The Characteristics of Quality Feather Beds

Filling

• Feather beds are filled with either down, feathers or a combination of the two. Down is the soft insulating under layer of three-dimensional plumage found on water fowl. It is resilient, lightweight and extremely breathable. This allows your body to feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter without feeling sweaty. Feathers are the outer layers of plumage on birds. When used to fill feather beds, you will notice they are stiffer and have a center quill that can poke your skin during the night. Purchasing a feather bed with a combination of the two fillings will lower the price while still providing benefits of down.

Fill Power

• Fill power is important when determining the quality of a feather bed because it affects the warmth, support and comfort. The higher the fill power, the more warmth and breathability the feather bed will have. It will also be fluffier and last longer, providing a better value because you will not have to replace it as soon as one with a lower fill power. For high-quality feather beds, look for a fill power of 600 to 800 cubic inches per ounce of down or feathers.

Thread Count

• The fabric cover of a feather bed is another determining factor of the quality. It is defined as the number of threads per square inch of fabric. A tighter weave will result in a higher thread count and a softer feel. It will also prevent leakage, so you will not have the problem of feathers and down slipping out, and you will not feel the feather quills poking your skin as much.

Construction

• For the highest quality construction of a feather bed, look for one with a baffle-box design. This has a narrow wall of fabric sewn perpendicular to the top and bottom layers of the cover, giving the appearance of depth. It allows the dimensional down to expand to its fullest and prevents the filling from shifting and creating cold spots. Baffle-box construction is higher quality than one that is only stitched through.