Whether I'm shopping for a fresh set of sheets or a brand-new bed, I always read customer reviews. While I trust my sleep editor instincts, I like to check my preconceptions against other consumers' tried-and-true experiences. A single five-star rating won't sway me, but thousands of fours and fives just might.
The most popular bedding might not suit every sleeper. Cold sleepers living through harsh winters won't get much use out of the best cooling bed sheets, while those who like a firmer surface should steer clear of memory foam mattresses. With that said, the most popular bedding is made to suit most styles of sleepers and sizes of budget.
As H&G's resident sleep writer, I spend my days searching the web for the fairest prices on the hottest products, and I spend my nights trying and testing some of the most popular bedding money can buy, from the best bed sheets to the world's best mattress. I've kept track of the year's best-selling bedding and I've narrowed it down to my top nine picks.
The most popular bedding in 2023, at the fairest prices
Most popular bedding products 2023
Best cooling bed sheets
If you suffer from night sweats or hot flushes, or you simply tend to run a little warm, these cooling bed sheets could be a game-changer. Each flat sheet, fitted sheet, and pillowcase is cool to the touch, soft on your skin, and kind to the planet, made from sustainably sourced bamboo. Although this sheet set is on the more expensive side, it's the best-selling bedding of 2023, so our readers think it's worth the price.
Best waterproof mattress protector
Mattress protectors are designed to get dirty. If you like to drink your morning cup of joe in bed, or you know you're prone to spills and stains, you should invest in the best waterproof mattress protector. This Coop protector is made from bamboo, which means it's thermoregulating, hypoallergenic, and − crucially − moisture-wicking.
Best cotton percale bed sheets
If you're shopping for bed sheets that sleep cool and look crisp, you should consider cotton percale. These sheets are simply constructed with a one-thread-over, one-thread-under weave, creating lots of little air pockets to boost breathability. Each long-staple cotton fiber is strong and supple to resist pulling and pilling. For sleek and simple sheets, go percale.
Best cooling mattress topper
This mattress topper incorporates top-of-the-range cooling technology to wick moisture and abate heat. Each thick layer of memory foam is infused with highly conductive copper, which carries heat away from the body to keep you cool and comfortable, all night long. The topper comes with heavy-duty elastic straps to stretch around thicker mattresses.
Best bamboo bed sheets
Made from bamboo and woven into viscose, this sheet set combines a delicate design with durable materials. The bamboo fibers are naturally thermoregulating, keeping you warm in the winter and cool for the summer, while the silky viscose finish makes for a dramatic drape. Each fitted sheet is strong and supple, with enough stretch to accommodate deep mattresses.
Best budget bed sheets
Bedding can get seriously expensive. Some of the best bed sheets retail for hundreds of dollars per piece. You might not have that kind of cash lying around, especially not so soon after Christmas. That's why it pays to shop on Amazon. The Mellanni Queen Sheet Set is made from microfiber, and double-brushed for softness. Each fitted sheet, flat sheet, and pillowcase is machine-washable and dryer-safe for convenient cleaning.
Best mattress gripper
This mattress slide stopper features a double-sided grip, holding fast to your mattress and your box spring or bed frame at the same time. It's strong enough to support even the heaviest mattresses and super-restless sleepers. This mattress gripper boasts 10s of 1000s of five-star reviews on Amazon, praising its comfort, maneuverability, and value for money.
Best bed sheets for hot sleepers
Naturally moisture-wicking and antimicrobial, these eucalyptus sheets should keep you just the right side of cool and dry, while busting the bacteria that breed in hot, damp environments, such as bedrooms. These sheets are cool to the touch, soft on your skin, and easy to clean: they check all my boxes.
Best mattress for back pain
I'd recommend this memory foam mattress to front, back, and side sleepers, particularly anyone who suffers from chronic pain and aching joints. One of our expert testers lives with fibromyalgia, and she slept like a dream on this mattress.
You can find more details in our Nectar Memory Foam Mattress review.
How we test
We put a lot of thought into how we test bedding. It's more than a matter of sleeping on the job. We test these products for months, if not years, to monitor their performance over time. As H&G's resident sleep writer, I oversee the testing process for each type of bedding, from mattresses to bed sheets.
We've written a whole article about how we test mattresses. The first test for any mattress is the simplest: we sleep on it and see how we feel when we wake up. We note the firmness of the mattress and compare any alleged thermoregulating properties against our own experience. We sit on the side of the bed to assess edge support and sleep next to a partner, a pet, or a full glass of water to assess motion isolation. The best mattresses can bear heavy weights and spring right back into shape: that's why we like to set a dumbbell in the center of the bed.
The tests for mattress toppers, grippers, and pads are pretty similar. We score each piece based on firmness, motion isolation, breathability, and edge support. The best toppers feature heavy-duty elastic straps to stretch over deep-pocket mattresses.
We assess each sheet set based on comfort, the quality of its construction, any temperature-regulating properties, and the all-important price. We strip our beds, wash and dry the sheets, and make our beds again to give you the fullest possible picture of what it might be like to use these products.
Most popular bedding products FAQs
What's the most popular mattress?
America's most popular mattress is the Nectar Memory Foam. This surprises me since it's not my top pick for the best mattress. It seems that our readers were swayed by Nectar's range of sizes, medium-firm support, and memory foam feel. The reasonable RRP, at less than $800 for a Queen, is the cherry on top.
Which are the most popular bed sheets?
The most popular bed sheets come in the Ettitude Signature Sateen Sheet Set. While these aren't the best bed sheets, bar none, they're ideal for hot sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers alike. Each fitted sheet, flat sheet, and pillowcase is made from sustainably sourced and naturally breathable bamboo fibers. They're even OEKO-TEX certified. so that you can breathe cleaner, healthier air while you sleep.
Final thoughts
It's the most wonderful time of the year – and one of the most expensive. If you're a little strapped for cash after Christmas, and you'd like to save big on the season's hottest products, you should take advantage of the after-Christmas sales.
I've rounded up the best buys in the Walmart after-Christmas sales to help you save hundreds of dollars on a whole host of small and large appliances. If you're looking for a top vacuum cleaner at a low price, you might be better off at Amazon. The best Amazon after-Christmas sales cover Dysons, old and new, all listed for less.
