The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.The Insider Pick:After reviewing dozens of contenders, our top pick for bed sheets are the 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets from L.L. Bean. Crisp, cool, and comfortable against your skin, these sheets make bedtime a treat.Few would deny that at the end of a long, hard day, sliding into a comfortable bed outfitted with soft, smooth sheets that pamper your skin is one of life's greatest pleasures. After all, you spend nearly a third of your life between those sheets, so why wouldn't you want the best' So we've made it easy for you: We checked out all the top consumer buying websites, listened to opinions from bed sheet buyers, and tried sheets ourselves to compile our list of the five best bed sheet sets you can buy.Thread count: higher isn't always betterWhen it's time to buy sheets, many people simply assume that the higher the thread count, the better, and make their choice based on this feature alone. While it's true that thread count (a measurement of how many threads run vertically and horizontally in one square inch of fabric) is important, it turns out that there's another factor that plays a bigger part in sheet comfort: type of fabric.In fact, according to Consumer Reports, there's no reason to pay extra for sheets with a thread count over 400, but it is worth your while to spend a little more on sheets made from the best cottons: Pima, Egyptian, or Supima. These long-fiber cottons weave into the softest, most comfortable sheets.What about weave'Weave is also important when it comes to choosing sheets you'll love. There are two basic weaves: percale and sateen.Percale sheets have the same number of combed, tightly woven threads running horizontally and vertically. If you prefer sheets with a slightly crisp, cool feel, this is the weave to choose. Percale sheets are durable and strong, standing up to repeated washing even in hot water. Look for a thread count between 200 and 400 for lightweight sheets, 400 to 600 if you prefer more weight.Sateen sheets (not the same as satin, which is a fabric, not a weave) have more threads running vertically than horizontally, creating fabric with a slight sheen and a very soft, silky feel. Sateen sheets are generally more delicate than percale bedding, and more likely to pill or come apart in the wash. Still, if you crave the silkiest feel against your skin, this is the weave for you. Thread counts between 300 and 600 are the sweet spot for softness and strength.Although the L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets are our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider Royal Velvet 400-thread-count WrinkleGuard Sheets, Brooklinen's Luxe Sheets, Pinzon Velvet Flannel Sheets, or microfiber sheets from Mellanni.DON'T MISS:These are the sheets I sleep on every night, and I've never slept betterThe best sheets overallWhy you'll love them: L.L. Beans wonderfully smooth 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets are durable, comfortable, and just the right weight to give you sweet dreams all year round.Woven from 100 percent Pima cotton for the smoothest, softest, make-you-want-to-wiggle feel, L.L. Bean struck gold with its highly rated percale sheet set. As with all percale sheets, these have just a bit of a crisp finish, which feels nice and cool against your skin. They are the perfect weight for summer, and unless you live in a very cold climate or prefer to switch to heavier winter sheets, they are cozy enough for the colder months with the addition of a heavier blanket or comforter. When you toss them in your washing machine and dryer, the sheets come out fresh, unwrinkled, and ready to coax you into the land of Nod. Sized to fit over mattresses up to 15 inches thick, these cotton sheets wont slip or slide as you sleep, and they hold firm to the mattress. They are available in seven basic colors, although alas, no brights. There are a few prints, as well. L.L. Bean customers praise these sheets for their refusal to pill, long life, and wrinkle resistance. Quite a few customers commented that they have purchased several sets of the L.L Bean sheets, and a common remark was, These are the only sheets Ill buy.Professional reviewers agree. In fact, The Sweethome has chosen the L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Percale Sheets as its number one choice three years running, saying these sheets offer a superior cool feel at a great price. The Sweethome added that its experts love L.L. Beans lifetime guarantee, meaning you can return the sheets at any time for any reason. ConsumerSearch is another review website that picked the L.L. Bean sheets as itstop pick, saying the sheets are ideal for lovers of crisp, 'old-school' cotton sheets. The reviewer did comment that some buyers felt the sheets were a bit too rough, however, although they do get softer the more they are washed. Pros: Smooth, crisp feel, durability, reasonable priceCons: Only fit mattresses up to 15 inches thick, no bright colors, few printsBuy the Twin L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets onLLBean.comfor $99.00Buy the Full L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets on LLBean.comfor $109.00Buy the Queen L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets on LLBean.comfor $129.00Buy the King