My first cutting mat was grey with orange print, almost impossible to see. I just went to look at it, to see what brand it is, but guess what - I couldn't read that tiny lettering in those impossible colors. The moral is, be sure that you can see the lines and numbers on the mat. Even if you don't use the lines for cutting, there are times when you want to line up with them. The other thing to be aware of is that some mats are not self healing, so they will wear out faster.