Do you feel fatigue and pain in your feet, legs and lower back caused by long standing at work or in the kitchen? Are you looking to provide relief and better working conditions to your employees and yourself?
If so, anti-fatigue mats can be the perfect solution to reducing the pain and suffering that comes from being on your feet for hours at a time.
Wearing quality shoes helps to reduce pain for extended standing. But the additional protection from purpose specific standing mats is really the best bet in the long run.
While one of the healthy habits that I often recommend to people is to frequently stand throughout the day.
Unfortunately, this extended standing can cause a few minor issues, so that's why it's important have the right equipment before starting the standing habit.
In this article, I will show you the best anti-fatigue mats for your kitchen or home office.
Don't have time to read the entire review? Then check out this table for a quick review…
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Best Overall Choice: Imprint® CumulusPRO Commercial Grade Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Runner-Up Option: Royal Anti-Fatigue Comfort Mat | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Best Value for the Money: Anti Fatigue Comfort Floor Mat by Sky Mats | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Most Budget-Friendly: AmazonBasics Premium Kitchen/Office Comfort Standing Mat | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Best High-End Option: WellnessMats Anti-Fatigue Mat | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Best Flat Mat with Great Cushioning: Imprint Commercial Coutre Strata | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Best for High-Traffic Areas: GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
What is the Purpose of Anti-Fatigue Mats?
The role of anti-fatigue mats is to relieve you of pain produced by standing on hard surfaces in one position for long periods. Standing in the same position for extended time will shrink and immobilize your leg muscles, restricting blood flow and causing pain.
Extended standing causes pain, but that is not all. It will often also make you lethargic. Your body loses energy because the heart works harder to pump blood through shrunken muscles.
One of the big advantages of anti-fatigue mats is that they widen your muscles and make them live again, stimulating normal blood flow and decreasing fatigue.
The final benefit of anti-fatigue mats is the potential savings. All the fatigue, joint stress and pain often lead directly to downtime, sick leave and decreased productivity. This downtime adds up. Specifically, when extended standing aggravates other injuries.
Like any preventative measure, you may never know exactly how much money is saved, but studies of workplaces where workers who spend hours standing have shown a decreases of injuries and sick leave of as much as 30%-40%.
Do Anti-Fatigue Mats Really Work?
The health and performance boost you’ll see from your anti-fatigue mats becomes more noticeable over time. These mats are a great choice for corporate, industrial, and even home use!
They stimulate blood flow, increase oxygen levels and reduce fatigue in your legs, ankles and feet when standing in the same spot for hours on end. Watch this video to see the benefits an anti-fatigue mat can provide:
What Should You Look for When Choosing an Anti-Fatigue Mat?
During your search for the right anti-fatigue mat, you may be daunted by the choices available to you. The standing mats you will find come numerous sizes, colors and varying quality of construction.
Many mats on the market are sold as anti-fatigue, but don’t back it up with results. Don’t be cheated. Before you go to buy an anti-fatigue mat, answer the following questions:
1. What are your needs?
Anti-fatigue mats vary in cost, material, construction, features, size and more. Think about what kind of environment you’ll be using your mat in and do your research accordingly.
You stand a much better chance of choosing the perfect mat for your needs when you shop for your specific criteria.
2. What characteristics should your mat have?
Will this be a large mat covering an entire workspace, or a smaller unit you’ll use in the kitchen?
Will you leave it in place permanently or remove it once the work is done? What will you need to properly clean the mat, given the workspace?
3. How will the firmness level of the mat affect you?
An anti fatigue mat’s firmness has a great impact on how if combats fatigue. If you choose a standing surface that’s too hard or soft you could inadvertently increase your likelihood of fatigue or injury.
4. How responsive should your mat be?
If you have your own company and want to improve working conditions for your employees by supplying them an anti-fatigue mat, pay attention to mat responsiveness.
Mat responsiveness means that the mat returns to its original form when you move from it. If its responsiveness is slow, that means it’s probably too elastic for the weight put upon it.
Unresponsive mats will cause additional fatigue because the employee has to make additional effort to maintain their stability. On the other hand, a good, responsive mat should allow you to lightly and stably walk across or stand on it.
5. Does it bottom out?
It is very important that the mat maintains its thickness under weight. If it is very soft you can bottom out, negating many potential benefits.
Professionals advise that the most efficient mats only lose between 5 and 10mm of their total thickness under weight.
6. Is it stable?
If you want to avoid fatigue, you will have to choose a mat with the right balance of stability and instability. Instability can be useful. In just the right amounts it can increase blood flow through your muscles.
Too much instability causes injures as a result of loss-of-balance, slips, and falls. Very firm mats can decrease blood flow, causing your legs to sleep. Low circulation causes often blood clotting and swelling.
These conditions can cause complications like varicose veins. Decreased blood flow in muscles means a reduction in protein and oxygen to the muscles as well. Too much stability puts painful pressure on muscles.
7. Does the mat shift as you use it?
It would be great to have always clean floors because it is one of the best ways to prevent your mat from sliding.
Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. An important point to consider when choosing the right anti-fatigue mat is the material it is constructed from.
There are kinds of foam that break down very easy and can create a slippery layer of fine dust between the mat and the floor, leading to mat sliding. This isn’t always noticeable at first because the top layer stays almost the same.
8. How long should your mat last?
Durability is significantly affected by the mat’s material and construction. The life cycle of anti-fatigue mats varies from a few months to a few years.
The losing of foam cells during the time may not be visible right away but will eventually lead to the mat bottoming out.
As time passes, the mat’s edges will become damaged. This happens faster with mats made of low-quality foam. This can be dangerous, so you should be inspecting your mat every six months to a year, given daily use.
9. Is the mat easy to clean?
Mats consist of foam. Rough surfaces or mats with perforated textures are often susceptible to collecting dust and dirt, or being adversely affected by humidity. That makes for unhygienic and/or unpresentable conditions.
In kitchens or other areas where food is prepared, food particles can become trapped in the foam. This creates ideal conditions for bacteria propagation and can be almost impossible to clean.
Top 7 Anti-Fatigue Mat Models for Your Kitchen or Office (Our 2024 Review)
After a lot of time spent researching and testing a variety of anti-fatigue mats, I made this list of my top seven anti-fatigue mats of 2024.
1. Best Overall Choice: Imprint® CumulusPRO Commercial Grade Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat
The Imprint® CumulusPRO Commercial Grade Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat is a high quality, durable mat that responds to the highest requirements when it comes to health and comfort.
This easy to use mat helps eliminate pain and fatigue. The main feature that makes this mat so amazing is its solid, one-piece polyurethane construction.
Another important feature of this product is its high-density core, which guarantees the mat will provide support for years to come.
Besides the comfort and relaxation it provides during long periods of standing, it also ensures stability and safety for your employees, increasing uptime and productivity. The only downside is the cost, but you get what you pay for!
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2. Runner-Up Option for Anti-Fatigue Mats: Royal Anti-Fatigue Comfort Mat
The Royal Anti-Fatigue Comfort Mat is a pioneer in anti-fatigue mats.
This healthy, body support based product can be used anywhere, whether it is a kitchen, bathroom or work station.
If you need a standing mat that is not as squishy as memory foam while giving you the same time pleasant feeling when you are standing, this is a good choice.
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3. Best Value for the Money: Anti Fatigue Comfort Floor Mat by Sky Mats
In their own words, Sky Mats is a company that makes “ridiculously comfortable mats.” In fact, these mats are as comfortable as they are affordable. Sky Mats’s anti-fatigue mats are one of Amazon’s Choice products across their entire line.
Anti Fatigue Comfort Floor Mat by Sky Mats are made of a specially designed SkyCore foam. Selected for its perfect balance of characteristics, SkyCore foam is ideally soft while still providing ample support.
Sky Mats undertook rigorous testing to find a foam that has all the necessary properties. They promise a reduction of knee and back pressure of up to 32%.
Safety is a big priority for Sky Mats. These mats have a wide beveled edge that makes it nearly impossible to trip over them. Additionally, the surface is textured to provide excellent grip even when used with slick-soled shoes or bare feet.
Moreover, it has anti-slip backing that gives it a secure hold on both hard surfaces and carpets. Under normal conditions, the mat won’t budge at all during use.
They’re made of high-quality materials that don’t produce odors or noticeable off-gassing. In addition, SkyCore foam is among the most durable materials used in anti-fatigue mats. They have a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use.
To ensure that the mats don’t compress or break down during shipping, SkyMats are shipped flat. This results in larger shipping dimensions, but ensures the longevity of the mat itself.
They’re not the cheapest mat available, but they certainly provide the most value for the price.
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4. Most Budget-Friendly: AmazonBasics Premium Kitchen/Office Comfort Standing Mat
The AmazonBasics Premium Kitchen/Office Comfort Standing Mat was a real surprise when I tried it.
It's simple yet effective, a durable and comfortable mat for the cost.
It’s billed as a non-slip mat, but my testing showed a bit of sliding.
My experience showed that this mat is not a good all-day solution, but it is solid for a couple of hours of standing. It’s not fancy, but if you’re looking for an unobtrusive, practical mat that’s easy to clean, this is the right choice.
The Amazon mat is an efficient, simple and inexpensive solution. While it is not the BEST solution or the fanciest one, it is more than good enough for a few hours of daily standing.
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5. Best High-End Anti-Fatigue Mat: WellnessMats Anti-Fatigue Mat
If you’re looking for an anti-fatigue mat that provides comfort while radiating style and elegance, look no further than WellnessMats Anti-Fatigue Mat. These mats are of the highest quality standards for both safety and comfort.
Accordingly, they’re used in a variety of professional settings. Many hotel chains, retailers, and restaurants rely on WellnessMats for their unparalleled durability and sophistication.
Design is a big part of the equation in WellnessMats. Anti-fatigue mats must be functional, but that doesn’t preclude them from looking attractive. And WellnessMats takes that to heart.
