If your teen is about to head off to college, there’s probably a lot of shopping and packing in your future. From mini fridges to shower caddies to laundry baskets, bedding is likely next on your list. And, to help you find the best twin XL comforters, we put together this guide so you can find the coziest option for your hard-working student. These are ideal if your student wants to use a duvet cover or needs an extra layer in their chilly dorm room.
With the help of trustworthy publications, top retailers, and customer ratings, we found the best twin XL comforters to fit every budget and style. All you have left to do is click add to cart and finish up the rest of your to-do list before move-in day.
Check out our list of the best twin XL comforters below!
Our Top Picks:
- Best Overall: Linenspa Down Alternative Comforter – $34.99 at Walmart
- Best Budget: Utopia Bedding Twin XL Comforter – $24.99 at Amazon
- Best Comforter Set: Casaluna Heavyweight Linen Blend Comforter & Sham Set – $109 at Target
- Best Down: Brooklinen All Season Down Comforter – $237.15 at Brooklinen
- Best Cooling: Buffy Breeze Comforter – $148.75 at Buffy
- Best for Guys: Pottery Barn Teen Camden Reversible Comforter – From $149 at PB Teen
Reviews of The Best Twin XL Comforters
1. Best Overall: Linenspa Down Alternative Comforter
Linenspa offers a budget-friendly, versatile comforter option for your college student. The comforter has eight duvet ties — most only have four — to easily secure it to the rest of their bedding so it won’t constantly slip off. It’s also conveniently machine washable (because what college student has the time or money for dry cleaning?) and even boasts a breathable, all-season filling that will keep them comfy through every season. This polyester and microfiber blanket won’t last forever, but it will likely last as long as your dorm dweller needs it to.
The Specs:
- Filling Material: Down alternative (polyester)
- Shell Material: Microfiber
- Care Instructions: Machine washable
The Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Reversible
- Machine washable
- Lightweight and breathable
The Cons:
- Thin
What Others Are Saying:
This Linenspa comforter has more than 1,200 reviews and a 4.5-star rating on Amazon. It’s also recommended by The Strategist and Good Housekeeping.
Buy the Linenspa Down Alternative Comforter:
2. Best Budget: Utopia Bedding Twin XL Comforter
This box-stitch comforter from Utopia Bedding is best suited as a duvet insert, but the extremely affordable price tag makes that extra purchase a little easier on your wallet. It has a microfiber shell and polyester fill. Your young scholar will be able to machine wash the comforter and easily attach the duvet thanks to its convenient corner loops. They can also choose from a ton of fun color options and patterns, like a moody burgundy or a trendy sage green.
The Specs:
- Filling Material: Siliconized fiberfill
- Shell Material: Microfiber
- Care Instructions: Machine washable
The Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Fluffy
- Corner loops
- Fun color options
The Cons:
- May not be the most long-lasting
- Hot
What Others Are Saying:
Utopia Bedding’s Twin XL Comforter has more than 118,000 Amazon reviews and 4.6 stars. Plus, Wirecutter also named it one of the best comforters and one of the best college dorm essentials.
Buy the Utopia Bedding Twin XL Comforter:
3. Best Comforter Set: Casaluna Heavyweight Linen Blend Comforter & Sham Set
The Casaluna brand makes some of the most luxe bedding we found, all at non-luxury prices, which is ideal for college student This heavy linen comforter set comes with two pillow shams (meaning one less thing to buy) and has a breathable linen blend exterior with a fluffy down alternative fill. Plus, you won’t need a duvet to cover this high-quality comforter. It comes in two neural colors that will balance out any dorm room.
The Specs:
- Filling Material: Rayon, linen, cotton
- Shell Material: Down alternative
- Care Instructions: Machine washable
The Pros:
- High-quality
- Shams included
- Long-lasting
- Breathable
The Cons:
- Only two color options
- Requires tumble drying
What Others Are Saying:
The Casaluna Heavyweight Linen Blend Comforter & Sham Set was named the best linen comforter set by Southern Living.
Buy the Casaluna Heavyweight Linen Blend Comforter & Sham Set:
4. Best Down: Brooklinen All Season Down Comforter
If you’ve heard of Brooklinen, you’ll know that the brand is known for its long-lasting, cozy bedding. And while its All Season Down Comforter sports a heftier price tag than other twin XL comforters on our list, it’s a luxurious option for someone looking to splurge on a dorm-ready comforter. With a smooth 100% cotton sateen shell, this comforter is ultra fluffy and warm, making it an especially great option for students moving to places with harsh winters.
The Specs:
- Filling Material: Down
- Shell Material: Cotton
- Care Instructions: Spot clean recommended but dry clean if needed
The Pros:
- High quality
- Fluffy and weighty
- Warm
The Cons:
- Expensive
- Not machine washable
What Others Are Saying:
Brooklinen’s All Season Down Comforter is recommended as the best down comforter by Wirecutter, The Strategist, Good Housekeeping, and NBC Select.
Buy the Brooklinen All Season Down Comforter:
5. Best Cooling: Buffy Breeze Comforter
For the hot sleeper or a student attending college in a warm climate, this Buffy comforter is just as breezy as its name implies. Made with TENCEL eucalyptus lyocell, the comforter is soft and cool to the touch. It also features temperature-regulating technology, so it’s one of the more adaptable options we found. As a bonus, it’s biodegradable and sustainably made, too — and although it’s on the more expensive side, it will last your student for years.
