Best yoga mats 2020: for home and class - all budgets considered

You know someone’s serious about their practice if they bring a Liforme mat to class; they’re considered the gold standard when it comes to yoga. Trusted as the best by yogis wanting to push themselves to the next level, the Liforme mat made its name thanks to its soft and comfortable yet firm and grippy texture, which you can sweat all over and still not slip once. Best of all, though, are the alignment markers lasered into the mat, reminding users where to place their hands and feet for the perfect posture.

Best for: Alignment

If you spend a lot of time in seated and strengthening poses, you need a mat that prioritises comfort. At 8mm thick, Meglio’s mat not only reduces impact as you move through your workout but it’s comfortable, too. The bottom of the mat is also textured to stop it slipping and comes with a free shoulder strap to make it easier to carry to and from classes.

Best for comfort

Longer and wider than your average, the Yogi Bare Paws X mat offers more space for practicing your asanas without sacrificing what this brand is known best for: great grip. The mat’s natural rubber is not only perforated for a more intense grip but it’s also extra thick, adding some well-needed supportive comfort, especially if you like going upside down.

Best for extra space

Some of the bigger, more durable yoga mats on the list are great for your weekly yoga or pilates sessions. But what about if you're travelling? This yoga mat from Manduka is small, light and folds up into next to nothing. It's also easy to wipe clean, which makes it perfect for yoga in hotel rooms while you're on-the-move.

Best for travel.

If you really want to make a statement about your attitude towards ethical living and saving the environment, you can’t get better than buying a Corkyogis mat. The social enterprise supports and empowers survivors of human trafficking by pumping a portion of the profits made from each mat into the Destiny Reflection Foundation. Made from earth-friendly, natural materials, the Classic Yogi mat also provides an amazing non-slip, anti-bacterial surface for your practice with a grip that increases as you sweat.

Best for earth lovers

The GRP is one of the thickest mats out there. At 6mm, it gives some great support for the knees and wrists. As you can probably tell from the name, it also boasts some rather impressive grip tech making it especially useful for hot yoga. Basically, the hotter and sweatier you get, the stickier the mat becomes, performing its best when you’re working your hardest. Not the most portable, mind.

Best for hot yoga

Sustainable mat maker Jade Yoga has made its niche in bringing together eco-friendly materials and performance. The Harmony mat is made from 100 percent natural rubber sourced from rubber trees instead of PVC, a material known for its ozone-damaging substances. Alongside being sustainable, it also makes for a great balance of grip and cushioning, ideal for all-round practice consisting of both seated poses and balances.

Best all-rounder

This Sticky Mat from YogaMatters is super basic, making it ideal as a beginner’s mat - especially those starting out who aren’t sure just yet if yoga is for them. At just £16, it has the perfect amount of stick for the jobr without costing the earth. And unlike most yoga mats, it’s machine washable, which will come in handy if you’re feeling lazy after class.

Best for beginners

If you’re looking for a pro-level yoga mat but don’t want to have to remortgage your house to afford it, Yoga Studio has just the thing. The Grip mat brings proper yoga studio-quality for a much more affordable price. And it not only wicks away moisture as you work up a sweat, but it features alignment markers so you can check your footing before falling forward into Uttanasana.

Best for the pro on a budget

If you like to mix up your yoga practice from a fast-paced power flow to a more tranquil hatha, Lululemon’s reversible offering has two sides to suit both types. It’s made with a polyurethane top layer that absorbs moisture to help you get a grip during sweaty practices, while the natural rubber base gives you cushioning and grip in low-sweat classes. It also boasts an antimicrobial additive to help prevent mould and mildew (good if you forget to clean it after a sweaty class).

Best for versatility

One major downside of having your very own yoga mat is that they aren’t exactly easy to get from A to B, especially when travelling. The answer? A travel yoga mat, of course. One of the best on test was the super lightweight Yogamatters travel mat. Weighing just 700g, it’s not only thin enough to be folded up and popped inside any bag, but it offers a strong grip during practice, something most travel mats struggle to have.

Best for portability