The Best Shower Mat

Anna Wenner has tested grab bars for Wirecutter and has evaluated a variety of other items for older adults and disabled people for USA Today’s Reviewed. As a former caregiver for her mother and a current helper for her grandmothers, she understands how important it is to find safe, user-friendly products that work well for each individual person.

Shannon Palus, this guide’s original writer, reviewed dozens of health and wellness products for Wirecutter between 2016 and 2018.

To determine what to look for in a grippy shower mat, we interviewed multiple occupational therapists, a gerontologist, and a writer specializing in cleaning.

We also read and analyzed hundreds of reviews on retail sites and social media to get a sense of which mats were working best and which were falling short.

The experts we spoke to all agreed: Shower mats can benefit anyone and everyone. That said, a grippy shower mat is especially important for any person who is at a higher risk of falling, such as those who are older, who have certain disabilities, or who are recovering from an injury or surgery. The CDC estimates that one in four older Americans fall each year; according to the WHO, falls are the second leading cause of death by unintentional injury worldwide.

But a shower mat alone doesn’t guarantee safety. Karen Jacobs, an occupational therapist and clinical professor at Boston University, told us that she has slipped because of a poorly secured shower mat. She emphasized that even someone who knows all the safety precautions can easily be injured by a faulty mat.

Look for a mat that safely covers any surface you may sit or stand on while you’re in your shower, as well as any entry and exit points that you tend to use.

You may not need a shower mat if your tub or shower already has a strongly textured surface. If you’re looking for a more permanent alternative to a shower mat, occupational therapist Pamela Toto recommends using nonskid strips that can be permanently installed in the tub or shower (which we didn’t test for this review).

Top pick

Gorilla Grip Bathtub Shower Mat

The best mat for smooth tubs and showers

This mat is the grippiest underfoot and one of the easiest to clean of those we tested. But its suction cups don’t work on textured or tiled surfaces.

Buying Options

$25 from Amazon

$25 from Walmart

The Gorilla Grip Bathtub Shower Mat was by far the safest-feeling mat we tried. It should also complement most bathrooms, as the rectangular mat comes in 20 colors while the square version comes in 17 colors.

It securely stays in place. Safety should always be the top priority when you’re choosing a shower mat. The Gorilla Grip mat’s 324 suction cups more easily attached to our tub’s smooth floor and didn’t budge, in contrast to other mats we tested; many of the suction-based mats we tried were time-consuming and physically demanding to install, but the Gorilla Grip mat made each installation a breeze.

It offers solid slip resistance. Though especially soapy surfaces or standing water can interfere with any mat’s grippiness, the Gorilla Grip mat outperformed the others in our testing. This mat did the best job of draining water, a leading cause of slickness, thanks to large holes throughout. It felt secure both when we sat down for a bath and when we stood for a shower, and it didn’t get in the way when we were entering and exiting the tub. Whereas other mats moved beneath us or let our feet slide when we changed position, this mat kept us in place and comfortable.

It’s easy to clean. As with all shower mats, you should hang up the Gorilla Grip mat to dry after every use. However, because its suction cups attach and release relatively easily, this mat was one of the few we tested where hanging it up didn’t feel like a hassle. Sticking it to the wall of the shower to dry was simple. The holes also provide more airflow while it’s drying, helping to keep mildew and mold growth to a minimum. And even if mold or mildew does develop, cleaning is easy: Just toss the mat into the washing machine periodically, and it will come out looking good as new.

It provides full coverage of a tub. This mat gives you a good grip everywhere you might sit or stand. At 35 by 16 inches, it covers most of the bottom of a bathtub; we found that it provided some of the best coverage of the mats we tested. It offers a decently comfortable surface for showers and baths alike, and in our testing it stayed in place even beneath an active dog.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Because this mat relies on suction cups to stay in place, it is not usable in a textured tub or shower, such as one with a tiled floor. If you have a newly refinished tub, you also may want to avoid this mat, as its suction cups could damage the finish.
• Considering the mix of raised dots, suction cups, and scattered holes in this mat, take extra care if you use accessibility equipment such as a shower chair or a walker—confirm that your equipment’s legs are secure and wobble-free before each use.
• This mat may not provide full coverage for oversize or oddly shaped showers or baths.

