What is the best type of carpet or rug to buy?

This is a tricky question as everything is relative to price. The important thing is to inquire about the quality of the pile and fibers that make up the carpet. Various fibers have different qualities. Our experience is that natural fibers such as wool and other animal hair are more durable and look better for a longer period. However, these are usually very much more expensive than synthetic fibers. This does not mean that synthetic carpets won’t satisfy you. They will, but nature is always the best.