Microwavable stuffed animal or weighted stuffed animal: can you warm one up?

Cold hands on the couch, icy feet under the duvet or just in the mood for something cozy: in winter, lots of people go looking for a microwavable stuffed animal. You warm it up briefly in the microwave and then hold it close. At the same time, you come across the weighted stuffed animal, which looks almost the same but does something completely different.

So what is the difference, which one suits you, and can you actually warm up a weighted stuffed animal too? In this article, you'll read how a microwavable stuffed animal works, how to use it safely, what a weighted stuffed animal gives you and how both can have a place on a cold evening.

What is a microwavable stuffed animal?

A microwavable stuffed animal, also called a heatable plush or a heat pack plush, is a soft toy with a filling that can hold heat. Usually that's grain, such as wheat, or seeds and pits, such as flaxseed or cherry pits. It often contains dried lavender too, so it gives off a soft scent when it's warm.

You warm a heatable plush like this briefly in the microwave, and some models in the oven. How long and at what setting differs per toy. So always follow the manufacturer's instructions. After that, it holds its warmth for a while, often long enough to warm your hands or preheat your bed.

What do people use a microwavable stuffed animal for?

• Cold hands and feet. Holding it for a moment on the couch or placing it at your feet before you go to sleep.
• A cozy feeling. Warmth and a soft scent make a cold evening feel snugger.
• Comfort. Many people simply like the feel of a warm plush against their tummy or neck.
• A fixed ritual. Warm up the plush, make tea, dim the lights: a familiar start to the evening.

So a microwavable stuffed animal can be a great choice if warmth is mainly what you're after. It's a simple, familiar way to fight the cold.

How to warm up a microwavable stuffed animal safely

A microwavable plush is lovely, but heat calls for a little care. Grain and seeds can get hotter than you think, and sometimes hotter at the core than on the outside. With these general tips, you can use it without worry:

• Follow the instructions. Never heat it longer or at a higher setting than the manufacturer states. More time doesn't mean more comfort.
• Feel it first. Check with your hand or the inside of your wrist that it's pleasantly warm before you put it against your skin or on your body.
• Let it cool down first. Don't reheat it until it has cooled down completely, unless the manufacturer says otherwise.
• Don't leave it hot in bed. Don't put a plush that's still hot under the duvet to climb in later, and don't leave it against your skin all night.
• Supervise children. Don't give a heated plush to young children without supervision, and always heat it yourself.
• Stay near the microwave. Don't walk away while it's heating, and switch it off straight away if you smell burning or see smoke.

Do you feel warmth less well in your hands or feet, or do you have sensitive skin? Then be extra careful, and if in doubt, ask your GP or doctor whether heat is a good idea for you.

What is a weighted stuffed animal?

From the outside, a weighted stuffed animal looks like an ordinary plush toy, but it's heavier. A Hugsback weighs 2 kg, is about 45 cm tall and is filled with fine glass beads spread throughout its whole body. That's why it rests firmly on your lap or in your arms and feels like a hug.

This is not about warmth, but about weight. Many people experience that gentle pressure as calming and comforting, for example on the couch after a busy day or at bedtime. A weighted plush toy is not a treatment and doesn't replace care, but it can be a nice moment of calm in your day.

This is not about warmth, but about weight.

Microwavable stuffed animal or weighted stuffed animal: the difference

In photos, they look alike. In use, they're two different things.

• What you feel. A microwavable stuffed animal mainly gives warmth and often a scent. A weighted stuffed animal mainly gives weight and gentle pressure.
• How you use it. You warm up a microwavable plush and use it for as long as it stays warm. A weighted plush toy you simply pick up, as often and for as long as feels good, with no preparation.
• Filling. Grain, seeds and lavender versus glass beads. That filling also determines how you care for it.
• Washing. A microwavable plush with a natural filling usually mustn't get wet; check the label. A Hugsback doesn't go in the washing machine either: you spot clean it with a damp cloth and, if needed, a little mild soapy water.
• Lifespan. A natural filling can dry out or start to smell less fresh after repeated heating. Follow the manufacturer's advice on when it's best to replace it. Glass beads aren't heated, so that doesn't apply there.

You can read how to clean a weighted stuffed animal step by step in cleaning or washing a weighted stuffed animal.

Can you warm up a weighted stuffed animal?

