How to buy duvets and pillows

• How to buy duvets and pillows
• Care and storage
• Duvet fillings: the options
• Pillows: the options
• Blankets, throws and mattress toppers
• How to clean a duvet

Duvets come in all sorts of qualities and prices, so work out your needs and budget before you're seduced by an insomnia-inducing £800 quilt. Once you know what you're after, it's time to get down to details. Here are the different types:

• 4.5 tog – a cool, lightweight duvet, ideal for use in summer.

• 9 tog – a medium-warm option designed for spring or autumn.

• 13.5 tog – a warm duvet, perfect for winter (you may never need a quilt this warm).

Clever combos

Most manufacturers produce combination duvets to ensure year-round comfort. These usually consist of a 4.5 tog quilt for summer plus a 9 tog for spring and autumn that can be buttoned together to make 13.5 togs for winter. 'If you choose a feather combination, put the lighter weight on top so it doesn't get crushed,' advises Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company.

If you and your partner can't agree on how warm your bed needs to be, you're not alone. Generally, men are far warmer in bed than women and companies like Gingerlily have responded by creating half-and-half duvets, with different weights on each side to make sure you and your other half can both enjoy your shut-eye.

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