Looking for Luxury Bedding on a Budget? I Tested These Affordable Options for a Year!

We’re sharing how to get luxury bedding at an affordable cost with our tested picks!

You’ll be on cloud 9 with these luxury bedding alternative finds. ☁️

Obsessing over luxury bedding you can’t stomach to pay for? Our budget-friendly alternatives will leave you and your wallet on cloud 9!

The clear winner for not only myself, but Collin as well, is Quince! She constantly raves about how great Quince’s quality is and highly recommends their throw blankets which are comparable to Anthro (which we all know she LOVES)!

Collin’s affordable Quince picks are definitely worth the swap…

I’ve been testing our recommendations for a year (& counting!) and think these are the only bedding essentials you need…

Bedding is an item you can find at many retailers and as a Hip sidekick for 5+ years, I have tested LOTS of different bedding essentials. I was really excited when I got to hand-select what I thought would give our Hip readers the MOST bang for their buck while still feeling like they are getting a luxury bed experience.

I did extensive research when vetting each item and brand I’m going to share below and I’ve personally tested each of these bedding essentials for over a year now. So, I can assure you they’re worth every penny! 🤩

Check out how my luxury bedding alternatives compare to luxury bedding prices:

*Note that all prices listed below were accurate at the time we ordered them. 

Boll & Branch and Parachute Home are just two of many “luxury” bedding companies that are known for their luxurious bedding essentials. They have a reputation for being durable and ultra-soft. However, the incredibly steep prices are enough to steer any consumer away.

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Read more about my 1+ year of testing and how to make a bed luxurious in your home on a dime:

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1. My Quince duvet insert was hundreds LESS than my Parachute Home duvet & is just as luxe.

Not only do I own this comforter, but Collin does, too and she LOVES it! 🙌

If you’ve ever shopped for a duvet insert, you know just how difficult it is to find the perfect one. Everyone wants the perfect amount of fluff, without feeling too hot, and something that lasts without looking lumpy. And all within a reasonable budget to boot!

I honestly didn’t think an affordable version that hit all those points existed, so a few years ago I splurged on a Parachute Home duvet that was $399. (Even their alternative down duvets are a hefty splurge) 🥵 While I loved it and felt it was the luxury duvet I was looking for, I’m thrilled to say I’ve found the exact same feeling for hundreds LESS! 🤩

This Quince duvet insert is ethically sourced (RSD certified), made in the USA, and contains baffle box construction for even distribution of fluff so it won’t look lumpy and uneven after many months or years of use. It also features corner loops and comes with a generous free 365-day return policy. 😱

Here’s one review that had me totally sold on this option:

“I tried many brands such as Avocado, Boll and Branch, etc., but I found Quince to have excellent quality and a great price point.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My final thoughts on this duvet insert after a year+ of testing:

Despite my old duvet down comforter being much more expensive, I cannot even tell the difference between this and my Parachute insert!

They have the same amount of fluff, even distribution, and really do keep your temperature regulated at night. I didn’t expect much for the super low cost, but I’m truly wowed by the quality. After over a year, I can confidently say the baffle box construction is durable and all of my “fluff” has remained evenly distributed. This duvet is luxury bedding at a practical price! 😍

Now that I’m well past my 365 days, I wanted to share a photo to show just how fluffy it has remained! No uneven balled-up sections of down. It is still perfect in every way and truly makes our bed feel complete and luxe. Check out how it compares to the Parachute duvet & cover (on the left) vs. a year later with my Quince duvet & DAPU cover (on the right).

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2. Boll and Branch pillows are nice, but my Quince pillows are even better (& cost $58 LESS per pillow).

Just like the Quince duvet insert, their pillows are ethically sourced (RSD certified), made in the USA, and hypoallergenic. I first tried their soft/medium pillows but didn’t feel they had enough fluff, so I took advantage of their generous free return policy (which is good for 365 days). The silver lining was that I was able to experience just how wonderful their customer service is. 🤩

When I did my exchange, I somehow was only issued an exchange on one of my pillows despite mailing back both of the ones I ordered. When I realized only one pillow was in my new order, I called their customer service and I had another pillow on the way minutes later. It was a wonderful and easy experience! 👏🏻

These are the pillows for you if you have pillow envy every time you go to a high-end retailer and want to lay all over their pillows. (Cough, cough…Pottery Barn). 😏

Here’s what one reviewer said about the medium/firm pillows that had me convinced I needed to exchange for this set:

“I have been to every store, testing and smushing all the down-alternative pillows imaginable. Normally I am a tried and true buy-it-in-the-store after evaluating it in person, but I took a gamble on Quince because the website and cost just made sense. I have to say, they feel uber-luxe, just like the ones I tried in high-end retailers, I totally believe they source from the same places. I ordered two in the medium/firm and will be going back for more. They are pretty soft and smushable so even I, a stomach sleeper am comfortable. If I was a side sleeper I might try to find an even plusher one but for the price, these are too good to beat!”

