A lot of work in normative ethics spells out and appraises rival ethical theories. This paper adds to the much smaller workstream about which features it is good or desirable for ethical theories to have, and for theorists to base appraisal of ethical theories upon. The paper first sets out an appropriately minimal account of the nature of the target ethical theories, focussing primarily on theories of well-being and secondarily on theories of right action. It then appraises various putatively good or desirable features for such ethical theories to have.