The 6 Best Desk Mats of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Desk Mats displayed on a top of a white table — The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Desk mats define your workstation while protecting the surface underneath from nicks, scratches, and ink stains. They also prevent keyboards from sliding, add traction for a wireless mouse, and keep documents and pens organized. Some options even feature cord organization. We decided to see if desk mats were even worth the investment, given that they can be largely for aesthetic purposes, so we purchased several popular designs and used them at home for up to six months.

Aside from their function, desk mats also visually help define and prioritize your work area. "It's a great way to not let everything else take over your desk, especially since this is a space where you need to stay focused," says professional organizer and home stylist Holly Blakey. And when it comes to choosing a design, there are plenty of options on the market—including plastic, cork, and leather.

We learned in our testing that an anti-slip material is essential for keeping a desk mat securely on a desk’s surface. You’ll also want to consider what items you’ll place on top of a desk mat before purchasing. The number of items and how you lay them out will determine the size you need. If you need extra traction, a visual definition for your work space, or something to protect the surface of your wooden desk, we highly recommend these six desk mats.

Editor's Note: This review was revised in July 2024 to include long-term testing insights.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Grovemade Desk Mat & Protector at Grovemade.com

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Best Leather:

Leatherology Classic Desk Pad at Amazon $170

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Best Felt:

SALE

Oakywood Felt&Cork Desk Mat at Amazon ~~$70~~ $53

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Best for Small Desks:

Logitech Studio Series Desk Mat at Amazon $20

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Best for Large Desks:

SALE

Nordik Leather Desk Mat at Amazon ~~$27~~ $21

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Best with Features:

Orbitkey Desk Mat at Amazon $79

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Best Overall

Grovemade Desk Mat & Protector

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

View on Grovemade.com

What We Like

Variety of sizes
Easy-to-clean materials
Non-slip design

What We Don’t Like

No extra features
Edges will not lay flat

The Grovemade Matte Desk Pad is our favorite desk mat that we tested because it has a durable design and is available in a variety of sizes, so it can fit most desks. We used the medium size of this desk mat on laminate and wood surfaces, and we loved how the cork backing had a tight grip against both surfaces, so the pad never slipped while we used it.

We easily fit a keyboard, mouse, notebook, and pen on the medium-sized desk pad, and we liked that it did not interfere with a laptop stand or monitor on our desk. The mat arrived rolled up, which was slightly frustrating because we never felt like we were able to flatten it completely; however, the curled edges did not interfere with the mat’s traction on the desk.

We also found it prevented crumbs from getting underneath the mat. Even after six months of daily use, we found that the pad held up well, and it still looked great—with zero scratches or discolorations.

The linoleum on the top of the mat is also very easy to clean and wipe away crumbs or water rings. We didn’t spill any liquids on this mat while testing it, but we do not think it would stain because of how easy it is to wipe off. Despite not having any extra features like a cord organizer or pen rest, we love this desk mat’s no-frills, sleek, and durable design.

_{Dimensions: 11 x 24.75 inches up to 26.5 x 49 inches | Material: Linoleum and cork | Color: 10 options}

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Best Leather

Leatherology Classic Desk Pad

A person sitting at a desk to use the laptop on the Leatherology Classic Leather Desk Pad

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

$170 at Amazon View on Leatherology.com

What We Like

Scratch-resistant writing surface
Luxe design
Large size

What We Don’t Like

Not fully leather
Not compatible with all mouses

A leather desk mat can add a luxurious finish to your desk setup, which is why we enjoyed using the Leatherology Black Onyx Classic Desk Pad. This hefty desk mat has full-grain leather side panels and a microsuede back to hold it in place on a desk. The majority of the desk pad’s surface is an unspecified, non-leather material that’s scratch-resistant, so you can easily write on it.

However, we think the partial leather construction of this pad is slightly disappointing given the premium price point. We also found the writing surface is not compatible with all mouse designs, so we opted to use our computer mouse off the pad. We easily fit a computer, keyboard, notepad, pens, and water bottle on this pad, but its larger size limited the organization of our desk surface as we weren’t able to fit much off the pad.

Despite its large size and higher price, we think this desk pad is a great addition to a formal office setup and it would make a great gift. After six months of use, we think it continues to look sleek and beautiful with no noticeable blemishes.

