What should I order?
 

How many magnets should I order?

What else should I order?

I am not looking for alternatives ... Just what are the basics I should order from the site?

Thanks.

I got 4 magnets and am glad I did as they do like to hide at times, so I've got spares.
Also got the cleaner ( couple of bottles as I'm in Australia).
Some folk gave also bought padded bags to keep MISTI in.

I just ordered the other day and purchased the cleaner and grid pad along with my MISTI. Sorry, I'm not much help - I really didn't know what exactly I needed either. I just got what a friend said she bought when she recently ordered her MISTI.
I am so excited and can't wait to start playing!

My MISTI was a Christmas gift from my DH that arrived in January (it was back ordered). Now my DH saw that this tool was needed but he wasn't up on magnets and the other items that Iliana was offering, so no magnets, etc. I worked with the removable tape and sticky mats that others suggested for quite a while but I wasn't satisfied. So I went looking for the magnets that look like the ones that Iliana was using. I was finally able to find them at a Home Depot. They came three in a packet. I would have preferred 4 but maybe 3 is enough. I haven't tried the magnets yet (soon) but I think this is going to make me very happy. If I were ordering another MISTI, I would definitely get the magnets too :)

I went on Amazon, we are Prime members and ordered 30 of the 1/2 x 1/8 really strong magnets. 4 of them have broken. This is the nature of these. When any of the whap together they sometimes crumble. They were $11 something

I just have two magnets - I find two is enough to hold down my projects, and two are easily managed - I think if I had more then I'd have more accidents with them attracting to each other!

I use a quilting template in my MISTI almost permanently, and as this is wipe clean and is printed with a grid, it means I don't really need to use grid paper (although I think the grid paper looks really nice and is useful for some techniques)

Magnets are around $3 for a 3 pack at h.ome depot. This is where I got mine

Home Depot as well. They are very strong. Don't let them touch - they're difficult to get apart.

Back to OP's question: What all do you really need to buy?

Two or more magnets, 3 mm foam pad for under lid when inking stamps, vinyl to cover inside of the lid to protect it from permanent inks, graph paper, Sizzix Eclipse "sticky board", transparency sheet or something similar to position stamps and baby wipes. These are items I use all the time with my MISTIs. I also keep a 6" ruler, pencil, 1/4 of an old Stampin' Scrubber to dry off stamp after cleaning with baby wipes in my work area. I'm sure there is something I'm leaving out. Hope this helps.

I'm finding that two magnets are enough for me. I also ordered the graph paper. I like that it fits perfectly. I didn't order the cleanser because I plan to just use baby wipes. I may get some later if the wipes don't do the trick.

I also had the grid that's available for download on her site printed on transparency yesterday. I haven't used it yet but I know it's going to be very helpful. :)

Vinyl for inside?
 

I want to make sure I buy the correct vinyl for inside the cover. Is the side that sticks to the MISTI a sticky side (permanent)? In other words, both sides don't cling do they?

The vinyl I use is not permanent. It is Grafix Cling Vinyl. I've had it on the inside cover for weeks and it still nice and clingy. I also glue it to the backs of the rubber stamps I've unmounted from the cushions that I permanently glued to acrylic pieces years ago. Works great.

Stuck magnets
 

I bought the magnets at Home Depot. They are so stuck together, I don't know how to get them apart. What's the trick?

I got them apart! If you get them stuck together (they come that way from HD), then you just have to really push hard to slide them off of each other. You can't pry them apart.