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Have you ever eyed your dog snoozing in their soft, faux-fur doughnut or shaggy cuddler bed with envy? We certainly have, which is why we jumped at the chance to review the pet market’s latest trend: human-sized dog beds for your own napping pleasure.
How comfy is a dog bed for humans really? Comfy enough to justify the steep price tag? And what about the brand? The expensive Plufl reigns supreme over the emerging field—but could a cheaper knock-off be just as good? Rover testers investigate.
Plufl Versus Amazon Homguava: Which Is Better?
The Plufl is the creation of college students Noah Silverman and Yuki Kinoshita, whose longing for a cozy nap drove them to create “the world’s first dog bed for humans,” as they told a national audience on ABC’s Shark Tank.
The Plufl, a mashup of the words “plush” and “fluffy,” is a massive, doughnut-style bed with a base nearly 6 feet long and 3 feet wide made to accommodate humans. Soft polyester plush covers an orthopedic foam mattress with a gel-infused memory foam topper, ringed by cotton-stuffed bolsters. At time of writing, a single Plufl retails for $500.
Boston Terrier Olive wonders what all the extra space is for in her new Plufl.
A small collection of dupes have cropped up in the wake of the Plufl’s promising media blitz. The Homguava is Amazon’s most popular alternative. Its slightly larger 6- by 4-foot base is covered in soft faux fur and stuffed with waved foam, while the bolsters are made from “high-resilience” sponge—all priced at $260.
Both the Plufl and the Homguava can be folded in half for transport or storage, have non-slip bottoms and handles, and have removable covers that are machine washable.
| Plufl | Homguava | |
| Price | $500 | $260 |
| Base | 68” x 33” | 72″ x 48″ |
| Cover | Oeko-Tex Certified 100% Polyester Plush Fabric | Faux fur |
| Mattress | Orthopedic foam with a gel-infused cooling air memory foam topper | Whole piece of waved foam |
| Bolsters | Polyester Cotton Stuffing | Sponge, hexagonal memory foam |
| Washing | Machine wash case on cold, hang dry | Machine wash case |
The specs, however, are where the similarities end. The two beds are dramatically different experiences.
Setup is straightforward, but let it breathe
The Plufl is delivered in a large box with all the components in vacuum-sealed bags. You have to open the bags and let the bolsters and base puff up for 24 hours. After that, you can assemble the bed by sliding the bolsters into their slots and zipping the cover around the memory foam base.
Testers Amber (human) and Olive (pup) found setup was a bit of a workout because the fabric fits so snugly over the bolsters and mattress. They decided it’s not the kind of thing you want to have to wash super often (unless you’re ready to break a sweat).
Olive waits for the Plufl to be ready for snoozing.
The Homguava, by contrast, comes fully assembled in a vacuum-sealed bag; you just cut it open, and it’s ready to use.
The Plufl offers wild comfort, and the Homguava lags behind
Both the Plufl’s and the Homguava’s fabrics felt similarly soft and appealing. The size difference initially made the Homguava seem like the more promising cuddler, with its extra foot of fuzzy width, and the spare cover it came with was a big plus. But the experience of laying in the beds saw the Plufl pull way ahead.
The Plufl’s mattress is thick and comfortable, while the Homguava’s is a lot more like, well, a dog bed. Its fluff doesn’t offer much support, and it seemed prone to lumps.
The Homguava comes in a vacuum-sealed bag, ready to go.
The Plufl’s bolsters were firm and supportive, which makes a win of the narrower frame—testers reported that it felt like the bed was “giving you a big hug.” The Homguava, by contrast, has floppy bolsters that don’t offer neck support.
As for washing, the Plufl’s care instructions were straightforward, though Amber emphasized the importance of a cold-water wash and air dry, since you wouldn’t want to shrink the already tight-fitting cover.
After a dog pee incident, testers found the Homguava wasn’t remotely waterproof. It was easier to strip, and the inner mattress dried quickly after a cleaning spray. But the washing and drying process caused the cover to lose a lot of fluff. On the plus side, it didn’t shrink, and it was easy to reapply to the mattress.
Olive isn’t usually a snuggly pup—unless the Plufl is involved.
Think hard about where you’ll put a human dog bed
Transporting both human dog beds was frankly difficult, though the Plufl’s handles held up well for multiple journeys, while the Homguava’s ripped almost immediately.
Both beds were advertised as being able to fold in half for storage, and while this was technically true—and a handy strap on the Plufl helped—it didn’t really reduce their footprint to something you could tuck in anything but a walk-in closet. Both human dog beds are a space commitment.
| Plufl | Homguava | |
| Setup | Takes 24 hours; difficult to stuff into cover | Easy and immediate |
| Mattress | Comfortable and supportive | Thin and lumpy |
| Bolsters | Thick and supportive | Thin, not supportive |
| Washing | Straightforward but some physical labor required to re-stuff | Not water resistant, loses a lot of fluff in washing/drying |
| Storage | Sturdy handles and helpful folding strap, but large footprint is hard to reduce | Weak handles; large footprint is hard to reduce |
So Is a Human Dog Bed Worth It?
As our chief Plufl tester reported, “I’ve essentially stopped using my couch.”
Amber uses the Plufl to watch TV, read, scroll TikTok, and nap. The Plufl has transformed Olive the couch-averse pup into a snuggler and spot stealer. The bolsters reflect heat inward for warm naps with or without blankets, and they render pillows unnecessary.
Amber could wish the Plufl was a little longer so she didn’t have to crook her knees—but it’s still an unparalleled napping experience.
The Plufl is excellent for reading and sleepovers.
“At first, I thought there was no way the Plufl was going to be worth the money, so I was eager to try the half-priced version. But after receiving that, I could immediately tell the quality and comfort of the Plufl were superior. I’ve had friends tell me you can get a good discount for signing up for their text notifications, so that may sweeten the deal! Overall, if you have the money and space for the Plufl, I do recommend it. I have used it non-stop.”
Our in-office testers agree: the Plufl got ten thumbs up from humans and their canine friends, with one tester calling it “an emotional support pillow” and others expressing “pleasant surprise.”
Who will like a human dog bed:
- Dedicated nappers
- Floor loungers
- Sleepover enthusiasts (our tester’s nieces loved these)
- Lovers of weighted blankets, gentle pressure when napping, or bolsters
Who may not like a human dog bed:
- People with limited floor/storage space
- Very tall people
- Those with mobility issues; it can be difficult to get out of the Plufl at times
Final verdict: If you’re in the market, don’t skimp on quality
Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with the Plufl and felt the human dog bed was the invention we didn’t know we needed—and the nap experience we’ve been waiting for. It proved versatile and fun for the whole family, human, kid, and canine alike.
Tad Cooper the Corgi brings keen canine comfort senses to the test.
The cost, however, is steep, especially since our testing made clear that Amazon’s lead dupe can’t really compare to the genuine article. But if you have the space and it’s in your budget, we think a quality human dog bed is a stunningly worthwhile investment.
Check Out the Plufl Check Out the Homguava
