So we looked for rugs that were available in large sizes but still affordable. Size: We heard again and again that a primary rug for a room should be big-large enough for all the furniture in a room to at least partially sit on, according to interior designer and writer Jessica Probus.Our picks skew toward flatwoven rugs because they tend to be less expensive. Rugs with pile-or fibers sticking up out of the rug’s backing-are generally more padded and better for living areas and bedrooms. Flatweaves are great for high-traffic areas because they’re relatively smooth and easy to clean. Weave: We considered flatwoven, low-pile, and higher-pile rugs.Polypropylene rugs won’t last as long, but they’re less expensive than rugs made from other materials. Materials: We mostly looked at rugs made of nylon, cotton, wool, polypropylene, polyester, and blends thereof.Cheap materials can require steam cleanings a couple of times a year to look good. Remember, though, that rebuying an inexpensive rug every few years adds up. These rugs are good choices as long as you know that when you’re making the purchase, they can be useful and look great for the time that you have them. But even the best rugs in this class won’t last more than a decade in a high-traffic area in your home, or if you have kids and pets and the inevitable messes that come with them. They can look great-sometimes really great-for a few years. “Cheap rugs have a purpose and use, just like cheap furniture does,” Wagner said. This means that most of the rugs we recommend can be had in an 8-by-10-foot size for not much more than $300 (plus shipping) with only a few in the $400 and $500 range. We capped the price at about $4 per square foot (though we made a few exceptions). The rugs we cover in this guide aren’t that expensive and are all available for purchase online.

In some instances we found the rug can sound a little squeaky as it acclimates to a space, but the sound fades with time and use as the pad compresses. Our original tester rug from 2019 is still holding up great, even after dozens of washes. People on staff who use their rugs in low-traffic areas-where activity is centered in the middle of the rug rather than around the edges, like playrooms and kids’ bedrooms-are still very happy with theirs, so for now that's where we recommend using them. Ruggable claims it started rolling out a redesigned rug in September 2021 that helps with the curling issue, but we haven’t tested the new version yet. In 2022 we received feedback from several people on staff who own Ruggables that curling and edges lifting up was a widespread issue, especially in high-traffic areas like hallways and kitchens (which we expand on in our piece on Ruggables). A more unconventional version with a white speckled center and a bold border in colors from gray to hot pink is available at Target and Walmart.įlaws but not dealbreakers: The rug we tested laid flat almost immediately upon unrolling, but one side remained curled every so slightly before we used a kettlebell to press the stubborn corners into place. You can sometimes find Safavieh’s area rugs for better prices on Amazon, though the selection is a bit scattershot.

And the white one has held up well in a kitchen through a couple of years of testing Shannon tosses hers in the wash every couple of weeks to keep the color nice. One of our editors has had the multicolor version of this rug since 2015, and it’s holding up well-just a few of the yarns have pulled out slightly. At least, if you really ruin it, it’s inexpensive to replace (it’s the least expensive of the kitchen options we looked at). This rug is easy to flip over or toss in the wash-although the larger 8-by-10 versions may require a trip to the laundromat to use their large-capacity washers. The design, consisting of variegated yarns (or rags), means that most small stains will simply blend in. We like Safavieh’s hand-woven rag rugs, which cost less than most other rag rugs we’ve seen, feel comfortable to walk on, and come in a wide range of colors and sizes. Why it’s great: Rag rugs rank among the best choices for a kitchen, because they’re machine washable, and due to their rustic appearance they still look okay with a bit of wear and tear, like some loose yarns or worn spots.

Industrial shop area rug indigo 7 x 10