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These will keep a spring in your step when you need it Artificial Turf For Playground
Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer. She's an expert on all things home, including kitchen appliances, grills, and other cooking gadgets.
Rachel Lee grew up in Southern California, enjoying tacos and acai bowls at the beach before joining Dotdash Meredith as an Editorial Commerce Producer in March 2021. In her free time, she loves exploring cool rooftop bars and speakeasies in every city she goes to, especially NYC.
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Standing on a hard, bare floor for several hours, whether it's because you're cooking a time-intensive meal on the stove or meal-prepping several ingredients at the counter, is not only exhausting, but it can cause strain to your lower body. It puts “constant pressure on your feet, lower back, and legs,” explains Dr. Kevin Lees, DC, manager of auditing and quality for The Joint Chiropractic.
Enter the anti-fatigue mat. This thick, multi-layered mat provides a cushion between your feet and the hard floor. These mats also help improve traction, reduce slipping, and protect your floors from spills.
Most anti-fatigue mats are fairly bare-bones, yet there are subtle differences between different models that can make them better suited to certain situations. We tested several anti-fatigue mats, spending hours standing on them and rating each based on design, comfort, durability, and ease of cleaning. There are a lot of options to choose from, of varying sizes, styles, and thicknesses, so we selected these top-performing options to help you select the right one for your kitchen.
Thick cushion provides necessary support
Softness creates an ultra-comfortable surface
Available in nine colors and three sizes
Creases from shipping can be permanent
For a simple yet effective anti-fatigue mat, we chose the Sky Mat. This reasonably priced option comes in three sizes and several colors, letting you choose the best fit for your kitchen. The anti-fatigue mat is 0.75 inches thick and made from the company’s patented foam, which is described as the “perfect blend of support and softness for standing all day," a claim that held up in our testing.
The mat has a beveled edge to prevent tripping, as well as a nonslip bottom. Even better, the Sky Mat is designed to be durable and is easy to wipe clean if you spill anything on it. During testing, we experimented with spilling flour and molasses on the mat and confirmed that it easily rinsed right off without issues. However, we recommend choosing the black color over the other options so that it's less likely to show any unsightly dirt. Even after hours of being on our feet, we noted that the mat still felt quite firm and supportive, thanks to its plush memory foam construction.
We also used this mat at a standing desk and still felt comfortable after an hour on our feet. We noted that it's just as nice to stand on with shoes as it is barefoot. And nothing about that changed in 6 months of using it daily. Overall, this top-rated anti-fatigue mat is an affordable and highly effective product for your kitchen or workspace.
Sizes: 20 x 32 inches, 20 x 39 inches, 24 x 70 inches | Weights: 3 pounds, 3.45 pounds, 7.39 pounds | Material: Soft-foam core | Colors: Black, Blue Diamond, Burgundy, Chocolate Brown, Dark Blue, Green Ombré, Gray, Indigo Deco, Natural Beige, Sedona Red Rocks
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Firm cushion contours to feet
Shows signs of dirt easily
Cushion is thick and can cause tripping
If your anti-fatigue mat is going to get a lot of foot traffic, you need a super durable product like the GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat. It is more expensive than many other options, but it delivers in terms of both comfort and durability. This anti-fatigue mat has an abrasion- and puncture-resistant surface to increase longevity. No matter how long we stood on it, our feet never sank to the floor.
The mat also features beveled edges and a nonslip bottom, as well as reinforced no-curl edges, although we noted that the pronounced cushion could still cause tripping. Additionally, our testing showed it still attracted dirt rather easily. It is a bit firmer than other mats, but it still offers uncompromising support with nearly an inch of thickness. We would have preferred that the mat be a larger size but still gave high marks for how comfortable and supportive it felt. The mat felt like it really provided the ideal amount of cushioning for our feet.
A minor caveat worth noting is the cleaning process—it took multiple washes and rinses for satisfactory results. This high-quality product comes in five sizes, and its polyurethane foam will always spring back, no matter how many shoes walk across it.
Sizes: 20 x 32 inches, 24 x 36 inches, 20 x 72 inches | Weight: 5 pounds, 7 pounds, 11 pounds, 6.5 pounds, 17 pounds | Material: Polyurethane foam | Colors: Earth, Midnight, Stone
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Texture makes it hard to clean
At 0.9 inches, this mat is the thickest one in the roundup, and it certainly shows with its cushy comfort that brings instant relief to your tired feet. The polyurethane foam material and ergonomic design make this an incredible value of a kitchen essential.
We were impressed with how cushiony this mat felt for its price—even after hours of standing on it, we felt no fatigue or soreness. The thickness of the gel and memory foam construction make it feel like your feet almost sink into the mat, and that held up nicely for the full 6-month test period. Plus, the PU leather surface boasts a surprisingly durable quality for a low price, featuring water- and puncture-resistant abilities.
