Hi Julie
My immediate reaction is - neither.
We all have favourites so others will give you different views I'm sure, and exactly what you hope to do with your cutting machine in addition to how much you can afford will dicate which cutting machine you go for, but I'm a CraftROBO girl.
I did look at both the option of manual/die cutting machines which use Spellbinder and other dies, as well as looking at the Cricut family of digital/electronic cutters, before I opted for the CraftROBO 330 (equivelent to the CraftROBO Silhouette).
My reasons were
- die cutting machines will only ever cut in the specific size and shape of dies you've got. If you need a new shape or size you have to buy a new die. Then there's the storage of the dies long term if you do build up a collection. The positive thing about these machines is that you can use them to emboss with embossing folders or stencils, which electronic/digital machines don't do on the whole (
although some electronic machines that are suppose to have embossing as well as cutting blades). So if you want to emboss as well as cut then something in the range of the Cuttlebug, Grand Calibre, etc., may be for you.
- the Cricut family of digital cutting machines depend on buying cartridges and you can only cut out shapes that are on the cartridges you've bought (
and cartridges are not cheap) and Cricut have actively stopped other, software, methods of using other designs, so even though they've got a software option themselves now, you can still only use shapes that are on cartridges you've bought, and groups of those shapes welded together. As far as I can gather you are still not free to create your own shapes from scratch.
I went for my CraftROBO because I can create designs myself to cut out (
I'm only at the stage of simple designs and greetings peeloffs at the moment) and can buy in instant download single designs (
such as those from the main craftsUprint site) for some of the stunning, more complicated, designs that I want to work with. No having to buy a cartridge full of cutting files where I may never use most of them. Then there's the Print & Cut functionality as well where a design can be printed out from the software on my printer, then put into the CraftROBO and cut out.
I like the CraftROBO so much that I'm busy saving for their latest new cutting machine, the
Silhouette Cameo - larger cutting area and bigger pressure meaning that card that's a bit heavier can be cut out.
I'm sure you'll get suggestions from other Craftforum members in due course.
GG 
Linear Mode
