While our four-legged best friends are often happy enough to sprawl on the floor or curl up on an old blanket, there’s an increasing number of companies out there making plush and durable spots for pampered pups to lie.
But given the destructive tendencies of some dogs and that some of these beds cost well into the hundreds of dollars, buying the wrong one can quickly turn into an expensive mess. We tested 15 different models to find the best for every situation.
Why you should trust me
I’ve tested everything from sports cars to smartphones for dozens of international outlets since the late 90s, but I’ve been a dog owner and lover my entire life. For the Filter, my pups and I have put dog harnesses and dog toys to the test. Along the way, my pups have curled up on everything from leftover couch cushions to high-grade beds from big-brand stores.
I’ve seen which types of beds work and which fall apart, which are easy to take apart and which are a real struggle and which stand up best to repeated cleaning and drying cycles.
How I tested dog beds
For this article, I tested 15 beds and evaluated dozens more that were excluded for cost, quality or availability concerns. My testing partner Koopa is a 70-lb, 20-month-old lab mix who has already outgrown a few little beds that he formerly loved as a puppy.
For each bed, I first evaluated how easy they were to assemble and deploy. Some were ready to go right out of the box. Others took me as much as 20min of unpacking, unzipping and stuffing before they were prepped for Koopa’s evaluation.
For real-world testing, I scattered different categories of indoor beds around our home to see which ones he gravitated towards and which he didn’t seem to like. Additionally, I made sure all the options got plenty of solo time with our pooch.
For outdoor beds, I inspected the hardware and materials of each to see how well they are likely to stand up to rain and sun, then checked up on them after a few rainstorms for any signs of corrosion or other indications they were not built for the long haul.
Durability testing was easy: Koopa tends to dig and chew on everything in sight, so all the candidates were really put to the test.
Finally, I took apart every one of the finalist beds for washing according to its care instructions to see how well it handled a wash cycle, both in terms of shedding and stains. I also evaluated each bed for cover shrinkage, which can transform an easy-to-assemble bed into a real pain.
All the beds provided for testing are either being returned to the companies that sent them or donated to local humane societies, where they’ll hopefully bring comfort to other pups in need.
The best dog beds in 2026
Best overall dog bed:
Orvis ComfortFill-Eco Wraparound Dog Bed with Fleece
Orvis is a Vermont-based company that specializes in high-quality gear for fishing and other outdoor pursuits, but has also proven to be a go-to source for high-end goods for dog lovers, too.
Why we love it
The company’s Wraparound Dog Bed isn’t as high-tech or bulletproof as some of the other beds we tested. Still, its shell (a fluffy polyester material Orvis calls FleeceLock) proved strong enough to stand up to Koopa’s pre-nap manic digging and some casual chewing. However, it’s not strong enough for extended chewing, as Koopa was able to pull the fleecing out of the cover without trouble, and while he did not chew a hole through it, he surely would have if left uncorrected for long enough. On the inside, it’s filled with recycled polyester, so it’s slightly easier on the environment than many of the other options.
The bed came ready to use in a gigantic cardboard box, but it only took a minute to unzip the bed’s two pockets and remove the pouches containing the internal padding. It’s not waterproof, but the padding dries well and the cover went back on after washing without issue.
This was also Koopa’s favorite bed by a mile. When we put this one in other rooms to get him to focus on a different bed, Koopa would go find the Orvis and stubbornly drag it back out again.
It’s a shame that … at $169 in its smallest size, it’s among the most expensive beds we tested.
Key specs:
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Sizes: small, medium, large
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Material: polyester fleece covering, recycled polyester fill
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Warranty: no formal warranty, but covered by the Orvis 100% “Great Catch” guarantee.
Best budget dog bed:
Bedsure Orthopedic Bolster Dog Sofa
While it can’t stand the kind of abuse our more durable beds can, Bedsure’s Orthopedic Bolster Dog Sofa is soft, supportive and it’s available for well under $50.
Why we love it
A dog bed’s primary purpose is to give a comfy spot for your pooch to enjoy midday naps or evening snacks and Bedsure’s Dog Sofa is definitely among the most comfortable beds we tested. It is soft and Koopa loved snoozing here with his head propped up on the bolster.
It was also easy to set up. It arrived in a disconcertingly small box, vacuum-sealed in plastic, but after I opened the bag it quickly swelled to full size and didn’t have any lingering, plasticky smells. All I had to do was install the egg-crate foam bottom cushion.
The part of the cover that touches the floor is rubberized bottom, so it’ll stay in place, and it comes in a variety of colors and sizes to fit you and your best friend’s preferences.
