In our tests, top-rated bed sheets often have thread counts between 300 and 500. Anything above 500 isn’t necessarily better (so don’t be deceived when you see thread counts over 1,500), and on the flip side, you can still find quality sheets with thread counts under 300. On top of that, even though our tests have shown that the 300 to 500 thread count range is a sweet spot, a sheet that falls into this range isn’t guaranteed to be high quality: Again, fiber content and construction are more important. It is true that a sheet set with a thread count of 400 will usually feel better than a comparable set with a thread count of 200. However, that’s assuming that the quality of yarns used, the craftsmanship, and the weave are all the same for both sheet sets. Gopinath said a 250 to 300 thread count was optimal (there’s wiggle room, though, as Maher said 200 was also good). Cotton grown in Egypt often produces longer, finer yarns versus regular cotton," says Farah Arshad, Head of Product at bedding brand Dusk. "Generally speaking, the longer the threads, the better the softness and the drape of the material when woven into bed linen." The perks of Egyptian cotton bedding

When you see counts above 300 for percale or 600 for sateen, that sometimes means the manufacturers are using ply—the number of single threads twisted together in yarn—to artificially inflate the thread count, namely counting two-ply yarns as two yarns instead of one. That means a 500-thread-count sheet made with two-ply yarns might be advertised as 1,000 thread count. Single-ply yarn is more pliable and lends itself to softer fabrics than those containing multiple plies of yarn. As Maher told us, “This is a marketing effort.” She added that manufacturers raise the number to capture customers’ attention, since people tend to perceive a higher-thread-count sheet as better. In 2005 the Federal Trade Commission issued an opinion (PDF), but not a firm set of rules or guidelines, advising against this practice. But our experts noted that although many manufacturers have stopped, they do still see it happening.The longer fibres certainly help give this bedding longevity, which is a real plus. "The key attributes to look for are that the bedding you choose is made from natural fibres that supports breathability and allows for air circulation next to the skin," Farah continues. "That will support you to have the most comfortable night’s sleep." Again, it depends. "There are several factors that play into what makes a great quality cotton," says Farah. "Egyptian cotton is technically regarded as a more superior yarn, so it could be classed as a more superior product, but there are a number of factors that play into what makes a quality bed linen." Similarly, the cosy flannel sheets that tend to hit shelves around Christmas are measured in grams per square meter (GSM). If you’re looking to bundle up warm, a 170+ GSM sheet will serve you very well indeed, though more lightweight options are available. There’s a misconception that, when it comes to thread count, bigger is necessarily better. That’s not always the case. Thread count offers a broad indication of quality, but there’s a big element of subjectivity to selecting your bed sheets.

When it comes to quality, this where a brand can and will inflate their figures. If they weave two strands of yarn together into a two-ply construction, then in essence, they can double the count. Now imagine that they’re using three-ply thread. The supposed amount of threads would then triple.Keep in mind that certain materials are not measured using thread count. Some notable ones include: As you can imagine, this isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality. In fact, many companies end up weaving multiple pieces together when the original source of the material isn’t strong enough to stand up on its own. They reinforce it by combining pieces of yarn! Fiber content. 100% cotton is the most popular, and there are premium (i.e. “long-staple”) cottons, like Egyptian and Pima, that make the fabric even softer and more durable. Just keep in mind that these sheets may be more expensive, and there have been instances where brands mislabel regular cotton sheets as Egyptian. Gopinath and Maher agreed that good-quality sateen sheets ranged from 300 to 600 thread count. The number could creep higher, but this would create a very heavy sheet.

If the sheets aren't 100% cotton with single-ply weaves, chances are thread counts are either misleading or irrelevant. Here's why thread count doesn't matter for other materials: Gopinath told us a 400 to 500 thread count for percale could reflect a denser sheet made of fine, good-quality yarns. Over 500 was “not necessary or likely,” she said. Judging from our testing experience, we think those ranges are pretty spot-on. In our cotton sheets guide, our favorite percale set ( L.L.Bean’s 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set) has a 280 thread count. Both of our top sateen recommendations (the JCPenney Home 400 TC Wrinkle Guard Sheet Set from JCPenney and Cuddledown's 400 Thread Count Cotton Sateen Bedding) are 400 thread count—which, incidentally, Maher noted was her ideal number for sateen.

The best sheets to buy for every recommended thread count

Quality, comfortable sheets can be found with thread counts ranging from 200 to 800 and beyond. There’s no magic number that is the perfect thread count. That being said, there are generally acceptable ranges for various kinds of quality sheets. Flannel and knit fabrics: These are usually made with cotton, but you likely won’t come across thread counts for them. That’s because flannel sheets are sold by fabric weight and jersey-knit sheets have an entirely different construction than traditional woven sheets. Our panel of 33 testers rated them exactly the same in a blind comparison for softness and feel. The durability scores were also similar in our Lab tests; the only noticeable difference was the 1,000 thread count version looked slightly less wrinkled coming out of the dryer. What’s the best thread count for sheets? When it comes to quality, the weave of bed linens is arguably more important than the thread count itself. The two most common types of weave are percale, which uses a relatively straightforward ‘plain weave’ (one thread is woven over another thread) and secondly, sateen (where four threads are woven over one thread).

When it comes to thread count,” Tannen said, “most people forget that the quality of threads is far more important than the quantity." Andrés Modak, co-CEO and co-founder of Snowe, noted, “Luxury sheets aren't simply the result of a high number; first you need the highest quality yarns, expertly woven.” Thread count is used as a rough indicator of the softness and feel of a fabric. It’s also used heavily in marketing to imply that a specific product is of a higher quality than competing sheets. While this is all true to a certain extent, thread count is far from the only consideration when it comes to the overall quality of a set of sheets. When people talk about thread count, they’re talking about the number of horizontal and vertical threads woven into a singular square inch of material. Essentially, it’s how densely the fabric is populated with thread. A lower thread count means there are fewer threads, a higher thread count means the bed linen is rich with individual threads.The type of fabric and its weave makes a difference in the best thread count. Percale is also known as “plain weave” with a simple one over, one under pattern, so average-quality percale sheets may be around 180-200 thread count. By contrast, a sateen weave has a more tightly woven pattern, so average-quality sateen sheets will be closer to 250-300.