"According to Consumer Reports, a thread count of 200 is fine; 400 may be softer. But anything above 400 will likely only provide a higher price tag [source: Consumer Reports]."

*So how are counts such as 800 or 1,200, which some manufacturers claim, even possible? How could you fit that many threads into a single inch? The short answer is you can't. "Some manufacturers use creative math to boost thread count," explains Consumer Reports [source: Consumer Reports].

In the spirit of free enterprise and competition, manufacturers battle to calculate their tread counts high, higher and highest. They count not just each thread, but each fiber (called plies) th*at make up each thread. So a single thread might be four plies twisted together; one manufacturer will call that one thread, while another manufacturer will call that four threads.

To untangle this inconsistency, Consumer Reports hired an independent textile lab to count threads in a $280 queen sheet set with a manufacturer-stated thread count of 1,200. The lab counted 416 threads per inch, just 35 percent of what was claimed [source: Consumer Reports].

The Federal Trade Commission even got involved in the fracas, thanks to a request made by the Textile Bedding Committee of the National Textile Association. Bed, Bath & Beyond got sued for misrepresenting thread count and, without admitting any wrongdoing, settled the suit on July 26, 2008, by offering refunds, gift cards and discounts [source: Bed, Bath & Beyond Court Settlement].

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Now that you bought sheets, go buy towels :)

Funny but real.
I am divorced and have been thinking about new sheets as well.
Unfortunately it never hits me to buy when I'm at the store.

They are like wiper blades, you only think about them when you use them

400 thread count from SAMs for me..... Very nice indeed, and not a bad price....

I've never bought sheets as well SmileWavy

Oh... and sheets suck for rags, I get a $5 garbage bag full of "white rags" from my local sally-ann thrift shop. Being the cheap bugger I am I often get a dozen T-shirts out of the rag bag that I wear while wrenching on the cars.
I'm wearing one right now ;)

Beat me to it... 550 count? Pfft... amateur!

We have 1000 at my house...

Not to insult anyone but I don't get the whole "I so proud to be a man who can't take care of myself" thing.

I can cook, clean, do plumbing, carpentry, change the oil in my car... don't need a woman to wipe my butt for me.

YMMV

This explains a lot! I can't tell the diff between my pre-married Target brans sheets and wifeys 1000 TC sheets.

And old sheets make great drop cloths for painting.

Excuse me but I can take care of myself quite effortlessly, I do cook, clean, do plumbing, carpentry, change the oil in my car..... plus I built my shop and our garage, do the grocery shopping, make bread, wash dishes, build chicken coops, plow snow, do my share of homeschooling our kids, take them (and myself) to Karate 3+ times a week, camp, hike, cycle, snowskiing....

It called delegating duties, my wife does more than I do, but shopping for clothes and housewares is some of the chores she chooses to do. The kids have their chores as well.

I do know what you mean though, I have a buddy, he goes to work and cuts the lawn and feels that's the end of his obligation to his family.
His boy just told my boy that real dads don't play with their kids....tad bit of friction and obliviously we don't hang with them much anymore. We now see them once/twice a year and I can't wait to leave, he used to be my best buddy.

i knew more about sheets than my wife..

believe me, i am perfectly happy drying my hands on a series of old tube socks tied into a "towel"..but

i can handle my own business in life..I HATE tv commercials that play men down as idiots when it comes to running a house. i try not to follow any gender lines when it comes to what i should know and not know.

Respect!

Ours are 1200 count. We bought another set on sale @BBB and they were 400. It felt like we were sleeping in wrapping paper.