The Specs:
- Filling Material: TENCEL eucalyptus lyocell fiber
- Shell Material: TENCEL eucalyptus lyocell
- Care Instructions: Spot clean recommended or dry clean if needed
The Pros:
- Cooling
- Fill doesn’t move around
- Soft
- Lightweight
The Cons:
- Expensive
- Not machine washable
What Others Are Saying:
Good Housekeeping named it the best eco-friendly and NBC Select called it the best overall option.
Buy the Buffy Breeze Comforter:
6. Best for Guys: Pottery Barn Teen Camden Reversible Comforter
Pottery Barn Teen is undoubtedly one of the best retailers for all things dorm rooms, like a twin XL comforter. This blanket is one of the brand’s most popular, with two-toned reversible color options and a smooth, machine-washable polyester fill. The dark, neutral tones would be great for a guy’s dorm room, and we like that, in addition to a brown side, they have five reversible options to choose from. Think of it as two comforters for the price of one.
The Specs:
- Filling Material: Polyester fill
- Shell Material: Brushed woven yarn
- Care Instructions: Machine washable
The Pros:
- Multiple neutral color options
- Reversible
- Machine washable
- Fair Trade Certified
The Cons:
- Sham sold separately
Buy the Pottery Barn Teen Camden Reversible Comforter:
Other Twin XL Comforters to Consider
Easeland All Season Twin XL Soft Quilted Down Alternative Comforter
With more than 38,700 Amazon reviews and 4.6-star rating, it’s no wonder that this Easeland comforter is also recommended by Cosmopolitan as one of the best on Amazon. However, we found that it’s just too thin and stuffy to make our list. The Easeland All Season Twin XL Soft Quilted Down Alternative Comforter is available at Amazon for $45.90.
Bedsure Twin XL Comforter Set
The Bedsure Comforter Set has a unique pinch pleat pattern that makes it look more expensive than it is and negates the need for a duvet. Unfortunately, the comforter feels cheap and reviewers note that the pleats don’t always lay right after repeated washes, so it may not be the best option for long term use. The Bedsure Twin XL Comforter Set is available at Amazon for $49.99.
Bare Home Comforter Set
Recommended by Southern Living and CNN Underscored, this comforter set has a solid 4.6-star rating. It comes in a wide array of colors and has a very affordable price point, but it also sacrifices breathability and durability due to the microfiber construction. If your student is after year-round warmth and coziness, we recommend opting for the Brooklinen All-Season Down Comforter instead. The Bare Home Comforter Set is available at Amazon for $49.99.
Why You Can Trust Us
Hi! I’m Grace and I’m a writer and product reviewer, specializing in home products. I’ve written about everything from kitchen appliances to bedding for sites like Apartment Therapy, Culinary Hill, Gear Patrol, and more. On a personal note, I’m a hot sleeper, so I’ve gotten hands-on with plenty of cooling comforters, sheets, and pillows in search of the best.
To put together this list of the best twin XL comforters, I started by brainstorming the relevant specifications and features that make a quality comforter, like material and weight. In the research phase, I consulted guides from trustworthy publications, customer reviews, and bestsellers from major retailers.
Everything to Know Before Buying a Twin XL Comforter
What to Consider Before Buying a Twin XL Comforter
Many comforters look alike, so it can be hard to differentiate which ones are worth your money. Here are a few factors to consider in your shopping decisions.
Material: Comforters are typically made with two or more materials: one for the outside shell and one for the inside fill. These materials will dictate the feel, warmth, and breathability of the blanket. Be sure to keep in mind whether you’re buying for a hot or cold sleeper (or the climate of their college town), along with any allergies as you shop.
Weight: While you can look for the actual weight of the product to tell you how heavy the comforter will be, there’s also a specification called fill power, which tells you how many inches one ounce of fill is. For example, a comforter with a fill power of 800 will be much fluffier than one with just 500. Fluffy duvets will likely be less breathable, meaning they’re better for chilly sleepers.
Price: Depending on the materials, construction, and brand, a comforter can be less than $50 or well into the hundreds. Lower costs may mean that you’ll need to replace the blanket in a few years, but for some, like those heading to college, that may not be a dealbreaker.
What Size is a Twin XL Comforter?
A twin XL comforter is typically 68 inches wide and 90 inches long, giving it about 4 more inches than a regular twin-sized comforter. Twin XL beds, which are usually found in college dorms, are 5 inches longer than twin beds to cater to people like growing students with differing heights.
Will a Twin Comforter Fit a Twin XL Bed?
It’s not ideal, but you can certainly make do with a twin comforter on a twin XL bed. In fact, some brands offer an in-between size that’s compatible with both twin and twin XL beds. Although the 4-inch difference between a twin and twin XL comforter may not seem like a lot, going with the latter will likely improve sleep for a tall student in a drafty dorm room.
How Do You Wash a Comforter?
Some comforters are machine washable, so you can just pop them in the washer using the bulky and cold water settings. Because they’re so thick, opting for an extra rinse can help to extricate all the soap from the blanket, but keep in mind that it may need a couple of dryer cycles to fully dry.
Other high-end comforters may recommend spot cleaning or dry cleaning, which is pretty inconvenient but not necessarily a deal breaker depending on your teen. If you’re using a duvet, the insert should be washed every two to three months.
What’s the Difference Between a Comforter vs Duvet?
A comforter is a blanket that can be used on its own, whereas a duvet insert is a blanket meant to be covered by a duvet. However, these terms are often used interchangeably. If your comforter has loops at the corners or is a plain white color with a thin shell, then that’s a sign that it’s probably meant to be protected by a duvet.
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Prices were accurate at time of publication.
