Best kneeler mats and pads 2024
The best kneeling pads and mats protect you from cold, dirty floors when doing car DIY. We test eight to crown a champion
Working on your car can be tough on the knees and clothing, so investing in a kneeler can pay dividends. They provide protection and comfort when sitting or kneeling, particularly on dusty, muddy or rough floors.
There’s plenty of choice in design and size, so you can match a mat to the task you’re undertaking. For quick jobs such as tyre pressures, a small mat will do, while something bigger is better for more complex work on areas such as brakes, where you where you’ll need to move around more.
So which is the one to take the strain for your motoring DIY? We tried to get comfortable with eight to find out.
How we tested them
We started by applying grease and oil to each to check resistance and how easy it was to clean. They were then dragged across a concrete floor and sharp gravel as a scuffing test. In the garage, we placed three bolts beneath each one to check how well knees were protected.
The denser it was (measured in kg/m3), the more support. We also took the best online price we could find into account.
Reviews:
Uniprod Garage Mate Workshop Mat and Kneel-Pad
- Price: Around £9.60
- Size: 3,842cm2 + 635cm2
- Rating: 5 stars
- Website: halfords.com
Used - available now
2024 Volkswagen
Golf GTD
25,177 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £25,197
2023 Tesla
Model 3
22,659 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £21,197
2023 Jaguar
I-PACE
35,618 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £20,197
2022 Nissan
Qashqai
45,744 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L
Cash £17,197At just £2.14 per sq m, it’s hard to beat this Uniprod pair. The main mat is usefully long at 985mm (only the Laser and Gunson were longer), and even though there’s no headrest, the smaller mat can be used as one.
The bright orange finish is semi-matt but still shrugs off the grease and oil. Its combined density of 40kg/m3 is mid-range but protected the knees well, although two of the bolt heads pushed through the surface. A good performer in most areas and with an unbeatable price.
Laser Tools Racing Folding Work Mat 6046
- Price: Around £40
- Size: 5,220cm2
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Website: lasertools.co.uk
This is the joint most expensive on test, but its overall size makes it a reasonable £7.66 per sq m. It’s extremely practical, folding in four sections for carrying and storing. Two Velcro straps secure them and there are twin carry handles.
The built-in headrest is very useful for easing neck pain when working under a vehicle. If required, the four sections can be used folded, to make a small ‘chair’ or for kneeling on. The grease and oil wiped off and the 40mm foam kept the bolts at bay; there were indentations, but no lasting marks.
Gunson Folding Work Mat 77096
- Price: Around £40
- Size: 5,160cm2
- Rating: 4 stars
- Website: machinemart.co.uk
The second of our folding mats, the Gunson comes in two sections, held in place by Velcro straps and with two side-mounted carry handles. Like the Laser, it has a fitted headrest, although it’s less shaped and not quite as high. We like the overall finish, which has a matt grained texture on top and wipe-clean vinyl underneath; this resisted the oil and grease well.
Used folded, it was immensely comfortable and opened out very easily. Yes, the bolt heads showed their positions clearly, but the 35mm foam soon pushed them out.
Sealey 28mm EVA Mechanic’s Mat Set VS8571
- Price: Around £33
- Size: 3,724cm2 + 968cm2
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: sealey.co.uk
One of three double mat sets, it includes a large (980mm) main section, ideal for laying under the car, and a 380mm piece. The latter is ideal to be kept in the car, just in case. Alternatively, it can be used alongside the longer one – or even on top of it – to make a headrest.
We found the oil and grease left dull stains after they had been wiped off. Their 28mm foam made these mats lighter than the Laser or Gunson, the large one having a 35kg/m3 density. As a result, we were more aware of the bolts’ presence, with a couple of the heads leaving permanent marks.
Siegen 22mm EVA Mechanic’s Mat Set 8561
- Price: Around £23
- Size: 3,724cm2 + 968cm2
- Rating: 3 stars
- Website: sealey.co.uk
Clearly related to the stablemate Sealey pair, these mats are exactly the same length and width, but are just 22mm thick. The design is the same, with a top and bottom layer over a foam centre and with handle cutouts.
The large mat density is similar to the Sealey’s at 34kg/m3 but the small mat’s is lower (22 rather than 27). The bolts dug well into the underside and were more prominent in use, while both mats were left with a dull stain once the oil and grease had been wiped off.
Draper General Purpose Kneeler 73069
- Price: Around £6.50
- Size: 1,182cm2
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Website: drapertools.com
The largest of our three smaller mats, the Draper has a cutout handle and the third-best price at £5.29 per sq m. The top and bottom covers have a textured basketweave effect and were impervious to the oil and grease, which simply wiped off.
Although the foam is only 22mm thick, it’s clearly good stuff because it resulted in an excellent density figure of 61kg/m3. This gave plenty of knee protection, and while the bolts left an indentation in the underside after a while, the strong foam pushed them out.
Portwest Kneeling Pad 87433
- Price: Around £8
- Size: 731cm2
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Website: toolstation.com
Despite being the smallest mat and having 20mm foam, the Portwest is almost level with the Draper 73069 for density, at 80.1kg/m3. Unsurprisingly, it gave excellent protection against the large bolts and even though they pushed well into the foam, it soon regained its shape
Unlike the Draper 10196, it didn’t give much support to the lower legs. Unfortunately, its price of £10.92 per sq m was the highest on test.
Draper Multi Purpose Kneeler Pad 10196
- Price: Around £7.50
- Size: 770cm2
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Website: drapertools.com
This small Draper mat is the densest on test, at 80.57kg/m3 and with a thickness of 25mm. The basketweave covering is similar both to the other Draper and the Portwest, and was equally resistant to the effects of oil and grease.
The knee support was excellent, the hefty bolts being barely noticeable. Like the other two small mats, the bolts impacted the foam but not for long, and the covering wasn’t pierced. However, the shins weren’t supported and the price was high, at £9.58 per sq m.
Verdict
The Uniprod managed to do most things well at a great price. The Laser and Gunson were more expensive but would make DIY life considerably easier.
- Uniprod Garage Mate Workshop Mat and Kneel-Pad
- Laser Tools Racing Folding Work Mat 6046
- Gunson Folding Work Mat 77096
Now that your knees are safe, why not pick out one of the best inspection lamps on sale to light up those dark spaces?