Size: 20 x 32 inches | Weight: 5.14 pounds | Material: Foam | Colors: Black
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Creases from shipping may not come out
Your anti-fatigue mat doesn’t have to be a boring black or brown. The Kangaroo Original Premium Anti-Fatigue Comfort Standing Mat comes in a variety of colors, including green, blue, and red, allowing you to choose a product that matches your decor perfectly and still provides the comfort you need.
This highly-rated mat is 0.75 inches thick and made from high-quality foam. It features beveled edges and a textured surface to ensure you don’t trip or slip on it. The Kangaroo mat won’t break down over time and can easily be vacuumed or wiped down if it gets dirty. We did note that the raised diamond pattern on the mat made it a bit of a challenge to clean.
This anti-fatigue mat is lightweight and very comfortable to stand on. It's quite firm, which is key to preventing the aching and soreness of joints that occurs when you stand for prolonged periods of time. It might even be a little too firm: We hoped it would break in a bit in long-term testing, but it was no softer after 6 months than when it was new.
Sizes: 17 x 24 inches, 20 x 32 inches, 20 x 39 inches, 20 x 48 inches, 20 x 60 inches, 24 x 70 inches | Weight: 3.14 pounds | Material: Rubber | Colors: Beige, Black, Brown, Charcoal, Gray, Hunter Green, Mocha, Navy, Quatrefoil (Gray/White), Red, Sand, Sky Blue
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Foam layer contours to feet
If you’re going to use an anti-fatigue mat in your kitchen, it’s important that you can easily wipe off any spills. This 20 x 36-inch Amazon Basics mat has a stain- and abrasion-resistant surface, making it far easier to clean than other mats we have tested. It ensures your mat will remain as good as new, despite being located in a spill-prone area. We appreciated how easily messes were able to be rinsed right off and didn't leave any stains or discoloration. It's low-maintenance and uncomplicated to take care of. If you're used to hardwood floors, this will be like standing on a cloud.
Its foam layer will conform to the contours of your feet as you stand. In our testing, however, we found that while it's easy to clean and offers good support for the price, its slick surface prevents it from staying in place. In addition, we observed that while the mat felt cushy enough, we did not notice a drastic difference between it and the bare floor. However, we still preferred standing on it over the ground. Just keep this in mind if you prefer a kitchen mat that is extra thick and dense.
Size: 20 x 36 inches | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Material: Foam | Colors: Black, Dark Brown
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
May be too large for home
This professional-grade pick lives up to the quality standards of an industrial kitchen, so trust that it'll be more than efficient for whatever your need is. It may be too large for most standard home kitchens, but it's ideal for the workplace.
The Cactus Mat provides reliable comfort for long hours spent on your feet working and cooking. It's guaranteed to protect your back and legs from any pain or aching. Our testers emphasized the firm and supportive qualities of this mat and felt it was a worthwhile value. They also gave high marks for the mat's textured surface that grips your shoes to prevent slipping. It's an ideal thickness that provides even support throughout the bottom of your feet.
Keep in mind this mat requires more effort to clean due to its hefty size and the holes on the textured surface. Our process for cleaning this mat involved dragging it outside and mopping it in order to get a thorough clean. But we think it is a worthwhile trade-off for how spacious the mat is.
Size: 60 x 35 inches | Weight: 14 pounds | Material: Nitrite rubber | Colors: Black
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Light color may show dirt
Not a fan of the plain-looking kitchen mats and want to add a fun flair to your kitchen? Look no further than this decorative mat. The memory foam construction makes for just the right amount of squish underneath your feet. However, we observed during testing that this half-inch mat was not as thick as some of the other options, so it felt a bit less supportive. We also noticed that the light color may be prone to accumulating dirt, but that's nothing a quick wipe-down can't fix.
Although it might not feel the most luxurious out of the bunch, this mat is definitely the most eye-catching and attractive. Overall, if you're seeking a cute anti-fatigue mat that gets the job done, this is the one for you.
Size: 20 x 36 inches | Weight: 2.4 pounds | Material: Foam | Colors: Grey
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Our top pick is the Sky Solutions Anti-Fatigue Sky Mat because it hits the sweet spot between firm and soft. It's thick, grippy, and comes in a range of sizes and colors. Looking for something suited to high foot traffic? Look no further than the GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat. This firm, durable option is almost an inch thick, offering outstanding support even after several hours of use.
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
Based on extensive online research, we chose 16 top anti-fatigue mats to purchase and test in our Lab. (In order to make the comparison as fair as possible, we chose a 36-by-20-inch size when available—or as close to it as possible.) We spent hours pitting them head-to-head in structured tests, then continued to use them in day-to-day kitchen operations over the next 6 months. We arrived at our final picks after considering the results of both short- and long-term testing.
The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy
Most are constructed with various soft materials like foam, gel, or even both. Dr. Kevin Leesrecommends polyurethane, which is a foam found in many commercial mats designed to stand up to continual usage. The top surface is typically protected with some kind of cover—often waterproof vinyl or polyurethane. This also helps with cleaning up and protects the mat from spills.
