Best chair mat 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]

Best chair mat of 2018

Check them out and decide which one suits you the best to splurge upon. The “Total” indicates the overall value of the product.

Welcome to my website! If you plan to buy chair mat and looking for some recommendations, you have come to the right place. Before you spend your money on chair mat, start by familiarizing yourself with the various types.

Test Results and Ratings

Rank	№1	№2	№3
Product
Total	4.8	4.5	4.3
Style	4 points	4 points	5 points
Versatility	5 points	4 points	4 points
Performance	5 points	5 points	4 points
Quality	5 points	5 points	4 points
Awards

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№1 – Marvelux 30″ x 48″ Vinyl

Pros

PVC CHAIR MAT FOR LIGHT USE 30″ x 48″ – Suitable for hard floors including: vinyl, stone, tile, wood, laminate and concrete. Not recommended for carpet, please see our extensive range of chair mats for low, standard, medium and plush pile carpets.

SMOOTH EASY GLIDE SURFACE – This PVC Chair mat is ergonomically designed to provide added ease of movement, which is proven to reduce leg fatigue by taking the strain off your legs.

Cons

For such a price and the level of quality it can’t even have any cons, only pick holes.

Why did this chair mat win the first place?

I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product. The rear part fits perfectly! It is mounted really tight and reliable. The product is very strong. Its material is stable and doesn’t crack. I am very happy with the purchase. It is definitely worth its money. The product is top-notch!

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№2 – Office Chair Mat for Carpeted Floors | Desk Chair Mat for Carpet | Clear PVC mat in different thicknesses and sizes for every pile type | Low-Pile 36″x48″

Pros

ROBUST CARPET PROTECTOR: This flooring mat is thicker than conventional chair mats and is therefore particularly stable and resilient. It keeps your carpet protected against the notorious dangers arising from an office chair

HIGHLY TRANSPARENT: Clear and very high strength as made of 100% pure PVC this carpet floor mat for office desk chairs allows the aesthetic of your surface below to show through. Flat, dirty and damaged carpets are therefore a thing of the past

Cons

It rusts quite easily.

A little bit shallow.

Why did this chair mat come in second place?

The design quality is top notch and the color is nice. I like this product. For such a low price, I didn’t even hope it to be any better. It’s decently made. Seems that the material is good. It has a very beautiful color but I don’t really like the texture. I really liked it. It is amazing in every aspect. It did even exceed my expectations for a bit, considering the affordable price.

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№3 – Marvelux 30″ x 48″ Polycarbonate

Pros

POLYCARBONATE CHAIR MAT FOR LIGHT/MEDIUM/HEAVY USE 30″ x 48″ – Suitable for low, standard and medium pile carpets. See our extensive range of chair mats for plush pile carpets and hard floors.

HIGH IMPACT STRENGTH FOR ERGONOMIC GLIDING – This Polycarbonate chair mat has a smooth easy glide surface to provide added ease of movement, which is proven to reduce leg fatigue by taking the strain off your legs. The surface will not dip or cup throughout its lifespan.

Cons

Small size.

Extraordinarily expensive.

Why did this chair mat take third place?

This price is appropriate since the product is very well built. It doesn’t squeaks nor bents. Looks great in my apartment. We are very pleased with the purchase — the product is great! It is inconvenient to use due to the size. I am going to get something different next time.

chair mat Buyer’s Guide

How to choose a chair mat

An office worker moves his or her office chair more than 300 times in the average eight-hour workday. Chair mats are an ergonomic tool that reduces the likelihood of repetitve stress injuries and lowers fatigue. Chair mats also protect your rugs, carpets and flooring from damage caused by chair casters.

Size and Shape Considerations

Chair mats are available in a large selection of sizes and shapes. Before choosing your chair mats, you’ll need to consider factors, such as desk width and if your employees will be rolling their chairs to access file cabinets and other office items. Don’t guess on the size of a mat area. Instead carefully measure the areas where you plan to place your mats.

Mat Thickness

The thickness of your chair mats is especially critical. While chair mats designed for hard surfaces have the same thickness, carpet chair mats vary in thickness. Keep in mind that the thicker your mat is, the easier it will be to roll on. This is because thicker mats provide more flatness and bend less. As a result, thicker mats are more level, so they’re more able to stop a chair from moving.

Consider the type of edging for your chair mats. Do you want straight or sloped (beveled) edges? If you have a hard surface, it’s better to choose a mat with a straight edge.

Conversely, beveled edging is the best choice for carpeted surfaces. If you have a difficult time finding a mat that fills up your work area, without getting underneath office furniture, buy a smaller mat that has beveled edges. This will allow you to smoothly roll your chair on and off of a mat.

