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When you’re looking for anti-static mat to protect your electronic components, you can be overwhelmed by a ton of options. How do you know which one is better? What factors should I consider? It’s a mat – how do I decide!?
Fret not because you’re in the right place. We have tested various mats and created this post! This article will guide you through the major things to look out for while picking an anti-static mat. It will then show you some of the best anti-static mats in the market and explain all their features to you, so you can make a very well-informed decision. Please note this article contains affiliate links.
What to look for in a Anti Static Mat?
Your anti-static mat basically protects just about any electronic component as small as a tiny connecting element or memory card, or even something as big as your computer, from electro-static discharge (ESD). So, it’s obvious that a good anti-static mat must be able to ensure that the ESD is brought down to zero. If it’s not good at its job, and cannot protect your most static-sensitive components, you risk possibly damaging expensive electronic equipment. Anyone that repairs electronics should add a anti-static mat to their electronic and computer repair kit.
Some anti static mats are heat resistant for tasks like soldering, which require a lot of heat. Your mat should also be able to prevent any potential fires. If there are any flammable materials around your workspace they can cause a lot of danger when exposed to static shocks.
Our Favorite Anti-Static Mat
1. iFixit Portable Anti-Static Mat $29.99
The iFixit anti-static mat is our favorite mat. This superior mat measures 24 inches long, 24 inches wide and weighs about 0.82 pounds. Portability is a major plus with this anti-static mat. Its very easy to fold and carry around with you wherever you go. It can be stuffed into a backpack or case very easily and its portability does not compromise its efficiency. It comes with a grounding wire/clip and a wrist strap (this is used to avoid electrostatic shock to your components). The iFixit mat is also covered by a lifetime warranty!
If you are looking for a portable high quality anti static mat for computer and electronic repair, this is the mat for you! If you are in need of a stationary anti-static mat see the other product suggestions in this post.
iFixit is notorious for their amazing product quality. When you buy an iFixit product, you receive several perks. You’ll have access to detailed installation and repair guides, a Q&A Forum with thousands of problems solved, and a community to share repair tips and tricks. There are several tools available at your disposal, which are designed by professionals. And if that isn’t enough to win your heart, let me tell you – you’ll even get world-class customer support!
Other Great Anti-Static Mats
2. BTSHOW Soldering Mat ($16.95)
One feature that makes the BITSHOW mat stand out is that it does not need a grounding cord for it to be anti-static. It is 13.8 inches long, 9.8 inches wide, and weighs about 0.64 pounds. It is highly suitable for the semiconductor or hard disk drive industry. The mat has a resistivity of 106 to 108 ohms. Additionally, it is soldering friendly as it resists temperature up to 954 degrees F.
The mat comes pre-sprayed with dust proof oil which means dust is not attracted to it. The material is RoHS compliant, as it has no toxic chemicals, doesn’t smell, is corrosion-resistant, and is anti-static on both sides. It is foldable, super easy to clean, and will easily lasts for a decade.
3. HPFIX ESD Anti-Static Mat $25.80
Made with high-quality silicone with a resistivity of 106 to 108 ohm, the HPFIX mat protects your most sensitive electronic items. It is 0.16 inches thick and weighs 1.21 pounds. As you can see in the picture, it looks very neat. It has designated grids for 52 screws and other components to keep your workspace very well-organized. You even get slots for driver bits and iron tips, which is a major selling point.
The mat is resistant to temperature up to 932 degrees F, which makes it great for soldering. Being 17.7” long and 13.6“ wide, it is big enough for large components like desktop computers or larger laptops. It comes with an ESD wrist strap (this is used to avoid electrostatic shock to your components) and a grounding wire.
Additionally, it has a lifetime warranty. And the best part? If you don’t like it, you can get a refund within 180 days! Contact Amazon for return process.
4. CEATECH Electronic Repair Mat ($18.93)
The CEATECH anti-static mat is 15.9” long, 12” wide and weighs 1.25 pounds which means it is spacious enough to accommodate your larger electronic repairs. It has 68 slots for the organization of all your disassembled components and the softness of the silicone solder mat ensures that the surface of your components remains scratch-free.
Additionally, the material meets all of the United States FDA standards, and it is neither toxic nor has any odor. The CEATECH mat provides heat insulation up to 932 degrees F so it is also safe to solder on.
Final Thoughts about Anti Static Mats
Each anti static mat in this post has been tested by our team. Now that you’ve seen some of the best anti static mats, you can pick one that suits your electronic repair needs. Please feel free to contact us if you have more questions.
What is the best anti static mat?
Based on our testing and experience here are some of the top anti static mats on the market:
1. iFixit Portable Anti-Static Mat
2. BTSHOW Soldering Mat
3. HPFIX ESD Anti-Static Mat
4. CEATECH Electronic Repair Mat
Yes! When doing repairs on computers or other electronics an anti-static mat will protect components from ESD (electrostatic discharge).
You can but it is not recommended. Expensive computer components can be ruined in matter of seconds by ESD. We always use anit-static mats when doing computer hardware repairs of any kind.
