I used to think spending $180 on a heated driveway mat was dumb. Now I get it.

Last winter I kept slipping on my front walkway and nearly broke my ankle carrying groceries. I saw this mat online and laughed at the price, but after a friend told me her dad swore by his I gave in. Honestly, after the first snow I just plugged it in and the ice melted away without any salt or shoveling. It paid for itself the first time I didn't have to chip ice at 6am. Has anyone else tried one of these or found a cheaper alternative that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_johnson91mo ago

I question how bad your walkway really is. A good pair of boots with some grip and a bag of ice melt runs maybe 40 bucks total if you shop smart. I've had the same patch of concrete in front of my house for 15 years and just spread a little sand when it gets slick. Maybe you live somewhere that gets serious ice storms, but for most people that mat seems like an expensive toy.

ruby_henderson361mo ago

Oh absolutely, same here, a bag of sand has done me just fine for years and cost next to nothing.

wyatt_mitchell261mo agoMost Upvoted

a good pair of boots with some grip" yeah that part made me laugh honestly. I read somewhere that sand is actually better for concrete than salt because the salt eats away at it over time. So if anything you're saving yourself money on repairs down the road.