Best Mood Plush Guide for Squishy Expressions Under $25

Have you ever wished you could use emojis to show your moods in real life? Well, I’ll show you how you can use a cuddly toy to do it in this Best Mood Plush Guide. Each mood plushy is a unique character, and I use a simple two-step pricing and feedback system to choose the best one in each category.

Mood plushies are trending plush toys, almost in the same league as Squishmallows. The difference is they earned their fame on Tik Tok. The first Tik Tok video of a mood plushy went viral. Still, little did the user know how precious Teeturtle’s design could be in various scenarios, including helping toddlers express themselves.

The pop-culture-inspired plushy is one of the best-selling toys on Amazon today, and for a good reason. If you wonder whether you need one, ask yourself if your toddler needs help with emotional expression or if your kid loves trends. My favorite in my plushy collection is the Original Reversible Octopus.

If you’re a fellow collector, I have some incredible mood plushies to show you. Let’s get to the point.

Getting to the Point

Bottom line first, mood plushies have many advantages, not just for collectors and moody teens. I always think of mood plushies like carrying emojis in your pocket when you don’t feel like talking. Everyone gets those moments, and you can express your feelings without saying anything.

Mood plushies burst into famed flames on social media, and now, there are countless options available. Animals, magical creatures, and forest critters inspire the designs, and each one is as cute as the last one. They’re soft, squishy, and stress-relieving, even for adults. Mood plushies are also sensory fidget toys.

Getting yourself or your kids a mood plushy has countless benefits. Some mood plushies feel like Beanie Babies, and they can also help adults relieve stress. They do wonders for kids, especially developing children who don’t know anything about emotions yet. It’s all about which one suits you.

I use a system that considers pricing and feedback to choose the best mood plushy in each category I designed. If you love the original mood plushy, my ultimate pick is for you. The Original Reversible Octopus is undoubtedly the winner. The best home pet mood plush is yours if you want a kitten for cuteness.

Maybe you want to spoil your child with a new, magical plushy. The kittencorn is a favorite, and your kid will love it. The categories help you choose a mood plushy that suits your needs. You merely have to decide which type fits your preferences. Read on to see the 11 categories from which you can choose a plushy.

My Best Mood Plushies at a Glance

Mood plushies are an incredible way for kids to express themselves, but they’re another popular plushy a collector can enjoy. I’ve had to narrow my favorites, using the price limit of $25 and the popularity of each plushy through Amazon feedback. I love them all, but these are my top picks and why I love them:

1. My number one mood plushy is the Original Reversible Octopus because it’s the one everyone learned to know from the Tik Tok craze. It’s also cute, comes in various colors and moods, and fits into my plushy collection for less than $25.
2. My favorite dino mood plushy is the Reversible Triceratops because it remains a best friend for my little girl who needs to express unhappy emotions. It also fits into my criteria for choosing the top picks.
3. My top forest critter mood plushy is the Reversible Raccoon because he’s all that cuteness and more, making you forget about the pest-like nature of Raccoons, and he falls into my requirements.
4. My best home pet mood plushy is the Reversible Cat because it’s widely popular on Amazon, comes in various moods and colors, and earns every ounce of cuteness.
5. My favorite huggable mood plushy is the Reversible Panda because kids and adults love the Eastern bear with two-tone fur. Pandas make you think you can hug them, and this plushy meets my criteria.
6. My top magical creature mood plushy is the Reversible Kittencorn. Children go mad about unicorns and kittens, and the plushy meets my standards. How can you not be a winner when you combine two things kids love?
7. My favorite safari animal mood plushy is the Reversible Lynx because it’s an unusual safari animal people don’t know well. It’s affordable, well-loved, and has incredible details.
8. My best scary creature mood plushy is the Reversible Dragon because magical creatures make dangerous creatures seem less frightening to kids, and it meets all my standards.
9. My favorite sea creature mood plushy is the Reversible Shark because they own the ocean. They’re powerful creatures that could teach kids to deal with strong emotions. It’s also an affordable and well-loved plushy.
10. My favorite Star Wars mood plushy is Reversible Grogu because you can’t have any best-of list without Star Wars, especially if you collect plushies. It also falls into my requirements.
11. My best woody creature mood plushy is the Reversible Fox because no other mood plushy can match the color. It’s bright, attractive, and meets my standards for kids and collectors.

