pair it with organic sheets. Otherwise, nonorganic sheets can bring the chemicals and materials you avoided—including anything from formaldehyde and TCEP (a flame retardant) to phthalates—right back into your life. Even if you have a regular mattress, you can still benefit from choosing sheets that are made of natural, organic materials.
Our Favorite Organic Cotton Sheets
Photograph: The Citizenry
The Citizenry Organic Stonewashed Percale Sheet Set$179 at The Citizenry
These are fantastic all-around percale sheets—lightweight! Crisp without feeling like paper! Still soft to the touch!—that happen to be organic, and better priced than other organic sheets we've tried. The Citizenry's percale set is soft enough that it doesn't get complaints from my husband. The brand also makes my favorite linen for the same reason: The ability to make fantastic sheets that are softer than other, similarly priced options.
This set has a 300 thread count, which is a nice spot for staying breathable (especially if you want organic sheets that will keep you cool) while still staying soft. The long-staple cotton used helps with that softness, too. The Citizenry's percale is made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton and is Oeko-Tex certified, which means they're tested for and do not contain any known toxic chemicals.
Another Great Set
Photograph: Brooklinen
Brooklinen Organic Cotton Sheets$229 at Brooklinen
WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson tests organic mattresses, and these are his favorite organic sheets to pair with them. They're soft but not overly silky, which is a feeling he doesn't care for (if you do, check out the Avocado sheets below). I've also found the organic percale is just a touch softer than Brooklinen's regular percale. The Brooklinen organic cotton sheets are made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton are Oeko-Tex certified, like the Citizenry sheets above. They also have a 300 thread count.
Other Great Organic SheetsAvocado Organic Cotton Sheets for $179: These 600-count sheets are like sleeping on silk or satin and are 100 percent GOTS-certified organic cotton from India. The only potential issue here is that, because they are such a dense weave, they sleep a little warmer than what you might be used to. There's also a 400-count version we haven't tested.Avocado Organic Linen Sheets for $499: These linen sheets are some of the heaviest Gilbertson has tried and will likely last you many years, thanks to the heavy weight. They'll get softer with every wash, but they are initially rougher than other styles of sheets.Naturepedic Linen Sheet Set for $549: This sheet set has a nice weight to it while still being cool to sleep on, but wasn't as soft as other linen I've tried. It does have a ton of options to buy individual linen pieces, which is nice, comes in great colors, and is GOTS-certified organic.
Alternative Materials
Why buy bamboo or eucalyptus sheets? Companies are making sheets from other materials now too, like bamboo and eucalyptus. The latter usually takes less water than cotton and less-harsh chemicals than bamboo to produce sheets. Because bamboo plants grow so quickly, it's thought to be an eco-friendly resource we can use without depleting the planet. However, it's not a perfect solution. The process of turning bamboo into fabric uses harsh chemicals, which can actually add to air and water pollution. Bamboo viscose is slightly better than bamboo rayon.
A Eucalyptus Sheet
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Buffy Breeze Sheet Set$195 at Buffy$175 at Amazon
We were already fans of Buffy’s enormous Wiggle Pllow, and now we’re happy to have tried the company's sheets too. They’re light and airy and yet feel warm, like you’re cozy under your favorite blanket, without making you hot and sweaty. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says her husband struggles with waking up sweaty on materials like percale, even when they feel cool to the touch, but he commented on how nice he felt sleeping in these. She did, however, note that they slid up the side of her mattress more than some other sheets.
The fabric uses a sateen weave but is actually Tencel lyocell, which is made from sustainable wood sources—in this case, eucalyptus—and a more eco-friendly, closed-loop production process.
A Bamboo Sheet
Photograph: Luxome
Luxome Bamboo Luxury Sheet Set$170 at Luxome
While former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says she prefers the crispness of percale, these Luxome sheets made from bamboo viscose are the softest bedding she’s ever slept on. They're silky and drape well, but have deep pockets and elastic straps to keep them on your mattress all night. They’ve held up in the wash too. We were nervous they’d get pilly like some similar cheap soft sheets we’ve tried from Bed Bath & Beyond (RIP), but that hasn't been the case.
Other Great Bamboo SheetsBedsure Bamboo Cooling Sheet Set for $45: This is one of the best cheap sets of sheets we found from stores like Amazon and Walmart, and it happened to be bamboo to boot. It's made from bamboo rayon (instead of viscose, which is better for the environment), and while it isn't as silky and cool as the Luxome sheet set above, it's a close second.Quince Organic Bamboo Sheets for $90: This is another great affordable bamboo set. These bamboo viscose sheets use a sateen weave, giving them a silky feel, and are organic with an Oeko-Tex certification. They've got a nice weight to them for the price, too, but are still comfortable to sleep on without getting too warm.My Sheets Rock the Regulator Sheet Set for $199: These bamboo sheets promise to regulate your temperature. I didn't feel like my temperature was fabulously regulated, but they're overall soft, comfortable sheets to sleep on.Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set for $331: Similar to Luxome, these bamboo sheets are 100 percent bamboo viscose, but they're pricier. Still, they're insanely soft and nice and cold to the touch. They warm up after about 15 minutes of lying in bed but still feel almost as if they've melted around you.
