If you’re someone who cares about the comfort and aesthetics of your bedroom, getting the right bedding is important. However, there are so many options that knowing which to pick can be a bit confusing. This is especially true for quilts and comforters. It’s easy to get confused between the two since they seem to perform the same function. Sometimes, they’re even used interchangeably.

So, what’s the difference between a quilt and a comforter?

Let’s get everything settled with this guide on quilt vs comforter. In this article, we’ll also help you decide which you need.

Stop wondering, “what is a quilt?” We’ve got the answers right here.

A quilt is a thin blanket that is made of three layers. All the layers are thin and made of breathable fabric. Thus, even though a quilt is layered, it is still lightweight and breathable. 

The three layers of a quilt are the:

Decorative layer: This is the upper layer. It’s made of beautiful patchwork or a single piece of decorative cloth. The decorative layer is what makes the quilt unique. 

Batting layer: The batting layer is the middle layer that’s hidden between the upper and lower layer. Since it’s concealed from view, it can be filled with any lightweight batting option from old blankets to wool to down. The batting does not have to be soft or comfortable, but since it is a quilt, it’s quite thin compared to other blankets.

Bottom or back layer: this is the last layer that is mostly hidden from view. It is mostly made from a single piece of soft, breathable fabric. However, nowadays the backing comes in decorative styles. These quilts are reversible and you can use either side as the top layer. 

The decorative layer was traditionally made by sewing together small pieces of fabric by hand to form a beautiful design or a simple grid. However, today, it is made by machines and most have single-piece fabrics. Traditionally, quilts were considered heirlooms and were passed down from one generation to the next. 

As quilts are made in beautiful designs, they are also used as table runners, table cloths, wall hangings, and displayed on quilt stands. As they are thin blankets, quilts are often found resting on the back of a couch or an armchair. Apart from offering warmth and comfort, quilts can also be used as a decorative layer for your bedding.

• Lightweight 
• Breathable material
• Easy to store
• Easy maintenance
• Decorative design
• Can be used to style your bedroom, couch, tables, etc.
• Aesthetically pleasing 
• Come in a variety of colors, patterns, and designs
• Can be used as a throw blanket or a coverlet
• Excellent for hot months and hot sleepers

• Not for cool climates
• Expensive 
• Handmade quilts need to be dry cleaned or washed by hand as they are more fragile.

• Hot sleepers
• People looking for decorative bedding
• People who want an additional blanket
• People who don’t like fluffy bedding
• People who don’t mind spending money on dry cleaning

To have an accurate and thorough comparison between a comforter vs quilt, let’s talk about comforters.

Like a quilt, a comforter is made of three layers, however, that’s where the similarities end. Comforters are used as bed toppers and are a must in winter bedding collections. 

The top and bottom layers are made of a single fabric and are filled with a generous filling of down or its alternatives. The two layers are stitched with the filling inside by the baffle-box or sewn-through construction. 

The baffle-box construction is a more popular method. In this method, a grid is created by adding an extra piece of fabric between the two outer layers of the comforter. Each grid is filled with clusters and down feathers. It has a three-dimensional structure that helps the filling expand, giving the comforter a more fluffy and cloud-like feel.

In the sewn-through method, the stitch goes through all layers of the comforter in a panel or box stitch design. In the panel design, stitches run vertically, creating rows along the length of the comforter while in the box design, grids or boxes of uniform sizes are created and filled. 

A comforter may appear like a quilt due to the quilting technique used for stitching the layers together. However, it is not a quilt as it is made of a single piece of fabric and not multiple smaller pieces. 

When considering a quilt vs comforter, you must have come across something called a duvet. If you’re wondering about the differences between quilt vs comforter vs duvet, it can be quite confusing because duvets are also filled with down and its alternatives. Many times comforters and duvets are used interchangeably. However, there are a few key differences. Unlike a comforter where the filling is stitched along the two outer layers, a duvet consists of filling inside a large bag made from cloth. 

Duvets are often considered duvet inserts. This is because duvets act as the filling and are put inside duvet covers. So, the main difference between a comforter vs quilt vs duvet are:

• Comforters are layered blankets that are stitched using the quilting method
• Quilts are thin layered blankets made with small pieces of fabric
• Duvets are fillings that go inside a duvet cover

• Excellent for colder months
• Gives a warm luxe sleeping experience 
• Perfect for people who get cold easily 
• Adds volume to your bed
• Modern aesthetics
• Can be used as the primary blanket 
• Less expensive

• Not for hot months
• Not breathable
• Needs extra care in the long run
• Bulky and difficult to store
• Can become flat after extended use
• Requires industrial-sized machines for washing

• People who live in cold climates or are cold sleepers
• People who like fluffy and luxurious bedding
• People who prefer fewer layers

Quilts and comforters can have quilted or gridded designs and fillings. Their outer layers are often made of cotton. However, there is a difference between quilt and comforter:

One primary difference between comforter and quilt is their thickness. Quilts are thinner while comforters are thicker. Thus, quilts are a lightweight option for hot summer nights when you don’t want your blanket to weigh you down. 

A quilt can be used as a bed topper or a decorative bedding option. However, a comforter cannot be used for decoration and is primarily a bed topper.

Quilts and comforters are made of three layers. However, the middle layer of a quilt consists of a thin batting while the comforter has a fluffy material in the middle.

Quilts have layers that are stitched together. Comforters, on the other hand, can be stitched or baffled. 

Material is one of the biggest differences between quilts vs comforters. Quilts are made of lightweight and soft layers with soft and thick filling inside. Comforters have a generous amount of down filling which makes them heavier. The middle layer of a quilt is made of cotton, wool, or polyester while the middle layer of a comforter is made of down or down alternatives.

The covering or the top layer of a quilt is made up of small fabrics stitched together while the top layer of a comforter is a single piece of fabric.

A quilt is a lightweight option for hot climates and hot sleepers. Meanwhile, comforters are thick and warm enough for cold months and cold sleepers. 

Quilts are generally more expensive than comforters. However, you can still find decent-quality quilts at reasonable prices. 

While quilts are lightweight and thin, cleaning them in a washing machine is very easy. However, experts warn against machine washing as quilts are delicate and the stitching can be destroyed, especially if they’re hand-stitched. 

Comforters are machine washable. But if you have a big comforter, it cannot be washed in a regular washing machine. You can refer to my article on How Often To Wash Comforter? for more details.

Quilts are more fragile. They last for about 15 years while a good quality comforter can last for around 25 years.

It’s just a matter of preference. You can even have both.  

Think about whether you’re a hot or cold sleeper, prefer fluffy bedding, or if decorative bedding is important to you.

However, you can also have both: decorative quilts for the summer and comforters for those chilly winter nights. 

Quilt or Comforter who you got? pic.twitter.com/KTfS4M915u

— Pat (@BarstoolPAT) September 14, 2021

Winter-weight quilts are soft, warm, and breathable quilts made from various fillings like wool. They help regulate the body temperature, weigh around 400 to 1,200 grams, and are suitable for winter months.

While both are often used interchangeably and have the same fillings, they are different. For one, the filling of a duvet goes inside a stitched duvet bag while in a comforter, the filling is stitched together with the outer layers. 

Yes. To add layers and warmth, you can put a quilt over a comforter.

Yes, a quilt is lighter because it’s made of thin, soft, breathable, and lightweight fabric while a comforter has a generous down filling which makes it heavier. 

A quilt is lightweight and breathable. It offers more comfort than warmth so it’s better suited for summer.