Whether you’re looking to protect heirloom dishware, cover old stains, or prevent utensils from shifting in drawers, shelf liners are a great aid to make your home a bit more functional. But bad shelf liners can do more harm than good: Nobody wants to spend time readjusting a liner every day.

To find the best shelf liners on the market, I tested 14 bestselling options in my own kitchen. As an apartment dweller, I like using shelf liners to cover up old stains and protect my cabinetry from future stains and lost deposits. And while my favorite part of having a shelf liner is soundproofing the loud clangs that come with putting away dishes, the type of shelf liner you choose will depend on your shelving and goals.

After testing multiple popular versions of every type of shelf liner myself, I rounded up the best options for every area in your home.

Top Picks

BEST OVERALL:

Drymate Premium Shelf & Drawer Liner at Amazon $22

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ALSO GREAT:

Gorilla Grip DripGuard Shelf Liner at Amazon $35

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BEST BUDGET:

BAGAIL Drawer and Shelf Liner at Amazon $12

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BEST FOR CABINETS:

Mcrbeay Shelf Liners at Amazon $19

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BEST GRIPPING:

Gorilla Grip Original Drawer and Shelf Liner at Amazon $20

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BEST FOR WIRE SHELVES:

Sterling Shelf Liners for Wire Shelving at Amazon $20

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BEST ADHESIVE:

Smart Design Shelf Liner at Amazon $7

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What We Tested

I tested 14 shelf liners, including non-adhesive and adhesive options, as well as rigid liners meant for wire shelving. I evaluated each liner based on its ease of installation, how well it stayed in place, water resistance, and overall value. For more on how I tested shelf liners, check out our testing process below.

BEST OVERALL

Drymate Premium Shelf & Drawer Liner

Credit: Amazon

$22 at Amazon

$24 at Wayfair

$24 at Target

Why You Should Get It

• It’s thick, stays put, and prevents unwanted sliding.

Keep in Mind

• The fabric top absorbs liquids instead of repelling.

For kitchen shelves holding dishware, heavy cookware, or even utensil drawers, I recommend the Drymate liners. I first added them to my kitchen cabinets in 2023, and even after testing 13 additional liners, these still land at the top of my list.

They’re constructed with a solid rubber bottom that keeps them in place and a thick felt top to protect fragile dishes from scratches and unwanted sliding. In the two years I’ve used them, they’ve barely shifted despite moving my everyday plates, bowls, and glasses on and off multiple times a day.

I haven’t noticed any significant change in quality, either. The liners come in three sizes and 11 colors. I tested the white liner, and while I haven’t experienced any staining from using the liners with clean dishes, if I were to purchase the liners again I’d consider opting for a darker swatch to hide any potential stains.

That’s because the fabric top is more difficult to clean compared to plastic liners, and it’s not waterproof; liquid soaks into the fabric rather than pooling on top. While that makes it more difficult to clean, they still protect the shelf underneath—I’ve never had water seep through to the bottom.

Lastly, this liner is on the more expensive side and is only available in three sizes, so it may be costly to line your entire kitchen.

Product Details: Dimensions: Three sizes: 11 x 36, 11 x 50, and 12 x 50 in. | Material: Polyester, waterproof backing | Adhesive: No

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ALSO GREAT

Gorilla Grip DripGuard Shelf Liner

$35 at Amazon

Why You Should Get It

• The smooth top is waterproof and easy to clean.

Keep in Mind

• I experienced minor puckering when I moved dishes off the liner.

If you prefer a waterproof liner, the Gorilla Grip DripGuard liner is a solid pick for most shelves, drawers, and pantries. The liner comes in 13 patterns, each of which is available in four widths at varying lengths.

The liners were easy to measure and cut with a pair of kitchen scissors, though there aren’t strong guidelines for cutting straight lines. You can follow the nonslip coating on the back, which is in a grid-like pattern, but it’s not perfectly straight.

I tested three options that were very similar in style to this liner, and the Dripguard was the thickest and most sturdy. While it puckered slightly when lifting bowls from the liner, it did a good job staying in place overall. It kept objects where I wanted them, but I was still able to slide dishes and pantry items around as needed.

The liner was incredibly easy to wipe clean, as water pooled on top and spices didn’t get stuck within the textured top. It held up well throughout six months of testing, and it didn't bunch up or slide around in drawers.

Product Details: Dimensions: Six sizes: 12 x 120-240, 17.5 x 120–240, 20 x 240, and 24 x 240 in. | Material: Vinyl | Adhesive: No

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BEST BUDGET

BAGAIL Drawer and Shelf Liner

Credit: Amazon

$12

$11 at Amazon

Why You Should Get It

• The liner is easy to cut, lays flat, and doesn’t move around.

