WHICH IS THE BEST DIE CUTTER?

I use a big shot (golden oldy turquoise one not the nice fancy pinky one)!

I got it after seeing a demo and liked the fact it is sturdy (although not brilliant for transporting to craft clubs i hasten to add) and the capabilities are great - it has a good size area which accomodates most dies on the market today even the really thick ones! it will also take the really thin ones like quikcutz as theres a small adapter (small square piece of plastic die size) that is needed, i recently bought one of the huge big favour dies and it needs the extra long extender cutting plates - but the results are brilliant.
the only thing i coudlnt get to work in it is the nestabilities - so i gave up and sold them !

if you are making a lot of cards in a hurry then die cutting is the way forward as you can cut up to 6 small sizzix or ellison dies in one go.

there are down sides like most things - one such thing is the price of alphabets - they are usually £99 but if you check out the ellison design website they have regular sales and alphabets were down to £25 so i snaffled 3!
storage is another issue as the machine is heavy and cumbersome and you need storage boxes for the smaller dies - im now on 3, then youve the dies that dont fit into storage boxes and the bigger thicker ones which take up so much space. ive used a drawer in a 2 drawer cabinet and it holds my machine and my indivudual boxes of dies and about 30 bigger ones - all the alphabets and extra long huge dies and plates and texture plates have to be housed elsewhere.

its good fun if you have friends round and you can have a diecutting craft day - lisa and i had one of those recently and it was great fun. looking forward to the next one.

Hi
Just seen all the posts re die cutters. I still haven't decided which one to buy. Tried a Cuttlebug but after buying extra bits for stencil embossing it was so tough to get them thru the machine I thought it was going to break, then the plates shot across the room, so I sent it back - guess it must have been a faulty one, as I know lots of people do OK with it.

I had a go at the Big Shot in Hobbycraft but with arm/shoulder problems I found it too difficult to use - also heavy to carry. I've been seriously considering the Wizard - had a go, but I think I will wait for the electronic version, hopefuly early next year - they're still waiting for safety regs approval apparently. Wizard is complicated - there's a new ratchet one out in raspberry, cheaper than the original purple one - which is still being sold in lots of places for more than the new one!! Cricut is definitely not for me - just don't like the idea of it and it doesn't emboss.

Haven't come across the Robocut - can you tell me more please?? As long as it embosses too.

Has anyone any other ideas please, while I'm waiting?????

Hugs Maureen

I tried out a load of machines at a workshop.
I liked the wizard and the bug best but couldn't afford to buy either.

Then I managed to get a 2nd hand wizard but now can't afford the dies / embossing folders

Someone mentioned about the wizard "shooting out at the end". If used correctly this shouldn't happen as the ending is towards you and you can easily control it.

Wizard plus points: you can use any die/embossing folder with it.
Wizard minus points: No good if you have weak hands or arms.

Gill M wrote:.
the only thing i coudlnt get to work in it is the nestabilities - so i gave up and sold them !.

The nestabilities will work but you will need the wizard spacer plate and tan mat. which you can buy at most CC stores I have had some great results.

I have a Cuttlebug, cuttlekids (Daughters) and I did have a Bigshot Just sold it. I found it too big and bulky.
I adore my cuttlebug, every die i have put through it works great, You can also use all you brass stencils, using the cuttlebug embossing mat. Which i would recommend cutting in half, much easier to put through the machine. (the mat that is)