Published on August 10, 2023
This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.
Amazon Basics Satin pillowcase (set of 2)
In addition to its low price, its satin cotton design is good quality, durable and healthy for the skin. What’s more, it’s easy to put on, take off and clean, and guarantees excellent pillow support.
This pillowcase comes in a variety of shapes (square or rectangular), sizes and patterns, fitting perfectly into your bedroom decor. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification indicates that it contains no materials harmful to the body or the environment, and we emphasize its overall good quality for its price. In fact, it’s made entirely of 125 g/m² satin cotton that’s both, light and pleasant to the touch.
It also delivers a little more warmth, but evacuates sweat less quickly. We also noted a slight odor on unpacking, but this disappears with the first wash.
Hygiene-wise, the fabric can be machine-washed at 40°C and ironed, and cleaning doesn’t impact color or fabric quality. The zipper closure ensures that the pillow stays securely in the pillowcase, and during our test, we easily inserted and removed it.
The different pillowcases we tested.
We checked the opening systems.
We judged the quality of the material.
We checked the dimensions.
We checked the compatibility with the pillows.
Blumtal Taie Oreiller Premium (set of 2)
Its sound, good-quality design and easy care promote greater durability. Its many size, color and closure options will suit any pillow.
Available in 6 sizes and a large number of possible colors, this pillowcase features a square or rectangular format suitable for pillows of similar shape. Certified to Oeko-Tex Standard 100, it is made from healthy materials. Made entirely from 120 g/m² brushed microfiber, it always remains smooth and pleasant to the touch, and we appreciate its good overall quality. Indeed, it’s durable, although some seams frayed a little during our test.
On the other hand, we deplore a slight factory smell on unpacking, which disappears, however, on the first wash. As for care, it can be machine-washed at 40°C and ironed (although this isn’t really necessary). After washing, it dries in no time and always retains its color well over time.
For this model, there are 2 closure options, and for some shapes (40×80, 60×60, 80×80 cm) you have a holding envelope, while for others you have a zipped closure. In all cases, the pillow is easy to insert and remove, and is always securely held in the pillowcase.
Pikolin Home Tencel pillowcase (set of 2)
This model acts as both pillowcase and pillow sheet. Despite the noise of its material, it benefits from the best design quality since it is both waterproof and ultra-breathable.
It comes in a multitude of sizes and shapes to cover all types of pillow. Its plain white color complements all comforter covers and bedroom decorations.
Certified to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and composed of Tencel with a waterproof polyurethane layer, it boasts the best design quality of this comparison. In fact, its membrane didn’t let any liquid through during our test, providing perfect protection for our pillow. What’s more, Tencel is an ecological, hypoallergenic, resistant and thermoregulating material. As a result, air circulates well and the pillowcase is ultra-breathable, making it a good option for people who perspire a lot during the night. On the other hand, its major disadvantage is that it proved noisy when we moved, but the first wash helped to alleviate this unpleasant noise a little.
By the way, care-wise, it’s machine washable at 40°C ideally (but you can just as easily wash it at 60°C). However, it can’t be ironed, which is a shame as it tends to wrinkle. Finally, we easily inserted and removed the pillow, and the zipper closure guarantees a good fit in the pillowcase.
Our selection
Our pick, Best cheap Best mid-range Best high-end Amazon Basics Satin pillowcase (set of 2) Blumtal Taie Oreiller Premium (set of 2) Pikolin Home Tencel pillowcase (set of 2) In addition to its low price, its satin cotton design is good quality, durable and healthy for the skin. What's more, it's easy to put on, take off and clean, and guarantees excellent pillow support. Its sound, good-quality design and easy care promote greater durability. Its many size, color and closure options will suit any pillow. This model acts as both pillowcase and pillow sheet. Despite the noise of its material, it benefits from the best design quality since it is both waterproof and ultra-breathable. £ 28.42 on Amazon See the price on Amazon See the price on Amazon
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How did we test?
To begin with, we checked the dimensions, the shape and the color of the pillowcase to check its compatibility with pillows, but also with bed sheets. Next, we looked at the closure system (envelope or zipper, ease of threading, pillow retention in the pillowcase, etc.).
During use, we judged the quality of the material (seam quality, surface softness, thickness, noise when moved, breathability, certifications, etc.). For some of the more expensive pillowcases, we also took into account possible waterproofing.
As far as maintenance is concerned, we followed the cleaning instructions and checked that each model was machine-washable and retained its splendor, quality and color (resistance to fading and shrinking, wrinkling, etc.). Finally, we checked how quickly the pillowcases dried.
How to choose your pillowcase
For the good of your skin or hair, or as a hygienic measure and to combat the proliferation of dust mites, the role of pillowcases is multiple, but its main objective is to protect your pillow because at night, it may be subjected to your perspiration or saliva.
