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This series will look at products that professionals (who actually know what they’re talking about) actually use and actually stand behind. Click here to learn more.
If you’ve never worked in a professional kitchen (or haven’t dreamed of it after watching The Boonie Bears), you’re probably wondering what a kitchen mat is. It’s not one of those comfy Silpat mats you place on a baking sheet while baking cookies. Instead, it’s a soft, cloud-like mat that home cooks and professional chefs alike place in the most-trafficked areas of their kitchens to provide support for their legs and backs while working long hours at the sink and stove. (Not to mention, it protects your floors from food stains.)
“Standing on a softer surface can absorb and cushion a lot of the motion,” says recipe developer and cookbook author Erin Jean McDowell, so choosing the right kitchen mat—the right size, thickness, and overall look for your needs—can help ease some of the body’s aches and pains. That’s why I interviewed a number of home cooks and bakers, cookbook authors, and recipe developers about the mats they use during long days in the kitchen. These mats have stood up to all the trials and tribulations of cooking at home, especially hours at the stove with frolicking dogs and kids with food in their mouths. So whether you prefer a visually appealing mat or just need some extra support for your legs and back, here are the best kitchen mats for standing, recommended by cooking and baking experts.
Material: PVC Foam Thickness: 0.47″ and 0.75″ Size: 17.3″ x 28″, 17.3″ x 39″, 17.3″ x 60″, 20″ x 32″
Recipe developer and cookbook author Caroline Chambers had never used a kitchen rug, except in her restaurant test kitchen. Until she renovated her kitchen and replaced the soft vinyl tile floor with Saltillo tile, which is both stain-resistant and beautiful. “At the end of a hard day of cooking, or even after making dinner, I’d notice that my lower back and knees were hurting, and I’d think, What the heck is going on?” she says. It was time to buy a kitchen rug.
Chambers purchased a KitchenClouds Anti-Fatigue Mat, which met her support needs but didn’t fit into her newly renovated kitchen. So she paired it with a mat from Loloi, which has a non-slip underside to keep the mat from sliding. “On a really busy development day, I can be in the kitchen for 12 hours straight without sitting down, and I no longer have joint or back pain,” she says. Whenever food spills (which is inevitable, since her three sons are always cooking with her), she mops it up with a little Folex carpet cleaner. In the six months since I first spoke to Chambers about her mat and rug duo, her mat is “still in good shape,” especially after recently “rejuvenating” it with dusting and carpet cleaning.
Materials: Solid vinyl top and foam sponge base Thickness: 0.5″ or 0.75″ Sizes: Various
If you walk into McDowell’s kitchen, you’ll see four rugs that cover almost her entire countertop. The rugs are the result of her extensive online research into custom rugs that can be ordered in the thickness and squareness you need. If you’re like McDowell and are looking for a set of kitchen rugs that will fit your kitchen, I think these rugs are the best choice for you.
McDowell chose a 0.75-inch thick mat, which I found to be much more supportive than a half-inch mat, since I’ve used both sizes for a variety of dishes. McDowell says that the extra thickness means that “even when I’m shooting video and photos in the kitchen and I put heavy tripods or other equipment on the mats, it only leaves temporary marks. These mats always bounce back!” Not to mention they protect her feet, back, and hardwood floors. As McDowell puts it, “In my opinion, kitchen mats that move around underneath you are useless,” so the mats won’t move unless she picks them up herself. They’re subject to extreme use—“I’m often in the kitchen eight hours or more a day. I have constant help in the kitchen, and other people, photographers and videographers, work in it regularly,” she says—and the only time the pads break is when the movers bring in a new refrigerator. She cleans the rugs with a steam mop or disinfectant spray and then leaves them to dry in the sun.
Material: PVC Material thickness: 0.4″ or 0.47″ Size: 17.3 x 47″ and 17.3 x 29″
Unlike American floor mats, this kitchen mat can’t be customized to fit your kitchen. However, it’s the perfect size for food content creator Stephanie Rutherford’s space. She’s had two surgeries on her left foot, so even though this is one of the thinnest and most affordable mats on the list, it still helps ease the pain that comes with working in the kitchen for six to eight hours a day. The mats work so well in part because she places them in the most used areas of her home — along the island and in front of the faucet — and doesn’t move them unless she’s mopping the floor. While the mats have been stained by some misplaced food coloring, they’re virtually stain-free and can be wiped clean with a damp paper towel. One thing to note: The pads do wear out over time, so Rutherford ordered a whole new set after a few years of use.
Material: Foam Thickness: 0.5″ or 0.75″ Dimensions: 17″ x 24″, 20″ x 32″, 20″ x 39″, 20″ x 48″, 20″ x 60″, 24″ x 70″, 17″ x 24″ / 17″ x 48″ and 17″ x 29″ / 17″ x 59″
While a kitchen mat didn’t make our list of the best gifts for home cooks (at least not yet!), recipe developer and food content creator Justine Doiron received one as a gift from her fiancé. “He bought me this four years ago when we were living in Hoboken and I was just starting to get serious about cooking because my feet and ankles were hurting,” she said. Unlike some of the other experts I spoke to, Doiron only has a kitchen mat, which she places under her sink to cushion the scrubbing. However, you can also buy kitchen mats in a set of two, like Rutherford does, and place them in high-traffic cooking areas. When she’s not at the sink, Doiron wears her “grandma cook slippers,” which provide the same support as a kitchen mat. While she and Chambers share the same negative opinion about the kitchen rug’s appearance, Doeren keeps it in a closet when she has guests rather than covering it with a rug — “It’s a functional product, you know?” she said.
