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From lightweight, cooling picks to warm, down-filled options.

With so many bedding options available at such different price points, it can be hard to decide which sheets, pillows and comforters are perfect for you and worth the splurge. Not to mention figuring out what a duvet actually is! (Yes, it’s technically different than a comforter, but the two words are often used interchangeably when you shop.) It's super important to make sure that you choose the right pieces because even though you may be asleep for most of it, you spend so much of your time in bed. So when it comes to choosing the best duvet insert, we've got you covered... literally.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, we test bedding of all kinds, including the best comforters, duvet inserts, and duvet covers to go on top. Textiles Lab experts use specialized machinery in our Lab to analyze characteristics like washability and durability. We with consumer testers for real user feedback to determine which duvet inserts are worth buying. Our recommendations for the best of the best include our top-tested duvet inserts and options from well-known brands with rave reviews.

Ahead, you'll find our favorite duvet inserts with prices and details reflecting queen sizes. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between down and down alternative fill and for shopping tips to help you find your perfect duvet insert.

This luxury down duvet insert is available in five colors, four different sizes and three levels of warmth, so you can choose the perfect combination for your bed. If you're a hot sleeper, opt for "light warmth," and if you're looking for a cozy duvet for colder nights, try "extra warmth." During testing, our Textiles experts were impressed by the high-quality construction, which has earned this duvet insert the Good Housekeeping Seal. The RDS-certified down is ethically sourced — meaning ducks and geese are not live-plucked, force-fed or otherwise subjected to excess harm — and thoroughly cleaned, and the cotton sateen shell is combed for an extra-soft feel. Testers agreed that the duvet insert was super comfortable and loved that the fill didn't shift around inside at night, thanks to the baffle-box design. This comforter-style duvet insert can be used without a cover, but if you want to add one, the corner loops will help keep it secure.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Down • Construction: Baffle box • Care: Machine washable

It's hard to find a warm down alternative duvet without it feeling too heavy and bulky. But Cuddledown has achieved an excellent balance with its "Level 1" duvet insert, which is both warm and lightweight. The brand does carry heavier ("Level 2") and lighter ("Summer") versions, along with down options, to fit your preference. This pick was a favorite of testers who raved about the soft 100% cotton outer fabric that was comfortable to sleep under. It's designed with a simpler box-stitch construction that doesn't separate the fill as well as baffle-box construction, which can lead to cold spots, but the outer fabric performed well in our durability tests. Plus, it held up well in our wash tests and showed minimal changes in appearance after laundering.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Synthetic • Construction: Box stitch • Care: Machine washable

Down duvet inserts can get expensive, but this pick from StyleWell is a great value. Don't let the lower price fool you — it still uses high-quality materials, is well-made and has even earned The Good Housekeeping Seal. The outer fabric is 100% cotton, there are corner loops to attach a duvet cover and the down fill is RDS-certified, meaning it's ethically sourced. Our testers gave this duvet insert perfect scores for a comfortable feel and comfortable temperature, sharing that it wasn't too warm, but they did notice that the outer material made a slight crinkly noise. Testers found it easy to insert this insert into a duvet cover, which can help minimize that crinkly sound if you find it bothersome.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Down and feather blend • Construction: Box stitch • Care: Machine washable

This duvet insert is a total steal at less than $40. Buyers love it, leaving over 80,000 five-star ratings on Amazon and describing it as lightweight and fluffy. It's so affordable because it's made of 100% polyester (fill and cover). Polyester is not as breathable as cotton, so we don't recommend it for hot sleepers. But the polyester material is easy to care for, and it's machine washable in a large-capacity machine. Plus, it comes in six different colors (Some are even reversible!) and eight sizes, and it has corner loops for easy attachment to a duvet cover.

• Cover material: Polyester • Fill: Polyester • Construction: Box stitch • Care: Machine washable

Hot sleepers rejoice! This cooling duvet insert from Slumber Cloud is made with temperature-regulating fill that stores and then releases your body heat while you sleep to help you stay at a comfortable temperature all night long. The brand's silky sheets, cooling mattress pad and plush pillow were all winners in our 2022 Best Bedding Awards, and this duvet insert is designed with some of the same high-quality materials that are meant to keep you cool. The 100% cotton outer fabric is smooth to the touch, and the duvet is easy to clean in the washing machine. There's a 60-day trial period so that you can test it out before deciding if it's right for you.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Synthetic • Construction: Box stitch • Care: Machine washable

This pick is a favorite of testers and Lab experts who use it year-round, praising the Buffy Cloud duvet insert for being both super fluffy and lightweight. One tester shared that it's her "dream comforter" and described it as being like sleeping in a cloud. It's uniquely constructed with a web of individual fibers instead of clusters for fill, preventing cold spots and clumping. The outer fabric is made of silky TENCEL lyocell, which is known for its soft, smooth feel and sustainable production practices. The inner fill is fluffy polyester that’s made from recycled water bottles, and it’s GRS-certified so you know it actually comes from recycled sources Buffy even lets you use the duvet insert for seven nights before charging your card so that you can try it out and decide if it's right for you.

