Practically every television viewer in the United States has seen infomercials and advertisements for the Snuggie, but many wonder if it is really worth the money. The commercials and other marketing efforts have done a fantastic job of portraying the product as the next greatest thing since sliced bread. Although the product is simply a blanket with sleeves, the company claims that they have sold thousands across the country. Before getting caught up in all the hype and deciding to purchase their own Snuggie, a wise consumer needs to be aware of several things.
The Snuggie is made of very thin material, and as a result it is really not suitable for use outdoors. Although it is uses fairly comfortable fleece, it simply is not very warm even when used inside. There is no back to it, so it really is quite difficult to keep it from slipping off one’s shoulders. The sleeves are really too long, which makes it no more useful than a blanket.
The Snuggie’s fairly small size is not acceptable for an adult, but they do effectively cover a child. In fact, the target market of the Snuggie should be children. The ability to truly snuggle up inside the Snuggie is a feat that could only be mastered by someone of a very small stature.
The durability of the Snuggie is nothing to be proud of, and it truly is not machine washable. Although the company claims that it can simply be thrown in the washing machine, it really isn’t designed for it. After a brief stint in the dryer, the Snuggie was plagued with fuzzy balls and it lost it’s softness. The colors fade very quickly, so it’s a good thing that it is intended to be used inside where others can’t see the horrible hue that is created.
The idea behind the Snuggie is still one that could definitely be capitalized upon, and proper product development could yield an amazing end result. The Snuggie can easily be replaced by a blanket or a bathrobe, and either would be more effective in achieving the intended purpose. The money spent on a Snuggie is basically a waste, and there are far better products to purchase. In fact, there are many other companies that have offered similar items for a number of years. An individual could actually make a more usable Snuggie with very little effort, and it would be a whole lot less expensive.
