Because my parents apparently have not yet heard of the crazy new invention called a “heater,” I am constantly looking for ways to keep warm in the winter. So when I saw commercials for Snuggie, the blanket with sleeves, I was both amused and intrigued. My sane side told me to forget about it; there was no way I was wearing something so ridiculous when I could just wear a jacket. But my other side had to ask, “But what if it’s great?!” I probably wouldn’t have ever bought the Snuggie on my own, but if I could use writing an article as an excuse to get one, I was totally on board.

I bought my Snuggie at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $14.99. I was a bit disappointed that they only carried the blue Snuggies, as I was hoping for a red one, but I wouldn’t let that affect my excitement. It came with the free book light that is advertised with the Snuggie, something I didn’t notice until I was pleasantly surprised by it when I took my Snuggie out of its box.

As soon as I put on the Snuggie, I felt like a fool. Its huge sleeves, long length, and cowl neck make it the most absurd-looking thing ever. It looked a bit like a monk robe minus a hood. Advertisements for the Snuggie boast its “super soft luxurious fleece,” but it really wasn’t that soft. It was just like any other fleece but maybe a little more felt-like.

The commercials claim you can do anything in a Snuggie, so I tried a few things to test this. I watched television for a while with the Snuggie on, and I suppose it did its job. I was fully covered and warmed but not much more than I would be with a normal jacket or blanket. Later I attempted to eat dinner while wearing the Snuggie, which didn’t quite work out. The sleeves are so unnecessarily big that anytime I lifted my arm to get something from the middle of the table, the sleeve kept getting in my food. I had to remember to push my sleeve up or hold it out of the way. After dinner, I returned to the couch to knit. I worried the sleeves might get in the way of this task too, but they didn’t. Knitting while wearing a Snuggie was just like knitting while wearing anything else.

I went outside to really put the Snuggie’s warmth to the test. Again, it worked about as well as a jacket or blanket, except that my back was exposed. The Snuggie is one-size fits all, so it is not very secure. I could wrap the ends around myself as tight as possible but it wouldn’t stay. So, while my arms, legs and torso were relatively warm, my back was not. This isn’t a problem when sitting on a couch or recliner, but it is when standing or sitting on something without a back. The commercials show a happy family wearing their Snuggies outside at a football game, sitting on the bleachers. I would assume that their backs were cold too.

What the Snuggie claims to have over blankets is that it does not slide off the wearer’s shoulders. But again, the “one-size-fits-all” makes this problematic. The Snuggie definitely did droop off my shoulders a bit, not as much as a blanket but enough that it was still kind of irritating. To remedy this, my mom grabbed a bag clip to fasten the two back ends of the Snuggie together. With that, the Snuggie no longer drooped.

Continuing with the issue of the Snuggie’s single size, I had my nephew, 6, and niece, 4, both try on the Snuggie. Sitting on the couch, my nephew had no problem with the Snuggie. My niece didn’t have any major problems walking around in it, but she definitely had to walk carefully so that she didn’t trip over the length. However, even I had to pay attention to how I was walking in the Snuggie. The sleeves that were long on me were impossibly long on her.

The Snuggie works. It’s just not the most practical thing. Even though I was curious enough about them to get one, I never understood why someone couldn’t just wear a jacket and blanket together to serve virtually the same purpose as a Snuggie. A jacket-and-blanket combo makes more sense than a Snuggie since it allows more mobility, has sleeves that fit, and, most importantly, doesn’t look so ridiculous. But if you’re at all intrigued by the Snuggie like I was, and you have $14.99 plus tax to spare, I suggest indulging your curiosity. If for no other reason, get it just for fun.

Rating: 3 out of 5