Are coverless duvets any good for uni students? I'm a bedding expert, and this is why I think they're a faff-free solution

Wondering if a coverless duvet is a good option for a uni student? You're not alone.

Online searches for coverless duvets have spiked in the past month; a trend that's likely driven by uni starters (and their parents) searching for one of this year's hottest bedding items.

Yep, coverless duvets are having a moment. But is a coverless duvet a good idea? And more specifically, is a coverless duvet any good for a uni student?

As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the past five years testing all kinds of bedding – including the best duvets on the market – and I'm here to share my thoughts.

What is a coverless duvet?

First up, it's worth making clear what a coverless duvet actually is, because this new trend didn't exist a few years ago.

A coverless duvet is a duvet that doesn't require a duvet cover. Instead, it's very similar to a standard duvet insert.

The casing of the duvet is simply a little thicker than your average duvet, and it's coloured or printed to imitate the look you'd usually get from the cover itself.

What's the point of a coverless duvet?

Wondering what the point of a coverless duvet is? Yep, that's the first question that popped into my head when I first became aware of the coverless duvet trend, too.

Well, the main point is that a coverless duvet means you only have one item to wash. You don't need to faff around washing, ironing, and putting on a duvet cover; you simply wash the entire coverless duvet in one go.

Are coverless duvets any good for uni students?

And that leads us on to our main question: are coverless duvets any good for uni students?

Now I have to admit, I haven't been that convinced by coverless duvets up to now. I'm certainly not a fan of changing a duvet cover, but is washing an entire duvet every few weeks really any easier than removing a duvet cover and sticking it in the wash? I wasn't convinced.

But when it comes to student bedding. I actually think a coverless duvet is a great idea. Why? Two main things.

1. A coverless duvet is quick, easy, and faff-free to get on the bed

Firstly, there's no denying a coverless duvet is quick, easy, and faff-free to get on the bed. And easy is always welcome, especially in the first year of uni, when living independently can feel both freeing and overwhelming at the same time.

After all, there's a lot to adjust to when you start uni for the first time, and learning how to cook, clean, and look after yourself and your belongings can be as big a challenge as the study itself.

Anything that makes that process easier is useful. And whilst washing, drying and putting on a duvet cover may seem simple to those of us who have been managing a household for years, we've probably forgotten that, like everything else in life, it's a skill that took time to develop.

I can definitely remember uni nights when I ended up sleeping under my duvet because my duvet cover was still in the washing machine and I'd forgotten to leave time to dry before bed. As well as nights I slept *in* the duvet cover, because I'd crawled home from the student union too 'tired' to put the cover back on the duvet.

In comparison, a coverless duvet is simple, straightforward, and shouldn't result in any tearful phone calls home when your fresher is struggling to put their duvet cover back on the bed with a hangover.

2. A coverless duvet is easy to wash and dry

Do I think a coverless duvet is easier to wash and dry than a traditional duvet cover and duvet for most people? No. Do I think a coverless duvet is easier to wash and dry than a traditional duvet cover and duvet for a *student*? Yes.

Why? Because there are a few particular nuances to a student lifestyle that I think mean a coverless duvet can really work.

First, most halls of residence supply single beds in student accommodation, and a single bed works really well with either a single or double coverless duvet.

I wouldn't fancy washing and drying a king-size or super king coverless duvet, but the smaller sizes are much easier to fit into a washing machine, and less material means they will dry quickly in a tumble dryer.

Second, most halls of residence I've visited have dedicated laundry rooms with large-capacity washers and dryers. That's very different to trying to stuff a coverless duvet into your average washing machine at home.

I think that makes a coverless duvet much easier to care for at uni than it would be in your average house.

So is a coverless duvet any good for a uni student? Yes, as long as you know there will be a large capacity washer and dryer to care for it, I think a coverless duvet is a great idea for student bedding.

Even better, as this trend continues to grow, there are now more and more options on the market, and that means more choice of colour and pattern for a student to make their room feel like their own.

Plus, if worst comes to worst, there's no reason you can't put a normal duvet cover on a coverless duvet. So you could also invest in a few duvet covers as well.

That way, the uni-starter in your life has the choice of two options. They can use the coverless duvet with a duvet cover, but it can also be used without one on those days when uni life gets a little overwhelming.

After all, it's always good to have some backup. And when you aren't within distance to nip round and do a load of washing for your offspring when they have uni deadlines looming, a coverless duvet could be the next best thing.