Is your bed too firm or hard? Is it ruining your sleep? Make your bed luxurious and soft again by adding a fluffy feather mattress topper. I review the best feather mattress toppers so you can finally have a great night’s sleep again.
If you are in a hurry and just want to know what the best feather mattress topper is, I recommend the Allied Essentials 100% Cotton Down and Goose Featherbed Mattress Topper.
Today I review the best feather mattress topper that can fit onto any type of mattress.
I take a look at where the down or feathers come from, how they are farmed, and what the Responsible Down Standard is and why you should care about it.
I also talk about how to keep it clean, and how to care for your feather mattress topper pad.
Just keep reading.
The Best Feather Mattress Toppers I Will Be Reviewing Today
- Editor’s Choice: Allied Essentials 100% Cotton Down and Goose Featherbed Mattress Topper
- Bluestone Down & Duck Feather Topper
- Puredown White Goose Bed Topper Mattress Pad
- Pacific Coast Feather Bed Topper
- DOWNCOOL Quilted Down & Feather Bed Mattress Topper
- Great Bay Home Store Down Alternative Featherbed
What Is Down?
Down is not just feathers that are plucked from ducks and geese, it’s the soft plumage close to the fowl’s skin, underneath the feathers.
Goose down has a better weight-to-warmth ratio and is more fluffy than duck down, however, duck down is more affordable than goose down.
Down is collected – plucked – from ducks and geese that are raised for their meat, this includes ducks and geese raised for making foie gras, where they are force fed to fatten the livers.
This is considered a cruel and inhumane practice by many, and it’s incredibly painful and stressful for the fowls.
What Is The Responsible Down Standard And Why Should You Care About It?
The Responsible Down Standard was created to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to unnecessary harm.
Key points of RDS:
- No removal of down or feathers from live birds.
- No force-feeding.
- Holistic respect for animal welfare during their lives.
- Proper identification of RDS down and feathers to ensure that non-RDS down and feathers are not included in products.
- The entire supply chain must be audited.
- Only 100% certified down and feathers are allowed to carry the RDS logo.
What Does It Mean To Be RDS (Responsible Down Standard) Certified
A certification provided by the not-for-profit organization to indicate that a product only includes down or feathers from animals that were not harmed at any point in their lives, or at any stage of the supply chain. See “Key Points of RDS” above.
Do Feather Mattress Toppers Work?
If you are looking for a way to improve a hard or firm mattress to make it more comfortable and soft, then a feather mattress topper is an excellent way to do it.
They are fluffy, pillowy, will keep you warm in winter, make your bed so much more comfy and delectable, but they do come with some work.
You’ll need to fluff your topper regularly. I recommend about once a week.
All that is required is to give it a good shake a couple of times, and then turn it over if possible, or at least around. This means you are not stressing the same part of the topper over and over every night when sleeping.
It’s not a lot of effort, but some people will find this too much hassle.
If that’s you, I suggest you look for a mattress topper that is not made from down or feathers, and that you never have to fluff. Memory foam is a great option for you.
See my article for the best memory foam mattress topper if you want to go down that route.
How Do You Care For Your Down Feather Mattress Topper?
Here’s the deal, feather and down will go flat if you do not fluff it regularly.
It doesn’t matter how expensive your topper is, what type of box / quilting design it has been stitched in, or how overstuffed the fill is.
If you lie on it, you will compress it.
You WILL have to fluff it at least once a week to maintain the loft of your featherbed mattress topper and to prevent lumpiness.
Luckily, it’s not exactly a difficult thing to do.
All you have to do is pick it up on one end, and give it a few strong shakes, similar to what you do with your comforter when you are making the bed in the morning.
That’s it.
I would also recommend you put a mattress protector over on top of the mattress topper to keep it as clean as possible, because most down or feather toppers come with a dry clean only recommendation, which can be expensive and cumbersome to do. A mattress protector will take the hassle out of that task.
