i have a friend who has a go cutter and the cover sheets are plastic and do not last very long and for a large quilt it takes forever to cut out the pieces, I have a studio cutter and LOVE it as I can cut out 70+ strips at once and can trun them across again and cut the squares any size from 1" to 6 1/2", all other dies can also be cut in 6 to 8 fabric thickness at one cutting making it quick to cut hundreds
I've had my GO for almost 2 years, and I have not ruined a single mat yet. Your friend must be using her mats incorrectly. The directions say to shift the position so you don't constantly cut in the same spot. Also, turn the mat over and cut on the other side.