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Based on what you own, have used or read about, which die cut machine do you think is the best? Please vote for the machine you think is the best one out there (not necessarily what you own). The "best" being in overall ease of use, versatility, price, compatiblity, etc.
What do all the stamping experts here on SCS think?
(Sorry if this poll has been posted before! I went back 10 pages and couldn't find one.)
WOW!! It's close between the bug and bs. I chose bs, first because of Julies wonderful comparison, but also because it just looked sturdier in the pictures. I got to play with bs and fell in love. Plus I have yet to see a CB here. I haven't even seen the dies or embossing folders yet. But I LOVE Love love... my big shot
After reading many comments here and there. And after reading the very detailed review by JulieHRR (on her blog), who has owned both the Big Shot AND the Cuttlebug, I voted that Big Shot is the best die-cutter and embosser (Big Kick is supposed to be basically the same thing as BS, just with a different color housing). Two main things that convinced me that BS is the best, is when JulieHRR pointed out in her comparison that the BS has a more stable base than CB. Also, that BS can do at least one thing that CB can't, and that is to cut Ellison extended cuts dies (BS has an extension platform and extension cutting pads just for those dies).
I owned a red Sizzix machine first, then Quickutz, then Sidekick (then Big Shot). I always thought how neat Sidekick was, and wished someone would release a bigger version. Then about a year ago someone from another board recommend the Big Shot to me. She said it would cut out just about all the dies - QK, Sizzix, Sizzlits, BossKut, etc (this was before CB dies were released -- BS will cut those, too, BTW). So I was convinced that I needed a Big Shot, and ended up buying one second-hand in early '06. I made a Quickutz spacer and was so pleased that I could cut out 8 QK's at ones. However, I didn't realize the full potential for embossing with BS until after the release of the Cuttlebug before this Christmas (and after I found this site in Oct and started reading some Cuttlebug threads).
See, my BS was unused, and still in the box when I bought it. It was the starter kit, and had some extras with it, but they were misplaced right after my purchase when dh and I boxed up some things for storage. So anyway, the embossing thing is still very new to me, and I'm so happy to have found out about that part, and the fact that all the CB emb. folders will work with BS. :-)
Anyhow, to sum it all up, Big Shot gets my vote for the best. At least that's my humble .02 on die-cutters. ;-)
Just got my BS delivered last night and LOVE IT!! Based on JHRR and other reviews on blogs I felt this was the best choice for me. While the CB you can get for a little cheaper and has a slightly smaller footprint for storage I am happily surprised that the BS doesn't take up as much real estate on my desk as I thought it might. I also have CT in my wrists and after seeing what JHRR said about the CB aggrevatging hers slightly I didn't want to chance a flare up when I am suppose to playing and enjoying something I love!
The BS starter kit is slightly more, but you also get a thick cut die--in mine 3 tags, 2 thin cuts--3 flowers simular in style to the SU! Spring Flowers IMO--a cute little dragonfly that has embossing on the body,1 embossing brass template--Friends!, 3 big shot folders to hold said brass templates, 2 cutting boards, 1 spacer board and then some light wieght paper. I think it is a great value and also you don't need anything special to use the CB dies/embossing folders with it...whereas I believe with CB you need to get some special adapters to use sizzex and BS stuff--not to sure on that though.
I am a very satisfied customer....I did try the CB at a Mikes...didn't like the suction cup thing...and the BS is nice and stable since tghe platforms are fixed....but again that is my own opinion.
I love my cuttlebug...had it for a few days and used it more than the Sizzix. I would love to have the Wishblade as it hooks to the computer and prints most anything, so I have heard, but I enjoy the embossing with the cuttlebug and it is cheaper.
I voted for Big Shot as that is the machine I have. I bought it at a stamp convention last October and have been using it ever since. It is by far my favorite toy. I love using the cuttlebug embossing folders and the Ellison texture plates. I bought the Big Impressions Starter Kit when I bought my machine and am glad I did. The texture plates are fabulous.
Love my Cuttlebug. I wanted something small and portable, and the bug is it! The big shot does the same stuff, but it bigger and less portable. (Oh, and you don't need any adapters to use the cuttlebug! That's one of it's charms!) I love that it is so versatile (everybody's dies and folders, embosses, cuts thru a variety of materials). And it's cute! What more could a girl want? :-)
Cricut is a different creature. I don't scrapbook, so it's not on my list. But if it becomes more affordable, I'll probably look at one.
I'm surprised how few voted for the Cricut. It's my winner for bang for the buck. Sure, the machine is $200, usually on sale, and the cartridges are often on sale for $60. So for $260 you get alphabets in what, 6 or more sizes, plus layers and shadows. Plus a bunch of other shapes or words, all in varying sizes, and with shadows, etc.
Compare that to the Big Shot, which is what, maybe $60 on sale. One shadowed alphabet is $125 on sale for the thick die types. Then large dies are $8ish on sale, so for a dozen of those you're spending another $96. For your $281 investment you get one size of cutouts.
I'll grant that Cricut doesn't emboss, but that's not one of my favorite techniques anyway. Based only on die cutting, I vote Cricut
I love my Cuttlebug. I read JulieHRR's comparison and made my decision from that and all the other threads going around. I am new to die-cutting and did not have a stash of other dies hanging around, so my decision was based on the very appealing embossing folders that the CB has. That is what drew me in in the first place. I chose the CB over the BS because of storage space issues. The footprint of the CB is smaller that the BS and the platform folds up, making it more storage friendly. All in all I think they are very comparable in what they can do, and from my own perspective the CB was the right one for me. I love it.
__________________ Charlee
My SU website - http://charleeg.stampinup.net
Live in the moment and make it so beautiful it's worth remembering.
CB and BS are very close! Looks like either one would be a good choice! Joann's is having a "try it" session for the CB. I think before I throw down the bucks, I will give it a try. Does anyone know of a store that does this for the Big Shot? Thanks everyone for their opinions and votes! Anyone else have a comment?
I voted wizard, but I must say I also love my cricut and guess if I could I would vote for both equally. And of course I still love my sizzix.
I love my cricut for the many options it gives me in cutting images at various sizes and how cost effective it is when you consider just what you do get in one cartridge.
I love my wizard as it will do everything the other non electronic die cutters mentioned will do plus more.
Being that the sizzix for the first personal diecutter available I have heaps of these dies and love their versitility - and even though I can die cut these in my wizard, I still chose to use my sizzix for these. I love I can cut various materials including thicker card.
I voted Cricut, I absolutely love it and I find it very cost-effctive, once you buy the quite-expensive machine the cartridges do sooooo much. I do intend to get a cuttlebug though!
Big Shot here!! I love them all!!! But I upgraded from the sizzix original to the bs and I'm a happy camper. Don't mind space, BUT as long as I can use any die cut I'm good. Plus the CB dies are so very cute and not real expensive. So that works for me, HOORAY!!!!! Love this poll!!!
I voted for the Cricut. I love it. I especially like that you can get various sizes of letters and shapes.
My second choice is the Cuttlebug - but you forgot to list a Quickutz!! I love my cuttlebug with Quickutz dies. Cutting each die individually with a Quickutz hand tool can be cumbersome, so if I'm cutting more than one of anything, out comes the Cuttlebug! But I prefer the style of Quickutz dies over the Cuttlebug designs.
I have the xyron personal cutting system and HATE it! The sticky pads don't last very long so paper starts sliding. I got new sticky pads that were only sticky on the top side and not the bottom. The circles it cuts are not quite circles. DON'T GET IT!
Now DH thinks I don't need another die cutting device because I have this one.
The BEST Die-Cut Machine?
