13.5 Tog Duvet UK: Choosing a Winter Duvet

Jun 3, 2026 / Oct 5, 2026 · 7 min read · togs bedding duvet tog-rating uk ·

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Is a 13.5 tog duvet warm enough for a British winter?

For most people, yes. Which?, which tests duvets with a panel of 40 testers, says a tog of 10.5 to 15 is better for winter, and that "while 15 is the maximum, most people find that a 13.5 tog duvet is warm enough for British winters." Primark gives the same answer in its tog guide: "The best duvet for staving off chills in winter is a 13.5 tog."

So 13.5 is the usual winter choice. It is not the whole decision, though. The tog fixes the warmth; the filling decides the weight, the feel, the washing and the price. This guide covers what the 13.5 rating means, who it suits, how the fillings compare, and what UK retailers were charging when we checked on 5 October 2026.

What 13.5 tog means on the label

A tog is a measure of thermal resistance: how well a duvet slows the loss of body heat. The unit was developed in 1946 by the Shirley Institute in Manchester, according to Wikipedia, and British duvets are sold "in steps of 1.5 tog from 3.0 tog (summer) to 16.5 tog (extra-warm)." Wikipedia puts the winter band at 12.0 to 13.5 tog.

The UK retailers draw the bands slightly differently:

Source	Winter band	What it says about 13.5
Argos	12 to 15 tog	For "cold sleepers, cooler bedrooms"
Marks & Spencer	12 to 15 tog	"One of the warmest options"
Primark	12, 13.5 and 15	"The best duvet for staving off chills in winter"
Wikipedia	12.0 to 13.5 tog	Top of the winter band

Two cautions apply to every 13.5 tog duvet. First, the number on the packet is a floor, not an exact figure. Bensons for Beds says "the tog rating stated on packaging is generally a minimum, meaning that the duvet inside could, in fact, have a rating of up to three togs higher," and Wikipedia says the same. Second, the tog says nothing about weight. Marks & Spencer puts it plainly: "Weight and thickness don't have a direct correlation – a thin duvet can have a higher tog rating depending on the filling."

Who a 13.5 tog duvet suits

The sources agree that the right tog depends on your room and on you. Primark says "the right tog value for you depends on the temperature of the room you're sleeping in and how warm you like to feel." Argos aims the 12 to 15 band at "cold sleepers and cold bedrooms."

Bensons, the bed retailer, says that for most of the UK "a duvet of somewhere between 10.5 and 13.5 tog is the go-to." It also notes the catch: "a 13.5 tog duvet can be difficult to live with in the height of summer when temperatures can suddenly shoot up to 30°C or even more." Its advice for older relatives is worth knowing too. It says elderly people "are more susceptible to the cold" and "may need a warmer duvet than the rest of us", but may not have the strength to manage a heavy one, so it recommends choosing "the lightest weight quilt you can find for the tog you need."

If your bedroom stays warm overnight, Primark's point is that "a 10.5 tog is classed as a year-round duvet option, so 13.5 is a cosier choice." Our 10.5 tog all-season guide covers the lighter option, and the tog rating chart by season sets out the full scale.

Fillings compared at 13.5 tog

Which? sets out the trade-offs between the main fillings. Its summary, in its own words:

Filling	Pros (Which?)	Cons (Which?)
Synthetic (hollowfibre)	"Sometimes cheaper", machine washable, some hypoallergenic	"Typically last up to five years"; "fillings can clump together"
Feather and down	"Retain heat, prevent overheating, last longer than synthetics if cared for properly"	"Can be more expensive than synthetic", some people are allergic to the filling
Microfibre	"Lightweight and soft", often cheaper than down	"Don't regulate heat"
Wool	"Resistant to common allergens such as dust mites"	"Can be expensive", needs washing "gently at a low temperature"

The comfort finding is the one that surprises people. Which? says "the best synthetic duvets in our test scored just as highly for comfort as feather and down options, and in some cases surpassed them."

