I have had/used them all - and HANDS DOWN, the Martelli mats are the very best......sign up online for their Redline Direct sales and get yours when they are 50% off........Even if you pay full price (and they are not cheap) they are SO WORTH IT!!!

I'm very fond of my Alvin mats. I think they're every bit as good as Olfa, and less expensive. I bought mine on Amazon, I bought a 42x30 mat for under $50. It's green on one side, black on the other. Gridded both sides. I also have the 36x24 but when I got a bigger cutting table I upgraded to a larger mat; the smaller one now protects my glass drafting table upstairs. I've had the bigger one a bit over a year and give it pretty heavy use, cutting both fabric and batting on it, and it still looks new (other than where I got some paint on it, oops!)

It's too big to soak so periodically I scrub over it with a nylon kitchen scrubbie to pull all the stray batting fibers out and then lay warm wet towels over it to keep it hydrated. Seems to do the trick!

I've never cut on a Martelli mat so I can't tell you how they stack up. I have used Olfa, Dritz, Fiskars and Alvin, and I think Alvin & Olfa are tied for first in quality out of that list, but Alvin wins on price.

I have a Fiskars. Don't have any trouble with it. It's self-healing. I clean it after I use it with a micro fiber rag to pick up lint in cuts and lint roller. Then wipe with a slightly damp rag. It lays flat on my cutting table most of the time. It's always laid flat with couple exceptions when I hung it in closet on back of door.

Another Alvin fan - great price, good product.

I have brand new mats bought on sale stored away. I like all the brands. I don't use one when it starts to have cuts and scratches. It adds frustration. My biggest one covers all of my cutting table. It is a Sullivan's. I use smaller mats on top of it most times.

Olfa has my vote. I tried others because I loved the colors but they don't last!

I just bought the same kind under artist supply and got a great deal on Amazon 24" x 36" for $36

Flip your mat every couple of months. Don't wait until one side is unusable or you may be disappointed. Deep cuts from always cutting in the same area on one side leave weak areas on the reverse side.

I like Olfa self healing mats the best, so that would be my first choice. I do have one of the large white ones, but use it mainly when I am pin basting quilts and I need a large surface.

I bought one in light blue and I am having a hard time with fabrics that are close to that value. I don't see the ruler lines. Next time I will go back to the green Olfa mat for sure. Unfortunately, the ones Joann had were suffering from skunk.