Whether you are a right-to-repair enthusiast or looking to get into work with technology on a deeper level, Mod-mats are an excellent investment. You may think that you don’t need a mod-mat, but the last thing you need is a static shock to take out your new device.
A good mod-mat is an essential piece of kit that can make the difference with your tech repairs, whether it’s for a hobby or profession. Luckily, we have put together the top list of the best mod-mats that you can get today! We would like to note the name on a lot of these products is not the most marketable. Some of them look more like sentences than names.
- Best Overall: CPB S180 Large Anti Static Silicone Repair Mat
- Best Budget: StarTech.com Anti-Static Mat
- Best for Travel: iFixit Portable Anti-Static Mat
- Most Durable: HPFIX Anti-Static ESD Mat
- Best For PC Builders: ModRight Xtreme Super Large Anti-Static Mod-Mat
Best Overall: CPB S180 Large Anti-Static Silicone Repair Mat
- ☀【Silicone Heat Insulation Repair Mat】It is an ideal silicone repair mat for soldering electronics assembly or electronics and circuit board repair. Suitable for personal electronic products,...
- ☀【Multifunctional Mat】To make your repair work easy, the mat built-in scale ruler (0 ~36 cm), 3 part boxes with cover, 4 magnetic parts areas, 124 screws position, 42 spare unit and 15 notches,...
- ☀【Anti-slip and Anti-scratch】Anti-slip and anti-scratch: the mat is made of high quality silicone,soldering repair mat both suface are adopting the anti-slip design, it won't slide around on...
- ☀【Big Size and Independent Sub-grids】The large soldering mat with size 17.8 x 11.8 inches (45cm x 30cm ) provide bigger space to satisfy your many projects repairing demands. It’s great for...
- ☀【Wide Application】 Soldering repair mat is made of 100% high quality food grade silicone material, an ideal product for soldering electronics, electronics assembly or circuit board repair,...
The CPB S180 Large Anti Static Silicone Repair Mat is constructed from a rugged silica gel specifically made to resist heat. To be specific, it can withstand heat up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. So for anybody that likes to solder, do not worry about getting too hot.
Besides the durable construction, there are 49 wells on the side of the mat to hold and sort the screws that come out of the device you are working on. If that is not enough organization for you, there are 124 individual screw wells on the right side of the mat. Finally, on the top of the mat are wells to hold tools and a scale ruler along the bottom.
With its durable construction and feature-packed design, we highly recommend this mat for tech repairs and hobby crafts like model painting and building.
Check out the CPB S180 Large Anti Static Silicone Repair Mat on Amazon.
Best Budget: StarTech.com Anti-Static Mat
- PROTECT EQUIPMENT: Unlike conductive systems, this static dissipative mat protects your most sensitive equipment from static damage
- LOW PROFILE: Only 0.1" (0.2 cm) thick, this anti-static rubber mat sits comfortably under your desk equipment, whether at home or work
- TOP SPECIFICATIONS MET: This electrical grounding mat is designed to meet the highest specifications, including IBM and US military static control standards
- ADD ADDITONAL PROTECTION: Add additional protection by also using our anti-static wrist strap (SWS100)
- CONVENIENT SIZE: Measuring 24" x 27.5", this ESD pad is perfectly sized to fit your CPU/VDT and keyboard
Even though the StarTech.com Anti-Static Mat looks dull with its simple beige rubbery mat, it is still a fantastic mod-mat. StarTech is one the better-known brands in the electronic tools and accessories field. The mat’s top layer is a smooth anti-static PVC, and the bottom is anti-static PVC foam.
When the mat is rolled out, the mat has a length of 24 inches and a width of 27.5 inches. The entire surface of the mat is entirely smooth, which depending on your style of repair, can be perfect. There is one snap in the bottom right corner for the included grounding cable.
If you are looking for a nice budget-friendly mat, the StarTech Anti-Static Mat comes in at $19.99. You will not be disappointed working on this mat.
Check out the StarTech.com Anti-Static Mat on Amazon.
Best for Travel: iFixit Portable Anti-Static Mat
- SAFE: This high-quality antistatic mat, wristband, and grounding wire protect electronics & components from damage caused by static discharge. Fix computers, phones, tablets, and more!
- FUNCTIONAL: This durable mat can be easily folded, wrapped and transported. Your sensitive electronics are protected at all times - whether you are a hobby fixer or a professional engineer.
- SIMPLE: Connect the mat roll to a ground (e.g. heater) and place the bracelet on your wrist. Place the case and components on the mat and your electronics are protected from ESD.
- IFIXIT QUALITY: This antistatic mat is made of nylon and polymer and complies with the standards ESD S4.1 and ESD S20.20. It is provided with a protective layer for additional protection. Covered by...
