The Best Circle Placemats

Buying Guide

Although placemats for your dining table are simple items, there’s a lot to think about when choosing a set. One of the most important is the size of the placemat. You’ll want your product to be large enough for your entire table setting: charger and dinner plates, napkins, silverware and cups.

Be sure that you buy the correct number of placemats for your table or your number of guests. Even if you only have six chairs at your table, you might need more circular placemats if you like to host large gatherings. It’s better to buy more upfront, as many dye lots change over time and you may be unable to get a perfect match if you order another set of placemats in the future.

Another factor in your decision-making process is the color of the placemat you choose. Basic colors like white or grey will match virtually any decor. But if you have a color scheme or other theme in your home, you can find placemats to match. Most placemat sets are sold in a variety of colors.

You can also buy circular placemats with decorative elements, such as scalloped edges. These add style to your table, but they won’t feel right to everyone. Your table might look crowded with heavily embellished mats, especially if you have plates with prints on them.

Circular placemats aren’t just for decoration; they also protect your table or other furniture. Many are heat-resistant, so you can put hot serving dishes or plates on them. Others are stain-resistant, preventing food and spills from coming into contact with your table or tablecloth.

Care and cleaning are also factors you should consider when shopping. Some placemats can be machine washed, while others can only be spot-cleaned by hand. Others can’t be ironed

• Always read the care instructions for your fabric products before using or cleaning them.
• Even though you won’t eat directly off the placemat, it will be close to your food, and it may even come in contact with food. Read the list of materials in the placemat if you’re sensitive to any chemicals or fabrics.
• Even if your placemats say they’re heat resistant, test them with another heat-safe item underneath before putting them on a sensitive surface, just in case.
• If you have young children, try to get silicone or other washable placemats for them instead of using your regular set.
• Whether or not you can machine wash your circular placemats, spot-cleaning them regularly whenever something falls on them is the best way to keep them looking fresh over time.