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10 best Squishmallows that kids will love to cuddle

We put everyone’s favourite cuddly toys to the test

Lucy Cotterill
Thursday 12 September 2024 15:24 BST
There are more than 3,000 Squishmallows to collect
There are more than 3,000 Squishmallows to collect (The Independent/iStock)
Our Top Picks

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past decade, chances are you’re already familiar with Squishmallows. These super soft toys are brilliant bedtime buddies and travel cushions, and feel just like hugging a cloud – with a soft, lightweight, marshmallow texture that can create an instant feeling of calm.

With more than 3,000 Squishmallows to collect (each with their own name and bio), they come in a huge range of shapes and sizes, including everything from animals and food themes to Disney, Warner Brothers and fully licensed additions.

Now sold in more than 60 countries across the globe, Squishmallows have rightfully earned the top spot on many wishlists for birthdays and special occasions, with more than 400 million of the plush toys sold since their debut in 2017. Amplified by the power of social media and the Gen Z audience, they’ve proudly won Toy of the Year (TOTY) three years in a row and are currently ranked as the number one plush toy in the UK market.

With so many Squishmallows to choose from, however, where do you even start when it comes to picking an ultra-soft character that will be a hit with the kids? Whether you’re seeking small portable Squishmallows for a stocking filler or a cosy pillow-like friend for your child’s bedroom, we’ve tried and tested styles from the entire current range to bring you our pick of the best.

How we tested

We cuddled up to a variety of Squishmallows
We cuddled up to a variety of Squishmallows (Lucy Cotterill)

Our reviewer enlisted the help of her two daughters, aged seven and 11, to track down the best of the Squishmallow bunch. Over the course of four weeks, our tester learned everything there is to know about Squishmallows – exploring the entire range, from giant cushion-like 20in styles to tiny micromallows.

After testing each Squishmallow’s cuddle qualities and considering their overall theme and design, our testers picked their favourite characters in each size and category.

The best Squishmallows for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Original Squishmallows 8in Disney Stitch in pyjamas: £11.25, Argos.co.uk
  • Best value multipack – Micromallows by Original Squishmallows, 2.5in (six pack): £17, Argos.co.uk
  • Best 12in design – Original Squishmallows 12in Shasta the orange bigfoot with flower pin: £15.99, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best 16in design – Original Squishmallows 16in Natnat the pastel blue alien with flower crown: £12.50, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best for Potterheads – Original Squishmallows 8in, Harry Potter: £13, Argos.co.uk

Original Squishmallows 8in Disney Stitch in pyjamas

Stitch best squishmellows review indybest
  • Best: Overall
  • Size: 8in
  • Why we love it
    • Affordable price point
    • Portable size
    • Perfect bedtime companion

Despite the fact it’s been more than two decades since the movie Lilo and Stitch was released, the Disney character Stitch has grown hugely in popularity over recent years. As such, it’s unsurprising this fun design proved to be the most popular Squishmallow with our young testers.

Along with Stitch’s familiar floppy ears and loveable expression, this delightful toy makes the perfect bedtime companion, thanks to his adorable pyjama set, complete with bobble nightcap.

Super soft and squishy, he’s just the right size for a comforting and reassuring cuddle before drifting off to the land of nod. It’s worth mentioning he’s one of four engaging Stitch designs, so, be warned – your child may want to collect them all.

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Micromallows by Original Squishmallows, 2.5in (six pack)

Micromallows best squishmellows review indybest
  • Best: Value multipack
  • Size: 2.5in
  • Why we love it
    • Available in singles, four-packs or six-character multipacks
    • Ideal for sharing or splitting with friends
  • Take note
    • Compatible accessories can prove quite costly

If you’ve got multiple children to buy for but don’t want to spend a fortune, these 2.5in micromallows make a budget-friendly choice. Although you can pick them up individually (in capsules aptly shaped like a giant marshmallow), the multipacks provide the best overall value for money, with a pack of six retailing at £17 or a pack of four for just £12 (Argos.co.uk). Ideal for sharing between siblings and friends, these packs come in handy for party bags, too – a great alternative to plastic toys.

Living up to their tagline of “tiny but mighty”, these miniature Squishmallows were a big hit with our mini testers. Characters include Danny the green dinosaur, Dane the periwinkle dragon, Malcolm the red-and-white mushroom, Lena the guava fruit slice, Noah the blue-striped seal and our testers’ personal favourite: Leonard the rainbow lion (with a gorgeous fluffy ombre mane).

