The best flannel sheets we tested
Best flannel sheets: Garnet Hill Hemstitched Supima Flannel Bedding
Best heavyweight flannel sheets: L.L.Bean Ultra-Soft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set
There are plenty of ways to warm up when you live in a colder climate or in a home with chillier room temps: space heaters, electric blankets and — for those who don’t want to plug in — flannel sheets.
Flannel is constructed from cotton and machine-made fibers, and is brushed on one or both sides to give it a soft, cozy feel. That brushed surface lets flannel trap air and retain your body heat while remaining breathable, making it a popular bedding material in winter. Like linen, flannel is intended to be absorbent and help wick away moisture, so in theory, well-made flannel should not cause sweaty sleeping. So, while they’re generally warmer to sleep in than basic cotton sheets, flannel sheets’ softness and moisture-wicking properties can lend them to year-round use. Put plainly, they’re some of the best sheets you can buy, especially during the colder months.
If you’ve tried flannel sheets before and were turned off by the amount of lint they produce in the dryer, fear not. That’s normal after the first wash and, in our experience, will reduce with subsequent cleanings. Slight pilling is not cause for concern either. Because of the brushed-on-both-sides nature of top-notch flannel sheets, residual fibers will shed at first. A softer, more broken-in feel is often the result.
We tested 10 sets of the best flannel sheets across various prices and flannel weights. After weeks of testing and a lot of cozy nights, these two sets of flannel sheets proved to be our absolute favorites.
Luxurious without feeling overly thick or too weighty, Garnet Hill offers a delectably comfortable flannel sheet at a mid- to high-end price for queen size (which we tested). These flannels come in various colors and sizes, and you can be confident you’re getting a quality product that’ll last for years.
If you’re sleeping in really cold weather and want to feel positively bundled, L.L.Bean makes a weighty flannel sheet for you — and at a competitive price for the level of craftsmanship.
Best flannel sheets: Garnet Hill Hemstitched Supima Flannel Bedding
From straight out of the packaging through to waking up on a chilly morning, Garnet Hill’s Hemstitched Supima Flannel sheets proved to be our best overall during testing. Garnet Hill’s sheets offered a warm, restful night of sleep without us feeling overheated, which was the result of some of the other sets.
Garnet Hill’s flannel sheets are crafted in a family-run mill in Portugal from 100% American-grown Supima, or superior Pima, which is a first-rate type of cotton grown in the US that has an extra-long staple fiber that promises increased strength, softness and color retention. Supima is combed to remove impurities and brushed multiple times for extra softness. It’s then treated with a “velvet” finishing process that seals the color and richness of the fabric, ensures the quality of the drape and reduces any pilling. Indeed, the Supima cotton translates into a luxurious softness and smoothness without feeling overly fuzzy or clingy.
The design of Garnet Hill’s flannel sheets is simple and pretty, with a stitched hem at the top of the flat sheet and on the pillowcases. They’re available in nine tasteful colors, including nontraditional options like Soft Sage and Rose Beige. With a 60-inch-by-80-inch flat sheet in the queen set, these felt roomier than others. The fitted sheets are elasticized for a better fit.
We didn’t personally experience much pilling after washing this set, and they continued to feel extra soft to the touch after the first few washes, perhaps even more than right out of the packaging. While we can’t say with certainty that Garnet Hill would last years longer than the other sets we tested, they felt of substantial quality and durability, like bedding we would happily take out of storage at the first sign of a crisp autumn chill.
What sent these to the top of our list, in addition to their comfort and high-end feel, was their variety. You can buy individual fitted and flat sheets and pillowcases for ease of replacement and in a generous five sizes. And bonus: You can even get them monogrammed (which makes a sweet gift).
The price is on the expensive side for flannel sheets, but that price tag delivers a high-end, well-made, satisfying product.
Best heavyweight flannel sheets: L.L.Bean Ultra-Soft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set
Perhaps unsurprisingly, our favorite flannel sheet in the toastiness department came from winter-wear go-to L.L.Bean. At the unboxing of this set, our first impression was, well, the name fits: These are, in fact, ultra soft and they do exude comfort. The L.L.Bean Ultra-Soft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set feels high end, thanks to woven-in-Portugal brushed cotton and an L.L.Bean-exclusive process that removes surface fibers to create a velvetlike finish.
These flannel sheets feel even softer and more comfortable after going through the washer and dryer, and we saw no pilling or fading. They’re a snugger fit than our other winner, and they seemed to fit the bed slightly better after the first washing and drying. They’re also available in nine colors and five sizes — a good amount of variety.
