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10 best slippers for men that’ll put you in your comfort zone

Swap out novelty designs for these supportive, soft and stylish picks (iStock/The Independent)
Swap out novelty designs for these supportive, soft and stylish picks (iStock/The Independent)

There’s nothing more comforting when chilly weather hits than sliding your toes into a soft pair of slippers. What could be better than feeling well-supported during a day of working from your kitchen-table-come-office? Or being snugly wrapped up ahead of watching a film on a dark, cold evening?

In fact, with the aforementioned boom in home working, the slipper universe has widened to include a whole host of different designs that stretch beyond the grandad-style slip-on – in 2022, there are slides and house shoes to be considered as well as more traditional options.

So there’s no better time than now to kick off the novelty pair you’ve been wearing (cuddly toys are not for your feet, thank you) and to invest in something that, let’s face it, is basically a form of self care. Put your best foot forward – and your comfort first – by perusing our list of some of the most fabulous options out there. You deserve it.

How we tested

For this piece we relaxed to the max, trying a wide range of slippers and house shoes at different price points during a month of increasingly acrimonious weather.

We’ve included options that we hope will satisfy those with different fluff-based criteria, whether you need a supportive shoe or you’re keen for only the most natural fibres. We also, of course, considered how stylish we looked while loafing about.

The best men’s slippers for 2022 are:

  • Best overall – Allbirds men’s wool loungers: £105, Allbirds.co.uk

  • Best for style – Plakolm Austrian hut slippers: £35, Outsidersstore.com

  • Best for support – Haflinger clogs grizzly torben graphite: £59.99, Shoegarden.co.uk

  • Best slide – Ugg fluff you slide: £100, Ugg.com

  • Best for lightweight comfort – Crocs classic lined clog: £39.99, Crocs.co.uk

  • Best moccasin – Celtic & Co men’s loafer hard sole: £78, Celticandco.com

  • Best budget buy – Muji linen twill cushion slipper: £9.95, Muji.eu

  • Best for warmth – The North Face thermoball NSE 3 men's tent mules: £45, Thenorthface.co.uk

  • Best slipper socks – Rototo pile sock slippers: £25, Outsidersstore.com

  • Best suede slipper – Birkenstock Boston soft footbed: £120, Birkenstock.com

Allbirds men’s wool loungers

Look, these stretch the definition of slippers. But we can absolutely confirm that in the comfort stakes, they are on a par with the fluffiest pairs, while also being exceedingly practical. The ethically sourced merino wool makes them unbelievably snug and luxurious feeling, while the fairly robust sole is actually supportive, unlike a pair of classic hotel-style slippers, for instance.

We have been testing them with and without socks and they – as of yet – don’t stink. This makes sense for merino (which is naturally odour-fighting), but we didn’t quite believe how effective it would be until we tried them. We also like how understated the styling is, meaning we could answer the door to the postman while feeling somewhat presentable, although they do have a slight “character in Succession” vibe, which makes sense for a product from a company based in San Francisco.

Overall, the only problem with them is that they are so comfy we’re not sure we’re going to be able to resist upgrading them from slipper to shoe come springtime. But is that really a problem?

Buy now £105.00, Allbirds.co.uk

Plakolm Austrian hut slippers

Outdoor and streetwear brands have brought a lot of attention to traditional manufacturing methods over the past decade, with stylings that were previously considered folksy experiencing a renewed appreciation. These Austrian hut slippers from Plakolm certainly ride that wave, and are handcrafted in the brand’s alpine headquarters in Haus im Ennstal.

With their soft, leather sole and felted sheep’s wool uppers, they are lightweight and designed to be rolled up for travel. This means that, although they lack any arch support and cannot be worn outside, they are incredibly toasty and can go with you. They’d be the perfect gift for a stylish traveller who wants to feel at home in any hotel room.

These slippers are so popular that they’re sold out in every size apart from EU36, so keep your eyes on the Outsiders Store website to snap them up when they’re restocked.

Buy now £35.00, Outsidersstore.com

Haflinger clogs grizzly torben graphite

There’s a certain famous shoe brand that gets all the love when it comes to cork, and although it deserves its rep, we feel like Haflinger has been neglected. This brand has been making wool and felt slippers and clogs for over 100 years, using wool and cork for the midsole and rubber for the sole. The materials are all naturally temperature regulating, keeping your tootsies warm in the winter but cool in the summer (we certainly found the former to be true during our testing period). We particularly liked how the cork midsole was covered in a layer of wool.

But there’s a bigger reason you go for a slipper like this: support. With their excellent arch shaping, these clogs kept our tester comfortable while working from home, despite previous trouble with foot pain when wearing unlaced shoes for long periods. We’re also quite into the slight “old hippy” vibe these give off, which we think is surprisingly chic in our era of normcore appreciation. A fabulous slipper that you’ll not want to take off.

Buy now £59.99, Shoegarden.co.uk

Ugg fluff you slide

The women’s fluff you has really been the hype house shoe of the pandemic, with the pastel colourways taking over our Instagram feeds and showcasing many a pedicure. For men, there’s the ever-so-slightly more understated fluff you, which brings a more masculine palette to the unapologetic fuzziness.

