Bedding and Sheets Buyer's Guide

Being an informed customer about bedding products makes it so much easier to quickly choose what sheets are best for you. And, we give you some general guidelines, since many bedding and bed sheet products are way over priced, and offer embellishments and decorative treatments that are often unnecessary and may look attractive but don’t wear or wash well over time. The simpler, the better, we say.

Mattress Size - Make Sure You Physically Take Measurements

Size is a very important factor in choosing bed sheets. It used to be that most mattresses were pretty uniform sizes and so you could buy bed sheets in standard sizes like "Full", "Queen", and "King", and be reasonably sure that they would fit right out of the box. But lately, mattress manufacturers have gone to adding more features to their mattresses to make them appeal to a wider range of customers, like adding pillow tops on one side or even both sides of the mattress. This added material makes the mattress much wider and therefore any bed sheets that are used on that bed will need to be bigger as well in order to fit properly. That's why it's a good idea to actually measure your bed in advance and make sure that the sheets will fit your particular mattress before buying them. You may have to buy one category larger or more to fit your bed.

The best place to start when considering your purchase for bedding and bed sheets is to make sure you know the size of your mattress. This means physically measuring your bed to get the best results. Break out your tape measure and get the length, width, and thickness of the mattress as well. The measurements below are for fitted bed sheets and will help ensure a proper fit. Don’t be concerned with the top or flat sheet dimension since it will be tucked under the mattress anyway and is not meant to be sized to the exact specifications of your mattress. Manufacturer’s sizes may vary slightly, however these dimensions serve as a good representation of what should be expected for these items:

TWIN: 39 x 75 inches
TWIN X-LONG: 38 x 80 inches
FULL: 54 x 75 inches
QUEEN: 60 x 80 inches
(EASTERN) KING: 78 x 80 inches; IF SPLIT, THEN 2 38 x 80 pieces
CAL-KING: 72 x 84 inches; IF SPLIT, THEN 2 36 x 84 pieces

Here is an additional chart showing bedspread, comforter, and blanket sizes for standard bedding sizes sold in the U.S.:

An easy way to measure your mattress bedding is to take a piece of cardboard and stick it between the mattress and box springs then place another piece of cardboard on top of the mattress and measure the distance between them. Don't forget, if you have a pillow top mattress or any other kind of covering with measurable width, leave it on when you do your measurements. Fitted bed sheets that have elastic going all the way around are definitely more expensive but well worth the extra dollars that you will spend. They fit snug as a bug over your mattress and don't move around when you toss and turn at night. Second choice should be those that have elastic running along the sides. Last choice is those that most of us own that have just the elastic in the corners.

You can use these dimensions as a guide for mattress pads, mattress protectors, and waterproofing pads as well. Many web stores sell a great selection of waterproof mattress protectors which protect your investment, while still allowing for proper ventilation of your mattress as well as offering hypoallergenic properties and can easily be removed for machine washing and drying. They are very thin, do not make that “crinkly” sound that old vinyl mattress protectors used to make, and are made using a medical grade high tech polyurethane film which is bonded to the underside of a thin yet comfortable cotton pile top.

If you’re shopping for split sheets for either a split King or Cal King, there’s no need to look for Split Cal-King or Twin X-Long in the top flat sheet – there’s no such animal… use the Cal King and King sizes accordingly for the flat sheet. If you have let’s say a split King or split Cal King adjustable bed from Select Comfort, Craftmatic, Tempur-Pedic, or Nuvo, you will need the 2 fitted bed sheets in the corresponding correct size to fit the actual mattress (either 2 Twin XL’s which when side by side make up 1 King, or 2 Split Cal King for a Cal King bed, although these are very difficult to find), and if you’ve got the adjustable bases side by side so that at night both beds are flat to act as one bed, you will need only one flat bedsheet, either King or Cal King. So, in the case of a King or Cal King split adjustable bed of any kind, you will end up with three pieces..2 fitted bed sheets, and 1 flat bed sheet. In the case of any other kind of standard bedding that is not split, you will have 1 flat sheet for up top, and 1 fitted sheet for the mattress.

Before selecting your sheets, it is important to know how deep your mattress is, especially since Pillow Top and Extra Deep mattresses have become very common. Here are some dimensions to use as a guide:

STANDARD DEPTH: 7 to 9 inches
DEEP MATTRESS: 10 to 15 inches
EXTRA DEEP: 15 inches to as deep as 22 inches Tempur-Pedic Celebrity or Grand, Select Comfort Sleep Number Beds, and certain extra thick pillowtop type beds.

If you have purchased a Tempur-Pedic, Select Comfort, Sealy, Simmon, Serta, or other name brand bed that is described as requiring deep fitting bed sheets, make sure you know the exact thickness or height of the mattress, so you get bed sheets that fit comfortably, and will not be too tight or too baggy.

Thread Count

Once you have resolved the size issue, and you’ve got your measurements, the next characteristic about bed sheets that is very important is thread count. The lifespan, durability, and “hand” (the feel of the material as you rub it between your fingers) are all a direct function of the thread count. Thread count, we believe, is the single most important factor to consider when it comes to buying sheets. But don’t get carried away with 500 or 1000 count bed sheets because you assume automatically that those are your best choice..they may clearly not be.

Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of fabric. Assuming you are looking for the softest and most durable bed sheet, the higher thread count will always be the best, but be careful before you start looking for 500 or 1000 thread count sheets. Remember that these higher thread count bed sheets can be heavier, and don’t breathe as well as bed sheets with thread counts of 200-400. If you like lots of ventilation, tend to sleep hot, go with 300-600 instead, or even 200 if you want thinner, highly breathable bed sheets. You will also pay a lot less, as well.

