Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
Learn more about our product testing
Home Reflections sheets slept cool, laundered well, and didn’t rip no matter how hard we tried. The only drawback is the limited style options. Read More
Utopia’s sheet set washed well and didn’t show stains, making it a great value—but be aware the fabric may rip and there are few style options. Read More
Threshold Performance's cotton sheets laundered well—aside from wrinkles—and resist stains. But they tore easily and came in only a few style options. Read More
Mellanni’s microfiber sheets held up in our many laundry cycles and come in dozens of styles, but they sleep quite warm. Read More
Bare Home's microfiber sheets come in a variety of designs for a lower price than many, but they ripped and stained somewhat easily. Read More
For many students, college is their first time navigating the world on their own. While they’ll need all the essentials for a successful semester, college students also should think about their bedding—after all, you can’t pay attention in that early morning chemistry lecture if you’re not getting a good night’s sleep.
We’ve tested the best bed sheets you can buy, but it might not be worth making an investment in premium sheets with a higher thread count to use for a relatively short time. With that in mind, we here at Reviewed tested popular sheet sets to find the best twin XL sheets for a college student.
We designed special lab tests for staining, tearing, and flammability, to recreate the chaos of college life. Our top pick, the QVC Home Reflections Cotton Sheet Set (available at QVC) , delivered shockingly high scores across the board. These twin XL sized sheets will keep students safe and cozy while far from home, which should help everyone rest easy.
QVC's Home Reflections cotton sheets were soft and durable—great for any college student.
Utopia's sheets are soft and durable—great for any college student.
Impermeable, these stain resistant sheets are perfect for those who like to have their ice cream in bed.
If you're looking for microfiber but want guaranteed quality, then don't miss Mellanni.
Sleep cool
Many color and style options
Ripped easily
Some stains remained
Laundered well
Many color and style options
Some staining
Melted from an open flame
Chris knows a thing or two about what college students need. A recent graduate from Tufts University, Chris was a dorm residential assistant for three years, so the ins and outs of both dorm decoration and how college kids behave are quite familiar.
We stained white twin XL sheets with water guns filled with wine and beer.
At our laboratory in Cambridge, Mass., our team of testers and scientists brainstorm new and innovative techniques for testing products. To find the best twin XL sized sheets, they modified our usual tests for sheets to fit the expectations and habits of college students.
Typically, college students cram big loads of laundry into small, coin-operated machines. That’s why, for our tests, we washed and dried the sets on high heat in stuffed machines. That not only emulated the real experience, but gave us data on how the sheets would hold up in the harshest laundry conditions.
We then assessed the sheets for shrinkage, wrinkles, pilling, and overall appearance and quality. We defined the latter by comparing how the sheets looked before and after a laundry cycle—we took any noticeable damage, like pulled threads or holes, into consideration.
We also tested how the sheets fit on a twin XL mattress. To do this, we traveled to Tufts University and occupied one of its dorm rooms for the day. We tried each set of sheets on a twin XL mattress, made the bed, and laid down to get a feel for how it would feel to sleep with the sheets.
To level the playing field for our staining tests, we ordered all of the sheet sets in white. Then our scientists thought about what a college student would be most likely to spill on their bed. Wine and beer were our first picks. Our scientists also decided on pizza grease as another potential stain for dorm bed sheets.
We had a productive work day shooting water guns filled with wine and lukewarm beer at the twin XL sheets, then we smeared pepperoni pizza on the sheets, before washing them with one of the best laundry detergents.
Finally, we put the sheets through multiple ripping and burning tests. To gauge the sheets’ durability against tearing, we measured the force needed before both the edge and the center of the top sheet showed signs of stress and even rips. As for flammability, we employed both lit cigarettes and an open flame so that we could determine whether a set of sheets might singe or catch fire.
We traveled to Tufts University to test if these sheets fit a typical dorm mattress.
Reviewed has tested many types of sheets—cotton percale, sateen, flannel, and linen—but not all of these options come in the specialty size of twin XL. (Be mindful of size when shopping. Twin XL beds, which are often found in dorm rooms, are 80 inches long. That’s 5 inches longer than twin beds, so twin sheets won’t fit them.)
When browsing for twin XL sheets, we found that the most common options are cotton or synthetic microfiber.
Cotton is typically known for being more breathable and soft than synthetic fibers, often made from polyester or nylon. Cotton also tends to shrink, wrinkle, and may hold onto stains even after washing.
Synthetic fibers are often more resistant to damage and tears but are often less breathable. Microfiber used for sheets is a type of synthetic fiber made from polyester that can feel just as soft and smooth as cotton, though microfiber sheets tend to sleep hot.
Some sets use a blend of cotton and polyester in an attempt to offer the best of both worlds—softness and comfort of cotton and durability that comes with a synthetic fiber.
While it’s important to think about what fibers make up dorm-bed sheets, there are other factors to consider. Ask most young adults and they’ll tell you they want their dorm rooms to reflect their personal style, so the available colors and patterns are important. Many twin XL sheet sets come in a variety of designs to accommodate just about any dorm decor, while others may only come in standard colors like white, beige, and pastels.
Finally, there’s the value equation. Many college students (or their parents) may not want to invest in an expensive set of sheets for a dorm room bed. Part of that may be the rarity of twin XL mattresses outside of college—and if a student doesn’t plan to live on campus for longer than a year, it may be best to buy something cheaper but still functional.
Chris Panella is a staff writer covering sleep, style, and other lifestyle areas. Previous bylines include The Daily Beast, Film Cred, Film Daze, and The Tufts Daily.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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