So some people (like my mom) will definitely think me insane for spending $250 on a set of 4 cushions. But I have to say the Nugget, a kids play couch, has been one of my best purchases this year (and incidentally made my “top 10 favorite things I’ve ever blogged about” post from last week). But what’s so great about these cushions you ask?

For starters, they’re made in North Carolina. It’s nice to know that these are all made in the USA and that their workers are paid a fair wage (the Nugget company stands with the Orange County Living Wage organization). So yes these cushions are expensive cushions but you’re supporting a living wage for Americans. And by purchasing USA made products you are helping to limit the carbon footprint by not shipping from overseas.

I also appreciate that these cushions are made with low-VOC foam so you know your child isn’t inhaling any harmful off-gassing if you happen to unbox it right in front of them (and if you do, you know they’re going to be jumping on it a minute later). But if possible, I feel like you might want to open them up at night while they’re sleeping so that you give the cushions time to expand to their full cushiness. I love that these cushions are well-designed in that all the zippers are rounded, so there won’t be any scratches or injury if your kid happens to fall on them. Also all the covers are easily machine washable.

The Nugget comes with 4 cushions: 2 triangle bolsters, one thinner softer mattress and one thicker denser mattress. I was especially impressed with the sturdiness of the thicker mattress and it feels like a really nice foam bed. It’s so nice I’ve fallen asleep on it quite a few times lol. The 4 seemingly simple pieces are really the key in making the Nugget such a great play couch. I’ve looked at other cheaper alternatives and they don’t compare because you can’t get the same versatility. The dupes usually have a different configuration of smaller cushions and you can’t quite get the same combos. So the dupes are usually stuck to a much more limited number of configurations.

But best of all I love the Nugget because it provides hours of fun play time for Emi. It had been especially crucial during the early days of the pandemic when all the playgrounds were shut down. And even now, there are no kid gyms open, so this is the closest thing to that she can play on. These cushions were also essential during the month-long wildfires and smoke we had in the Bay Area, and it made staying at home all day, every day definitely more bearable. There are so many ways to set-up the Nugget that you’re really just limited by your imagination. And when you do run out of ideas, hop on over to their Instagram to get fresh inspiration.

The one negative thing I would say about this play couch is that the micro-suede-like covers pick up dog hair like crazy. And so it was definitely a bad idea for us to get it in black since you can see every single hair (and we don’t even let the dogs on the Nugget so it’s mostly transferred off of Emi’s or our clothing). It doesn’t bother me too much now, but if I wanted to I could purchase an extra set of covers for $100 more.

We foresee using the Nugget for years and years to come. Our friends got their Nugget almost 4 years ago with their first kid (and that’s where we found out about it), and their 4 year old still plays on it frequently. And even after Emi’s no longer a little kid, the Nugget still makes for a great makeshift bed (as long as you’re on the petite side). This will also probably come in handy for future tween sleepovers (I plan to keep this forever lol). So yes, this is quite a pricey set of cushions but I think it’s 100% worth it. Unfortunately it is so popular these days that you have to enter a lottery to get a chance to purchase. Currently the registration for the lotto is closed but you can find the next open registration window and more information about it here.

Anyone else get the Nugget and what did you think?

P.S. If you want to learn more, here’s a recent LA Times article about the Nugget.

{November 2021 Update: Our love for the Nugget is still going strong and we are sitting on it pretty much everyday. It’s become Emi’s favorite spot just to chill. We’ve also convinced numerous friend to get it and they love theirs too. But I’m just adding this update today because I wanted to add Nugget’s 2021 Impact Report (and wow I’m impressed with all that they do to improve their community and the lives of their workers!). Also I should add that Nugget never has any sales (even Black Friday ones) so if you want to get one, buy it whenever the color you want is available.}