die cut machine

I have a Big Shot - had it for almost 10 years and it's still going strong.

I'm not sure how big your Silhouette is, so I'm not sure what "not anything big" means.

I have both a Spellbinders P6 (~9x6 cutting area) and a Hero Arts Compact Cutter (~3 x 8.5). I love them both and find they have different purposes. For larger dies or making many die cuts at once, I get out the P6. To cut something small, like just a single sentiment or single small die because one teensy piece went missing after a bigger cutting session, I can grab the CC and just make a quick cut.

I went with the spellbinders platinum 6. I liked that it could accommodate bigger dies and that it folded up pretty compactly.

I have the Sizzix Big Shot Express and I love it--- it's easy to use because it doesn't have a hand crank. It just feeds the die itself.

I think you can do embossing with all of them, someone correct me if I’m wrong please!

I had an Epic Six (Quickutz) and it worked great until the handle broke off and because it's not been made in years, the plates were getting really hard to find. I replaced it with a Gemini Jr - it's a good size for me as I scrap 8.5x11 and make cards so don't need 12x12 capacity (and I have a Cricut if I do) and I love that I don't have to crank it myself (I have arthritis). Both of mine emboss and use pretty much any thin die...

Facebook marketplace is where I find a lot of gems, even in my area that doesn't have as many craft offerings listed compared to the states nearby that populate as suggestions when my keywords and instruction to search locally don't yield many results. I even got a free die cutter (new in box plus dies and extra cutting plates) last month that someone was getting rid of from their business that cuts the big wooden dies and all I need to use all of my plastic ones is an adapter plate for $20 plus tax (the machine retails for about $400 new but usually lists without dies for over $100...the Prestige Pro or something like that). If you aren't particular on age and you're patient, I am sure deals will pop up. I wasn't even looking for the free one, but I search craft supplies so often that the algorithm suggests products that use the same or similar keywords. Browsing marketplace is one of many things I do when waiting for my kids to get out of school and it has helped me find so many things I didn't know I needed, lol.

I asked this awhile back... between the big shot and the platinum 6... I ended up getting the Spellbinders platinum 6.. I like that it folds up.. it also has other things that go with it besides the embossing... the foil system and the better press.. I dont have those yet but I will ask for the better press for Christmas...

I like it.. I do have a silhouette.. but its a cameo.. so a lot bigger.. I like that this is easier to just get out for a quick scrap or card making session...

If you are looking for a used one I'd suggest the Vagabond ( it folds up) or if there is one available, Big Shot Express.

Embossing folders are very fun, there's lot of techniques you can do with them, and they're mostly cheap to buy. But they're very unstandardized - I only have a handful but they're almost all different sizes roughly 4x5.5, 4x6ish, 5x7ish, and 6x6. There are thin narrow ones for borders too but they're the only ones that would fit in one of the mini machines.

I have a Big Shot but if I was buying again I'd probably get a Spellbinders Platinum 6 or a Gemini Jr. The folding platform bit saves some space, and it looks nice. But you do have to keep your plates elsewhere. I keep my plates in my machine all the time but it takes up a big chunk of my desk. They're all heavy by design - even as heavy as mine is it wiggles around my table as I crank unless I press down a bit on the top handle. And yeah, they're pricey, and there are usually different bundles where you get a bunch of dies (you might want) with them. I got mine from scrapbk dot com during a Black Friday sale.

Getting something very cool and then being done with it after one session is a very real problem, both for embossing folders and dies. And they're not cheap. As I speak I'm trying to resist the ad below this reply box - it's tempting me with a beautiful fox die and another one the one with 3 different animals where the fox is more stylized, so maybe I need them both...? ugh!

But the machine will prove very useful year after year. I resisted getting one for quite a while but I use it all the time now and have tried lots of different things with it. I like the smooth cut it gives compared to the electronic cutters, and a lot of dies add texture or faux stitching that I love. It's a slippery slope of spending though, for sure... You should also know that the cutting plates are a consumable. They last a decent amount of time but you will have to replace them periodically.

I agree that Marketplace would be a good hunting ground. Try Craiglist too? Being hella heavy they're going to cost a lot to ship so eBay is not such a good option. If I lived on your side of the country I'd sell you mine for cheap and get a Platinum or Gemini, but I just bought a magnetic platform for my BS and I'm expecting it will last me many more years.

I have/love my big shot. I did get it second hand to save money also. I have had it more than 10 years.

I learned quickly. Visit often. Lots of times I walk out empty handed, but some days are just amazing.

I've had a Big Kick for around 15 years and it still works great. I don't have a lot of dies but haven't had any trouble cutting any metal dies with the BK. I've had to replace the cutting pads once (warping) and I've purchased the pliable pads fr sb.com to try soon.
I don't have an electric cutter but have thought about buying a Portrait blemon. Did it take long to learn how to operate it? I'm not very good with computer-y things.

I go once a week and find so many good things. For several months, we had Lawn Fawn die and stamp sets (never used) there for $8 a set. One time I found a big set for that price and looked online and they were originally $75. It was a snow globe set.