Best bath mats for the perfect final touch to your bathroom

After a month of testing, I found Marks & Spencer’s pure cotton design to be the best bath mat. It doesn’t have a thick plastic backing, but you won’t be at risk of slipping thanks to the textured weave that helps it stay in place. This also means it dries quickly between uses – but it can be tumble-dried, which is a big bonus.

The textured design continues on the front with a subtle floral jacquard pattern that is more interesting than a plain bath mat, but isn’t in your face. It’s also surprisingly pleasant underfoot. The great price means it’s hard to really fault.

For a budget bath mat that will brighten any bathroom in a flash, turn to Online Home Shop’s scallop-edge tufted design.

While it’s thinner than some of the pricier bath mats I tested, it performed well in my bathroom and the tufted texture felt soft underfoot.

The plastic anti-slip backing kept it firmly in place, making it a good choice for those with kids. Even with the plastic backing, the mat dried fairly fast when hung up after use, which is useful as it can’t be tumble-dried.

No need to worry about sliding all over your bathroom floor with this Dreams and Drapes Sandringham leaf bath mat, which I found to be the best anti-slip bath mat when testing.

The backing holds it securely in one position, even on a wet tiled floor, while the dense tufted construction means your feet won’t slip either. I was impressed at just how good this looked in my bathroom for the price, with its pale green and white leaf design giving it an elegant look.

It’s also super-absorbent – even when I poured a full glass of water over it during testing, it was hardly noticeable. It shed quite significantly when I first took it out of the plastic bag, so I would recommend washing before use. Unfortunately, it can’t be tumble-dried, but it does dry fast.

Soak and Sleep’s Egyptian cotton bath mat is soft and luxurious, but it’s also practical, and I found it the best bath mat for quick drying.

It’s as thin as a towel yet surprisingly absorbent because of the woven pile. The woven border and double-stitched hem mean it looks neat too, and I liked the fact that it didn’t take up too much room on the towel rail in my bathroom.

However, it doesn’t have a non-slip backing, so it’s not the best option for those with children or someone unsteady on their feet. Otherwise, the mat’s smart simplicity and quality cotton make it an excellent buy.

When Christy’s deep pile rug first arrived, I thought I’d accidentally picked a rug rather than a bath mat. You could easily put it down next to your bed, and you’d barely know the difference underfoot.

It’s made with deep-pile long-looped cotton and is astonishingly plush for a bath mat – your feet will sink into it when you step out of the shower for daily luxury you didn’t know you needed. Aside from its decadent feel, it also has a practical non-slip back so you won’t go sliding all over the bathroom.

The only downside is that it takes quite a long time to dry if it gets excessively wet. It can be tumble-dried if necessary – but I found even that took twice as long as any other bath mat I tested. If you need one that dries – perhaps in a busier home with lots of people showering – go for the Scooms Egyptian cotton bath mat instead. You won’t find a fancier treat for your feet than this mat from Christy, though.

While this bath mat is no thicker than a decent towel, Scooms’s Egyptian cotton bath mat feels surprisingly plush underfoot. And the edging and classic design also gave my bathroom a five-star hotel look.

The brand says the cotton has been spun in a particular way to create micro air holes inside the yarn before combing – I was certainly taken aback at how plush and absorbent it was, even though it’s fairly thin. If you want a soft, fluffy feel, but don’t want a mat that takes ages to dry, this is a great option – it can also be tumble-dried.

It’s not easy to make a bath mat a talking point, but this lovely-looking design from William Morris At Home somehow does just that. It’s based on an original drawing created by William Morris for Wilton Carpets and registered in 1876, which features a symmetrical rose surrounded by foxgloves. For this mat, the design was reinterpreted into the repeating stripe pattern and comes in a soft sage green that would work well in almost any bathroom.

It’s made of 950gsm cotton but is thin and feels a little like stepping onto a towel on the floor. There’s no anti-slip backing either, so if that’s non-negotiable, choose the Christy deep pile rug instead. However, this one is lightning-quick to dry after use and can also be tumble-dried, which is a major bonus in my book.

There’s a colourway to suit almost every shade of bathroom décor with this fantastically priced bath mat. Made with 1600gsm cotton, it comes in an unusual yet attractive semi-circular shape that makes it look more expensive than it is. It’s also a reversible design, with one tufted side for a softer feel and one looped side for more texture underfoot.

There’s no plastic anti-slip backing, so it wouldn’t be the best choice if you have children in the house. But the mat’s weight meant it didn’t move too much, even on wet tiles. The lack of backing meant it air-dried quickly and also dried well in the tumble dryer. There was some minor shedding in the first couple of washes, but this didn’t affect the look or feel of the mat.

While this won’t suit everyone, Buddy’s curved mat is a game-changer if you have a corner shower enclosure. If you do, a regular rectangular mat just won’t cut it, as water can splash on the floor in the space between the mat and the shower tray. This design also has a non-slip rubber backing, making it ideal if you have kids. Another bonus is that I found it dried fairly quickly between uses, even with the rubber backing.

The extra-long pile means it still looks perky after several uses, although I did find it thinner underfoot than it looked. However, it’s extremely stain-resistant, even fake tan washes straight out, so if you’re especially messy or have young kids, this is the mat for you.

I’m a big fan of Hug Rug for its eco credentials and high-quality products that are made in the UK. This lovely, bright bath mat is washable and comes in two different sizes. Its non-slip backing is made from recycled plastics and doesn’t budge an inch.

It’s also staggeringly absorbent. The brand says it absorbs up to three times its own weight in water, and it was certainly the best of any mat I tried. My family and I also loved how soft it was underfoot.