I’ve narrowed it down to these 2 but can’t decide. I sleep hot and my apartment doesn’t cool well in the summer, and don’t want to spend more than about $150 for a sheet set. I don’t need BIFL but want something that will last great for a few or several years
Has anyone bought these very recently? I’ve read so many reviews and all say they are great but they do not feel like percale at all. Is this normal? It’s very much like a sateen but I’m hoping maybe after some washes it will turn more mat. Regardless I’ve tried Brooklinen and company store both of which felt like sandpaper even after 5 washes and a month of sleeping on them. I’m hoping these ll bean will somehow turn into that percale feeling I want after multiple washes but it’s so strange. Any comments on this or percale recommendations that don’t feel like sandpaper?
Yes I know that these will probably break in somewhat with time, but the color rather than a gray is an off white and the sheets already have all sorts of lint sticking to them and a slightly scratchy feel. The sheets also are thin enough that I can see the patterns on my mattress through them due to how light the color of the sheets are. They also seem slightly too large for my Full Sized Bed.
Is this really how they're supposed to be? Do they improve so drastically over time?
Anyone who has shopped around for sheets has probably at some point heard about L.L. Bean's cotton percale sheets. If you're looking for something reputable that will last a long time and prefer the percale weave for their crisp, cool feel, chances are you've seen tons of articles online praising L.L. Bean's set. I think even Wirecutter has consistently voted them at the top!
I've always been on the Bean train. I grew up with their sheets. My whole household had them. My mother has a neck injury, so making her queen sized bed was part of my regular chores growing up, and each of our sheet sets were easily 10+ years old, in great condition, and buttery soft.
That said, I'm pretty dang familiar with these sheets, so when I moved out in 2017 I budgeted for my own set. In fact, aside from my mattress, I think my two sheet sets (I rotate each week) were my biggest splurge. But I figured it was an investment and swallowed the $298 + tax cost.
It's pretty typical for cotton percale sheets to take some time (and washings) to "break in" and soften up, so that was expected. What I didn't expect was for the stitching to start fraying and holes to show up on my top sheet early 2020. I reevaluated my washing habits (I follow the instructions on the tag), my laundry detergent, and even tried to mend the damage in a few spots. But the damage started to snowball and spread to everything - my fitted sheets began to spontaneously split, every pillowcase was fraying, and my poor top sheets developed huge rips. Every single piece in both sets had some form of damage.
The damage was getting worse and worse, and there was no way for me to keep up. It didn't matter how delicate I handled them, it was like a runaway train. There are no rambunctious pets in our household hanging out on the bed to cause the damage, our washer and dryer are pretty new and energy efficient, No buttons or snaps or zippers on our pajamas, and no decorations or anything around the bed that could be causing damage.
I tried reaching out directly to L.L. Bean's customer support. "Luckily" for me, the sheets were purchased before February 2018, which is when Bean effectively neutered their lifetime guarantee down to one year. The representative on the phone didn't even bring this up until I mentioned it, and let her know it's still in the fine print on her site. But she insisted the only way they could do anything was to physically bring the sheets into the store. During a pandemic. I'm heavily pregnant and immunocompromised, but she refused to budge on that.
So here I am, my sheets are falling apart more each day, and I'm at a loss. What do I buy now? If I purchase the exact same set again from L.L. Bean, not only would I be taking a gamble this might happen again (and next time around, I wouldn't have any sort of protection beyond one year), but the price has jumped by another $60. I am not comfortable shouldering that risk and paying extra for something that should've lasted many more years.
TL;DR - What are some other quality cotton percale sheets I can invest in that will last longer than 3-4 years?
A few sad highlight photos of my sheets: https://imgur.com/a/VOeSjtp
My wife and I got some new sheets for our wedding, and originally was going to get two sets of LL Bean until we saw the price of the Costco sheets, so we decided to get one of each and compare. Our goal was a good set that would feel soft and cozy, breathable/cooling, and would last us a while. Here's our current thoughts 6 months into rotating between the two sets:
LL Bean ($150ish): 280 Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set
Costco ($70): Kirkland Signature 680 Thread Count Set
Cooling: The LL Bean sheets were by far a lot cooler than the Kirkland sheets, but the Kirkland sheets were "cool enough". I prefer the LL Bean coolness, my wife prefers the Kirkland sheets. Both sheets were cooler than most other cheap sets we've both had in the past. Both warm up over time as you would expect for a sheet without overheating myself. For me, LL Bean takes the win.
Softness: The Kirkland overall felt like it has been consistently softer than the LL Bean, but the LL Bean is still incredibly comfy. Edge goes to Kirkland, but neither were disappointing!