Other Considerations and Warnings

Questions? Don’t hesitate to visit our online store. Our non-toxic PVC (vinyl) chair mats offer several benefits, such as affordability and scratch-resistance. We deliver our mats, flat-ready, for immediate use. At Mat Shop we offer a four-year written warranty on all our products. Please contact us and find out more about our wide selection of office mats.

How we picked

Experts’ opinions on the benefits of standing to work have changed since the earliest versions of this guide (and our guide to height-adjustable sit/stand desks). It’s still true that sitting for prolonged periods can shorten your life, even if you are active at other times. But the health benefits of “interventions” such as working at a standing desk are still unproven. (That doesn’t mean they’re disproven, just that there isn’t enough evidence yet, from enough good studies or for a long enough period of time.) Most important for anyone who wants to stand while they work: The early hype suggesting that standing all day, or even for hours at a time, would be better than sitting has quieted.

The best advice, from Alan Hedge, professor of ergonomics at Cornell University, is the simplest: “Simply standing is insufficient. Movement is important to get blood circulation through the muscles.” Hedge’s recommended sit/stand/move cycle suggests that you should alternate between sitting and standing quite a bit, maybe up to 1times per day.

How we tested

We tested 1mats in 2016, eight new mats and six contenders from previous versions of this guide. In 201we looked for a more affordable option, testing seven of the top-rated or most interesting flat mats: the iPrimio Air Soft, Andersen’s 42Hog Heaven, the Kangaroo and Gorilla Grip mats by Hills Point Industries, and mats by Royal, Benicci, and Standing Logic. We also tested a handful of mats with raised features against the Topo in 2017: the CubeFit TerraMat and its smaller Lite version, the surprisingly well-reviewed Butterfly mat, and Topo’s own smaller Topo Mini.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Most anti-fatigue mats are flat for good reasons, namely trip prevention, ease of storage, and the ability to accommodate different tasks at a workstation. If you prefer lots of room to pace, dance, or work at different stations around your desk, you’ll want to stick with a larger flat mat (such as the Imprint CumulusPro). The same holds true if you know, from lots of experience at your desk, that you have little desire to move your feet while working, or if you prefer a flat surface to move on.

Topo’s maker states in the product’s FAQ that the mat “provides an almost perfect performance up to user weights of 240 pounds.” Both the FAQ and an Ergodriven representative clarified that the Topo can still work for heavier people, especially if they have larger feet, but they may feel more sunk-in, especially on the flat parts of the mat. We attempted to test the mat by having the writer (about 190 pounds) shoulder first 50, then 100 pounds of rice while standing on the Topo, but it’s hard to get an impression of how your feet feel when you’re concentrating on not dropping weights. We would suggest that anyone significantly over that weight limit consider the return policy (30 days for full refund) or check out our top flat mat pick, the Cumulus Imprint Pro, which has no foam inside and no stated weight limit.

Pull Quote

The Topo isn’t for you if you’re just starting to stand while working and you aren’t sure you’ll keep it up.

Because it’s built specifically for standing while working at a stationary task (namely, typing and mousing with a computer), you’re unlikely to get use out of the Topo for other tasks done while standing, such as in a kitchen. The narrow form, and the potentially foot-catching sides, make the Topo a specific tool for one type of job.

A few testers who generally liked the Topo’s movement-inducing design thought the central “button” was too squishy. I never stood in such a way as to put an entire foot, or both feet, directly on the button for long. It seems to be meant more as an occasional foot stop, or a spot to press and stretch foot muscles, but it does have a different feel from the contoured, firmer edges.

Ergodriven, which crowdfunded the Topo’s launch, is relatively new to the ergonomic industry. The Topo has a no-questions-asked 30-day return policy, as well as a seven-year warranty. Still, no customer has owned a Topo mat for more than two years as of this writing, though one of this guide’s editors has used one for about that long. It seems to be a durable product; we will update this guide with long-term testing notes as we continue to use it.

More than three years of combined testing among writers, editors, and coworkers makes it easy to recommend the Imprint CumulusPro Commercial Couture Strata as a traditional flat mat for standing desk use. Nearly everyone who tried an older version of the Commercial mat in our first round of testing in 201liked its feel the best, and so did our 201and 201testers, who evaluated the Couture Strata version against the regular Commercial Grade, a half-dozen similarly priced models, and seven lower-priced mats. Like the regular Commercial Grade mat, the Couture Strata comes with a 10-year warranty and doesn’t off-gas toxic chemicals.

