Information

[garthw318]

Hi. I'm considering buying a cutting machine such as a cricut or sillouhette. I basically want it for paper cut files for my scrapbook pages. I don't want to spend a lot and don't need a bunch of bells and whistles... such as inks, and vinyls. Just want to download and cut paper. Any suggestions???

[MTCanuk]

I think it is a personal choice. I started with a Cricut many years ago, when they first had cartridges.  Then I decided I needed a Silhouette, because they could do so much more at the time. I have had it at least 8-10 years.  I have the Cameo 2 and have felt no need to upgrade for what I use it for.   Cricut has improved now too, but I have no idea of its capabilities anymore. I love my Silhouette.  It does have a learning curve, bit there are lots of sites to help you. I am not a computer guru by any means and have managed To work mine. I do lots of cut files and can have custom coloured alphabets.  
I also have a Big Shot to cut out dies when card creating.

[karensay]

I have a Cricut Explore and a Silhouette.  I bought the Cricut and later came to find out it would not do the cuts I wanted.  there were 'other' ways to make the Explore to do what I wanted, but too complicated for me.  I bought the Silhouette 3, and it is just what I was looking for.  I wanted to make titles like the attached layout by emmapaige.  I call it a title in a cloud, you can put a 'cloud' around one or more words.

[DN in MN]

This is a tough one but if you want to upload and cut your own files, you will need a machine that can do that.  I purchased the Cricut Maker as an upgrade to my Cricut Expression 2 so I could cut my own cut files.  Cricut will not be your answer on the older models.  I believe the Cricut Explore Air 2 will do the same at a cheaper price.  I am not familiar with the Cameo or Silhouette if there is a reasonably priced one that will do what you want.

I would look for an older model that will do what you want and see if you can grab one on a FB Group, Craigslist or Ebay.  That I do know That way, you can play around without the higher price tag.

[CarrieG]

i have a cricut explore air and im NOT puter savvy and i figured it out quickly  does any of the things i want it to do

[garthw318]

Thank you ladies for your input!

[emmapaige]

I have a Cricut Explore and a Silhouette.  I bought the Cricut and later came to find out it would not do the cuts I wanted.  there were 'other' ways to make the Explore to do what I wanted, but too complicated for me.  I bought the Silhouette 3, and it is just what I was looking for.  I wanted to make titles like the attached layout by emmapaige.  I call it a title in a cloud, you can put a 'cloud' around one or more words.

I wish I could take credit for the diecuts they were part of collections.  I do have a Silhouette Cameo but I use it mostly to cut files that I back.
Like this one: 

 

[Aztam]

Hi. I'm considering buying a cutting machine such as a cricut or sillouhette. I basically want it for paper cut files for my scrapbook pages. I don't want to spend a lot and don't need a bunch of bells and whistles... such as inks, and vinyls. Just want to download and cut paper. Any suggestions???

Did you decide a machine? I saw in another group a suggestion to download the free software from each company you are interested in to see which you prefer. That might help in your decision making.

[karensay]

I was wondering, too, if you had come to a decision????.  

[garthw318]

I decided not to buy one at this time.

[JAire]

I can appreciate your decision to wait. There are ways around those creative machines, just do what you can!

[Natalie Dill]

I have a Cricut explore air. And I like it fine and don't really have much of a problem.
I will say that most of the best free files (eg. Paige Evans) seem to cater to Silhouette.
Even a lot of tutorials seem to as well.
Cricut has worked to keep up with Silhouette, but if I had the choice, I would probably exchange my Cricut for a Silhouette. It seems like the Sil. still has more capabilities than the Cricut IMO. Even as far as finding your own images online and cutting them - from my limited knowledge of the Sil. it is much easier to do that than with the Cricut.