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By Kaitlyn Wells and Melanie Pinola Digital Signage Cloud Based
After a new round of testing, we’ve added a balance board to our lineup for people who want to add some movement to their standing sessions.
Just as supportive insoles can make all the difference when you go for a walk, a standing desk mat can be a game changer if you stand at work, even for brief periods.
A comfortable mat like the Ergodriven Topo supports your legs and back better than the floor will. And its varied terrain will keep you moving, which experts agree is crucial. This mat is easy to slide in and out of position, and six years of testing have shown it’s built to last.
This mat’s varied terrain encourages movement, making standing less tedious and less achy. It’s also easy to move the mat when you switch between standing and sitting.
This flat mat is comfortable even if you’re standing for a couple of hours at a time. Its attractive price, lifetime warranty, and responsive customer support make it a great value.
This balance board makes standing breaks more enjoyable, and its weighted design prevents falls during use. Plus, its rigid massage beads will work out the kinks in the sorest of feet.
This mat’s varied terrain encourages movement, making standing less tedious and less achy. It’s also easy to move the mat when you switch between standing and sitting.
The Ergodriven Topo’s contoured, topographic (get it?) surface lets you place your feet however you choose—one or both feet resting on the elevated features or in a neutral standing position. Our testers found it far more comfortable than other mats with raised features.
However you stand, the Topo relieves pressure on your heels, legs, back, and shoulders. It’s also resistant to spills and punctures, and you can move it around with one foot, instead of having to bend over to reposition it.
Several Wirecutter staffers have used this mat for years. Even those who were initially skeptical of the advantages of a raised-surface mat found that they moved around more than they’d expected to on the Topo—and that’s where the real benefit of standing instead of sitting comes from.
This flat mat is comfortable even if you’re standing for a couple of hours at a time. Its attractive price, lifetime warranty, and responsive customer support make it a great value.
If you’re new to standing at your desk, you stand infrequently, or you’re looking for an anti-fatigue mat for other short tasks in the kitchen, laundry room, or workshop, we recommend the ComfiLife Anti Fatigue Floor Mat. Of the sub-$50 mats we tested, the ComfiLife provides the best balance of pressure-relieving support, comfort, and price.
Its build quality doesn’t feel as premium as that of our top pick. But if you frequently switch between sitting and standing—as you should—this is an inexpensive way to satisfy your comfort and ergonomic needs.
This balance board makes standing breaks more enjoyable, and its weighted design prevents falls during use. Plus, its rigid massage beads will work out the kinks in the sorest of feet.
If you hate standing still, or you like to fidget while you work, the Fezibo Balance Board can make your standing desk more enjoyable to use. This balance board wobbles from side to side, making a game out of the most mundane tasks. And it encourages better posture in the process, since balancing engages your core. Its weighted base and skid-resistant backing help to prevent you from falling off the thing.
A mini workout isn’t for everyone, though. Some panelists found that core activation worsened their lower back pain, and several people worried that the novelty of a wobble board would wear off quickly, since sometimes just standing can be enough of a workout.
The board’s massage beads cover the majority of the surface. So it’s easy to work out the sore spots on your feet, regardless of whether you’re sitting or standing (but those with sensitive feet may not enjoy the rigidness of the beads).
In 2013, Wirecutter was the first publication to perform a hands-on, head-to-head test of the top standing desks. And we’ve been testing standing-desk mats for nearly as long. The writers and editors of this guide have spent years working at standing desks, using different mats, and comparing them.
Senior staff writer Kaitlyn Wells has covered everything you need to outfit your home office, including laser printers, standing desks, and file organization tools.
Senior staff writer Melanie Pinola wrote previous versions of this guide. She’s researched and tested all sorts of office furniture and hardware, covering desk chairs, footrests, and ergonomic keyboards.
A standing-desk mat is for anyone who wants to make standing while working more comfortable. Though they’re typically used at a standing desk or a standing desk converter, standing-desk mats are also known as anti-fatigue mats, and they can be used in any situation where you’ll be standing and performing a task for a while: food prep, dishwashing, workbench projects, and the like.
Standing on a well-made mat relieves pressure from the entire body, and it makes standing feel like less of a chore. And the best standing-desk mats enable or even encourage you to move. If you’re going to be standing while working for more than a few minutes at a time, you’ll feel an almost immediate difference and benefit from having a mat under your feet.
Proper support while standing is also a key to long-term health. “Repeated, long-term exposure to standing has been implicated in the development of serious health problems,” April Chambers, assistant professor in the Department of Health and Physical Activity at the University of Pittsburgh, told us in an email interview. That includes “regenerative joint damage, muscle injury, and circulatory diseases.”
