tchdio Durable Rubber Boot Tray and Shoe Mat for Entryway - Heavy Duty Waterproof Shoe Tray Organizer, Non Slip Boot Trays for Front Door, Entryway Muddy Shoes Storage, 16x48 Inches

Why it's worth it

A 16-by-48-inch natural rubber mat with tall raised edges that holds about three pairs of adult shoes. It rolls up for summer storage and, unlike several rubber competitors, owners say it unrolls flat and stays put on hardwood without curling at the corners.

The rubber is the right kind of thick. Natural rubber stays flexible when it's cold, so it won't crack the way a stiff plastic tray does in an unheated mudroom. It's also heavy enough to stay where you put it. Owners consistently describe it as substantial and note that it doesn't slide on hardwood or tile, which is exactly what you want when someone kicks a boot off against it.

This is the flattening problem solved. Rubber trays ship rolled, and the common complaint across this category is that the edges never relax — you put books on the corners for a week and they still curl. Owners of this one report it unrolls and lies flat right away. That's not a glamorous feature. But a curled lip is a leaking lip, and it's the difference between a tray that works and one you give up on.

From our review of 5 boot trays for a winter entryway, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +The rubber is the right kind of thick
• +This is the flattening problem solved
• +The 16-by-48-inch footprint is the practical sweet spot
• +The raised edges are tall enough to matter

What to know

• –Natural rubber has a smell when it's new
• –It comes in one look — black — so there's no matching it to a particular entryway palette