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Table of Contents
- What is a tog rating?
- Which tog duvet should you choose?
- Duvet fillings explained
- Duvet sizes explained
- Caring for your duvet
- Frequently asked questions
- Conclusion
You climb into bed on the first cold night of October, pull up the duvet you bought in summer, and lie there shivering. Or the reverse: a July heatwave and you're kicking off a duvet that felt perfect at Christmas. Most people have lived both of these, and both come down to the same misunderstood number printed on the label.
This duvet tog guide exists to take the guesswork out. Every duvet you buy involves three decisions: the tog (how warm it is), the size (how well it fits your bed), and the filling (what's inside and how it sleeps). Get those three right, and you'll rarely think about your duvet again, which is exactly how it should be. We've made bedding from the heart of UK textiles for over 40 years, so we'll walk you through togs, sizes, fillings, and care.
What is a tog rating?
Here's the single most useful thing to know before you buy anything: a tog is a measure of warmth, not weight and not quality. The tog rating tells you how well a duvet insulates by trapping warm air, nothing more. A featherweight down duvet and a chunky synthetic one can carry the exact same tog and keep you exactly as warm.
Duvet togs in the UK run on a scale from roughly 1 to 15. The higher the number, the more warmth it traps. A 1 tog is barely there, ideal for the height of summer, while a 15 tog is built for cold, draughty bedrooms in the depths of winter. Everything else sits in between, and the band you want depends far more on your bedroom and your body than on the season alone.
|
Tog rating |
Season |
Warmth feel |
Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 to 4.5 tog |
Summer |
Light and cool |
Hot sleepers, warm rooms, summer nights |
|
7 to 10.5 tog |
Spring & autumn |
Medium, balanced |
Year-round use, mild bedrooms (10.5 tog is the UK's most popular all-rounder) |
|
12 to 13.5 tog |
Winter |
Warm and snug |
Cooler bedrooms, colder months |
|
13.5 to 15 tog |
Deep winter |
Very warm |
Cold sleepers, unheated or draughty rooms |
Which tog duvet should you choose?
So what tog duvet do you actually need? The honest answer is that it depends on three things working together: the season, how warm your bedroom runs, and how hot or cold you personally sleep. Let's take them one at a time.
Tog by season
The simplest way to think about it is in three tiers.
A summer duvet sits in the 1.5 to 4.5 tog range. It's light, breathable, and stops you overheating on those few genuinely warm British nights. Pair a low summer tog with lightweight summer covers in a crisp percale and you'll feel the difference.
Spring and autumn call for something in the 7 to 10.5 tog band. The 10.5 tog duvet is the UK's most popular year-round choice, and for good reason: it handles mild bedrooms across most of the calendar without ever feeling stuffy.
A winter duvet runs warmer, typically 12 tog and up. A 13.5 tog is the classic British winter weight, snug without being suffocating, while a 15 tog is reserved for genuinely cold or unheated rooms. Topping a winter duvet with warm winter covers in a soft brushed cotton adds that extra cosy layer when frost is on the window.
Bottom line: for most UK bedrooms, a 10.5 tog duvet handles spring through autumn, with a 13.5 tog for the coldest months.
All-seasons and 3-in-1 duvets
If you'd rather not own two duvets, an all seasons duvet solves the problem elegantly. Also called a 3-in-1 duvet, it's actually two duvets that fasten together with poppers or ties.
You get a lightweight 4.5 tog for summer, a 9 tog for spring and autumn, and when you button the two together you get roughly a 13.5 tog all-rounder for winter. One purchase, three seasons covered. It's the most flexible option going, and a sensible choice if your bedroom temperature swings hard across the year.
Tog by sleeper type
This is where a lot of guides stop short, but it's the part that matters most.
Picture a hot sleeper in a south-facing room with the central heating on. A 13.5 tog will have them throwing the duvet off by midnight, no matter that it's winter. They'd be far happier dropping down to a 9 or 10.5 tog year-round. A cold sleeper in a north-facing room with no radiator is the opposite story and might want a 15 tog even in spring.
Shared beds add another wrinkle. If one of you runs hot and the other cold, a temperature-regulating natural filling at a middle tog tends to keep the peace better than either extreme. Bedroom temperature, heating, and your own thermostat all pull rank over the calendar. Trust how you actually sleep over what the season "should" need.
What tog for children and toddlers
Children need careful thought here, and there's one rule that comes before all the others.
Babies under 12 months should not have a duvet at all. The Lullaby Trust advises that infants under a year sleep most safely with firmly tucked blankets or a baby sleeping bag rather than a duvet, because a loose duvet poses a risk of overheating and covering the face.
From around one year, toddlers and young children can move to a low tog duvet. Stick to a maximum of about 4 tog (4.0 to 4.5 tog) for a toddler or a 3 year old. Small bodies overheat more easily than adults, so a light, breathable duvet in a cot bed or toddler bed is plenty. Save the higher togs for when they've grown into a full-size bed.
Duvet fillings explained
Tog tells you how warm a duvet is. The filling tells you how it sleeps: how it feels, how it drapes, how you care for it, and how long it lasts. Choosing the best duvet for you is really about matching the filling to your priorities.
Natural fillings
Natural fillings mean duck or goose down and feather, the traditional luxury choice.
Down is the soft, fluffy clusters from under a bird's feathers, and it has an exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio. The reason is simple physics: down traps more air per gram than almost anything else, so a down duvet gives you a high tog with barely any weight. That's why a premium down duvet feels almost weightless yet keeps you beautifully warm.
A goose feather duvet sits a touch firmer and more supportive than pure down, and goose tends to outperform duck for loft and longevity. Natural fillings breathe brilliantly and, looked after well, last for years. The trade-off is a higher price and more careful cleaning, and they suit fewer allergy sufferers than synthetics do.
