Which duvet should I get?

[Cadmus]

I need a warm winter one and I'm looking at a John Lewis 13.5 tog for 50 pounds or the same type at Duver&Pillow Warehouse for 34 pounds. The latter is described as a "budget" option but it seems to have 5% more duck feathers than the JL one so am wondering what's the catch...

It's late and I can't make a decision. And it's cold.

 

[editor]

How cold is your house? If it's bleeding taters, I'd spend a little more and go for the John Lewis option.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I've got a goose down pillow from DPW.

What Cadmus hasn't mentioned is that £34 is the sale price, not the RRP which is £65.

I'm not sure whether Cadmus realises that DPW's budget means that it's cheaper because it has feather as opposed to just down. Feathers are cheaper than down

 

[joustmaster]

get as much down and as little feather as you can afford.
i use a tog 4 pure down all year round.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It also looks like the JL one is duck feather whereas the DPW is goose feather

 

[Cadmus]

All right, so a bigger percentage of down is better then? Is duck better than goose?

And yes, the DPW is a sale price, sorry.

 

[joustmaster]

yeah down is loads nicer. feathers have the stick bits of the feathers still on them. down is just soft.
no idea if goose or duck is best. i just went for the cheaper.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Yes, down is softer and much lighter.

Lots of people buy Siberian goose down, but I've read that Hungarian is better. I remember reading up on it for ages but buggered if I can remember.


Actually, I may be wrong with the goose down is better than duck down, but I can't remember why. Maybe duck down fluffs up better?

*I'm going to go and have a google for you*

 

[Cadmus]

Thanks Minnie.

My flat is on the ground floor with 3 walls facing the exterior so it can get chilly at night.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Found this. The consensus seems to be that duck down is better, although someone mentions to make sure it's eiderdown

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home-and-Garden/Question439437.html

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

i'd go fo JL i get my pillows and duvet from them

i have a 4 tog summer duvet which lasts me most of the year and a hollow fiber one i fling on top when it gets really cold

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

6. WHICH BIRDS PROVIDE THE BEST DOWN?

Generally speaking, the best down comes from larger, more mature birds. When age and maturity are equal, goose down is better than duck down. However, down from an older duck is better than down from a younger goose. Larger Down has an extraordinarily high warmth-to-weight ratio. A duvet or sleeping bag filled with this down will be very light and incredibly warm. And it will last for decades.

On the other hand, poor quality White Goose Down will have smaller Down. It will not loft up, and has a rather low warmth-to-weight ratio. Even if there is more of this down by weight, it won't be as warm. Down from younger birds not only tends to have poor filling power, it will also tend to collapse in a relatively short time, because its fibers are too fragile. This is usually the difference between an inexpensive goose down product, and an expensive one. return to questions

7. WHAT IS EIDERDOWN?

Eiderdown comes from the Eider Duck, and it is considered by some to be the finest quality of all down. It is also the most expensive. This down is unique in that it clings to itself, resulting in superior insulating power. The Eider Duck is a protected migratory species. Down is collected by hand from nests without disturbing the birds. return to questions

More FAQs on feathers and down

 

[Cadmus]

Great, ta.

i'd go fo JL i get my pillows and duvet from them

i have a 4 tog summer duvet which lasts me most of the year and a hollow fiber one i fling on top when it gets really cold

i was wondering about that as well...would a 13.5 tog duck down duvet be too warm? does anybody have a high tog duvet and find it a bit too much?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Great, ta.

i was wondering about that as well...would a 13.5 tog duck down duvet be too warm? does anybody have a high tog duvet and find it a bit too much?

Have you got a summer one?

 

[joustmaster]

i just checked and i got my down duvet from that pillow and duvet warehouse place you mentioned.
am happy with it.

i also think my mate bought a high tog down duvet from jl and said it was silly hot in summer.

 

[Cadmus]

Have you got a summer one?

Yeah I do, this would be a striclty winter duvet.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Seems lots of people are happy with them, but when something goes wrong, it seems like a few people have problems with customer service.

However, that's not something that normally happens with JL, so if you are going to spend that much money on something, may be better off going with JL.

Not sure how long a guarantee JL give on their duvets and pillows but DPW give 10 years, but if you have problems, it might not be easy as with JL. Just something to bear in mind.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

You also need to consider the cost of cleaning them, ie. either going to laundrettes or dry cleaning them.

However, if you have a large drum washing machine, a synthetic one may fit in. Don't know about feather ones though as my washing machine is only a 4.5kg capacity.

I have just stuck in a 4 tog double synthetic in a 6kg capacity machine and that fitted fine. Not sure a 13.5 tog would though.

Will try the 9 tog one next.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

Great, ta.

i was wondering about that as well...would a 13.5 tog duck down duvet be too warm? does anybody have a high tog duvet and find it a bit too much?

admitedly i do wear shorts in winter... and have an air conditioner i am very fond of but i'd die under a 13 tog duvet

having two is good but somewhat inconvinent space wise.... you can get those ones that combine but i find the two duvet system easyer... plus you can always keep one right by the bed and can toss it off it it gets too warm

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Why not go for the All Seasons Duck Feather one? Double is £59

http://www.johnlewis.com/119174/Style.aspx

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

i'd go for the goose feather myself

certainly whenm it comes to the pillows the Siberian is most comfy the Hungarian is ok the duck stuff is a bit bony

however the siberian pillows do leak slightly ...

 

[nicksonic]

i recommend 'the white company'.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

But isn't it all something to do with the fill factor or whatever it's called?

 

[joustmaster]

i recommend 'the white company'.

racist!

 

[Cadmus]

But isn't it all something to do with the fill factor or whatever it's called?

Yes, it must have something to do with the amount of material per square metre.

It's a bloody science getting something to cover yourself with...

 

[weltweit]

So is a smaller tog warmer than a bigger tog?

Me I am already using two duvets, a summer one and a thicker one on top of that!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So is a smaller tog warmer than a bigger tog?

Me I am already using two duvets, a summer one and a thicker one on top of that!

No, the higher the tog, the warmer the duvet

 

[RubyToogood]

I always always go for a four seasons one which is the one where you get two duvets, one thick and one thin, and can popper them together at the corners, which however I don't do. I have them both in duvet covers and use whichever one or both the weather requires. This also has the advantage if you're tall that you can have the top one slightly lower down so there's no danger of cold feet.

 

[wayward bob]

you need a duvet with the power of a million candles.

 

[Cadmus]

Well I'm getting this one in the end - I think it's a good deal. Looking forward to a warm comfortable night...

Thanks for the advice