What You Need to Know

• 1). Determine the type of down you want your comforter filled with.
  
  Down comes in different types or grades, ranging from duck down which is the least expensive to eiderdown, the priciest. A true down comforter is stuffed only with down, the soft inner plumage of ducks and geese. A comforter stuffed with feathers is technically a feather comforter, although the word "down" is often used to describe both kinds.
  
  
• 2). Check the fill power numbers.
  
  Fill power is indicative of the comforter's quality and more fill power translates into a comforter that is lighter and fluffier, but warmer. Fill power is a measure of how many cubic inches one ounce of down will occupy. 750 is the highest, 300 is the lowest and 500 to 550 is the average.
  
  
• 3). Check the thread count.
  
  The thread count is the number of threads woven into a square inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the softer and more durable the cover of your comforter will be. Thread counts can range from 100 to 1,000.
  
  
• 4). Know the size of your bed.
  
  Measure your mattress before shopping for a down comforter. The standard labels, twin, full, full/queen, queen, king and California king, do not always translate into a comforter that is long enough or wide enough for your bed.
  
  
• 5). Determine the construction.
  
  Some down comforters have baffle construction while others have sewn through construction. In a sewn through comforter, the down is blown into the cover and the cover is sewn through, locking the down into place. Baffle construction means that a vertical piece of fabric is sewn into the interior walls of fabric, forming squares. Each square is separate from the others, keeping the down from shifting.
  
  
• 6). Decide what you want to pay.
  
  Down comforters can range in price from very inexpensive to extremely pricey. Comforters filled with 100 percent down and having high fill power ratings as well as high thread counts will cost much more than those stuffed with feathers and having lower power fill ratings and lower thread counts.