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There's *already* a HomePod coaster to protect your fancy furniture

"Designed in Minneapolis and handcrafted by leather artisans."

Sean Hollister Senior Editor / Reviews
When his parents denied him a Super NES, he got mad. When they traded a prize Sega Genesis for a 2400 baud modem, he got even. Years of Internet shareware, eBay'd possessions and video game testing jobs after that, he joined Engadget. He helped found The Verge, and later served as Gizmodo's reviews editor. When he's not madly testing laptops, apps, virtual reality experiences, and whatever new gadget will supposedly change the world, he likes to kick back with some games, a good Nerf blaster, and a bottle of Tejava.
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Sean Hollister

When CNET editors issued these tweets, we weren't really being serious:

But just tell that to Pad & Quill, the company that's already selling a purpose-built leather coaster for the Apple HomePod -- just $19.95 each. 

homepod-coaster-leather

Pad & Quill's Leather HomePod Coaster.

 Pad & Quill

(Just yesterday, Apple admitted that the HomePod's silicone base can indeed leave a noticible ring on oiled wooden surfaces, but suggested it's a fairly common thing for silicone bases. We're already seeing reports of the Sonos One and Amazon Echo creating similar stains. Sonos tells CNET that it's looking into the issue.) 

According to Pad & Quill President Brian Holmes, the company leapt on the idea: "We thought of the idea about 25 hours ago. Chatted with our manufacturing team and they start cutting the leather on Saturday," he told CNET.

Of course, you don't need to buy Pad & Quill's coaster to protect your furniture. A quick Google search shows you can buy leather coasters from a number of stores around the web. Or you can simply place literally anything flat enough and wide enough under the base of your new speaker. 

Here's our guide to preventing the HomePod from staining your furniture.