Sleep is essential, but some people aren't investing in all the things that go into getting a good night's rest. Your dingy old mattress and flat-as-a-pancake pillow are definitely not doing you any favors while you get your beauty rest.
On average, people spend about 26 years of their life in bed , according to Sleep Matters Club. If that's not good enough reason to make sure all 227,760 hours of your time in bed is as best as it can be, then we can't really help you. But if you're realizing your sleep could use an upgrade, we have recommendations for everything you need to make sure every night's sleep is the best it can be. From the best pillows to rest your weary head to the most luxe sheets you'll want to wrap yourself in, these are the best bedroom essentials for every person at every budget.
The Mattress
Saatva Classic Mattress
Saatva
saatva.com
$1,795.00
Saatva's flagship mattress combines comfort with luxury touches, so you really feel like you're getting what you're paying for.
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- Customizable to fine-tune to your sleeping preferences
- A longer-than-usual warranty and trial period
- Minor details add to its overall comfort level
- More expensive than comparable options
New airweave Mattress
At nearly two grand for a queen-sized mattress, the New airweave mattress is expensive, but it makes up for it with science-backed benefits like optimal body support, body temperature regulation and minimal motion transfer.
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- Machine-washable outer cover
- Scientifically proven to give you a better sleep
- Might be too firm for some
- Requires some assembly
Allswell The Allswell Mattress
Allswell
allswellhome.com
$449.00
This is the cheap mattress to buy when you couldn't care less about what you sleep on at night. It doesn't eschew comfort features — like individually wrapped springs and temperature-regulating materials — for its price point.
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- Medium firmness is good for most sleepers
- Reduces overheating at night
- Can be too firm or too soft for some
- Lacks a pillow top
Mattresses, the bedrock that makes up a good night's sleep. Whether you like 'em firm or not-so-firm, we found the mattresses that would make Goldilocks happy on the first try.
The Sheets
Riley Home Percale Sheet Set
Cotton percale bed sheets are for everyone, and Riley Home's take on the classic material is the best in class. It features long-staple combed cotton and an understated baratta stitch, two premium details that don't add a premium to the price tag. The more often you wash the sheets, the softer and more comforting they'll become.
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- Premium sheets at an approachable price
- Available in a variety of colors and prints
- Requires a couple washes before truly breaking in
Cultiver Linen Fitted Sheet
Bed sheets come in a variety of fabrics, and linen may be the most luxurious, especially when looking at the price tag. Cultiver manages to bring down its cost so linen can be for the masses. Its weave, sewing and dye are superior than most linen sheets double the cost, and it's the type of bed sheet you'll want to have year-round.
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- Shorter break-in period that other linen sheets
- Beautifully dyed and available in 17 understated colors
- Like most linen sheets, will require a fair amount of washing before achieving maximum softness
Target 300 Thread Count Organic Cotton Sheet Set
Threshold
target.com
$45.99
Most college students turn to Target for their bed sheet needs, especially when they have to buy Twin XL-sized sheets for their dorm beds that don't actually exist in the real world. But those budget shoppers are onto something. These sheets outdid the competition in its price range, and they're everything you could want in a set of percale sheets from a high-end brand.
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- Crisp and cool like expensive percale sheets
- Certified by the OEKO-TEX to be safe for you and the producers
Shitty sheets lead to shitty sleep. Just keep that mantra in mind when you lie down tonight. Good sheets should get better with wear, and should feel like you're being wrapped up in your favorite shirt. Bed sheets come in a variety of fabrics, and we found the best in each category and at every budget.
The Pillows
Just Get This: Coop Home Goods Eden Pillow
Coop Home Goods
amazon.com
$72.00
The Eden isn't the only adjustable-fill pillow on the market, but it is one of the most affordable and offers a ton of tiny details that make your sleep better. From its washable outer cover to its gel-infused memory foam for extra cooling, the Eden is a one-size-fits all pillow if only because you make it fit to how you want it.