Advice for Collecting Mood Plushies

What attracts you to consider buying a mood plushy? There are three reasons you’d be interested in mood plushies:

1. Your kids want the trending plushies to speak even less to you, using it to express themselves instead.
2. You have a toddler learning to express their emotions and use the plushy to help them.
3. You’re a collector wanting to add this trending plushy to your stuffed toys.

I’ve bought mood plushies for all three reasons. My son is turning 12 soon, and he’s entering that “don’t speak to me” stage, and the mood plushies give him an outlet when he can’t express himself positively. I also used a mood plushy with my girl when she was a toddler.

Toddlers struggle with big emotions, and having a plushy to help them say what they need to without words is a win. My little girl used mood plushies to role-play different feelings while reading her favorite books. My little girl learned to express the right emotions without tantrums in no time.

Finally, I’m a collector of everything soft and furry. Tik Tok turned mood plushies into the new Beanie Babies, and I had to have them. If you meet any of the three needs, it’s no doubt you need a mood plushy. Having a few can help toddlers, adding colorful animals to your plushy collection.

Once you know you need a mood plushy, you merely have to choose one of the many popular ones. I’ll categorize them into different animals to simplify your choice. Choose a puppy if you love dogs, or go for a unicorn if your little girl wants a magical plushy to help her express those feelings.

How I Pick the Best Plushies

Admittedly, my plushy collection even puts my kids’ collections to shame, and mood plushies are a part of it. I would own every trending plushy if I had a house big enough, but I use a simple system to choose the best plushies from each brand, category, or trend. My system ranks the plushies as the best in their class by:

1. Considering the price. Owning many plushies means I need to spend less than $25 on each one.
2. Considering the feedback and popularity of each category winner. I choose the best plushy for the categories by only picking those with more than 50 reviews and an approval rating of over 75%. I review everything I buy online, so I cherish the feedback from consumers. The numbers say it all.

Best Mood Plush Guide: Meet the Crew

To make the best mood plushies a fun exercise, I’ve chosen the best plushy in each animal, creature, or critter category. Choosing your favorite might be as simple as knowing which animal you love. Choosing one for a little girl or boy might be as simple as selecting a unicorn or dinosaur.

The Winner! My Ultimate Mood Plushy

The Original Reversible Octopus stole my heart as much as everyone on Tik Tok. TeeTurtle uses quality fabrics to create a snuggly stuffed animal with more colors and moods than most mood plushies. Besides, who doesn’t love octopi? My kids love the original octopus as much as me, and we each have our own one.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Octopus
• Colors: Pink-Gray / Light Pink-Furious Pink / Black-Red / Black-White / Black-Orange / Black-Gray / Green-Purple / Blue-Yellow / Dark Blue-Light Blue / Green-Blue / Purple-Gray and
• Moods: Love-Hate / Happy-Angry / Angry-Rage / Happy-Sad / Angry-Happy / Happy-Excited / Happy-Dead / Angry-Sleepy
• Size: 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 6.5″
• Approval Rating: 88%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• You can’t beat the original octopus everyone raves about with the countless colors and moods from which to choose
• The moods are evident on each octopus and the reverse side, and the plushy is soft and cuddly

Cons

• You won’t know which moods to choose first
• Some of the options have two negative moods

My Second Best Recommendation

The Imposter Crewmate Plushy earns my respect for being a well-loved reversible mood plushy. I think it represents the mood changes we all experience ideally. It’s inexpensive and has an approval rating of 71%. Don’t you also feel like an imposter when your moods take over?

