Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The mat in the picture looks pretty professional, polished even. The mat you receive when you order this looks like a sheet of the raw material cut to the stated dimensions with a blue cable strapped on it.

Furthermore there are no instructions and you're not supposed to clip the mat to the hardware (as I learned).

I bought 2 and they just take up room now. In fact I think I look silly working on them. I'm going to go back to a wrist strap that still makes me look odd but at least it works.

Except the grounding cord is not really robust and it would be better if there were additional snaps for a wrist strap.

Ordered a couple of months ago (at a higher price, almost $26, so that's not a fun realization) -- did not realize until I came back to review another product in a recent order, and after seeing Directed Energy's and some others' comments and reviews, that I too did NOT receive what was advertised. The photos posted by Directed Energy are the same as what I received.

I'm not qualified to rate it or review it in technical terms like Direct Energy, but I was trusting enough to believe I'd receive what was advertised. I have no idea if what we got provides the protection or meets the specs as advertised.

The product information should be change/updated to reflect what is actually being sent. I leave this review to warn other potential customers and hope they learn from our experiences on this particular product.

It would be one thing if StarTech (and Amazon) provided different but better than what was promised (i.e. over-delivered), but they didn't. They under-delivered and that's definitely not a good business move, especially since it's not worth what I paid for it and I don't know if it does what it says it is supposed to do. Thus, I am very Disappointed with what appears to be a classic scenario of 'Bait and Switch'.

My question now is: are Amazon and StarTech willing to make good and either replace my received (and Different Mat) with the correct product or provide proper significant credit (at least $10 credit) for their having sent what appears to be a significantly different and very possibly significantly inferior product? (What we received was obviously much cheaper than the product presented, described, advertised and Promised; therefore, I feel confident in saying I was ripped-off and that makes me an unhappy customer. I've been ordering from practically day one of its existence and have been a loyal and mostly a very highly satisfied customer.)


Amazon? StarTech?

hard to use. where do you groud it?

good to cover superslic desk though (glass)

not as much static problems now that ive moved

Nice mat. Very durable and doesn't cut too easily if you should drag a heavy piece of metal over it. I used it for my first computer build. Good size with a good price. Highly recommend this mat.

The item I received is just as the others have described. I should have listened! There is no writing or graphics on the sheet. It looks like a piece of vinyl with a rubber backing. I honestly wonder if this will even work. The wire included is just like the ones that come with wrist straps and not like shown. I really would not recommend this to anyone.

This mat is thick and large; It covers so much space (as you can see from it's dimensions). I only used it to build my new computer and I am not currently using it on my desk as is suggested because I think it would be an eyesore for a home office situation. It comes in a great tube though so I just shoved it under my bed with the other computer box stuff and I know it's there if I need it again. It grounds pretty easily and I chose to attach my wrist strap to something else for ease of movement. All in all it does what it says it will do and I would buy it again.