Which is the best fabric  cutting machine?  AccuQuilt, Big Shot? Brother ScanNCut? Silhouette? It depends on your needs. I liked rotary cutting until I lopped off the corner of my finger and had stitches. Machine cutters are much safer. I researched machines for weeks before purchasing. Here is what I learned.Note: I’m blogging as a quilter not a scrapbooker here.(Cricut is not included as it not geared for fabric.)

Sizzix Big Shot

What I like about Sizzix Big Shot:

• Quick and Easy. Make a sandwich with the pads, turn the handle, done!
• Over 141 quilting dies from Sizzix (as of spring 2014)
• Uses many AccuQuilt Go Baby and other company dies. (requires shim, i.e mylar or cardboard piece)
• No electricity needed
• Cuts 8 layers of fabric at one time
• Easy to crank
• Small enough to travel. (Carrying case available)
• Great for cutting strips.
• Includes a pair of Standard Cutting Pads
• It’s pretty. Soft blue, turquoise and pink.
• You can get another version in black with pink trim. 
• Three-year limited warranty.

What I don’t like about Sizzix Big Shot:

• Limited to 6″ width (eliminated by moving to the Big Shot Pro below)
• You have to buy dies. They range from $12 to $60 (look on Amazon for discounts, swap with friends)
• Starter Kit is geared to scrapbookers, they should make one for quilters.

Sizzix Big Shot Pro

Machine Price: Retail  $389 at Amazon $299

What I like about Sizzix Big Shot Pro:

• All the reasons listed above for Big Shot
• Can use up to 12 inch dies
• High Volume Die Cutting
• Over 160 quilting dies and works with every Sizzix and Ellison design ever made
• Also can use AccuQuilt Studio dies and many other dies
• You can use strip die to make other shapes (see video above)
• 13-inch wide opening for all of you materials: paper, cardstock, foam, cork, and  more
• Contains one machine, one standard cutting pad and one premium crease pad.
• Includes two 0.10 millimeter mylar shims, and an adapter pad
• Custom dies available
•  3 year limited warranty

What I don’t like about Sizzix Big Shot Pro

• It big 40lbs, requires a dedicated space. (I don’t mind)
• It’s on my wish list and not on my quilting table.

AccuQuilt Go Baby

What I like about AccuQuilt Go Baby

• Quick and Easy. Make a sandwich with the pads, turn the handle, done!
• Cute
• Portable, built-in carry case
• One year warranty

What I do not  like about AccuQuilt Go Baby

• Limited size
• Only cuts 5 or 6 layers
• You have to buy dies. They range from $20 to $80
• Only 65 dies
• Will not take other dies.

Accuquilt Go

Machine Price: Retail $349 Amazon $219 or $209
Starter Kit Price: Retail $581, Amazon $359

What I like about AccuQuilt Go!

• Quick and Easy. Make a sandwich with the pads, turn the handle, done!
• New version rolls better than older version.
• 165 dies availble
• Portable (15 lbs)
• Created for quilters
• No electricity required
• Built in carrying case
• Cuts 8 layers of fabric at a time

What I  do not like about AccuQuilt Go!

• You have to buy dies. They range from $20 to $80
• Will not take other dies.

Accuquilt Studio

Machine Price: $595
Starter Kit Price: Retail $1,075

What I like about Accuquilt Studio:

• All the reasons I like Accuquilt above.
• For power users.  You can make and sell kits.
• Cuts like a hot knife through butter
• Easiest to crank
• Cut up to 10 layers of fabric
• Life-time warranty
• 15″ wide
• Over 400 Dies
• Will use Sizzix and Ellison dies with adapter.

What I  did not like about Accuquilt Studio:

• Required dedicated 4′ x  2′ table space. 34 pounds
• High price. Starter set over $1000 , only my wish list if I get a quilt shop or quilt business.
• Dies only available through Accucut. ($30 to $120)

Computerized Cutting Machines

What about the computerized machines?   Brother ScanNCut? Silhouette? It depends on your needs.

• If you piece quilt and need layers or strips and shapes you should consider a die cut machine above
• If you do a lot of appliqué  and only need to cut one layer, look at ScannCut and Silhouette.
• If you do both, look at both.

Brother ScanNCut

Retail Price: Amazon $399

I purchased the Brother Scanncut and returned in three days. I purchased it for the reasons I liked it below. And returned for the reasons listed I did not like below.  If I had a bigger budget I would have kept it and worked harder on the learning curve. I just kept thinking how many dies and much fabric I could purchase for $400.

What I liked about the ScannCut:

• The computer was very easy to use
• No dies or  design cartridges needed!
• Perfect accurate cuts
• Ability to resize all images
• Do not need to hook to computer (works as stand alone)
• Can hook to computer
• 600 Built in Designs
• Can draw on the 1/4 inch seam allowance (or not)
• Built in Scanner
• You can scan in fabric for fussy cutting
• Easily converts .SVG files to .FCM files.
•  LCD touch screen with on-screen editing capabilities such as rotating, welding, resizing and organizing.
• Online community
• Scan to USB
• Easy  to return and get my money back

 What I did not like about the Scanncut:

• You can only cut one layer of fabric (which is OK if you do a lot of appliqués)
• You have to prep fabric with starch and paper mats before cutting
• Can’t cut strips longer than 12″
• Lousy manual
• I felt like  the time it took to set everything up to cut you can cut it easier by hand.
• The sticky mats were not sticky enough to hold the fabric (as fI understand it  you have to replace them often)
• Maybe a in few years they will come up with a better machine for fabric. Some quilters love it.

I did not research nor use the Silhouette cutter. Sorry. If I do I will add to this post.

And the Winner is…

I purchased Sixxiz Big Shot. I love it! The reason I decided on Sizzix over Accuquilt is 1. cheaper to get started and 2. I can use dies from other companies.

I cut out a ton of adorable, accurate, Dresden petals this morning in a few minutes.

I also purchased the Brother Scanncut and returned in three days. Had I not purchased both I would have gone for the Big Shot Pro. But I am very happy. I would love to have a computerized cutter but….

What fabric cutter do you use? Why do you like it? What don’t you like about it? Share in the comments.