Eater Staff
They’re easy to clean, easy on the eyes, and, of course, they’re like security guards for your tabletops
As a nesting enthusiast who made it through most of my adult life with a collection of passed-down and thrifted furniture, protecting wood surfaces has never really been my top concern. But now that I’m in my 40th year on Earth — and the owner of a brand new coffee table — I’m happy to say that while some parts of my personality have mellowed, others have been sharpened to a fine point, chief among them being my instinct to make sure there’s a coaster under every glass.
Now, I’m following my party guests around, coasters in hand, just daring them to set down a sweaty glass for more than a second, lest I tank the value of my newly acquired table. It follows, then, that I would spend hours of my time exhaustively researching coasters that not only fulfilled their duty to the wooden tabletop but provided the perfect adornment to my well-curated tablescape, too.
My goal was to find coasters that protected surfaces, released easily from the glass, were easy to clean, and looked fabulous. I discovered stellar examples in materials that ranged from felt to terracotta to tumbled marble. The chic, practical coasters I found combine form and function to keep your coffee table or any surface ring-free while looking absolutely charming.
