9 Best Cooling Blankets of 2025, Tested by AD Editors

Credit: architecturaldigest.com

The best cooling blankets are the layers you’ll want to reach for when you want something lofty and lightweight to curl up under. Even if you’re resting on cooling sheets and a cooling mattress, hot sleepers know that the bed cover you choose is bound to ruin a night’s sleep if it’s too thick and heavy for summer temperatures.

Our Top Picks for the Best Cooling Blankets:

Our team keeps an eye out for summer-weight fabrics like gauzy cotton, airy linens, and waffle weaves that are designed to feel breathable. We’ve even got recommendations for crisp bamboo and tencel lyocell layers that are actively cool to the touch. To give you all the best recommendations, we went to work and caught some z’s with the best cooling bedding we could find. These old-faithfuls have made it with us through plenty of hot days and nights. Below, find our favorite quilts and comforters for a summer-ready sleep.

Best Cooling Blanket, Overall

As someone who has lived through many blistery New York City summers, senior commerce editor Nashia Baker knew as soon as she slept under this cool, lightweight blanket that it’d meet her needs once heat waves hit. Made of viscose from bamboo, it has a natural moisture-wicking design from the plant fibers. While it does have a great cooling effect, the blanket doesn’t make her feel downright chilly. “Temperature regulation aside, I was surprised at how soft and silky smooth it felt to curl up under it,” she says. “It feels like a thin layer of marshmallows gently sitting on my skin.” Since it’s so light, it’s a nice option for layering year-round over a duvet insert, too. With a slightly glossy appearance, this is a great blanket for a glam bedroom.

The Gauzy Go-To

A cousin of classic cotton and linen, “cotton gauze” is perfect for a summer sleep setup because of its light weight. Brooklinen might be known for some of the most versatile bed sheets money can buy, but we think their blankets fit this description too. Contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert has the brand’s Airweave cotton quilt and says it’s “ incredibly soft and light, but at the same time, feels substantial.” She shares that the exterior gauze feels delicate in a lived-in kind of way. “It makes me think of the blankets I used to buy for my babies, and what a pleasant surprise to have it in adult size,” Alpert says. “I love how the slightly tufted texture makes it look like a cloud, and it certainly looks like it if you get it in the ‘storm’ colorway.”

“I also love the little tufted detail throughout; I am guessing it is to make sure the fill stays in place, but it adds a nice visual touch,” she adds. “My quilt is in the Tulip colorway, a mauvy pink, and it actually matches perfectly to the crabapple blooms just outside my house.” To tie it all together, she brings in the branches and displays them on her nightstand. Beware, this gauze is a tad delicate, as Alpert learned the hard way after her cat caused a few snags from their untrimmed claws.

An Airy Duvet

As one of our favorite luxury-on-a-budget brands, we’re constantly testing items from Quince—including blankets from their linen category. Many AD staffers have their duvet cover in this material and find it to be high-end but not stuffy or stiff. As a hot sleeper, contributor Elise Portale says it’s ideal since it is “soft and comfy” without a heavyweight feel. Plus, she says her duvet has kept its shape, without looking worn or run-down, after several seasons of use. Commerce writer Julia Harrison considers it a “practical linen option, if not the most luxe on the market,” thanks to its material, which has only gotten softer with every wash. Available in dozens of colorways and patterns, there are plenty of options for designing a summery bedscape—and Harrison attests that the hues match their descriptions. “The color itself is a really welcome ivory—not too yellow, not too blue, and not starch white, either,” she says of the ivory duvet cover in her space.

Best Waffle Blanket

“The Boll & Branch waffle blanket is like a tiny, cushy egg crate for your body,” says Alpert. “Each waffle section creates an almost springy resistance, so when you have it on your body it feels like you’re padded on the sides, but not in a stuffy way.” Speaking of its lofty nature, Alpert notes that she never feels suffocated when it’s on top of her bedding. Even though it has a plush feel, she finds it perfect for layering without feeling weighed down.

“The silky trim on the binding is a nice contrast and adds that special touch to when I make my bed,” she adds. “I’ve been layering it between my sheets and the duvet cover for another layer. I am big on giving my bedding texture and it’s just right.” Alpert says tossing it in the wash leaves the blanket “extra springy” to leave it as good as new.

