The best winter duvets for keeping the chill away, tried and tested

Score: 96/100

This practically perfect down duvet is luxurious and lightweight to sleep under, while still providing plenty of warmth and cosiness. The filling is 90% Hungarian goose down and 10% Hungarian goose feather (all cruelty-free) – a combination that’s naturally insulating as well as soft and enveloping.

Testers weren’t prickled by feathers pocking through the cotton casing either, but did say it was slightly bumpier than synthetic duvets (such as our other winner). However, that’s normal with down, and a compromise we’re happy to make for an indulgent night's sleep.

Score: 94/100

As one of the highest-tog duvets on the list, this is the one for you if you frequently find yourself reaching for the electric blanket or cranking the heating up. It’s not as soft and snuggly as a down duvet, but our testers found it just as comfortable to sleep under (and it is more affordable).

For a 15-tog duvet, it wasn’t heavy or overly thick. Instead, testers liked the “puffy” appearance, which made their bedroom set-up even more inviting. In fact, everyone said they’d recommend this duvet to others.

Score: 92/100

This 10.5 duvet is great for winter as it's cosy enough on its own, or you can combine it with an additional 4.5 tog duvet (bought separately) using the “snuggle snaps”, which our testers found easy and quick to detach.

The natural bamboo filling makes it breathable and cooling, while still being weighty and warm. “Overall, it feels nice and premium,” said one panellist. A conveniently placed panda paw print on the corner helps you figure out which is the short or long end when putting on your cover, too – so no more duvet tussles on wash day.

Score: 91/100

The clue is in the name – wool is wonderful for a reason. It’s thick, naturally insulating and anti-bacterial, making it a fantastic material for a warming winter duvet.

In terms of tog rating, wool duvets are typically hard to label as the material works with the temperature of your room to regulate body temperature in a different way to other materials. As a rough estimate, however, this one is the equivalent to a 10 to 13.5 tog duvet.

It pleased our testers across the board. But note that it proved a challenge to clean as it’s not machine washable – you’ll need to sponge clean instead.

The double duvet is currently out of stock, so we've linked to the king-size duvet instead.

Score: 91/100

Testers loved this lightweight yet warming duvet, which also has a soft-to-the-touch 100% cotton casing. It boasts that luxurious goose down filling (a huge hit with testers) and the brand says that all the natural materials are ethically sourced.

Testers had to put in some work to re-disperse the filling evenly again after washing. However, otherwise, it’s easy to move, clean and fold, and everyone said they’d recommend this duvet to others.

Score: 90/100

This “huggable” winter duvet was a warm and cosy hit with our testers. In fact, they all said they’d recommend it to others after they fell in love with its premium feel and design.

To keep your duvet in tip-top condition, Christy recommends professional laundering, something our panellists agreed with, as it would be difficult to fit the thick duvet into a washing machine. You’ll only need to do this once or twice a year, though. And it’s more affordable than many down duvets on our list, making it a great buy if you’re after a cloud-like sleep for less.

Score: 90/100

This 13.5 tog winter duvet proved to be a real all-rounder; made with recycled plastic bottles, it emerged from the washing machine almost as good as new, and our panel found it luxuriously comfortable to sleep with. It’s also quiet, which means minimal rustling at night.

It has a light, bouncy feel that divided our testers; some loved it, while others would have preferred a heavier-feeling duvet to bed down with. Its buoyancy also made it a bit trickier for our expert to get it back into its canvas bag. Overall, though, this is a premium buy.

Score: 90/100

Wintertime is the season of the lurgy, and if you suffer from allergies, you don’t want to double up on the sniffles. Thankfully, this anti-allergy duvet from John Lewis is treated with special HeiQ Allergen tech, which is designed to break down allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet allergens, to keep the sneezes at bay. It proved to be effective for our testers with allergies, and they enjoyed a great night’s sleep overall.

The heavier tog kept the chill away, but didn’t cause testers to overheat. Many also liked the lightweight feel, which made it extra comfy to sleep under.

Score: 89/100

There’s a lot to love about this bargain duvet; it’s surprisingly lightweight for its high 13.5 tog rating, it’s suitable for sleepers with allergies and it’s made in the UK (meaning it has a smaller carbon footprint). But top of our reasons to buy is that, despite its low price, its performance on test was outstanding.

