The Best Sheets

Why we like them: If you prefer the feel of flannel, we don’t think you can beat the performance and price of L.L.Bean’s Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set. We’ve tried more than a dozen sets since 2016, for our guide to the best flannel sheets, and the L.L.Bean set consistently ranks among the plushest while never feeling clingy. These sheets are expensive, but that’s because they’re made of high-quality long-staple cotton, which means they should last you many years if you care for them properly. Some Wirecutter staffers have used these sheets for years and rave about them.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: In our tests, these sheets shed more lint than other sets. We suspect that they will become less plush over time, but that probably won’t happen until after many years of use.

Available sizes: twin, full, queen, king, and California king

Why we like them: Everyone should own at least a couple of sets of soft, breathable cotton sheets, and L.L.Bean’s 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets and Wrinkle Guard’s 400 Thread Count Sateen Sheets have been our favorites for since 2014 (read more in our guide to the best cotton sheets). They feel nicer than sets twice the price and wear exceptionally well. L.L.Bean’s percale set feels cool and crisp, reminiscent of boutique hotel bedding, making it ideal for warmer temperatures. The Wrinkle Guard sateen set has a silkier, heavier texture that makes it a little warmer; the sheets are nearly wrinkle-free. We think that both sets make a solid base layer for dressing your bed year-round.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Some people find L.L.Bean’s percale set rough. But all percale feels a little textured; if you prefer supersmooth fabric, get a sateen set.

The only complaints we have about the Wrinkle Guard sheets are some mild static cling when folding them, and the fact that this set has been rebranded three times since we first recommended them in 2014. They were originally under the Royal Velvet brand, then JCP Home, and now simply Wrinkle Guard, but we’ve tested them all, and they are all the same sheets with the same high quality.

Available sizes: L.L.Bean percale set comes in twin, full, queen, king, and California king. Wrinkle Guard sateen comes in full, queen, king, California king, and split king.

Why we like them: One of our favorite printed sheets, the Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set, comes in a rotating selection of modern prints. These sheets are made with a percale weave, a cool, breathable type of cotton weave that feels light and crisp against skin. The sheets themselves are thinner (and lighter) than our top percale sheet pick from L.L.Bean, and they feel crisp and airy to sleep between. They’re Oeko-Tex certified, and they’re made with long-staple cotton that gives them a smooth feel and enough strength to endure years of washing. Brooklinen’s prints are far more modern than L.L.Bean’s, though, and the company told me it changes out the designs quarterly. The options range from timeless classics like pinstripes and window panes to some truly abstract wonders. We’ve also recommended the coordinating Brooklinen Classic Duvet Cover for years, if you want to match your whole bed.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Senior staff writer Jackie Reeve has tested several sets over the past four years, and washes them constantly; they hold up beautifully, but over time they don’t soften up as much as the L.L.Bean sheets. You have one year to return them if they’re not right for you. But, don’t wait to buy a print you like—the popular ones seem to sell out fast.

Available sizes: Limited edition prints are available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king sets.

Why we like them: Linen sheet texture isn't for everyone, but the relative softness and wide range of colors of the Cultiver Linen Sheets make them the top pick in our guide to the best linen sheets. Linen fabric tends to be slightly scratchy, but the Cultiver set was softer than others we tried. This set also receives fewer owner reviews complaining about the sheets wearing thin. If you’d like to feel the fabric before you purchase, you can order swatches in any color.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Like any linen sheets, these wrinkle very easily (although not worse than other sets we tried). If you hate the look of wrinkled or crumpled bedding, you may not like these. Cultiver’s sizing is more limited than other brands’. Also, Cultiver doesn’t offer a warranty, and its return policy is pretty standard: The company will accept only unused, unwashed, and unmarked sheets within 30 days of your receiving them.

