Down comforters are essentially a very simple product consisting of only 2 elements: a cover (or ticking) and a fill. But despite the simplicity of the product, it is very difficult for a consumer to know what they are buying because the real essence of the comforter, the fill, is blind to the consumer.

Here is a list of questions to ask:

a) How much down is in the comforter? The quantity is almost always given in oz, and will give you a indication of how warm the comforter will be.

b) What type of down? Labeling laws allow a comforter to be labeled "down" when the fill is gray duck down. White Goose Down is the premium fill used in most quality comforters.

c) What is the percentage of down? This is a less obvious question to ask, because we are used to the idea of a comforter being labeled "white goose down," and therefore make the assumption that the fill is 100% white goose down. The laws regarding labeling are changing to make the manufacturers more forthright in telling the consumer what really is in a down product. In the past, a product could be labeled "white goose down" and the law required the comforter to contain only 70% white goose down (and from that 70% the manufacturers were given a 5% leeway). Clearly the greater the percentage of down, the better the comforter.

d) What is the fill power of the down? Fill power is essentially a measure of "puffiness." (A specified quantity of down is placed in a standardized cylinder and compressed with a specified weight.) The higher the number, the "puffier" the down. A down comforter is warm because the small fibers of a down cluster interlock and trap air. This trapped air acts as an insulator, reflecting back your body warmth and keeping out the cold outside air. The higher the fill power; the bigger the down clusters; the better the insulator, and the warmer the comforter.

You may have slept under a high end down comforter and noticed that it was really "warm," and yet as light as can be. "It was like sleeping under a cloud." This is the way it should be. By using a very high quality down, a manufacturer can achieve a very warm comforter without relying on weight.

e) What is the country of origin of the down? This and fill power are generally related. Colder climates (e.g. Siberia) will yield bigger down clusters than warmer climates (e.g. China).

f) What is the quality of the cover (ticking)? This you can see and feel for yourself, and let your instincts guide you. You want a cover made from 100% cotton, so the comforter will breathe, and a reasonably high thread count to help insure the comforter is down proof. Be advised a process called "down proofing" is applied to the inside of a cotton cover to prevent the down clusters from leaking.

g) What is the configuration of the cover? Again, this you can see for yourself. A baffled box configuration is probably the most popular these days. The main thing to look for is a configuration that will minimize the shifting of the down.

We hope this will help you in evaluating down comforters. Please click "Next" to see our down comforter selection.