Choosing a duvet comes down to three decisions: filling (hollowfibre, feather, down or wool), tog (warmth — 4.5 summer to 15 winter) and size (match your bed, or size up for a fuller drape). For most UK homes, a machine-washable hollowfibre duvet in 10.5 tog is the practical starting point.
| Filling | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Hollowfibre | Affordable, hypoallergenic-friendly, machine washable at home, medium lifespan — the fill we stock |
| Duck feather | Heavier drape, natural feel, needs careful washing and thorough drying |
| Down / duck down | Lightest warmth-to-weight, premium price, delicate care |
| Feather & down blends | A middle ground — some of the down loft at a lower price |
| Wool | Temperature-regulating, naturally resists dust mites, usually specialist cleaning |
We stock hollowfibre because it's the best value-for-care option: warm, washable at home and kind to allergies. If you specifically want feather or down, this table tells you what to expect from any retailer so you can buy with your eyes open.
Allergies: choose hollowfibre or wool — both resist dust mites, and many can be washed at 60°C where the care label allows. For guidance on bedding and allergies, see Allergy UK.
Hot sleepers: a lower tog paired with a breathable cotton cover beats changing the fill — airflow matters more than material here.
On a budget: hollowfibre gives the most warmth per pound; spend the saving on a good protector so the duvet lasts longer.
Want the hotel feel: see the next section — it's more achievable than you'd think.
Most UK hotels use 10.5 tog microfibre or feather-blend duvets under crisp cotton covers, laundered constantly. The "hotel feel" is mostly the fresh, pressed cover and the generous drape of a size-up duvet — both easy to replicate at home by sizing up a tog level's cover and washing bedding often.
A coverless duvet has a washable outer fabric that replaces the need for a separate cover. It's convenient for children's rooms and rentals where quick laundering matters. The trade-off: you wash the whole duvet each time rather than just a cover, so drying time and drum size become the limiting factors.
Next, pick your warmth in our Duvet Tog Guide — from 4.5 tog for summer up to 15 tog for the coldest rooms.
Then get the fit right with our Duvet Size Guide, or jump straight to a weight: 4.5, 7.5, 10.5, 13.5 and 15 tog.
Pick filling first (washability vs natural feel), then tog for your room, then size — our tog and size guides cover the last two in depth.
There's no universal best: hollowfibre wins on price and washability, down on lightness, wool on temperature regulation.
Yes for temperature regulation and natural dust-mite resistance — but most need specialist cleaning and cost more.
A duvet filled with the fine under-plumage of ducks or geese — the lightest, loftiest fill, at a premium price and with delicate care needs.
Roughly 5 years for synthetic fills, longer for well-maintained natural fills — replace when loft and warmth noticeably drop.
A conventional duvet plus separate covers is more flexible; coverless suits kids and rentals where whole-wash convenience wins.
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