Synthetic fillings
Synthetic fillings have come a very long way, and for many homes they're the smarter buy.
Hollowfibre uses hollow strands that trap air to insulate, giving good warmth at a friendly price, and it's machine washable and hypoallergenic, which makes it a favourite for children's rooms and busy households. Microfibre is the premium synthetic: ultra-fine fibres that mimic the soft, downy drape of natural down, with most of the practicality of synthetics. If you love the feel of down but want something you can wash at home, microfibre is the sweet spot.
Which filling is best for you
The right filling comes down to three questions: do allergies matter, what's your budget, and how do you want to care for it?
|
Filling |
Warmth-to-weight |
Care |
Allergy-friendly |
Lifespan |
Relative price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Goose down |
Excellent |
Specialist wash / dry clean |
Less suitable |
Long |
Premium |
|
Duck down/feather |
Very good |
Specialist wash / dry clean |
Less suitable |
Long |
Mid to premium |
|
Hollowfibre (synthetic) |
Good |
Machine washable |
Hypoallergenic |
Medium |
Budget |
|
Microfibre (synthetic) |
Very good |
Machine washable |
Hypoallergenic |
Medium |
Mid |
If allergies are a concern in your home, a hypoallergenic hollowfibre or microfibre is the easy answer. If you want the lightest, most luxurious feel and don't mind specialist cleaning, natural down is hard to beat. If you want most of that softness with everyday washability, microfibre splits the difference. You can see all of these options when you browse our duvet range.
Duvet sizes explained
A duvet that's too small leaves a cold gap down the middle of a shared bed, and one that's too large drags on the floor. UK duvet sizes are mostly standard, though they do vary a little between makers.
|
Bed size |
Duvet dimensions (cm) |
|---|---|
|
Single |
135 x 200 |
|
Double |
200 x 200 |
|
King |
225 x 220 |
|
Super King |
260 x 220 |
|
Emperor |
290 x 235 |
These are typical dimensions, and a few centimetres of variation is normal. If you're between sizes, sharing a bed, or simply want the full breakdown including drop and overhang, our full duvet size guide covers it in detail. It's also worth checking your duvet covers match the duvet size rather than just the bed, since a tight or baggy cover changes how the whole thing drapes.
Caring for your duvet
A well-cared-for duvet lasts longer and sleeps better, and the rules are mostly common sense.
Always check the care label first, because it overrides any general advice. Many synthetic duvets wash at 40°C in a domestic machine, but larger king and super king duvets often won't fit a home drum, in which case a launderette's commercial machine does the job properly. Natural down and feather duvets usually need specialist cleaning, so read that label carefully before you risk it.
Drying matters as much as washing. Tumble dry on a low heat with a couple of dryer balls (or clean tennis balls) tucked in, which knock the filling apart so it dries evenly and stays fluffy rather than clumping. Make sure the duvet is fully, completely dry before it goes back on the bed, because trapped damp leads to mildew and odour. An occasional airing over a line or banister on a dry day keeps it fresh between washes.
As a rough rule, a synthetic duvet is worth replacing around every five years, when it stops lofting and the warmth drops off. The simplest way to extend its life is a duvet protector under the cover, which takes the brunt of moisture and wear so the duvet itself stays cleaner for longer.
Frequently asked questions
What does tog mean on a duvet?
A tog is a measure of how warm a duvet is, specifically how well it insulates by trapping air. It runs from about 1 (very light) to 15 (very warm) in the UK. Tog measures warmth only, not weight and not quality, so a high tog does not mean a better duvet.
What tog duvet do I need for winter?
For a typical UK winter, a 13.5 tog duvet is the classic choice, warm and snug without feeling heavy. If your bedroom is cold, unheated, or draughty, step up to a 15 tog. If you sleep hot or keep the heating on overnight, a 12 tog may be plenty.
What is the best tog for a summer duvet?
A summer duvet should sit between 3 and 4.5 tog. This keeps you cool and comfortable on warm nights without overheating. Hot sleepers and those in south-facing or warmer bedrooms benefit most from the lower end of that range, paired with a breathable cotton cover.
What tog duvet is safe for a toddler?
For toddlers and young children from around one year, choose a low tog duvet of no more than 4 tog (4.0 to 4.5). Small bodies overheat easily, so a light, breathable duvet is ideal. Babies under 12 months should not use a duvet at all, following Lullaby Trust guidance.
How do I wash a duvet at home?
Check the care label first. Many synthetic duvets wash at 40°C in a domestic machine, but large king-size duvets may need a launderette's commercial machine. Use a gentle cycle, then tumble dry on low with dryer balls to keep the filling even, and make sure it is fully dry before use.
Can you tumble dry a duvet?
Yes, most synthetic duvets can be tumble dried on a low heat. Add a couple of dryer balls or clean tennis balls to break up the filling so it dries evenly and stays fluffy. Always confirm with the care label first, and ensure the duvet is completely dry to prevent mildew.
Is a higher tog always better?
No, and this is the biggest duvet myth going. Tog measures warmth, not quality, so a higher tog simply means a warmer duvet, not a better-made one. The best tog is the one that matches your bedroom and how you sleep. Too high a tog just leaves you overheating.
Conclusion
Every duvet comes down to those same three decisions: the tog that suits how you sleep, the size that fits your bed, and the filling that matches your priorities on feel, care, and budget. Nail all three and you've got the foundation of a good night's sleep for years to come. We hope this duvet tog guide has made those choices feel simpler rather than harder. There's no single "best" duvet, only the right one for your bedroom, which is exactly why we make so many. When you're ready, take your time and shop our duvets to find the tog and filling that suit you. Rest easy.