Best Dino Mood Plushy

The Reversible Triceratops Plushy is undoubtedly cute, cuddly, and full of emotions. She looks like a female; even my little girl agrees. My daughter finds comfort in using her triceratops to express her sadness when she can’t voice it. She’s not a toddler anymore, but her cute plushy remains by her side for when she needs it.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Triceratops
• Colors: Purple-Blue
• Moods: Happy-Sad
• Size: 5″ x 7″ x 7″
• Approval Rating: 85%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• Kids love dinosaurs, and this one will be a favorite with little ones
• The colors are bright, the moods are simple, and the plushy is soft enough to cuddle

Cons

• The horns might be flimsy and break off in the wash
• The moods and colors are limited

My Second Best Recommendation

The Reversible Stego Plushy is like a brother to the triceratops. He has the same approval rating and price, and he’s just as darn cute. He comes in green and yellow to represent happiness and sadness.

Best Forest Critter Mood Plushy

Everyone thinks of raccoons as pests, especially when they dig your bin out. Still, the Reversible Raccoon Plushy is cute and nothing like the pests you find outside. It has that baby design to make you fall in love with forest critters, and its furry tail will have you snuggling it under the blankets.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Raccoon
• Colors: Brown
• Moods: Angry-Excited
• Size: 3.5″ x 4.5″ x 6″
• Approval Rating: 91%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• The raccoon is a great friend for kids, and he has enough quality details for a collection
• The furry tail is a bonus, and the paws balance the plushy nicely

Cons

• It only has two moods and comes in one color
• The tail, ears, and feet are fragile enough to break off with too much handling

My Second Best Recommendation

I’m suddenly thinking about Over the Hedge. The Reversible Hedgehog Plushy seems like a suitable runner-up for forest critters, and he has an approval rating of 77%. He’s inexpensive and comes in pink-blue with happy-sad moods.

Best Home Pet Mood Plushy

Apologies to all dog lovers, but the cat wins this round. The Reversible Cat Plushy is one of the most popular ones on Amazon, and I have to agree that the plushy is adorable. Additionally, the cat comes with more moods and colors because it’s from the original makers, TeeTurtle. Meow all you like, but the cat still wins.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Cat
• Colors: Orange-Tabby / Blue-White / Calico / Siamese / Black-White
• Moods: Angry-Happy / Sad-Happy / Happy-Worried
• Size: 7.5″ x 5.5″ x 4″
• Approval Rating: 86%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• It comes in numerous moods and colors to suit most kids and adults
• It has gorgeous details for each type of cat

Cons

• You might not love it if you prefer dogs to cats
• The tail is flimsy and could come loose in the wash

My Second Best Recommendation

The Reversible Dog Plushy is a close second to the cat, so don’t feel offended. The design isn’t as great, but the dog earns his place with an 83% approval rating and a low price. He has a brown and white color and comes with a happy-angry mood.

Best Huggable Mood Plushy

What does a huggable plushy bring to mind? Teddy bears are famous for a reason, and the Reversible Panda Plushy falls right into the bear category. The twist is the panda part, but everyone loves pandas, right? My kids love seeing the pandas at the zoo. It’s their first stop each time.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Panda
• Colors: White/Black-Red
• Moods: Angry-Happy
• Size: 3.5″ x 4.5″ x 6.5″
• Approval Rating: 87%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• It’s a bear, and that should be reason enough to get one
• The eye details are fantastic, and the bear is as cuddly as you’d expect

Cons

• The reverse or red side doesn’t look like a bear (more like a pig)
• The reverse side tail is easy to break in the wash

My Second Best Recommendation

The Reversible Bear Plushy returns traditional ideas of huggable teddy bears. Modeled from the Grizzly bear, this cutie has an 83% approval rating and is affordable. He comes with a white-brown color and a sad-happy mood.

