A $500 Dog Bed for Humans? Sounds About Right

livemint.com:

To make their homes as cozy as possible, people are taking inspiration from their lazy pets. Danielle Turchiano has worked from home for years, often on the couch. A few weeks ago, she shifted to an even cushier workspace: a human dog bed.

“It’s been very comfortable and very productive, oddly enough," says Turchiano, a 39-year-old Los Angeles-based public-relations and marketing consultant. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a huge padded oval that looks like a plush life raft. It sits on the floor and is big enough for people to lie in for naps or reading, nearly 6 feet long.

A startup called Plufl started shipping what it calls “the world’s first dog bed for humans" last December. Many cheaper dupes have cropped up on Amazon and elsewhere. This holiday season, Plufl’s $499 flagship topped many a wish list.

Google’s annual holiday 100 roundup, which showcases the top-trending gifts, listed human dog beds alongside Stanley water bottles and smart TVs. Interest in the cozy beds jumped 1,650% in 2023, Google said—not entirely a coincidence since they made their debut in the last month of 2022. Some early Plufl customers were pet parents who wanted a place to cuddle with their four-legged friends, but many buyers keep them as pet-free zones.

“It rose in popularity in part because it’s a brand new way for doting pet owners to fuss over and spend quality time with their furry friends," says Stephanie Horton, senior director of global commerce marketing at Google. Plufl is quickly taking on a Snuggie-like cult stature. It comes in multiple colors, weighs 25 pounds, is machine washable and includes straps for easy transport.