The best Egyptian cotton bedding sets for hotel-worthy sheets at home

Score: 96/100

These airy and silky sheets have a 600 thread count and a sateen weave, making them a luxuriously soft choice. In fact, our testers and panellists couldn’t fault them (aside from a few grumbles about needing to iron them for a crease-free finish).

The fit is impeccable and the quality pristine, even after our wash tests. They also felt lovely and buttery smooth against the skin, with one happy tester telling us how “cool and refreshed” they felt after curling up in them. Count us in.

Score 95/100

Fit for the finest hotels, these crisp, 400 thread count percale sheets from The White Company are nothing short of a delight. All our testers loved their breathable, soft feel and timeless design. In fact, our panel told us they helped them fall asleep and they looked forward to getting into bed because of them.

In the lab, the bedding performed exceptionally; it washed well, and fitted our test bed perfectly, which means you'll be able to replicate that inviting, five-star hotel finish at home. You may just need the help of your iron. But given their near flawless performance both at home and in the lab, we’d say it’s a trade worth making.

Score: 95/100

If you like the sound of the sheets above but your budget won’t quite stretch that far, then this Dunelm set has the same thread count and crisp percale weave. Our testers described the bedding as “super soft”, and “cosy”, noting that it adjusted quickly to their body temperatures.

Our experts were impressed with how well it washed, maintaining its shape and colour vibrancy. Making the bed was dreamy, too. Again, it will need an iron if you want a crease-free finish (all the sets we tested do).

It has an OEKO-TEX Made In Green accreditation, which means it's made in factories that are verified for their environmental and social standards. And there’s a rainbow of colours for you to choose from, including brights and neutrals, so you can ensure they match your aesthetic.

Score: 93/100

Butter-soft and breathable, this bedding offers an instant upgrade to your sleep set-up, without breaking the bank. With a 400 thread count rating and silky sateen weave, it feels cool and comfortable against the skin (a real bonus during sunnier spells), and fits true to size. It also maintained its shape and softness well after multiple washes, though some testers noted minor fading after a second wash.

It also has a satin weave finish, which means it's shinier and silkier than our other two joint runner-ups. Our panel declared it soft and “luxurious to touch”, praising the “elegant” design – one person said they wouldn't use any other bedding from now on. The fit was outstanding, slipping onto our beds effortlessly, and it performed well in the wash.

As is the curse of cotton, it will need a once-over with the iron to remove creases, but that’s by no means a dealbreaker for affordable bedding that ticks so many boxes.

Score: 92/100

Soft, breathable and well-made from its fit to fasteners, this budget-friendly bedding by M&S immediately impressed our panel. It scored particularly well for its effective temperature regulation, keeping sleepers “just right” all night.

Overall, the cover washed well with no shrinkage or piling; however, several testers reported significant colour fading after multiple washes, which is something to consider if you’re opting for a vibrant hue. You’ll also need to whip out the iron for crisp, crease-free sheets after drying.

Despite this, the duvet cover impressed where it matters most: comfort, quality and ease of cleaning. So much so, that 100% of our panel said they’d buy it again and recommend it to others.

Score: 92/100

This bedding boasts the highest thread count of all the ones we tested, something our testers noticed and loved, saying it resulted in an “almost silky texture”, which felt premium. It was soft against the skin, and comfortable – just what you want for your beauty sleep!

The luxe set emerged from our washing machines at the GHI just as soft as before and held its shape and colour well. There were no complaints about its fit or design either. Everyone said they’d recommend it to friends and family.

We love this Soak & Sleep set, which is smooth and crisp without compromising on softness.

It really does feel like bedding you'd find in a luxury hotel — and we can confirm that opting for a higher thread count really does make a difference to the weightiness of a set.

Designed with a smooth percale weave, these decadent sheets have a 400 thread count and are super soft.

They're only available in plain white, but they're elegantly finished with a simple border design, proving that sometimes less is definitely more.

Although pepped up with some chic Oxford corners, there's no sateen shine with these high quality, 500 thread count sheets, so they're a good choice for those who prefer something a little more understated. The ultimate in quiet luxury.