Well, 100% wool will have all the characteristics of being wool, and smelling like wool is one of them. Everyone should know wet hot wool will smell like wet hot wool so why buy one if that bothers you. The only wool mat you can use a cotton setting on is the Alpaca wool mat. The rest is wool setting only. Too hot and it will smell. I like the wool mats. I can tell the difference when pressing blocks. I use steam and a clapper and my blocks lay flat with no seam bumps.