GelPro Kitchen Mats
Posted by Kristine on November 13th, 2009. Filed under: Product Ramblings, Rambling.I know I have mentioned before in a previous post about these mats but I felt the need to do a more in depth review now that I have owned them for a while.
I LOVE spending time in my kitchen trying out new things and doing old things. My favorite time of year to spend time in the kitchen is the holidays. I make all kinds of cookies and candies to give out to neighbors, friends, and family. As much as I look forward to spending all that time in the kitchen I also dread it. I am 24 years old and I feel like I have the feet and back of a 90 year old. Just an hour of standing will make for one or two days of swollen ankles, back and hip pain. For me it is worth the pain to see someone’s face when they try (and love) something you have slaved over for, for hours.
To try and help with some of the pain over the years I have tried wearing shoes while I cook…which didn’t help at all. I tried those foam mats that you can buy at Wal-Mart. Those helped…but for only as long as it took for my feet to sink to the bottom of the mat. I also combined the cheap foam mats with two inch thick foam flip-flops, which was my best solution.
One day I was walking through my local Costco and I came across these kitchen mats by the name of GelPro. I read the info on the box and was very interested. It said: “World’s only gel-filled anti-fatigue floor mat relieves pain and fatigue caused from standing on hard flooring. Great for everyone, perfect for those with back pain, foot pain, or arthritis.” I know that describes me…and has to describe a lot of people in this country. The only problem was that all of them were rolled up wrapped in plastic and in boxes, so I could only poke through the opening and feel them. For the $70 dollar price tag I was going to at least stand on it before buying it. So a few weeks later I was in the store again and happened to do down that isle and they had one on display! I was wearing flip-flops so I kicked them off and almost stepped into a dream. I stood on that mat with my mouth open I was so impressed. I stood on it for a few mins and just from that little amount of time I could feel the difference in the support and the comfort (from my cheap foam mats and flip-flops). At that point I was sold, and I picked one up. I got it home and I loved it so much that I went back and bought another one!
There isn’t a bad thing to say about these mats! I have had them for several months and not a thing has changed since I bought them! They are in the highest traffic area in the house (to come and go from the house you have to walk through the kitchen) and they still look brand new. I have a cat that seems to make it her mission in life to make anything we have that is new look like crap ASAP. She does her kitty freak out through the house and these mats have held up to her kitty knives! They clean like no ones business…just take a Clorox wipe to them! **i sent this post to the people at GelPro and she told me this about cleaning them: “The surface fabric of our mat is made of a durable, yet soft, synthetic leather material (similar to that found in automobiles and yachts. As such, we actually do not suggest using anything harsher than a very mild dish soap (and a damp cloth) to clean the mats.”**They are really heavy so they stay in place and aren’t sliding all over the kitchen like my other mats.
I can now spend time in my kitchen with out dreading it. And that is the best thing of all.
If you have any questions for me about these mats just send me an email or comment and if I cant answer them call GelPro at 1-866-GEL MATS (435-6287).
One last note. I have not been paid or reimbursed in any way by GelPro. It is my passion to let people know of quality products that I find. I know it’s hard to spend money these days and I’m always looking for ways to save money and make my life easier. I just want to pass it on to you!
Thanks for stopping by!
These are the mats that I own
February 4th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
What a great review from someone who really uses these mats! Thanks
February 5th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
no problem! thanks for the comment!
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:08 am
Hi, thanks for reviewing the mat. I’m considering buying two of them for my kitchen (I, too, love to cook), but I heard terrible reviews about how the corners curl up after a while. Are you experiencing that? Thanks!
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:42 am
i have had my mats for almost 6 months now. a little back story here first. at the house we just moved out of, i had a TINY kitchen. it was basically a hallway. i had two of these mats (i bought to in anticipation for my new kitchen) and side by side long ways they took up the entire width of my kitchen. the only way in and out of my house was through the kitchen. so those mats had very very heavy traffic every single day, and not just normal foot traffic either. my husband wears big heavy duty steel toe boots and i wear heals sometimes. with all of that being said, these mats still look exactly the same as the day i bought them. i could see how the ends could curl up but i have not experienced that and if it hasnt happened yet i doubt it will. Im glad people are finding this review helpful! please keep the questions coming!
January 15th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
I’ve also heard of people having problems with moisture getting under the matts and causing issues with their hard wood floors. Have you heard of or had any experiences like that? Thank you!
January 17th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
well i have never had wood floors, BUT i have seen where people complain about that. for me i dont see that as a problem, even if i did have wood floors. i do have tile and when i need to mop i just take the mats out of the kitchen and dont put them back until the floor is dry. same thing for when i clean them. i take them out of the kitchen and wipe down the tops wait a few mins for them to dry and then flip them over and wipe the bottoms. i wait until the bottoms are dry and then put them back! i have had my mats for WELL over a year now and i have NEVER experienced a situation where there was a build up of moisture under the mats. i have one at my sink, one at the stove, and one in front of the counter where i do most of my prep work for cooking and cookie decorating!