With 230 styles in the range and compatible accessory sets, such as the micromallows ferris wheel, these small soft toys are great fun to collect and display in your kid’s bedroom or playroom.

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Original Squishmallows 7.5in Cordea the pink lobster

Original Squishmallows 7.5in Cordea the pink lobster
  • Best: 7.5in design
  • Size: 7.5in
  • Why we love it
    • Bright and vivid colour
    • Unique shape with antennae, pincers and tail
    • Portable size

Thanks to their portable size and affordable price point, the 7.5in Squishmallows are some of the best-selling styles in the entire range. Small enough to carry along with you, pack in your hand luggage or cuddle just before bed, each character has a unique design and fun personality that oozes gift appeal for recipients of all ages.

Our mini reviewers met some adorable 7.5in Squishmallows during testing, from Ellie the purple penguin (£9, Argos.co.uk) to Lancaster the yellow triceratops (£7.99, Amazon.co.uk), but one character, Cordea, really stood out.

It’s almost impossible not to break out into a smile when you set sight of Cordea the pink lobster. In a striking vivid pink shade with a cute and loveable smile, this toy’s unique shape, along with the tactile feel of its pincers, legs and antennae, had our testers hooked.

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Original Squishmallows 12in Shasta the orange bigfoot with flower pin

Bigfoot-best-squishmellows-review-indybest
  • Best: 12in design
  • Size: 12in
  • Why we love it
    • Great for cuddles and travel
    • Dual texture design
  • Take note
    • Some of the orange fluff did shed slightly

This adorable 12in Squishmallow was another of the biggest hits with our young testers. No ordinary bigfoot, this large and fluffy character is Shasta, the general manager of a popular beach hotel. We loved reading Shasta’s bio on her tag and learning all about her peachy attitude, which spreads positive vibes to everyone she meets.

The substantial size of this Squishmallow makes her the perfect friend for kids to snuggle up with while reading or to rest on while relaxing with their tablets. With a vivid orange colour scheme and unique two-texture design, Shasta comes complete with long fluffy ears that proved very strokable, while her lower half felt super soft, like a cushion. For an extra layer of cuteness, her feet even stick out when she’s placed on a sofa or bed, making it look like she’s sitting – utterly adorable.

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Original Squishmallows 14in Pokémon winking Pikachu

Pikachu best squishmellows review indybest
  • Best: 14in design
  • Size: 14in
  • Why we love it
    • Licensed Pikachu character
    • Less cute and more ‘cool’
    • Great travel pillow and companion
  • Take note
    • Firmer and less squishy than some other Squishmallows

They may set you back a little more money but the larger size 14in Squishmallows make great travel companions – whether little ones are snuggling on long car journeys, taking train trips or need something on which to rest their head and catch 40 winks while travelling by plane.  

While this sturdy design is a little firmer and less squishy than some of the other larger Squishmallows we tested, our youngsters really rated this giant Pikachu, which is officially licensed by Pokémon Company International.

With a winking expression, big pointy ears and rosy red cheeks, this Pikachu design makes a fun addition to a bedroom or playroom. The “lightning bolt” tail is attached by a small thread to Pikachu’s back but could easily be snipped, to let it hang free, if you prefer.

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Original Squishmallows 16in Natnat the pastel blue alien with flower crown

Natnat best squishmellows review indybest
  • Best: 16in design
  • Size: 16in
  • Why we love it
    • Super soft
    • Cute flower embellishments
    • Large enough to use as a pillow or cushion
  • Take note
    • Children should avoid picking up by the antennas
    • The back of the design is plain

Space to go a little bigger? If you want something to cuddle up with while watching your favourite movie, 16in Natnat the alien is worlds apart from your average pillow.

Large enough to rest on or use as a cushion, Natnat is a dream to cuddle. While her back is a relatively blank canvas, our mini testers loved her overall aesthetic, with long eyelashes, grey speckles, unique sunflower headband and a cute expression.

As tempting as it may be to do so, we did have to remind our younger tester not to pick up Natnat by the antennae.

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Original Squishmallows 20in Maudie the pink donkey

Maudie best squishmellows review indybest
  • Best: 20in design
  • Size: 20in
  • Why we love it
    • Giant size makes the perfect pillow or cushion
    • Super soft and bouncy
    • Multiple textures
  • Take note
    • Costly

The largest Squishmallows in the range, the 20in designs are pretty impressive – our mini testers labelled them as being “absolutely ginormous”. It’s fair to say they don’t come cheap, however, they make a great treat for any avid Squishmallows fans keen to expand their collections. 

