Let’s just say, the eyes can be deceiving…
Endless research has proven that weighted blankets are a tremendous asset when it comes to easing anxiety, stress, and a slew of other diagnosable conditions including…
- ADHD
- OCD
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Fibromyalgia
- RLS
By triggering pressure points, weighted blankets prompt the release of serotonin (the happy hormone, precursor to melatonin) and a subsequent decrease in cortisol (the stress hormone). These effects are sound and technical, but their initiation couldn’t be easier—all we have to do is snuggle up with a weighted blanket!

The only question left, then, is “Which weighted blanket?”. We’re here to help.
Meet the Contenders
Our team has kept up with Bearaby for several years now. The brand started with its legendary weighted Napper blanket, but has since expanded to plush weighted stuffed animals, whimsical engaging Hugget pillows, a therapeutic Warmables collection, and more.
Bearaby was founded by Kathrin Hamm in 2018 after she had a borderline euphoric nap under a weighted blanket. Since then, Bearaby weighted blankets have been praised by celebrities (e.g. Olivia Rodrigo and Mindy Kaling) and publications (i.e. New York Times and Women’s Health) alike for their impressive functionality, aesthetic design, and sustainable production methods.
Next, we have Nuzzie. In addition to three varieties of their Weighted Blankets, Nuzzie also sells a robe, sheets, and pillows. Much like Bearaby, this team promises to provide a high-quality, soothing experience with weighted blankets that are both beautiful and eco-friendly. While Nuzzie’s product offerings are limited in comparison to Bearaby, their weighted blanket size/weight range aligns closely with Bearaby’s.

After some research, we decided to order Bearaby’s best-selling weighted Cotton Napper in Driftwood (20lb) and Nuzzie’s Knit Weighted Blanket in Marigold (22lb). Comparable weights and colors allowed our team to focus on comparing what we like to call “The Big 4”: quality of materials, feel, price, and customer experience.
Materials: Bearaby (100% Organic Cotton)
What’s in a blanket? Depends on who’s making it. True to its name, the Bearaby Cotton Napper is made with 100% organic long-staple (read: softer and more durable) cotton. The caliber of Bearaby’s material is confirmed by the extensive industry standards it meets, including GOTS-Certification (Global Organic Textile Standard) and the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Organic Content Standard. Bearaby cotton is also Fairtrade International Certified, farmed using 90% less water than traditional cotton, and free of harmful chemicals, pesticides, synthetics, and artificial softeners.

As for Nuzzie, the blanket’s “shell” and “filling” are made from slightly different materials: jersey polyester and 100% recycled polyester, respectively. (It’s worth noting that Bearaby uses no filling at all, so their entire blanket is constructed of 100% cotton). Nuzzie claims that each Knit Weighted Blanket recycles roughly 500 plastic water bottles that would’ve otherwise ended up polluting the world (and oceans). Impressive! Then, we dove deeper…
Pros? Nuzzie’s polyester is hypoallergenic and gives new life to old plastic. The cons? Unfortunately, polyester is a synthetic material known to shed microplastic fibers when worn and washed. This means that, with the Nuzzie route, the very same plastic that’s rescued from a harmful fate is redistributed back into the environment.
Curiously, a 2024 study found that recycled polyester releases more microplastic fibers than virgin polyester. Finally, and perhaps scariest of all, microplastics from oceans have been traced to various foods and beverages including bottled water, tap water, and beer.

Although both brands intend to serve the environment, the inevitably contaminating effects of Nuzzie’s polyester ultimately got them second place in this category. For that reason, Bearaby stole this category, too.
Winner: Bearaby
Feel: Bearaby
At first touch/lift both blankets have some serious, unrelenting heft. Curiously, the structure of the Nuzzie blanket made it appear as though the blanket was too heavy for its own good, sagging tremendously whenever it was lifted. Slightly thinner loops of fabric made Nuzzie’s blanket feel more delicate and less sturdy, whereas Bearaby’s thick knit loops were resistant to being thrown around.
Although the Bearaby Cotton Napper and Nuzzie Knit Weighted Blanket both feature what appears to be the same knit design, we found out that Bearaby’s is a patented, proprietary pattern. It felt very noteworthy that Bearaby’s approach to “knit” was met with such enthusiasm that they had to stake a permanent claim over the innovation (!) to avoid copycats.

Bearaby’s cotton is prewashed for extra softness, so it’s got the same appeal as a hearty vintage T-shirt that’s been broken in for you. Remember feeling a shirt at Forever 21 and knowing with absolute certainty that within a month it would be covered in pills, unrecognizable? That’s the impression Nuzzie’s Knit Weighted Blanket gave us. The kind of soft that doesn’t last. The combination of strength/durability and long-lasting softness ultimately led us to crown Bearaby the winner of this category.
Winner: Bearaby
Price: Bearaby
We’re all thinking it: just how much is a reasonable amount of money to put forth for a quality weighted blanket? The Bearaby Cotton Napper ranges from $199 to $299 in price. Nuzzie’s Knit Weighted Blanket, on the other hand, starts at $199 and ends at $359. In particular, the blankets we tried cost $279 and $334, respectively.
No beating around the bush here. The less we pay, the happier we are! Bearaby nagged this category. Although, as they say, you (usually) get what you pay for…
Winner: Bearaby
Customer Experience: Bearaby
Four words that bring us immense joy: free returns and exchanges. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to both blankets at hand… just Nuzzie. Bearaby asks a small fee for returns depending on the item you’re sending back. That said, both brands offer free shipping (score).
In terms of convenience, both blankets are machine washable and dryable, although Nuzzie warns that pilling is likely to occur on their Knit Weighted Blankets. (Spot-cleaning or dry-cleaning are ideal to avoid this outcome). The idea of a recurring cleaning bill on top of the initial investment of a weighted blanket doesn’t sound particularly favorable, though…
What this customer experience comes down to is how well each blanket delivers on its promise of relieving stress. We compiled our own reactions to the blankets and cross-referenced the content (and volume) of reviews. Fun Fact: the Nuzzie website boasts 1000+ reviews, whereas Bearaby cites 300,00+ happy customers. Good to know…

Between the significant disparity between # of happy customers at each brand and the long-term maintenance options, we decided Bearaby made the most sense for this category winner.
Winner: Bearaby
In Conclusion, We’re Team Bearaby
If you know The Get Well, you know that when we compare two products, landslide wins are very, very rare. But this round, the deeper we got into our well of research, the more clarity we found. Between two companies with apparent overlaps in both mission and product, one repeatedly proved itself to be the comfiest, safest, and most responsible choice. At a lower price than Nuzzie, our final conclusion became increasingly clear: Bearaby’s Cotton Weighted Blanket is our top pick.
We aren’t the only ones who think so, either. Bearaby has won multiple Red Dot Design Awards, the Fast Company Innovation By Design Award, and was named the Sleep Foundation’s top choice for weighted blankets in 2025. Quite the list of accolades, huh? If you’re on the fence, remember that Bearaby does offer returns. It costs a small fee, but we’re betting a return won’t be necessary anyway.