I Am a Food Editor and I Swear by This Kitchen Mat

If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d one day become a passionate advocate for kitchen mats (of all things), I would have laughed and edged away slowly. And yet, here we are. 

Here’s the thing: I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, both because of my work on Simply Recipes and also because I like to cook. A good floor mat provides traction and floor protection in high traffic (and high spill) areas like in front of the stove and the sink, is easy to keep clean, and also makes the space look more homey and lived in.

The Everyspace Recycled Waterhog Runner from L.L.Bean checks all of these boxes and then some. Please allow me to wax poetic for a moment.

What I Love About These Waterhog Mats

I’ve worn through a lot of kitchen mats in my day, from cushiony anti-fatigue mats to simple woven cloth runners, but these Waterhog mats are now a forever-feature in my kitchen for a few good reasons:

• They’re made with high-quality materials. These rugs are made of 90% recycled polyester with tightly woven threads that resist wear and tear. The rug itself is backed with thin, flexible rubber.
• They barely show wear. I’ve had the same two runners for going on four years now, and they look the same as the day they were delivered. My cat even likes to occasionally use them for scratching, and there are no signs for pulled threads or loosened weave. The rubber backing doesn’t show any sign of cracking or curling.
• They stay in place. No shifting around. No tripping over the edges on my way to the fridge for another sparkling water. They lay flat and stay where they’re supposed to.
• Spills aren’t an issue. These mats are actually designed to be used in mudrooms and entryways, and they absorb small spills without a hitch. The raised edge keeps larger spills contained until you can mop them up; L.L.Bean says the rugs can “hold up to 1 1/2 gallons of water per square yard.”
• Cleaning is a breeze. Small water spills evaporate quickly on their own, but if I spill something sticky or oily, I just drag the runner outside and hose it down. When I lived in an apartment without a yard, I would lift the part of the rug needing cleaning into the sink and hose it down with the faucet sprayer (it was awkward, but it worked!). If stains are stubborn, I scrub them with dish soap and then hose them down.
• They look great. When I first ordered these, I was worried they’d have an industrial look and make my kitchen feel utilitarian. In my opinion, they do not! I feel that they add texture and balance to my kitchen space, making it feel cozy. The rugs also come in a few sizes, colors, and weave patterns to suit your particular needs, style, and kitchen space.

A Few Things To Consider Before Buying

While I love these rugs with abandon, there are a few things to consider before you buy. 

First off, these rugs have no padding. I wear indoor shoes while I cook so this isn’t an issue for me, but if you like to cook barefoot or need more cushioning, these probably aren’t the best rugs for you.

Second, my husband has vacuum duty in our house and he sometimes complains that these rugs are difficult to vacuum. Mine have the waffle pattern, and sometimes he has to go over the rugs a few times to get all the crumbs from between the ridges. This said, I don’t see that it takes him all that much longer to vacuum these runners than other rugs in the house and the rugs look great in the end, so I suspect he might just like to grumble. Also, another weave pattern might prove easier to vacuum.

My Final Pitch for These Mats

Since purchasing these runners for my kitchen, I have added two doormats and a pet bowl placemat to my Waterhog collection. Now that I live in a house with a yard, I’m eyeing a larger rug for my patio area, too. Needless to say, these rugs have my heart and my pocketbook firmly in their grasp.

BUY IT: Everyspace Recycled Waterhog Runner