_{Dimensions: 26.5 x 18 inches | Material: Full-grain leather, microsuede | Color: Black onyx, cognac, brown, Bordeaux}

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Best Felt

Oakywood Felt&Cork Desk Mat

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

$70 $53 at Amazon View on Oakywood.shop

What We Like

Compatible with computer mouses
High-quality materials
Does not curl

What We Don’t Like

Some cleaning concerns

We were especially excited about testing the Oakywood Felt&Cork Desk Mat because of its non-creasing and durable design. As a bonus, we loved the price transparency included in the product listing, which made us feel more confident in recommending a more expensive desk mat. Our experience using it at home was also very positive as the wool felt is compatible with a computer mouse and prevented pens from rolling off our desk.

Despite arriving curled up, we also did not experience any edge curling like other designs on this list. It’s sold in two sizes, but you can also opt to customize a desk pad to the size you need.

Like other picks on our list, the cork backing also kept the pad firmly on our glass desk. We found it was also easy to brush off crumbs and wipe away any water that spilled on the pad. Our only concern with this desk mat was related to proper care of the Merino wool felt.

No care instructions are listed on the product page; however, the FAQ page addresses proper care of wool in case you spill any dark liquids on the mat. Plus, even after six months of use, we were happy to find that there was no pilling and the gorgeous texture has held up well.

_{Dimensions: 24.4 x 11.8 inches or 35.4 x 11.8 inches | Material: Merino wool felt and Portuguese cork | Color: Grey, stone grey, anthracite}

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Best for Small Desks

Logitech Studio Series Desk Mat

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

$20 at Amazon $20 at Walmart $20 at Best Buy

What We Like

Water-resistant surface
Non-slip backing
Excellent mouse traction

What We Don't Like

Edges curl slightly

For smaller desks, we recommend Logitech's Studio Series Desk Mat. It's just 27.5 x 12 inches, but we comfortably fit a monitor, laptop, keyboard, and mouse on its surface. The rubber backing provided a strong grip against wood and glass surfaces, but we were slightly disappointed by the edges curling. We think this is due to the flexible design, but it didn’t terribly interfere with our work.

The surface of this desk mat is very similar to a mouse pad, and it provided excellent traction for our wireless mouse. It’s also a water-resistant material, so liquids pooled on the surface and were easy to clean up.

And after six month of use, we also liked how nicely this lightweight mat rolled up for easy transport, so you can take it wherever you need to go.

_{Dimensions: 27.5 x 12 inches | Material: Polyester, rubber | Color: Rose, lavender, gray}

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Best for Large Desks

Nordik Leather Desk Mat

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

$27 $21 at Amazon View on Nordikbydesign.com

What We Like

Water-resistant surface
High value for price
Attractive design

What We Don’t Like

Cable organizer could be wider
No anti-slip backing

If you’re looking for a desk pad to cover a large standing, architect-style desk, the Nordik Leather Desk Mat is an attractive and effective option. We love this desk mat’s leather appearance with the bonus of having better durability and water resistance thanks to the vegan material.

This is the largest desk mat on our list (aside from the large and extra-large sizes available in the Grovemade Matte Desk Pad), so we easily fit all of our essentials on it and had plenty of room left to navigate a mouse. Our mouse also slid very smoothly across this surface, which was a major bonus. Unfortunately, this desk mat does not have an anti-slip backing on it, but it has a faux-suede texture that somewhat gripped our desk surface. We attribute its minimal slippage to the sheer size of the mat rather than any anti-slip properties.

Additionally, we were disappointed by the “cord organizer” on this mat, which is simply a slim loop of faux leather that you can feed a cord through. We think a magnetic design (like our best features pick, the Orbitkey Desk Mat) or multiple loops with adjustable widths would be a more effective organizational design.

However, the loop still managed to hold our monitor cable and charging cable. All in all, this large desk mat is well worth its inexpensive price tag and is an attractive option for those wanting a sleek desk surface. Plus, after testing it for six months, we think it still looks good and has held up well to daily use.