These slippers divided opinion the most out of all our picks – some found that the open toe made them too cold for the deep midwinter, while others thought the slide style was marvellous for keeping feet adequately ventilated. Others weren’t so into Ugg’s famous shearling, finding it a little underwhelming on the comfort scale, while others absolutely adored the feeling of sinking into them.

We think you’ll know whether these are your thing by looking at them – if you suspect you prefer a style with more support (these have a flat sole with a bit of bounce, but no shaping), then they are best avoided. But if all that volume makes you think of walking on clouds, then you’ll love this stylish pair.

Buy now £100.00, Ugg.com

Crocs classic lined clog

The surprise fashion hit of the past few years, Crocs have brought ugly back in a big way, and we’re totally here for it. With excellent support, normal Crocs just needed the addition of a snug lining to make them the perfect house shoe or slipper, and we’ve loved swanning around in these.

A little warmer than some of our non-lined options (and the extra layer does mean there’s less room inside the clog than normal, so consider sizing up), we found them to be perfect for flat-dwellers as there was no clomping to speak of, as can be the case with other clog-shaped styles. We honestly loved these – and especially in the ludicrous tie-dye colourway we tried them in, though they are also available in less audacious stylings, (£44.99, Crocs.co.uk).

Buy now £39.99, Crocs.co.uk

Celtic & Co men’s loafer hard sole

Sometimes, only the most classic of styles will do. And if you love the look of a moccasin, Celtic & Co’s version was the best we tried. The shearling was heavenly, the suede was supple and good-looking, and we liked that they are handmade in England. The rubber sole, although not hugely robust, was enough for a bin run, or, yunno, standing on the back step admiring the snow falling over your country estate.

Our tester did report a bit of a chilly upper foot while wearing them without socks, but this is your lot with any moccasin. We liked that the brand doesn’t discourage popping them in the washing machine, although it does recommend its own detergent for the job (£8, Celticandco.com). Overall, they’re such a well-loved style that they could feasibly work as a gift for your brother, your dad or your grandad alike.

Buy now £78.00, Celticandco.com

Muji linen twill cushion slipper

Sometimes you just need a pair of slippers that you’re not too worried about wrecking, whether that’s because you’re the king of plopping passata on your toes or you happen to be an abstract expressionist painter. This pair from Muji fit the bill entirely in much the same way as any product from the Japanese store: they’re good value, but designed with thoughtful details.

The sole is soft but still grippy, while the linen lends a minimalist look while also keeping things decidedly unsweaty. They have a lovely amount of squish, offering a hint of luxuriousness, while the shaping of the opening somehow means they are easy to slide into, but that they don’t fly off as you run to the loo. Although you’ll need to wear socks with them in the colder months, they’re an affordable option that look simply chic.

Buy now £9.95, Muji.eu

The North Face thermoball NSE 3 men's tent mules

We can’t believe we’re living in a world where hype slippers are a thing, but, like the brand’s coveted nuptse jacket, sometimes it can be hard to find a pair of The North Face’s thermoball mules without sticking up a shoe shop. Luckily we uncovered a pair to test and were deeply impressed with just how toasty they made our feet, so they’re perfect if you’re the sort that’s always complaining of be-icicled digits.

Although we found the sole a little flimsy compared to some of our more clog-like selections, and the base a little slippy (avoid if you have all-laminate floors) these are still very good slippers. We particularly liked the little pull tabs on the back – a touch you don’t often see on slip-ons – which definitely minimised the amount we skated around without having our heels entirely enveloped.

Buy now £45.00, Thenorthface.co.uk

Rototo pile sock slippers

For those who need a super lightweight option, perhaps for camping or a weekend away, slipper socks have come a long way from their novelty Noughties origins. This pair from Japanese brand Rototo have fun grippy elements on the bottom that anyone with a penchant for graphic design will undoubtedly appreciate. They are warm but not ridiculously thick, meaning that they can be folded up into a slimline package, and we love that their short length means they can be donned in an instant. A lovely, affordable and cool option that would also make a lovely gift for the man who has everything.

Buy now £25.00, Outsidersstore.com

Birkenstock Boston soft footbed

We simply couldn’t not include a Boston clog in our round-up – these are our tester’s regular slipper and house shoe of choice. Birkenstock has plenty of different varieties available, including a positively oven-like shearling-lined option (£160, Birkenstock.com), but we have plumped for the soft footbed suede style.

With this version you get the tactility of the brand’s famous cork footbed and the suppleness of a suede upper, while having a shoe that can still be taken outside in the rain should the cat run off, unlike their lined counterparts. There is simply no more grown-up way to treat your toes, and the footbed will ensure that your arches remain supported throughout whatever serious loafing you have on the agenda. Highly recommend.

Various sizes and colourways of the Birkenstock Boston soft footbed are currently sold out but you can ‘set a reminder’ and Birkenstock will notify you via email when your desired colour and size are restocked.

Buy now £120.00, Birkenstock.com

The verdict: Men’s slippers

We really didn’t expect to like the Allbirds loungers as much as we did, but they completely won us over. If you want a supportive slipper made from premium natural materials, look no further. For something a little more silly and stylish, we loved the Plakolm hut slippers, while for pure utility, the Halfingers won out.

Swapping the house for a hike? Check out our round-up of the best men’s walking shoes