Durability: Honestly, both feel very durable so far. They both follow same routine care, neither have tears or lasting stains. Tie
Other Information: This could have been in durability, but I think it was better to discuss separately. The Kirkland has a pretty thickly reinforced edging on the fitted sheet, and I'm very curious on how well this will hold up over time. Neither LL Bean nor Kirkland feel like the edges are going to rip anytime soon, and they both have enough room for decently thick mattress toppers, but I really enjoy just how beefed up the edges are for the Kirkland sheet.
LL Bean also has multiple color options that Kirkland does not, so if you are concerned about diversifying colors, LL Bean wins that one. We got a navy Kirkland set and the Lake Blue LL Bean set (we would have gone mid-blue if we planned to get the Kirkland set).
Personal Verdict: Both are great 6 months into use and fulfill their purposes wonderfully. The price difference is pretty hefty, so unless you need the coolest-feeling sheets out there the Kirkland ones are no issue for myself. As long as they both hold up for the next few years, we will most likely get the Kirkland ones again over the LL Bean due to the price effectiveness. This is only for comparing cotton sheets with a primary focus on cooling and durability, so feel free to discuss!
tl;dr both are cooling, comfortable, and durable. Kirkland is better price to performance, but LL Bean has more colors and is more cooling.
The quest for the perfect sheets continues! I recently picked up a set of the celebrated 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets from LL Bean. I've only had them for about a week so this isn't really a durability review, just first impressions.
Price: I got the sheets with a 20% off coupon, which brought the price down to $44 each for the flat and fitted sheets. They also sell pillowcases separately (regular price $38/pair), but I wanted envelope closures so I just purchased an extra flat sheet and will make those myself. So the total for 1 flat, 1 fitted, 4 "nice" pillowcases (with the original hemstitch detail) and 2 "backup" pillowcases was $132 shipped, plus some labor.
Appearance/workmanship: The sheets arrived with no defects in the stitching, and no loose threads appeared after the first wash. They aren't completely wrinkle-free but look neat out of the dryer. My only complaint is that the "cream" color is what my husband describes as "pee yellow," but it's identical to the cream color of Macy's Charter Club Damask Sheets and the Kirkland Signature cream sheets that I have. I really wish more companies made a "soft white" that wasn't so damn yellow. Eventually I'll give them a soak in some diluted bleach water to try and lighten them up.
Performance: The sheets are very smooth and breathable. They don't feel flimsy at all. This is my first set of "low" thread count sheets, and I really don't feel I'm missing out at all--if anything, these are nicer than the 500+ TC sheets that I've owned in the past. I was expecting them to be a little crisper (percale and all), but they are certainly smooth and cool. I don't think sateen lovers would have any trouble adjusting to these--they still have a lot of "slip" and no roughness.
The fitted sheet does have a little "extra" on our 10" deep mattress, and as a result the top isn't perfectly smooth. It's not a huge bother, but if you're bothered by a loose fit, it might be an issue. I assume this would be less of a problem for those with deeper mattresses. The size of the top sheet is good--it's long enough to get a good tuck at the bottom, and generous without being too wide.
The sheets sleep wonderfully. We tend to sleep warm and they don't stick to us or feel sweaty/clammy. My husband likes these a lot and says they are "always cool."
So there you go, first impressions of LL Bean percale sheets. I think these are a very good mid-price value. I'll report back in about 6 months to see how they are holding up.
We've had ours for about two years, and use them pretty much exclusively.
Even with weekly washing and all that usage, they are still good as new. I can't recommend these enough!
I have been looking at these recently, where did you find a 20% of coupon? Im all about saving some cash on them.
Hm looking into it looks like that coupon expired a while ago. No worries.
So I bought two more sets. Nine years is a pretty decent run for sheets. The exact product: 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set.
What's been your experience with how long bedding lasts from different vendors?
Edit: Whoa, super surprised to see how popular this post has been! For those who are curious, the sheets were washed & replaced every two weeks. Multiple other bedding sets are utilized, which also reduced wear and increased the useful lifetime of the sheets in question.
I’m in the market for some nice affordable percale sheets. I know LL Bean is known to have great sheets. But I went to target and the Threshold ones felt very similar for half the price. Is there a true difference?
Hello. I'm wondering if these 2 products are worth it for their price?
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/126788?page=pima-percale-280tc-sheet-set-check-full&bc=31-131-1156&feat=1156-GN3&csp=a&pos=10
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/44654?page=280-thread-count-pima-cotton-percale-comforter-cover&bc=31-131-1158&feat=1158-GN2&csp=a&pos=24
Or if there are any recommendations for something else for the same quality, but cheaper price?
I don’t know about this set specifically, but I have two sets of LLB percale sheets that I’ve used for years. They’re a fairly heavy percale, a bit stiff in the beginning, but soften up with washing over a year or so. Personally with the prices of other percale 100% cotton sheets I think these are some of the best. You can also find them at the Company Store, but they’re more expensive. If you have a Bean outlet nearby, check them out, there are sometimes remainders but not often a complete set. If you want a sheet set that will last 20 years and still feel crisp and soft, these will do it.
