If you’re in the market for a duvet cover to protect your blanket, we think the best duvet cover overall is the Brooklinen Luxe Duvet Cover. It’s made from the brand’s popular cotton sateen fabric, which is beautifully soft and only gets more comfortable over time—and the cover is easy to put on and launder as needed. The buttery fabric makes for a luxurious night of sleep, and the brand offers its bedding in both plain colors as well as fun and colorful patterns. That ensures finding an option you like regardless of how you want to decorate your bedroom.

For most people, cotton is the best material for a duvet cover, as it’s soft, affordable, durable and easy to care for. You can choose between cotton percale like the L.L. Bean Percale Comforter Cover for a more crisp, breathable feel or cotton sateen like the Avocado Organic Duvet Cover for a softer, smoother fabric. Either way, you can easily wash the cover, and it should last for many years. Linen duvet covers, such as the Parachute Linen Duvet Cover, are another durable and breathable option, but they tend to be more expensive initially. For those who sleep hot, you might want to consider

Comforters are designed to be used without a cover—they often have a colored or patterned exterior so they can be used as the top layer on your bed. However, the main downside to using a comforter is that you have to wash the whole blanket when it gets dirty. If you have a queen- or king-size bed, you may not be able to fit your comforter in the washing machine, forcing you to take a trip to the laundromat or dry cleaner. This can add up quickly if you like to wash your blanket regularly.By comparison, using a duvet and duvet cover makes laundering much easier. Whenever the cover gets dirty, y