Brooklinen Vs Boll & Branch Sheets- I’ve Washed and Slept on Both
I consider myself a sheet expert since I owned a B&B for 13 years. You really get to know the best sheets when you are making 6 beds 7 days a week. I have tried ALL the brands. I’ve tried 100% cotton and linen, but not flannel sheets because it doesn’t get that cold here.
This post isn’t about selling you sheets, I don’t have any affiliate/income at stake. After what I have to say about both brands, I wouldn’t earn much if I did. If you prefer to watch the video click here.
The story behind the bedding brands Brooklinen and Boll and Branch is that they skip the retailer and bring luxury hotel-quality sheets straight to the consumer. But do they really? Yes, they skip the retailer, but I would argue that the quality is no better than MANY sheets that are half the price.
Here’s a quick table to give you all the facts at a glance as of Mid-2023 (or watch a video review here)
Boll and Branch vs Brooklinen | Boll & Branch | Brooklinen |
Percale Queen Set (flat, fitted, 2 pillow cases) | $279 | $143 |
Thread Count Percale | Not available | 270 |
Returns | No restocking fee if returned within 30 days of delivery | 365 day return policy |
Sateen Queen Set | $279 | $159 |
Fitted Sheet Depth | 17 inches (all around elastic fit) | 16 inches |
Brooklinen Sheets Pros and Cons
I’m only talking about cotton sheets in this post, click here to read about linen sheets. Brooklinen has two types of cotton sheets, percale and sateen. A set of queen percale sheets in 2023 start off at $143. Their sheet sets include a fitted sheet, top sheet and 2 pillowcases. The thread count is 270 for percale weave. The same set in sateen weave is $159 and the thread count is 480.
When you unwrap the sateen sheets they feel more like luxury sheets. In truth, I had a set of Brooklinen percale sheets for myself and my son, but ours developed a big hole after two years. These are good sheets for hot sleepers, warmer climates or just during warmer months because they are so light, but they are VERY THIN.
Brooklinen has a 365-day return policy and excellent customer service. I was not able to determine where they are made (seems odd that it’s a mystery).
Pros of Brooklinen sheets:
- They sleep cool
- The envelop closure on the pillow cases is nice
- They come in lots of colors (7) and more limited edition colors and patterns (7)
- They are less expensive than Boll & Branch
Cons of Brooklinen sheets
- They don’t last very long in comparison to other sheets I’ve used. I don’t use bleach or any harsh detergents.
- They are expensive, even without the “middle man”.
Boll & Branch Sheets Pros and Cons
Boll & Branch offers both sateen sheets and percale. They have lots of different colors and patterns. A set of queen percale sheets or sateen sheets in 2023 start off at $279 and includes a fitted sheet, flat sheet and 2 pillowcases. Their signature sheets are called “hemmed” because the flat sheets have a 7″ hem. They don’t disclose the thread count, but that’s not necessarily bad. See more on that below.
Boll & Branch fitted sheets will fit a fairly deep pocket, up to a 17-inch deep mattress. Boll & Branch makes sheets in India, Portugal, and the United States.
Pros of Boll and Branch Sheets
- These sheets have a nice weight to them
- The fitted sheet has elastic all the way around, which makes them really stay on your mattress. The fitted sheet is deeper than Brooklinen by an inch.
Cons of Boll & Branch Sheets
- Not worth the price. I’ve purchased percale sets at a much more affordable price that were just as nice.
- Limited colors (seven choices).
What is The Difference Between Percale and Sateen?
Sheet manufacturers usually have two types of sheets that are 100% cotton. These are percale and sateen.
- Classic percale sheets have a crisp feel and are described as airy and cool. The real difference is usually thickness and the weave. Percale sheets are thinner with a looser weave. This makes them feel lighter and they typically have a lower thread count.
- Sateen is described as cozy and buttery. The sateen weave is tighter which makes them heavier with a silky feel. They are soft sheets vs crisp.
Both types of cotton are high quality, it just depends on your personal preference.
Is Higher Thread Count Better?
Thread count used to be the one thing that everyone used to measure sheets, In theory a higher thread count denotes more luxurious sheets. That number has become less relevant because thread counts got SOOO high that they seem suspicious. Is that even possible?
The higher the thread count, the denser the material. This ISN”T a good thing for a warm sleeper. Percale sheets will always have a lower thread count. Additionally, if the thread count is higher than 500, it is often not true.
Multi-ply construction (two fabrics one over the other) can be used to make lower quality cotton stronger. Effectively, a really high thread count can actually mean a lower quality sheet.
What is OEKO-TEX or Certi-PUR?
Oeko-Tex certification is a certification manufacturers can get if they meet certain criteria. Sheets that have an Oeko-Tex label “have been tested for harmful substances and which are thus safe from a human-ecological perspective”. The label also means that “textiles which have been tested for harmful substances and also manufactured under sustainable working conditions”.
Brooklinen and Boll & Branch sheets both have this label. But, many companies get this certification, including inexpensive sheets that are sold on Amazon.
How to Care for Boll & Branch Sheets (or any brand)
The best way to care for sheets is to wash them on cold and tumble dry on low.
In my experience washing six sets of sheets a day at the B&B, they get much cleaner if you wash only one set per load. Your washer and dryer might hold more, but they don’t get as clean and they are more wrinkly.
The biggest key to avoiding wrinkles is to get them out of the dryer immediately.
Conclusion
To answer the question of Brooklinen vs Boll and Branch? If I had to choose I prefer Brooklinen’s percale sheet set. They are better if you live in a climate that gets hot.
However, I think there are sheets that are almost as good at a much lower price point. These two sheets are more expensive because they have large advertising budgets which is why so many influencers push them. It’s not because necessarily that they are higher quality.
Sheets Comparable to Boll And Branch (but cheaper)?
I recently purchased a set of California Design Den (not an affiliate link) sateen sheets at a reasonable price in fact, half the price of Boll and Branch. This brand is a great Boll and Branch dupe. They felt every bit as good and had the same certification, thread count, etc.
If you prefer percale, check out Sleep Mantra’s (not an affiliate link) sheet sets. They also have all the same organic designations and thread count at a much lower price. I didn’t provide links because I want to provide my unbiased opinion.
Before you go, you might be interested in the best non-toxic way to get white sheets white again.
Sometimes if you HEAR a lot about a brand it’s because they are paying for lots of advertising, but not always because the quality is better.
Okay…I still don’t know which sheets I want!
Thanks so much for an honest opinion – didn’t realize that’s why other influencers keep on pushing the two brands. Looks like they’re just not worth it.
You said you don’t have any affiliate income at stake and yet you recommend the ones from amazon where you do have affiliate income at stake. This seems very dishonest.
Andrew,
I see your point I might make $1.50 on someone buying the sheets that I like from Amazon. But here’s the difference, affiliate relationships that influencers have direct with retailers like Brooklinen and Boll & Branch are a much higher percentage, sometimes 10-20% of the purchase price.
This helps you to see that someone is more likely to recommend sheets where they will make $25 off each purchase vs what Amazon pays. I have actually purchased sheets from all of the brands that I mention, no one sponsored the post. I wanted to point out that there’s a reason people are recommending these two brands so vigorously vs the more affordable ones. It’s not quality in my opinion.
Andrea