Before listing the criteria to consider when choosing the best pillowcase, let’s take a look at the different materials:
- Cotton: very popular, it’s soft, hypoallergenic, comfortable and lightweight. The tighter the weave, the better the quality.
- Cotton sateen: less durable, it offers higher comfort with an even more pleasant-touch surface and more warmth. Nevertheless, it’s more expensive, more fragile and doesn’t wick away sweat easily.
- Microfiber: compared to cotton, it’s inexpensive and easy to clean as it dries very quickly.
- Polycotton: less environmentally friendly and less expensive, it combines polyester and cotton for a durable, smooth result that dries quickly, but doesn’t wick away perspiration sufficiently. Plus, it generates static electricity.
- Cotton percale: it’s finer, cooler and more comfortable with a very soft feel and a finer, tighter weave that gives it greater resistance. It’s also easier to clean.
- Silk: it has a more luxurious, elegant, shiny and smooth appearance, and is intended to be very soft and breathable to effectively wick away sweat. In fact, it’s the best fabric for a pillowcase. It offers excellent quality and allows you to take better care of your face and hair by moisturizing them.
- Tencel: cheaper and more eco-friendly than silk, it’s just as hardwearing, and is hypoallergenic and thermoregulating.
- Linen: it’s lightweight, breathable, thermoregulating, anti-bacterial, anti-mite and anti-allergic, and has the same ecological benefits as Tencel.
Other criteria are also worth considering:
- The dimensions:These depend on the shape and dimensions of your pillow. Generally, pillows are square, rectangular or elongated. If the pillowcase dimensions are slightly smaller, the pillow will have a puffier effect, while if the pillowcase is slightly larger, the pillow will tend to flatten.
- Care: we recommend washing pillowcases weekly at 60°C. The main thing is that it can be machine-washed, and possibly tumble-dried and ironed.
- The closure system: often a zipper or envelope. Its role is to hold the pillow in place.
- The color: aesthetically, it’s best to match the color of the pillowcases to that of the sheets, but it’s up to you if you want to create a contrasting effect.
Other pillowcases we recommend
Emma Essentials Set of 2 Pillowcases (€10.99 / set of 2 at time of publication): An inexpensive and pleasant pillowcase. Available in several sizes, colors and shapes, this microfiber pillowcase is thin and light, and has a slightly looser weave than others (85 g/m²) but the material felt pleasant to the touch to us and dries quickly. The concealed zipper keeps the pillow securely in the pillowcase, and during our test, we easily slipped it on and off. In terms of care, it can be machine-washed at 40°C, tumble-dried at low temperature and ironed up to 110°C (although it doesn’t wrinkle that much). What’s more, the brand is offering a 30-night trial.
NTBAY Lot of 2 Microfiber Pillowcases (€16.99 / lot of 2 upon publication): Another durable, easy-care option. Sold in a variety of solid colors and in square or rectangular shapes, it’s made entirely of microfiber that’s pleasant to the touch and contains no harmful substances. High-density, we appreciate its good overall quality. Easy-care, it is machine-washable at 30°C and can be dried and ironed at low temperature. The material dries quickly, and the color resists fading thanks to its active, environmentally-friendly dyeing technology. On the other hand, the fabric may not wick sweat well. On the other hand, the zipper closure ensures that the cushion stays securely in the pillowcase, and we easily slipped it on and off.
Amazon Basics Lot of 2 hypoallergenic protective pillowcases (€17.09 / lot of 2 at time of publication): A slim, lightweight model for allergy sufferers. This plain white pillowcase comes in a variety of shapes (square or rectangular) and goes with any fitted sheet. Made entirely from tightly woven cotton, it’s light, comfortable and of good quality, although we found it a little too thin. Hypoallergenic, it is suitable for sensitive skin, asthma sufferers and pet owners, as it prevents the intrusion of dust mites, bed bugs and other allergens. What’s more, it’s one of the easiest to care for, as it can be machine-washed at 60°C, tumble-dried at low temperature and ironed at low temperature too. Equipped with a concealed zipper, it guarantees a good pillow fit and is easy to put on and take off. However, during our test, we deplored the noise of the material during our movements.
Other pillowcases tested
Utopia Bedding Taie Oreiller Microfibre (€10.99 / pack of 4 when published): Available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, this brushed microfiber pillowcase is offered at a mini price. Nevertheless, it attracts pet hair and its seams fray. What’s more, this material doesn’t easily wick away perspiration.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Pillowcases (€17.09 / pack of 2 at time of publication): It comes in several shapes and colors to suit everyone, and cleans easily (machine wash and dry) while retaining its color. Oeko-Tex certified, its soft microfiber fabric tends to retain animal hair and doesn’t wick away sweat quickly. What’s more, some seams come undone and there’s a slight factory smell on unpacking, making its value for money less attractive.