What Is The Best Feather Mattress Topper?
Feather mattress toppers can be divided into 2 types, down, and feathers.
While down is technically considered a type of feather, it’s the smaller softer plumage close to the fowl’s skin. See “What is down” above.
Down is warmer and softer than feathers, making it a better choice if you want to pick the best feather mattress topper you can buy.
Most feather mattress toppers combine the 2 in some way.
Skip down to the Editor’s Choice section where we discuss our choice for best feather mattress topper.
What Is The Best Down Mattress Topper?
The Allied Essentials 100% Cotton Down and Goose Featherbed Mattress Topper I have reviewed further down this page is the best down mattress topper we could find.
It comes with a RDS certificate so you can rest easy knowing no animals were hurt for your comfort.
However if you are looking for a 100% goose down mattress topper, it will be hard to find, or very expensive if you do.
Geese don’t have as many down feathers as normal feathers, so it would take quite a lot of geese to produce enough down for a full 2 inch mattress topper, which is why it’s usually a combination of down and feathers.
If you’ve ever tried to buy a Canada Goose coat or jacket and wondered why on earth it’s so expensive, now you know!
Do You Put A Fitted Sheet Over A Feather Topper?
Most feather toppers cannot be washed. And dry cleaning can be an expensive option.
So in my opinion, putting a fitted sheet over your feather topper is essential in keeping it clean. It will also prevent the odd feather from poking through and stabbing you in the back just as you are dreaming of winning the lottery.
How Do You Keep A Feather Bed From Shifting?
Most mattress toppers either come with a skirt (similar to a fitted sheet), or elastic bands that wrap around the corners of your mattress to prevent them slipping and sliding all over the place.
But just a simple fitted sheet over your feather bed should be enough to secure the topper to your mattress and prevent it from shifting in the middle of the night.
How Do You Clean A Feather Mattress Topper?
First, read the instructions that come with your feather mattress topper, it will indicate the best way to wash it.
However, most feather mattress toppers come with a dry clean only recommendation.
There are some that can be washed, but you might not be able to fit a queen or king size topper in your home washing machine to do this yourself.
This is why I recommend a mattress protector that you can put over your mattress and mattress topper, and under your bed sheets.
Do Feather Beds Make You Hot?
Yes, feather beds make you hot.
Feathers and down are designed by mother nature to keep ducks and geese warm during even the coldest winters.
Contrary to what we think, not all geese migrate south during winters, only certain species do.
The other species of geese have evolved over time to have the right layer of feathers and down to keep them warm.
And they are bound to keep you warm too.
So if you live in a cold place, and you are worried about temperature control, a feather bed is an excellent choice during winter.
Do Feather Mattress Toppers Go Flat?
Here’s the deal, feather or down or any combination of the 2 will go flat if you do not fluff it regularly.
It doesn’t matter how expensive your topper is, what type of box / quilting design it has been stitched in, or how stuffed the fill is.
If you lie on it, you will compress it.
To maintain the loft in your feather mattress topper, you will have to fluff it regularly.
If you do not want to have to fluff your feather mattress topper at least once a week, then I suggest you buy a down alternative mattress topper, or some type of foam topper.
Think about it, does your pillow look perfect every morning regardless of how many night’s you’ve slept on it? Or do you regularly have to give it a good shake and a bit of a beating to fluff it out?
The Best Feather Mattress Topper: The Top Product Reviews
Editor’s Choice: Allied Essentials 100% Cotton Down and Goose Featherbed Mattress Topper
Best Feather Mattress Topper
This goose down mattress topper from Allied Essentials is the perfect feather topper if you are a comfy bed snob!
It’s dreamy, pillowy and it feels like you are sleeping in the clouds.
This mattress topper has a dual layer turtle top construction, with the top layer filled with ultra-soft white down, and the bottom layer filled with goose feathers.