It’s a shame that … the Bedsure isn’t more rugged. It’s so soft and plush that Koopa treated it like a stuffed toy. It survived his digging, but it only took him a moment of unsupervised chewing to put a hole in one of the bolsters. We had to be on high alert whenever he was restless in this bed. Also, the bolster portion is integrated with the cover, which makes washing and drying a bit more awkward.
Key specs:
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Sizes: nine sizes from 20in x 15in to 42in x 41in
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Material: polyester cover, polyurethane foam filling
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Warranty: none
Best orthopedic dog bed:
Znooz Orthopedic Bed
With a clean, modern design and some great features, the Znooz Orthopedic Bed proved both comfortable and great to live with.
Why we love it
While the Bedsure bed is great for its cost, it feels like a budget bed. The Znooz Orthopedic Bed, on the other hand, is a definite step up, with a soft, woven surface and a modern, sleek design in a selection of colors.
It’s among the easiest beds we tested to assemble: just one big cover that fits over the entire inner padding, which is covered in a separate, waterproof liner. A strip of Velcro is embedded just inside the bolster to keep everything in its place and ensure a firm fit, so just throw on the cover, zip it up, then press it down to the Velcro to take out the slack.
Koopa made a small hole in one of the bolsters after being left alone for just a few minutes, so it isn’t the most durable bed we tested. And surely, he’d make a bigger mess if left to his own devices for long enough. But it stood up to a few extended digging sessions without much damage.
It’s a shame that … Znooz only makes one size, as it’s not right for everyone. At just over 70lb, Koopa fits well, but it may not be a good fit for larger or smaller pups. And that cover looks great in white, but it stains easily. Koopa enjoyed a frozen canned pumpkin treat on the bed, and the mark was still there after washing in cold water per Znooz’s care instructions. We would recommend going with a darker color.
Key specs:
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Sizes: one size (43in x 30in)
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Material: polyester and nylon cover, polyester foam fill
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Warranty: sixty-day money-back guarantee, 10-year “guaranteed not to flatten” warranty
Best durable, chew-proof dog bed:
K9 Ballistics Tough Ripstop Rectangle Bolster Orthopedic Dog Bed
There’s a rapidly growing industry of chew-proof dog beds, but this one from K9 Ballistics proved not only strong but cozy enough for everyday use.
Why we love it
We tested a few models from K9 Ballistics for different categories and were immediately impressed by the quality. Durable materials on the outside were a must in this category, but the Tough Ripstop Rectangle Bolster bed goes above and beyond with removable internal liners over the padding and high-quality zipper hardware throughout.
But durability matters just as much as comfort. Some of the chew-resistant models we tested were made of material so stiff that Koopa was happier on the floor. This bed from K9 Ballistics has a covering that proved soft enough for our test pooch to actually relax on.
When he was feeling rambunctious, he dug to his heart’s content without damaging the bottom cushion, and chewed on the bolsters with no more success. I’m sure he could get through given enough time, but we didn’t have to worry so much about watching him with the K9 in the room.
It’s a shame that … the Rectangle Bolster bed is so expensive. In the large size for Koopa, it’s $275. That’s a true investment, but it should prove plenty durable enough to outlast even the most destructive of your pup’s growth stages. It’s also a bit of a pain to assemble and comes shipped with a fair bit of plastic packaging, but again was easier to unbox and put together than some other durable beds we tested.
Key specs:
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Sizes: small, medium, large, extra large, extra extra large
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Material: polyester cover, polyurethane foam filling
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Warranty: one-year manufacturer’s warranty, 120-day “chew proof” warranty
Best dog crate mat:
Kong Durable Crate Mat
A right-sized crate for a dog is not a big space, and so there’s little room for generous padding or bolsters. Kong’s Durable Crate Mat proved thick enough for comfort but rugged enough for Koopa.
Why we love it
Kong’s Durable Crate Mat is about as simple as it gets: a crate-sized pad with just enough padding to be comfortable, wrapped in a rugged woven polyester shell strong enough to stand up to puppy antics.
Koopa particularly loved digging on this pad and though his claws left white marks on the cover, he never came close to wearing it through. It also stood up to some light chewing.
It’s easy to wash: just throw the whole thing in the machine, and, best of all, starting at $22, it’s incredibly affordable.
It’s a shame that … Kong beds don’t come with the same 60-day satisfaction guarantee of the company’s iconic chew toys, but that’s about the only thing we can think to fault here.