We prefer the look of the Couture Strata variant of the Imprint—its light texturing, especially in its gray version, makes it look a little nicer than the typical rubbery black look of most anti-fatigue mats, including the regular Commercial Grade. The standard Commercial Grade mat is sometimes a little cheaper than the Couture Strata and sometimes a bit pricier. If you don’t care if the mat has a pretty top surface, get whichever one is cheaper at the time—they feel the same.

Care and maintenance

Cleaning any of our mat picks is easy, because you need only water and a cloth towel to get rid of most spills and stains. You can use a paper towel, but cloth is better, as we found that paper tends to disintegrate and pill against the mats’ textures. Soap and water is fine for germ-laden spots. A Topo representative told us that Ergodriven tested household cleaners such as Lysol wipes and Windex spray, and neither harmed the mat, though using such cleaners is likely “overkill.” We recommend sticking with plain water and, if necessary, dish or hand soap.

If you use your mat with bare feet and believe that an odor has accumulated, you can also hose the mat down in your backyard or in your sink. If your mat has developed a significant tear or split, however, you might want to avoid that area (and contact the maker, if the mat is still under warranty).

The competition

We tested two other topographic mats side by side with the Topo in 201The CubeFit TerraMat offers different kinds of foot stretches and positions: a very firm back ledge that can be used for calf or foot stretches, two spheres that can work foot edges, and a front high ledge for raising your toes or standing astride the whole mat. It’s interesting and different, but its flat sections feel notably less supportive than the Topo’s. The Butterfly “Not Flat Mat” is surprisingly well-reviewed, coming from a nearly nonexistent company and, well, looking like a butterfly. Both the raised bumps and flat sections of the Butterfly mat make an uncomfortable crinkling sound, unpleasant for both the stander and anyone who can hear them within a few feet.

Both Topo and CubeFit offer smaller versions of their topographic mats, the Topo Mini and TerraMat Lite. We tested both, and found both to be too small for most people to change stance or stretch their feet. A Wirecutter editor under 5′6″ found the mats too restricting, and a taller editor found their miniature raised features not nearly as interesting as those of the full mats. If chair space under a desk is a concern, our budget pick provides a better solution.

We previously recommended the SmartCells Anti-Fatigue Mat as a more firm, less squishy alternative for those who like that feel. It’s heavier and harder to move around, and we could feel the individual cell walls move when shifting weight or standing barefoot. Though some people may prefer it—like one out of 1coworkers at our testing space in 2016—it’s not a pick for most people.

We tested eight mats in 2016, in addition to the we tested in 201and a few we tested in between. We sent the best mats from our 201tests to the coworking space for comparison and continued testing them alongside the new ones we evaluated. Most mats look similar to the Imprint CumulusPro Commercial, but didn’t receive the same high marks on feel and support from our testers. In this group were the Imprint CumulusPro Professional, the GelPro NewLife Eco-Pro (and its slightly less firm sibling, the GelPro NewLife Professional Grade), the StandDesk Anti-Fatigue Mat, the WellnessMats Original, and the Smart Step Supreme, which might stick to carpeted floors better but is otherwise notably squishier than its competition.

It’s worth noting that the Imprint CumulusPro Professional is not similar to our pick, the Imprint CumulusPro Commercial Couture Strata. Long-term testing of the Professional revealed inadequate support during long standing sessions, prominent edge curling, and an overall very different experience from the Commercial. The Professional costs roughly half as much as the Commercial model, and we’ve seen why.

The Varidesk ActiveMat aims for the same active-standing utility as the Topo, with raised and foam-soft edges for you to place and press your feet against. The edges are steeper than the Topo’s, and uniform in height and angle. Some of our testers preferred the ActiveMat over other flat mats, but the ActiveMat is harder to move around than the Topo and doesn’t provide as much novel “terrain” for wandering feet. It also feels squishier than the Topo, more like stepping onto a mattress than a material meant for standing.

Sources

Parents with young children will get the most out of their area rug by following these expert tips from Lisa Wagner, NIRC Certified Rug Specialist and International Rug Care Trainer.

Vacuum: Invest in a very good vacuum cleaner that is easy to handle. The more often you use it, the longer you can wait between washings of a natural fiber rug or steam cleanings of a synthetic fiber rug.

Clean Spots: Get to spills quickly so that you can stop the damage. Since rugs usually don’t come with care instructions, ask your local rug cleaner for the best way to tackle stains on your particular rug, based on the fiber type and rug construction.

There are a couple of other storage considerations

DO place your rolled rug in an area that is climate controlled. You’ll want to avoid the excessive heat of an attic and the moisture of a basement or garage.

DON’T be tempted to stand your rolled rug for storage, as it may sag on its own weight and bend the end of the roll beyond recovery.

Ideas to Floor You

In an open-concept home, an area rug is the perfect way to designate an open space as a particular “room,” such as adding a rug under your table and chairs to create a dining room.

