Difference Between Quilt & Comforter

Decorative quilt

Warm bedding helps on cold nights. Choosing the style of covers for your bed comes down to personal preference.
While quilts can be very decorative and often sentimental, they are not always as warm as comforters made of down or with thick padding.
Cost, choices of styles, size and warmth are all factors in choosing a quilt or a comforter.

Uses

Quilts

Comforters are useful as warm bedding, but the thicker ones can be unwieldy on a couch, armchair or porch.
Quilts have many more uses, as they are lighter weight and decorative.
Here are some of the things for which you can use a quilt:
-wall hanging
-blanket for bedding
-blanket around the house or on the porch
-heirloom for a hope chest
-gift for an organization to show solidarity

Warmth

A down-filled comforter is the warmest type for using as a blanket for bed. Other comforters can be very thick, but filled with cotton. If the cotton is matted down and heavier, then the comforter will be warmer than the lighter, fluffier cotton batting.
Quilts are generally less warm. Quilts are thinner, although some are made with a light cotton batting.

Cost

Quilt for a baby

Comforters can be found for less than $100 and ranging up to $500 or more as of 2010. Unique, one-of-a-kind quilts usually cost hundreds of dollars, as they are more labor-intensive. However, inexpensive quilts can be found for less than $100 online, or used.

Style

Decorative quilt

Comforters come in styles to match sheets. There are choices of colors, solid colors, patterns, thickness, and weight.
Quilts are generally a pattern, instead of a solid color. Some quilts repeat a pattern, yet others can depict a scene or picture.

Size

Bedding

Quilts come in all sizes, as well as shapes, because not all quilts are made as a blanket for a bed. If you are buying one for a bed, it might be wise to take measurements of your bed, then bring along a tape measure when shopping or ask for the dimensions of the quilt.
Choices for comforters come in standard bed sizes: twin or single, double, queen, king and California king.

Shopping

If you have in mind what you prefer, then it makes it easier to decide where to shop.
You usually can find comforters in the following places:
-home, bed, bath stores
-major department stores
-garage sales
-online classified listings
-online bedding websites

You can find quilts in the following places:
-antique stores
-craft stores
-flea markets
-County and State Fairs
-craft shows
-boutiques
-online

References

• Calibex.com: Large selection of quilts
• Overstock.com: Variety of comforters