There was a thread about the levelers the other day and the decision was split about 50/50 on if it works or not. I personally like it, but I rairly cut a cold cake. It won't cut a frozen one for sure. I will see if I can find it.

found it

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=20718&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=leveler&&start=0

I too love my Pampered Chef measuring cup...I bought the thing a long time ago, and never used it until I started making icing...I can't stand a regular measuring cup now for Crisco!

I have the little Wilton level, and never use anymore, but I have started using my large Wilton leveler again with my big cakes...kind of like i developed a new confidence with it.

The garland maker is somewhat of a joke...I like the paper cup idea!

I too don't like the tip covers, and my dear boyfriend the other day bought me another pack, and something else...told him I already had those...he said, well, now you'll have more...didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't like them. Found the receipt last night...think I will return it for something I can really use.

I like this post!

One more thing...I have tried some other heavier pans...Caphalon, round cake pans...way to heavy, cake hardly rose...was very frustrated!

All for now!

I bought the Wilton leveler with the wire and when I tried to cut my first cake with it the stupid thing broke. Don't worry I kept my reciept and brought it back to Walmart for a refund not an exchange. I really need a leveler though so which is the best that I won't have to sell my first born child for?

I too love my Pampered Chef measuring cup...I bought the thing a long time ago, and never used it until I started making icing...I can't stand a regular measuring cup now for Crisco!

I have the little Wilton level, and never use anymore, but I have started using my large Wilton leveler again with my big cakes...kind of like i developed a new confidence with it.

The garland maker is somewhat of a joke...I like the paper cup idea!

I too don't like the tip covers, and my dear boyfriend the other day bought me another pack, and something else...told him I already had those...he said, well, now you'll have more...didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't like them. Found the receipt last night...think I will return it for something I can really use.

I like this post!

One more thing...I have tried some other heavier pans...Caphalon, round cake pans...way to heavy, cake hardly rose...was very frustrated!

All for now!

i love my little wilton leveler...I havent done any large cakes...but for my small cakes it works just fine...strange...i also have the comb and dont like it...and the garland marker...havent tried it yet though

And to think I was going to buy all of those things..........lol.

KHalstead, I have never tried leveling or torting a frozen cake before, but both Wilton levelers work great for me on room-temp cake. I just find I keep trying to make the small one do more than it's meant to do. You might want to try making sure that the wire leveler is always cutting *into* the cake, not trying to break straight through. That didn't make sense, did it? LOL. When you get about halfway through the cake, start turning the leveler so that the wire is always cutting into the cake. Like, turn the leveler clockwise until the second half of the cake is split. If you try to get the leveler to go straight out the other side, you will break the edge of the cake and have to do a patch job.

Because the big leveler actually has a serrated blade, not a wire, you will be much happier with it.

The big leveler isn't so expensive with a coupon... Not so much more expensive than the regular price of the wire leveler, and it will cut sheet cakes besides. In my mind, it's a bargain even at full price. It's all we used at the bakery. We only had one of them, and it leveled and/or torted every single cake we did in there, and that's a lot of cake!!

Deanna

Great! Thanks for the link to the other thread. I'll have to check that out....and I didn't realize there was a bigger leveler! Have to check that out and add it to the birthday list.

I love my Pampered Chef measuring thingy...the one with liquid on one and solids on the other. There is that measuring cup that is just too difficult to get the one part out to wash it and too many crevices for food to get stuck in. I don't particularly like the measuring spoons either. I lost one of the caps not long after I bought them. Oh well. Love the mixing pitchers though!! Gotta have those with a kid that loves Kool-Aid!

Ok, sold PC for about a year. Couldn't hack it. BUT I did get some of my favorite kitchen stuff. And some of my least favorite... oh well.
The measuring spoons are great! Especially because, out of all my measuring spoons, only that one lets me measure 2tsp and 1/8 tsp (on the big and little one, respectively). Still, they're not good for liquids, as they tend to run under the sliding barrier when poured in, and then back out from under it when pouring out. (throws measurements way off)

Now, about the garland marker. I need to be able to do this, and how do you make sure you get them all equal with a paper cup? So, here's my idea; please tell me if I'm nuts. I have the cake divider wheel from Wilton, which is WONDERFUL and NOT a piece of junk, IMO. Except not really that great for rolling out fondant. So, I want to use the lines to mark the tops of my strings/garlands and then use a piece of string cut to the right length to help me mark off where the strings should go. (maybe drape it over the side and use a toothpick?)
If that makes ANY sense, please let me know. Or tell me if it sounds like I'm on a wild goose chase.