Testers found the soft, quiet design was comfortable and cosy at night, and liked how easy it was to store away during summer. It also washed brilliantly in our lab, with only the slightest fraying of stitching, but note that it’s too bulky to fit into most domestic washing machines.

Score: 89/100

This fluffy down duvet is a luxurious way to stay warm, as it retains plenty of heat. At £65, it’s also excellent value in comparison with other down duvets, and its comfortable feel was likened to sleeping on a cloud.

Some testers found themselves flattening it out from time to time due to the volume of filling, but that was their only niggle.

It washed fairly well, maintaining its premium appearance after our tests, but there was a little shrinkage, which was noticeable when we put it back inside a duvet cover. It wasn’t too hard to pack away into its accompanying storage bag, though – ideal if you’re setting it aside for the coldest of nights.

Score: 88/100

This wool duvet from Putnams – which is handmade in Devon using 100% traceable British wool and OEXO-TEX certified cotton for the cover – earned glowing feedback for its cosy, cocooning feel. One tester described it as “a joy to sleep under.”

The quality impressed panellists, with many saying it kept them nice and warm without overheating. The wool filling stayed evenly spread throughout, and it held its shape well inside a duvet cover, giving beds a neat, well-finished look.

While the weight worked well for most, those who prefer a denser duvet may find it a little lighter than expected. Care-wise, it isn’t suitable for machine washing, so you’ll need to air it regularly or opt for professional cleaning – fairly typical for wool designs.

Score: 88/100

“A perfect cosy duvet, ideal for cold nights,” was how one tester described this snug design. Another said that they’d been using it during changeable weather and temperatures, but they never felt too hot or too cold. This is down to the cotton casing, which absorbs heat from your body if you get too warm and releases it when you start to feel colder. Hats off to these smart temperature-regulating features.

After washing, the filling did bunch up a little, but nothing that a bit of fluffing up couldn’t solve.

Score: 87/100

If you don’t enjoy the feeling of a heavy duvet, this featherlight design from Larke is an excellent pick. It’s filled with eucalyptus fibres – which are naturally breathable, hypoallergenic and antibacterial – making it a strong choice if you’re looking to avoid synthetics, too.

Panellists who tried the 13.5 tog version said it provided ample warmth in cold weather while feeling lightweight. The filling stayed evenly distributed overnight and there was no irritating rustling. It washed well and maintained its shape, although we did note some shrinkage when we put it in the tumble dryer. We'd stick to air drying. It’s not the warmest or most cocooning duvet in this round-up, but it’s a reliable choice for anyone who tends to overheat at night. Opt for the 13.5 tog if you feel the cold, or choose the 10.5 tog for a versatile, year-round choice.

Read our sleep editor's full Larke duvet review.

Score: 86/100

Part of the brand’s hotel-inspired collection, this plush hollowfibre duvet – finished with a chic satin-striped cotton casing – is designed to “make every night feel like a stay away from home”. And it was definitely a hit with one tester who said, “It felt like being wrapped in a cloud!”

The 10.5 tog option we tried struck the perfect balance between warmth and comfort, keeping everyone at an even temperature overnight. Despite its relatively lightweight feel, it proved cosier than expected, gently draping around the body for a snug, enveloping feel.

Practicality deserves a mention too – the synthetic filling is naturally anti-allergy, and it can be machine washed. Overall, a reliable choice if you want that hotel-style feel without the upkeep of natural fillings.

Score: 87/100

Another offering from The White Company, this duck down duvet comes in a handy cotton bag, which you can use for storage when the sun’s out. It’s a high-quality choice, bringing hotel-level comfort to our testers’ sleep set-up.

It can be machine washed, but professional laundering is recommended by the brand, and we’d agree – in our wash tests, the filling clumped together. It also remained damp after five hours in the tumble dryer.

Score: 84/100

For warmth that doesn’t break the bank, this soft winter duvet is a great choice. Its filling was evenly distributed and we were impressed with its quality – far above what we’d expect for its modest price tag. It washed well too, with minimal shrinkage, and our panel also found it fluffy and comfortable to sleep with.

It is a fairly basic design – we noticed some scruffy finishes to the seams – and it's rather lightweight. But these are minor qualms for what proved to be an otherwise reliable winter quilt.