Whatever material is used, Lees also recommends paying attention to the size of the mat. Most mats are designed to allow one person to stand in place fairly comfortably but not move around. If you want the ability to move back and forth at a kitchen counter, for example, without leaving the mat, consider looking for longer, runner-style mats.
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
“Thickness is important for the length of time you are using the mat,” Lees explains. Look for mats that are at least 0.625 inches thick, with 0.75 inches being better. But don’t go overboard: Mats that are too soft and squishy can have a compressing effect, “leaving you feeling as if you are back standing on the hard floor,” he says.
Many mats feature an anti-slip design on the base. Acting like a built-in rug pad, this will keep you from slipping. Lees refers to this as "travel control" and notes that anti-slip features are especially important in areas where a mat could get wet (like a kitchen) or on slick floors, like hardwood or tile.
“Mats made from cheaper materials are not always cheaper,” says Lees. Look for signs the mat will last, like using durable materials. A sealed bottom and top will protect it from breaking down and help it stand up to everyday spills. Also, consider what kind of wear and tear your mat will be subjected to: If you want a mat to stand on while folding laundry barefoot, you’ll need considerably less tough materials than someone who may need to stand in heels at work for hours without puncturing the mat.
Consider how the placement of your mat will affect its everyday usage. A mat made for the kitchen, says Lees, is typically squishier and designed with bare feet in mind. While they feel great, they might not be ideal for standing on for more than a few hours. For standing in shoes, a firmer mat that won’t lead to sinking may be better.
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Ellison
While most anti-fatigue mats aren't winning any beauty awards, it’s possible to find more options in an array of colors and even patterns. You can match your mat to colors in your kitchen or simply find one that closely matches the floor, helping it blend in.
"Mats made for kitchens in your house tend to be softer and made for wearing socks or bare feet. They also are not made for standing for more than an hour or so. Mats that have 'travel control' are made to not slide on the floor. This may be important for people using them on tile or wood floors. And, beware of mats that can curl on the edges, as this can lead to a tripping hazard." adds Dr. Kevin Lees, DC, manager of auditing and quality for The Joint Chiropractic
Commercial mats, often made of polyurethane, typically feature protection on the top and bottom to stand up to wear and tear from shoes, office furniture, and high-traffic areas. They may not be as soft as mats designed for home use but can be the best option for standing for long shifts.
To further increase motion, some anti-fatigue mats aren’t made flat to encourage more movement and stretching. A sloped area may allow you to stretch your calves as you work, for example, or grooves help your feet stay aligned. These are often intended for standing desks and work best for people in more stationary positions, not those moving around washing dishes or folding laundry.
For home use, kitchens are one of the most popular places to use anti-fatigue mats. Cooking can often require a lot of standing (which is also why a pair of kitchen shoes or chef shoes can be a huge help for tired feet, too). Tile floors are also great for cleaning up spills and splashes but don’t do our feet any favors. Anti-fatigue mats designed for kitchens are often nonslip as well as thick and comfortable, and great for bare feet and socks.
Most anti-fatigue mats are designed for standing and would be difficult to wheel an office chair on. Regular chair legs may also puncture or damage the cover on a mat. If you want a mat for an office desk or other area where you may sit and stand, look for a small mat that can go in front of your chair.
A high-quality anti-fatigue mat can last several years. Heavy use may limit the mat’s lifespan to two to three years if placed in a high-traffic area. Dropped items, wearing shoes that may puncture a mat—like heels—and even wearing regular shoes on a mat may lead to premature wear and tear.
Most anti-fatigue mats are designed for use in dirty areas of the house, like kitchens and workshops. Splashes and spills won’t hurt a mat, but that doesn't mean they are always completely waterproof. If a mat was somehow submerged in water or a bigger, messier spill occurred, you should dry it out. If all else fails, you may need to replace it.
Most mats have a water-resistant covering made of a material like PVC or vinyl. You can simply wipe it clean as needed. Most anti-fatigue mats cannot be fully submerged in water or washed in a washing machine.
Anti-fatigue mats typically have three parts: a nonslip base, a foam or gel interior, and a water-resistant cover. Trimming the mat would expose the foam core, allowing it to get dirty and absorb spills. Your best bet is to buy the correct size mat to fit your needs.
Camryn Rabideau is a lifestyle writer specializing in all things home products. She's reviewed everything from the latest and greatest kitchen gifts to the must-have cookware essentials for your kitchen. She's also taken several interior design courses, which has given her an additional angle when it comes to home products.
Marshall Bright, who wrote the buying guide for this roundup, is a self-taught home chef who has interviewed and learned from famous chefs along the way. However, her real passion is for making home cooking accessible, fun, and comfortable. As part of her research on the more technical aspects of anti-fatigue mats for the kitchen, she interviewed Dr. Kevin Lees, DC, manager of auditing and quality for The Joint Chiropractic.
Our Associate Commerce Editor Rachel Lee assessed testing insights from our Lab and researched each product's qualities to determine the top picks to recommend in this updated roundup.
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