One other PC note. I have the same problem getting the right amount of shortening with the push-out measuring cup as I do with regular ones. I still get air pockets, etc. So, even though I'm sure I can get it all OUT, I'm never sure the right amount went IN. SO, on another thread, mushbug9 mentioned that she WEIGHS out 8oz. of shortening for a cup on her kitchen scale. Well, I use a kitchen scale for powdered sugar, so I'm now officially switching to that for shortening, too! YEAH!

Sorry, I know this is long, but as always, hth.
Bekah

So I just went to the Wilton website to check out prices.

Small one is $2.99 and large is $21.99. That is a heck of a difference. Is that right, $2.99??????

Michelle

Wow. Yep, I never pay full price for anything either. I love coupons!! I've used my Michael's coupons at JoAnn's and JoAnn's coupons at Michael's!! LOL!! There supposedly is a Hobby Lobby about 30 minutes away, but with three JoAnn's and two Michael's within 20 minutes I think I'm set....not to mention a few Wal-Mart's along the way....oh and gotta love the local cake supply shops....about four of those. And to think I only have a few tips right now. Hubby will be in for a shock when I put all these cake gadgets on my birthday list!!

Him

Me



Michelle

Be careful shopping at Joanns because they cost more than even Wilton so to me it seems more worth it if you take your Joann coupon to Michael's.

Hobby Lobby is often (but not always) cheaper than Michael's. Hobby Lobby has coupons online so check those from time to time because they'll also do a 40% off coupon sometimes.

Bekah, when I mark my garlands with a paper cup, I first make little marks in the top of the cake either by eyeballing it or by using my Wilton cake dividing wheel. Then I take a paper cup and can squish the top of the cup to fit between those marks the way I want it. (I can make the garlands deep or shallow depending on how squished the cup is.) Once I mark the first garland, I make sure not to change my grip on the cup and mark the other garlands. I've also used my flower formers to mark garlands, but they're not very deep.

Funny, back when I taught Wilton (some time ago now), that wire cake leveler was $8. I saw some a week or so ago and they were around $3. I thought maybe they were mismarked... Oh well, even at $3 I left them there! Still think the big leveler is the way to go.

Deanna

Thank you all so much! I know my way is much too complicated, Toomuchcake. Thanks for explaining how you keep the garlands even with the cup! I'll have to practise it and see how I do.
And slejdick, I never saw that post about the different weight. You just saved me a lot of frustration when I start doing the shortening by weight!

Man, folks at CC have the best ideas! Thanks again for sharing!!
Bekah

For me the Icing Sculpter was the worse cake decorating product I have ever bought. I thought maybe it was just me until others of you responded. So I just e-mailed Wilton and told them that I had no receipt and that the product didn't work.....they responded quickly and said they were sorry and since I had no receipt they could not refund any money, but I was welcome to pick out $11.99 (that is what I paid) worth of merchadise from their on-line store! I was really thrilled they compensated me...so I picked out the cross pan, a fish cookie cutter, and 2 tips I had been wanting.
Just thought you all would like to know that Wilton did make it right.
Debbie

wow debbie - that's great, did they cover shipping too?

Hate the tip covers and the icing sculptors (how'd I end up with 2 small and 1 lg anyway?) now I just use a knife when the cake is still in the pan level the top, then fishing line to torte. (super cheap and lasts forever)!

Don't have the PC measuring cup you are all talking about, but I have lots of PC and love PC in general!! (i need to sell it so I can get more cheap!)

Oh I am so glad I read this thread!! I just bought the icing sculptor a week ago thinking it looked pretty nifty. But now after reading all the threads, I don't think I will keep it. I normally don't do that to my icing anyway. Besides, I use medium 1/2 and 1/2 buttercream to ice my cakes and it doesn't really cut well through that consistency icing.

Thanks for saving me some money! I do think I'm going to try the PC measuring cup thingie though.