But sitting all day isn’t the solution, either. Research has associated prolonged sitting (aka “Sitting Disease”) with a higher risk of a host of problems, including heart disease and diabetes, certain cancers, and premature death.
Most experts agree that the best thing to do while you’re working is to keep moving. Sit-stand-move cycles encourage movement, which is better for you than sitting or standing still all day. And that’s exactly what a standing desk and standing-desk mat encourage you to do.
For each round of testing, we surveyed the field of current standing-desk mats and narrowed our list of candidates based on the following criteria:
During in-office testing with nearly three-dozen people, we took stock of:
This mat’s varied terrain encourages movement, making standing less tedious and less achy. It’s also easy to move the mat when you switch between standing and sitting.
In our tests, the novel surface of the Ergodriven Topo provided the most comfort for our feet and legs. This standing-desk mat’s varied, raised terrain encourages the frequent movement that ergonomics experts recommend. And this mat is easy to slide under a desk and bring back out with one foot (on both carpet and hard floors). It’s also easy to clean and has held up over several years of testing. And because it isn’t as wide and flat as standard anti-fatigue mats, it takes up less space under your desk.
The unusual, raised design is a game changer. Practically everyone who tested the Topo mat was initially skeptical of its design. But the benefits became evident within a few minutes of standing, and they were confirmed after months of use.
The back edge and front corners of the Topo mat are higher than the sides, and the mat has a teardrop-shaped mound in the middle that’s squishier than the rest of the material—great for massaging your feet. Without even thinking about it, you may end up standing on, pressing against, and heel-digging into all of those sections.
“I didn’t know I had nervous legs, but I’m glad this mat taught me that,” one coworker said. “It’s nice because I can’t stand straight and normal to save my life, but this made my usual slouching and foot fidgeting comfortable,” said another.
The foam is thick and supportive. Even when our testers stood upright and flat-footed, the flat portion of the Topo mat provided a firm but supportive pushback that they liked. We couldn’t say the same for the similarly designed AmazonBasics Non-Flat Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat (which was much too soft and slippery) or for most of the cheaper flat mats.
The surface feels good with shoes on and works fine with socks or bare feet, too. Pressing into the raised sections can put some pressure on your toes and the sides of your feet, and this can get uncomfortable after a while. But the mix of firmness and softness across the mat’s varied terrain encourages you to shift away anyway, as is recommended. One Wirecutter staffer told us he appreciates that moving around on the Topo mat adds steps to his daily count, even when he’s staying in one place.
It provides plenty of room to move around. Our testers, who ranged in height from 5-foot-2 to 6-foot-2, all found that the Topo mat provided suitable space for standing-desk work. When most people are standing on this mat’s flat portions, their feet will be about shoulder-width apart.
The Topo mat is a little deeper and narrower than the flat mats we recommend—about 29 inches at its widest and 26 inches deep. Because it’s not as wide as typical floor mats, this mat can hide in a corner under your desk when you wheel your chair in, and you’ll still have room for under-desk items, such as a trash can or a tower PC.
It’s painlessly maneuverable. The Topo mat is the easiest mat to slide under your desk and back out again, because it has an indent that you can hook with your heel. Most flat mats, which are designed to stay stubbornly in one spot, require that you bend down, grab the mat from the bottom (exposing your hand to all kinds of grit and grime), and move it out of the way.
The Topo mat produces only the slightest friction when it’s being pushed or pulled, but it won’t slip under your feet when you’re standing on it. The ease of repositioning the mat is a small grace that makes it less likely you’ll give up on your good intentions of switching between standing and sitting all day.
It’s simple to clean. The Topo mat is made of polyurethane, and it’s covered with a pebbled skin, which makes wiping up spills and crumbs simple. In our previous tests, this mat emerged puncture-free when we dropped a stapler, butt-end first, from standing height. We noticed no chemical smells while unpacking or first using the Topo mat, either.
Ergodriven offers a long, seven-year warranty. That’s great, but we don’t think you’ll need it, given the mat’s highly durable material, as well as the fact that several staffers (including one of the guide’s authors) have used Topo mats for over two years and report that they show no significant signs of wear and still feel supportive. One coworker’s cat clawed a notable gouge into the Topo mat on the first day they had it, but the mark had vanished by the next day.
It comes in multiple unusual colors. It’s refreshing to see that, in addition to standard black, the Topo mat comes in a much brighter gray and two bold colors: denim blue and mulberry purple. The majority of standing mats come only in black or a couple of drab, muted shades of brown and gray.
You can get a smaller version, if you like. Ergodriven also offers a mini version of the Topo, which shaves off a couple of inches in width, depth, and height. The company says the mini is a better choice if you’re under 5-foot-4 and don’t need the additional legroom that the standard version offers. (That said, our under-5-foot-4 testers found the standard Topo mat’s size to be just right for them.)
