Snowe is a New York-based direct-to-consumer home brand that sells a slew of elevated basics from duvets and bath towels to drinkware and diffusers. When the company launched as a startup in 2015, thanks to NYC residents Rachel Cohen and Andre Modak, it offered just a few products, but it didn’t take long for rave reviews to flow in. Now, years later, the brand is still just as talked about and lots of attention is shown to their All-Season Down Comforter. To see if the comforter was worth the hype, we picked one up to test ourselves. Read on for our full review.
Material and Texture: Feel-good fabrics
If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that Snowe’s comforter isn’t cheaply made. The moment we slipped ours out of its packaging, we noted the softness of the shell, the pliability of the down, and the durability of the seams. The softness is something we really need to touch on here as the shell is made from cotton sateen with a 330 thread count that felt so good against our skin, we were compelled to use the comforter without a duvet cover. The exterior cotton is also OEKO-TEX certified, and the premium French white down is ethically sourced (it’s RDS certified) so the materials don’t just feel good—they’re better for the environment, too. Another thing that makes the Snowe superior to other comforters we’ve owned? The down. For starters, it’s 750 fill power. This measurement is indicative of the fluffiness or loft of down insulation. Fill power generally ranges from 300 on the low end to 900 on the high end, so Snowe is committed to your comfort. Additionally, the down is sectioned off in squares which prevent it from clumping. This not only keeps the insulation even, but it also helps prevent the down from poking through the cotton. While we used the comforter without a duvet cover for a few days in order to enjoy its softness, we do advise using one if you have little ones, pets, or you enjoy eating in bed. The comforter is only available in white, so it is easy to stain. Luckily, each corner of the comforter has tabs where you can tie your cover in place so you don’t have to worry about it migrating each night.
Warmth: Truly all-season
Snowe offers their down comforter in two versions: Lightweight and All-Season. While the former is best for hot sleepers, the latter is ideal for cool sleepers and those who live in colder climates. The all-season comforter is packed with 40 percent more fill than the lightweight and it proved warm enough for us Denverites through the fall and winter months. If you live in New England or the Midwest, you may want to add an extra layer when the weather really turns south, but it can easily handle temperatures in the 30s and 40s. Our household is home to both hot and cool sleepers and neither reported any issues after spending a few weeks with the Snowe. The sateen cotton is cool to the touch and it lets the comforter breathe, so you don’t feel suffocated in the middle of the night. At the same time, though, the feathers do add a layer of insulation that keep you nice and toasty, so you don’t have to worry about cold toes.
Sizes: It’s best to size up
The Snowe All-Season Down Comforter is available in full/queen (94 x 92 inches) and king (108 x 92 inches). While the smaller size is perfect for full beds, we’d recommend going for the king if you have a queen-size mattress. We have a queen bed and while the full/queen fit nicely when it was made, width-wise there just wasn’t enough material for two people to comfortably snuggle up and sleep. Night after night, the lack of give caused a tug-of-war which made us wish we’d gone for the larger size.
Care: Pretty straightforward
Freshening up the Snowe All-Season Down Comforter is as simple as throwing it in your washing machine and setting it to delicate. As far as drying goes, you can tumble it on low for roughly 45 minutes or you can air-dry it. If your comforter has lost some of its fluffiness after a few washes, Snowe also suggests adding a few dryer balls or clean tennis balls to your dryer cycle. That said, you shouldn’t be washing it too frequently—more like every few months—as the process can degrade the down. Instead, try spot cleaning any minor stains and shaking it outside to release dust.
Price: Justifiable
Competition: Lots of direct-to-consumer brands to consider
Brooklinen Down Comforter: In the direct-to-consumer battle, Brooklinen and Snowe go head to head. Like Snowe, Brooklinen offers Lightweight and All-Season down comforters, but they expand their size offerings a bit with twin/twin XL, full/queen, and king/California king options. While their comforter goes for about $50 more, their OEKO-TEX certified cotton sateen shell is slightly higher quality with a 400 thread count and their ethically sourced fill, which comes from a farm in Canada, is comparable with a 700 fill power. You really can’t go wrong with either company’s offering, but if you want to test out each before you decide, you can take advantage of Brooklinen and Snowe’s return policies. Both brands offer their customers ample time to try their comforter before deciding to keep it or return it no questions asked. Buffy Cloud Comforter: If you’re allergic to down or you have ethical objections to it, a down alternative, like Buffy’s Cloud Comforter, could be the answer. Another direct-to-consumer bedding brand, Buffy is just as highly regarded as Snowe, Brooklinen, and the rest. The company’s Cloud Comforter, which goes for $160 for a full/queen, diverges a bit from the pack, though, with a soft eucalyptus shell that’s grown with 10 times less water than cotton, and a recycled fill that’s derived from landfill-bound plastic bottles. The comfort level is just as impressive and if buying eco-friendly products is important to you, it’s a great purchase. Parachute Down Duvet Insert: Parachute contends that its down duvet insert can “transform your bed into a cloud of comfort.” While only you can be the judge of that, the company’s offering does deliver 750 fill power European white down and a soft sateen exterior just like its competitors. Like Snowe’s comforter, baffle boxes are used to keep the down evenly distributed, and like all of the others on our list, the company offers two densities: Lightweight and All-Season. Parachute’s prices are a little higher with the full/queen all-season comforter coming in at $399, but it does come with a 5-year warranty that guarantees against defects in materials and workmanship. Snowe’s All-Season Down Comforter is one of the best on the market. It’s sustainably crafted, soft, and made in America. The cool-to-the-touch comforter is ideal for four-season use as the sateen shell allows it to breathe while the down fill keeps you toasty when you need it. We suggest sizing up if you’re sharing it with a partner, but otherwise, we can’t recommend this comforter enough.
