No one wants to crawl into a bed with stiff, unforgiving sheets at the end of a long day. Ideally, they should be soft, cozy and so comfortable that you don't want to get out of them in the morning.
But, of course, if you've ever ordered sheets online, you know that not all of them are exactly as they've described. For our 2026 Sleep Awards, our team spent more than a month (in some cases, years) cozying up in nearly every kind of sheet, from cotton to bamboo, to find the best of the best.
Keep reading to see all of our award-winning picks for every budget.
Best value cotton sheets$undefined$55.00
What to look for in sheets
Licensed clinical psychologists Dr. Wendy Troxel and Dr. Shelby Harris both suggest looking for breathable fabrics like cotton, bamboo, linen or tencel, or fabrics that support-moisture wicking to help avoid overheating at night.
While most people may first think about thread count, Troxel says that just comes down to personal preference. "Remember that comfort is a subjective experience, so what is perceived as most comfortable can differ from person to person."
The Best Sheets from Shop TODAY's 2026 Sleep Awards
Anyone with a tall mattress knows the struggle of finding sheets that actually fit without having to fight them over each corner. This budget-friendly pick fits the bill and then some! Commerce insights manager Donna Pilikyan says that she has a “pretty tall bed” complete with a thick mattress and memory foam topper, and has a hard time finding deep-pocket sheets that are actually deep enough, but she says these are perfect. “They did not come off the mattress at all.”
Aside from the fit on her mattress, she says they also helped keep her cool throughout the night. “I use a lot of cooling products for sleep because I tend to run hot when my heater is running all night and I have not felt hot once while using these sheets.”
These Threshold sheets are a favorite of thousands of reviewers on Target’s website and associate editor Shannon Garlin. “I have these in rotation and they’re my favorite sheets, even over the more ‘luxury brands.’ They’re so comfortable [and] with 400-thread count, you wouldn’t think they’re from Target!” she says. “I’ll buy them again when it’s time to replace them.”
According to the brand, they are wrinkle-, pill- and shrink-resistant. Plus, they have top and bottom labels that make dressing your bed a breeze.
Associate editor Lauren Witonsky gave these sheets a perfect score for everything from feel to hue. “As the color is nature-inspired, I felt relaxed and peaceful. The texture was very comfortable, soft and slightly satiny.” The latter feature gives way to a cooler feel, so she recommends these for any hot sleepers out there.
After her trial run with these sheets, Witonsky says she would “definitely buy these again. The color is beautiful, the quality is great and they even have the option to buy a set without a flat sheet for $30 less.”
Made with 100% long-stapled Egyptian cotton, these sheets feel as luxe as they sound, according to editorial assistant Annie Shigo. She describes them as feeling “like hotel sheets,” adding that, unlike other full-sized sheets she’s tried, “these fit perfectly [on her bed].” According to the brand, they’re ideal for mattresses up to 15 inches in height.
Shigo also says they held up well after washing. The brand says they’re machine-washable, but recommends moderating the use of fabric softener “as they can increase the likelihood of pilling.” The brand also recommends drying with wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets on a low tumble dry cycle.
Editor Vivien Moon has owned these sheets for years and she still swears by them to this day, which is why they claimed the place of best value sheets this year. "I put them on my bed at least once a month and have loved them since the first try. They've been washed countless times and never lose their softness which is so wonderful. I am truly in love with these sheets and have not been disappointed with them once."
If you’re a hot sleeper, this may be the sheet for you. Production associate Audrey Ekman, a self-proclaimed hot sleeper, says this sheet does a good job at keeping her from overheating at night while remaining aesthetically pleasing.
“I have been served Instagram ads for this brand’s bedding for ages, and after my boyfriend bought their duvet cover last year (which, spoiler alert, is awesome) I needed to get a set of my own. The 100% organic cotton sheets are sturdy, wash well and don’t make me too hot at night... which is super important in my NYC apartment with a constantly boiling-hot radiator I can’t control.”
Another positive for Ekman? “The fact that the fitted and top sheets are sold separately is really great as a top sheet hater (sorry!).”