Keep in Mind

• It’s not waterproof, and it puckered a bit when lifting dishes from it.

Whether you just remodeled your kitchen or you’ve moved into a new space, it’s a good idea to line all your shelves and drawers before unpacking your items. However, when lining dozens of shelves and drawers, the cost can add up. 

The Bagail Drawer and Shelf Liners are a solid, budget option that performs similarly to its more expensive counterparts. Plus, it’s available in four widths at three different lengths, so it should be easy to find a roll that won’t lead to a ton of excess waste.

Cutting the liner to size was easy thanks to the built-in grid pattern, and it didn’t curl up on the edges. Placing dishes on the liner was quieter than placing them on the bare shelf, and the liner offered ample protection for both the items and the shelf itself. However, the liner did pucker a bit when lifting dishes off of it, and it bunched up underneath spice organizers after a few months of testing.

Keep in mind: This liner is not built to protect from moisture or spills. The breathable design has holes that allow liquids and small solids to fall through, so I wouldn’t recommend this option for pantries.

Product Details: Dimensions: 11 sizes: 12 x 120–360, 17.5 x 120–240, 20 x 120–360, and 24 x 240–360 in. | Material: PVC | Adhesive: No

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BEST FOR CABINETS

Mcrbeay Shelf Liners

Credit: Amazon

$19 at Amazon

Why You Should Get It

• It’s completely waterproof and easy to wipe clean, plus it’s available in a whopping 19 sizes.

Keep in Mind

• It’s on the thinner side.

When it comes to lining pantry shelves, protecting your cabinetry from spills and stains is the top priority. The Mcrbeay Shelf Liners are completely waterproof, with both liquid and solid stains cleaning up incredibly quickly.

The EVA liner is BPA-free, so it’s also safe to use in the refrigerator with raw produce. The non-adhesive rubber bottom stayed in place well throughout six months of testing. The top includes nonslip stripes to keep items from sliding around, but I still found it easy to purposefully slide pantry items like cans, jars, and boxes on and off the liner. 

Because it has a striped design, it was easy to cut straight lines to adjust the liner’s width, but when cutting for length against the stripes, there isn’t a clear guide. While this liner is thinner than many of the options I tested, it still provided ample protection for any objects placed on top. It’s available in 19 sizes and two colors: dark gray and transparent.

Product Details: Dimensions: 19 sizes: 10 x 120–360, 12 x 120–480, 14 x 240–360, 16 x 240–360, 17.5 x 120–360, 20 x 240–360, 22 x 240–360, and 24 x 240–360 in. | Material: EVA | Adhesive: No

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BEST GRIPPING

Gorilla Grip Original Drawer and Shelf Liner

Credit: Amazon

$20 at Amazon

Why You Should Get It

• It offers a ton of grip to keep objects exactly where you want them.

Keep in Mind

• It’s not waterproof.

If you struggle with items shifting every time you open and close drawers, the Gorilla Grip PowerGrip Drawer Shelf and Cabinet Liner is a great option. This liner offered the most grip out of any liner I tested; it was almost impossible to slide objects around on top of the liner. 

While I found the grip helpful for placing under silverware organizers and spice racks, when moving dishes and larger cookware on and off the liner, the liner lifted from the surface. The breathable design, like our best budget pick, isn’t waterproof. Even solid spills took extra effort to remove due to the small holes.

Despite its flaws, I still recommend the liner for keeping items from shifting in drawers. I placed it under my silverware organizer, which previously slid around every time I opened and closed the drawer. Since adding this liner to the drawer six months ago, it hasn't budged once. The liner is available in 11 sizes and 14 colors.

Product Details: Dimensions: 11 sizes: 12 x 120–360, 17.5 x 120–360, 20 x 120–240, and 24 x 240–360 in. | Material: Vinyl | Adhesive: No

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BEST FOR WIRE SHELVES

Sterling Shelf Liners for Wire Shelving

Credit: Amazon

$20 at Amazon

$32 at Walmart

Why You Should Get It

• There’s no cutting required, and they arrive flat.

Keep in Mind

• They don’t offer any grip to objects on top.

If your pantry or linen closets use wire shelving, it can be frustrating to store smaller objects that slip through the cracks. Rigid wire shelf liners like the Sterling Shelf Liners are a great way to upgrade wire shelving units and closets without a major renovation.

The Sterling Shelf liners come flat-packed so I didn’t need to fight with any corners when placing them on the shelf. They come in 12 sizes, so you’re likely to find one that fits your existing shelving unit well, though you could trim off the sides with a utility knife if your exact dimensions aren’t available.

I loved that the corners were cut out for the shelving unit’s legs, so there was no extra cutting involved—I just placed the liner down and started organizing. The liner was completely waterproof and spills were easy to wipe clean. It also held up well after six months of testing.