Edit: I’ve had some of their flannel sheets too (probably their less expensive ones, they were a gift) and wasn’t happy with them. After a fairly short period (a year?) they pilled and were uncomfortable. I’ve been much happier with 100% cotton flannel sheets from Target (which are pretty great).
Edit2: I’ve also gotten some pretty decent 100% cotton percale sheets at Macy’s at January white sales, Martha Stewart brand. A little thinner and less body, but decent price for a set.
Check out Garnet Hill. They seem to have the quality that Bean used to have, and they have nice colors and patterns. Shop their sales. Also check out Vermont Country Store. Lands End is worth checking - I purchased some really nice linen bedding at a silly-low price during a white sale.
Like many others, my absolute favorite sheets were the Wamsutta DreamZone sheets. Mine ripped last year and I’ve been looking for a replacement ever since.
What I like: Crisp, cool and soft but not silky or overly wrinkly.
What I’ve tried:
West Elm tencel: I really like how cooling they are but they’re not at all crisp and they wrinkle so badly.
Quince linen: They feel rough no matter how many times I washed them. I like how they stayed taut on the bed though.
Etitude bamboo: They feel like the tencel ones but these bunch up and wrinkle so much and it drives me mad (I’ve tried the little mattress corner sheet attachment doodads and still they wrinkle)
Brooklinen percale: Scratchy and wrinkly!
Lands End Pimacotton: I thought they’d be similar to the wamsutta ones but these feel rough and not cool at all.
I know I probably sound ridiculously picky but do you guys have any suggestions?
UPDATE: I just ordered a fitted percale sheet from The Company Store (it was $50 ish so not too much lost if I hate it). I’m also going to pick up some of the Target percale and if I hate it, it’s easy to return at least!
Does anyone have experience with either of these sheet sets? They both seem highly rated, but I’ve heard the LL Bean set is better for hot sleepers. It’s quite expensive for a sheet set, but I am willing to pay the price if they are significantly cooler, and durable compared to the Kirkland Signature set.
LL Bean percale gets a lot of high marks here but I felt the sample in the store and it seems kind of thin. Is everyone buying the cheaper pima cotton percale or the Egyptian percale? It doesn't seem that the Egyptian is sold in the stores, only online, so there is no way for me to compare.
Very hot sleeper, want something cool and long lasting. Would appreciate any advice or brand suggestions.
I am getting a new king bed soon, we currently have a queen so I need need "all the things"...
I am looking for good quality 100% cotton sheets in white or ivory $200 ish range...
I don't want too shiny/silky per se, but I do want soft and cozy not "cruncy" and I love love LOVE hemstitch detail.
Right now I am between the 280 TC pima percale ll bean and the 400 Thread Count Premium Supima Lands end just bummed no hemstitch on these. I am being bratty and picky. Both get nice reviews. Worried the ll bean with be rough? I know that sheets require a break in period. Anything else i should be looking at? I was hoping to find Supima in a percale but striking out. also maybe I am overthinking the sateen and they wont be toooo shiny?
ETA: Red land cotton looks like it could fit bill or american blossom a bit more $$ but...
Im trying to get a good quality fitted bed sheet and a couple bath towels. For the sheet Im thinking the 280tc pima cotton percale one they sell. Then for the towels Im really not sure between their Premium cotton towel for $35 and their Organic Textured Cotton Towel for $25. Im wondering what the difference is in durability and absorbancy is between the two. Also which is softer is good to know, although softness isnt a priority with bath towels as Ive found that rougher towels do a better job. Maybe that's just because Im used to lower quality towels though.
Im also open to any other suggestions for high quality towels or a fitted sheet. Im usually lean towards the highest quality I can get at a reasonable price, I dont like paying a premium for brand and think maybe Im doing that getting them through LL bean.
I have scoured the threads. Tried Quince - scratchy and horrible quality. I don’t get the hype. Then I ordered LL Bean - very meh. Feels a bit rough and lacking quality. I LOVED my Brooklinen percale I bought 7-8 years ago but they ripped within a couple years and from the reviews I read, they aren’t the same and longevity hasn’t improved. I’m also limited because I need two twin XL sets for our split King - many options shared don’t have the twin XL option. Help!
My husband and I decided to upgrade our bedding, went into pottery barn to feel their different materials. Husband liked the smoothness of sateen sheets but he also sleeps very hot. Combining all factors, we liked the feel of Pottery Barn 400 TC percale sheets and duvet cover, it's smooth but still cool to the touch.
When doing research, LL Bean 280 TC has a lot of recommendations and seems to be a solid choice too (LL Bean 400 TC is over our budget).
We're a bit torn between the two, any inputs appreciated!