You may need to encourage the kids to tidy their room up first to make room for your new addition, but, once some space has been cleared, Maudie the pink donkey makes the perfect pillow for relaxing, reading, chilling on the tablet or watching TV, creating a super soft and bouncy cushion on which to place your head.

Our young testers really warmed to Maudie, with his multiple textures. As well as long, pink, fluffy ears with white on the inside, he has a smooth main body, soft and fluffy tummy and adorable mohawk-style mane. Of course, no donkey would be complete without a tail with a little tuft at the end.

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Original Squishmallows 5in flip-a-mallows

Original Squishmallows 5in flip-a-mallows
  • Best: Two-in-one design
  • Size: 5in
  • Why we love it
    • Small and portable
    • Multi texture
  • Take note
    • Designs can be selected at random when purchasing online

With so many Squishmallows to choose from, selecting one character to take home can be a really tough decision, even for grown-ups. If you’re struggling to make up your mind, flip-a-mallows could be just the solution, as the 5in designs offer two adorable characters in one. 

Our mini testers loved switching each flip-a-mallow between characters, taking it in turns to push the fabric to turn it inside out and reveal the second character hidden inside. If you fancy a change, you simply switch the character back, it couldn’t be easier.

While the characters are often chosen at random when ordering online, our testers fell in love with the Conrad and Arnel double act. First, you meet super cute Conrad the corn on the cob with an adorable smile and white tuft of hair. Switch him inside out and he transforms into Arnel the tub of popcorn – the perfect pal for movie nights.

Other combinations include Delita the dragonfruit, Baiden the red dragon, Kachina the kiwi, Sevada the green boba, Kelen the rainbow frappe and Rease the cinnamon roll with rainbow frosting.

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Original Squishmallows 14in Mickey Mouse

Mickey-Mouse-best-squishmellows-review-indybest
  • Best: Disney Squishmallow
  • Size: 14in
  • Why we love it
    • Classic Disney style
    • Large and cuddly
    • Structured ears
  • Take note
    • Substantial size (including large ears) makes it a little less portable than some

From Goofy (£22.99, Amazon.co.uk) to Tigger (£21.99, Amazon.co.uk) and Buzz Lightyear (£22.98, Amazon.co.uk), Squishmallows have a wide range of Disney- and Pixar-themed characters that you’ll be desperate to add to your collection. However, if there’s one classic character who is always going to be well received, it’s Mickey Mouse.

A substantial 14in Squishmallow, this Mickey design features the character’s classic red shorts and will make a great gift to announce a trip to Disneyland.

Super squishy and soft to cuddle, his recognisable circular ears are large and slightly more structured, standing completely upright at all times.

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Original Squishmallows 8in, Harry Potter

Harry Potter best squishmellows review indybest
  • Best: For Potterheads
  • Size: 8in
  • Why we love it
    • Great attention to detail
  • Take note
    • Pay a premium for licensed design

While you’ll pay a little more for a licensed design, this Harry Potter Squishmallow makes a great gift for Potterheads, muggles, wannabe wizards and witches alike. Sitting at 10in tall, this ultra-squeezable Harry Potter character is not only soft and cuddly but also comes with fantastic attention to detail. From the circular spectacles to the embroidered Gryffindor emblem on Harry’s cloak and, of course, his lightning bolt scar, he makes the ideal friend to snuggle down with when re-reading the books or working through movie marathons.

Other Squishmallows in the Harry Potter range include a fluffy maned Gryffindor lion (£31.99, Amazon.co.uk), and Hedwig (£13, Argos.co.uk), Harry’s loyal owl.

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Our verdict: Squishmallows

Let’s be honest, when it comes to picking your favourite Squishmallows, it’s pretty hard to go wrong. While the best Squishmallows for you will largely depend on your budget and the recipient’s interests, we feel the Stitch 8in Squishmallow makes a great all-rounder as a gift or treat. If you’re struggling to pick just one design, however, multipacks offer great value, as do flip-a-mallows.

It’s worth remembering that, due to their popularity, Squishmallows stock can move quickly – particularly during peak shopping seasons. New styles are also released regularly, including seasonal and themed additions, so, we recommend you keep an eye on the shelves if you’re keen to keep building your squad.

Want to entertain the whole family? Check out our pick of the best board-games

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