I tested the $40 Mellanni sheets with over 250,000 5-star Amazon reviews

I love myself some good bedding. Give me a fluffy comforter, a supportive pillow, some luxe sheets — I’m in heaven. After splurging on a set of Cozy Earth sheets nearly a year ago, I realized the effect a good set can have on my sleep. But, as much as I love my Cozy Earth’s, laundry day rolls around every week and I needed to find a worthy backup — in a more accessible price range.

The internet pointed to the much-beloved Mellanni sheets, to the tune of numerous accolades and over 250,000 five-star Amazon reviews. Described as “buttery soft,” my mind began to wonder what it might be like to sleep on a soft pad of butter. Thankfully, the brand sent me some samples of their much-lauded sheets. I distributed the three sets amongst friends, and we immediately got to napping — I mean testing.

The good

True to internet reports, these sheets are soft — I mean, they are darn soft. They are the kind of soft that feels most often reserved for kids’ pajamas. They are made of brushed microfiber so they have a feel that’s almost plush-like. I could see why this aspect won people over. For people who love soft sheets, but don’t love a silky feeling, these fit that narrow niche and will fulfill that sensory desire.

They are also extremely lightweight. That isn’t to say they’re cool (more on that later) but if you’re someone who prefers a thinner sheet, these will win you over.

They also seem to wash well. We’ve only had them for a couple of months but so far so good. I, and my fellow testers, are pleased to report no pilling and the colors seem to hold true.

Those colors, by the way, are plentiful — 44 in all. They range from deep, saturated and maximalist shades to calming pastels, while the prints cover everything from floral to paisley to checks to chevrons. A shopper would be hard-pressed not to find at least one (and likely a few) sets they like. I stuck with the sage green, but my friends, who tested the terracotta and emerald, report the colors holding strong after a number of washings.

The deep-pocket fitted sheet was another winning feature. “We have an issue with sheets riding up due to the mattress protector on our bed,” said a friend/tester. “We don’t have that issue with these.”

The not-so-good

The three of us testers were a bit divided on these sheets. From my perspective, these fall into the “you get what you pay for” camp. My biggest complaint is that they are thin — we’re talking paper thin. I could feel every stitch on my mattress cover through them. If you expect these to last more than a few months, make sure you clip your toenails with meticulous regularity and do not let a cat into your bed.

That said, the other testers felt the lightweight construction was one of the set’s best features. “They’re perfect for spring and summer weather,” said one, while another called them “airy.”

We also found that, while the contact sides of the pillows, the fitted sheet and the top sheet were uncommonly soft, the underside just felt like your run-of-the-mill cheap sheets. As a die-hard a top-sheet devotee, the slippery side of the sheets made my skin crawl — but it didn’t bother the other testers.

The verdict

You’ll be hard-pressed to find $40 sheets that feel as nice as these and, while they aren’t exactly cooling, their lightweight construction does make them a good choice for hot weather. That said, for another $45 you can find truly high-quality sheets for well under $100 that will stand up longer and will feel more luxurious when you’re sleeping on them.

These are fast-fashion sheets, and while I’ll be hanging onto them for my guest room (indeed, Reddit seems to love these sheets for guest houses and Airbnbs) they won’t, unfortunately, be in my regular personal rotation. Conversely, they earned a spot in one of our tester’s “favorite summer sheets” stash.

If you’re looking for a soft, cool and highly affordable set of sheets, you could do worse. But if you want something truly luxurious, you could do better.