When I brought home a curly coated puppy who liked to spin before she settled, I learned quickly that a bare crate floor is not a workable setup. The nights that followed turned into the same puzzle repeating itself: finding a bed soft enough to comfort her, small enough to fit an 18-inch crate, and durable enough to survive the washing machine week after week. The MidWest QuietTime Deluxe XXS plush bed was the option I kept returning to, and this review is the honest account of three weeks spent testing its comfort, its fit, and its ability to be cleaned.
Before we talk about the cushioning, the standard note: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through the links it comes at no extra cost to you, and it does not change what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
The MidWest QuietTime Deluxe is a plush mattress with a soft, raised wall running around the outer edge and a generously cushioned floor. It is sized as the XXS specifically for an 18-inch crate, and it matches that measurement well, lying flat across the full width of the Floor. The top is a neutral, velvet soft plush, and the underside carries a textured, non-slip layer.
The construction is simple but thoughtful. The plush cover is attached to a padded base, and the entire piece is designed to be tossed into the washing machine. The soft material is the main attraction, because it turns a bare crate floor into a place where a puppy actually wants to relax, and the raised rail gives her somewhere to rest her head.
Key Features
The first important feature is the machine washability. After three weeks and far more wash cycles than I like to count, the QuietTime Deluxe came out of the dryer looking soft and intact every time. For a small creature, this is not a minor detail, because a puppy is not a tidy guest, and a bed you cannot clean becomes a bed you quickly replace.
The second feature is the non-slip base. The textured bottom grips the floor of the crate, so the bed stays in place even when a puppy scrambles in and out rather than sliding into a corner. That stability helps a nervous dog settle and builds a sense that the space is safe.
The third is the plush comfort. Because the bed is shaped precisely for an 18-inch crate, there are no awkward gaps, and the soft, cushioned top hides nothing hard from a sleeping bone. The result is a nesting surface ideal for a small dog settling onto a crate.
Real-World Performance
The comfort showed up immediately. On the first night in the crate, my puppy climbed onto the QuietTime Deluxe, performed her usual spinning routine, and settled within a minute. That is a real result, because a puppy who trusts her bed is a puppy who sleeps well. The plush surface invited her in, unlike the bare plastic of the crate alone.
The washing is where the product really proved itself. Over three weeks I ran it through the washer repeatedly, and it came out the same every time, with no clumping, no tearing, and no sagging. That single quality matters more than any other for a small dog bed, because the fluffy looks is worthless if you cannot easily refresh the fabric.
The portability also impressed me. I packed the bed into the travel crate for a weekend away, and the plush carried a familiar smell that helped my puppy settle in a new place on the first night. The bed folded comfortably into the car and made real difference to how calm my dog was at a strange house.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Plush cushioning that helps a small dog settle quickly
- True machine washable, strong through repeated cycles
- Non-slip bottom that holds the bed in place
- Precise fit for an 18-inch crate without wasted space
- Soft on the joints and easy to store when traveling
Cons:
- Size is tied to an 18-inch crate and nothing larger
- Plush top needs regular washing to stay fresh
- Not built for a dog that chews on the edges
- No waterproof lining under the plush for accidents
Where the product is not perfect, the honest limit is the material. The plush is lovely but it is not a chew barrier, and an aggressive chewer will damage the edging. For my purpose, a settled puppy, that was no problem at all, and the ability to wash the bed completely made it more practical for real life than a bed I would be worried to clean.
How It Compares
The closest rival is a generic crate mat sold in the same size range, which is often a thin foam sheet inside a simple cover. Against that, the MidWest QuietTime Deluxe wins on both comfort and ease of cleaning, because it is a true plush cushion rather than a flat pad. A more expensive fleece bed offers more warmth but makes the wash cycle far harder.
| Feature | MidWest QuietTime Deluxe | Generic Crate Mat |
|---|---|---|
| Cushion | Plush fill with a soft rail | Thin foam core |
| Washable | Whole bed in the machine | Cover only, core separate |
| Non-slip base | Yes | Often none |
| Fit | Built for an 18-inch crate | Often oversized or loose |
| Comfort | High and plush | Firm and thin |
For its size class the comparison favors the MidWest clearly: the small extra cost buys a genuinely softer, washable bed for the dog. If your crate is not 18 inches, the correct size is different and worth selecting, because the exact fit is one of the reasons this version works so well. The plush wall is what really sells it, because it gives a small dog somewhere to rest a head against the solid crate, and that feeling of a den is why a nervous young animal settles so fast. It is a detail you do not get from a flat mat, and it makes a real difference in the first crate nights.
Who Should Buy the MidWest QuietTime Deluxe
Buy this bed if you keep an 18-inch crate, whether for a growing puppy or a small adult dog. It suits owners who want something easy to wash, comfortable for the animal, and simple to take along when traveling, all in one piece of gear.
Skip it if you need a bed for a large crate, or if you have a determined chewer who will tear at the edge of the plush and the fill. For the intended owner of a small dog, it is an easy pick. You can find the MidWest QuietTime XXS on Amazon when you are ready.
How We Test
For three weeks I used the QuietTime Deluxe daily in an 18-inch crate with a young puppy, washing it multiple times a week. I judged how quickly the puppy settled, how well the bed preserved its shape, and whether the plush and the textured base withstood repeated, full wash and dry cycles.
For a broader take on crate bedding and comfort, the AKC guide to crate training and bedding offers a helpful review alongside a hands-on test of one model size.
After three weeks it proved its worth. The bed is comfortable, genuinely washable, and fit the 18-inch crate exactly. I would happily recommend the bed to anyone running that common small crate size, and the MidWest QuietTime Deluxe is available on Amazon in a few animal colors.
MidWest QuietTime: Questions People Ask
Will the MidWest QuietTime Deluxe fit an 18-inch crate?
Yes. The XXS size is cut to that exact measurement, and in my test the bed lay flat across the full crate floor with only slight tightness at the edges. It did not slide out push up against the door.
Is the QuietTime Deluxe actually machine washable?
Yes. I washed and dried the whole bed several times and it held its shape and softness. No clumping, no tears, no loss of cushion through the process.
Will my puppy actually sleep on this plush pet bed?
In my test my puppy settled onto the plush quickly and slept every night. The soft surface and low sided rail give a small crate a comfortable, den-like feel that suits a puppy well.
Does the QuietTime Deluxe have a non-slip bottom?
Yes. The underside is textured to prevent the bed slipping around inside the crate. Even with my dog getting in and out during the night, the bed stayed exactly where it was placed.
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