If you want the best of the best, our tester thinks these luxurious sateen sheets will make you feel like you’re in a 5-star hotel. These Egyptian cotton sheets aced our sateen sheet testing, staying soft and lustrous (if a little less shiny) after washing. The flat sheet is also oversized, meaning no battles for the sheet if you sleep with your partner.
What to Know About the Best Sheets on Amazon
Sheets come in all types: silky sateen, crisp cotton percale, soft jersey, breezy linen … there’s a sheet type for every preference. Here are some of the most popular materials for sheets on Amazon.
Percale
Crisp, cool, and with an airy feeling like a cotton dress shirt, percale sheets are a great pick for people who sleep hot or want their bedding to be breathable above all else. These sheets are usually 100% cotton or sometimes a cotton-poly blend or all-poly, and they have a matte finish. If you tend to sweat when you sleep, percale sheets are a cooling option.
Cotton Sateen
Cotton sateen sheets are some of the most popular in the world — and for good reason. They’re soft, silky, and have a buttery feel on the skin with a smooth sheen. Sateen sheets have a heavier drape than percale sheets, and sleep warmer, too.
Flannel
For soft and cozy snuggles in cold weather, nothing beats soft flannel sheets. A seasonal favorite, flannel sheets are generally cotton or cotton-poly blends, and come in a variety of colors and patterns. They’re exceptionally soft, fuzzy, and warm.
Thread Count
Much is made of high thread counts, but is it really the case that the higher the thread count, then better the sheet? It’s not that simple. Thread count is the number of weft (horizontal) and warp (vertical) threads that are woven into one square inch of fabric. And while a higher thread count can mean a softer, more luxurious sheet up to a certain point, it’s not relevant for any sheets made of any fiber other than 100% cotton. (Polyester can be spun so finely that poly sheets or cotton-poly blend sheets can have thread counts in the high hundreds or even a thousand without being as soft and durable as a lower thread count cotton sheet; silk, flannel, jersey, and linen sheets use different measures.)
So what thread count should you look for? In general, cotton sheets with thread counts between 300 and 500 are the best balance of softness, heft, and durability.
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