The top down layer is thinner but it’s soft and fluffy with a quilted framed box design.
The bottom layer is 2 inches thick and has the strong and sturdy goose feather fill with a quilted baffled box design.
The whole topper is about 2-3 inches thick, with a 550 fill power all encased in a 300 thread count cotton shell.
To ensure it stays on your mattress without slipping and sliding around, it has a stretch skirt that fits a mattress of up to 20 inches thick, similar to a fitted sheet.
You won’t need to worry about any funky feather smells thanks to the company’s unique Durawash process which ensures the cleanest allergen-free down feathers.
They’re so sure of their product, they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Finally, they source their down and feathers responsibly, which you can see from their Responsible Down Standard certificate.
All in all, a great down feather bed topper!
Bluestone Down & Duck Feather Topper
The Bluestone down and duck featherbed topper is a 100% duck feather topper with a distribution of fill that is 95% feather and 5% down.
It features a baffle box construction to maximize fluffiness and ensure the filling stays evenly distributed so it doesn’t bunch up in annoying places.
It weighs about 9 pounds, is 4 inches thick mattress topper, and the outer encasement is made from 233 thread count 100% cotton.
This topper doesn’t have a skirt or any elastic bands to hold it to the mattress, so it is bound to slip and slide if you don’t use a fitted sheet over it to keep it in place, or a mattress protector with a skirt.
Some customers have complained about feathers poking through.
Our advice to avoid this is to keep fluffing it once a week. Just give it a good shake, then turn it over to the other side until next week. That, plus a fitted sheet over it should prevent you from being poked by sharp little feathers in the middle of the night.
Because it’s 4 inches thick, make sure your current fitted sheets are deep enough to fit over the topper and your mattress.
There were some complaints a few years ago from customers noticing an unpleasant sour odor, but it looks like the company has managed to sort it out and resolve whatever caused it by early 2020.
In my opinion, it’s a great fluffy mattress topper that makes it feel like you are laying on a cloud, it’s just so cushiony and dreamy to sleep on.
One customer described it as “better than sleeping at the Ritz“.
Puredown White Goose Bed Topper Mattress Pad
This is another feather mattress topper that has 2 layers stitched together.
Top layer is filled with 75% natural white goose down. The bottom layer is filled with natural white goose feathers.
And a 100% cotton fabric cover provides a gentle but supportive feeling.
The baffle box construction and double needle stitching prevent the filling from shifting around or bunching up after sleeping on it.
All in all it’s about 4 inches thick.
It comes with elastic bands that attach to the corners of your mattress to hold it in place so you don’t have to worry about it sliding off the bed in the middle of the night if you are an “energetic sleeper”. No judgement, haha!
This topper comes with a Responsible Down Standard certification, meaning you can sleep easy knowing that no feathered friends were hurt for your comfort.
Each part of the product has been expertly selected, cleaned and disinfected, which means the down and feathers should be odorless and lightweight.
However, I think there is a problem with this product at Amazon.
Some customers are receiving mattress toppers with a polyester layer, and others are receiving a topper with 2 layers of goose down/feathers.
Usually this means the manufacturer mixed up their barcodes when they restocked the product at the Amazon warehouses, or maybe at some point, some of their stock really did contain a polyester layer, and they’re trying to sell it on the same Amazon page.
Either way, if you decide to order this (it’s a cheaper product than most of the other products reviewed here) double check that you are getting a topper with 2 layers of goose down and feathers so you can send it back immediately if you receive the wrong product.
Pacific Coast Feather Bed Topper
Pacific Coast Feather Company is a family-owned company that has been around since 1884 and prides themselves on blending old-world European craftsmanship with modern technology and innovations, using only socially-responsible processes and materials to “bring you the fluffiest, longest lasting comforters, pillows, blankets and feather beds”.
They make their feather mattress toppers with resilia feathers imported from Europe.