They have a huge variety of surfaces, colors, and designs. You’re sure to find the appropriate mat for any setting. And they don’t sacrifice safety in the least. Their mats all have a 20-degree beveled edge that’s ADA wheelchair compliant.
Made to be exceedingly durable, WellnessMats are puncture, heat, and dirt resistant. Any household cleaners are safe to use on WellnessMats. Plus, they’re easy to maintain and clean. The foam is non-toxic and PVC-free and has antimicrobial properties.
They use polyurethane composite technology that cushions without impairing balance. Their mats are 0.75” thick – the ideal thickness to provide safety and comfort.
The polyurethane foam is elastic but highly resilient, so it won’t tear or compress. The edges never curl up, which means no trip hazards common in cheaper mats after extended use.
WellnessMats are certainly at the top of the price range. However, their products offer fantastic value and come with a terrific 20-year manufacturer’s warranty. The warranty covers delamination, compression, and even accidental damage.
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6. Best Flat Mat with Great Cushioning: Imprint Commercial Coutre Strata
The small team at Imprint Comfort Mats has been making mats since 2006. They exclusively focus on anti-fatigue mats and make every effort to produce a quality product that delivers outstanding results.
They have many mat designs but the Imprint Commercial Coutre Strata has the best balance of form and function.
The Couture Strata series has their proprietary Cushion-Core technology present in their commercial models. The multiple cores in these mats are much more effective at distributing weight than full-foam mats.
The top layer is made of a softer foam that’s more comfortable for your feet. It’s followed by a more compact and denser layer that provides support.
The bottom layer is of durable foam with high traction that prevents the mat from moving around. The end result is a mat that conforms to your feet and reduces fatigue and overall discomfort from standing by up to 60%.
A beveled no-trip edge is practically mandatory in any quality mat, and this one doesn’t disappoint in that sense. The edges are specially formulated from polyurethane foam to never deform and curl up, and the mat will never compress under normal use.
Couture Strata mats are tested and certified by the National Floor Safety Institute as safe against tripping and slipping.
Furthermore, Imprint is partnered with the American Chiropractic Association to design mats that provide real relief and support.
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7. Best for High-Traffic Areas: GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat
If you need a mat for a heavy traffic area of your home or business, the GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat is probably your best bet. This mat is made out of professional-grade materials with a focus on durability.
It’s a full-foam polyurethane, 0.75” mat. The premium foam is denser than less expensive alternatives and provides energy return when walking across it.
This essentially means that as you “push” down on the mat when you walk across it, it “pushes” back. This energy return makes walking easier and less fatiguing.
The one-piece construction makes it less versatile than layered alternatives, but it will never delaminate. Again, durability is at the forefront of every design decision. The surface is resistant to chemicals and won’t stain.
The high-density Bio-Foam is eco-friendly and doesn’t produce off-gassing or bad odors. It comes in two surface types, brushed and embossed.
The brushed surface is ideal for long-term standing, while the embossed surface is great for walking as it provides a little more traction than the alternative.
It features no-curl edges that are beveled and a non-slip bottom certified by the National Floor Safety Institute. Furthermore, GelPro mats come with a 10-year, best-in-class warranty.
If you purchase the product directly from GelPro, you can return it within 30 days for a refund or replacement.
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Final Thoughts on Anti-Fatigue Mats
Anti-fatigue mats are an effective solution to problems of fatigue and pain from standing for extended periods.
The standing mats presented here all encourage better blood flow, help with posture, and relax your muscles. They save on additional costs due to injury, fatigue and missed work.
If you own a business with employees standing in front of machines all day, take the time to calculate all the costs and decreased productivity caused by sick leave and absenteeism.
Downtime will cost much more than investing in anti-fatigue mats that will provide better working conditions for all.
My favorite from this list is the The Imprint® CumulusPRO™ Anti-Fatigue Mat.
The main reason why I recommend it because the Imprint mat has exceptional quality and durability that will stand the test of time when it comes to your health and comfort.
As a reminder, this anti-fatigue mat relieves up to 40% of the pressure on your knees, feet and the delicate joints in the legs.
Moreover, it can be used for any purpose. It is just as effective as a kitchen mat for making meals as it is as a standing mat where you work for hours at your office desk.
The Imprint® CumulusPRO™ Anti-Fatigue standing mat is designed to be used in any room. It is wear, tear and puncture-resistant. Additionally, it has a strong outer layer. Finally, it has a nice “grip” to it so you should never encounter any slipping problems using it.
This standing mat includes a lifetime 100% satisfaction guarantee provided by both the manufacturer and sellers, providing you peace of mind that your money won’t be wasted.
To learn more, you can check the Imprint® CumulusPRO™ Anti-Fatigue Mat here.
And if you're looking for more articles on being productive, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 5 Best Anti-Fatigue Mats for Your Standing Desk
- 7 Best Pomodoro Apps & Timers to Master Your Productivity
- 7 Best Ambient Noise Apps to Help You Focus and Increase Productivity