Also great

Asvin Soft Textured Bath, Shower, Tub Mat

The best shower mat for textured and refinished tubs

This comfortable mat works well on textured surfaces and can be cut to fit. But it doesn’t have the strongest slip resistance.

Buying Options

$15 from Amazon

$24 from Walmart

Though suction cups are excellent at keeping a shower mat in place, they don’t work for every setup. If your shower or tub has a textured surface, or if you have a refinished tub that suction cups can damage, we recommend the Asvin Soft Textured Bath, Shower, Tub Mat.

The nonslip bottom keeps you safely in place while its textured top surface remains comfortable and slip resistant to stand on. While this model isn’t quite as grippy as the Gorilla Grip mat, it still provides plenty of security for most situations.

It works on any tub surface. Because of its lack of suction cups, the Asvin mat is versatile enough to work on your tub no matter the surface material. Though this mat didn’t slip on any of the three bathtubs that we used for testing, it held best on those that had a bit of texture.

It’s easy to clean. This mat is machine washable, unlike similar mats we tested. We did have more problems with hair collecting on this mat than on the Gorilla Grip mat, but it came off easily in the wash. This mat is easy to pick up and dries quickly when hung on the side of the tub between uses. Though we found more water trapped between this mat and the bottom of the shower in comparison with the Gorilla Grip mat, it still provided ventilation comparable to that of other plastic mats with drainage holes.

It’s customizable to fit your tub layout. Because you can easily cut the Asvin mat, you can make it fit pretty much any tub layout. While this mat isn’t the easiest choice for every situation (such as a center-draining shower), it does provide a level of flexibility that other mats lack. Plus, with four sizes and six colors to choose from, you can personalize the mat to your space.

It’s comfortable to use. The Asvin mat, like the other textured PVC-material mats we tried, provided more padding than other tested types of mats. For those who find standing directly on hard floors painful (as well as those who just like a little luxury), this mat is a great option.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The Asvin mat floated in a poorly draining tub, but we found that to be an issue for many of the non-suction mats. Take note if your bath or shower’s drainage is slow or if you regularly take baths.
• Dirt and mud stained the white mat we tested, even after we machine washed it multiple times. If stains bother you, consider darker colors.

In 2018 and in 2023, we ran extensive tests on a total of 14 bath mats. We considered more than 20 in our most recent round alone.

In evaluating shower mats, we prioritized the following:

• Strong grip to the floor: For suction-mounted mats, this meant that the suction cups remained attached and did not require us to constantly recheck and refasten them. Whatever type of grip your mat uses, it should not slide when you’re entering and exiting the tub, it should not move while you’re showering, and it should not float while you’re bathing.
• Slip-resistant surface: The texture should provide strong slip resistance under soapy conditions and should help your feet stay firmly in place.
• Full coverage: The best shower mats cover a substantial portion of the bath or shower floor without spilling up onto the sides. The mat should cover wherever you enter and exit the shower, where you stand while washing, and where you stand to turn the water on and off.
• Drainage and ease of cleaning: All shower mats are susceptible to mold and need regular cleaning. However, a perforated mat doesn’t trap as much moisture and thus is less likely to grow mold as easily. Many mats are advertised as being antibacterial but are not labeled with any specific chemicals or concentrations of such, so it’s difficult for anyone to evaluate the efficacy of the advertised effect.
• Appealing appearance: Convincing a loved one—or even yourself—to use a shower mat can sometimes be a challenge. Finding something that fits your aesthetic and complements your decor will make the mat a more welcome addition to your bathroom.