- FACTS: Surface Resistivity: 10^7 - 10^9 Ω, 10 mm Grounding Snap, 1.8 m 10^5 Ω Grounding Cord, Dimensions: 60 cm x 60 cm, 1.8 m 50 Ω Wrist Strap adjustable to size XL.
The iFixit Portable Anti-Static Mat is the perfect accessory to go along with one of their toolsets.
iFixit, although they are newer than StarTech, they have made a name for themselves over the last couple of years. Most people will recognize them for their tool sets that are specifically made to repair tech devices.
This mat is made specifically with portability in mind. When it is opened up to its full square form, it measures 23.9 inches. This square is big enough to get any job done on the road. The mat can collapse to 10.98 inches wide, 6.3 inches high, and 1.5 inches thick when folded up. Easy to slip into a backpack and be ready to go in a couple of moments.
We recommend this mat for anybody who likes to repair tech but does not always have the same workspace. It is worth noting that a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty covers the entire kit, so you’re protected from any defects.
Check out the iFixit Portable Anti-Static Mat on Amazon.
Most Durable: HPFIX Anti-Static ESD Mat
- Designed for a safer and better work surface
- 37 slots and a built-in scale ruler
- Resistant to a high temperature of 932°F
- 180-day refund and lifetime warranty
The HPFIX Anti-Static ESD Mat is a little bit smaller than the others on this list, but it is made of very rugged grey rubber. Heat resistance is one of the main features of this mat, resisting heat up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it great for soldering work, but the smaller size does not lend itself to bigger projects.
At 15.9 inches wide and 12 inches high, it’s definitely on the small side. But the 9 organization wells for tolls and parts and 29 smaller wells for screws help make the size feel as not much of a drawback. In addition, the kit includes a unique grounding plug that inserts into a 3-prong outlet that acts as a grounding cable.
HPFIX backs this mat with a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. Perhaps more impressively, they have a 180-day, no-questions-asked return window. This gives you plenty of time to test drive it and see how well it works for you.
Check out the HPFIX Anti-Static ESD Mat on Amazon.
Best For PC Builders: ModRight Xtreme Super Large Anti-Static Mod-Mat
The ModRight Xtreme Super Large Anti-Static Mod-Mat is huge, measuring 47″ x 23″. This will provide ample space for you to complete your build and not worry about static shock. The design on the mat, while also being fun to look at, offers great references in actual size to things that PC modders use.
Included with the mod-mat is both a grounding wire clip and an anti-static wrist strap to ensure proper precaution when conducting your next build. Both straps are connected directly to the mod-mat itself, so you know you have solid ground.
Check out the ModRight Xtreme Super Large Anti-Static Mod-Mat on Amazon.
How To Pick the Best Mod-Mat: Step by Step
With a surge in popularity for self-device repair and other electronic work, more mod-mats are coming out every day. Luckily, you can go through a couple of categories to narrow down the results.
- Anti-Static
- Organization
- Size
Anti-Static
Anti-static is one the most essential features a mod-mat can offer. Before buying a mod-mat, we highly recommend that it has at least one anti-static layer or precaution. The last thing you want to happen to your device is a static shock.
All the mats we have recommended in this article have anti-static construction, and most offer an included grounding cable to avoid this.
Organization
Organization wells are not required for a mod-mat; for some people, that might be a hindrance instead of a feature. But we tend to lean towards the mats with organization wells. Whether you are looking at a mat for electronic repair or hobby crafts, these wells can be very useful. Especially for devices that have a ton of screws of varying sizes.
Size
Depending on the type of projects you plan on, the mat size can be a deciding factor. For people who are looking to work on phones or portable devices, we recommend not going much smaller than the HPFIX Anti-Static ESD Mat. But if you are working on laptops are bigger devices, a mat like the CPB S180 Large Anti Static Silicone Repair will be a better size.
What To Know Before Buying a Mod-Mat
Before buying a mod-mat, you need to make sure to take into account a couple of things. What type of work are you planning to do with it? Do you have a permanent desk or work area where you can leave the mat?
For people that are soldering consistently, make sure the mat you choose is heat resistant and while not catch on fire. If you are working on bigger devices like laptops or bigger, a smaller mod-mat will be frustrating to work on.
Using Mod-Mats: What It’s Like?
We were able to test out all of these mats above, and let’s start by saying all of these are excellent to use. After using all of these on a couple of different projects, we put the CPB S180 Large Anti Static Silicone Repair as our favorite of the bunch.
The CPB S180 Large Anti Static Silicone Repair has a level of diversity of features and size, making it a mat that is easy to go to, no matter the project. Also, the small individual screw wells are way more useful than we initially thought they would be.
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