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Credit:
Reviewed / Camryn Rabideau
The Best Percale Sheets of 2026
Products are chosen independently by our editors. Purchases made through our links may earn us a commission.
Credit:
Reviewed / Camryn Rabideau
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Sferra Giza 45 Percale Collection
Super soft and lightweight, these percale sheets are delightful to sleep on and worth the high price if you want absolute top-tier sheets. Read More
Pros
- Soft, cozy, lightweight
- Decorative hems
- Deep pockets
Cons
- Fabric is slightly too thin
- Shrinks in wash
- Luxury price tag
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Saatva Percale Sheet Set
Despite having a lower thread count than other sheets, the cotton percale was wonderfully soft to the touch and luxurious to sleep on. Read More
Pros
- Soft, cool feel
- Neat, reinforced stitching
- Deep pocket
Cons
- Slightly see-through
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Boll & Branch Percale Hemmed Sheet Set
These organic sheets have a soft feel and come in six classic colors. They are also OEKO-TEX Standard 100, free from toxins, pesticides, and GMOs. Read More
Pros
- Organic materials
- Crisp yet soft feel
Cons
- Slightly see-through
- Below-average stitching
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Brooklinen Washed Classic Percale Sheet Set
Smooth and cool to the touch, these Brooklinen sheets are great for sleeping—just not in wintertime. Read More
Pros
- Great in summer or for hot sleepers
- Fit well
Cons
- Isn't as soft as advertised
- Not great for year-round use
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Crane & Canopy Percale Cotton Sheet Set
These Egyptian cotton sheets have a smooth, silky texture and an oversized fit to accommodate even the deepest mattress—but they only come in white. Read More
Pros
- Smooth, silky feel
- Oversized flat sheet
Cons
- Only available in white
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Sferra Giza 45 Percale Collection
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Saatva Percale Sheet Set
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Boll & Branch Percale Hemmed Sheet Set
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Other Percale Sheets We Tested
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What to Know Before Buying Percale Sheets
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How We Tested Percale Sheets
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More Articles You Might Enjoy
- Best Percale Sheets Sferra Giza 45 Percale Collection
- Best Value Percale Sheets Saatva Percale Sheet Set
- Best Organic Percale Sheets Boll & Branch Percale Hemmed Sheet Set
- Other Percale Sheets We Tested
- What to Know Before Buying Percale Sheets
- How We Tested Percale Sheets
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The Rundown
- Our favorite percale sheets are the Sferra Giza 45 Percale Collection and the Saatva Percale Sheet Set.
- Percale sheets are ideal for warm sleepers or summer due to their breathable, crisp feel, resulting from a plain cotton weave.
- Prioritize long-staple cotton like Egyptian or Pima for durability and softness, and remember that a thread count of 250-300 is often sufficient.
When it comes to cotton bed sheets, there are two types of people: those who want the soft, buttery feel of sateen sheets, and those who prefer crisp, cooling percale sheets. (To be fair, linen sheets also have their fan club, but that’s a different ball game altogether!) Percale sheets have a plain weave of cotton (or sometimes polyester) that results in a smooth, crisp sheet without a glossy sheen.
The best cotton percale sheets are often a superior choice for summertime or anyone who sleeps warm. They tend to be more breathable, but they can also have a fairly rough texture if made from low-quality materials, which is why buying them online can be somewhat of a gamble.
However, we’ve got you covered. After several weeks of testing percale sheets to find the most comfortable sheet material and the best quality of sheets, our favorite set is the Egyptian cotton Sferra Giza 45 Sheets (available at Bloomingdale's) , which are outrageously expensive and appropriately tested the highest.
Our top value pick for more economical budgets is Saatva Percale Sheet Set (available at Saatva), which features extremely soft, smooth, and breathable cotton fabric. They also have a deep pocket, meaning they’re fitted sheets that stay in place on virtually any mattress.
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These luxury percale sheets have a steep price tag, but if that's OK with your wallet, you'll definitely sleep like a baby.
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Saatva percale sheets are the best of the best.
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Boll & Branch makes the best organic percale sheets you can buy.
Other Percale Sheets We Tested
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Pros
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Great in summer or for hot sleepers
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Fit well
Cons
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Isn't as soft as advertised
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Not great for year-round use
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Pros
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Fitted sheet stays in place
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Deep pocket
Cons
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'Swishy' feel
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Pros
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Comfortable feel
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Fun patterns and colors
Cons
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Unpleasant odor
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Shrunk substantially
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What to Know Before Buying Percale Sheets
Beyond how they feel, there are quite a few factors that differentiate bed linens. Fiber, construction method, and thread count affect how sheets think, perform, and wear over time, so we evaluate them when testing and recommending bedding.
Sateen vs. Percale Sheets
Percale and sateen are made from the same yarns, but their weaves make them feel noticeably different.
