ALWAYS! Mainly because my wife keeps them on the table... along with the mail, cookbooks, etc. So we use them.

I answered 'always', but a more accurate response would be - sometimes, sometimes not. I love the look of a tablecloth, but placemats seem more casual and yes, more easily cleaned. I'm a big fan of Chilewich placemats. Great looking and easy to wipe clean. I do have a stash of fabric placemats, but after a toss in the washing machine, they never seem to look as nice.

I don't use a tablecloth and I couldn't imagine just putting my plate or bowl on just the bare wood. Its not that I have a fancy, heirloom or antique dining table but I still need something in between the place setting and the table.

Always. For two reasons: my husband is a very messy eater (you would think he had been raised by wolves) and we bought a new table and chairs last year (handmade in Minnesota) and we're trying to keep the dishes from scratching up the finish. I have two sets of bamboo placemats that we use for everyday because they're easy to clean and some nice linen ones for special dinners.

None of the survey results applied! My answer is, "Sometimes." If I'm using my heavy ceramic dishes, I use placemats to keep from scratching the table. If I'm using the everyday corelle-type dishes, I don't usually bother.

I find tablecloths easier to deal with than placemats—I just throw the whole thing in the washer.

Growing up in a house where we always used tablecloths, I found it incredibly frustrating to clean off our often-cluttered table to replace the table cloth. I have placemats that I can toss in the wash when they're dirty, and spare ones standing by if only one is dirty. So much easier (and nicer on my glass table) than a full cloth.

I'll second Katlian on the "messy husband" bit. Our table is not particularly nice so we always have a tablecloth on there, but when it's just the fam at home, then we'll put placemats down on top. Then if people decide to pop over for dinner I can wisk off the placemats and have a nice clean tablecloth.

Also, I grew up with them so my mom and Mimi are forever giving them to me for holidays.

I'm a little bit anal, so I like placemats because they're easier to pick up and brush off than a whole tablecloth. If I have one messy meal on a tablecloth, it's tough to resist the urge to chuck it into the hamper. My table's just an inexpensive Ikea laminate thing, so I don't worry about the finish, thank goodness! Life is too short to worry about scuffs on dining tables.

Always! But only because I have a teak dining table. I keep meaning to make a tablecloth but haven't found the perfect fabric. In the meantime, we'll continue to use placemats to protect our table.

You should do the same poll, except about tablecloths! I just started using mine and I'm afraid my boyfriend is a terribly messy eater, so now I have to deal with stains on my pretty vintage tablecloths, but they look so much nicer than just bare wood.

I'm surprised how many people still use these! Seems like a whole lot of extra laundry to me. Aren't tables made to be eaten from? I can't imagine the extra clutter on our table, which also doubles as our landing strip, sewing table, and general household center because of the layout.

Always....but only the ones that I can throw into the washing machine. I don't get using those plastic ones--it's easier to wipe off the table than a mat (IMHO)

Always!

Our table has morphed into an office, so we're often eating on the floor. (this sounds bad now that I'm typing it out) SO, placemats are a life-saver for our poor carpet!

I use them always because

1. I ONLY use a tablecloth on special occasions during the holidays. In which case, I wouldn't use placemats.

2. I have an unfinished teak table and I love the look of it. I use the placemats to protect the table.

3. I guess because I grew up with them. Sitting at the table with just a plate of food on a bare table makes me feel like something's missing.

They help protect a wood table from moisture, heat, dings and scratches.I also like every day to be a little bit special. Why wait for company or a special occasion? Being home and also being with those you love should be something to celebrate even if it is over a simple meal. Every day is precious.

We have 4 boys. And only one table in the house, so like an above commentator, it goes from breakfast area to place to have the laptop while I'm planning the day/working on things to lunch to snack area to homework station to supper time to a game surface. There are always things going on/off the surface. I don't need the extra laundry nor do I need the extra visual clutter (nor do I have a place to store place mats at this point! I'm already wiping the table down 2-3x a day. And those plastic dishes kids use don't scratch it! (We refinished our table with 4 boys in mind, and put an extra thick layer of varnish on it). Maybe, when they're older and a bit less messy I might try. Or maybe when I have a dining room AND a kitchen table. But not now.

We use them on the kitchen table, hand-made ones my mom made. Mostly, it dampens the noise of plates moving about and sort of signals eating time, since we clear them off after eating. We either lay the table or eat in front of the TV.

I have a glass table so I always use placemats (lovely wool felt ones from Filzfelt) both to protect the table and to avoid loud clinking and clattering of ceramic dishes and metal cutlery on glass. The glass is also cold so the felt placemats warm it up a bit. As long as spills are attended to promptly the felt is pretty forgiving.

I never thought of them as formal.

Never. We eat most of our meals in the bedroom (just the two of us), so there's no need for that. I always eat breakfast at the table and we sometimes grab a meal there. I never grew up with them, so it seems odd to use them. We break out the tablecloths only for "big" (more than 2 people) holiday meals, not to protect the table, but to add some color.

I actually use once-folded kitchen towels in place of placemats. This way 1) I can justify buying an $8 tea towel that is too pretty to use 2) the towels hold up better than placemats in the wash, 3) and if or when it gets too stained it retires to be used as a pretty dish towel!

My husband is sweetly, quaintly old-fashioned in that he thinks there should be a table cloth on the dining table. But if we get three days out of the table cloth, it is a miracle. So I made over sized place mats, he is satisfied with that.

And this seems to be a good time to mention table runners. Easy to make, easy to launder, and easy to iron.

My table is glass - the table has a design that you don't want to cover with a table cloth - and setting dishes directly on the glass is usually too harsh feeling for me. I like some padding there.