This $35 Amazon Sheet Set Is So Soft, It Made Me Want To Shave My Legs

Never once have I owned a sheet set that was so plush, it made me want to shave my legs. That sensation of buttery soft limbs skating across crisp clean linens is one for the books — but it was never grand enough to motivate me to whip out a razor. (There are very few things that do!) That is until the Mellanni Hotel Luxury 1800 queen sheets I ordered off of Amazon for $35 arrived at my door, effortlessly floated over my Serta mattress, and swaddled my body like a gentle cloud.

For the past few months, we professional internet dwellers (aka the R29 Shopping team) have been doing our best Tyra Banks impersonations and scouting out Amazon's next top viral products. And, with 246,397 global reviews and a 4.5 out of 5-star rating on Amazon, this best-selling four-piece microfiber sheet set got us to do a double-take. At under $50, it seemed like the average cheap set that you buy for college. At first feel, however, I realized this mysterious bedding I found in the wilds of Amazon was softer than the $100 set that I bought from a bougie retailer. After sleeping in them, I was already dreaming of buying a second set in another color. Below, read my full review of Mellanni's softest sheet set on Amazon and find out what the global hype is really all about.

Before we delve into what makes Mellanni's products so, "soft, silky, smooth, [and] flowing," according to Amazon reviewer, WayneChicago, let's discuss what to look for in a worthwhile sheet set. For many shoppers, thread count reigns supreme. Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch, and, thanks to marketing, we've all been trained to believe higher thread count = better sheets. But according to experts at HGTV, "astronomical thread counts don't necessarily mean the sheet is better, " and shoppers shouldn't "assume a low thread count means low-quality sheets." Thread count also doesn't translate to microfiber, which is an incredibly fine synthetic thread. (Thinner than silk!) Some microfiber sheets are advertised with a thread count equivalent based on the hand-feel of cotton sheets (so it might feel like an 800 thread count cotton sheet) but in the end, that can only tell you so much. Quality of production and materials matter way more. So if you have a good set of cotton sheets, linen sheets, and microfiber sheets, the question isn't what is better, it's what kind of sleep experience you're looking for. Organic cotton is best for classic, crisp sheets, microfiber for a satiny-soft experience that's also affordable, and linen for breathability. The last thing to be mindful of is depth. In addition to size (full, queen, king, etc.) it's also important to know the thickness of your mattress to avoid the annoying unfitted fitted sheet phenomenon.

So how do these sheets measure up? Entering the ring with an unbelievably affordable price tag, Mellanni's sheets are a worthy contender for a better night's sleep. They disprove any negative connotation surrounding "synthetic" and "microfiber" fabric (i.e. cheap, stuffy, and flimsy). That's because microfiber's teeny, tiny threads make the sheets ultra-smooth and lustrous, like easy-to-care-for silk. My freshly shaved legs skated across my sheets sans irritation and without any notable temperature flare-ups the entire week I slept upon them. Even better, prior to placing them on my bed, I threw them in the wash (my set did have an interesting chemical smell to them) — fresh out of the dryer they were just as soft, doused in my lovely laundry detergent, and still in mint condition. In fact, microfiber sheets generally get softer the more you wash them.

That super-fine fabric weave does come with one trade-off: breathability. The not-so-happy-customer minority (only 3% of reviewers gave one star) accuse these sheets of being, "the hottest sheets [they] have ever slept under." Microfiber might not be the fabric for you if you like a crisp, cool experience rather than a soft and cozy one. But, luckily, Mellanni just recently launched a brand new 400 thread count 100% organic cotton sheet set in response to these critiques. The brand was nice enough to let me test these out too, and I believe they solve most customer's number one complaint: heat.

Rather than a snuggly experience, the Mellanni 400 Thread Count Cotton Cooling Sheet set is a utilitarian approach to a good night's sleep — no body heat was accumulated, no extra coziness was provided, and I woke up feeling well-rested. I personally favor the soft microfiber fabrics that currently rest on my bed, but for sweaty sleepers looking for an affordable and refreshing escape, the organic cotton sounds like a hottie's dream come true.

Out of all the sheets, I've dipped my toes into (Pact, Brooklyn Bedding, Target, etc.), Mellanni's microfiber ones are by far the softest. "Buttery" is the best way to describe the texture from my experience. If you want a more expressive description, Amazon reviewer Jonathan Henry claims these sheets are, "...so unbelievably soft it's as if you're sleeping on a giant puppy." There's also apparently no detail too small for its super fans to revel in. Another reviewer who has been, "...struggling with fitted bedsheets [her] entire life," demands everyone take note of "one life-changing feature these sheets have: they are striped, and the stripes always go from the head to the foot of the bed."

The next time you have freshly shaved legs just itching to *swoosh* across some cozy sheets or when you simply want the ultimate snuggly experience for under $50, make sure you have at least one Mellanni microfiber set in your closet.