The short answer: no. We advise against warming up a weighted stuffed animal. Don't put a Hugsback in the microwave or the oven, don't put it on the radiator and don't heat it with a hair dryer. It isn't made to hold heat the way a microwavable stuffed animal is. The fabric and the filling are designed for weight and softness, not for heat.

That doesn't mean it stays cold. A weighted stuffed animal absorbs your own body heat, just like any plush toy. Because the weight lets it rest close against you, it feels warm on its own after a few minutes on your lap or in your arms.

How to still get that warm feeling

• Let your body do the work. Put it on your lap or hold it against your tummy. After a few minutes, it has taken on your warmth.
• Tuck it under the duvet in advance. Put your plush in bed while you get ready for the night. Then it feels less cool when you snuggle up to it.
• Keep the warmth beside it. If you want real warmth, use a hot water bottle or microwavable plush next to you, at your feet for example, exactly as the manufacturer of that bottle or plush instructs. Don't place the heat source against or on top of your weighted plush toy to warm it up.
• Dress warmly. Warm socks, a cardigan and a blanket over your legs make more of a difference than you'd think.

You'll find more ideas for cold evenings in a weighted stuffed animal in winter.

A weighted stuffed animal absorbs your own body heat, just like any plush toy.

Which one suits you?

There's no better or worse choice. It depends on what you're looking for.

A microwavable stuffed animal suits you if

• You mainly feel cold. Cold hands, cold feet or a cold bed.
• You love a scent. For you, lavender or another soft scent is part of relaxing.
• You use it briefly. Warm it up, enjoy it for a while, then put it away again.

A weighted stuffed animal suits you if

• You want something substantial to hold. You're looking for the feeling of a hug, not necessarily warmth.
• You want to use it often and without preparation. On the couch, at the table or while falling asleep, in summer too.
• You're looking for a regular moment of calm. After work, after school or when your head is full.

Still torn between weight in the form of a plush or a blanket? Then read weighted stuffed animal vs weighted blanket. By the way, you can use a weighted stuffed animal all year round. You can read how that works on hot days in a weighted stuffed animal in summer.

And for children?

With children, the same applies to both: supervision and common sense. As a parent, you heat a microwavable plush yourself and always feel it first. Our weighted stuffed animals are suitable from age 3. Don't place it on the face or neck, and with children not high up on the chest. Your child must always be able to push it away on their own. You can read more about this in a weighted stuffed animal for your child and in is a weighted stuffed animal safe?

Combining a microwavable stuffed animal and a weighted stuffed animal in winter

You don't have to choose. Many people like to use both in winter, each in its own place. Picture this evening: you warm up your microwavable plush following the instructions, place it at your feet under a blanket and take your weighted stuffed animal on your lap. Warmth below, weight in your arms.

At bedtime, it works the same way. A hot water bottle or microwavable plush at your feet, as long as it's pleasantly warm and not hot, and your weighted plush toy in your arms as you fall asleep. Then place it beside you. That way you get the cozy feeling of warmth and the calm of weight, without ever having to warm up your weighted stuffed animal.

Frequently asked questions

Can I warm up a weighted stuffed animal in the microwave?

No, not a Hugsback. Don't heat it in the oven, on the radiator or with a hair dryer either. It absorbs your body heat on its own.

What's the difference between a microwavable stuffed animal and a weighted stuffed animal?

A microwavable stuffed animal gives warmth and is filled with grain or seeds. A weighted stuffed animal gives weight and gentle pressure, for example with 2 kg of glass beads.

How long does a microwavable stuffed animal need in the microwave?

That differs per plush and per microwave. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions, never heat it longer and feel it first before you use it.

Can I put my weighted stuffed animal against a hot water bottle?

Better not. Use the hot water bottle next to you, at your feet for example, and keep your weighted stuffed animal in your arms.

Can I use a microwavable stuffed animal and a weighted stuffed animal together?

Yes. Warmth at your feet or hands, weight on your lap or in your arms. That way they complement each other.

Finally

A microwavable stuffed animal is lovely if warmth is mainly what you're after, as long as you heat it the way the manufacturer instructs. A weighted stuffed animal gives you something else: a firm, soft hug that warms up on its own from you. Want to know which animal suits you? Then take a look at the 2 kg weighted stuffed animals.