The liner has a slight texture on top, but it doesn’t offer any grip. While this was nice for storing bins and towels, I could see smaller objects like cans shifting around on the liner. Still, the liner made the shelf more usable than the wire alone.

Product Details: Dimensions: 11 sizes: 12 x 22, 14 x 24, 14 x 30, 14 x 36, 16 x 36, 18 x 36, 18 x 42, 18 x 48, 18 x 60, 24 x 48, and 24 x 60 in. | Material: Polypropylene | Adhesive: No

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BEST ADHESIVE

Smart Design Shelf Liner

Credit: Walmart

$7 at Amazon

$19 at Walmart

$11 at Shopsmartdesign.com

Why You Should Get It

• It’s available in 26 patterns, and it was easier to install compared to other adhesive options.

Keep in Mind

• It doesn’t offer any padding or protection.

While I don’t recommend adhesive liners for protecting your dishes or cabinets (more on that below) adhesive shelf liners are great for cosmetic upgrades, like covering old stains. After testing three adhesive options, my favorite was the Smart Design Adhesive Shelf Liner.

The liner was easy to cut to size thanks to the grid pattern, which included measurements at every half inch. While the other two options I tested created air bubbles and wrinkles during installation, the Smart Design went on rather smoothly without much fuss.

Although the contact paper doesn’t offer any grip or padding to protect the objects you place on top, it does offer some waterproofing protection; water pooled on top and was easy to wipe clean. 

Still, there’s always a risk that adhesive options will lift up paint or wood veneer, especially after months or years of use. You should always let painted cabinets and shelves dry completely (which can take up to 30 days) before using any shelf liner, but especially an adhesive option.

I didn’t experience any peeling or lifting after six months of use, but the liner was difficult to remove at the end of testing. Luckily, it didn't remove any of the finish on the cabinet or leave behind a residue.

Product Details: Dimensions: 11 sizes: 18 x 72–1,440 in. | Material: Vinyl | Adhesive: Yes

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The Bottom Line

The best shelf liner I tested was the Drymate Premium Shelf & Drawer Liner. I’ve been using the liner for two years, and it’s protected my dishes and shelves without adding any frustration in my day to day life. However, if you’re looking for a waterproof liner, the Gorilla Grip DripGuard Drawer and Shelf Liner is also a great option.

Our Testing Process

I tested 14 shelf liners in my own kitchen cabinets, drawers, and shelves to find the best options available. I evaluated each liner based on the following criteria:

• Installation: I considered how easy it was to cut the liner to size with a pair of kitchen scissors and utility knife, and whether I had any issues getting the liner to lay flat with and without items on top. For adhesive liners, I considered how much the liner wrinkled or created air bubbles.
• Design: I spilled a teaspoon of water and a dash of cinnamon on every shelf liner to evaluate how waterproof the liner was and how easy it was to clean the liner itself. I placed my everyday dishes, heavier pots and pans, and pantry items on each liner to find how well items stayed in place and whether or not the liner itself moved around in use.
• Quality: I examined each liner and noted any manufacturing defects. I also compared it to similar liners in the bunch, noting which options provided more padding.
• Value: I took into consideration how expensive each liner was, how much liner was wasted when cutting it to size, and how much I’d need to spend to line all my kitchen cabinets.

After my initial testing, I kept each liner in place in at least one shelf or drawer in my kitchen for six months to note any changes in quality over time.

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What To Know About Shelf Liners Before Shopping

Material

The type of shelf liner you choose is largely dependent on what you’ll be storing in the shelf or drawer, where you'll be placing it, and what sort of protection you’re looking for.

Plastic shelf liners are best for high-moisture areas, such as the bathroom, kitchen (near the sink or by the stove), or refrigerator, because they are waterproof, oil-proof, flexible, and typically non-slip.

In areas where waterproofing isn't a priority, durable vinyl or PVC liners offer more decorative and adhesive options, but those with fabric tops are harder to clean.

Made from tree bark, cork offers a natural, biodegradable, and sustainable alternative to plastic and vinyl. It is generally easy to clean, moisture- and mold-resistant, odor-resistant, won't scratch delicate glasses or dishware, and provides cushioning and grip. However, the material can crumble, tear, and dent (under heavy items).

Open-weave styles do not contain spills, and you will have to replace them more often.

Type and Usage

Overall, I recommend looking for liners with a rubber bottom and a smooth, waterproof or fabric top to prevent spills from reaching your cabinet surface. While some grip on top is helpful to prevent dishes from moving, I preferred options that weren’t too grippy so I could still purposefully slide items around as needed.

In my opinion, full grip liners, like the Gorilla Grip PowerGrip liner and the Bagail drawer liner, work best for drawers to prevent items from moving around. However, the extra grip on top can create issues when picking up larger items like cast iron cookware, especially if there aren’t other heavy items helping weigh the liner down. These liners aren’t waterproof, and the small holes can be difficult to clean, so they’re not the best for pantry use.

