Duvet vs comforter at a glance
| Comforter | Duvet | |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | One quilted piece, fill sewn in | An insert (the filled part) and a cover, often sold separately |
| On the bed | Used as it is, often with matching shams in a set | The insert always goes inside its cover |
| Washing | The whole piece, following its care label | The cover like a sheet; the insert separately |
| Changing the look | Buy another comforter | Change the cover only |
| Making the bed | Nothing to assemble | Putting the insert in its cover is an extra step |
Sizes: does a duvet fit like a comforter?
They use the same bed names, and a duvet cover has to match its insert. The King duvet covers we found are 107 to 110 in on the long side and 94 to 96 in on the short side, against 102 to 114 in by 90 to 98 in for King comforters. At one maker, the King duvet cover is 110 by 94 in and the King insert it is sold with is 108 by 92 in: the cover is 2 in larger each way. Every size, from Twin to Alaskan King, with the overhang on each bed, is in our comforter size chart.
Washing and care
This is the practical difference. A duvet cover comes off and goes in the wash with the sheets, while the insert can stay out of the machine. A comforter is washed as one bulky piece, following its label: of the eight king comforter sets we sell, seven have a machine washable comforter and one asks for its covers to be dry cleaned. Read the care label before you buy if you plan to wash it at home.
What is a duvet insert?
The duvet insert is the filled part of a duvet: a plain quilted blanket made to live inside a cover. It is often sold on its own, in the same bed sizes as comforters; one maker's King insert is 108 by 92 in, and the same maker sells that piece as both a comforter and a duvet insert. That is the practical point: the insert is the warmth, the cover is the look and the part you wash.
Which one should you buy?
- A comforter if you want the bed made in one move, and a matching set: comforter, shams, sometimes a bed skirt and pillows.
- A duvet if you want to wash the outer layer often, or change the look with a new cover instead of a new comforter.
- In between: some comforters have a removable insert, so the cover and the insert are cared for separately.
For beds bigger than a King
In the oversized sizes, some makers list duvet inserts and covers: our Alaskan King price guide shows inserts from two makers and a cover from one. A comforter made for the size is the simpler route. The sizes of the bed itself are on our bed size chart.