Best Budget Sheets
On a tight budget? Some of our favorite sheets are surprisingly cheap compared to other similar sets, but they cover a range of sheet styles.
Our Favorite Budget Sheets
Photograph: Target
Room Essentials Easy Care Solid Sheet Set$25 at Target
After a cross-state move that required me to ditch anything that didn't fit into my car, sheets somehow didn't make the cut. So I popped into Target to grab its cheapest queen sheet set off the shelf and promptly left the store, because my moving budget had dried up. Target's Room Essentials set is made with a plain cotton weave, and I didn't expect them to hold up for long, especially with my claw-happy cat in the house.
It's been four years and I still use these sheets. They're soft and light after years of use and feel a bit like a favorite T-shirt I've worn in the perfect amount. My husband, much to my ire, calls these “the nice sheets” even though we have actual nice sheets. They're affordable and are comfortable to sleep on.
Most PopularGearThe Top New Features Coming to Apple’s iOS 18 and iPadOS 18By Julian ChokkattuGearHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Polestar?By Carlton ReidGearThe Best Hearing Aids We’ve Personally Tested and Vetted With an ExpertBy Christopher NullGearEverything Apple Announced TodayBy Boone AshworthOther Great Budget SheetsBedsure Bamboo Cooling Sheet Set for $42: We tried a few sets of cheap, highly rated sheets from stores like Amazon and Walmart in hopes of finding a great pair well under the $100 mark. This $45 set from Bedsure was the best one. They're made from bamboo rayon, and while they aren't as silky and cool as the Luxome sheets above, they're a close second. Luxome's sheets are made from bamboo viscose, which is better for the environment.
Sheets to Skip
Not every set of sheets was one we loved. Here are some other sheets we tried and would avoid.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Sheet Set ($17): Oh how we wanted sub-$20 sheets to be the unexpected hero of our testing, but alas, this set is a failure. They feel (and sound!) kind of like those paper robes you have to wear at the doctor's office. We hardly lasted a night sleeping on these.Casper Hyperlite Sheet Set for $112: These are cooling to the touch, thanks to the lyocell Tencel material used, but they are incredibly thin and already feel worn after a handful of washes.Article Brushed Cotton Sheets for $129: I expected these to feel like lighter flannel, but instead, they feel more like a crisp percale. They're solid for sleeping on, though a bit rough at first (especially if you're expecting a softer, flannel-like texture).FluffCo Flat & Fitted Sheets for $129: These sheets are designed to feel like hotel sheets, and they have a stiff, firm texture that reminds me of a hotel. It's a sateen set, even though the texture feels more like a percale. I also didn't like that while they aren't cheap, they don't come with pillowcases.Coop Comphy CoolSpa Sheet Set for $159: These sheets promise cooling properties, but I found myself waking up sweating after sleeping on these.
Do You Need a Top Sheet?
To sleep with a top sheet or not to sleep with a top sheet has been a matter of debate in the past few years, with some opting to speak for a generation. WIRED is divided on this issue, though most of the Gear team seems to go without. I start out the night with a top sheet but usually find it bunched up in the morning. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano is passionate about always sleeping with one. ("This millennial has not killed the top sheet industry," she says.)
Do whatever keeps you comfortable. Many companies now offer the option to forgo a top sheet altogether while purchasing a set. If you think you don't like a top sheet because you get too hot, you might just need to find a cooler material.
What Does Thread Count Actually Mean?
Thread count is the number of threads you'll find in one square inch of a sheet's fabric. The thread count can range pretty widely on sheets, and some brands like Parachute claim it doesn't matter. You also might see some styles of sheets won't call out thread counts at all—silk uses a different system, called momme, which focuses on the weight of the silk, and flannel sheets usually list the ounces of weight of the flannel.
Most PopularGearThe Top New Features Coming to Apple’s iOS 18 and iPadOS 18By Julian ChokkattuGearHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Polestar?By Carlton ReidGearThe Best Hearing Aids We’ve Personally Tested and Vetted With an ExpertBy Christopher NullGearEverything Apple Announced TodayBy Boone Ashworth
Ultimately, higher thread counts mean literally more thread—it's a denser weave and weight that can also feel heavy if you're used to lighter weaves and lower thread counts. Some equate thread count with quality or softness, but you shouldn't treat it as the ultimate rule of how good a set of sheets will be. You can use thread count to understand two things: texture (higher thread counts usually mean a smoother feel) and warmth (more threads will retain more heat). If you want lighter sheets, lower thread counts could actually be better for you, but higher thread counts can mean a smoother feel or warmer layers if you're a cold sleeper. Even if you like a toasty bed, you never need a thread count as high as 800 and 1,000, so don't splurge for super high numbers.
How I Test Sheets
This one's easy: by sleeping! I sleep on each set of sheets for about a week to see how they hold up and how comfortable they are. I check how well secured they stay on the mattress throughout that week, how well they retain heat (taking the material into consideration; flannel should be keeping me much warmer than sateen, for example), and how soft or unsoft they feel after prolonged exposure. I also wash them as soon as they arrive in a normal, cold cycle; check whether the texture has changed at all after a wash; and do the same thing after a week of use. I also keep sheets on hand to compare textures side by side with similar styles of sheets.