Look for the minimum thread count to be at least 200 or higher. Over the past few years, the notion of thread count has become increasingly influential in consumers’ bed sheet purchases. According to Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ survey, 29% of consumers surveyed in 2001 cited thread count as the most important element influencing the bed sheets that they bought. That number rose to 34% in 2005. Ironically, thread count and its role in the overall feel and comfort of bedding and bed sheets, is often misunderstood by these same consumers. To demystify thread count and bed sheet selection in general, Cotton Incorporated, offers the following explanations and recommendations:

Technically speaking, thread count is the number of threads, both vertical and horizontal, in a one-inch square of fabric. “What many consumers don’t realize is that thread count is affected by a number of factors, including the ply and the thickness of the threads used,” explains Dana Poor, home trend forecaster for Cotton Incorporated.

Ply refers to how many threads are wrapped together into a single thread. Single-ply fabrics, for example, use threads on their own, while two-ply fabrics are formed by two pieces of thread twisted together. And herein lies the confusion: Should a two-ply fabric’s threads be counted as one, single thread; or as two, individual threads? Or, more practically speaking, are those 600 thread count bed sheets truly 600 single-ply threads-per-inch, or are they 300 double-ply threads-per-inch? The solution: look for single ply 400, which will get you into a nicely weighted and durable bed sheet that won’t pill easily (those little “pooty-balls” that form after a few dozen washings) as a good thread count. If you want economy, and don’t consider your sheets an investment, buy 200 thread count bed sheets, which are normally made using 2 ply thread. The thread is a little beefier, just less stitch per inch, which, if you are dealing with 200-400 thread count sheets, is really not that noticeable. The most popular retailed bed sheets are 200-400 thread count bed sheet sets.

Fabric Content And Weave

Another reasonably important consideration when buying bed sheets is the fabric content and weave. It is always thought that 100% cotton bed sheets are the best option, because of durability, breathability, and its wonderfully organic feel against your skin. Better grades of cotton, which includes longer-staple cotton, are used in fine quality shirts and bedding fabrics.

Egyptian cotton, a high quality cotton, has been produced in the Nile River Valley for many centuries. This type of cotton has long been known for its soft luxurious “hand”, or feel, and luster, and is used not only for bedding, but also for comfortably fitting apparel. Other types of high quality cotton include Pima, Supima, American Egyptian, and Sea Island cotton. Egyptian Cotton is a long staple cotton, valued for its softness and texture. Longer staple fibers help produce a softer fabric, either bed sheet or towel. Egyptian cotton also is known for its high absorbency and so valued in towels, but we’re not sure whether that characteristic is ideal for bed sheets, so you may be paying more for Egyptian bed sheets for the name rather than for function.

Sateen bed sheets, probably the single most popular weave for bed sheets available today, is made using a manufacturing technique with 100 percent cotton, where the fibers are sewn in such a way as to provide a smooth, more satiny feel to the cotton. Satin, on the other hand, is cotton manufactured using a similar technique, the end result being an extremely silky smooth, almost velvety kind of feel to the fabric. While some people love satin bed sheets, others complain that they are too slippery and drape the body a bit too closely for comfort.

Another term you may run across while researching bed sheets is something called Warp and Weft…In our opinion, however, if someone is telling you to be concerned about warp and weft when buying sheets, you’re going overboard..but here’s a practical definition:

Weaving, an ancient craft, produces fabric or cloth by interlacing threads or yarns on a loom. The warp is the strong set of threads which run lengthwise in the loom. The weft is the yarn or threads carried by the shuttle back and forth across the warp. So weaving a fabric, or a tapestry, is carried out by bringing together, in a symmetrical pattern, a warp and a weft.

Here are the most popular weaves for bed sheets, summed up for you:

Percale: a closely woven, plain weave spun fabric made from both carded and combed cotton. Percale bed sheeting is the among the finest weave for bed sheets available. The high thread count gives the fabric a silk-like feel.

Flannel: a soft, medium weight plain or twill weave fabric, usually made of cotton with a napped finish on one or both sides. The raised surface provides a fluffy appearance and supper soft, cozy feel. Great for warmth during the cold winter months, but can be hot during the summer.

Jersey: a plain stitch knitted cloth. The fabric is knitted in circular, flatbed or warp knitted methods. Very elastic with good draping qualities. Nice, softer texture, makes for a cozier feel. Very popular at the moment, also known as “Tee-Sheets”.

Sateen: a weave construction that has more yarn surface on the face of the cloth than other basic weaves giving a softer hand and more lustrous look.

Satin: tightly woven cotton, very luxurious, but a few downsides as well. Cannot be dried at high temperatures, or will wrinkle. Some people find them difficult to keep on their bed.

Our pick for the best bed sheets, when all things are considered, including price, weave, the feel of the fabric, durability, and resistance to fading, shrinkage, etc: 100 percent cotton for sure, sateen if you like, with thread count anywhere from 200-600, but the most desirable being in the 400-600 thread count range.

At the end of the day, the best bed sheets you can buy are the ones that you think look good in your bedroom and that feel comfortable against your skin, says a leading consultant in the bedding industry. One thing remains true, consumer studies have found that the majority of people want 100 percent cotton sheets to use with their bedding. Nature has given cotton attributes that make it a smother, softer and more comfortable choice. It’s breathable, so cotton sheets never feel sticky against your skin. Cotton bed sheets also provide year-round comfort. The fiber provides cool comfort in the summer and holds a layer of warm air in the cold weather. Consumers can be sure they are purchasing 100 percent bed sheets by looking for products that feature the Seal of Cotton trademark.