These white Egyptian-cotton sheets from Wamsutta received rave reviews from Real Simple testers for their soft, smooth feel; the way the fitted sheet accommodated deep mattresses; and their like-new appearance after several washings. (Wamsutta Egyptian 250-thread count cotton sheets, $86 for queen set; call 888-926-7888 for store locations.)

Sheets woven of pima or Supima cotton also got good reviews but were significantly more expensive. Sheets woven of upland cotton stood up to washing as well as the premium cotton but received lukewarm reviews for softness.