By Jasmine Harding and Stacey L Nash | Updated Nov 29, 2021 9:50 AM
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Photo: Stacey L. Nash for Bob Vila
A charming outdoor doormat sets a good first impression while also keeping mud and dirt at bay. Besides adding an inviting accent to your front porch, these underrated mats can also keep your entryway cleaner. We researched 25 mats and selected nine for hands-on testing. From there, eight of those nine stood out for their durability, performance, and aesthetics.
A good doormat will catch water, dust, and dirt, which can result in less time spent vacuuming and cleaning up wet and muddy prints from feet and paws. We rounded up the best outdoor doormats on the market to help shoppers provide a warm welcome into the home and keep grime from tracking indoors.
Photo: Stacey L. Nash for Bob Vila
We tested all of these doormats and evaluated them by using an established rubric. We graded them on a number of criteria, such as their durability, absorption, aesthetics, and ease of cleaning. We tested the mats at the front and back entrances of a home, where they were exposed to rainstorms, mud, and pets during regular daily use.
We also poured buckets of water onto the mats to test absorption and see how well they responded to extended exposure to water. We walked on them with cleats, rain boots, and running shoes to see how they held up to heavy wear and tear. We also took note of whether the mats stayed in place while cleaning off shoes. Cats used them to sharpen their claws and a dog used them as a resting spot. We also gave them a thorough cleaning to check if they could keep up appearances in the long run.
We tested all of the mats on this list and noted their strengths and weaknesses. While not all of them are ideal for every situation or climate, the picks below stood out for their performance, appearance, and durability.
This extra-durable outdoor doormat from Ubdyo surprised us during testing due to its effectiveness and durability. It falls into the category of simple but effective. It’s made of plastic and rubber instead of the absorbent materials of so many other doormats we tested.
The Ubdyo has alternating strips of artificial grass and rubber. In use, this pattern offered texture that helped remove mud and dirt from shoes without the doormat looking dirty. While this wasn’t an absorbent mat, it did a good job of knocking off water before entering the house. The plastic did particularly well against cleats. It didn’t look marked or marred by them, and it removed some dirt and mud, though the mat couldn’t reach deep into treads.
We liked how easy it was to clean. We shook off dry debris, rinsed the mat with a hose, and it looked like new. It dried quickly and didn’t discolor when exposed to heavy rain. It was tested in a humid climate and was one of the fastest to dry. It comes in three sizes, and we tested the 24-inch-long by 36-inch-wide model, which fit in front of a standard-size front door.
Get the Ubdyo outdoor doormat at Amazon.
This doormat from Plus Haven is made from 100 percent pure coconut coir, an extremely durable fiber that has a natural stiffness, texture, and absorbency. This doormat has a 0.6-inch pile, which helps it reach into treads to remove dirt and grim while absorbing water. It did particularly well at removing dry dust and dirt.
It’s designed for indoor and outdoor use, though we probably wouldn’t use it indoors simply because the coir sheds pretty consistently. The manufacturer says to expect some shedding at first, but it shed throughout the week in which we tested it. Cleats, in particular, caused a flurry of coir fibers to litter the front doorstep.
This doormat absorbed water well, even though it was the smallest model we tested (as well as one of the most affordable), measuring only 17.5 inches long by 30 inches wide. It seemed to drink up the water from our shoes. While that meant less water tracked into the home, the coir also took a long time to dry. It sat on concrete during a 2-day rainstorm and left behind a discolored mark. We also had a hard time removing pet hair and mud from the fibers.
Get the Plus Haven outdoor doormat at Amazon or Plus Haven.
L.L.Bean’s Waterhog doormat is made of polyester and comes in a wide range of styles, colors, and sizes. In classic L.L.Bean style, it looks attractive and offers impressive performance, though it comes with a high price tag.
The description says this mat can hold up to 1.5 gallons of water per square yard, so we put it to the test. It did not disappoint us. We poured over 1.5 gallons onto the mat, and it did eventually soak it all up. The mat’s textured design traps water on the mat. You won’t get muddy water flowing off of this mat.
The textured top did a decent job of removing dirt and mud, although, like many of the other mats we tested, it couldn’t remove everything from deep treads. It takes time to dry, but not so long that users would need to worry about mold or mildew. And unlike some of the other mats we tested, it didn’t discolor concrete when left wet for a few days.
Cleaning wasn’t as easy as we would have liked. It can be vacuumed, swept, or hosed. We found hosing it off to be the least effective, except when removing thick, caked dirt. This mat is pricey, but if you live in a wet climate, it’s a good option.
Get the L.L. Bean outdoor doormat at L.L.Bean.
This doormat from Sand & Stable is a natural coir fiber option that combines style with function. Coir is a naturally absorbent fiber, and this mat soaks up moisture. However, what impressed us was the 0.6-inch layer of coir’s ability to remove dust, dirt, and dry debris from shoes and paws. The rough bristles probably wouldn’t be kind to bare feet. Nonetheless, the roughness of the texture allowed this mat to pull debris from the bottom of dirtied shoes.