This flat mat is comfortable even if you’re standing for a couple of hours at a time. Its attractive price, lifetime warranty, and responsive customer support make it a great value.
If you’re just starting to use a standing desk, if you tend to stand in shorter sessions, or if you want a standing mat for kitchen tasks or other occasional work, you may not need something as heavy-duty as the Topo mat. For about one-third the price, the ComfiLife Anti Fatigue Floor Mat provides about half as much support. In our testing, we found that it’s comfortable to stand on for perhaps an hour or two before your feet and legs start to feel fatigued.
It provides longer-lasting comfort than other cheap mats. The ComfiLife mat was one of only two sub-$50 mats we tested that didn’t leave our feet, ankles, or knees feeling fatigued after half an hour. Other mats were often far squishier.
Although mushy mats may initially feel comfy to stand on, over time they force your feet and leg muscles to work harder to stabilize your body, and they let your feet sink in at pressure points. By contrast, the ComfiLife mat’s medium-firm, ¾-inch cushion does more of the work.
It’s well sized to fit under a desk when not in use. At just 32 inches wide and 20 inches deep (or 39 inches wide for the large version), the ComfiLife mat can easily be picked up and tucked under most desks. There are bigger versions (39 inches wide and 20 inches deep or 70 inches wide and 24 inches deep), should you need more space to move around when you’re standing.
But it’s harder to move than our top pick. Like other flat standing-desk mats, the ComfiLife mat is harder to move around than the Topo mat, due to its grippy, rubberized bottom. During testing, we also found the surface to be a bit slippery when we were wearing socks, so consider sticking to shoes or bare feet if you choose this mat.
It’s very plain-looking. Our testers’ main gripe with the ComfiLife mat was how it looked and felt compared with similar mats. One panelist said it felt the cheapest of all the mats, while another had nothing to say about it except that the mat seemed “unremarkable.” It’s available in more colors than our other standing-desk mat picks, at least, with options that should fit in with most office decors: beige, brown, red, gray, and black.
It has a lifetime warranty and solid customer support. Our own experience contacting ComfiLife customer support over email suggests that should anything go wrong (such as edges that start to lift), the company will be happy to help.
Long-term testing shows it’s quite durable. Wirecutter’s Nikki Duong has been using this mat for over a year in the kitchen while washing dishes and cooking. Nikki says that it’s still squishy, easy to clean, and “actually kind of fun to stand on.”
This balance board makes standing breaks more enjoyable, and its weighted design prevents falls during use. Plus, its rigid massage beads will work out the kinks in the sorest of feet.
If you want to add some enforced movement to your standing sessions, grab the Fezibo Balance Board. This balance board offers an enjoyable combination of comfort and play for anyone who likes to fidget at their desk or for those who like the idea of swaying side to side while they work. Using a wobble board can also help improve posture and balance and strengthen ankles, and it may even burn more calories than static standing.
It’s fun to use. Our testers enjoyed rocking on the Fezibo during standing sessions. The word “fun” came up several times during our tests. “I love the concept,” said one person. “The wobble is perfect,” added another.
This standing-desk balance board curves about 8.5 degrees. Our testers didn’t find that angle overwhelming or uncomfortable to stand on, unlike the 2-inch incline on the stationary Autonomous Anti-Fatigue Mat.
For a balance board, it’s surprisingly steady. The skid-resistant back and weighted base mean falls are less likely to occur, even when you’re standing on something designed to put you off-balance. Our panelists rocked, swayed, and danced on the Fezibo, and the majority said they felt confident using it. They described it as “sturdy,” and several noted that they “didn’t feel unsafe” during testing.
Some testers think this balance board can soothe minor aches. The Fezibo board is covered in massage beads that can relieve pressure on your feet. Multiple panelists said the beads felt “great” on their feet. “Even though I am overweight, the hardness of the pegs isn’t so intense that it’s painful,” added a tester, who was one of our panelists weighing over 300 pounds.
Some of our testers also found that balancing on the board helped engage their core to slowly strengthen their lower backs. “[It] allows me to activate my hips, which can hurt from long periods of sitting or standing static,” one panelist noted.
But not everyone enjoyed the feeling. Another panelist had to lean forward to balance on the board, and they said it gave them “slight lower back strain.” Still, they would “absolutely get this to use in tandem with a floor mat.”
It takes up minimal floor space. The Fezibo standing-desk mat’s slim design makes it easy to stash away at the back of a desk when it’s not in use. This leaves plenty of space for an office chair to smoothly roll from side to side without getting jammed up, unlike with bulkier standing mats we tested, such as the Gorilla Grip Anti Fatigue Standing Desk Mat and Ergonofis Standing Desk Mat. If you prefer, the balance board can even be hung up on a hook between standing sessions.