Key specs:
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Sizes: small, medium, medium/large, extra large
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Material: polyester shell, polyester fill
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Warranty: none
Best sustainable dog bed:
Molly Mutt Bed
Even the most environmentally sensitive new material is not as nature-friendly as something reused, and that’s the idea here.
Why we love it
Almost all of the beds we tested featured covers made of some form of polyester on the outside combined with a similarly synthetic filler. The simply titled Molly Mutt Bed takes a different approach: you’re only buying the cover. You fill the bed with whatever you like – old pillows, blankets, your ex’s ugly sweaters and whatever else you have lying around. This not only keeps them out of landfills but also creates a bed that smells like you – or your old boyfriend, anyway.
You stuff all that into a provided mesh liner, zip it shut, then stuff that into the cover, which is made of preshrunk cotton canvas. Oakland-based Molly Mutt has dozens of different designs available, many of which are quite fetching. And, yes, you can even order one with natural wool fill if you really like, but we’d say that defeats the purpose a little bit.
It’s a shame that … the natural cover doesn’t provide much in the way of defense. Koopa chewed a hole right through in short order, meaning this isn’t a great choice for more destructive pooches out there.
Key specs:
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Sizes: petite, small, medium/large, huge
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Material: cotton canvas
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Warranty: none
Best outdoor dog bed:
K&H Outdoor Elevated Dog Bed
A good outdoor bed needs to not only survive your dog’s aggression, but also the elements, and K&H’s option proved the best mix of durability and cost.
Why we love it
We tried a few different beds designed to keep your pup out of the dirt outdoors and were surprised at how difficult some of them were to put together. We were also shocked at how expensive a few options are compared to the functionally equivalent cheaper models.
The Outdoor Elevated Dog Bed from K&H struck a good balance between ease of assembly and cost, while still providing a bed that’s durable and comfortable. When placed next to a far more expensive option, Koopa chose this bed more often than not, and it easily stood up to the sort of aggressive digging that is a sign he’s about ready for a nap.
The two-tone design looks nice and will get a little less warm in the sun than something all-black, though it does show muddy paw prints. It drains well and dries quickly.
It’s a shame that … K&H chose to put a large, raised logo on the top of the bed. Branding is important, sure, but it’ll be a target for chewing and digging.
Key specs:
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Sizes: small, medium, large, extra large, jumbo
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Material: metal and plastic frame with plastic feet and polyester webbing
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Warranty: one-year warranty covering product defects
How to pick a dog bed
Some dogs are choosier than others, which can make it difficult to find the perfect place for your best buddy to snooze. Some dogs may want something plush and soft while others might just prefer the hardwood floor. It may take a few tries to find the right fit for your particular breed of Fido, but here are some general guiding principles to follow.
How to choose the correct size
Nearly every bed we tested came in multiple sizes and finding the right one wasn’t always as straightforward as you might think.
To get a starting point, the next time your pup is passed out, sneak over there with a tape measure and get an idea of how much space they’re taking up.
If you’re going with a flat bed, a simple cushion with no extras, you can probably get something slightly larger than those dimensions and be sure your dog will be reasonably comfortable.
However, if you’re buying a bed with bolsters, you’ll need to go larger to ensure that your pooch fits comfortably between the padding. Add on the width of the bolster to the dimensions measured above to ensure enough room for your dog to sprawl comfortably.
Finally, if your dog is young and still growing, make sure to take that into account. Given the cost of some of these beds, it would be a shame if they wound up being too small. It might be best to wait until your dog has nearly finished growing, which might mean 18 months or older.
Comfort v durability
Another important factor to consider is durability, because nobody wants to buy a bed that is going to be ripped to shreds in minutes. That said, nobody wants a bed that’s too rigid to be comfortable. The beds we tested ran the gamut from super-soft and flimsy to rock-hard and nigh bulletproof.
Where your perfect bed falls on that spectrum really depends on how destructive your dog is. If they are in that adolescent phase where nothing is safe, you’ll want to skew more towards the rugged side. On the other hand, if you have a sweet ol’ senior pooch who spends most of their day snoozing, you’re likely better off with something softer.
How to wash and care for dog beds
Take a look at the care instructions of your next bed before you pull the trigger. Some can just be washed in a normal cycle with warm water. Some require cold water or even a delicate cycle. The real issue here is stains. Getting those peanut butter marks out could be tricky if you can only ever wash the bed on the delicate cycle!
Other dog beds we tested:
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
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Your indoor cat is bored. Here are the best toys and tools in the US to fix that
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Dyson v Bissell: I compared their latest lightweight stick vacs head to head
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