In weaving, the yarns that run vertically are called “warp” yarns, and the horizontal ones are called “weft” yarns. Percale relies on a simple over-one, under-one weaving pattern. The weft yarns go over one warp yarn and under the next until a piece of fabric reaches the desired size.
The result is a tight weave, similar to a high-quality men’s dress shirt. This is what gives percale its crisp feel and matte finish.
Compared to sateen sheets, percale is durable and less prone to snags. It’s also more breathable than other fabrics thanks to its thin yarns and its lightweight nature. It’s a great choice for summer nights and hot sleepers. However, it’s prone to wrinkling, so take your percale sheets out of the dryer immediately if crumpled bedding is a pet peeve.
Sheet Fibers
Technically, many fabrics could be woven into percale, but the vast majority of percale sheets are made from cotton.
Natural cotton fiber is known for its softness and breathability, with a wide variety available. Types of cotton include Pima, Egyptian, and American Upland, each with a different staple length.
Staple length refers to how long a piece of fiber is when harvested. Longer-staple cotton yields more durable fabrics that are less prone to pilling, which occurs when fibers break and wind into little balls on the textile’s surface.
Egyptian and Pima cotton are extra-long staple fibers, so they’re great for sheets and less likely to pill over time. (Sometimes “Egyptian cotton” refers to any cotton grown in Egypt, but also look for wording that indicates the staple length.) To reduce the risks of pilling, choose your staple length carefully. You’ll want fabric made from “long” or “extra long” staple cotton to ensure softness and durability.
We’d recommend passing on percale sheets made from another fiber or a blend, such as cotton-polyester percale. Cotton and polyester go hand in hand, and you’ll likely lose the signature breathability and lightness if another fiber is introduced into the mix.
Thread Count
One common consideration is thread count, which refers to the number of warp and weft threads in one square inch of fabric. Most assume higher thread counts automatically equal higher quality, but the truth isn’t straightforward. Depending on the country of manufacture, thread count can be calculated differently.
A piece of yarn is made of several smaller threads twisted together, called its “ply.” For instance, a three-ply yarn is made up of three smaller threads. In the United States, the ply is not counted toward the total thread count, but in other countries, it can be.
So, a sheet made from two-ply yarn might have a thread count of 250 when manufactured in the U.S. But when made overseas, the same fabric might be labeled 500-thread count. Some brands do this purposely to make their product seem more appealing.
Because of that, thread count isn’t a surefire way to gauge the quality of sheets. As long as the thread count isn’t ultra-low, say less than 200, you probably don’t need to sweat it. In our extensive testing, many of the best sheets have a thread count of 250 or 300, so we don’t recommend worrying too much about it as you shop.
How We Tested Percale Sheets
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We conducted a number of tests for this review, including how the percale sheets fared in the washer and dryer.
After unpackaging each set of sheets, we put the fitted sheet directly onto the bed to see how it fit and if it was deep enough for the mattress, which is around 16 inches thick.
We also weighed and measured each flat sheet to calculate its weight per square yard, which allowed us to compare the fabric thickness across different sets.
Once these two tests were complete, we washed and dried the linens according to their care guidelines, then put them back on the bed. At this point, we noted whether the fitted sheet shrank in the wash—generally, sheets washed in warm water tended to shrink more, as cotton is susceptible to shrinkage in the heat.
Next came the fun part: Sleeping! We tested each set of sheets by sleeping on them for a few nights at home. We evaluated how soft and comfortable each felt, noting if they made noise when we shifted in bed and if they slept warm or cool.
We also examined the construction of the sheets, as we’ve often found that the corners of inexpensive sheets are prone to ripping at the seams. We looked at the stitching's neatness, noting loose or fraying threads or uneven seams, and whether the sheets had reinforced edges in the fitted sheet or any decorative details.
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Meet the testers
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Camryn Rabideau is a full-time freelance writer and product tester with eight years of experience. She's been lucky enough to test hundreds of products firsthand, and her specialties include bedding and pet products, which often require help from her two dogs, three cats, and flock of rambunctious chickens.
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Leigh Harrington has 25 years experience as a writer and editor for myriad print and digital publications.
At Reviewed, Harrington manages Reviewed's overall content, including areas of focus like home improvement, cleaning, gardening, cooking, smart home, organization, and parenting. She focuses on developing and editing consumer ed content, product reviews and buying guides, but she also writes, too.
Harrington is also an experienced travel writer, and has authored books including Fodor's Boston, 100 Things to Do in Boston Before You Die, and Colorful Cities Boston, an adult coloring book. She was a respected, longtime regional editorial director at Where travel guide, and has written for other publications including the US News & World Report, USA Today, Boston Herald, Newport Life, Exhale magazine, Huffington Post, and many more. www.leighharrington.com
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