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- Plump finish really does feel like a down duvet
- Beautifully finished with smart grey edging
- Lightweight and breathable
- Makes a crinkling noise as you move around
- Buttons to attach two duvets together are very stiff
As much as I love natural duvets, they can be an expensive option. And if you’re not careful about what you buy, they can sometimes pose problems for allergy sufferers, with poor quality bedding being a great environment for dust mites. So, I’m always on the lookout for decent synthetic hollowfibre or microfibre duvets that feel as good as down or wool while also being hypoallergenic . The Soft As Down range from Soak & Sleep is a great option here, with plenty of variants to choose from and prices to suit most budgets.
But how does it match up to other duvets we’ve reviewed? I tested it to find out.
Soak & Sleep Soft As Down All Seasons 15 tog duvet: What do you get for the money?
There are a lot of variants within the Soft As Down range, meaning you can get the exact fit for your preferences. You’ve got a choice of six different tog options (from 3 to 13.5 tog), as well as three ‘All Seasons’ options, consisting of two duvets that can be fastened together. Sizes range from single to super king – with an additional emperor size available for some variants – and prices start at £36 for a single 3 tog duvet.
I chose the 15 tog All Seasons version, which is made up of a 10.5 tog winter duvet and a 4.5 tog summer duvet. Prices here start at £100 for a single, rising to £119 for a double, £133 for a king and £147 for a super king. As for the other two All Seasons duvets, there’s a 13.5 tog set (consisting of 9 and 4.5 tog duvets) and an 18 tog set that’s made up of 13.5 and 4.5 tog duvets.
Because it’s a synthetic duvet, prices are considerably cheaper than natural alternatives such as the Larke Nature’s Blend duvet, and the White Company Hungarian Goose Down duvet, which retail at £180 and £330 for a double 10.5 tog duvet respectively. One of our favourite down duvets, the Scooms Hungarian Goose Down Duvet will cost a whopping £420 (13.5 tog all seasons version).
The duvets are made from a fine dernier polyester fibre that, according to Soak & Sleep, “feels as soft as luxury down”, while the cover is made from a 233-thread count cotton to help keep the duvet breathable. The edges are neatly double-stitched and box stitched quilting to keep the down from bunching up.
There are cufflink-style buttons to attach the two duvets together (provided you’ve bought one of the All Seasons options), and the duvets are machine washable at 30°C. They can be tumble dried too, although Soak & Sleep recommend a professional wash and dry for optimum longevity. You also get a 5-year guarantee to cover manufacturing faults (but not accidental damage, wear and tear or failure to follow care instructions).\
What did we like?
I tested the Soak & Sleep duvet over a particularly chilly period, so the ability to join both duvets together to create one 13.5 tog duvet was highly appreciated. It did a great job of keeping me warm and cosy overnight but was also breathable enough to keep my hot-sleeping husband comfortable. Having said this, he did feel that the synthetic fibre wouldn’t be as breathable as our existing wool duvets during a very hot summer. I also had an electric blanket on my side of the bed during testing and didn’t wake up too hot or clammy at all.
I think this is mainly down to the cotton cover on the duvets, which really helps to stop the polyester inner from retaining too much heat. I also really liked how soft the cover felt and appreciated the very smart grey piping along the edges of the duvet. And while I don’t personally suffer from allergies, this duvet is going to be an excellent choice for those who have trouble with down or wool.
It’s impossible for a microfibre duvet to beat the more luxurious feel of a down duvet but the Soak & Sleep duvet really does do a good job here: the filling feels about as close to down as a synthetic material is going to feel. I also think that where it wins out is in the nicely thought-out little touches – the duvet looks expensive. Of course, depending on your duvet choice, it is expensive – particularly if you go for one of the All Seasons versions. But even the single duvets at the lower end of the pricing scale look elegant.
What could be improved?
The Soak & Sleep duvet has a distinctive crinkling noise as you move around under it, which I’ve found fairly common with synthetic duvets. This may well fade with time and although it’s at its most noticeable as you get into bed – I wasn’t too disturbed by it when my husband changed position in his sleep – it may be an irritation for some.
You’ll also find that the cufflink fastenings are pretty stiff and quite hard to attach. Again, this is likely to get easier with time as these soften up, but it did take a bit of brute force to attach the two duvets together. And with such a large amount of duvet when both are combined, wrestling it into a duvet cover was also a bit of a challenge – but not beyond the wit of man.
Should you buy the Soak & Sleep Soft As Down All Seasons 15 tog duvet?
If you’re an allergy sufferer that still wants a smart and attractive duvet that won’t lose its stuffing, you could do a lot worse than the Soak & Sleep Soft as Down duvet. It’s cheaper than many of its all-natural counterparts, it’s easy to care for and it has loads of options – so you can pick your perfect tog or combination of togs.
Minor niggles aside, this is a great duvet for those looking for a reasonably priced option. My real reservation here is that, as it’s a synthetic duvet, it might be too warm during the really hot summer months. That said, you’ve got plenty of options and I think the choices of duvet you get with the All Seasons variants will suit you throughout most of the year – with a sheet being a comfortable alternative for the hottest nights.
