Sliding into a clean bed with comfortable, cool sheets at the end of a long day is one of the most simple pleasures in life. But unless you’re a thread count or cotton expert, it can be difficult to pick out the perfect sheet set online. Sure, you can go by looks alone, but a good night’s sleep ultimately comes down to how those sheets feel. To make things easier for you, we picked up a set of L.L. Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets and put it through the ultimate sleeping (and washing) test to find out how it stacked up against other bed sheet options. Read on to find out whether these sheets deserve a spot on your bed.
Material: Cool to the touch
The L.L. Bean sheet set is made of 100 percent pima cotton, which is one of the most luxurious sheet fabric options around. Pima cotton is a New World species of cotton, rivaling Egyptian cotton. Similarly, it’s also an extra-long staple cotton with longer, silkier individual cotton fibers, making it softer and stronger. These L.L. Bean sheets felt lightweight and comfortable, and they were fairly thick and looked like they were built to last. Right out of the package, the sheets felt cool to the touch, so we were excited to see if they could help provide some decent temperature control during the night. We weren’t disappointed. We tend to wake up sweating in the middle of the night—even in the dead of the winter—and we never really thought the sheets we were using played a big role. Clearly we were wrong. After our first night using the L.L. Bean sheets, we were noticeably cooler. Although we did wake up a few times (we blame the cats), our body temperature was comfortable and we didn’t have to rip off the covers to stop sweating.
Texture: Soft and comfy
The pima cotton is soft and smooth to the touch. The sheets hugged our bodies perfectly and slid comfortably when we tossed and turned, without bunching or wrapping around us. After a few washes, there was no pilling or roughness to the fabric. We were incredibly comfortable and liked the feeling of the sheets against our skin. The texture of the sheets seemed to attract pet hair, though. It was almost like the pet hair was pulled toward the sheets and clung to them. However, the hair easily slid off with a quick swipe of our hands.
Thread Count: On the lower side but didn’t matter
The L.L. Bean Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set boasts a 280 thread count, which is similar to what you’d find in a mid to luxury hotel’s bed. But, even though the thread count may seem like it’s on the lower end, the difference is these sheets are made of pima cotton, a higher-end cotton species. The Pima cotton lends a soft, luxurious feel that’s even better than you’d find in other types of sheets with a higher thread count.
Fit: Runs deeper than we needed
Regardless of which size you choose, the L.L. Bean Percale fitted sheets have a 15-inch depth. While this offers plenty of space for pillow-top mattresses or other deep mattress options, it left a little too much room for our 12.3-inch gel memory foam mattress. The fitted sheet adequately covered the mattress but there was extra space in the corners, which caused it to bunch in the middle. However, we would rather deal with the bunching than a sheet that’s too snug and pops off the corners of the mattress while we sleep. That being said, the elastic in the fitted sheet was high-quality and securely gripped the mattress edges. There were also small tags indicating which side of the sheet belonged on the short edge of the bed, an extra touch that we highly appreciate.
Washing: Standard machine care
Even though the L.L. Bean Percale Sheet Set feels fancy, the care is basic. Because they’re made of 100 percent cotton, the manufacturer recommends washing them separately (or with like colors) in warm water and then tumble drying them on low. We followed these instructions and were left with soft sheets that felt even better after washing than right out of the package. The sheets do wrinkle fairly easily, so if you forget to remove them from the dryer right away, you’ll need to whip out the iron if you want them completely smooth.
Price: Worth the splurge
Pima cotton is one of the most luxurious types of cotton out there, and at a cost of $169 for the king set (the twin, full, and queen will run you $109, $129, and $149, respectively), the price reflects that. While there’s definitely an upfront investment involved in these sheets, they hold up to friction, washing, and general use better than other, less expensive options. On top of all that, they feel like a million bucks.
Competition: Many options on the market
Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set: If you’re looking for a comparable option, but want to save a little money, the Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set, which retails for $149, is similar to the L.L. Bean Pima Cotton Set. It’s made of 100 percent long-staple cotton, which is softer than other types of cotton, and has the option for a California King, unlike the L.L. Bean sheets. Plus, in addition to solid color options, you can also choose from several different patterns. Threshold Vintage Wash Solid Sheet Set: If you’re on a budget, Threshold Vintage Wash Solid Sheet Set has a lot to offer for just $56 for the king size. The fabric is 100 percent cotton, in the same percale weave as the L.L. Bean set. This set is cool, light, and soft, and, as an added bonus, you can get a couple sets for less than you’d spend on one set of the L.L. Bean Percale Sheets. Of course, they’re not as luxurious, but they’re still a decent option. We’d not only recommend scooping up these L.L. Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets, we’d suggest getting two sets if you can. When it was time to throw our set in the wash after a few days, we had to put our old sheets back on the bed. There was a noticeable difference in comfort and temperature control, and we couldn’t wait to get the L.L. Bean set back on the bed.