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- Machine-washable outer cover
- As soft or firm as you choose
- Adjusting the memory foam is a little messy; like packaging peanuts, but memory foam
The Step-Up: Sleep Number Ultimate Comfortfit Pillow
Sleep Number
sleepnumber.com
$130.00
The Ultimate Comfortfit pillow uses adjustable layers of fill instead of shredded fill. It's way more efficient to adjust, and it still offers a level of customizability that makes this pillow good for every — at least, good for those with the money.
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- Adjustable layers instead of messy fill
- Machine-washable cover
- One of the more expensive pillows on the market
Smart Spend: Brooklinen Down Pillow
Brooklinen
brooklinen.com
$69.00
No adjustability here — this is just a classic pillow that happens to be really good. Opt for one of the three firmness levels, and get just that. The pillow has a plushness about it that you usually would only get from a hotel bed, but that makes sleeping at home feel like an everyday vacation.
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- Affordable without being cheap
A good night's sleep can be ruined by a bad pillow. Whether you prefer a pillow that's firm or soft, your head should be getting the support it needs. Luckily we found nine that do just that.
The Comforter
Purple Duvet
The Goldilocks of comforters, Purple's duvet is just the right amount of plush and offers the perfect warmth in the cooler months and cooling in the warmer months. It's soft and airy enough to be used without a duvet cover, though we recommend one so you can wash the cover since the duvet itself is not machine washable.
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- Uses temperature-regulating polyester fill
- Cotton outer material is soft, breathable and comfortable.
- Not machine washable
- Makes a crinkly noise
Casper Humidity Fighting Duvet
For those who want to invest in better sleep, Casper's very pricy duvet offers some of the best temperature regulation compared to others on the market. It's made with merino wool, which is lighter than other types of wool. The comforter is really good at insulation, but it also has the natural ability to regulate body heat and wick away moisture.
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- Merino wool layer wicks away moisture
- Alleviates overheating and humidity
- Very expensive for a duvet
Amazon Basics Down Alternative Comforter
Good old Amazon Basics is holding it down with its crazy-cheap comforter. It has a polyester fill, and the outer cover is made of soft, breathable microfiber. The comforter is machine washable, though you shouldn't expect it to last forever.
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- Cover is made from breathable and soft microfiber polyester.
- Very cheap
- Machine washable
- You get what you pay for; this comforter won't last forever
Some people just can't sleep without being under the covers. And that applies even when it's hot as hell out. Get a comforter than can pull double duty: it's warm when you need it to be, but also cooling to prevent you from overheating. While comforters can be used on their own, make sure to get a duvet cover to keep it in pristine shape for as long as possible.
The Air Purifier
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier
Coway
amazon.com
$229.99
$192.99 (16% off)
Few air purifiers off the strength and CADR ratings of the Airmega AP-1512HHS at this price point. It has a triple filter system, a pre-filter, HEPA filter and activated carbon filter, plus an ionizer. Throw the device in auto mode, and let the machine do all the work.
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- Tiny, yet some of the highest CADR ratings for its target room size
- Plastic body leaves something to be desired
Coway Airmega 250
Coway's newest product blows away its competition. It's surprisingly small despite its powerful air purification, and it does so without being stupid expensive. It carries over the look of its best-looking unit, the Airmega 150, and packs similar power to the brand's strongest air purifier, the Airmega 400.
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- Crazy powerful for such a compact machine
- A silent dust, pollen and odor killer
- Only available in one color
Ikea Fornuftig
Ikea's air purifier proves everyone deserves clean air without having to pull from their savings. The Fornuftig is slim and efficient, and it doesn't call attention to itself because it's not an eyesore. It also hangs on the wall so it's completely out of the way.
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- It's so cheap, and worth it in the under-$100 air purifier category
- It's a good-looking machine, and it hangs on the wall
- Only good for tiny rooms and spaces
- The carbon filter isn't included in the purchase
You could probably benefit from an air purifier at night. While you might not feel it while you sleep, waking up with allergens and dust in your system results in a really crappy morning. A good air purifier will keep your air clean while you sleep without disturbing you with a noisy fan or bright lights. Luckily, we found a few air purifiers that meet those expectations.
Tyler Chin
Tyler Chin is Gear Patrol’s Associate Staff Writer.