The only reason this sheet lost a point from Ekman is because the brand recommends line-drying. “Who has time for that? I tumble-dried mine...and they came out just fine.”
"Lusomé cooling sheets are top-notch," says SEO writer Jannely Espinal. "The moment you wash them and dry them, they come out crisp from the dryer and not as wrinkly as other competitive sheets."
Washing ability aside, Espinal says they stand true to their claims of being temperature-regulating: "The cooling factor is very evident when you lay down with the sheets, so it's ideal to use them mostly during warmer months." Now's the perfect time to splurge on these as temps start to warm up again (finally!).
Witonsky describes these as "the crisp white sheets of my dreams. The linen-cotton blend is perfectly soft and breathable, without being cool to the touch (especially since I sleep cold)."
These sheets are more of an investment than most of the other winners here, but Witonsky says they're worth it "especially if 100% natural fibers is an important quality to you" and says she wouldn't pass them up if they were on sale.
"[I] don’t think I can ever go back to mismatched sheets/pillowcases/duvet covers! It looks so polished, even when I slack on making my bed," she raves.
One thing to note is that the brand says these sheets can’t be bleached, so if you’re like Witonsky and used to bleaching your white sheets, you may want to consider getting another color like the gray or buttercream to hide any stains.
Frequently asked questions
"Many people, including women in midlife, are temperature sensitive so there may be a value in adjusting sheets seasonally, to allow for greater warmth in the cooler months and lighter, moisture-wicking fabrics during the hotter months," says Troxel. "That said, high-quality breathable sheets can work year-round for many people."
Other strategies she calls out to manage thermoregulation seasonally include using heating or cooling mattress pads, or simply placing a heated water bottle at the bottom of the bed.
“Having a comfortable and inviting sleep environment is a foundational step towards achieving healthy sleep, but it is really less about the fancy gadgets and more about creating a sleep sanctuary that is cool, dark, quiet and that makes you feel safe and secure,” says Troxel. “Sleep is both a biological and psychological process that is highly sensitive to environmental cues. You want your brain to associate the bedroom with rest and recovery.”
Troxel says the best way to set yourself up for sleep success is to keep your bedroom “cool, dark, quiet and free from clutter or other reminders of the day.” She shares the following tips to achieve that:
- Cool: “The ideal room temperature for sleep is around 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit, which is cooler than would feel comfortable during the daytime, as our core body temperature naturally drops upon initiating sleep.”
- Dark: “Keeping the room dark, by using shades, blackout curtains, or an eye mask is also important as light can suppress the natural release of melatonin, ‘the hormone of darkness.’”
- Quiet: “Noise, whether from the bed partner snoring, other members of the household or other environmental noises, can disrupt sleep, so using ear plugs or white noise machine can be helpful.”
- Clutter-free: “Think of the bedroom as your sleep sanctuary— so you want to keep clutter and other reminders of your waking life out of the bedroom — like piles of laundry, your laptop or phone. Creating such a sanctuary strengthens the learned association in the brain between the bedroom and sleep, rather than wakefulness.”
How we chose
Our team of editors, writers and staffers sorted through nearly 300 new launches, editor and expert recommendations, trending and tried-and-true products to solidify our testing pool of 175 contenders. To determine our list of 66 winners, we incorporated products into our sleep routines over the span of a month to see if they meet requirements when it comes to quality, special features, value and overall satisfaction for bedding, sleepwear, gadgets, beauty products and other bedtime innovators. Finally, our panel of experts reviewed some of our winners to give their sign-off based on durability, material and other features that make a quality sleep product.
Meet our experts
At Shop TODAY, our reporters interview a range of qualified sources and experts to capture a wide scope of perspectives on a given topic. We also ensure that all expert guidance and recommendations are provided independently and without any undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Wendy Troxel, Ph.D., is a senior behavioral and social scientist at RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization. She is also an author, adjust professor and licensed clinical psychologist.
- Dr. Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in behavioral sleep medicine. She owns a private practice in White Plains, New York.
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