electronic cutting machine-**update

I seem to remember a thread about this a while back and the peas came down on the side of the cameo, but I could be biased because that's what I have and I like it!

I have an old Silhouette and a new Cricut Explore. I much prefer my Silhouette. The machines themselves are not THAT different, but the software for the Silhouette hands down is better IMO and I even had a Gypsy that I loved. I love the Silhouette store and honestly, if you buy a subscription for a year (for maybe $8 a month - wait for a 20% discount) you will have more images than you can use in your lifetime.

No worries, just trying to recollect the hive mind.

I've never had problems finding tutorials online for what I wanted to do, but I was searching for specific solutions, like calibrating the machine or print and cut. Maybe if you zero in on an action or a project you know you want to do, you could search for that. I'm not great with technology (I am firmly okay with it, can do Excel but can't do Photoshop) and I find Silhouette to be really easy to use.

The software for both Silhouette and Cricut machines can be downloaded for free. Before you buy, I suggest you download and try out the software for each machine. Watch tutorials and try what you see in the tutorials. You won't be able to cut anything without a machine, but it will give you an idea which software suits you better.

Be aware, though, that the Silhouette software has several versions. The new version (4.0 or 4.1) is still glitchy from all reports. Download an earlier version, such as one of those labeled "Legacy" or any of the versions that start with the number 3.

Cricut software does not let you use earlier versions. They force you to update, and there were some complaints about the latest version, although the problems may have been fixed by now.

Both machines are good machines. The software for Cricut is really geared toward those who want something simple, and it is also geared toward trying to get you to use their designs. You can buy them, but if you subscribe, or use the "freebies" you will not have them permanently. The freebies are available to you only for a short time. The subscription lets you use any of thousands of designs, but I disliked most of them. The licensed designs (such as Disney) are not available with the subscription. You usually have to buy them.

I have purchased designs from both stores. With the Silhouette subscription (which I got during a sale), I spend $16/month and can download $150 worth of designs each month, making them about 11 cents each. When I buy Cricut designs, I pay 99 cents each. I could subscribe for about $10/month and have access to thousands of designs for "free" while I have the subscription, but I don't like most of the designs so it is not really worth it to me.  Also, I often go for a long time without using my machines because life is busy. If I have a Cricut sub, I may not get any use out of it for months running, which would be a waste. With my Silhouette sub, I check briefly each week, download the designs I like till my credits are used up, and I have a lifetime to use the designs, so I'm not wasting money as I would be with the Cricut subscription. With Cricut, I can and do occasionally buy designs I like, but I pay a premium price for them when compared to Silhouette.  I am very happy that Silhouette is now making SVG files available, which can be used with the Cricut, too, so it is more bang for your buck, especially if you have a Silhouette subscription that makes the files less expensive.

If there is any possibility that you would be likely to buy designs, you should check each company's designs. If you don't like the designs, you'll either need to find other sources for designs or make your own. Or you'll be cutting mostly alphabets/titles. That was what I bought my first electronic cutter to do, but once I realized how much I could do with a cutter, just cutting letters wasn't my main reason for using my cutter.

I have both machines, and I really like both. I do recommend that whatever you choose, that you make sure the machine can be set up and ready to use all the time. If the machine is in a closet, you probably won't use it much.

sunny1016 I don't know if this will help. I find Disney SVG's or trace my coloring book pages. I have the Disney cartridges but I hardly use them. The beginning of the year I had a Sleeping Beauty mess that I know is Cricut's fault and a file with a mistake in it. Two weeks later I got a cute Aristocat's coloring book and made a perfect file with my Cameo. Go figure! Nothing against Cricut and their design's. Silhouette has mistakes in their store too. I always read everyone keeps their Cricut's for Disney. I am like Google and Coloring Books.

Yes, 100% Yes the CB09 blade holder works perfectly with the original Silhouette. I have used a CB09 since Wishblade days.

If you have an older machine I do recommend the CB09 blade holder. Honestly just getting that blade holder you have updated your machine to modern standards.

Silhouette Cameo store I buy gift cards and add them to my account. Every week I look at the new files, what's on sale and the freebie. I purchase my files. I am not joking about this but it took me almost seven years to use the original $25 card that I received when I bought my Cameo. I just finally went under $5. I am buying more files now. I just really love the designs at Cameo's store. I do peek at Cricut's every week but I never find anything I like.

The print and cut may be my most favorite part of Silhouette's software.  I made a bunch of ornaments at Christmas for my DD's theatre group.  They were only 1/2" wide and had the show name and date on the banners.  I couldn't believe how precise the cut was, as there were 50 some of these little banners on a page and they all cut beautifully.

If your machine isn't recognizing the registration cuts, bump up the light in the room.  I'm been known to take a flashlight and shine it on the machine.  Shiny/metallic papers are harder for the machine to see the registration marks.  You can tape off the corners with masking tape, print, and it works.  There are other ideas online for how to get the marks to register.  Keep experimenting!

I feel that the Cricut Explore Air 2 can cut better detail than the Cameo, although the Cameo does run a very close second. I have both machines.

But I do not really have much of a need to cut tiny detailed designs, so I prefer using my Cameo because I prefer the Silhouette software over the Cricut Design Space.