Best Magical Creature Mood Plushy

Once again, a kitten beats a puppy, but only by a hair width this time. The Reversible Kittencorn Plushy is a magical creature where kittens and unicorns make a new animal. My little girl thinks everything kittencorn is the best thing on earth. Kids love kittens and unicorns, making it a win-win.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Kittencorn
• Colors: Blue/White
• Moods: Angry-Happy
• Size: 4.5″ x 3.5″ x 6″
• Approval Rating: 86%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• There’s nothing more magical than creating a new animal with two favorites for kids
• The plushy is next-level adorable with great detail and a big horn

Cons

• The plushy only has a single color choice with two moods
• The horn might be fragile enough to break off with too much handling

My Second Best Recommendation:

The Reversible Puppycorn Plushy is a newer edition to the mood family, and he’s quickly becoming popular with an 85% approval rating. He’s affordable, comes in purple-blue, and has an angry-happy mood.

Best Safari Animal Mood Plushy

The Reversible Lynx Plushy is an unusual Safari animal. It’s a large cat that walks the plains of Africa, and the plushy is a strikingly moody representation. The lynx has two personalities above the emotional faces. It looks like a beast on one end and a cute, inviting pet on the other. I love the resemblance to the actual cat.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Lynx
• Colors: Lynx (Gray-Black) / Lion (Orange) / Leopard (Orange-Black Spots) / Tiger (Orange-Black Stripes)
• Moods: Angry-Happy
• Size: 7″ x 5″ x 7″
• Approval Rating: 88%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• You get it as one of four primary Safari cats, and they all look incredible
• It’s larger than most mood plushies

Cons

• It only has two moods and looks like the animal on both sides
• The small trimmings can break off in the wash

My Second Best Recommendation:

Everyone knows an elephant as a Safari animal, and the Reversible Elephant Plushy is an all-time favorite. It maintains an 84% approval rating and is affordable. It comes in pink-blue and has a happy-angry mood.

Best Scary Creature Mood Plushy

Plushies and things that go bump in the night aren’t often categorized together. The Reversible Dragon Plushy is a gentle scary creature combined with mystical powers to express emotions. It has a cute but “don’t make me mad” attitude, and the design shows it well. One-color even comes with a mustache for added fun.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Dragon
• Colors: Black-White / Black-Gray / Purple-Blue / Yellow-Orange
• Moods: Angry-Happy / Angry-Sad / Angry-Worried
• Size: 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 6.5″
• Approval Rating: 88%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• It comes in various colors and moods
• Kids love magical creatures, and it’s not too scary

Cons

• The moods are primarily negative in three of the colors
• The mustache and other fine details might break off in the wash

My Second Best Recommendation

The Reversible Ghost Plushy is popular with tweens and teenagers, and it even has a glow-in-the-dark side. It comes in black-white and has an angry-surprised mood. It has an approval rating of 85% and is affordable for collectors.

Best Sea Creature Mood Plushy

The king of the ocean is undoubtedly the shark. The Reversible Shark Plushy is an adorable stuffed animal with an enraged side that reminds you why the shark is the ocean king. The teeth and white eyes show rage more than anger, but the quiet side of this plushy is a gentle, inviting face.

Key Features

• Brand: TeeTurtle
• Animal: Shark
• Colors: Light Blue-Dark Blue
• Moods: Rage-Happy
• Size: 5″ x 7″ x 7″
• Approval Rating: 91%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• It’s one of the more oversized mood plushies you can find, and it’s as soft as a feather
• The details on the teeth and rage face are exceptional

Cons

• The plushy only has one color and two moods
• The fins can easily break off in the wash

My Second Best Recommendation

The Reversible Narwhal Plushy is a blend of magical and sea creatures, or so kids think. It’s affordable and has an approval rating of 85%, and it comes in black-white with a happy-angry mood.

Best Star Wars Mood Plushy

From a collector’s point of view, you can’t have the best plushy collection without Star Wars characters. Grogu, the baby Yoda is a collector’s dream, and the Reversible Grogu Plushy has to rush into the list. TeeTurtle doesn’t make this mood plushy, but it’s a quality design with great details.

Key Features

• Brand: The Women Land
• Animal: Grogu
• Colors: Pink-Green / Blue-Brown
• Moods: Happy-Sad
• Size: 3″ x 5″ x 6″
• Approval Rating: 81%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• It’s a favorite character from the new Mandalorian series
• The design is excellent, with simple moods and color choices

Cons

• There’s only one color choice and two moods
• The ears can break off if you wash them too often

My Second Best Recommendation:

The Second Reversible Grogu Plushy is better for kids with brighter colors and happier faces. It comes in a bright green/brown-blue/beige color scheme with a happy-sad mood. It has a 78% approval rating and is affordable.

