Best Bath Mats: Cotton Waffle, Terry and Teak

Onsen built its name on waffle weave bath towels, and its terry waffle mat follows the same idea: 100% cotton in a waffle texture that dries faster than dense loops. It measures 20 by 30 inches and has no rubber backing, which the maker lists as a feature, and it is.

It is a simple thing done properly. It washes with the towels, dries overnight on the side of the tub, and looks crisp in white. Onsen also sells a Supima cotton version for about $49 if you want a finer, softer hand.

Skip it if you want something plush underfoot; waffle is textured and fairly thin. It will also slide on smooth tile without a pad.

The catch. Thin and textured rather than cushioned, and it slides on polished tile.

H by Frette is the line Frette makes for hotels and sells direct. Its Simple Border Bath Mat is 100% cotton in all white, with a plain woven border, the design most people picture when they think of a hotel bathroom. The maker describes the feel as light and soft.

It matches the Simple Border towels, and Frette sells bundles of towels and mat together if you are doing a whole bathroom at once. White means it can be washed warm and bleached sparingly if it needs it, which colored mats cannot.

Skip it if you want color, or much detail on the listing. Amazon gives little beyond the fiber and the look, so buy it for the design and the name rather than for published specs.

The catch. The listing publishes few specifications, including size.

Boll & Branch makes this mat from extra long staple organic Turkish cotton, double spun and lofted with air, in the same dimensional waffle weave as its bedding. The maker describes it as springier and more absorbent than a flat waffle, in a midweight fabric that breathes.

The longer fiber is what the money buys. Extra long staple cotton spins into smoother, stronger yarn, so the mat stays soft rather than going rough and thin after a year of washing. It coordinates with the brand's waffle towels, bath sheets and washcloths.

Skip it if a bath mat to you is a practical object that gets stepped on and washed. At about $69 it costs as much as a good bath towel set, and the Onsen or Coyuchi do the job for half.

The catch. The most expensive cotton mat here, for a textile that lives on the floor.

AquaTeak's Original Grate is a slatted mat of solid, sustainably harvested teak, with any hardware hidden and made of stainless steel so there are no rust streaks on the floor. The brand offers a five year warranty and a 30 day satisfaction guarantee on it.

Teak is the traditional wood for boat decks because its natural oils make it resistant to water, rot and insects. Water drains through the slats and evaporates, so the mat never sits damp or smells sour, and it never goes in the machine. It can stand inside a shower as well as beside it.

Skip it if you want something soft and warm underfoot, or if your floor is uneven; a rigid mat rocks on a crooked tile. Left untreated, teak weathers from golden brown to silver gray over time.

The catch. Hard underfoot and cold on winter mornings, and it will silver unless oiled.