Martha Stewart's bed linen is rapidly gaining a reputation for comfort and quality. Back in October, one of our expert testers sampled Martha's bed sheets, and loved them, so I was keen to try some for myself.
After all, I've shopped around for bedding for years, buying enough of the best bed sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers from a vast range of stores to furnish a small hotel. My continuous problem? I could never find a well-made, reasonably priced set that came in cooling cotton (I'm a hot sleeper) that didn't crease horribly as soon as I laid my head down, and that wasn't lacking in choice in terms of patterns and colors.
But cruising the Amazon sale for garden tools, I came across Martha's Amazon Store, and what did I find? Martha Stewart's latest bedding and bath collection − which is vast. I narrowed down my choice and bought these two quite different looking sets, below, and I've put both of them thoroughly to the test (it wasn't hard, I was mostly asleep). I assessed each piece for comfort, quality, cooling, and cost. Both impressed, so I'm going back for more, and below I'll tell you why.
Sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King
Material: 100% cotton
Color: Gingham Light Gray
Pattern: Checkered
Includes: 1 Flat, 1 Fitted, 2 Pillowcases
This four-piece sheet set has a faint sateen finish so it always looks crisp and clean – honestly, it really doesn't seem to show the dirt.
Sizes: Queen, King
Material: Cotton
Color: Aqua
Pattern: Damask
Includes: 1 Duvet Cover, 2 Shams
This sunny three-piece set is reversible, which makes it really versatile, and the cotton percale material proves easy to wash and perfect for all seasons.
Before I begin, let me just tell you: I check reviews thoroughly before I buy anything from Amazon. Since it's not necessarily a space that's top of my list as one of the best places to buy bedding I was more thorough than usual.
If I had to make a list of the most-mentioned words from the comments of reviewers for both bedding sets they would be 'comfortable', 'quality', 'wash and dry well', 'wrinkle-free' and 'cooling'. These words, along with the vast choice of designs and colorways available, convinced me to shop them. I bought one set on sale and one at full price. My thinking? If the full-price set was as good as the reviews indicated, I'd be happy with the investment. If the discounted set matched the full-price quality, I'd be delighted.
Martha Stewart bedding − tried and tested
Let's talk first impressions. The bedding arrived in neat pocket cases and my first thought when I pulled the sheets out was how soft they felt. The sheets were a little wrinkled from their journey to me, so I washed and ironed them. The most pleasant surprise was how easy they were to iron to a crease-free finish. The second surprise? That they didn't perceptibly crease again until I washed them after a week's use, at which point they needed a light press to look as good as new. I air dried mine on a hot day, though I noticed that one reviewer claimed a quick spin in a warm dryer made more or less wrinkle-free sheets.
The light sheen on the gray gingham set – which I hadn't noticed when I'd ordered it − made me wonder whether those sheets might trap heat. That sort of sheen usually indicates synthetic strands in the fabric, which aren't as breathable as natural fibers. I hadn't accounted for the cooling effect of cotton percale. Percale is a simple, breathable weave (one thread over, one thread under), which leaves plenty of room for air to flow through the fabric. These lightweight sheets are perfect for summer nights and hot sleepers, like me.
Talking of cooling, one of the reviewers had bought the Martha Stewart 100% Cotton Sheet Set right as the humidity went up, when they 'started feeling sticky and uncomfortable. I have slept a LOT more comfortably since buying these,' they wrote: 'Yay, Martha!'
A few reviewers reference the thin material of the sheet set and the duvet cover. If you're a cold sleeper, you'd be better off searching for cotton with a sateen weave, which is tight to retain heat. Still, just because these sheets are lightweight doesn't mean that they're low quality. 'Don't let the thin feel of these sheets fool you,' one customer writes: 'they are well-made and sturdy.'
I've taken some pictures of the sheets so that you can see – they are nicely finished and really good quality. I'd go as far as to say that Amazon, one of the best places to buy affordable bedding, has become my new go-to destination for the best luxury bedding, too.
