The appeal of a pressure-activated mat is that nobody has to remember anything. There is no freezing it the night before, no refilling it with water, and no plug. The gel inside chills as your pet's weight settles onto it and recharges itself once they get up and wander off. In a household where the dog moves between rooms all day, that is the difference between a mat that gets used and one that lives in the freezer.

The gel sits beneath a wipe-clean printed surface, so mud and hair come off with a cloth rather than a wash cycle. It lies genuinely flat, which means it works on a floor, in a crate or across a car seat without bunching up in the middle, and it is thin enough to slide under a dog who has already fallen asleep. Prints include a blue snowflake, a yellow radish and an avocado.

• Pressure-activated cooling gel
• No freezing, refrigeration or power needed
• Wipe-clean printed surface
• Works on floors, in crates or on car seats
• Sizes S, M, L and XL
• Blue snowflake, yellow radish and avocado prints

On durability. Gel mats are punctured by claws and by determined chewing, and once one is holed it is finished. If your dog digs at bedding before settling, this is the wrong mat and a quilted one is the better buy. It also needs a few minutes without a pet on it to recharge, so it feels less cool during a long nap.

What the options mean. Sizes run from S to XL — £13.99 for the smallest, £25.99 for the largest.

Who it's for: Calm dogs and cats who feel the heat, in homes where nobody will reliably remember to refreeze anything.