It’s 4 inches thick, fluffy and puffy, overstuffed and plush, all encased in a 230 thread count, 100% cotton barrier weave fabric to ensure the feathers don’t poke out to stab you in the back in the middle of a sweet dream.
The resilia feathers will gently cushion your pressure points for a deeply restful sleep.
As one customer put it, it’s like “sleeping on a cloud of sweet baby angel tears fallen straight from heaven”.
They also offer a 30 night comfort guarantee, so if you don’t like it, make sure you get in touch with them within 30 days.
They also sell a feather bed cover (think of it like a pillowcase for your topper) if you are worried about keeping it clean.
DOWNCOOL Quilted Down & Feather Bed Mattress Topper
This down and feather mattress topper from Downcool is (at the time of writing anyway) one of the cheapest on offer.
In fact, I have no idea why it’s so cheap.
Down and feather fill is expensive no matter how you farm it.
I do notice they don’t have a Responsible Down Standard certification, which might explain the cheaper prices.
Down and feathers plucked from live birds will be a lot cheaper than sourcing it responsibly by the standards of RDS.
However, I would feel remiss if I didn’t mention it anyway.
Given the price point, it is much more affordable than most feather toppers.
It’s about 2 inches thick, with elastic bands that attach to your mattress corners to prevent it sliding around your bed.
Best of all, if you are worried about hygiene, you can machine wash it yourself and save yourself the expensive dry cleaning fees, not to mention the hassle of taking it off your bed and driving it around in your car.
All you have to do is machine wash it in a gentle cycle, then tumble dry on a low heat.
The company recommends that after receiving and opening it, beat/shake it lightly then leave it in the sun for a few hours to expand the mattress topper to its full shape.
According to the manufacturer, it’s filled with high-quality feather down, the outside cover is made of a soft double cotton flannelette, all designed to make it comfortable, fluffy and thick.
Perfect for sleeping “snuggly sunken into a soft cloud of bliss”.
Great Bay Home Store Down Alternative Featherbed
Best Down Alternative Mattress Topper
Now that you’ve read about the Responsible Down Standard and how duck and geese are subjected to live plucking, you may want to opt for a down alternative featherbed.
This fiberfill mattress topper from Great Bay Home Store is made with down alternative polyfill encased in a 100% premium microfiber shell and it’s about 2 inches thick when fully fluffed.
The topper comes with elastic straps that securely attach to the corners of the mattress, up to an 18 inch thick mattress.
It has a textured top with a gusseted box stitch construction
Featuring cloud-like fluffy box-stitch construction, you’ll find yourself sleeping more soundly and never wanting to leave your bed.
Designed in the USA, it has an OEKO-TEX certification to ensure you don’t have to worry about harmful chemicals.
The down alternative fill has the same softness and bouncy feel of authentic goose and duck down but without the feathers that can poke through like needles, or the negative side effects for allergy sufferers, making it a great hypoallergenic choice.
So if you often find yourself sneezing, with an itchy throat or stuffy nose in the middle of the night, you may well be allergic to real feathers, which make a down alternative filling a safer choice.
Finally, it’s machine washable so you can keep it clean and hygienic, and it comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.
All in all, it’s a great option if you are looking for a microfiber mattress topper.
Editor’s Choice
Our choice today is the Allied Essentials 100% Cotton Down and Goose Featherbed Mattress Topper.
In my opinion, this is perfect if you are a comfy bed snob!
It’s dreamy, pillowy and it feels like you are sleeping in the clouds.
But best of all, they source their down and feathers responsibly, which you can see from their Responsible Down Standard certificate.
I just feel that if you are going to invest in a feather mattress topper, then you should consider where it comes from, and how it was made, and how the animals were treated.
If, after reading this, you decide to go with a synthetic down alternative feather bed topper, the Great Bay Home Store Down Alternative Featherbed is a great choice.
Also check out my reviews for other mattress toppers, like memory foam, etc.