It’s sold in two sizes. This balance board is sold in medium (20 by 12 inches) and large (25 by 12 inches) to accommodate different bodies weighing up to 320 pounds. And since the massage beads cover the majority of the board, it’s easy to find a good stance that will relieve pressure from both of your feet simultaneously.
We can’t say the same for the Fezibo Standing Desk Anti Fatigue Mat, which has beads positioned on the far ends of the mat, making them difficult to reach.
This standing-desk mat serves two purposes. In addition to its utility at work, the Fezibo works great as a fitness balance board. Some panelists liked the idea of buying one tool for both their home office and makeshift home gym.
That said, the tilt angle doesn’t make working out with this balance board easy, so be prepared to really engage your core. Also, some people may find it uncomfortable to constantly touch the massage beads during planks or sit-up sessions.
But don’t expect to spend the entire day on it. Some panelists worried the novelty of standing on a balance board would quickly get old, eventually relegating it to collecting dust in the corner of the room. “It’s fun, but I wouldn’t want it all day,” one panelist said.
“I worry that I would be distracted by the balancing required to use it,” echoed another.
This is not a comprehensive list of all standing-desk mats we’ve tested. We’ve removed any mats that have been discontinued or no longer meet our criteria.
The AmazonBasics Non-Flat Standing Anti-Fatigue Mat is mushier than the Ergodriven Topo, has a more slippery surface, and is too prone to sliding around on the floor. Because of those factors and AmazonBasics’ short, one-year warranty, we think it’s worth paying a little more for the Topo mat.
Uplift Desk’s raised surface standing desk mat, the Uplift Desk E7 Active Anti-Fatigue Mat, places round massage mounds at the left and right sides of the mat. We prefer that over the center mound found on the Topo and other raised mats, since it offers more flat, neutral surface space in the center. However, it’s squishier overall and costs at least $25 more than the Topo at the time of this writing. It also has fewer owner reviews to judge its longevity.
The Aeris Muvmat aims to mimic the feel of walking through a forest by adding a layer of abstract rounded shapes (“peaks and valleys”) inside a typical anti-fatigue foam mat. In our testing, we found the uneven shapes far too hard, especially when standing without shoes. And as of this writing, it’s $260 more expensive than the Topo.
The Vari ActiveMat’s edges are steeper than the Topo mat’s, and they are uniform in height and angle. Plus, the ActiveMat feels squishier than the Topo—more like stepping onto a mattress than a material meant for standing.
Panelists liked the massage beads on the Fezibo Standing Desk Anti Fatigue Mat. But their position on the sides of the mat made them difficult to stand on, requiring testers to use an unnaturally wide stance. Even our panelists with wider bodies (weighing between 280 and 339 pounds), who said they naturally have a wide stance, didn’t enjoy using this mat for long periods of time.
The FlexiSpot Ergonomic Anti Fatigue Mat DM1 was the hardest mat we tested. Panelists said it felt more like a rigid car floor mat than an anti-fatigue mat, and no one liked the design of the stiff massage rollers.
The HappyTrends Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat is one of the thinnest models we’ve tested, and it offered no detectable support during use.
The Gorilla Grip Anti Fatigue Standing Desk Mat and KANGAROO Thick Ergonomic Anti Fatigue Standing Desk Mat are nearly identical mats made by the same manufacturer. Neither mat is very comfortable to stand on. And despite having an anti-slip coating, they both still slid around on the ground.
The Ergonofis Standing Desk Mat seemed promising for its thick, durable design, but it costs nearly twice as much as our ComfiLife mat pick. And though its 10-year warranty is generous, it can’t compare to the ComiLife’s lifetime warranty.
None of our panelists liked the incline design of the Autonomous Anti Fatigue Mat. Many people felt like they might lose their balance when standing on it. And the one-year warranty couldn’t justify its price tag.
This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.
Kaitlyn Wells is a senior staff writer who advocates for greater work flexibility by showing you how to work smarter remotely without losing yourself. Previously, she covered pets and style for Wirecutter. She's never met a pet she didn’t like, although she can’t say the same thing about productivity apps. Her first picture book, A Family Looks Like Love, follows a pup who learns that love, rather than how you look, is what makes a family.
Melanie Pinola covers home office, remote work, and productivity as a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. She has contributed to print and online publications such as The New York Times, Consumer Reports, Lifehacker, and PCWorld, specializing in tech, work, and lifestyle/family topics. She’s thrilled when those topics intersect—and when she gets to write about them in her PJs.
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