• Cover material: Lyocell • Fill: Polyester • Construction: Stitched through • Care: Machine washable

Designed with elements like responsibly sourced down fill and 100% organic cotton outer material, this down duvet insert from Coyuchi is a smart choice if you’re concerned about a product’s environmental impact. And it even comes in a reusable plastic-free package to minimize waste. At 600 fill power, it's lightweight and great for year-round use. But if you sleep hot, there is an even lighter option. If you're on the other end of the spectrum, there's a winter-weight option for added warmth. We haven't tried this pick in our Lab yet, but our Textiles experts are fans of the brand's top-tested organic sheets that are made of luxurious cotton material, similar to this duvet insert's outer shell.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Down • Construction: Box stitch • Care: Machine washable

Riley's goose down comforter is a 2022 Best Bedding Award Winner, praised for its thoughtful construction and warm down fill. The outer cover material is 100% cotton sateen that has been combed for an extra soft and smooth feel. The inner fill is RSD-certified down, which means it has been sourced responsibly, and baffle box construction keeps it in place to prevent cold spots. Our testers love how warm yet lightweight this comforter is, thanks to the 700 fill power down, and they described it as "super fluffy." If you're a cold sleeper, you might be interested in the "Extra Warm" option, which is similar to this "All Season" version but stuffed with even more of an even toastier 750 fill power down.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Down • Construction: Baffle box • Care: Machine washable

It can be difficult to find one duvet insert that keeps both you and your partner happy, but thanks to Sleep Number, you don't have to. The brand's customizable comforter allows each partner to pick between down and down alternative fill and three different levels of warmth for a total of six options. Each duvet insert comes with two separate halves (price reflects one half) that can be buttoned together right down the middle — an easy process according to our testers. One tester did share that even the lightest warmth level slept on the hotter side, but overall, they loved the innovative design and gave it high scores for being comfy.

• Cover material: Cotton • Fill: Down or synthetic • Construction: Box stitch • Care: Machine washable

At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we test both comforters and duvet inserts, along with duvet covers. Our Textiles Lab pros use standardized equipment to test duvet inserts in the Lab and also work with consumer testers for real user feedback. Here are some characteristics we evaluate when testing duvet inserts:

✔️ Construction: Our Textiles Lab pros inspect the stitching at the seams, whether or not they feature corner loops or tabs for duvet cover attachment and if they are made with baffle-box or box-stitch design.

✔️ Washability: Lab pros launder the duvet inserts to observe how well they perform in the wash, if they shrink and their appearance afterward.

✔️ Noise level: Some duvet inserts are constructed with a crinkly outer fabric, so we consider noise in the Lab and ask our testers to rate how loud the comforter is to sleep under.

✔️ Comfort: Our testers let us know if the duvet inserts are actually comfortable to sleep under, sharing their thoughts on characteristics like the weight and the overall feel of the outer fabric.

✔️ Temperature: Testers share if their body temperature remained comfortable throughout the night, and we examine cooling features in Lab.

✔️ Down standards: We ensure that down products meet industry standards for down and feathers, including characteristics like fill power and percentage of fill (feather vs. down content).

✔️ Certifications: We check whether the claims are validated by trusted third parties like the Responsible Down Standard (which ensures ducks and geese are treated humanely), Global Recycling Standard and Global Organic Textiles Standard.

The two most common types of fill for duvet inserts are down and down alternative, and each has its own benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you need to know about down and down alternative fill:

✔️ Down: Down comes from the soft inner layer below the underbelly feathers of geese and ducks and looks like a fluffy cluster — perfect for a duvet insert.

✔️ Down alternative: Down alternatives are fibers like polyester that are manufactured to be full and fluffy.

Once you've made your choice between down and down alternative fill, there are a few more things like the overall construction and care that you'll want to consider before making a purchase:

✔️ Construction: Most duvet inserts are designed with baffle-box or box-stitch construction. Baffle-box duvet inserts are made with walls of fabric inside to help contain the down, preventing it from moving around and clumping together. The additional fabric and construction typically mean a higher price tag. A box-stitch duvet insert doesn't include the inner wall structure. Instead, the top and bottom fabric are sewn together with stitches that run right through the fill inside. This design doesn't keep the fill separated as well as baffle-box design, which may lead to some lumpy fill and cool spots.

✔️ Fill power: Fill power is specific to down duvet inserts and can usually be found in the product description. It's a measurement of how much space one ounce of down takes up, and the higher the fill power, the more insulating the duvet insert will be. If you'd like a warm and cozy duvet insert, look for fill powers of 600 or higher. (Some down alternative duvet inserts may list the fill power equivalent.)

✔️ Washability: Most of our duvet insert picks are machine washable, at least in a high capacity machine, but there are some dry clean only options. If you do choose a machine washable option, follow all provided care instructions for washing and be sure that there's enough space in your washer for the duvet insert to move around and get fully clean.

Amanda Constantine joined the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2022 as a home & apparel reviews analyst and has tested bedding products, including sheets and duvet covers, in Lab. She has a Master of Science in Consumer Sciences from The Ohio State University, along with undergraduate degrees in apparel merchandising and marketing communications. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping, she served as a lecturer at The Ohio State University, teaching fashion and textiles courses and conducting research.