In our testing process, we poured a gallon of water onto each mat. The Sand & Sable drank it up, and then some. Even when wet, the vinyl backing held it in place. However, we found that while coir is great at removing water, it also likes to hold that water. It takes a long time to dry out, which is why we recommend this mat for dryer climates—or at least climates where the mat will have time to dry after water exposure. In our case, it left some discoloration marks on the concrete.
The Sand & Sable doormat comes in two sizes and nine colors. We tested the 24-inch-long 36-inch-wide mat in black. The simple colored stripes are attractive and classy. Cleaning the mat proved to be more difficult than we anticipated. Part of that problem was due to the shedding, which didn’t let up through the week we tested the mat. Cleaning the mat required some shaking, sweeping, and hosing to remove debris.
Get the Sand & Stable outdoor doormat at Wayfair.
This premium mat from the Durable Corporation takes durability to a new level. It is made of recycled tires, making it weatherproof and nearly indestructible (and pretty heavy). Its quick-drying open weave catches debris and water as one walks over it. We found ourselves stomping our feet into it, which worked well to remove caked-on dirt and mud. Cleats got caught in the open weave, and we had to pull them out a few times. However, the mat’s rubber never showed a mark.
The design doesn’t reach deeply into treads, but we were able to clean off heavy debris without any fear of ruining the mat. The rubber also works as a fatigue mat, though the design makes it more appropriate for a workshop than inside the home. Measuring 24 inches long by 36 inches wide and weighing 15.4 pounds, this mat stays in place and doesn’t shift when wet.
We appreciated how easy it was to clean—we simply hosed it down and it looked like new. The aesthetics lean more toward a shop or garage than the front door. However, for those who live where boots and shoes are covered in mud and dirt most of the time, this mat can handle it without showing a mark.
Get the Durable Corporation outdoor doormat at Amazon.
Owners of homes with large entrances or small businesses that need an outdoor doormat may want to consider the Enviroback from TrafficMaster. Measuring 36 inches long by 60 inches wide, its treaded surface covers a wide area. The mat, which is made from recycled plastic bottles, polyester, and rubber, did an excellent job at soaking up water during testing. When we walked over it with wet or muddy shoes, the moisture disappeared into the mat.
The ribbed design of the surface helped pull mud off of shoes with standard treads. But it’s a low pile, so it doesn’t reach deep into treads. Heavy boots and cleats still hung onto debris. Another feature we like is that kids and pets won’t have to remember to step on the mat—the Enviroback is big enough that it’s almost impossible to not step on it while entering the home.
The charcoal-colored polyester also hid dirt well, which meant we didn’t have to clean it as often. However, we did find that it holds onto and shows pet hair. Vacuuming did a better job of removing the hair, but some stayed behind.
Get the TrafficMaster outdoor doormat at The Home Depot.
For those who spend a lot of time in muddy environments, we think this mat should be on the short list. It features a textured rubber base and three rows of coir-cleaning bristles. During our testing, the nubs on the rubber base reached into standard treads to successfully remove dirt and mud.
However, the nubby texture wasn’t quite long enough to reach into deeper treads or cleats. The coir bristles reached deeper but left some debris behind. Where this mat stood out was for cleaning work boots of mud and debris that extended up the sides and over the toe. The coir removed debris that would have otherwise dried and caked up in the ridges of the boots and shoes.
The coir bristles did an excellent job of cleaning the sides of rubber boots caked in mud. The mud never had a chance to dry. When it came to cleaning, this model was among the easiest because it’s small and doesn’t have an absorbent surface. We sprayed it with a hose, and all the mud and dirt easily fell out. And since there’s not much coir surface, it didn’t take long to dry.
Get the Job Site outdoor doormat at Amazon or Walmart.
This doormat blends form with function effectively. Its curlicue scrollwork adds a classy touch to the front doorstep while offering practical dirt, mud, and water removal. It’s offered in two sizes, and we tested the 24-inch-long by 36-inch-wide model.
The open design scrapes shoes and traps the debris that falls through, keeping dirt and mud from tracking into the home. Made entirely of rubber, this outdoor mat is naturally fade-resistant, durable, and nonslip. It also dries quickly, making it mildew- and odor-resistant.
During testing, we loved the aesthetics of this mat. It definitely gives the home a more designed, chic welcome. Though the scrollwork looks pretty, the mat performed well, too. We scraped the dirt off shoes and boots into the open design, where it stayed trapped. While this mat couldn’t remove everything from the dirtiest shoes or cleats, it significantly reduced the amount of debris and water that made it into the home.
The only issue we had with the mat was that it easily showed dirt and dust, making the rubber look dirty most of the time. It was easy to hose it off, but we had to do it frequently to keep the mat clean.
