I believe the sheets with high thread count might be what you want..the higher the count, the silkier the feel and I've never ironed those. They go thru the dryer and even hang outside on the line without ironing. That was something I did only waaaaay back, when sheets were mostly percale that felt like they had been starched. Muslin is a preference of mine. If you live near an outlet mall, there is usually a branded linen store within and they will offer suggestions, as well as giving you an opportunity to "put hands on"

I've gotten several sets from qvc.com & always like them. They fit well & are a good value. If you can catch a set on sale even better. I love flannel or interlock/t-shirt knit sheets in this weather.

I won't buy sheets without feeling them, so I go to stores, not on line.

Percale tend to be harsher. Poly cotton blends tend to be rougher.

The higher thread count will get softer, but too high a count and it won't have any durability. DH put his toes through a high thread count egyptian cotton sheet I got and he won't tolerate them any more...he says he wants sheets like hospitals use that are durable.

BTW, I've never ironed a sheet in my life...they are what they are.

I buy quite a bit from overstock.com. (Not associated, yada,yada) The price is right for me and there are reviews from other shoppers that speak of the virtues and potential pitfalls of each product.

I haven't ironed a sheet since the summer I worked in a hotel laundry mangling sheets. Once the sheet has been stretched across the mattress and slept in, I think the ironing will have been an exercise in futility.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/exalthim/2102127947/

I wish that I had specific model numbers as each type is different, but I like the sheets from Costco and Shop NBC. I'm very picky about my sheets and pillowcases; they need to be smooth and not scratchy but not too silky (hot) either. I hate hot and scratchy which covers almost all sheets. The prices are usually a lot less than other stores offering 400-600 count sheets.