Weight is the practical difference at 13.5 tog. Primark explains that "synthetic fillings often require more material to match the insulation of a down duvet," which makes them heavier at the same tog. Which? weighed the king-size duvets it tested, and its published list shows how wide the range is at 13.5:

Argos Habitat Supersoft Washable 13.5 Tog (synthetic): 2.9kg
Silentnight Duck Feather and Down, 13.5 tog: 3.5kg
John Lewis Ultimate Down Alternative, 13.5 tog: 3.6kg
Fogarty White Duck Feather and Down 13.5 Tog: 4.18kg

Which? also notes that microfibre is "one of the lightest and most supple fillings, meaning even a 14-tog microfibre duvet will feel light." If you like the warmth of 13.5 but not the weight, that is the filling to look at.

Allergies and washing

For allergy sufferers, Which? separates two labels. "Hypoallergenic" means the filling is not made of known allergens such as feathers or wool, but dust mites "can still develop." "Anti-allergy" means the filling and casing "will have been treated to resist and combat the development of dust mites." Whichever you buy, Which? says dust mites are killed "by washing at temperatures of 60°C or above", so check the care label before you choose.

On washing in general, Which? says most duvets, including all the ones it tested, can be washed at home, and recommends doing it "once or twice a year." Silentnight recommends washing a duvet "every 6-12 months", and adds that "larger or heavier duvets may require commercial cleaning." A heavy 13.5 tog king-size is the case it means, so check the care label and your machine's drum before you buy.

The all-seasons alternative: 4.5 + 9 tog

Many 13.5 tog duvets are sold as two duvets that clip together. Which? describes the usual set as "one light duvet (usually about 4.5 tog) and one heavier one (usually about 9 tog)": the light one for summer, the heavier one for spring and autumn, and both combined in winter for 13.5. Which? says these sets "often cost a bit more upfront" but are "usually cheaper than buying separate summer and winter duvets."

The trade-off is weight. In Which?'s list, the combined all-seasons sets weigh more than the single 13.5 tog duvets: 3.87kg for the John Lewis Synthetic Soft Touch Washable 3-in-1, and between 5.3kg and 5.94kg for the feather and down sets it lists. If you want one duvet for the whole year and don't mind a heavier winter combination, a set is good value. For a summer duvet on its own, the light half of a set does the job.

13.5 or 15 tog?

Which? calls 15 the maximum for winter and says most people find 13.5 warm enough. Since the label is a minimum and a 13.5 can come in up to three togs higher, a 15 tog is a choice for very cold rooms or very cold sleepers rather than the default. Our 13.5 vs 15 tog comparison goes into that decision in more detail.

What 13.5 tog duvets cost

Prices for king, double and single sizes vary across each listing. These were the listed price ranges for 13.5 tog duvets at two UK retailers when we checked on 5 October 2026:

Retailer	13.5 tog duvet	Price range
John Lewis	Synthetic Soft Touch Washable	£35 to £65
John Lewis	Natural Duck Feather and Down	£55 to £95
John Lewis	Natural Collection Hungarian Goose Down	£220 to £400
John Lewis	Silentnight Luxury Hotel Collection	£36 to £50
Dunelm	Fogarty Superfull 13.5 Tog Winter Duvet	£34 to £46

Which? notes that duvets in general can cost "as little as £20" or "more than £700", depending on filling, tog and size. Prices change often, so check the retailer before you buy.

Where to buy

Dunelm listed 181 duvets when we checked, with filters for tog (13.5 is one of them), filling and size. John Lewis sells its own synthetic, duck and goose down ranges at 13.5 tog, plus 3-in-1 sets. Argos links its 13.5 to 18 tog range from its duvet guide, and Primark sells 13.5 tog Super Soft duvets in single and double. Marks & Spencer has a 13.5 tog section, including its All Seasons 3-in-1.

For brand comparisons, see our Silentnight vs Slumberdown and Dunelm duvet review posts.