Welcome to another Buzz Pet product review. Today we look at the previously previewed and very chic Sleepypod mobile pet carrier and bed from meowme.

A little bit about the product

The Sleepypod is made by meowme, a USA based company that make a range of innovative pet products including the Sleepypod, Sleepypod Mini and the Cloudpuff.

The Sleepypod is the company’s flagship product that has effectively redesigned the humble pet carrier and brought it into the 21st century (my words not theirs!). Seriously folks, this is one beautiful pet product that not only looks the part but is also extremely functional. So let’s get started with the review.

First impressions

Before evening opening the packaging of the Sleepypod I was impressed by the level of detail; if you are at all familiar with any of Apple’s products (such as the MacBook laptops) you will instantly relate to the experience. The Sleepypod is beautifully packaged with such attention to detail as a colour swatch and sample of the plush interior embedded into the top of the box (so you can see / feel the product without opening).

The product

After hastily opening the box and removing the Sleepypod I began to examine the product itself (note Charlie at this point was inspecting the cardboard box - see below).

The Sleepypod appears to be extremely well made and cleverly designed, with perfect stitching and a genuine solid feel to it. The product itself boasts many features including:

• Removable padded shoulder strap
• Removable mesh dome top with carry handle
• Machine washable and replaceable plush interior
• Water resistant foam liner
• Luggage grade nylon outer bed base.

In addition to the above the Sleepypod can also be purchased with a bed warmer (an optional extra - not reviewed) which is inserted within the Sleepypod base and can be powered by both 240v and 12v power (very handy for longer car trips in winter).

Charlie gives it the run-through

Charlie the Tonkinese (aka official Buzz Pet reviewer) was immediately intrigued with the Sleepypod but in all honesty was initially more interested in the packaging than the Sleepypod itself! Charlie’s love for cardboard boxes was however short-lived and he soon became interested.

The first step of introducing the Sleepypod into Charlie’s routine was to replace his regular cat bed with the Sleepypod (which incidentally I was happy to do). Charlie at first was hesitant to jump into the Sleepypod but preferred rather to sniff his way around as to inspect (and presumably give his nod of approval). I left to him to his own devices only to return later in the afternoon to find him curled up fast asleep in his new bed. One point to meowme!

Lets get mobile

After a few days of Charlie enjoying the Sleepypod as a bed, our first trip in the Sleepypod was achieved - albeit around the house! Charlie was again hesitant at first but soon settled down and enjoyed the short journey enclosed within the Sleepypod; in fact after returning to the kitchen and removing the dome mesh top, Charlie continued to sleep in the Sleepypod until the late afternoon - and they say it is a dog’s lfe! As for carrying the Sleepypod, it is a doddle. Very comfortable and easy to “wear”, it was similar to carrying the Australian made Crumpler courier bags.

Car tripping

After waiting for our car to return from the repair shop, I eventually got around to jumping in the car with Charlie and the Sleepypod and giving the pod a test-drive (excuse the pun). The Sleepypod fitted perfectly on the front seat of my Subaru and with the security of being able to buckle-in the Sleepypod using the seat belt (no more reaching across to the passenger seat to stop the carrier falling off!) we were good to go. A quick trip to the shops and back and not a noise was heard from Charlie; on closer inspection he was yet again fast asleep and secure in his Sleepypod. Second point to meowme.

Hard to fault

I have to say the Sleepypod is very hard to fault; it is genuinely a great product and like none other I have reviewed previously. My only slight criticism would be the fact that the pet carrier is not airline approved for Australian airlines (in Australia all pets must travel within the cargo hold of the aircraft and as such all carriers must be hard cased). This I feel however is a very minor complaint and realistically will only affect the few pet owners that travel by air often with their pets.

Summary

The Sleepypod really is a great product; the design and quality of manufacture is something that I typically do not see in pet-related products. Meome have essentially reinvented the pet carrier - not only is the Sleepypod a hugely functional product, it is beautifully designed and looks great in the home. For those familiar with the typical pet carrier, having the Sleepypod as an alternative is almost a no-brainer. Let’s hope we in Australia start to see the product in good pet stores very shortly!

Note: Currently the Sleepypod is only available through Amazon, selected distributers and the meowme website. If you are interested in purchasing the Sleepypod you can do so directly by using the Amazon links on the Buzz Pet homepage.

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