Additionally, we considered how the mats would work for people with physical disabilities. For each mat, we took into account the ease of using it with accessibility equipment, such as a shower chair or walker, as well as the ease of the mat’s installation and removal. We also kept in mind the needs of parents who bathe their young kids and focused on mats that would stay put in a tub full of water, even beneath a lot of movement.

To narrow our choices, we looked at online reviews on the Amazon, Target, and Walmart sites to determine which mats lived up to their description; we then tested the top-rated mats.

We ran a shower and drew a bath on every mat, and we took full showers and baths with the top contenders. Two testers in their 30s and two in their 60s used our top two picks whenever they bathed over the course of two weeks.

We evaluated each mat in the following ways:

• How easy was it to install and remove on textured, tiled, and smooth surfaces?
• How much leaning over, physical strength, and patience were required for installation?
• How much did the mat slide around?
• Did its slip resistance hold up under running water and soap?
• Did it stay in place or float in a slow-draining tub or in a full bath?
• Did any mildew develop on the mat after two weeks of continuous use?
• How easy was it to clean and dry the mat? (For any that were machine washable, we ran them through multiple cycles.)

Polyvinyl chloride is what gives most shower mats their flexibility, and most shower mats contain it. PVC incorporates a huge range of chemical makeups, some of which are harmless and some of which carry risks. We limited our testing to mats listed as being phthalate-free, latex-free, BPA-free, and/or Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified. Our two top picks don’t contain phthalates, a group of hazardous chemicals common in PVC. One of them, the Gorilla Grip mat, is also BPA-free.

We also considered both wood and stone mats for environmental reasons, but when we consulted with experts and did our own testing, we found that such mats’ safety downsides outweighed any environmental benefits. Their raised height poses a tripping hazard, and their coverage of a tub floor is significantly limited compared with plastic mats.

If you have a textured tub but need easy cleanup: The Webos Foldable Non-Slip Silicone Bath Mat is a great alternative to our top pick for textured tubs. Though this mat wasn’t as comfortable to stand on as the textured PVC mats, the smooth surface makes it a breeze to clean up after pets, long-haired humans, and messes both big and small. This mat is also advertised as being PVC-free, BPA-free, latex-free, and phthalate-free.

If you want some extra confidence regarding the chemicals used to make your mat: The MontVoo Loofah Non Slip Shower Mat is an excellent option if you like the looks of the Asvin mat but want Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. That third-party certification indicates that the MontVoo mat has been independently tested and found to be harmless to human health. Unlike Asvin, MontVoo recommends hand-washing only; that can be less convenient, but it’s still doable if your mat’s chemical makeup is what matters most to you.

If you’re on a tight budget: The Yimobra Bathtub Mat is a cheaper alternative to the Gorilla Grip mat that still performed well. The Yimobra mat isn’t quite as sleek or as easy to install as the Gorilla Grip model, but it provides comparable safety and grip, and it stays in place well. Much like the Gorilla Grip mat, it also comes in around 20 colors.

The Bamfan Luxury Shower Mat was the only wooden mat that we tested, and for its style, it was fine. However, because its coverage was so much less than what the plastic mats offered, and its height created an unnecessary tripping hazard, we don’t recommend it.

While the hefty rubber of the Othway Bathtub Mat showed promise, its lack of drainage and its strong chemical smell made it unpleasant to use.

The SlipX Solutions Power Grip Extra Long Bath Mat and the Yinenn Bath Tub Shower Mat provided a lot of the same features as the Gorilla Grip and Yimobra mats, but these didn’t hold up as well during testing. Though we installed these two mats into the tub, securing all of the suction cups was difficult, and the suction was too weak for us to hang either mat on the wall to dry.

The Vive Shower Mat offered an interesting alternative slip-resistant texture in comparison with the bubble texture of its competitors, but ultimately we couldn’t get the suction cups to securely fasten to the bathtub floor.

This article was edited by Claire Perlman and Christine Cyr Clisset.