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I'm wondering how to express a very mild preference towards an option when being offered several choices in a conversation (e.g. when arranging a meeting time with a colleague).

I am familiar with the expressions .. ほうがいいです and .. がすきです, but both feel stronger than what I want to say.

Essentially I'm trying to complete this sentence with something natural-sounding:

「どちらでもいいですが、Xのほうが（・・・・・・）。」

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a very mild preference

How about using どちらかと言えば、どちらかと言うと、[強]{し}いて言えば、強いて言うと etc. as in

どちらでも大丈夫なんですが、どちらかと言うと、～～のほうがいいです。
どちらでも大丈夫なんですが、どちらかと言えば、～～のほうが[嬉]{うれ}しいです。/ありがたいです。
どちらでもいいんですが、[強]{し}いて言えば、～～のほうが・・・。

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    Apart from できれば，aren't these suggestions to some extent telling the OP how to express his preference more politely (or tentatively) rather then as a "mild preference", which I took to mean as a weak preference (51% vs 90%). I think they want to express this in more neutral or casual Japanese.
    – Tim
    Aug 2, 2014 at 3:24
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    @Tim ああ、そうか～わかりました、直してみます。
    – user1016
    Aug 2, 2014 at 3:26
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There are many ways but you want to be clear so perhaps the easiest is to use a different adjective to いい such as 便利. "Either is fine but X would be more convenient." If you can give the reason even better.

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