Get the Fleur De Lis Living outdoor doormat at Wayfair.
The Andover Mills Lessard doormat got bonus points for being machine washable and collecting dirt well. However, it always looked dirty, except for when it was first washed. And it didn’t clean well by vacuuming, shaking, or sweeping. The dirt and hair stuck to it well enough that it was hard to remove. This mat also had a nap, so it always looked disheveled and dirty even when it wasn’t. Overall, the other doormats we tested performed better, looked better, and were easier to keep clean.
A number of factors come into play when choosing an outdoor doormat, not the least of which is how it will look in front of the door. The mat’s materials, size, and shape influence how well it will function within the user’s daily life. However, also keep in mind the climate and intended purpose of the mat before making a final decision.
Photo: Stacey L. Nash for Bob Vila
Outdoor doormat materials vary from natural rubber and coconut coir to synthetics like polyester and plastic. Each material has strengths and weaknesses, making one better for certain circumstances and climates than another.
Outdoor mats come in various sizes. Generally, they look and function best when they’re about the same size as the door. However, there are circumstances where shoppers may want one that’s larger or smaller. For example, if the doormat sits at the top of narrow stairs, buyers may need one that’s slightly smaller than the door to fit the space. Oversize mats work well in front of large doors or heavily used entrances.
The doormat’s size should also accommodate the number of people who will be in and out of the home or business. A large mat can absorb more water and would make sense in front of a frequently used door, even if the door is a standard size. The trick is to find the balance between what looks good aesthetically and what works for the lifestyle of those using the doormat.
A rectangle is the standard doormat shape, which works well because it can fit flush with the doorstep from one side of the door to the other. However, there are many other options, from elongated rectangles to semicircles and custom shapes. Rectangles offer the most surface area for water, mud, and debris removal. However, semicircles provide excellent square footage and give the doorstep a slightly different look and feel.
Custom shapes are often more aesthetically pleasing than they are practical. For example, a dog bone–shaped doormat’s rounded ends may leave a space between the doormat and the doorstep. That small space can collect dirt or potentially be a spot where people miss the doormat, which can lead to more debris entering the home.
Users also need to think about how the mat will interact with the environment around it. A highly absorbent mat can work well in a dry climate or one where the mat will have plenty of time to dry out between uses. The same mat may not work as well in a humid, rainy environment where the mat may not fully dry for weeks.
Heavily trafficked areas require a mat with more durability than an infrequently used back or side door. Additionally, a doormat that primarily needs to remove sand will have different qualities than one that needs to remove thick mud. Sand requires fibers and textures that brush the shoes, while thick mud needs a sturdy mat with a texture that reaches deep into treads.
Outdoor doormats are made of durable materials that trap dirt and water as people enter a home or business. Common materials include rubber, jute, coir, faux coir (synthetic materials made to mimic bristly coir), and other synthetic fibers. Nonslip options are best (and safest), so look for features like a rubberized backing to keep the mat in place. In addition to being water-resistant or quick to dry, it should also be easy to clean with just a quick shake or vacuuming.
Make sure to choose the appropriate size for the entryway. An outdoor doormat should look balanced in the doorway. For less busy households and small doorways, a smaller welcome mat should do. Larger or double-door entryways with lots of comings and goings can likely benefit from a larger mat.
Outdoor doormats are most often chosen for their style and color rather than their utility—and that’s perfectly fine. They are made to dress up your front door, after all. Consider the doormat’s design, color, or pattern. There are almost endless options available to suit any style.
The best outdoor doormat should keep the outdoors out while enhancing the look and feel of your front door area. Very little goes into maintaining a doormat other than the occasional cleaning and replacing when the mat gets too worn down, but we’ve compiled a few questions and answers for choosing and using your new outdoor doormat.
Yes, if your outdoor doormat gets too worn down, it’s time for a replacement. Signs of overwear include tears, holes, and deep stains or dirt that can’t be removed.
Coir fiber and rubber are best for outdoor doormats since they are practical and able to withstand moisture and weather.
Yes, coir mats are excellent for outdoor use. This popular material is naturally abrasive and durable.
No, not all outdoor mats are waterproof. If your chosen mat is not waterproof, make sure it is quick drying or water-resistant to reduce moisture problems.
If you’re camping on the beach or have a sun shelter set up, a doormat can prevent sand from tracking into your structure. A good outdoor doormat should be easy to shake clean, making it suitable for beachgoing.
An outdoor doormat should be shaken off or vacuumed weekly and washed seasonally to keep it in a relatively clean condition.
Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement.
Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.
Stacey L. Nash has written about home and garden products, home design and decor, and general indoor and outdoor home improvement for 5+ years. She’s passionate about research and hands-on testing to find the products that add true value to homeownership and daily life. She lives on 12 heavily wooded acres, where she and her family put home and outdoor products to the test while avoiding bears and cougars.
Additional research provided by Jasmine Harding.
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