That comes down to your personal preference. Natural-fill duvets are generally more breathable and can be recycled when you’re done with them. But they may not be suitable for those with allergies, plus they’re more expensive than microfibre or hollowfibre duvets. To help you get to grips with the basics, we've broken down the pros and cons of most common duvet fillings below. We use the Snuggledown Hollowfibre duvet, like any other winter duvet, to keep us warm and comfortable during the long winter nights. We also use it to sleep in an allergen-free environment because it is very dangerous to be exposed to allergens in your sleep, even if you have no history of allergic reactions. So, we use it: Anti-allergy means the filling and casing will have been treated to resist and combat the development of dust mites. You might find that this type of duvet is good for you if you have asthma, eczema or rhinitis, all of which could be exacerbated by allergens.

Hypoallergenic means that the actual material and filling of the duvet isn't made of a known potential allergen, like feathers or wool. But other allergens, mainly dust mites, can still develop on these types of duvets. However, you'll need to be careful when looking after a wool duvet – washing too often and at too high a temperature will reduce its lifespan. Silk duvets: pros and consTog, size and type of filling were the three most important considerations reported by the duvet owners we asked. Other important factors included whether the duvet was machine washable, labelled hypoallergenic, and how much it cost. Having the right duvet can help make the difference between a difficult night's sleep and a peaceful one. Just over half of our survey respondents had bought a new duvet during the past five years. Here they call it HeiQ Cool technology, which after a bit of research turns out to refer to a Swiss high-tech materials firm. It definitely does the job, feeling cool to the touch and removing moisture on the hexagon-patterned side. (There’s also a normal cotton side.) You feel far less sweaty when the temperature rises. We asked duvet owners whether they felt buying one helped. One third felt their anti-allergic or hypoallergenic duvet had made a fair difference to allergy symptoms and around one in five felt it helped just a little. Excludes post codes starting with BFPO, BT, FK, G83, GG, GY, HS, IM, IV, JE, KW, PA(20-78), PH(18-42), ZE

Down is really very light,” says Emma Casson of The Bed Expert. “Feather-and-down is cheaper and a bit heavier – and some people like a bit more weight. Then you’ve got your synthetics, like microfibre. You can have really good quality synthetics nowadays. They’re really breathable.” Wool is a less common choice of duvet filling. It's similarly priced to feather and down, and excellent at retaining warm air, keeping you warm when cold and removing heat and moisture when you’re warm. Unlike feather and down, it’s naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites. If you’re struggling to work out what the best tog duvet is to see you through summer heatwaves and plummeting winter temperatures then an all-season duvet could be the answer.

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Some duvets come in 'four-seasons' or 'all-seasons' sets. With these you get one light duvet (usually about 3.5 tog) and one heavier one (usually about 10.5 tog). The light one will be enough in hot summer months, and the heavy one suits spring and autumn weather. When you need extra warmth in winter, you can combine both. Standard UK duvet sizes

The key characteristics of down are being lightweight, fluffy and natural insulating. Having slept under this Dreams duvet for a couple of weeks, during both a hot spell and colder nights, it does regulate temperature well. It helps that it’s soft and airy. Often viewed as the height of luxury, silk duvets are naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, and therefore ideal for people with eczema or asthma. Like wool, silk will help you stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Like all natural fillings though, they will need to be professionally laundered. Microfibre duvets: pros and cons Whether you want a warmer winter duvet to keep you snug as temperatures plummet, you're fed up with overheating during the night and are looking for a more breathable duvet, or your budget buy is past its best and you're looking to invest in a duvet that will add some real luxury to bedtime, we've rounded up the best duvets to shop in this guide. Best winter duvetsMicrofibre– the 'luxury' version of hollowfibre, a microfibre fill is made of much finer strands of polyester resulting in a very lightweight duvet with a, yes, more luxurious feel. Some compare microfibre to the feel of down, but it has the upside of not running the risk of animal cruelty. However, again, being made of synthetics, the environmental impact of production and disposal is a concern. Like hollowfibre, microfibre can also cause overheating. Feather/down duvets are also very popular, owned by around a third of members. Less popular types include wool, silk and other synthetic duvets. Long thought of as the Holy Grail of duvet fillings, down creates a plump, squishy and super soft duvet.However, that luxury feel comes with a luxury price tag to match. The highest tog duvet you can buy is usually 15 tog, although we have seen some all-season duvets (where two separate duvets of differing togs are combined into one warmer duvet) offering a combined warmth of up to 18 tog.

Although it will mean spending a little more, and may depend on your bed frame height and style, we'd generally advise sizing up with your duvet, especially if you sleep with a partner.

Don't buy it if: your priority right now is affordability or ease of care. Although we think it's well worth investing in the great night's sleep it offers, there's no denying the price is prohibitive, and this duvet is dry clean only.