I think the Olfa brand holds up well.

I have a 14x14 rotating mat, got it thinking I would use it a lot but I don't. I find I am usually needing to cut large pieces, strips, or, real small pieces and either use my lg ruller and mat or my small 5x10 mat and small rulers. For me it was a waste of money.

I bought the Fiskars 14x14 mat and it's been fine. I do prefer Olfa, but just could not justify the price of the 17x17, and the 12x12 is too small for me. It's been a good compromise. I figure if it doesn't last, I'll glue an Olfa mat onto it to get a little more mileage out of it.

Me, too! Does anybody else have trouble getting it to rotate? Mine is awfully hard to turn........Thanks

I have had the 17x17 for several years now and it still works great. It's big enough for cutting four layers of fabric (44 inches folded twice lengthwise) and small enough to keep within arm's length near the sewing machine. I love it and would not go smaller. I also have larger non-rotating mats, but don't use them as often.

The biggest one will always have you covered. Someday when you least expect it, you'll be sorry if you don't.

Olfa is excellent quality self healing mat.
In this case big is better.

Biggest u can!

The bigger the better! i bought the 'WONDERFUL' Martelli's Quilter's Edition Mat this last year. It is 36"x 24" It is also one of the only truly accurate mats around. it is yellow on one side and lavendar on the other side. It also doesn't buckle the way some of the others do.

Over the years I have bought many mats. If you are just starting to quilt, buy the biggest one you can afford, no matter what the brand. Quilt fabric is 44" wide, and folded selvege to selvage is 22"..........You don't want anything smaller than 22 or 24 inches wide.

I find my matt is never big enough - so I would go with the bigger one. Good luck.