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Jun 30, 2023

Plufl Human Dog Bed review

I consider my two cats my best friends, and because they turn me into the

I consider my two cats my best friends, and because they turn me into the biggest "pick-me girl," I’d do anything for their approval. I meow back at them in their distinct tones of voice, I maintain uncomfortable sleeping positions so long as it accommodates them and I try to be in their line of vision as often as my knees will allow. That's why I was incredibly stoked to test out the Plufl, the world's first human dog bed, as seen on "Shark Tank."

For founders Noah Silverman and Yuki Kinoshita, the idea behind the bed came from all those times they wished they had somewhere cozy to nap on campus. Borrowing the idea from a dog they saw perfectly snuggled up in a coffee shop, they wondered how they could re-create that impromptu nap experience for humans. And so, the 25-pound, 5-foot-7 dog bed was born.

I took the Plufl for a test snooze to find out if it's a worthy investment for your home.

The Plufl claims to be the world's first dog bed for humans, and it does indeed feature 360-degree plush pillow bolsters that provide an unprecedented level of comfort and support that both pets and humans will appreciate.

Think of a dog bed. Now think of a dog bed five times the size to support the weight and size of a human being. That's the Plufl. It uses a memory foam mattress with a gel-infused cooling topper to provide a comfortable napping experience for most sleepers, it has 14-inch bolsters to serve as pillows or armrests and it comes with a machine-washable (!) nontoxic Oeko-Tex polyester vegan fur that’ll likely make every other soft surface in your home pale in comparison.

The design is clearly well thought out too: It features two handles at each end for easy portability as well as a pocket on the side to store your phone, books or other small belongings. While it sits at a massive 68 inches long and 35 inches wide, the Plufl folds in half for easy storage. It's available in two hues, Arctic Grey and Biscuit, that perfectly integrate within most home decor schemes while also disguising pet fur.

The first thing that came out of my mouth when I sat in the Plufl was "I feel like I’m back in my mother's womb." Now, this isn't a sensation I specifically seek out, given that I’ve thrived outside of it for well over 30 years, but it is nice to land on a surprising amount of safety and comfort that you just don't get from a bed or a couch.

Those bolsters — which feature a customizable level of plushness — provide an element of support that's at once emotionally safe and physically satisfying. It's the type of sensation you’d get if you were to create a pillow wall surrounding your back and torso to create proper spine alignment while you sleep without the need for extra bulk.

I don't have enough space to fawn over the fabric, so I’ll keep it brief: It's softer than it looks. I almost felt unworthy of sitting in such a soft space. The fur was evocative of something I felt on a $300 robe that I proceeded to never wear because it was too luxurious. My cats gravitate toward anything even remotely akin to a cardboard box, so I like that this provides a similar lounging experience for them albeit a lot gentler on their delicate skin.

The mattress-grade memory foam, while a little too firm for my personal liking, is completely void of motion transfer, which is a good thing. This means that when I’m moving around in the Plufl, my cats can continue to relax and sleep soundly without any disturbances.

While it's tough to nap anywhere in my home that isn't my bed (my living room doesn't feature blackout curtains, for starters), it does make for a nice alternative lounge chair at the end of a long day. I managed to bang out approximately four hours of administrative tasks while in the Plufl, and felt like one big happy family sharing literal common ground with my cats.

Let's be honest: The average person doesn't have the square footage for a sleeping surface this size if they already have a bed, sofa or existing go-to napping chair. It's a huge flex to be able to say, "Hey, come check out my human-size dog bed," but it's not practical within the scope of the average home. With its highish price tag and overly large size, it gives serious yacht energy, if that's what you’re going for.

While setup was not nearly as gray hair-inducing as, say, building Ikea furniture from scratch, it did take a bit of muscle grease I was not prepared for. I was ready to set it all up in one shot, but I shouldn't have been surprised to find it's recommended you wait 24 hours after unboxing to allow the mattress and bolsters to reach maximum plushness. Once both of those elements were ready to go, it was a bit tricky to line up the bolsters and mattress pad in a way that allowed me to zip the vegan fur cover safely. A few times, the mattress pad's fabric got stuck in the zipper, so I had to carefully unzip the whole thing and redo it. I was lucky enough to solicit help from my husband, but I can foresee it being a challenging task for one person. These are all minor quips, of course, as it's an objectively well-designed item.

The Plufl makes for a great gift or personal investment under a few specific conditions: you have an inordinate amount of extra space in your home, you’ve got around $400 to spare and you want to be one nap closer to experiencing life as your pet. While it's definitely a gimmick in that it isn't the most practical way to spend your money, it does have many elements going for it that are sure to make you and your pet's lives just a little bit cozier and well rested.

At the very least, it gives new meaning to the term "catnap" that the pun enthusiast in me can certainly appreciate.