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IntroductionBefore I was supposed to fly, I randomly checked my flight status and the seat map to make sure I was getting a row to myself on this red-eye (since that's the only reason why you would take a red-eye, right?).
However, I noticed that it was pretty cheap to pay cash for an upgrade on Business. So I just went ahead and did it! Usually, I don't splurge like this but I thought it was worth the experience and was glad I did it.
Before The FlightThe flight I was taking was from San Francisco to Newark (UA 1931) on a red-eye. I paid for 2 one-way flights (one from Orange County to Santa Ana, and the other was San Francisco to Newark) with a total of ~$210. The upgrade to business on the SFO-EWR segment was only $388, which is a steal! Usually cash upgrades on this route can easily be thousands of dollars.
Before upgrading, I made sure to check the aircraft type since if I'm paying good money, it has to be on United's Polaris product. I was specifically looking for the Boeing 777-300ER or the Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 aircraft, and this flight was on the former. So, I went ahead and booked it. The total for the 2 flights plus the upgrade was shy of $500, which isn't too bad! 
The seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, so I made sure to pick the "1" seat because I was traveling by myself. I also made sure to pick an odd numbered row, because the seats bordering the windows could either be more "towards the window" or "away from the window". I wanted to be closer to the window, which are the odd-numbered rows.
Booking Business allows you to utilize Premier Access and 2 free checked bags. But, I didn't really use these benefits since I already had TSA PreCheck. However, you get group 1 boarding, which is nice.
The flight itselfWhen I got on the plane, I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious the seat was. I suppose it's because I'm short, but I was happy to see the different offerings. While I was getting myself situated, a flight attendant came around and offered me water or champagne.
Each seat had 2 pillows and a blanket, all wrapped in Saks Fifth Avenue branding. One pillow was soft, and the other pillow seemed to be more hard (like memory foam). When I sat down, the IFE screen in front of me was decently big with a USB charging outlet. If I pushed at the metal thing below the IFE, a table popped out where you could unfold it. To the right, there were buttons for adjusting the seat. To the left, there was a little thin shelf where they put the in-flight magazines. To my immediate left, there was a little landing area where I can put a few things, a plug and the remote for the IFE. A little "cabinet" opens when you push on it and inside, there was a water bottle and headphones. There was also an amenity kit and coat hook. So far, the seat seemed quite ordinary but the bedding felt impeccable. I was very excited to lie down and fall asleep. The amenity kit was also a nice touch. Overall, I had a lot of leg room.
The headphones were nothing special. While waiting for takeoff, I got myself adjusted by looking inside the amenity kit and tinkered around with the seat buttons.
For now, I put the kit away in my bag since I knew I wouldn't use it right away. However, I liked how it was heavily catered for this red eye since I used the facial cleaning cloth and the sanitizing wipe before landing and felt much more refreshed.
For the seat buttons going from left to right...
Right before takeoff, a flight attendant came around and was taking meal orders. The 3 options were "an option I don't remember", Thai chicken, or they could let you sleep. My original plan was to sleep but I wanted to try the meal. So, I told them I wanted the Thai chicken. They told me it would be served around 1-2 hours into the flight.
To pass the time while we were taking off, I set up my bedding, got myself comfortable, and nibbled on the small bowl of nuts that another flight attendant gave me. I chose to watch a few episodes of The Office before the meal came. The meal was served much quicker than expected. Initially, I wasn't expecting much (since how good can Thai chicken be on an airplane?) but I was pleasantly surprised. There was actual silverware, the chicken was flavorful, and the vinaigrette they gave me to pair with the salad was also decent. Since it was getting late, I chose to save the cookie and the bread to eat right before landing. The FA saw that I finished my meal and actually offered to give me another one, which I politely refused. In any other time, I would had said yes though but I really needed to sleep. 
So I pretty much zonked out until landing, and then the FA woke me up. I ate the cookie and break as the plane was landing (cookie was quite good, bread was just bread). Outside the window, you could see suburban Newark and New Jersey but I was hoping for a better view. Oh well, next time. Then, we landed!
ReflectionOverall, I was impressed with the experience. On a red-eye, all you really want to do is sleep and the product delivered. The bedding was comfortable and I was able to fall asleep. The food was an added bonus. However, I would probably only fly Business again if I got a deal like this time around. I wouldn't had wanted to use miles or pay more cash for this upgrade. But, if you do get a chance I would jump on it!
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