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Dori Shevlen is a home design writer who has written on topics including scented candles, makeup mirrors, and her favorite, popcorn makers.
After new testing, we added five new products: IKEA Toftbo, Sasawashi Bath Mat, Poolside Bath Mat from Cold Picnic, Loop Bath Mat from Pottery Barn, and Misona Bath Mat from Anthropologie.
A bath mat is small enough to fit into a laundry basket, but it’s a great decorative element: it keeps you from slipping in the bathtub, dries your feet, and ideally makes the entire bathroom look more presentable.
To help you find the right rug, I scoured dozens of retailers, read hundreds of reviews, and tested 20 rugs in my bathroom. Here are seven bath rugs that stand out from the crowd.
As a staff writer for Wirecutter’s home decor team, I spend a good portion of my workday trying to help you make your home a more comfortable, welcoming, and functional space. I’ve written about how to organize a small bathroom and how often to wash your bath mat.
In this guide, I prioritized function over form: a bath mat is, after all, a design element, but it also needs to keep your feet dry, be easy to clean, and be durable. After searching through major retailers and reading hundreds of customer reviews and media reports, I found 47 bath mats that looked promising. From those, I narrowed the list down to 21 that featured understated neutrals, beautiful patterns, and unique designs.
I then tested 21 mats about 50 times while showering, checking each time for how absorbent the mat was, how quickly it dried, how easily it got dirty, and how easy it was to get in and out of the tub. I also stood on each pad while brushing my teeth, noting how they felt under my feet, how much they moved with my movements, and their overall aesthetics. Of course, I washed and dried all the mats according to the care instructions, and took close-up before-and-after photos to assess wear.
This is the cheapest of all the mats we tested, but it also impresses with its durability – even after three years of daily use, it still looks like new. But it can easily slip.
Feel: Quite dense and soft, but may take a little longer to dry in humid climates.
The IKEA Toftbo bath mat looks the same today as it did when I bought my first one in 2019, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it — several Wirecutter staffers have also been using their product for years, and they say it still works great.
The price is unbeatable. Toftbo is the cheapest of all the bath mats we selected and the cheapest of all the bath mats we tested. It is also one of the most affordable and yet beautiful bath mats we have seen online or in store.
It’s very durable. I’ve been using Toftbo mats for three years now, and my old gray mats look just as vibrant and thick as the new pink dough mats I ordered for this tutorial. Somehow, even with daily use and weekly washing, this thing never breaks.
Color choices: Five (beige, gray, pink, white, turquoise, and white stripe; may vary seasonally) Dimensions: 20″ x 31″; some colors are 24″ x 47″ Material: 100% polyester Care: Machine wash warm on normal cycle; tumble dry
Unlike most rugs that claim to be non-slip, this one actually stays in place and looks cute. But it does collect a lot of dust.
Wirecutter has recommended the Lands’ End Cotton Non-Slip Bath Mat since 2018, and after retesting it in 2024, I can confidently confirm that recommendation.
It doesn’t actually move. I tested three other non-slip mats, but this one was the only one that felt truly stable. It didn’t move when I got out of the bath wet, and it didn’t move when I brushed my teeth, as I always did around midnight. And even after washing this mat, its latex backing showed no signs of breaking down.
It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. This is true of many of the mats we’ve chosen. However, we found that this mat is one of the few that has a contoured shape that will fit your toilet perfectly (if you so choose).
Color Options: Seven (blue, turquoise, beige, cream, white, navy, gray) Dimensions: 16 x 23 inches, 20 x 33 inches, 23 x 39 inches; white and ivory: 23 x 59 inches, plus toilet contour shape Material: 100% cotton, latex lining Care: Machine wash, tumble dry low
This classic rug is soft on both sides and can last twice as long without needing to be washed. But it does attract dust.
Feel: This mat is soft, comfortable to stand on, and dries quickly.
Unlike most floor mats, the Pottery Barn Classic Organic Loop Bath Mat is functional and beautiful on both sides. One side is sheepskin, the other is terry. So if the used side starts to look a little dirty before you wash it, you can simply flip it over to the new side. The sheepskin side has a traditional soft and fluffy texture, while the terry side has a finer, rougher texture.
It offers some nice style options. Available in five sizes (including a round one) and about a dozen colors, this rug is one of the most versatile rugs we’ve picked, so you’ll likely find one that’s perfect for your bathroom. Pottery Barn also sells matching towels.
Very comfortable. Made from 100% organic cotton, this mat is not only soft on both sides, but also thick. Your feet sink into it a little, and it feels great.
Color Options: 13 (including white, pink, navy, gray, and beige) Dimensions: 17 x 24″, 21 x 34″, 27 x 45″, 24 x 64″, 34″ Round Material: 100% Cotton Care: Machine wash cold on gentle cycle, use non-chlorine bleach only if needed; tumble dry low, remove immediately
This Japanese paper and bamboo fiber mat has a nice matte effect that is reminiscent of nature. However, some people may not like the texture.
