A Little Bit of Patti: May 2013

Although I recently bought the granddaddy of all die cutting machines The Cricut Expressions 2, I still use my Big Shot as my go to machine for certain tasks such as making rosettes. This die from Tim Holtz is one of my favorite. Makes making rosettes so easy.

The things that I like about the machine is that it is very portable, light weight and easy to use. Turning the handle isn't hard or awkward. Plus you don't need a lot of room to store it. I have mine tucked away in my kitchen cabinets when not in use.

One of the things I would caution is to double up on your paper when you are using very thin pieces of paper so that you won't score your cutting blanks.

Here is how the Big Shot stacks up to other types of popular die cut machines.

Product	Price	Rating
Sizzix Big Shot	$62	5 stars
Silhouette Cameo	$257	4 1/2 stars
Cuttlebug Machine V2	$62	5 stars
Cricut Expressions	$139	4 stars
Spellbinders Grand Caliber	$100	5 stars

Here are a few of the main complaints about each product:

Sizzix Big Shot: For the most part, people seem to be satisfied with this machine (I know I am). The main disappointment that people had with this product is that it cannot be used for quilting. I think you could probably remedy that by making the fabric stiffer.
Silhouette Cameo: The best thing about this product is that you can download their software instead of buying cartridges. However, there are users who say that the machine is loud and it doesn't cut correctly. They also complain that the mat is extremely sticky and the paper rips when trying to take it off the mat. I found it interesting the people that vehemently defend (and almost attack) anyone who writes a negative review about the machine. Either they have very loyal fans or very dedicated workers lol.

Cuttlebug Machine V2: People seem to be very pleased with this product, there were no 1 star reviews. The main complaint was that one of the plates (plate C) was not included as it was with earlier versions. Also, you can take the handle off to make it easier to store. One user felt that this made the turning not as smooth as the first version.

Cricut Expressions: The main complaint is the cost of the cartridges. Although one reviewer suggested checking eBay. I agree, I'm sure that you can find affordable ones with a little research. Seems people are upset that the company sued 3rd party companies to keep them from making compatible software and is making customers purchase their cartridges only.

Spellbinder Grand Caliber: Not a lot of reviews for this product at the time of this writing (only 23). However the running theme was that the product was not made very well and broke easily.
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