StarTech.com 24x26-Inch Desktop Anti-Static Mat M3013 (Beige)

by StarTech

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 24.9 x 3 x 3 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B00009XT3H
• Item model number: M3013
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,159 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 3, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Computer equipment is extremely sensitive to static electricity. For instance, static discharge can render RAM unusable if not protected against. The StarTech M3013 24x26 Desktop Anti-Static Mat protects your valuable computer equipment by exceeding IBM and US military static control standards.

The mat is made of static dissipative material rather than the ineffective conductive system. It is 26 x 24 (WxL) and is designed to be placed under the CPU/VDT and keyboard. It lies flat and has a rubber back the prevents it from slipping. A 10-foot grounding cord is included. The StarTech M3013 24x26 Desktop Anti-Static Mat is backed by a 1-year limited warranty.

Product Description

StarTech.com''s Desktop Anti-Static Mat helps you protect your valuable computer equipment from dangerous static electricity. This high quality anti-static mat is constructed from the highest quality static dissipative material, to ensure safe operation of your equipment. The anti-static mat exceeds IBM and US military static control standards and measures 24x26in - perfect for placement under the CPU/VDT and keyboard.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Supplied Hardware Configuration Is Ineffective - Ambiguous Product, March 16, 2010

By 

Directed Energy (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: StarTech.com 24x26-Inch Desktop Anti-Static Mat M3013 (Beige) (Personal Computers)

If possible, I would RATE THIS ITEM 2.5 STARS

The "StarTech M3013 24x26 Desktop Anti-Static Mat" by Star Tech arrived as a generic product and as of 16 Mar 2010, unlike what is being displayed and advertised on Amazon (see photo). The mat, out of the Amazon box, was packaged in a crude plastic wrap (see photo) with no specific manufacturer's name or users guide. A paper sticker on the plastic wrap says "Made in Taiwan", but no manufacturer or makers mark is on the product, making this generic electrical mat untraceable.

With traceability of the product not possible, the electrical properties of the mat remain a relative unknown. As an electrical lab product, in it's current form, this item cannot be used as an anti-static/ESD device for or on any program that requires product traceability and documented electrical properties such as in an ISO, MIL, FED, ASTM, ASE, ESD or level 4/class 100K Cleanroom and or higher lab space.

Using a Fluke 187 DVM, the mat measures infinite ohms and non conductive. The supplied coiled 1M ohm snap on alligator clip measured 0.9998M ohm (see photo). This snap on 1M ohm conductor is intended to be attached to a person and not between the mat and the hardware. The mat should be connected to earth ground or placed on a grounded surface. Given the supplied hardware, mat and coiled 1M ohm clip, the end user will be inclined to configure this product incorrectly.

With the supplied coiled 1M ohm conductor snapped to the mat and alligator clip attached to the hardware placed on the mat, the mat may not be at zero potential and earth ground, but at best, sitting on a floating ground or worse, at a high potential.

To properly configure, this product should include a snap on lead for attaching the mat to an earth ground or grounded ESD bench. The 1M ohm coiled conductor with attached alligator clip should then be attached between the hardware on the mat and to a wrist strap on the person working on the hardware. At minimum, and to help mitigate confusion, the coiled 1M ohm alligator clip and conductor should be replaced with a simple snap on ground lead.

The best solution would be to supply a ground lead for the mat, and a wrist strap for the coiled 1M ohm conductor with the attached alligator clip. For an example of a complete solution, see the "Anti-Static Hardware Kit by ESD SYSTEMS" listed on Amazon.

Given that this product, as supplied, does not satisfy the intended electrical purpose, the generic nature of the product, the lack of specifications and traceability to the nature of the rudimentary packaging and lack of documentation, consider this product at $22.23, $44.16 retail to be over priced and overvalued.

Minus 1.00 for supplying an ineffective hardware solution set.
Minus 0.50 for providing a generic product different from what is advertised.
Minus 0.50 for no traceability of the generic mat's origin and electrical properties.
Minus 0.25 for no manufactures I.D. or mark on an electrical product.
Minus 0.25 for not supplying a user guide.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Is not an Anti-static Mat, November 1, 2009

By 

Andreas - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: StarTech.com 24x26-Inch Desktop Anti-Static Mat M3013 (Beige) (Personal Computers)

I bought this item because i live in a very dry region and have problems with static electricity. Whenever i touch my notebook there is a spark (at least in spring and fall). I unpacked the mat, but it took some time to connect it to a grounded object, unfortunately too long to return the item. As an other reviewer mentioned it does not look like the mat on the product picture. It is plain white.
After i connected the mat to the PE of a wall outlet, i noticed that i still saw sparks when i touched my notebook, after i touched the mat. I double checked the connection, it was okay. I tried to return the item after i noticed a spark when i touched the cable connected to the mat.
The amazon return service immediately offered to send me a new mat. I unpacked the new mat a few days later and had the exact same result. I returned that mat but had to keep the first _non working_ mat. I wouldn't recommend this item. I think in this case the return service didn't help at all, since it ignored my problem == no functioning product.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Anti-Anti-Static Mat, November 18, 2010

By 

shirokuma (Arctic Village, AK) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: StarTech.com 24x26-Inch Desktop Anti-Static Mat M3013 (Beige) (Personal Computers)

I, like another reviewer here, also live in a very dry region. I am subject to static discharges year round. Using this mat made no difference in the amount or severity of discharges. To make sure the mat was grounded I first confirmed I had an outlet with a proper ground. (There is a device for doing this) I then connected the mat to the ground of the outlet. Even with this confirmed grounding there was no change in static discharges.