5 Tips For Choosing The Best Desk Mat

Creating a comfortable and convenient desk space is essential to both maintaining productivity and adding some joy into your everyday workflow. Once you've decided if you want a standing desk, a treadmill desk, or something a little more ordinary, you can start filling it out with gadgets and organizing it to your preference. Beyond that, if you're looking for a quick and easy way to add some character to your home or office desk, as well as the other added benefits, you may want to get a desk mat.

Kind of like an extended mousepad, desk mats offer a range of benefits that are both aesthetic and practical. Aside from adding some personalized vibes to your workspace, desk mats also offer additional protection for your desk, which can be a significant concern if you're working on expensive furniture. In addition, some desk mats can even prevent spills and other accidents, because of increased traction with your peripherals. Plus, a desk mat can even act as a noise dampener for vibrating electronics.

With all of this, it's clear that choosing the right desk mat isn't as simple as buying the first one you see. These days, there are thousands of desk mat options in the market that can support your specific requirements. So, in the sea of options, here's what you should be looking for and some interesting desk mat features that you might not know about.

The most important thing you need to consider when buying a desk mat is if it will fit your desk. To do this, measure the full space of your desk and do an inventory of all the peripherals you would like to keep within the perimeter of the desk mat itself. Depending on your workflow, you may want to consider the space required for your desktop computer or laptop, plus keyboard, mouse, touchpad, wrist rest, mobile phone or even drinking cups or mugs.

Afterward, decide on the maximum space you want to allocate for the desk mat. In some cases, some people prefer for their desk mat to cover the portion of their desk allocated for input peripherals, like the keyboard, mouse, or trackpad. However, others prefer that their desk mat covers the entirety of their workspace. While it is possible to estimate the right desk mat size from just looking at a picture, it's always a good idea to measure things before making a purchase, especially when buying online. After all, some photos can be digitally altered or not shown in the most accurate scale. Although most people tend to keep their desk mats on a static workspace, you should also consider portability if you're buying a desk mat for your remote work needs.

Once you have your ideal desk mat size, the next thing you should think about is the material of the desk mat itself. These days, there are desk mats made of various materials with different characteristics and price points. Here are a few of them that you should consider.

Although sometimes it's unclear which is better for the environment, genuine animal leather and vegan leather are both commonly used for desk mats. Nevertheless, it's important to note that both genuine and vegan leather are very broad terms, which can signify a range of quality and durability that varies per manufacturer. However, high-quality leather desk mats can last a lifetime with the right care. If you're a sustainability buff, you can opt for a desk mat made of vegetable leather or cork, which can work just as well and you don't have to feel bad switching them up every so often.

Plastic-based desk mats are some of the most convenient to use and work with, because they are easy to clean and cheap to buy. On the other hand, some desk mat materials can give you endless customization options, such as fabric desk mats. Among fabrics, you can choose from materials like felt, wool, polyester, microfibre, or even cashmere, which you can proceed to customize to your preferred design. For many people, it's also wise to consider if your desk mat material is pet-friendly or waterproof.

For gamers, the firmness of your desk mat can significantly affect your gaming experience. If you're a hardcore gamer, who plays games wherein speed is a priority, you'd want to opt for a desk mat that offers less friction. In many cases, this will mean smooth or harder surfaces, which the mouse can easily move over. However, some gamers, who need a little more control, may prefer a degree of resistance on their desk mat, which requires a slightly rougher or more textured surface.

Not to mention, if you tend to use your desk for other things, such as writing, drawing, or journalling, there's also a merit to using softer surfaces that are more pleasant to write on and rest your hands in-between uses. That said, if you're looking to get a desk mat for your regular home or office desk, the hardness or softness may simply boil down to preference.

There are also desk mats that offer unique features, which you can integrate into your existing workflow. For example, there are now desk mats available that let you charge your mobile phone directly on the mat, such as the WeYingLe Wireless Charging Mouse Pad ($34.99), which has a foldable phone holder with a 15W charging capability.

It's worth noting the pros and cons of wireless chargers, aside from charging devices at a slower rate than wired charging cables, wireless chargers are also known to wear down phone batteries faster. However, if this doesn't matter so much to you, wireless charging pads on your desk mat can make keeping your mobile phone at full battery feel effortless. Not only is it less visually annoying than a bunch of cables, but it also seamlessly blends into your setup and lessens the number of items you need to manage on your desk.

Aside from wireless charging, another less common desk mat feature that may be fun to have, is the light set up. On Amazon, you can snag the GIM Wireless Charging RGB Mouse Pad ($36.99), which is large enough to be a desk mat, and has both wireless charging and ten different lighting modes for an immersive gaming experience. Alternatively, if you like more light modes at a lower price point, you can also get the TIDALSOIL RGB Large Gaming Mouse Pad ($19.99), which also comes with USB ports.

Regardless of what size or material, there are a couple of things that you should definitely do to keep your desk mat looking better for longer. First, it's recommended to keep your desk mat away from any direct sunlight, which depending on the material can lead to damaged or fading colors. Next, it's best to wipe it off as soon as it's exposed to any unnecessary liquids, such as coffee. Excess moisture on your desk mat can be a breeding ground for bacteria and lead to issues like discoloration after extended periods.

In some cases, such as with certain fabric desk mats, you may be able to wash it using the gentle cycle in a washing machine. As for desk mats made of genuine leather, you'll need to care for it the same way you'd care for the leather interiors in your car. In general, it's best to avoid harsh chemicals like bleach, which can prematurely age or damage your leather desk mat. Thankfully, we've made a nice guide for how to clean leather using things you can find at home.

If you're not sure about the appropriate care for your specific desk mat, it's best to consult the seller or check the manufacturer's website for more information. You can also check out our guide for cleaning mousepads, which have similar materials.