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Just like you wouldn’t want your office chair to damage your floors, you don’t want your computer and other work supplies to damage the tabletop of your desk. A simple desk pad protects your surfaces — and offers some extra functional benefits, too.
The best desk pad mats also serve as a mousepad, except rather than containing your mouse’s range of motion to a small square, they provide ample amounts of space. They also help keep your workspace clean, since their water-resistant surfaces make any spills easy to clean. Many people also find that having a desk pad helps them keep their workspace organized — this is especially true in the case of desk pads that have built-in pockets for important documents and miniature calendars.
Desk Pad Buying Guide
Dimensions: When shopping for the best desk pad for your office, take the dimensions of your desk into consideration. Obviously, your desk pad can’t be bigger than the available space on your desk, but you do need your desk pad to be big enough to fit beneath your monitor, keyboard, mouse and any other office equipment that you want to place on top of your work surface.
Material: Most of the desk pads and mats in this guide are waterproof to further protect your desk setup. We prefer desk pads that are made with non-slip materials, like cork or rubber.
Style: Take your own aesthetic preferences into consideration. Some desk pads come in a variety of fun, bold colors, which can be great for a more creative, casual workspace. Others stick to standard colors, which will blend in to even the most formal offices.
What Are the Best Desk Pads?
No matter what type of office you’re in, these desk pads are a worthy addition to any work setup thanks to their functional, stylish designs. Here are our top picks.
1. Aothia Leather Desk Pad Protector
This classic, black leather desk pad is simultaneously unobtrusive and helpful, always protecting your desk from things like random scratches or unfortunate coffee spills. Underneath the pad you’ll find cork, which helps create the needed friction between the desk and the mat to keep it securely in place as you work throughout the day. Like many of the best desk pads, this Aothia desk pad is waterproof and easy to clean. It measures 31.5 x 15.7 inches, and the brand offers a smaller and larger size as well.
AmazonBuy: Aothia Leather Desk Pad Protector at $13.99
2. Ysagi Dual-Sided Multifunctional Desk Pad
This faux-leather desk pad comes with two different colors options on each side, making it easy to change the look of your desktop in an instant. Both sides of the pad are designed to stay in place and protect your workspace and devices alike thanks to its waterproof design. It measures 31.5 x 15.7 inches, which is a standards size for a computer, mouse and keyboard. The Yagi band offers over 10 colors and three different mat sizes as well.
AmazonBuy: Ysagi Dual-Sided Multifunctional Desk… at $13.59
3. Inmorven Desk Blotter
Need some help staying organized? Then look to this desk pad from Inmorven, which comes equipped with three protective pockets on the left side (perfect for storing documents), a small magnetic calendar, plus a middle panel with a protective film that’s perfect for storing a larger calendar or family photos. We especially love the fact that the desk pad’s protective film is waterproof for easy maintenance. If you happen to spill your coffee, your documents will still be intact. The desk pad measures 27.5 x 12.5 inches and only 2 millimeters thick.
AmazonBuy: Inmorven Desk Blotter at $14.99
4. LPadds Desk and Mouse Pad
If you’re having a tough time finding a desk pad built for your corner desk, you’re in luck: LPadds designs desk pads for — you guessed it — L-shaped desks. This one is spacious enough to fit your monitor, keyboard, mouse and other accessories in a way that feels natural to your unique space. Plus, it has all the necessary features of the best standard-shaped desk pads: It doesn’t slip, and it’s waterproof and thick.