While adhesive liners, like contact paper, can help protect your cabinets from dust and moisture, they won’t provide much protection for the items you place on them. Besides protecting the surface from water, I find adhesive liners solely cosmetic.

Wire shelf liners are typically made of a more rigid, hard plastic to provide a flat surface where items won’t fall through the wires. While these were smooth and didn’t provide any grip to the items I placed on the liner, they did allow me to fit more on the wire shelf than I would have without a liner.

Adhesive vs. Non-Adhesive

Overall, I recommend non-adhesive shelf liners. There’s no risk in peeling up any paint or wood veneer from the shelf itself, and non-adhesive liners are thicker, providing more protection for the items you place on top. I also found adhesive liners much more difficult to install due to air bubbles and wrinkling.

However, adhesive liners can still come in handy when covering up previously stained shelves or changing the aesthetic of your drawers. None of the adhesive liners I tested damaged my cabinets during my initial testing, but I will peel them off after a few months to see if that changes over time.

Size and Cost

All of the best shelf liners I tested are available in various widths and lengths. I recommend choosing a width the exact depth of your cabinet, and if that’s unavailable, the closest size up. I found that liners that only come in one or two sizes led to more waste and cost more overall.

On many shelf liner listings, you’ll find the cost per square foot listed under the total price. In general, liners that cost less than $1 per square foot fell into the budget category, while liners that cost $2 or more per square foot were upgraded, luxury picks.

Installation and Prep

Before installing shelf liners, start by emptying the shelves and giving them a thorough wipe-down with a damp cloth and warm water or a 50/50 vinegar and water solution to remove grime or grease, then allow the shelves to dry completely.

Measure the dimensions of the shelf; allow for about 1 inch of excess on the length and depth if using adhesive liners. Unroll the liner face down on a flat surface, then roll it in the opposite direction to further help flatten and smooth out. Cut along the grid lines or your markings with scissors or with a ruler and utility knife.

For non-adhesive liners, position the cut liner on the shelf and smooth it down. For adhesive liners, peel back a small section of the paper backing and line it up against the corners, then press down on the adhesive and smooth the surface as you gradually peel back the rest of the backing, pushing out air bubbles from the center outwards. Trim off the excess with a utility knife.

Care and Maintenance

You can spot-clean most shelf liners with a damp cloth. For larger messes, it's easy to pick up a non-adhesive plastic liner and rinse it out over the sink. You can even run some types of heavy-duty non-adhesive plastic liners through the dishwasher, so check with the brand's instructions.

How long a shelf liner lasts depends mainly on its quality and level of usage. Certain areas around the kitchen that are high-traffic—under the sink, dish and pan storage, and utensil drawer—will incur more wear and tear, require more maintenance, and have to be replaced more frequently. However, if you're wiping down spills immediately, shelf liners typically can last up to a year before needing to be replaced.

Resanding and revarnishing offer a long-term solution to protecting wood shelves. While sanding down surfaces takes a bit more time, once finished with polyurethane or acrylic protective coating, the shelves are easy to wipe clean and can last up to 10 years.

Other Shelf Liners We Tested

More I’d Recommend

Con-Tact Brand Zip-N-Fit Solid Grip Liner: I was excited to test this option because it doesn’t require any cutting—just tear down the perforated grid lines to the size you need. However, dust and debris can get stuck in these perforations. I also had a lot more unusable excess liner with this option, and because it’s only available in one size, you’ll likely end up spending more than you expect to on lining an entire kitchen. Still, it performed well in every other category.

Shinlendid Shelf and Drawer Liner: This is a solid budget option that’s available in 12 patterns and nine sizes. While it didn’t stand out from the pack, it’s waterproof, easy to cut, and provided ample protection for both the shelf and items placed on top.

Duck Brand EasyLiner Contact Paper: I like the marbled look of this adhesive liner and appreciated the grid pattern for making straight cuts. However, I had some trouble preventing air bubbles and creases compared to the Smart Design contact paper.

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Options I’d Skip

Shelf liners I tested that didn’t make our top picks were too thin, difficult to install, didn’t stay in place, weren’t cost effective or a combination of issues.

• Magic Cover Shelf Liner
• Gorilla Grip Adhesive Liner
• The Container Store Canvas Drawer Liner

Who We Are

I’m Jessica Comstock, an associate editor for Better Homes & Gardens. I write and edit shopping guides to help readers find the best products for their homes. I’ve been testing products in my own home since 2023, including cleaning, organizational, and kitchen products. For this article, I spent six months testing 14 different shelf liners in my kitchen, and I still use them every day for long-term durability testing.