What You Should Know About Duvet Tog Ratings

Are you sleeping comfortably?

There’s a good chance you’ve been sleeping under the wrong type of duvet all this time, and it could be down to one factor that gets many people confused: tog rating.

So what do duvet tog rating actually means:

When it comes to buying a new duvet it is easy to think ,’what do duvet tog ratings actually mean?’. Tog refers to the ability of a duvet to trap air and retain heat. In other words, tog means warmth. The higher the tog, the more heat your duvet will trap and the warmer you’ll stay. And so it follows that, the lower the tog, the less heat will be trapped and the cooler you’ll be.

Low duvet togs from 1.5 to 3 tog are the coolest and most lightweight, and are suitable for use during the height of summer when you don’t want to retain too much heat in bed.

Then comes the 4 to 7.5 tog duvets, which also make great summer duvets if you find the ultra lightweight tog duvets a little too much on the light side.

Next come the 7.5 to 10 tog duvets which are ideal for use in the spring and autumn months, when there’s a slight chill in the air but it’s not quite time to call in the cosy cavalry just yet.

And, as you’ll have guessed by now, any duvets over 10 tog are ideal winter duvets, designed to retain as much heat as possible without racking up a dizzyingly high central heating bill. Tog ratings generally go up to a maximum of 15 tog, which will provide maximum warmth during those chilly winter nights.

What's filling got to do with it

Wondering which duvet filling to choose? This choice will be partly based on personal taste, budget and allergy aspects, with some people unable to use natural fillings due to allergic reactions, however it is always worth knowing what effect filling type can have on duvet warmth and thickness too.

Natural fillings, like goose and duck feathers, are known to provide a higher level of warmth as feathers are naturally capable of trapping air. Feather duvets also provide this level of warmth with less thickness, unlike synthetic hollowfibre and microfibre duvets which tend to be a little thicker for the same level of warmth.

On the other hand, when you compare a natural and synthetic duvet of the same tog rating, the synthetic duvet is likely to feel lighter, which is preferable for some. This is worth bearing in mind when choosing your duvet, as two duvets of the same tog but different types of filling may vary greatly in how they feel to sleep under.

So Which duvet tog should I get?

If you’ve taken in our information about duvet togs, then you’ll probably be thinking which duvet tog should you get? This will largely come down to your body’s individual ability to regulate temperature, your home’s heating system and the time of year.

If you’re prone to overheating in bed, you’re probably better selecting duvet tog ratings between 4 and 7.5, which won’t trap too much heat but also won’t let you get the shivers halfway through the night.

On the other hand, if you regularly find yourself feeling chilly at night, you should trial one of the higher togs from 7.5 to 10.5 and see how you get along.

If these still aren’t toasty enough, or if you have a very cold bedroom, then the highest and warmest tog ratings from 10.5 to 15 might be for you.

If you’re short on storage space or simply prefer to stick to just one duvet all year round, we would advise you choose a tog of around 7.5 to 10. These offer a good middle-ground when it comes to breathability for summer and warmth for winter when paired with good central heating.

The tog test

Still not sure? A good place to start when finding the right tog for you is by assessing your current duvet at home and doing the tog test!

1. First you need to check which tog rating your duvet carries. You can find the tog rating by checking the care label, or by checking its original packaging if you’ve kept hold of it.
2. Next, think about how you feel when you’re sleeping under this duvet. Do you find yourself constantly having to stick an arm or leg out of the duvet to cool down? Or are you feeling the cold a little more than you’d like and pulling the duvet up to your chin even in summer? If so, then you know that this particular tog rating isn’t right for you, and you’ll need to purchase a new duvet with a lower or higher tog rating accordingly.
3. Or, if you feel that your duvet is just about right, then you’re in the fabulous position of knowing exactly what you need in terms of tog, and simply need to decide which luxurious new duvet style you want to upgrade to.

Finding the duvet with the perfect tog rating for you can make all the difference when it comes to ensuring a good, restful night’s sleep, so it’s worth spending this little bit of time making sure you’ve got the right one.