These are warmer than some of the other sets, which is why we picked them as our best for cold winter nights. (They’re not as warm, we found, as L.L.Bean’s Premium Supimas, which we also tested, but they’re also not as expensive.) These felt like a midweight flannel, which translates to perfectly comfortable on a warmish early fall evening but cozy enough to want to linger in bed with a hot cup of tea on a chilly winter morning.
How we tested
We tested all these sets of flannel sheets in queen size and based on two primary criteria: quality and variety.
We unwrapped each set and snuggled right into them to record initial impressions. We made notes, prepared a bed with the sheets, slept on them straight out of the packaging, washed and dried them in the dryer and reapplied them to the same bed, and slept on them again — multiple times. (Note: As with the linen sheets we tested, every set of flannel sheets created a lot of dryer lint during the first drying cycle — like a “stop the dryer cycle and scoop out the lint partway through” amount of lint.)
We noted how they felt to touch, against the face and the body, as well as when tossing and turning, sleeping and waking up, and how they felt after laundering and reusing. We took note of which sets felt warm and cozy, which felt sturdy or maybe too heavy and which may have prompted any noticeable body temperature issues.
Quality and feel
- Initial feel: How do they feel right out of the box? Are they soft? Are they thick or about average? Do they feel high-quality or less so? We opened each set of sheets asking the following questions: How do they feel in your hands? Is this a product you’d want to put on your bed and against your skin?
- Sleep feel: How do they feel to sleep on? We made notes on each set of sheets as to whether they were soft (or too soft), fuzzy, cozy, heavy, high-quality, and ultimately, how they promoted a night of sleep.
- How they feel after washing: We evaluated if the sheets softened a great deal after washing and drying, and the wrinkle factor. (Note: The wrinkle factor was medium to high for most of them after being dried without ironing.)
- Durability after sleeping and washing/drying: We assessed if each set felt durable after multiple washing and drying cycles, and if the sheets began to pill, fade or get worn in any way.
- Fit on bed: We made a bed with each set of sheets multiple times, assessing how well they fit and noting if they were tight or loose. We also noted if the fitted sheet was marked with which end was top or bottom, if there was enough width and length on the flat sheet to tuck under the mattress and if the bed-making process was laborious at all.
Options
- Number of sizes: We noted the number of size options for each sheet set. Nearly all included at least full, queen and king, and some even offered twin, California king or other specialized sizes.
- Colors: We noted how many colors each sheet set was available in. Some were available in only two, while others were available in upwards of 10.
- Availability of individual replacements: We assessed if you can buy individual sheets and pillowcases for each set for consumers who need replacements, want to mix and match colors or styles or do not want or need a flat sheet, for example.
Other flannel sheets we tested
Brooklinen's sheets were soft and comfortable, but don't opt for them if you want a heavy flannel. The set was noticeably lighter than the competition in our latest round of testing.
Brooklinen’s sheets are always soft — they’ve earned the crown as the softest in our linen sheet and cotton sheet testing — and that was no different here. The brand’s flannel offering felt great, contributing to comfortable sleep night after night.
This particular set stood out in our latest round of testing for being lighter than its peers. If you’re looking for heavy, insulating sheets to keep you warm in frigid conditions, these won’t do the job. But their classification as lightweight flannel did solve a specific need for us as seasons changed. They struck the right balance of cozy yet cool for a night with the windows open in early autumn.
Last we checked, Brooklinen’s flannel sheets were available in five sizes and seven colors, though seasonal varieties often come and go. We tested the speckled black-and-white colorway and didn’t love the texture of the speckle, which feels a bit like loose threads or crumbs at first touch.
Only the pillowcases were available for individual purchase. Brooklinen also offers a larger bundle with four pillowcases and a duvet cover, if you’re inclined to go all-in on flannel.
The brushed texture on Coyuchi's sheets felt more rigid than other sets, though not in a bad way. Their heaviness had us sleeping like a baby.
Just picking up Coyuchi’s flannel sheets in their packaging made it clear that these sheets are no joke. The 6-ounce flannel gives them a substantial weight that is comforting to sleep in, sort of in the way a weighted blanket can be calming. Coyuchi’s flannel is a blend of preconsumer recycled cotton and organic cotton that emphasizes sustainability, and while it did have a stiffer structure at first impression, it maintained a pleasant softness through the wash and was far more breathable overnight than expected.
Though we tested the Alpine White color in these sheets, the variety of available designs deserves a nod. The Fawn Herringbone Stripe sheets, for example, are “made with a blend of organic cotton and unused factory scraps” to create a unique pattern that could pop among otherwise understated bedroom decor. Sizing spans five sizes from twin to California king. Extra pillowcases and fitted sheets can be purchased separately.