Photo: In these before and after photos of a room renovation, you can see the furniture and lighting choices made with a bright rug as the modern inspiration.

Bedroom

Photo: Rugs can be placed under all four legs of the bed or under just the back to legs in order to maximize the area of the floor covered by the rug.

Photo: When selecting the right size rug for under your dining room table, allow for enough room that chairs can be comfortably pulled back from the table and still remain on the rug.

Photo: Anchoring your rug in place with the front feet of your couch and chairs is a great way to tie your conversation area together in a cohesive way.  A great rule of thumb for placing your new area rug is to think of it as the glue that holds all the elements of your design together. Place your rug so that it touches at least the front legs of your furniture, or all the legs, if it’s big enough.

As you consider your rug placement, keep comfort in mind. You not only want to enjoy the beauty of the rug with your eyes, but with your feet, too. Make sure to place your rug where you can maximize the enjoyment as you step out of bed in the morning or as you curl up on the sofa at night.

Features

With a higher price comes a number of high-end features. In addition to head to toe massage using a variety of techniques (kneading, tapping, rolling, shiatsu), this chair uses technology to make the massage customized for your body. There is also a heat option and a full stages of zero gravity. The SH-Chiro feature helps target and relax your spine while a unique yoga stretching program will provide full body stretching.

Adding to the value of this chair is the white glove delivery service that fully installs your chair where you want it.

Chair Mats

Purchase of certain massage chair usually depends on how much money people are you willing to spend.

There are different budgets and that is why there are also massage chairs in different price ranges.

When you are decided that you would like to purchase a massage chair I recommend the first thing that you do is set the budget.

Once you know how much you want to spend the decision will be much easier.

If you are not limited with lower budget there are best massage chairs with a lot of great features and you can find them above in the review space.

The price is usually determined by next things: specifications, features, quality of the material, size etc.

Choose the brand

There are a lot of different manufacturers on the market and you will probably get lost at all that assortment.

Buying a massage chair is much easier in the 21st century because you can simply do it online if you don’t have time to check all the stores.

A very important thing is also to read the reviews about the products because that way you will be able to see the true opinion on the product.

What Features are Important to You

There are chairs with basic features and chairs with a lot of different features available and that is something you should decide about too.

If you are looking for a chair with a lot of different features that might infect your budget too because those chairs are usually the most expensive ones.

But if you want to save up some money you can still get a chair which doesn’t have so much features.

Here are some different features which are available: zero gravity zone, air massage, foot rollers, chromo therapy, heating option, music system, 3D rollers, quad rollers etc.

Upholstery Material of Recliner

The material of the chair is also very important and because purchasing a message chair is a huge investment it is important that you choose a chair made out of durable and high quality material.

The best materials for massage chairs are leather, synthetic leather and faux suede. Every material has his bad and his good sides and that is why we should read the information about the material.

The leather chairs are much more wear resistant but they also need much more maintenance and they also cannot be used with heating systems.

The synthetic leather or maybe PVC are softer and also wear resistant as leather but unlike leather those materials are easier to clean.

Material

When considering materials we have found the nap mats composed of 100% cotton or a cotton/polyester blend provide the greatest warmth and comfort. Our favorite is the Wildkin Nap Mat which our daughter used for years. It is comfortable, durable and comes in a large variety of prints.

Machine Washable

Every all-in-one nap mat listed in the chart is machine washable. Keep in mind that if the pillow is not removable you may be looking at a longer dryer time than for the removable options. If you are using a vinyl nap mat they are designed to be wiped down after use.

DO place your rolled rug in an area that is climate controlled. You’ll want to avoid the excessive heat of an attic and the moisture of a basement or garage.

DON’T be tempted to stand your rolled rug for storage, as it may sag on its own weight and bend the end of the roll beyond recovery.

Ideas to Floor You

In an open-concept home, an area rug is the perfect way to designate an open space as a particular “room,” such as adding a rug under your table and chairs to create a dining room.

Photo: In these before and after photos of a room renovation, you can see the furniture and lighting choices made with a bright rug as the modern inspiration.

Final Word

First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.

Most important, have fun and choose your chair mat wisely! Good luck!

So, TOP3 of chair mat

• №1 — Marvelux 30″ x 48″ Vinyl
• №2 — Office Chair Mat for Carpeted Floors | Desk Chair Mat for Carpet | Clear PVC mat in different thicknesses and sizes for every pile type | Low-Pile 36″x48″
• №3 — Marvelux 30″ x 48″ Polycarbonate

Questions? Leave a comment below!

Chatting about chair mat is my passion! Leave me a question in the comments, I answer each and every one and would love to get to know you better!