If you’re buying your first duvet, or are in the market for a new one, the term tog might be new to you. Although not the only component that can change duvet-to-duvet, getting the tog rating right is key to choosing the right duvet for you.
Picking the perfect duvet comes down to several factors - getting the right size, the right type of filling, and the right tog. In this duvet tog guide, we’ll be focusing primarily on togs and tog ratings, as this is what can cause a little confusion. We’ll be covering what it measures, what the tog numbers mean, and how to choose which will keep you most comfortable at night. Let’s begin.
What Are Duvet Togs?
Togs are a type of rating used to measure how much a duvet retains heat. It’s all to do with how warm they are. Duvets insulate us by trapping warm air around our bodies. It’s important to note that weight and tog are not the same thing. Tog is impacted by the thermal properties of materials used, as well as the design. For instance, the purposeful layering in our hybrid duvets has been designed to retain heat. It also should be noted that some lightweight materials are great insulators, such as down and Simba Renew. There are also duvets made with specialist cooling materials, which also impact the tog rating. Tog also does not indicate softness, or size either. Interestingly, tog is only used to measure insulation in duvets and nothing else.
Duvet Tog Levels
As a rule of thumb, the higher the tog, the warmer the duvet. The tog scale starts from 1, and goes all the way up to 15. The majority of duvets available run from 4.5-12 togs, but you can find options at the top ends of the scale too.
What Duvet Tog Is Right For Me?
When it comes to deciding on what duvet tog is right for you, personal preference plays a big part. How we all regulate our body temperatures changes from person to person. As such, what individuals deem as a comfortable temperature varies significantly. Here’s a few things to consider when evaluating different tog ratings:
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How warm do you like to be at night?
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How warm is your bedroom?
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Does your bedroom’s temperature change significantly during the different seasons?
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What sort of climate do you live in?
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How long do you keep the central heating on for when you use it?
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Do you sleep with your window open, or with a fan on?
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Are you prone to overheating?
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Do you get cold a lot at night?
If the environment that you live in changes considerably throughout the year, it may be worth considering investing in two duvets - one for spring/summer, and one for autumn/winter.
Best Duvet Tog For Summer
It’s recommended that duvets with 1-4.5 tog ratings are best for summer. These will provide lower levels of insulation during hotter nights, which can help in preventing individuals from overheating. The majority of duvets designed and made for summer are around 4.5, although even lower togs can be found.
Best Duvet Tog For All Year Round
If you don’t want to buy multiple duvets, a duvet with a 10.5 tog rating is great for an all year round duvet. This is also a suitable option if you like your in-bed temperature to remain consistent throughout the year.
There is also the option to go for an all seasons duvet, like our 3-in-1 Hybrid® duvet . This is a double-layered duvet that can be clipped and unclipped, depending on how much warmth you’re looking for. Having both layers together will increase the insulation in the colder months, and separating them will keep you cooler during the summer. Like everything else we’re discussing, these can vary in tog rating. However, typically the individual duvets are around 4.5 togs each, which increase to 9/10 when secured together.
This is a little different for our 3-in-1 Hybrid® duvet. As the name suggests, this provides 3, not just 2, tog levels. There’s the 7 tog option for spring/summer, and 3.5 tog for summer. When joined together, they go up 10.5 tog - ideal for cold winter evenings.
Best Duvet Tog For Winter
For very chilly nights, a duvet with a tog rating 12-15 will keep you insulated and warm. 13.5 is a good benchmark to opt for if you’re looking for a winter duvet, and is often the standard tog for the majority that are on the market.
Best Duvet Tog For A Child
Regarding duvet togs for children and infants, it’s important to remember that they retain heat differently from adults. In fact, they have difficulty with regulating body temperature. Their smaller bodies mean more air is trapped in a duvet relative to their size, especially when compared to an adult. As such, we don’t want them to get too warm at night and risk overheating.
Duvets are not suitable for infants under 12 months - they’re just too warm for them. In their case, specialist cot blankets are suitable for the job. For infants over 12 months, 3-4.5 tog will do the trick of keeping them comfortable at night. As they get older, you can gradually increase the tog rating. Older children (up to 10 years old) shouldn’t have a tog rating that exceeds 10.5.
