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A desk pad (sometimes called a desk mat or blotter) is an excellent addition to any workspace.
Not only does it protect your desk from spills, stains, and scratches, but it also provides an easy organizational solution (everything stays within the dimensions of the pad) that keeps your desk neat and looking good.
Oh, and a bonus: on those hot days, it can keep your arms from sweating excessively (a real problem with glass and wood desks).
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
A desk pad is a game-changer that will make any desk look classier, tidier, and more professional. Whether you work from home or in an office, you’re going to want a great desk pad/mat for your working setup.
That’s why we’ve done the research and collected only the finest desk pads and desk mats on the market for you. Read over the list below, and I have no doubt you’ll find the perfect solution for improving your space.
If you’re a classy bloke who wants to add a touch of elegance to your workspace, you won’t find many better-looking options than this gorgeous microfiber desk mat.
Designed with a minimalist look (no fluff or frills), it’s a sturdy, long-lasting mat that is cloud-soft to the touch and incredibly easy to clean.
The body itself is nicely dense, adding good cushioning for your hands and wrists as well as protection for your desk. The underside grips even glass-top desks to ensure that it stays firmly in place no matter how vigorously you type or move your mouse.
Despite its affordable cost (one of the best-priced mats on our list), it’s built with love and attention to detail, handmade by expert craftsmen in Spain. You’ll never regret owning this beauty.
Gamers (both amateur and professionals), this is the desk mat for you!
It’s designed to accommodate both your full-sized gaming keyboard and mouse, and it’s 3mm thick to ensure your wrists are cushioned to reduce fatigue during those marathon gaming sessions.
The surface allows your mouse to glide smoothly for faster in-game action, and you’ll find it enables precision movement that takes your gaming skills to the next level.
You’ll love that you can roll it up and store in your backpack—perfect for taking your gaming on the go. It’s also a water-resistant surface that won’t be damaged by spills or drips, and it’s beautifully easy to clean with nothing but a damp cloth or wet wipe.
Killspencer does something different and special with its desk mat: it uses extra-thick, ultra-tough bullhide leather. This leather has a higher density than the average cow hide, which means the desk mat will be significantly more durable, resistant to damage, and weightier.
Each mat will also feature unique details—blemishes, discolorations, and marks—that enhance the beauty and individuality of the product. Plus, the leather will only grow more beautiful over time as it develops a patina.
It’s made in the USA, featuring hand-painted edges and solid stitching that won’t break or wear away even after years of use. Sturdy and stylish, it’s an absolutely amazing desk pad.
The Desk Pad by Grovemade offers three different materials, all mats that will both look gorgeously elegant and offer durability for your daily workspace. One uses vegetable tanned leather that feels soft to the touch and is visually appealing as a backdrop to your cutting edge tech. The tanning process ensures the leather’s unique details are preserved, giving it a stylish look that will grow more beautiful as it ages.
The Merino Wool felt pad is ultra-soft and resistant to fraying, with just enough cushioning to ensure your wrists are always comfortable even after hours of typing.
And for those who want something truly different, the Matte desk pads are made using linseed oil-based linoleum, wood flour, calcium carbonate, and pine rosin. The resulting surface is smooth and sleek, with a feel similar to premium-stock paper. Three unique choices, all lovely options to consider to upgrade your desk.
Satechi is a brand best-known for its tech-friendly accessories, and their Eco-Leather Deskmate is as good as it gets.
Built from polyurethane leather, it’s tough enough that it will shrug off spills and scratches with ease, but it will still feel and look as elegant as real leather. You can eat and drink over the mat without worries, because it’s treated with a water-resistant finish that makes it easy to clean with nothing but a damp cloth.
At 23 inches long and just over 12 inches wide, it’s sized to fit on even the most compact desk. Best of all, it’s our most affordable option and backed by a 1-year warranty to guarantee its quality.
Orbitkey does things a bit differently with this desk mat. Instead of keeping it minimalist and simple, it goes for “totally tricked out and badass”.
The mat comes with a built-in magnetic cable holder that slides along its full length, so you can keep all of your devices fully powered up day and night. The toolbar can also accommodate smaller gadgets—pens, tablet stylus, USB drives, etc.
Underneath, there’s also a document stash where you can store your most important papers to keep them out of sight but within easy reach.
Made from vegan leather and recycled PET felt, it’s a sturdy, smooth surface that makes writing and typing much more comfortable. You’ll be ready for anything with this mat on your desk.
If you’re willing to pay a (significantly) higher price for a luxury product, this is definitely worth the splurge.
The mat is made from gorgeous crossgrain calf leather that looks stunning right out of the box, and only grows more beautiful as it develops a patina. The leather is light, supple, and resistant to wear, and you’ll find that it’s a work of art in its own right. You can even personalize it to add your own initials or monogram, making it truly yours from the first time you use it.
Thanks to the smooth calf leather bottom lining, it will stay firmly in place on your desk. Whether you write or type, it’s the masterpiece that will elevate your workstation to a degree of professional luxury like nothing else can.
Add a touch of elegance to your workstation with this luxurious desk mat by Carl Friedrik. The Italian-crafted mat is made using vegetable-tanned Vachetta leather by Artigiano del Cuoio in Tuscany, and the leather is brushed and burnished to be both beautiful and durable.
It’s beautifully soft to the touch and will only grow more luxurious as the leather develops its unique patina over time. With a layer of rubber on the backing (underside), you can trust the desk mat will stay securely in place all day long.
Saddleback Leather Co prides itself on manufacturing some of the most unique, durable, and stylish leather accessories around, so it’s no surprise that their beautiful leather desk pad makes it onto this list.
The pad’s top surface is made from full grain leather, which retains many of its unique details, marks, and discolorations to ensure each pad is truly one-of-a-kind. The full grain leather is also next-level tough and fully waterproof.
The pad features a neoprene middle layer that adds just the right amount of “bounce” to make for more comfortable writing or typing, and a suede base that keeps it from sliding around. It’s thick enough that it will level out any coarse-grain wooden desk, and heavy enough that you’ll feel the gravitas it conveys.
And just so you know it’s peerless quality, it’s backed by a 100-year warranty that ensures it will be repaired or replaced.
Add a pop of color and life to your workstation with this unique desk mat. The Overlook Hotel Print desk mat features an eye-catching pattern in bright colors matching the flooring in the iconic hotel from The Shining, and the fact that it’s dye sublimation printed means that even after years of use, the color won’t fade and the image won’t lose its allure.
The base of the mat is a sturdy rubber that will protect your desk, keep the mat from sliding around, and ensure maximum durability. On top, however, you have a fabric that can be washed by hand to maintain cleanliness. Available in three sizes (10 x 16, 12 x 22, and 18 x 36 inches), it’s a great solution to livening up a boring cubicle or a plainly decorated home office.
For those who work on the go a lot, this is the ultimate portable desk pad to carry in your backpack.
The 36 by 20-inch surface is perfect for your desk at home, the office, shared workspace, even your favorite coffee shop, and it comes with its own built-in strap and fastener that can be used to secure it once rolled up or keep your cables organized when in use on your desk.
The pad is made from polyurethane leather and is double-sided, each side with a slightly different texture and feel so you can customize your writing surface exactly the way you like it. Like all UPLIFT desk products, it’s covered by a 15-year warranty and retails at a price point you can definitely love.
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