A new offering from bedding darlings Parachute, these flannel sheets made a run at the top spot for our favorite heavyweight flannel sheets. If you don't need color variety, these are a great pick.
Parachute’s new flannel sheet set was nearly the most expensive option we tested — and it’s worth it. The smooth, rich texture of these sheets provided comfort that made us want to go to bed when we were barely tired, then had us struggling to wake up when our alarm sounded in the morning. That feeling stayed true after washing and without pilling. We also appreciated Parachute’s envelope closure on the pillowcases because it contained puffier pillows that stuck out of the end of other traditional cases. Ultimately, the L.L.Bean Ultra-Soft Comfort Flannel Sheet Set retained the title as the best heavyweight flannel sheets because they’re much more affordable.
Aside from the justified price tag, our main gripe with Parachute’s flannel sheet set was its lack of options. There is no twin sizing; you’re limited to full, queen, king and California king. And as of this writing, you have just two colors to choose between. There’s Thyme, a heather olive green, as well as an off-white Bone. We tested the latter and loved the way it looked with our gray bed frame and green comforter, but if you want hues of blue, red or yellow, you’ll have to look elsewhere — or wait for a future release of more colors.
The quality of these sheets was obvious at first touch, though we found them to be a bit too heavy for nights with higher temperatures.
Luxury bedding maker Boll & Branch also turns out a lovely flannel set from fair trade organic cotton that is GOTS-certified and OEKO-TEX certified to standard 100. Boll & Branch prides itself on sourcing from ethical factories with fair wages and environments. Its flannels are also made in Portugal and are brushed and sheared for a more velvety finish. The quality of these sheets was noticeable to the touch, and they were sturdy and warm, without overheating, at least in colder temperatures.
On warmer nights we found these to be a little too heavy and for the higher price, there were other sets we enjoyed just as much as these. They’re a wider fit like many we tested, though not noticeably so. They come in seven different sizes — twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king and split king — but only three colors are available and you can’t purchase replacements.
On the higher end of both quality and price of the sheets we tested fell L.L.Bean’s Premium Supima Flannel Sheet Collection. These felt thicker than most of the sets and sumptuous to the touch, with a pretty stitched hem at the top of the flat sheet and pillowcases. This set was exceedingly cozy, but in warmer weather, perhaps too warm.
We imagined these would be perfect for a cold night in a cabin in the Northeast. And if that is your reality and you get these, they’re likely to last several years. These sheets were wider and roomier than a lot of the other sets. They’re available in six colors and three sizes — full, queen and king — but you can order separate full- and king-size pillowcases.
Mellanni's flannel sheets were priced at a fraction of the going rate for most of the competition. For anyone shopping on a budget, you'll get a fuzzy set that's hard to beat for well under $100.
A solid budget choice is the Mellanni 100% Cotton Flannel Sheet Set. The main descriptor we noted in evaluating the Mellanni sheet set was “fuzzy” — imagine sleeping with a child’s teddy bear enveloping you. They started very soft and got even softer after washing and drying them. These were narrower than a lot of the sets we tested, and we would have liked a little more length to tuck on the sides, but they offer a lot of variety, with five sizes — twin, full, queen, king and California king — and eight colors, at an attractive price.
We didn't get the same luxury feel from The Company Store's set, though they were still comfortable overall. A whopping 15 colors from which to choose is great for bedroom color combos.
A reasonably-priced option that offered a restful night of sleep was The Company Store Legends Hotel Velvet Flannels Sheets. They were soft, snuggly, comfortable and warm, made of 100% woven combed cotton in Portugal. But they felt slightly less luxe to the touch and flimsier than some of the more expensive brands we tested. These sheets fit our bed perfectly and the top end of the fitted sheet is conveniently labeled. They’re available in five sizes — twin, twin XL, full, queen and king — and come in 15 colors.
Are these sheets as nice as our top picks from Garnet Hill and L.L.Bean? Of course not. But for those who understandably don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on sheets, we were mighty impressed by the value of this Target find.
The Threshold Ultra-Soft Flannel Sheet Set is the least expensive set we tested. For this price range, these sheets are solid and satisfying, but the quality doesn’t feel as high as the other sets. This was the only set that came in a cute bag with a Velcro closure, which is a nice touch. They come in four sizes — twin, full, queen and king — and four colors and patterns; however, we noted that the pattern is printed only on the top side of the flat sheet and fitted sheet, and the patterned side is softer and snugglier than the non-patterned side.
Overall, these are a warmer sleeper but suitably comfortable, particularly for the price. If this is the price range you seek and you don’t need your sheets to last for decades, then we recommend these.