If you’ve gone through the trouble and expense of upgrading to a king-size bed, you’re going to want to go all the way to the best sleep experience you can get by topping it with some great sheets. And if you’ve sprung for a thicker than average mattress, you’re going to want those sheets to be deep-pocketed so they’ll stay securely in place all night long. A top choice to meet your needs would be the Abripedic 100% cotton percale weave deep-pocket king sheets.
The “pocket” of a fitted bed sheet refers to the height of the sides of the sheet that wrap around the mattress. A typical fitted sheet for an average mattress has a pocket of 14 inches. However, mattresses are often thicker these days, or they have an added pillow top, making a 14-inch pocket inadequate. And so deep-pocket fitted sheets are now addressing the problem with heights of 16 or 18 inches or more.
Deep-pocket sheets can be used on 14-inch mattresses as well. The elastic around the edges will pull the sheet under the mattress and hold it securely in place no matter the mattress’s thickness. If you have a regular fitted sheet that tends to crawl up the corners of your mattress in the middle of the night, becoming loose and uncomfortable, a deep-pocket sheet could solve your problem.
Aside from the height of the pocket, key factors to consider when searching for a new sheet set are material, weave and sometimes thread count.
You can’t go wrong with cotton sheets, although long-staple cottons such as Egyptian, Pima or Supima are better than average. Polyester can be soft but not as luxurious in feel as cotton. Silk is luxurious but a bit slippery for many people’s taste, and can also be a bit hot at times. Linen is great for warm nights and is a long-lasting, durable fabric, but you’ll need to learn to love very wrinkled sheets. Bamboo is rising in popularity and can be compared to cotton in many ways, especially for its softness.
Weave can have even more of an effect on a fabric’s softness than the selected fiber. Cotton in a sateen weave is soft and smooth and a bit warmer than cotton in a percale weave, which is nice and crisp, good for cooler nights, and a bit more durable than sateen.
Thread count is really only a useful measure when comparing 100% cotton single-ply weaves. The best single-ply cotton sheets will have thread counts between 300 and 500, with sateen being a bit higher than percale. Any sheets promoting higher thread counts are likely pushing the numbers by incorporating thin polyester fibers or using multi-ply threads. High thread count sheets won’t have the breathability of single-ply 100% cotton sheets in that 300 to 500 range.
Deep-pocket king sheets in polyester, low thread count or short-staple cotton can be found for as low as under $10, but to get durable, quality sheets consider bumping your price range to $60 or more.
A. A standard king mattress (sometimes called an Eastern king) is 4 inches shorter and 4 inches wider than a California king. The dimensions are:
The thickness of each size mattress can vary depending on the manufacturer and design features specific to the mattress.
A. Most sheets will pill eventually. A pill is a small ball of fabric that forms when the fibers used to create the sheet come loose from the weave. With less-expensive short-staple fibers, this tends to happen quickly — sometimes as soon as the first wash. With higher-quality long-staple fibers, such as Egyptian or Pima, pilling will not occur as quickly or to such a great extent.
A. Wash your sheets at least once a week. If it’s too much of a chore to take your sheets off the bed, wash them, and replace them all in a single day, then you should own more than one set of sheets. The key is to put clean sheets on your bed every week. Make a habit of it.
Abripedic 100% cotton percale weave deep-pocket king sheets
What you need to know: Crispy 300-thread-count percale weave is great for warmer nights.
What you’ll love: The 18-inch pocket on the fitted sheet should have no problem hanging onto a tall king mattress. Long-staple cotton provides durability and softness.
What you should consider: Percale has more of a tendency to wrinkle than sateen.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Feather & Stitch 100% cotton sateen weave deep-pocket king sheets
What you need to know: Soft 500-thread-count sateen weave sheets will be warm and cozy.
What you’ll love: The 18-inch pocket will stay in place on your mattress. These are the sheets you want for cooler nights.
What you should consider: Most reviewers love these sheets, but a number of reviewers complain of receiving inferior or damaged items that don’t seem to match the product description.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
CozyLux 100% Bamboo Deep-Pocket King Sheets
What you need to know: For an alternative to cotton, try these deep-pocket king sheets made from bamboo.
What you’ll love: The 100% bamboo fiber is soft and breathable, helping you stay cool at night. The sheets are durable, easy to clean and certified as safe and environmentally friendly.
What you should consider: The 16-inch pocket isn’t quite as deep as other options, but it’s still 2 inches deeper than standard fitted sheets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Michael Ray writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