L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets on LLBean.comfor $149.00The best sateen sheetsWhy you'll love it: If you like to journey to the land of Nod under the silkiest, softest sheets, youll love the feel of Royal Velvet WrinkleGuard Sheets from JC Penney.These lovely sheets are woven from 100 percentcotton. Like all sateen sheets, they have a slight sheen that resembles silk, and gives the bedding an expensive look, although, in fact, these are very reasonably priced for such comfortable, high-quality bed sheets. With a thread count of 400, the Royal Velvet WrinkleGuard sheets are super-soft against your skin, but still strong enough to resist excessive wear, rips from the washing machine, or an overly easy snag from your cats claws or your wedding ring. Still, its important to remember that in general, sateen sheets dont last as long as percale weaves. Although highly praised by most buyers on the JC Penney website, several customers did, in fact, complain that their sheets wore out or ripped sooner than they expected. As the name implies, the Royal Velvet WrinkleGuard sheets are treated at the fiber level to resist wrinkles, meaning theres no need to break out the ironing board before making up your bed. JC Penney buyers appreciated this feature, and also the fact that the sheets dont shrink after machine washing and drying. The Sweethome has chosen the Royal Velvet WrinkleGuard sheets three years running as thebest choice for sateen sheets, praising their luxurious feel that is better than sets twice the price. The Sweethome also commented that the bed sheets were indeed close to wrinkle-free and exhibited barely any signs of wear after three rounds of testing. Sleep product research website Sleep Like the Dead also chose the Royal Velvet WrinkleGuard sheets as a top choice, with 95 percent out of 2,776 surveyed customers saying they were highly satisfied with the bedding. Fitting mattresses up to 18 inches thick, available in several colors including red, blue, and chocolate brown, and with sizes up to California king, these silky-soft bed sheets win rave reviews from the majority of their owners. Pros: Super-soft, highly durable for sateen sheets, wrinkle-resistant, and a great priceCons: No patterns available, may wear out faster than percale sheets, not available in twin sizeBuy the FullRoyal Velvet WrinkleGuard Sheet Set on JCPenney.comfor $130.00Buy the QueenRoyal Velvet WrinkleGuard Sheet Set on JCPenney.comfor $140.00Buy the KingRoyal Velvet WrinkleGuard Sheet Set on JCPenney.comfor $180.00Buy the California KingRoyal Velvet WrinkleGuard Sheet Set on JCPenney.comfor $200.00The best luxury sheetsWhy you'll love it:If you take your sleep comfort seriously, the pampering touch and good looks of Brooklinens Luxe Sheets will have you sleeping like a baby.Started as a Kickstarter project in 2014, Brooklinen has quickly soared to the heights of success, due to its reasonable prices for high-quality bedding. Luxe Sheets start with the best long-fiber cotton, which is woven into single-ply yarn for the finest, yet softest threads. This also means that the finished thread count of 480 is the true number; many other manufacturers weave lower quality, 3-ply yarn into their sheets, then use this trick to inflate their thread count. Brooklinens Luxe Collection is a sateen weave, with a soft-as-the-clouds feel. Because sateen is woven more tightly than percale, youll find these sheets cozy and warm, with a soothingly heavy feel that many sleepers love. In fact, the commerce editor of ourInsider Picks' teamhas been sleeping on these sheets for more than two years, and reports that they are hands down the best sheets I've ever put on my bed.Brooklinen customers echo our writers words, with most saying they loved the softness of the sheets, which increases every time they are washed. As a bonus, the sheets wrinkle-resistance improves with each wash, as well. And, by the way, you can do that washing in your machine, then either line-dry your bedding or use your dryer on low heat. The buzz doesnt stop there. Brooklinen has received positive press all over the web, with InStyle saying, In order to design beautiful, affordable, and ridiculously comfortable sheets, Brooklinen co-founders Rich and Vicki simply focus on quality and manufacturing responsibly. Voguewrites,the allure of this brand is certainly its technique and use of long-staple Egyptian cotton, which produces sheets and comforters that are softer than most.Brooklinen offers theLuxe Sheets in five solid colors, along with stripes and dots. You can even mix-and-match colors or patterns within a sheet set, which is definitely a unique perk. The sheets fit mattresses up to 15 inches thick, so be sure to measure before ordering. Pros: Super soft, high quality, mix-and-match sheet setsCons: Expensive, best if line-driedBuy the TwinLuxe Sheet Collection on Brooklinen.com for $129.00Buy the Twin XL Luxe Sheet Collection on Brooklinen.com for $129.00Buy the FullLuxe Sheet Collection on Brooklinen.com for $149.00Buy the QueenLuxe Sheet Collection on Brooklinen.com for $149.00Buy the KingLuxe Sheet Collection on Brooklinen.com for $159.00Buy the California King Luxe Sheet Collection on Brooklinen.com for $159.00See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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