_{Dimensions: 35 x 17 inches | Material: Vegan leather | Color: 14 options}

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Best with Features

Orbitkey Desk Mat

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

$79 at Amazon View on Orbitkey.com View on Bespokepost.com

What We Like

Vegan leather construction
Magnetic cable holder
Document hideaway

What We Don't Like

No grippy backing

"The main functions of a desk mat include desk protection, organization, and a better surface for writing so your keyboard doesn't slide around and your mouse moves more smoothly," says Blakey. This sounds like a tall order for a relatively simple product, but the Orbitkey Desk Mat checks all of these boxes—and then some.

It's made of vegan leather and has a soft felt backing to protect the surface underneath from scratches and spills. The material is also easy to wipe clean. We loved the magnetic cable holder, which is adjustable along the toolbar and kept our cords tangle-free and in place.

There's also a hidden layer for stashing important papers or sticky notes you want handy but out of the way. We didn’t find the document hideaway super useful as we didn’t ever have loose papers crowding our desk, but we could see how this feature would be useful for certain industries and users.

Our main qualm with this mat is that it does not have a non-slip backing, however, the weight of our laptop prevented it from sliding around. We also felt the price was a little high for vegan leather, but we recognize that the additional features like a magnetic cord organizer, document hiding, and pencil holder make it a standout in the category.

_{Dimensions: 27 x 14.5 inches or 35.3 x 16.6 inches | Material: Vegan leather, felt | Color: Black, stone}

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Final Verdict

The Grovemade Matte Desk Pad is our best overall pick for a desk mat because of its no-frills, durable design. It stayed in place while we used it and provided excellent traction to our wireless mouse. If you want a desk mat that’s portable and less expensive, we recommend Logitech's Studio Series Desk Mat for $20.

How We Tested the Desk Mats

To have the best understanding of the user experience for each of these desk mats, we used them at home for two weeks. We researched dozens of popular desk mat designs and limited our list to eight outstanding models. Our editors used the desk mats as part of their daily work routine paying special attention to the design, quality, durability, and features of each mat.

Design: We considered how well each mat stayed on a desk surface and noted the surface it was most often used on. We also noted what items fit on the mat and whether the mat provides traction for those items.
Quality: We analyzed the material of each mat and how it felt—high-quality and durable or cheap and flimsy. Additionally, we monitored how well the mat protected the desk from spills and crumbs and how easy that debris was to clean off the mat. Several of the desk mats arrived rolled up from shipping packages, which resulted in the edges staying curled. This was not a dealbreaker for our tests, but it was slightly upsetting that the material did not want to lay flat again.
Durability: As we continued to use the desk mats, we paid attention to any signs of wear that developed like stains and scratches. We also considered any water-resistant materials used.
Features: While desk mats are primarily designed simply to protect a desk or provide additional traction, we also looked at a few mats that have additional features like cord organization. We made sure to consider how helpful these features were or if they felt like last-minute additions to the designs.
Value: Lastly, we considered what we liked most about each desk mat and what we would change (if anything) about the designs. We reviewed the listed price of each mat and considered whether our experience using it felt on par with the cost.

While our initial testing period was only two weeks, we also used them for three and then six months, checking in on how well they held up over continued long-term use.

A person using a mouse and laptop on top of the Oakywood Felt&Cork Desk Mat — The Spruce / Eric Brockob

What to Look for in a Desk Mat

Material

Desk mats can be made of various materials. The most popular include genuine leather, vegan leather, cork, plastic, felt, and various textiles, such as polyester or microfiber. We loved the designs on our list that featured a full cork construction or cork backing, such as our best overall desk mat, the Grovemade Matte Desk Pad. Cork provides excellent traction, which we found through our testing.

Professional organizer and home stylist Holly Blakey of Breathing Room says: "A treated leather that is water-resistant is my favorite, but there are also tons of synthetic and recycled materials that provide a great surface.” Some designs feature a combination of materials, like the Orbitkey Desk Mat, our best with features pick, which has a smooth faux leather surface and a protective felt backing.

All of the desk mats on our list are made from water-resistant materials, and we did not experience any staining on them. However, we recommend always being diligent about wiping major spills or water rings to avoid accidental stains.

Size and Thickness

When browsing desk mats, consider what size you need. This should go without saying, but larger desks will generally require larger mats, and smaller workstations will need smaller ones. But most importantly, it should fit what you plan to place on top, such as a keyboard, mouse, charging station, or even a desktop monitor.

