The Best Sheets (2023): Linen, Percale, and Budget Bedding

Sweet dreams start with soft sheets. Or, at the very least, great sheets mean I sleep better, whether my dreams are peaceful or a hallucination of failed superpowers and the internet. There’s a lot to navigate when buying sheets for your bed, from understanding percale and sateen to thread counts. But the right set of sheets can make your old bed feel like a hotel, or be the perfect pairing with a brand-new mattress (because what’s the point in pairing your new mattress with stale sheets?). 

We have tested dozens of sheets to find the best of nearly every style of bed sheet. However, there are an innumerable number of sheets out there, so we’ll keep updating this guide as we test more. All of the prices shown are for queen-size models. Be sure to read our Best Mattresses and Best Organic Mattresses guides for more bedding recommendations.

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Medea Giordano contributed testing for this guide.

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Linen Sheets

Why buy linen sheets? Linen is a woven fabric made from flax plants. It is a highly breathable material, so it keeps you cool during the summer months as it doesn’t trap heat. It’s great for people who sleep hot. It’s rougher at first than a simple cotton set, but it should soften up the more it’s washed. Linen is often expensive, but it’s also more durable than cotton, so a good sheet set should last a lot longer. They’re not for everyone, but if you love linen clothing, you’ll probably love linen sheets.

We weren’t sure we’d enjoy sleeping on linen, and we almost quit before testing started. However, consider us converts. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano says that when she first got into bed, these Brooklinen sheets were itchy, but after a few minutes, she relaxed and that feeling went away. The result was some of the soundest, coolest sleep she’s had. Neither she nor her husband woke up sweaty, even during the Texas summer with two cats snuggled into them.

Brooklinen makes a few of our favorite sheets, and all the types are available in pleasant colors and patterns. (There are limited edition options too.) If you’re not sure if you’ll like linen, Brooklinen accepts returns within a year, but you’ll have to pay a $10 return fee.

Runner-Up 

Quince’s linen sheets were initially softer and less itchy than the ones from Brooklinen, and they’re almost $130 cheaper. However, they run just slightly warmer. If you don’t feel like you’re a particularly hot sleeper but you want linen, then these are a safe bet. (Or just try them without worry—you can return them for free within a year.)

You should line dry linen, but if you do use a dryer like we did, expect to clean up a lot of lint. That was the case for Brooklinen too, but with these sheets, the lint trap started to overflow as there was so much.

Other Great Linen Sheets

• Casaluna Washed Linen Solid Sheet Set for $159: These sheets aren’t soft, but have a weight to them that makes them feel luxurious. They’re warm though—I felt warmer sleeping on these than the ones above and sateen sheets. They’re a great price for linen and a good choice for anyone who wants to be a little cozier when they sleep.
• Ikea Dytag Linen Duvet Set for $160: Before trying linen sheets, I used a linen duvet cover for years and loved it. Ikea’s duvet sets have served me well—they’re soft and light to the touch and keep me cool while I sleep. Make sure to pair it with the right size comforter or else you might find it won’t stay centered in this lightweight duvet.

Percale Sheets

Why buy percale sheets? Percale is a type of cotton weave, not a type of fabric. It’s also referred to as a plain weave. It looks how you might picture a classic weave to look, with an over-under style like a checkerboard. These sheets tend to be crisp, cool, and lightweight. Think of hotel sheets or your favorite button-up shirt. They’re a good middle ground if you sleep hot but don’t want to spring for linen and its higher prices.

Target’s in-house brands make great, affordable sheets, including this Casaluna percale set. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano has been sleeping on them for several years, and they’re her favorite of all the types of percale sheets she’s tried, even those twice the price. They’re crisp without being uncomfortably stiff, and she stays cool all night in them.

These Casaluna sheets have held up through many, many machine washing cycles, and are only getting more lived-in and soft. There are several colors to choose from too. When Giordano upgraded from a queen to a king bed, these were the sheets she repurchased immediately.

Other Great Percale Sheets

• Riley Percale Sheet Set for $220: Riley makes nice percale sheets, but they’re pricey—a…