Review of MuMu & Dog - Brobo plush toys

Introduction

Kid's have been afraid of the dark for as long as there has been kids. One solution is a night light - another is a favorite cuddly stuffed animal. What could be better than either of these? How about a cuddly stuffed animal that IS a night light! Enter the Brobo line of cute light up critters from Keji Toys.

I'm checking out a pair of them tonight - MuMu, the mummy wearing headphones, and Dog, the...well, dog. These can be had from various retailers for around $30 to $35 each.

Packaging - Bupkis
There was none, outside of the standard mailer bag. There's hang tangs on each though that explain how they work and provide some cute background information on the name and likes of each character.

Design/Quality - ***1/2
The quality of materials and stitching is top notch on both of these animals. The outer cloth is thick and soft with lots of interior stuffing, including 'beans' in the right spots, like the bottom of the feet.

At the center of each plush is their own version of an ARC reactor, a futuristic looking chest light. This light acts as both a night light or a flashlight - more on that in the next section.

These plushes are large, ranging in the 10" - 12" range depending on the character. They are large enough for kids to feel secure, but small enough to remain easily held all night.

Which design you (or your child) likes best is going to be a very personal thing. My son (who is 12, by the way) loved MuMu the minute he saw him. I think it was the juxtaposition of the headphones and the mummy theme. 

As I understand it, Dog is one of their most popular, and I can certainly understand it. He's awfully cute, but my personal favorite is not one I reviewed - it's Drex, the rather odd dinosaur. Clearly, your mileage will vary when it comes to a favorite design.

Light Feature - ***1/2

The light feature is powered by three AA batteries, held in a plastic box in his head. The batteries are not included, and you'll need a small screwdriver to open the box. The on/off switch is on the box, and it is held inside the pouch of his head with a Velcro closure. When it's in place, it can be a little tough to get this Velcro cleanly closed, which is the only negative here.

Once the batteries are in place and the switch is on, you can activate the light by touching the small stitched 'pad' to the light cover. This pad is on MuMu's hand and Dog's tail - it's the small yellow button-like patch. Touch it to the light cover once, and you get the bright flashlight mode. Touch it a second time, and you get a night light mode which is slightly dimmer. Touch it a third time, and it shuts off. It also shuts off automatically after five minutes.

Along with the light, there's a cool sound effect each time you touch the patch to the cover.

The lights look great, and the feature works pretty well. I did have a little trouble getting MuMu's hand to reach the cover, but it's a minor nit.

Accessories - *
There's a small, simple booklet that comes with them, that helps kids learn to count. It's pretty light reading though, even for a 2 year old.

Fun Factor - ****
When I was a kid, I remember getting awoke at night, either from a bad dream or perhaps sounds in the house, and wishing I had a flashlight to ward off whatever the evil was. The inclusion of both the bright flashlight level and lower night light level on the light feature was a terrific idea, and should make these all that much more useful.

Value - **1/2
Usually when you combine two things, it costs you less than buying them separately. That's not the case here, since you can pick up a awfully cute 10" plush for around ten bucks, and most night lights are ten to fifteen tops.

That being said, the price on these is pretty much in line with similar products, like the stuffed animals that show constellations on the ceiling. Those run $30 or so as well, depending on the retailer and manufacturer.

Things to Watch Out For -
These are labeled for 18 months and up. Other than that, you should be good to go.

Overall - ***1/2
While these aren't cheap, they are really, really cute. Add in a very useful feature - the flashlight/night light - and you have a winner. Kids will love the funky designs, and the build quality ensures parents a long friendship for their children.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - Bupkis
Design/Quality - ***1/2
Light Up Feature - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
You're best bet is to hit the company's website, but you'll pay full retail.

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