My final thoughts on these pillows after a year+ of testing:

They’re LEGIT! I wholeheartedly agree with the initial review I read and they’re everything they say they are. Plush, fluffy, and perfect! As a fellow occasional stomach sleeper, I think these are perfect! Plus, my fiance who is really picky about pillows has even enjoyed sleeping on these without complaint (which is rare!).

Despite over 365 nights of sleeping on these, they’ve held their shape just as the day I unpacked them. My photo above was taken over a year after I purchased them and has seen many nights of sleep. 🤩

I just love how they look on our bed too. They have a perfectly relaxed look and don’t look stiff like other down-alternative pillows. As a bonus, they fit the DAPU linen covers that come with the duvet cover, perfectly. 👏🏻

Just keep in mind, I wouldn’t recommend these for sleeping if you love a super firm pillow. However, these are the perfect finishing touch too if you love to have a few extra pillows to complete your cozy oasis.

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3. These California Design Den sheets are just as luxe as Boll and Branch but are over $200 LESS.

I knew I had to try these sheets when researching the best luxury sheet alternatives because they shared many of the same notable features as the popular Boll & Branch sheets. They’re ethically made, meet the Standard 100 & OEKO Tex Certifications, and are breathable, cool, and pill-proof. Plus, they even have the same hem design as the Boll & Branch sheets!

Here’s what one Amazon reviewer said about these luxury bedding alternatives that totally had me sold:

“Every time we stay at a nice hotel, my husband has sheet envy. He even went so far as to pay well over $200 for a set of Boll & Branch sheets because apparently, presidents have slept on them. Those sheets do not feel like hotel sheets, but these do, and for a fraction of the price! They fit our thick pillow-top mattress nicely. They’re soft but hold their shape for a crisp feel. I also love that you can buy these pieces individually. Highly recommend.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My thoughts on these sheets after a year+ of testing:

I’ve washed these sheets countless times and they still fit my mattress and mattress topper with room to spare. They haven’t shrunk AT ALL like many sheet sets I’ve owned in the past so I know they’ll comfortably fit the deepest of mattresses with ease. They come out of the dryer wrinkle-free and soft!

Before owning this sheets set, I actually had Parachute sheets which cost FAR more, but I haven’t put them on my bed since! These affordable Amazon sheets were everything I hoped they would be and more!

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4. I discovered the softness of this 100% stone-washed linen duvet cover after staying at an Airbnb! It’s luxury bedding quality for less than Parachute Home – 60% LESS to be exact!

Above is one of the best Airbnb locations I once stayed in and after sleeping with this duvet for one night I found myself unzipping the bottom to find out what brand it was so I could order one for myself. This is after I splurged on a Parachute Home duvet for over $300. 😳 I was sure it would be out of my price range because it felt SO luxurious!

The bottom has a zipper closure that makes taking off the cover and washing a cinch – something my old Parachute cover didn’t have. Even better, it’s made of breathable, 100% Stone-Washed French Linen which usually comes at a high cost so I was SHOCKED to find out this duvet set was well under $150! 😱

I also love the simple hemmed design, interior corner ties, and it comes in 16 different color options, which is 7 more than Boll & Branch and 4 more than Parachute Home. 😉

Another feature I loved about this duvet cover is that it has the effortless style of a linen duvet, but the softness of what I felt my Parachute Home cover was lacking.

My luxury duvet cover is 100% linen, so buttery soft, and honestly, the zipper closure alone sealed the deal for me! 🤩 As a bonus, mine even includes two pillow covers, which would run an additional

My final thoughts on this Boll and Branch duvet cover alternative after a year+ of testing:

I LOVE IT!!! 🤩 For starters, it’s exactly like the quality from the time I stayed in my Airbnb – soft, thick, and LUXE! I was seriously disappointed with how scratchy my not-so-old Parachute Home duvet felt and without hesitation replaced it with this much more affordable set and I haven’t looked back! My new DAPU duvet cover has washed so well and is hassle-free to take off and put back on thanks to the zipper. I used to DREAD changing my button-up duvet cover, but not anymore! Speaking of zippers, a quality zipper on a duvet cover is almost unheard of at this price range and is durable too. It’s 100% a keeper!

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5. I found a very affordable Boll and Branch waffle knit blanket alternative, but after a year+ of testing, I wouldn’t recommend. 

Not everything I tested for my luxury bed post panned out. After around 60 days of testing and a few washes later, I was pretty underwhelmed with this waffle blanket. I do still have it on my bed over a year later, though… so it’s not too terrible. 😉

Not only did it shrink enough that I could no longer tuck it in on either side (or the foot of my bed!) but the hem along the top and bottom came out wrinkled every time so unless I washed it, it would look pretty messy. I also find the fabric to be rather stiff and not the best quality. If you’re wondering how to make your bed luxurious, this might be one alternative to skip.

While I still wouldn’t spend Boll & Branch money for a similar waffle blanket, I may consider this organic waffle knit blanket I found on Etsy in the future. 😉

Overall, I think I have found 4 core budget-friendly luxury bedding essentials everyone should have.

You could consider splurging on high-end bedding that comes with a steep price, or you could take my word that these essentials are all you need! After comparing them to high-end brands that I’ve literally splurged on before – I would choose my alternatives time and time again!

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