Should you opt for a single, double or king size duvet? Here's how to choose the right one for your bed

If you're looking to overhaul your sleep set-up then choosing the right size duvet is a key part of that puzzle.

After all, it's all very well buying the best duvet you can afford, but if your chosen duvet doesn't fit your bed properly you could still be in for a cold and draughty night's sleep. And if you share a bed with your partner, the wrong size duvet can cause all kinds of arguments and disturbed sleep!

As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the last four years testing out duvets so I've learned a thing or two about which size is best.

In this guide, I explain all. I'll cover what size a single, double, king and super king-size duvet is and which size duvet to opt for based on your mattress size.

Amy Lockwood

I'm Amy, and as Ideal Home's Sleep Editor I've spent the last four years testing sleep products by night and sharing my findings with our readers by day. That includes sleeping under multiple different duvets to find the best-in-class and clocking up over 10,000 hours of sleep-testing!

What are the different standard UK duvet sizes?

Standard UK duvets come in four main sizes starting from the smallest, a single duvet, and increasing in size from a double duvet to a king duvet all the way up to the largest duvet size, a super king duvet. Occasionally you might also come across an emperor duvet which is the largest duvet size of them all.

Measurements may differ very slightly between different duvet manufacturers, but the standard UK measurements for each size duvet are listed below.

What size is a single duvet?

A single duvet measures 135 x 200 cm or approximately 53 x 79 inches. In the UK a single duvet is most commonly used to cover a single mattress and it can be a great option for a kid's bed as it's the lightest and most compact duvet size so it's easy for little ones to lift up and climb under.

However, in other parts of the world, couples who share a bed may opt to use two single duvets rather than one double or king-size duvet.

Often dubbed a Scandinavian sleep hack, this method of using two single duvets on a double or king-size bed prevents duvet-hogging and allows couples to choose the right tog duvet and the best duvet filling for their individual needs.

What size is a double duvet?

A standard double duvet measures 200 x 200cm or approximately 79 x 79 inches.

Many people opt for a double duvet to cover a double mattress, but, if a couple are sharing a double bed I'd recommend opting for a king-size duvet instead. Using a king-size duvet over a double bed allows for more coverage and means you can tuck the duvet down between both of your bodies to block out any draughts.

Not only will this keep you both warmer – 'having a duvet that covers the people sleeping in the bed (and a little extra room either side) allows for heat to stay trapped in the space for longer, as there are little to no gaps around the edges,' agrees Alison Jones, sleep expert at Sealy – but a king-size duvet can also help to prevent arguments over one person unintentionally hogging the duvet!

Instead, I'd suggest using a double duvet on a single bed. A double duvet may be too heavy for a very young child, but older children and teenagers will appreciate the extra coverage to tuck around them on cold nights. For this reason, I'd always recommend using a double duvet to cover a single guest bed in a guest bedroom.

A double duvet will also hang lower down the sides of a single bed which means it drapes and covers the sides of the bed better.

What size is a king-size duvet?

A king-size duvet measures 230 x 220 cm or approximately 91 x 87 inches.

As mentioned, this is the size duvet I would recommend using over a double bed if there are two people sharing. Opting for the slightly larger size means that there's some excess duvet left either side of the bed to tuck in around you, and enough duvet to tuck down the middle of the bed to prevent draughts.

This may not be as important when you're switching to a summer duvet as in warmer weather some draughts may be welcome! But it's something to bear in mind when you're switching to a winter duvet as the weather gets colder.

Jade Crooks, commercial director at bedding and furniture retailer DUSK, agrees, saying, 'A great hack is to buy a duvet a size larger than your bed, this will not only ensure you have plenty of covers to keep warm but will prevent any nighttime tussles over them, allowing for a more peaceful sleep’. After all, no one likes a duvet hog!

What size is a super king-size duvet?

A super king-size duvet measures 260 x 220cm or 102 x 87 inches.

If you have a king-size mattress then a super king-size duvet is usually the best size duvet to opt for. This allows some extra fabric to hang down each side of the bed which generally means the duvet drapes better and looks better.

The only exception is if you have a very low platform bed in which case you might want to stick to a king-size duvet to prevent it from dragging on the floor.

What size is an emperor duvet?

An emperor duvet measures 290 x 235 cm or 114 x 93 inches. This is the largest duvet size you can buy and probably won't be a size many of us need! However, if you have the space for a super king-size bed then an emperor duvet can be the best fit for it.

Not all retailers stock duvets in an emperor size, but they are available at selected retailers such as John Lewis, The White Company, and Soak & Sleep.

Should your duvet be bigger than your bed?

As you might have guessed by now, yes, I think a duvet should generally be bigger than your bed.

There are a few exceptions to this rule, for example, you'll probably want to use a single duvet on a single kid's bed if you have young children as it will be lighter for them to lift up and climb under and out of. The same applies to anyone with mobility issues where it's important the duvet is as light and manageable as possible.

However, other than these exceptions (and personal preference, of course) opting for the next size up in a duvet compared to your mattress generally means the duvet hangs better on the bed and offers more warmth – especially if you're one-half of a couple who share a bed as there's more duvet to tuck around your bodies.

'Some opt for a larger duvet as they like the feeling of having more duvet to snuggle into as you sleep,' agrees Emily Atwood, founder of feather and down bedding specialists, scooms. 'This is particularly great if you're saving on energy costs by keeping the heating low in your bedroom.'

Olivia Shykles, bedding buyer at John Lewis, offers another vote in favour of going bigger, saying 'sizing up on your duvet can help with any duvet hogging issues as well as making a beautifully dressed bed'.

Where to buy a duvet

Whatever size duvet you're looking for, these are the places I'd recommend shopping.

• Argos: cot, single, double, king, and super king
• Dunelm: cot, single, double, king, and super king
• John Lewis: cot, single, double, king, super king and emperor
• M&S: cot, single, double, king, and super king
• scooms: single, double, king, and super king
• Soak & Sleep: cot, single, double, king, super king, and emperor
• The White Company: cot, single, double, king, sper king, and emperor
• Woolroom: single, double, king, super king, and emperor

FAQs

What duvet size is 200 x 200cm?

A duvet that measures 200 x 200cm is a standard UK double duvet size. The next size up would be a UK king-size duvet that measures 230 x 220cm.

What size duvet is 240 x 220cm?

A duvet that measures 240 x 220cm is an EU Queen size. This isn't a standard UK duvet size and is inbetween a UK king-size duvet (230 x 220cm) and a UK super king-size duvet (260 x 220cm).

Is 140 x 200cm a big enough duvet for two people?

No, a 140 x 200cm duvet is only a single size duvet, so it isn't big enough for two people to share.

The smallest duvet size recommended for two people is a double duvet which measures 200 x 200cm. However, I'd recommend sizing up even more if there are two of you sharing a bed and opting for a king-size duvet which measures 230 x 220cm instead.

How much bigger should the duvet cover be than the duvet?

This is where you definitely don't want to size up! A duvet cover should be the exact same size as your duvet. So a single duvet needs a single duvet cover, a double duvet needs a double duvet cover, and a king-size duvet needs a king-size duvet cover etc.