Our Top Picks

Best for that hotel feeling
Soak & Sleep white/grey 600 thread count Egyptian cotton double bed setRead review
£162
Buy now
Best for year-round comfort
Soak & Sleep French linen beddingRead review
£130
Buy now

Call it a symptom of uncertain times, or a rebellious splashing of cash just when we need to tighten our purse strings, but luxury bedding is on the up. Now more than ever, our bedrooms are a sanctuary in which to recoil from the stresses of the outside world and hibernate in a cosy bunker of our own making. French linen and Egyptian cotton pieces are rarely cheap but given that we spend approximately a third of our lives between the sheets, there’s little need to justify an expensive purchase on the bedding front.

This is a worthy investment that you won’t regret, a loving act of self-care. And with the threat of sky-rocketing energy bills on the horizon, we’ll wager we’ll be spending even more time in bed to keep ourselves toasty warm this winter. Any excuse for an early night…

Soak & Sleep is a one-stop shop for everything luxury bedding, whether you’re after a pair of plump duck feather and down pillows, a cashmere pocket-sprung mattress, or even a mulberry silk eye mask to ensure a quality 40 winks.

What we love about the brand is its versatility. Much of Soak & Sleep’s bedding can be bought individually, allowing us to build up our collection over time, or to mix and match colours. That said, there are also handy bundles on offer, with enticing savings if you go for a full set of sheet, duvet cover and pillowcases.

However, if you’re a sucker for pretty packaging, look away. Soak & Sleep’s wrapping is simple and fuss-free, which keeps the cost down, while importantly, focusing on the contents. We tested the brand’s white/grey 600 thread count Egyptian cotton double bed set, and its pure French linen offering – duvet cover, fitted sheet, and standard pillowcases – in dusky pink.

How we tested

We snoozed our way through many nights of Egyptian cotton and French linen cosiness, ensuring we tried a full set of each. We machine washed and laundered the bedding according to the instructions, looking for how well each set came up post-wash. We tested the Egyptian cotton to see if it kept its crisp hotel-like look, and the French linen for any fading or dulling of colour. We tested both sets on their promise of temperature regulating properties, their durability, quality of make, and overall comfort.

Soak & Sleep white/grey 600 thread count Egyptian cotton double bed set

Best: For that hotel feeling

Size: Double king

Made from: 100% certified Egyption fibres

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Thread count is all-important when it comes to choosing the best Egyptian cotton bedding. This is measured by counting the number of threads across the warp and weft (lengthwise and crosswise) of the fabric, in order to determine how tightly woven it is. Essentially, the higher the number, the better the quality.

At 600, this is the brand’s highest thread count Egyptian cotton bedding, and so our expectations were set high. And we weren’t disappointed: the look is crisp, and the feel is seriously sumptuous.

The bedding is finished with a 5mm grey marrow stitch cording on the duvet cover, pillowcases, and even the flat sheet – a neat little detail that won’t be seen once the bed’s fully made up but it feels like a luxurious addition, nonetheless. Crafted in a sateen weave with piled yarns, the material is wonderfully supple while it boasts a gentle sheen and, thanks to its silky nature, drapes beautifully. That said, the silvery cording awards the bedding some structure, particularly in the Oxford pillow cases, for that classic, smart hotel look.

The duvet cover, sheet and pillowcases washed well on a 40C cycle and we were pleased to discover that the bedding kept its newness after a few washes. When it comes to ironing, this set will appreciate a bit of steam to get any creases out and so we pressed it while still slightly damp.

Egyptian cotton is known for its breathability and moisture-wicking properties and this set proved perfectly comfortable throughout the night.

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Soak & Sleep French linen bedding

Best: For year-round comfort

Size: Super king

Made from: 100% flax sourced from Normandy

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While some linen bedding packaging advises you to put your new set through the wash before use, Soak & Sleep’s offering is pre-washed and pre-shrunk, promising it’ll stay true to its charmingly slubby form, no matter how many times it’s laundered. Our double duvet cover, fitted sheet and pair of standard pillowcases looked great from the get-go but even better once they’d been washed and left to air dry naturally. Without the need to iron our sheets, we loved the ease at which they went straight from the washing line to the bed – ready for us to dive into.

The bedding comes in a choice of nine shades, from the purest white to the deeply pigmented forest green. In dusty pink, our set proved a versatile neutral, but one that added a warm and homely slice of colour.

Well-crafted with fine stitching, the bedding is made from 100 per cent flax, sourced from Normandy. Its long staple fibres give it a soft and supple feel, while its naturally crumpled texture brings a cool, laid-back aesthetic to the bedroom.

The linen proved super cosy to sleep in and lived up to its breathability and temperature regulating claims. We found it to be perfectly comfy – not too hot, not too cold – across various nights in the sack.

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FAQs Egyptian cotton vs French linen

What is Egyptian cotton?

For many, Egyptian cotton sheets are the height of luxury. But what makes this fabric so special? Grown exclusively in Egypt in the Nile Delta, the cotton plant Gossypium Barbadense produces extra-long and extra-fine fibres, which create the smoothest yarns when combed and spun.

What are its benefits?

The difference between Egyptian and regular cotton is immediately palpable. Duvet covers, sheets and pillowcases in Egyptian cotton offer a wonderfully soft and silky feel. There’s also an added warmth that you just don’t get with the cheaper stuff. It’s little wonder Egyptian cotton is so often the go-to for kitting out top hotels.

What is French linen?

French linen fabric is woven from the long fibres of the flax plant, which is one of the oldest continuously cultivated plants on the planet, making it pleasingly sustainable.

What are its benefits?

With its relaxed feel and timeless look, pure French linen offers a cool, laid-back appeal. This is also a brilliantly low-maintenance choice for those who’d rather not spend their Sunday nights ironing the bed sheets. With its attractive crumpled texture, French linen looks great when left to dry naturally too.

Breathable and hypoallergenic, the organic material also boasts year-round comfort. It’ll keep you warm in the colder months and pleasantly cool in the heat. And while it might not immediately feel as soft as Egyptian cotton, French linen only gets more supple after each wash.

The verdict: Soak & Sleep Egyptian cotton vs French linen

While both bedding sets brought a touch of luxury to our sleep space, the Egyptian cotton offered a chic, formal look to rival any boutique hotel. The French linen, however, gave the bedroom a relaxed and wholly inviting feel. We were impressed with both sets for their ability to come up well after a couple of washes, and in the case of the French linen, its ability to look even better after quite a few spins in the machine. Both materials offer great breathability but if you’re looking for moisture-wicking properties in particular, the Egyptian cotton comes out on top.

For year-round comfort, the French linen set will provide you with toasty warmth in the winter yet it promises to be satisfyingly cool in the summer months… But aesthetics and functionality aside, our bedding choice often comes down to lifestyle. If you’re looking for high-end but low-maintenance bedding, French linen gives you permission to give your ironing board a wide berth, which certainly appeals to us.

Looking to keep warm this winter and save some money? Check out our round-up of the best electric blanket deals