which rotary cutter and mat to buy and/or to invest?

hi all, i am new to sewing and interested in purchasing rotary cutter and mat since i am not good at cutting with scissor. could you please recommend what brand to buy for beginner and later brand to invest when i become advance. thanks

I would say to start off with the Olfa mats and rotary cutters.  You could probably stay with this brand for a very long time as they are made fairly well.
If you would like more top of the line, I've heard that the Ginger and Martelli rotary cutters are great investments.  (Although these cutters CANNOT be interchanged for right and left-hand use.  You have to buy one specially for your needs.)

I use and recommend the 18x24 OLFA cutting mat, the OLFA 45mm rotary cutter, and Omnigrid 6x24 acrylic quilting ruler.  I have had great success using these basics for a variety of projects, including cutting for small crafts, quilting, and clothing construction.  This particular mat also fits nicely on a 60" round table (if I am limited to working at the kitchen table).  I managed to use coupons on each of these purchases so it was reasonably affordable.  If buying on a budget is a high priority, I have also seen cutting mat/rotary cutter/quilting ruler sets being sold by Fiskars for approximately $40 a set at Joann's.  The main difference between the two brands is that the Fiskars mat is more stiff than the OLFA.  My husband has the Fiskars rotary cutting set at work and has not once complained about its performance.  He typically uses it to cut muslin, fine gauze, and gel lenses.  Both OLFA and Fiskars also carry ergonomic handle versions that you can check out in-store according to your specific needs. 

Best regards in finding a set that works for you and your crafting needs!
Jessica

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm also new to sewing and am looking to invest in a good rotary cutter to avoid the dreaded wavy "straight" cut.

I heart my Olfa rotary cutter.  I recently replaced my old beaten up Olfa mat for a cheaper Fiskars (watch for sales at Jo-Ann's or use the coupon).  I bought a bigger mat (24x36 inches) at a good price and couldn't be happier.  I could even use something bigger, but i don't have the space for it.

I have the 18x24 olfa mat, and the 12x18 olfa mat too. My first ruler was the 3x18 one but it has been stepped on and broken (twice!) by my husband and the main ruler I use now is 6x24. I like the olfa 45 mm rotary cutter.

If you get one cutter and decide later decide to purchase another handle style...keep them both as one can become your paper rotary cutter. -Just mark the handle with a sharpie "paper only".

When you get your mat I suggest you purchase a sticky lint roller to easily remove the tiny fuzz and threads that remain on your mat after cutting fabric. The lint rollers are available at Wal-Mart (and elsewhere) in the laundry room supplies area. I like the little mini ones sometimes found in the travel-size shampoo bin area. It's nice for keeping in my sewing kit.

When you look at rotary cutters, look at the safety lock. Some are more intuitive than others. Make sure whatever one you pick is easy and not awkward. Those blades are sharp!!! I have had the same Olfa ones for pretty much my entire sewing career (~20 years) and love them. I just have the plain, flat yellow cutter where you push the plastic part either up or down with your thumb to make the blade available or blocked. I also have a large mat. Its 36" on one side and I think 30" on the other. This is big, but I like it, especially when I am cutting big projects. Even though it is big, it just slips behind tables or in the closet or whatever for easy storage. I usually just put it on the table and place my sewing machine on top so I always have that surface to use.

This is great info where i come from they dont have any olfa cutters, or omni grid rulers i have to order them online and was not too sure which ones i should buy.

However, after reading this thread i do  thank you ladies for sharing 

I don't recommend the fiskars foldable mat.  I bought it thinking it would be great for taking with me but it's splitting at the seam and often a thread or two doesn't cut.  I think I'll invest in an Olfa next

I love my Gingher mat.  I have a 36x24 Fiskars mat but I have to put it on the floor since it's so big.  It's just OK.  I recently bought a smaller 12x18 Gingher mat that I can leave on my table and it's awesome! It's twice as thick as the Fiskars one and definitely worth the extra cost.  I can even use it on the carpet without a board underneath it because it's so stiff.

I have Fiskars rotary tools and I think they are easier to hold than the Olfa ones, although the quality is not as good.  The cutting blades are proprietary so make sure you keep that in mind and buy extras

I have an Olfa cutter, and then in the last SMS contest I won a Gingher rotary cutter, and WOW what a huge difference.  The ergonomic handle makes it sooooo much easier to use.  I never would've sprung an extra $20 (I think I paid $13 for the Olfa, and the Gingher with a JoAnn's coupon would run about $35 or so, I'd imagine) on my own before, but winning the cutter taught me a valuable lesson:  Don't go cheap on tools.  Tools (should) last forever, and you're going to be putting your hands on them every time you do a project.  I'd recommend going to the store and holding a couple of handles before you decide for sure what you want.

I'm still glad I have the Olfa cutter because I can see myself wanting to size patterns and using this Guide Arm to do it, and now that I am taking classes it's nice to be able to keep my Olfa in my sewing bag and my Gingher on the table.

Invest in the Olfa - worth their weight in gold!

I have an old Olfa 24x36 which I finally retired in favor of a Fiskars mat of the same size. I've had the Fiskars about a month and so far so good, it feels the same. I like the way the Olfa mats are marked but both my mother and I have had problems with warping. My problems could be blamed on not following the instructions but hers have been kept flat and taken really good care of so I don't know. I'll see how the Fiskars holds up. I have both Fiskars and Olfa cutters. The Fiskars is an ergonomic handle so I prefer that one just because of the shape. I have a 6x18 clear plastic ruler, can't remember what brand that is quite useful. The other useful thing is a blade sharpener. Since I bought that two years ago I haven't bought a new blade!