Available sizes: twin, queen, king, and California king sets; twin, queen, king, and California king fitted sheets; one-size queen/king flat sheet

Why we like them: Many of the cheaper sets we tested for our cotton sheets guide felt scratchy or cheap, but not the Threshold Performance 400 Thread Count Sheet Set. The Threshold Performance sheets aren’t quite as nice as our favorite percale and sateen sets, but in our tests they performed better than sets four times the price. Because they’re made of sateen, the fabric is very smooth with a nice drape. We particularly recommend them for cool temperatures, or if you’re partial to very soft fabrics.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Pet hair, lint, and other fibers tend to stick to the fabric, but the sheets clean up nicely.

Available sizes: twin/twin XL, full, queen, king, California king

Why we like them: Target’s Threshold 400 Thread Count Performance sheet set has been the budget pick in our guide to cotton sheets for years, and the Twin/Twin XL sizes should fit a dorm bed. These sheets just get softer with each wash, they keep their color, and over years of testing they’ve endured all the wear and tear we can think of to put them through. We don’t recommend spending a lot on dorm sheets because you’ll use them for only a year or two. But we do recommend getting 100% cotton sheets over jersey knit or microfiber, which are hot to sleep on. And these are the best affordable, all-cotton sheets we’ve ever tried. Target also offers a one-year return policy for these sheets if they don’t work out.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Threshold sets in dorm sizes sell out very quickly each year. Some years they’ve disappeared so rapidly that we couldn’t recommend them, and we suggested the now-discontinued Heartland Homegrown sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond instead. So don’t wait to buy these.

Available sizes: twin/twin XL, full, queen, king, California king

Many of our favorite sheets now come in California king sets: our favorite percale cotton sheets and sateen sheets, the L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set and the Wrinkle Guard 400 TC Sheet Set; our upgrade percale and sateen picks, the Riley Percale Sheet Set and the Cuddledown 400 Thread Count Sateen Sheet Set; our favorite flannel sheets, the L.L.Bean Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set; and our favorite summer sheets and budget linen sets, the Cultiver Linen Sheets and the Pottery Barn Belgian Linen Sheets and West Elm Belgian Flax Linen Sheets. At 72 by 84 inches, a California king is slightly narrower and longer than a standard king (which measures 76 by 80 inches). We’ve found that some standard king sheets will fit a California king, but most won’t. If you fall in love with a sheet set that doesn’t come in a California king size, check the dimensions of the king sheets before you buy.

If you’re committed to organic growing practices, seeking out organic cotton sheets can be worthwhile. Keep in mind, though, that organic cotton won’t necessarily make a better sheet (we explain more about this topic in our sheets buying guide). We’ve tested some organic cotton sheets, but none of them beat our favorite sets.

We do, however, recommend several sets that are Oeko-Tex certified, which means they should be free of potentially harmful substances such as heavy metals, formaldehyde, and plasticizers. Almost all of the picks from our cotton sheet guide now hold that certification—the L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets, the Riley Percale Sheet Set, the Cuddledown 400 Thread Count Cotton Sateen Bedding set, and the budget Threshold 400 Thread Count Performance Sheet Set. These sets might be a better choice for people with extremely sensitive skin.

We’re commonly asked about sheets made from bamboo (viscose rayon), microfiber, and other alternative fibers. After spending 13 hours researching the many different types of alternative sheeting fabrics, we think that most people are better off sticking with cotton or linen. Bamboo viscose can feel very soft against the skin, but it’s produced with a solvent that can cause air and water pollution (and cause serious health problems for factory workers). Microfiber sheets tend to be pretty affordable, but washing that fabric contributes to polluting lakes and oceans with synthetic threads. Lyocell, another type of rayon often branded as Tencel, seems promising because it’s less environmentally impactful, but sheets made from that fiber tend to be more expensive than cotton. In the end, all of our experts recommended sheets made from cotton or linen anyway, so we’ve decided to pass on testing these other sheeting fabrics.

This article was edited by Daniela Gorny and Christine Ryan.