We recommend arranging your desk items as you plan to use them on the desk mat. Then, measure the perimeter of these items to determine the best size desk mat for you. If you use a laptop stand or monitor stand, we recommend not including this in your measurements as these items are typically larger, making them difficult to incorporate into a narrow desk mat dimension. Additionally, stands could leave indents on softer desk mat materials.

Desk mats should also offer some cushioning without being overly thick. Most are between 0.05 to 0.2 inches thick (or roughly 1 to 5 millimeters). Thinner designs are often rollable, like the Logitech Studio Series Desk Mat, our best for small desks pick.

Shape and Design

Desk mats are typically rectangular to ensure a good fit and a cohesive look on most desks. Some have rounded corners, and others feature a clean-lined aesthetic.

Most are relatively simple-looking, as they're generally not considered decorative. However, a high-end design like the Leatherology Classic Leather Desk Pad (our best leather pick) can certainly enhance the overall look of your workspace. We also love our best for large desks pick, the Nordik Leather Desk Mat because it has the high-end appearance of leather, but is made of a vegan material that is water-resistant. It’s also very large to fit on wider standing desks.

Writing Surface

If you plan to use your desk mat for writing, Blakey recommends a "surface that is smooth and provides grip to prevent things from sliding around." The surface should offer some padding without being so thick that the tip of your pen or pencil sinks in. Our best overall desk mat, the Grovemade Matte Desk Pad, has a linoleum top that is smooth and durable enough to write on.

A hand lifting up the corner of the Nordik Leather Desk Mat on a white desk — The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Standout Features

Cord Organizers

"Some desk mats include organizing bells and whistles, such as cord organizers and a place to rest your pen," says Blakey. Our best with features pick, the Orbitkey Desk Mat, has a magnetic cord organizer, which we loved for keeping our laptop charger within reach. The Nordik Leather Desk Mat, our best for large desks, also has a small loop for keeping cords on the surface of your desk, but we didn’t find it as exciting as the magnetic option on the Orbitkey.

Toolbar

The Orbitkey Desk Mat also has a toolbar where you can place pens, pencils, and other small desk accessories. This is especially useful on materials that are slick (like leather) and may not provide enough traction to prevent round items from rolling off your desk.

The Checkout Counter

Before you checkout, here are a few other desk items to elevate your organization.

OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Adjustable Drawer Bin Set: Now that the surface of your desk is organized, you also need to tackle your drawers. This four-piece set has adjustable dividers in each bin so you can keep even small items in place.
Cinati Under-Desk Cable Management Tray: In case you opt for a desk mat without additional features, this under-desk cable tray can keep an extension cord within reach and minimize unsightly cords.
mDesign Plastic Slim Vertical File Holder: Whether you place these holders on a nearby shelf or in the corner of your desk, you’ll be able to quickly flip through papers and important documents without having them lying on your desk in a pile.

FAQ

How big should a desk mat be?

A desk mat should be big enough to fit the items you want to put on it, such as a keyboard, mouse, and charging station. While some people place their desktop monitors on top, it's not usually supposed to cover your entire desk. Smaller options are often around 24 x 13 inches, and larger designs are closer to 48 x 23 inches. You'll also find narrower mats intended for writing desks, workbenches, countertops, and built-in standing desks.
How thick should a desk pad be?

A desk pad should be anywhere from 1 to 5 millimeters thick (or roughly 0.05 to 0.2 inches). Rollable designs and those used as a writing surface are often thinner. On the other hand, desk pads that double as a mouse pad or are used for gaming tend to be on the thicker side.
Does a desk mat make a difference?

A desk mat can make a big difference, though it depends on what you're using it for and what you want it to achieve. If you're looking to protect your desk from scratches and ink stains or want your mouse to glide smoothly on a larger surface, a desk protector will deliver.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Emma Phelps is an associate editor at The Spruce who has been part of the team since 2022. She specializes in covering home decor and bedding, but she has previously written about appliances, home technology, and outdoor improvement. In her at-home workspace, Phelps uses a desk mat to provide extra traction for her desk riser, which she uses while walking on her walking pad. In addition to assessing our testing results, Phelps worked with our research team to design an at-home testing methodology and selected the products we tested at home.

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