The Best Drink Coasters Add Design Panache to Your Table

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. You want to feel like you’re in a Nancy Meyers movie Is it cake, or is it coaster? You love a retro conversation pit vibe Get in on the chrome dishware trend These stoneware coasters are little works of art Scalloped edges can really frame a glass You’re looking for a workhorse coaster set Start collecting beautiful tiles It’s the Year of the Snake For the extra dirty martini-lover You yearn for the romance of Italy You love minimalist look of the Getty Museum