published about 4 hours ago
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Every day, I drink my coffee and eat all my meals at the little breakfast table next to my kitchen. Given how much time I spend sitting in the same faux-leather chair, I should’ve paid more attention when the seat started peeling near the front left corner. But I didn’t. Instead, as I sat there munching on toast one morning, I looked down, and there it was: a 3-inch-wide splotch where the material had completely eroded. Its edges were cracking, revealing more of the scratchy gray underlayer.
It didn’t take long for my parents to notice the blemish. As they debated what to do about their decade-old dining chair — duct tape was too ugly; a replacement seemed unnecessary — I went to the place I always go for quick, cheap solutions. Like a good daughter, I found this pack of chair covers on Amazon that looked like they just might match the color and texture of our chair.
I’ll admit, I initially had my reservations about this product. I showed my find to my parents, warning them that the protectors could very well show up looking even worse than a duct tape-covered seat. But nearly 450 five-star Amazon ratings and seemingly trustworthy reviewer photos convinced us to order the covers. When they arrived, I took one out and was glad to find it super easy to slip on. Pulling it over the backrest and under the seat, I held my breath and stepped back to assess.
And … what a relief! The color of the protector was a near-perfect match to the chair’s dark brown shade. The only somewhat obvious giveaway that they’re two separate parts is the elastic edge that encircles the base of the backrest. I continue to sit in this spot daily and am happy to share that this waterproof cover is soft and supple, and it doesn’t budge no matter how much I shift around. It’s also machine washable, but I find that cleaning it off with a baby wipe is usually enough to get any dust and crumbs off. Most of all, though, I’m satisfied that we didn’t have to buy a new chair, which would’ve been wasteful, expensive, and difficult in terms of finding an exact match for the other two at the table.
If you’re facing the same dilemma I described or simply want to avoid damaging your dining chairs, I say get these covers. Parents and pet owners, I’m looking at you! These are an excellent way to prevent scratches and stains. You can purchase this product in a pack of four or six, and in beige, black, or coffee. Speaking from experience, these protectors look way better than the traditional clear vinyl ones. For only $32, my own seat cover is holding up splendidly. And I have three more, just in case!