Choosing what coasters to plonk your mug down on might not seem like a particularly strenuous task, with most people simply looking for a nice design that matches their home.
But if you spend too much time focusing on what looks pretty, you might lose sight of what’s practical and so here are the key features you need to be looking for in a spanking new set of coffee cup platforms!
Features To Look Out For
Size/ Diameter
A cute little dinky coaster might look sweet and wholesome atop your beautiful coffee table, but if it can’t even cover half the vase of your mighty mega mugs, then what use can they actually be to you?
The whole point of a coaster is to protect your furniture surfaces and so make sure yours have a wide diameter of at least 10 cm to prevent coffee stains and spillage!
Non-slip backing
While certain materials of a coaster certainly look more pretty and pleasing than others, it doesn’t really mean anything if your coaster can’t stay still and support your mug.
Most good-quality coasters therefore feature a cork or silicone backing which provides grip and stops the coaster from slipping and sliding across your furniture.
They can sometimes even provide anti-scratch properties, ideal for coffee cravers who like to drink on high-class glassware coffee tables.
Absorbent Materials
Coasters come in a whole variety of different materials, mainly because this means they can offer different styles and aesthetics for people’s homes.
However, while a pretty cotton material might look fancy in your living room, you might want to think about how absorbent and porous a material is first before purchasing.
For example, porous stones like ceramic and sandstone will naturally absorb more liquid runoff than other coaster materials, hence why ceramic is so popular.
Sets
Depending on whether you’re buying for yourself or someone else, how many coasters you get in a set can often be the information that swings the deal for you.
A single, pricier coaster is fair enough if it’s a gift for a loved one, but if it’s for your own home you really want a set of four to six to help accommodate family and friends at all times.
Easy to Clean
With all those coffee and tea stains at risk of running your nice coaster, you need to be able to clean them easily after a particularly messy brew.
A material which can be wiped clean easily or is dishwasher safe is your best bet.
Price
Coasters can be cheap and cheerful or expensive and elegant, so it really is up to you what you want to spend.
Incredibly premium sets of coasters can go for up to £40 from boutique sellers while it’s still perfectly achievable to buy a nice set which does the job for well under £10.
For budget buys stay away from fancy materials and stick to reliable ones like cork and silicone – they won’t look as nice, but they’ll keep your furniture looking shiny and new for many years to come.