Best Woody Creature Mood Plushy

The Reversible Fox Plushy is so colorful and cute. One design comes in a tie-dye color, perfect for kids because they love colorful plushies. The fox is also a famous animal in children’s stories. My little girl loves the tie-dye fox, and she often used it when her brother upset her as a toddler.

Key Features

• Brand:  TeeTurtle
• Animal: Fox
• Colors: Tie-Dye / White / Black-Orange
• Moods: Angry-Happy
• Size: 7.5″ x 5.5″ x 4″
• Approval Rating: 87%
• Price Range: Under $25

Pros

• The colors are beautiful, and the ears are as big as you’d expect from a fox
• The design is simple, elegant, and durable

Cons

• It only comes with two moods, even though it has numerous colors
• The ears might break after too many wash cycles

My Second Best Recommendation:

The Reversible Wolf Plushy has the same approval rating as the fox, but it’s a newer edition to the woody creature family. It’s an affordable mood plushy that comes in blue and white and has a happy-angry mood.

Recommended Alternatives for Captivating Plushies

Honestly, there are no comparative plushies to captivate emotions and mood plushies. The purpose of reversible plushies showing different emotions is unique. However, you can consider more brands if you’re a collector of plush animals and stuffed creatures. Collectors will have a ball with:

• TY Beanie Babies has remained popular since the 1980s, and there are countless adorable creatures and animals
• Squishmallows are a newer trend, where you can find cute representations of animals and characters
• Cutetitos is another up-and-coming collectible brand of plushies, and you get all sorts of cute creatures

Top Q&A

Best Mood Plush Guide: Final Expression

What’s your mood right now? Don’t you wish to show your feelings without fear of rejection or judgment? Mood plushies first targeted preschoolers, but they quickly became a trend for college students, young adults, and teenagers in relationships. It was an easier way for people to express themselves.

I have many favorite mood plushies, with my ultimate favorite being the Original Reversible Octopus. I also love how my little girl finds her sad expressions with her Reversible Triceratops. I’ll never forget her face when she saw the Reversible tie-dye Fox for the first time. I’ve never seen her eyes explode with light like that before.

Collecting animal-inspired plushies is a big thing for me. I’ve seen mood plushies change how toddlers communicate. I’ve also had fun with them, and they look fantastic in my collection. Whether you’re collecting plushies or you want to buy your kid the newest and best plush toy, mood plushies are an excellent choice.

Choose an animal or creature you or your kids love, and get the best one in that category for 2022. You need one today if you don’t own the Original Reversible Octopus yet.

To read more about fantastic plushies:

Wendy the Frog Squishmallow Guide – Avid Plush

The Ultimate Axolotl Squishmallow Guide for Enthusiasts – Avid Plush

• About
• Latest Posts

Caroline Lambert

Carol is a plush collector, enthusiast, and mom, and her school friends once called her the luckiest kid alive. Her mom was what we know as a modern-day hoarder, but her passionate hoarding was all things plush and toys. Carol never grew up in a home but rather in a toy store. Her mom was always hunting the latest toy trend, collecting Newborn dolls, and piling up to the ceiling with stuffed animals. Today, Carol piles her expertise and experience into her ultimate passion, writing. She aims to bring you the latest plush trends from the biggest brands. And every so often, she'll throw a special, rare plush into the mix. Carol knows how children and collectors love plushies, and she intends to help you feed that obsession while keeping within reason.

Latest posts by Caroline Lambert (see all)

• Best Dragon Squishmallows Guide for Spesh Fans - April 3, 2023
• Squishmallow Backpacks Guide for Carry-On Friends - April 3, 2023
• Best Beanie Boo Plush Guide: Snuggle Up With Cute Companions - March 21, 2023