Feel: This thin mat has a pleasantly rough feel and is one of the fastest drying mats we’ve found.
Before writing this guide, I had never heard of Sasawashi. The Sasawashi bath mat was recommended to me by a colleague. But its unique appearance and excellent drying properties made me completely fall in love with it.
It’s rough and absorbent. Unlike traditional cotton bath mats, this one is made from sasawashi (a blend of Japanese paper and bamboo fibers) and has a dry, rough texture that’s comfortable to stand on and absorbs water well. In my experience, the Sasawashi mat stayed firmly on the floor, even when I scraped my feet back and forth to exfoliate them. I don’t believe in the grounding theory, but my boyfriend said this mat helped him reconnect with nature. Whatever.
It won’t move easily. The non-slip polyester backing had enough grip to stay in place even when I moved my feet side to side across the mat. In fact, it’s the safest of our non-slip mats, second only to the Land’s End.
It’s stood the test of time. Like our products from IKEA, Lands’ End, and Frontgate, this is one of those rugs that we can rely on our staff’s expertise to ensure longevity. Katie Okamoto, sustainability editor at Wirecutter, reports that she’s been using and washing her Sasawashi bath mat for more than five years, and it’s still in great condition. At worst, she says, some of the polyester backing might have worn away, but otherwise it looks and works just as well as new.
Color Options: Three (beige, brown, and gray) Dimensions: 18″ x 14″, 25.5″ x 18″, 30″ x 22″ Materials: Sasawashi fabric (paper and bamboo); polyester and polypropylene lining (non-slip surface); 100% acrylic trim Care: Machine wash with like colors (not included); do not bleach or tumble dry
This longtime favorite is soft and flexible, like a plush towel. But it can slip off easily.
Feel: Your feet will sink comfortably into this incredibly soft, thick, luxurious towel. But if you move around a lot, the towel may move with you.
The Frontgate Resort Bath Mat has been a Wirecutter favorite for years, as our staff testers love how soft it is and how easy it is to clean. After trying it myself, I loved it, too.
It’s soft and pliable. This 100% cotton rug is incredibly comfortable, yet it’s snug and low enough to fit in the smallest of spaces under doors. It’s so pliable that you can hang it over your bathtub to dry, and it’s still just as soft to the touch after washing.
Even after years of use, it remains durable and long-lasting. Since Wirecutter first recommended this mat in 2019, several employees have used it, and they all noted that it remains very durable even after years of use.
It can be combined with almost any bathroom. Since this rug comes in 13 colors, we can’t think of a color scheme it wouldn’t go with. If you have the Frontgate towels we recommend, you can match the rug to them.
Color Options: 13 (including terracotta, navy, gray, beige, and olive green) Dimensions: 21″ x 34″; 17″ x 24″ (select colors) Materials: 100% cotton Care: Machine wash cold, gentle cycle; tumble dry low
With its artistic design and raised graphic elements, this rug is eye-catching and comfortable to stand on. However, some may find it expensive.
Feel: With textured details and super soft, dense cotton, this mat feels like a playground for your feet. However, it dries more slowly.
The stylish Cold Picnic bath mat is pretty enough to hang on the wall, but we prefer to stand on it in the bathroom.
This is a really eye-catching item. The abstract design of this mat with its bright colors and textured elements looks special. We tested the “Poolside” design, but Cold Picnic has dozens of mat designs that are just as beautiful and eye-catching, including even cute butt and leg pads.
It’s a joy to stand on. The different colored spots on this rug are at different heights, making them appear slightly raised above the rest of the rug. Not only does this give the rug a unique look, but it also feels luxurious underfoot. I love swinging my feet between the two raised areas after a bath for a gentle massage. While the bottom of this rug doesn’t provide the same traction as the Lands’ End Cotton Non-Slip Bath Rug or the Sasawashi Bath Rug, it still moves less than the other items we picked: It didn’t budge when I ran my foot across it, but I was able to nudge it with just a little effort.
Color Options: 26 (including abstract patterns, legs, and butts) Size: 20″ x 30″ Material: 100% cotton; delicate non-slip coating on back Care: Machine wash separately in cold water on gentle cycle with mild detergent; tumble dry
The fine weave and elegant diamond pattern make this rug feel more like a flat weave rug. However, the cushioning isn’t very good.
The Anthropologie Misona Bath Rug’s variegated texture creates a subtle diamond pattern that draws the eye without distracting from the action.
It gives people a delicate and romantic feeling. This flat weave pillow looks impressive due to the beautiful dyeing process and the fine textured weave that forms a diamond pattern. It is like a bathroom version of “quiet luxury”.
It has a low profile. Like the Sasawashi bath mat, it’s one of the flattest mats we tested. It should fit through all but the narrowest doorways, and its flexible, thin design means it can be rolled up tightly and stored as a placemat.
Colors: Seven (including pink, white, navy, and sage) Dimensions: 34 x 21 inches, 58 x 23 inches Material: 100% cotton Care: Machine wash; tumble dry low