The Mamasaur Reviews: Nerdbugs

Cute, cuddly Nerdbugs are plushies with purpose.

_{Let me preface this post: Nerdbugs sent me product samples in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive payment to skew my opinion. These are my unbiased impressions of the product and the Nerdbugs company.}

Just in time for the 2023 holiday season, I had an exciting opportunity to receive two stuffed plush toys to honestly review. These weren’t just any run-of-the-mill plush toys, however. These were anatomically-correct, internal organ, Nerdbugs plushies.

Nerdbugs, launched in 2018, has been around for the past 5 years. I remember seeing plush organs advertised when I was actively practicing as an RN and musing about how cute they were. Especially as a cardiac nurse, seeing stuffed toy hearts with aortas and pulmonary veins would get mine skipping a beat.

Anatomically-correct organ toys aren’t exactly the most novel concept. Nerdbugs has some solid competitors that have been operating in this game since the early 2000s. That being said, there are a few things that really set Nerdbugs apart from the competition. Time to start dissecting these organs…

(in)Credible Creator

The founder of Nerdbugs, Dr. Ronak Mehta, is, in a word, inspiring. Reading more about who she is, her mission and purpose for creating the company, is already enough to set these plushy products apart.

Having been conceptualized by a family medicine practitioner lends a deeper credibility to these toys as educational tools and conversation-starters. Her deep and personal understanding of healthcare worker burnout is validating, and the fact that Nerdbugs was the brainchild of a doctor seeking creative outlets is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Because of her entrepreneurship and ingenuity, she’s been a recipient of the Tory Burch Foundation Fellowship. The Nerdbugs company has been certified as a Woman and Minority-owned business and was even a 2019 finalist for the Amazon Women-Owned Business of the Year award. Not bad for what started out as a “creative outlet”…

Since then, she’s become a mother, stepped away from medical practice, and is now running her company full-time in order to spend more time with her son. This medical mama is a marvel!

Plushies with Purpose

The Nerdbugs moniker feels misdirecting at first (Nerdbugs aren’t insect toys, wha??), but its meaning is tied to the company’s mission and slogan: Spread kindness. Stay nerdy. I love this, for so many reasons…

It’s a catchy name. One that, even without context, kind of sticks in your mind. It’s not self-limiting; great business move if they wanted to expand to other products. And, just paired with the slogan, is cleverly pithy: kindness can be contagious, like a bug. And nerdy, educational toys are fun!

The company’s mission absolutely emphasizes education. These plush toys are excellent tools for teaching people of any age, destigmatizing and normalizing a multitude of health issues, or just offering a thoughtful show of support to someone recovering from surgery or illness. And with 17 different organs to choose from, it’s easy to find one perfectly suited to your needs.

Just this year, Nerdbugs partnered up with WBENC for a community impact project. Due to this, they were able to provide these adorable plushies to thousands of hospitalized children in Tennessee. Spread kindness. I admire a company that can practice what it preaches, and put its money where its mouth is.

The Nerdbugs mission statement says it best: “We want to create awareness of different medical and mental health conditions, and in turn reduce stigma, and create a kinder, more compassionate, and more accepting world.”

That’s absolutely a mission that I’m happy to get behind.

Solid Stuffies

Now, onto the Nerdbugs plush toys themselves…

Granted, the CEO and mission statement can be great, but what does it all amount to if the product is trash? Not at all a concern with these stuffed organs. Right out of the package, it’s really hard not to be impressed with the product. I examined these critically, trying to find fault.

The most I could come up with? Maybe the tiniest bit of excess stuffing peeking through a couple stitches. And that was only on one of them: the Neuron. Which stands to reason, as it has a more elaborate design with more seams. Overall, the embroidery work and stitching on the Nerdbugs I received was beautiful.

Excellent Embroidery

That’s something particularly worth noting: embroidery work. I’ve seen the product line-up offered by some of the Nerdbugs competition. While Nerdbugs has exclusively embroidered faces on the plushy organs, some competitors opted for plastic eyes. On the off-chance one of those plastic eyes pops out of place, you’re dealing with a choking hazard (if the recipient happens to be a toddler).

Sweet Style

The art direction implemented for the Nerdbugs toys is also far more attractive and clean. The sweet, endearing faces of the Heart and Neuron instantly lit up Nova’s face the second she saw them. Orson calls them his “special treat toys” and is so empathetic toward the little anatomical characters that he treats them like baby dolls and tries to feed them his snacks. It’s SO cute!

Having worked in healthcare, it actually does feel intuitively simple with the attractive Nerdbugs design to start an educational conversation with my toddlers. Obviously the basics, c’mon now…

Showing Orson and Nova the Neuron: I explain that they both have so many neurons in their brains. That when they think, or talk, or sing, the neurons talk to each other. The Heart: they both have one in their chest that pumps blood all over their bodies. That it sounds like “lub-dub”, and it can beat faster or slower depending on if they feel calm or scared. They LOVE it!

Nerdbugs gets the conversation started. How adorable they are keeps my toddlers engaged.

Supremely Soft and Cuddly

The material used to make these anatomically-correct organ plushies is outstanding. It’s luxuriously soft. The colors are vibrant. And it’s very quickly apparent that there is NO skimping on stuffing. These are high-quality, sturdy-yet-still-cuddly, VERY well-stuffed plush toys. Flaccid, floppy, under-stuffed toys can be such a disappointment.

Nerdbugs are huggable, delightfully squeezable, and I’ve seen Nova, more than once, cuddle up with her Heart when she’s feeling sad. Which, due to teething, has been an unfortunately frequent occurrence lately. I may have to buy her the Nerdbugs Tooth next…

Nifty Nerdbugs

In summation, I do love these toys. They’ll definitely be getting featured on Mamasaur’s Holiday Gift Guide this year. When I was a practicing RN, I would have loved getting these as a gift, either for myself or others. Now, as a Mama, I adore watching my toddlers playing with theirs. Learning about science. Their bodies. Health and feelings and wellbeing.

Couple minor cons to note. If, at this point, you’re wondering if there are any cons. Nothing is perfect, but I really had to dig to come up with these. Not really machine-washable, but high-quality plush toys generally aren’t. They’re also kinda pricey, considering they aren’t USA-made toys. But, again, higher quality warrants a higher price tag.

Overall, these are an appropriate gift for anyone. New, breastfeeding mom? They’ve got breast plushies. You have a young child who’s lost a tooth (or teething like Nova)? Tooth plushies. Heart plush toys for CABG recovery. Lung plush toys for a new asthma diagnosis. Like I said, there are 17 awesome organs to choose from.

Choose one, or better yet, bundle them, and buy a little happiness. Little side bonus: every organ comes with an associated pun. Which I cannot get enough of. So go on, “Liver Little”. “Urine for a Treat” if you order some Nerdbugs. You “Be Lung Together”!