Once you’ve researched, debated, tested, and decided on a mattress, the real fun begins. While mattresses are often the bedroom focal point due to their cost and size, the real star, in my opinion, is the bedsheets. Besides, they can really spruce up a room. I prefer cotton or polyester sheets for a number of reasons, mainly durability and price.
Deciding on the fabric is in and of itself a tough decision. If you are still debating on whether you fancy yourself more of a cotton or silk fan, take a look at our breakdown of the pros and cons of cotton vs microfiber vs silk.
Once you’ve settled on a fabric choice, you must choose a product. I liken this part of the process to a knight choosing their armor heading into battle. The mattress may be the weapon, but everyone knows that it’s the armor that makes a champion.
For the sake of simplicity, I want to compare Amazon’s best selling bed sheet to Amazon’s premier in-house offering.
The Options
Amazon Basics Chambray Bed Sheet Set
These polyester sheets come from the Amazon Basics line. Branded with Amazon Basics’ slogan, “Highly rated products at low prices,” these polyester sheets are an affordable entry point into the bed sheet market.
Mellanni Brushed Microfiber Bed Sheet Set
Mellanni prides itself on providing the highest quality sheets at the most affordable prices. With a focus on luxury, comfort, and elegance, Mellanni spent years surveying customers to find out what they sought in a sheet set. Next, they created the ideal product.
The Sizes, Prices, and Pieces
Amazon
Twin/ Twin XL/ Full/ Queen/ King/ California King
Ranging from (at the time of publishing) $18 up to $30, this sheet set offers excellent value.
The set includes:
- One flat sheet
- One fitted sheet
- Two pillowcases
Mellanni
Twin/ Twin XL/ Extra Deep pocket – Full/ Full/ Queen/ Extra Deep pocket – Queen/ King/ California King/ Extra Deep pocket – Cal King/ Extra Deep pocket – King
Starting at around $35 and running up to about $50, these sheets have versatility in sizing options. Each set includes (excluding twin):
- One flat sheet
- One fitted sheet
- Two pillowcases
The Fabrics
Amazon Basics
The Amazon bed sheet set is 100% polyester. As a lab-created fabric, polyester is not without criticism. In short, polyester is a fancy type of plastic molded into a material that came to fame in the 70s due to its extraordinary resilience. The appeal is obvious. This fabric is easy to manage, doesn’t wrinkle easily, is incredibly stain-resistant, and retains heat astonishingly.
Mellanni
While also coming in at 100% polyester, these sheets also have the added benefit of being microfiber. In this case, the polyester threads have been split into micro threads (microfibers) that are more porous and lighter to the touch than their polyester cousins. The thread count on these bed sheets is an impressive 1800 (even if thread count does not necessarily equate to quality or comfort).
The Feel
Amazon Basics
The name is misleading. Chambray is typically associated with a luxurious, softer, thinner denim or cotton-feel. In this case, these sheets are not denim or cotton. Instead, they are 100% polyester. Perfect for throwing on a bed in a guest room, these sheets are a lovely fabric that keeps users at a comfortable temperature the whole night through. Definitely worth noting once again, though: these sheets are not chambray.
This is not like sleeping on that J. Crew button-up you got a few years ago at the height of the chambray craze.
Mellanni
If quiet were a feeling, these sheets would be it. But since quiet is not a feeling, only something associated with feeling, I thought it a good note to include. These sheets are neither so cold that you’ll need to wear socks to bed, nor are they the type that traps heat, requiring you to stick your leg out midway through the night. These sheets’ microfiber nature and the thread count allow sleepers to feel the high-end comfort all night.
The Reviews
Amazon Basics
The most common refrain from the 1700+ reviews was that these soft sheets are great for hot sleepers needing a deep pocket option. Many people mention the “chambray” -ness of these sheets and are keen to point out this claim’s misleading nature. The color pattern is chambray-like, not the actual fabric. Time after time, reviewers mention how easy to keep clean, wash and care for these resilient bed sheets from Amazon Basics. They are a fantastic option at an incredible price.
Mellanni
With over 180,000 reviews, these sheets are top-rated among customers. 90% of all reviewers leave four or five-star reviews. After years of use and reviews, customers are passionate about the joy they feel getting in bed every night. From the relaxed feel to the incredible entry price point to luxury sheets, these are everything you need in a bed sheet set starter pack.
Verdict
While they cost a bit more, I think the Mellanni sheets are the right choice. These sets are neck and neck in so many places, but I think the difference comes down to attention to detail and quality. Both sets of sheets are incredibly versatile, easy to clean, and great for reducing allergies. However, the Mellanni sheets just go above and beyond what the Amazon Basics can offer when it comes to luxury feel at an affordable price. The Amazon Basic sheet set is good. The Mellanni set is excellent.