A Breezy Quilt

“After a lifetime of duvets and comforters, West Elm’s European Flax Linen Box Stitch Quilt converted me into a quilt purist,” contributor Megan Wahn says of this bedding. She’s had the quilt for over a year and says it’s like a well-loved pair of jeans that only feels more comfortable with routine care. It has an all-season weight that’s nice and light to keep her “pleasantly cool in the summer,” while it still has a nice heft to layer with a throw blanket in the winter. “The quilt comes in a few earth-toned color options, and you can also purchase a bedding set that comes with matching shams,” she adds. “To me, this quilt isn’t just some big glorified blanket—it’s the safe haven I look forward to hugging around me at the end of every night, 365 days of the year.”

A Crisp Eucalyptus Comforter

Alpert says this cooling comforter is particularly well suited for blanket addicts who need something with weight to curl up under—even if it’s hot. Made of Tencel Lyocell fibers, this blanket leaves a pretty immediate cooling sensation. The fabric helps regulate body temperature by pulling heat and moisture away as you sleep. It’s also just as soft. “Overall, it stays moderately fluffy, which gives it that lived-in feeling,” she says, adding that the insert helps her layer her bedding without the bulk. She also notes that, although this insert has a middle loop to secure it, duvet covers with four-corner ties like some of hers won’t be compatible with this bedding, so you might notice some shifting.

More AD-Approved Cooling Blankets

“If you’re thinking ‘cotton gauze’ sounds too dreamy to be true, you should definitely experience this Morrow Soft Goods quilt for yourself,” commerce director Rachel Fletcher says. She calls out the “superior” hand feel and percale backing that gives the underside of the quilt both a heft and a cooling quality. Though it’s not a 100% gauze quilt, Fletcher says she still appreciates the craftsmanship and attention to detail. She has had it for months and hasn’t noticed any wear. “I’ve put it through the washing machine several times—but I have a feeling it’s going to be a staple in my bedroom for a long time to come,” she adds.

If this isn’t a convincing review for a breezy, cooling blanket, we’re not sure what is: “If it was any more breathable it would be filled with oxygen,” Alpert says of Buffy’s Air Cooling Quilt. “I can’t wait to crawl into bed because the quilt feels ever so pampering. It’s like sleeping inside a spa.” The bedding gets its cozy feel from an “active cooling” nylon material that makes it feel crisp to the touch. It’s also a versatile piece to keep in rotation for your bedspread. “While this blanket is described as a quilt, its design is actually more than meets the eye,” Alpert says. “There are loops at each corner, and I’ve been using it as a duvet insert and paired it with the Brooklinen Classic percale duvet cover and it’s like sleeping under dandelion fluff.”

Another quilt for your personal bedding catalog, Tuft & Needle’s airy cotton-linen blend was just the right balance of heft (“heavier than just a top sheet for comfort, but lightweight enough to drift off comfortably”) and breathability to get associate commerce director Lori Keong through the worst that New York City humidity could throw her way. She tends to use the quilt in summer to help knock her habit of kicking off the covers this season. She typically washes every few weeks during warm seasons—without any discoloration or damage to speak of. Though the brand doesn’t sell her exact favorite colorway anymore (a crowd-pleasing, minimalist white color), you can still scoop up similar neutrals like chai or a brighter “cayenne” hue.

How We Tested

No matter the season, we at AD Shopping are testing the best bedding on the market to ensure it’s up to par for your sleep setup. We do this by bringing pieces into our homes (just like our readers) and resting on them for at least a month at a time. For this story in particular, we share our thorough reviews to make sure the bedding is a fit for hot sleepers while boasting the high-quality durability and thoughtful details, like colorway variety, necessary for any bedscape.

What to Look for

These are the factors we recommend keeping in mind as you shop for your next piece:

Overall comfort: While comfort is subjective, there are some materials that might lend themselves better for your preferences. For example, if you like a textured piece of bedding, linen is likely your best bet. Or, if you prefer something a bit more cool to the touch, a viscose from bamboo blanket is a great option.

Breathable materials: Keep an eye out for fabrics that have open weaves and moisture-wicking properties like viscose from bamboo and tencel lyocell that absorb heat from the body.

Lightweight design: Look for fabrics without tight weaves, like the Boll & Branch waffle blanket that’s designed with airy pockets to allow for ample airflow from top to bottom.