The best winter duvets for keeping the chill away, tried and tested

Score: 96/100

Our panel loved this 10.5 tog duvet, praising its soft, plush finish, which kept them warm but not too hot at night. It’s made with microfibre, so it’s suitable for anyone looking to avoid feathers (although it still has that classic down rustle).

It washed well, too – our experts noted that it retained its even filling and luxurious finish, and there was minimal shrinkage. It is bulky, which makes it trickier to fold away for storage, and if your house is particularly chilly, then you may want a thicker option for the very depths of winter. But at 10.5 togs, it should see you through most of the year in comfort.

Score: 96/100

This practically perfect down duvet is luxurious and lightweight to sleep under, while still providing plenty of warmth and cosiness. The filling is 90% Hungarian goose down and 10% Hungarian goose feather (all cruelty-free) – a combination that’s naturally insulating as well as soft and enveloping.

Testers weren’t prickled by feathers pocking through the cotton casing either, but did say it was slightly bumpier than synthetic duvets (such as our other winner). However, that’s normal with down, and a compromise we’re happy to make for an indulgent night's sleep.

Score: 94/100

As one of the highest-tog duvets on the list, this is the one for you if you frequently find yourself reaching for the electric blanket or cranking the heating up. It’s not as soft and snuggly as a down duvet, but our testers found it just as comfortable to sleep under (and it is more affordable).

For a 15-tog duvet, it wasn’t heavy or overly thick. Instead, testers liked the “puffy” appearance, which made their bedroom set-up even more inviting. In fact, everyone said they’d recommend this duvet to others.

Score: 92/100

This 10.5 duvet is great for winter as it's cosy enough on its own, or you can combine it with an additional 4.5 tog duvet (bought separately) using the “snuggle snaps”, which our testers found easy and quick to detach.

The natural bamboo filling makes it breathable and cooling, while still being weighty and warm. “Overall, it feels nice and premium,” said one panellist. A conveniently placed panda paw print on the corner helps you figure out which is the short or long end when putting on your cover, too – so no more duvet tussles on wash day.

Score: 91/100

The clue is in the name – wool is wonderful for a reason. It’s thick, naturally insulating and anti-bacterial, making it a fantastic material for a warming winter duvet.

In terms of tog rating, wool duvets are typically hard to label as the material works with the temperature of your room to regulate body temperature in a different way to other materials. As a rough estimate, however, this one is the equivalent to a 10 to 13.5 tog duvet.

It pleased our testers across the board. But note that it proved a challenge to clean as it’s not machine washable – you’ll need to sponge clean instead.

Score: 91/100

As mentioned above, wool is something of an outlier when it comes to duvet fillings, so it would be understandable if you had some questions. However, it’s hypoallergenic and naturally temperature-regulating, and you don’t need to rely on our word alone.

One well-rested panellist told us: “This is cosy and regulates my temperature nicely. I have never used a wool duvet before but I’m a total convert.” Others described the 10.5 tog design as “luxurious” and “super comfortable”.

While some noted that it isn’t silent to sleep with, they didn’t find it disruptively noisy. It’s also dry clean only. But it’s filled with organic British wool and, given the transformative sleep it gave our panel, we’d say the extra effort is worth it.

Score: 91/100

Testers loved this lightweight yet warming duvet, which also has a soft-to-the-touch 100% cotton casing. It boasts that luxurious goose down filling (a huge hit with testers) and the brand says that all the natural materials are ethically sourced.

Testers had to put in some work to re-disperse the filling evenly again after washing. However, otherwise, it’s easy to move, clean and fold, and everyone said they’d recommend this duvet to others.

Score: 90/100

This “huggable” duvet was a warm and cosy hit with our testers. In fact, they all said they’d recommend it to others after they fell in love with its premium feel and design.

To keep your duvet in tip-top condition, Christy recommends professional laundering, something our panellists agreed with, as it would be difficult to fit the thick duvet into a washing machine. You’ll only need to do this once or twice a year, though. And it’s more affordable than many down duvets on our list, making it a great buy if you’re after a cloud-like sleep for less.

Score: 90/100

This 13.5 tog winter duvet proved to be a real all-rounder; made with recycled plastic bottles, it emerged from the washing machine almost as good as new, and our panel found it luxuriously comfortable to sleep with. It’s also quiet, which means minimal rustling at night.

It has a light, bouncy feel that divided our testers; some loved it, while others would have preferred a heavier-feeling duvet to bed down with. Its buoyancy also made it a bit trickier for our expert to get it back into its canvas bag. Overall, though, this is a premium buy.

Score: 90/100

Wintertime is the season of the lurgy, and if you suffer from allergies, you don’t want to double up on the sniffles. Thankfully, this anti-allergy duvet from John Lewis is treated with special HeiQ Allergen tech, which is designed to break down allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet allergens, to keep the sneezes at bay. It proved to be effective for our testers with allergies, and they enjoyed a great night’s sleep overall.

The heavier tog kept the chill away, but didn’t cause testers to overheat. Many also liked the lightweight feel, which made it extra comfy to sleep under.

Score: 89/100

There’s a lot to love about this bargain duvet; it’s surprisingly lightweight for its high 13.5 tog rating (the lightest duvet on test!), it’s suitable for sleepers with allergies and it’s made in the UK (meaning it has a smaller carbon footprint). But top of our reasons to buy is that, despite its low price, its performance on test was outstanding.

Testers found the soft, quiet design was comfortable and cosy at night, and liked how easy it was to store away during summer. It also washed brilliantly in our lab, with only the slightest fraying of stitching, but note that it’s too bulky to fit into most domestic washing machines.

Score: 88/100

“A perfect cosy duvet, ideal for cold nights,” was how one tester described this snug design. Another said that they’d been using it during changeable weather and temperatures, but they never felt too hot or too cold. This is down to the cotton casing, which absorbs heat from your body if you get too warm and releases it when you start to feel colder. Hats off to these smart temperature-regulating features.

After washing, the filling did bunch up a little, but nothing that a bit of fluffing up couldn’t solve.

Score: 84/100

For warmth that doesn’t break the bank, this soft duvet is a great choice. Its filling was evenly distributed and we were impressed with its quality – far above what we’d expect for its modest price tag. It washed well too, with minimal shrinkage, and our panel also found it fluffy and comfortable at night to sleep with.

It is a fairly basic design - we noticed some scruffy finishes to the seams - and it's rather lightweight. But these are minor qualms for what proved to be an otherwise reliable winter quilt.