Material: Foam Thickness: 0.75″ Dimensions: 20″ x 32″, 20″ x 48″, 20″ x 72″, 30″ x 72″ and 30″ x 108″
If you’re looking for a cute and comfortable kitchen rug, consider this one from fashion and food designer Peter Sohm. He bought two—one for the stove and one for the sink—because he’ll be spending a lot of time in the kitchen working on his upcoming cookbook. The cushions are made from a textured woven tweed, which he says “gives a more homey feel, whereas if you go for a solid color, it tends to look more industrial.”
The mats are easy to wipe clean and retain their pristine white appearance, which is important to Som, who admits to being “a bit of a sloppy cook.” If you’re worried about tripping, don’t worry: “The edges are beveled really neatly and smoothly, so it’s really hard to trip,” says Som.
Material: Polyurethane Foam Thickness: 0.75″ Dimensions: 22″ x 32″ and 22″ x 72″
Chef and cookbook author Giada De Laurentiis’s 20-year love affair with this kitchen rug is a testament to its quality. She started using the rug after experiencing back pain while filming her cooking show Everyday Italian. After seeing the difference, she bought more rugs to place near her sink, stove, and refrigerator. Since buying her rugs 20 years ago, she’s had to replace them about every five years, mostly due to scratching from the family’s dogs. “My German Shepherd loves to sleep on it, even though he has a kennel. I can always find him lying on it in the morning,” she said.
Material: High-density foam with printed pattern Thickness: 0.75″ Dimensions: 22″ x 36″, 22″ x 52″, 22″ x 72″ and 30″ x 108″
Another kitchen mat that defies the industrial look standard comes from recipe developer and culinary artist Christina Hahn, who says it’s still in great condition after three years of use. She has two of the mats, which she says have “stood the test of time” since she spends four to five hours a day in the kitchen. She was looking for a kitchen mat that would support her feet and catch any food that falls on the floor. She settled on the House of Noa mat, which she describes as “soft” and easy to clean. “I cook with food coloring, pickles, and hot liquids that stain, but they can be wiped off,” she says. While her model is currently out of stock, House of Noa offers kitchen mats in a variety of colors and patterns.
I was fascinated by this mat, especially its beautiful pattern and fairly dense texture. I bought one to try out and found that it eased my lower back pain when I spent hours simmering soup or making sauces. I am quite a messy cook, but the mat easily removes any stains, whether it is juice from a seasoning spoon or grease from a hot pan.
Material: Engineering Polyurethane Material Thickness: 0.75″ Dimensions: 3ft x 2ft and 6ft x 2ft
If you’re looking to emulate a professional kitchen at home, I recommend considering this rug from chef and strategy writer Kiki Aranita. “Is it trendy? No. Do my knees care about fashion? No,” she said. “They also look a lot nicer than those commercial kitchen rugs with big holes, so I’m not too bothered by the look.” While this rug is one of the more expensive ones on this list, Aranita says she’s had it for a decade, so it’s an investment that will last for years to come. “I wipe it down with all-purpose spray and a rag, and it’s still like new,” she says. Like Doiron, Aranita finds that rugs are best suited for long-term, stationary work. For her, that’s like filleting a large, intricate piece of fish, and for her husband, it’s hours of rolling and shaping pasta.
Materials: Polyester, Polyurethane Waterproof Barrier Thickness: 6mm and 13mm Dimensions: 2.5 x 7ft, 2.5 x 10ft, 2.5 x 12ft
If you’re lucky enough to have a long kitchen like food content creator and cookbook author John Kung, the Ruggable Long Rug is one of your best options. The rug comes in four styles, two of which are relevant to this article: Flatwoven Standard and Flatwoven Cushioned. Kung chose the former because the cushioned version wasn’t the right size for his kitchen — it’s 2.5 feet by 12 feet — but he says that even though he’s barefoot in the kitchen “all the time,” the standard version is still “good for your joints, knees, back, everything.” The more padding, the better, though, so if the size is right for your kitchen, I recommend getting the cushioned version.
Unlike the Chambers Ruggable, Kung’s has the advantage of being able to attach the pad and rug together with Velcro, a convenience that comes with a higher price tag. But if your budget allows, the Ruggable is a great option because all the sections stay together until you decide to throw the rug sections in the washing machine after a big spill. While Kung hasn’t yet washed it in a washing machine (it’s hard to find one that can fit a 12-foot treadmill), he’s found that vacuuming and vacuuming the rugs do the job just fine. “I have two very energetic pit bulls who are used to knocking things off the countertop and running into it — almost like children, I suppose — so they’re pretty resilient, and I think they’re built for it,” he said. In short, it ticks all the right boxes: “I love it. The dogs love it. And it looks great,” he said.
• Kiki Aranita, Senior Editor, The Strategist • Caroline Chambers, Recipe Developer and Cookbook Author • Justin Doiron, Recipe Developer, Food Stylist, and Food Content Creator • Kristin Hahn, Recipe Developer and Food Content Creator • John Kung, Food Content Creator, Recipe Developer, and Cookbook Author • Giada De Laurentiis, Chef and Cookbook Author • Erin Jean McDowell, Recipe Developer and Cookbook Author • Stephanie Rutherford, Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, and Food Content Creator • Peter Som, Fashion Designer, Food Creator, and Future Cookbook Author
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