Ugg Duffield II Robe
Sizes: XXS to 3X | Colors: Fresh Air Heather, Seashell Pink Heather, Seal Heather, Oatmeal Heather, Black Bear Heather | Materials: Exterior weave: 94% cotton, 6% elastane; interior weave: 100% polyester pile
Best for:
- A soft fabric with lots of stretch
- Cozy warmth without bulk
- A wide range of sizes
Skip if:
- You want a full-length robe
A Substantial Double-Knit And Superior Feel
Most plush robes are made from a single layer of bulky polyester. The Ugg Duffield II Robe is unique because it’s double-knit, with a super-stretchy cotton and elastane blend on the exterior, and a supremely soft brushed polyester on the interior. What this means is that you get warmth, lots of stretch and coziness—all factors that make this robe ideal loungewear for grabbing the newspaper from the driveway, snuggling up with a cup of coffee or watching movies on the couch. This robe is also warm without being suffocating. It’s knee length, so it layers well over pajamas, and it allows you to have freedom of movement without getting the robe tangled between your legs when walking. While this style is a shorter length, I found it too warm and not breathable enough to wear while blow-drying my hair.
The Ugg Duffield II is knee length, so it layers well over pajamas, and it allows you to have freedom of movement.
Versatile Fit With A Streamlined Silhouette
This robe is exceptional because in addition to it being plush and warm, the fabric is tightly woven, so it lays flat and is less bulky and frumpy than many thick fleece robes. One of my favorite design details is that the comfy brushed poly interior is carried through to the shawl collar, cuff and inside of the pockets, adding softness to areas that make lots of contact with bare skin. The color contrast of the fabric turnback at the shawl collar and cuffs is a distinctive style upgrade, and the weight of the fabric creates a nice structure, so the style isn’t shapeless.
A unique feature to this robe is that it has on-seam side pockets instead of front patch pockets. While they don’t lay perfectly flat, they hold items like my cellphone and lip balm securely, which is not the case with open patch pockets, where items typically fall out if you bend over. Because the sash tie is made of the same stretchy material as the rest of the robe, it allows you to adjust for a looser or more snug fit, depending on what you’re wearing underneath. I also liked that the texture of the fabric helped it stay put when knotted at the waist, unlike some other robes that had the tendency to easily come untied. While some reviewers said that the sleeves ran long and the robe runs large, I didn’t find that to be the case.
The UGG Duffield II robe has a comfy brushed poly interior on the shawl collar, cuff and inside of the pockets, adding softness to areas that make lots of contact with bare skin.
High Quality Construction And Easy Care
Of the 10 robes I tested, this one was equaled only by the Eberjey Chalet Recycled Plush Robe in terms of the superior quality of its construction. Each seam is meticulously and evenly stitched and reinforced with no loose threading. The elastane in the fabric gave it nice snapback, so it had a comfy stretch—which was particularly welcome on couch-lounging days. At the same time, it helped the robe maintain its shape, so I didn’t look messy even when in full relaxation mode.
When laundered, the Ugg Duffield II Robe maintained its like-new appearance. I washed it in cold water and tumble-dried it on low with similar colors. It came out with no wrinkles or imperfections, making it a welcome low-maintenance wardrobe addition. This style also excels because of the extensive variety of sizing options, from XXS to 3X. I did feel that it fell short in color options, though. While it comes in five colors, they’re all heathered, which is not always a popular color variation.
My Expertise
I’ve been a magazine writer and editor for 20 years, and during that time I’ve covered a wide swath of topics, from health to entertainment to fashion. More recently, I’ve spent much of my time testing lifestyle products—such as slippers, hair straighteners and clothing steamers—to help consumers make more informed decisions when shopping. As a self-described “always cold” person, I jumped at the chance to test robes. When I began working on the best robes story, I first informally surveyed countless friends and read hundreds of product reviews. I also reached out to veterans in various fields, including textiles, sleepwear design, sleepwear sales and spa management: I spoke with Juan P. Hinestroza, professor of fiber science and apparel design at Cornell University; Ilene Nachbar, vice president of design at Vandale Industries; Victoria Vandagriff, former president of Delta Galil USA; Deirdre Strunk, Canyon Ranch senior vice president of wellness clubs and spa operations; and Gelena Oren, former sleepwear buyer at Bloomingdale’s.
How Does It Compare?
The Ugg Duffield II Robe is the robe you reach for to stay warm when you get out of bed on cold mornings and to lounge in on lazy weekends. It is weighty, cozy, wears well over time and has a significantly more streamlined silhouette than most plush robes. My pick for the best value robe, the Quince Organic Turkish Waffle Robe, is ideal for warmer climates, warmer homes or just for when you want to get ready—think doing your makeup and blow-drying your hair—without sweating and overheating. It’s highly absorbent, soft, lightweight and breathable, although it shrinks a bit when washed, and you have to be careful not to snag it.
How I Tested The Best Robes
When testing each robe, I considered criteria such as comfort, warmth, absorbency, construction, maintenance and style. I assigned each robe a rating of soft, medium or rough based on how it felt on my skin and whether it generated any uncomfortable friction. I tested warmth by wearing the robes outside in frigid temperatures—at anywhere from 32 to 40 degrees—to get the newspaper or take my dogs out, and then I gave each one a score of light, medium or heavy. I assessed the fabric’s breathability and determined if I could wear each style without overheating or getting sweaty. I then gave the robe a score of minimally, moderately or highly breathable.
I also gauged absorbency and gave each robe a rating of low, medium or high. I evaluated design details such as collar type, pocket placement and sash type. I observed how the material fared after being washed, and I considered whether the robe was available in a wide variety of sizes and colors.
Do I Need More Than One Robe?
That’s up to you, but in a perfect world, you’d potentially have a warm, plush robe for when you want to be cozy, and an absorbent, lightweight, breathable robe for stepping out of the shower or when blow-drying your hair. A lot of people have one robe they designate for winter months and another that’s intended for summer. If you don’t have a ton of space, a cotton robe is your best bet because it can be weighty, absorbent and breathable if chosen well. “How long your robe lasts really depends on how often you wear it and whether you have more than one, but they should last several years,” says Nachbar.
What Length Of Robe Should I Choose?
In general, robe length is decided by personal preference. Longer mid-calf robes tend to be popular for winter, and knee-length robes are better for summer. “From 38 to 42 inches is the most common robe length,” says Vandagriff. “Long robes are great gifts because they feel substantial, particularly in a weighty, polyester fleece fabric.”
Are “Turkish Cotton” Robes Best?
Turkish cotton is usually long-staple cotton, which means it’s a longer fiber that’s typically softer, stronger and more absorbent than some other types of cotton. However, a robe that’s marketed as “Turkish cotton” may not necessarily be high quality. “Calling something ‘Turkish cotton’ may be just about marketing,” says Hinestroza. “There is little regulation over what information is put on a label. Companies can make claims on the composition of their products without being challenged.”
