Whether you're on hard flooring or carpet, using an office chair regularly can cause damage to the floor's surface. A great way to shield your flooring from wear is a floor mat. We've rounded up some of the best mats around, including the excellent DoubleCheck DCP2.
Best Overall: DoubleCheck DCP2
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This DoubleCheck mat is an excellent option, being 100 percent polycarbonate and being able to last some time before showing any signs of damage. It also shouldn't curl up through use, which is an irritating feature of some cheaper mats. As well as being more transparent than other offerings, the studded underside holds the mat firmly in place.
What makes this mat from DoubleCheck so good is the use of polycarbonate plastics, which is the same material used by Nokia in its older Windows smartphones. You know, the ones that could withstand drops, stops, crashes, bashes, nuclear fallout, and most toddlers. That means for a good price, you're getting a mat that will last as long as the chair itself, if not longer. The material also helps protect the accessory from wear and tear, as well as curling up on the sides or discoloring.
At around 1.5 mm thick, it doesn't get in the way when moving around the office or home, and shouldn't leave any indentations after use. And not everyone enjoys using a white slab of plastic on the floor, which can hurt the aesthetics of a room. This mat, in particular, has a highly transparent design, making it possible to see the carpet underneath. The high-grip underlay hugs carpet well to keep it in place.
Finally, it's phthalate-free and doesn't come rocking toxic compounds, allowing you to enjoy a healthy working and/or gaming environment. Different models are available with differing thickness and whether or not a lip is present.
Runner-up: Floortex Cleartex UltiMat
The Floortex Cleartex UltiMat is a highly-reviewed mat for use with office chairs on carpet and currently sits on four and a half stars on Amazon. This is all down to the quality of the material used, being tough polycarbonate — the same type of plastic used by companies to make hardened chassis. Not only does the UltiMat last for ages (and by ages, we mean years), it also provides a few health-related benefits and protects your carpet from wear and tear.
It's pricey, but the amount you pay is well worth it. There are a variety of sizes and models available as well. It all depends on whether you enjoy wheeling around on the chair or remaining in a fixed position. If you have hard flooring, there's an option for that too.
Budget-friendly: Wizgree Floor Mat
This floor mat by Wizgree is an affordable option for anyone looking to add a little protection to their hard flooring. Made using PVC, there are no toxic materials used, which allows for a slightly more healthy environment. It's also transparent, meaning you shouldn't notice it's there unless you laid down on it or happen to stand on the mat.
The edge of this mat is polished to prevent you from accidentally crossing the border while on a chair. The smooth surface allows for your chair to glide across the top. It's a great way to save some money, but you will need to watch out for the mat sliding around slightly.
Basic Mat: AmazonBasics Floor Mat
Amazon offers its own floor mat with a high-impact resistant surface, letting you effortlessly glide across the mat without causing damage to your carpet. The mat, while providing excellent value, won't curl, cup, or flex on carpeted flooring or rugs.
It's easy to clean, is clear, and toxic-free. Owners have reviewed the mat positively, proving you don't need to spend more on leading brand mats to make it easy to wheel around on your carpet, though this mat may slide slightly through use.
Bottom line
Depending on what kind of mat you require (since not all floors are the same), we rate our DoubleCheck DCP2 option as the best overall for carpets, offering you high quality for an affordable price. If you wish to go for something a little more premium, the Floortex Ultimat is considered by some reviewers to be the best mat around. Other options in this roundup make sense for the budget-conscious.
While you can't go wrong when buying mats for your office chair, it can be worth the extra cost for one with better materials that will last, as well as handy features like enhanced grip to stop it sliding around your floor.
