Cricut Cake Or Silhouette

Decorating By designdiva22 Updated 11 Dec 2011 , 7:04pm by designdiva22

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designdiva22 Posted 5 Dec 2011 , 9:01pm
post #1 of 28

So I just found a great deal on Cricut cake directly from Cricut and it's coming out to be $65 with shipping. But I read about another machine called Silhouette that doesn't use cartridges.

I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction with which one would be great to buy. The Silhouette is about $325-$350 I think.

I plan to start working more with fondant if I get one of these machines. Any advice? TIA!

27 replies
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jo3d33 Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 1:06am
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I just looked up silhouette, it looks like it only works with paper. Honestly, if the silhouette cut gumpaste or fondant, I would be more inclined to buy it vs the cricket. The whole cartridge thing annoys me.

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linedancer Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 1:23am
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The Silhouette will cut gumpaste and icing sheets. Google Linda McClure, she has a website, a blog, and some utube videos that shows you how. You will have to have the housing and blade that Linda sells to cut gumpaste. I have a Silhouette SD, which has now been replaced by the Cameo. The Cameo runs anywhere from $216 to $299 depending on where you buy it.

The software that comes with the cutter is Silhouette Studio, which is free, or for $50, you can upgrade to Designer Edition. It is very good and you do not need any other software, or cartridges either . The Sil has a print and cut feature where you can bring an image into the software, trace, crop, manipulate it however you want. Put a cut line around print it, and the the machine will cut it out for you. Love mine. As long as you do not cut glitter paper and the like, you can use it for both paper and gumpaste/icing sheets. HTH

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designdiva22 Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 1:28am
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Yes, the Silhouette can cut gumpaste and fondant and you don't have to be dependent on cartridges.

But the Cricut cake is cheaper.

I'm confused... which one to get??

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Lcubed82 Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 3:36am
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I have the Cricut cake. I bought it when it first came out, and then purchased SCAL software to go with it. I can create my own designs to cut with the combo I have.

UNFORTUNATELY the software is no longer available for use with the Cricut Cake. You will not be able to purchase any software that will work with the Cricut.

If I were buying today, I would not purchase the Cricut. I would not want to be limited to cartridges. Those cartridges are wonderful, but are quite expensive.

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tiggy2 Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 3:58pm
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I have both machines and the silhouette is my favorite. Unless you want to spend a fortune on cartridges go with the silhouette. Just be sure to get it from LInda McClure so you get the blade and house she developed for food products. The blades that come with the silhouette WILL NOT cut gumpaste/fondant/frosting sheets properly.

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gidgetdoescakes Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 5:06pm
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I have cricut and use software to manipulate any image on the internet I can find and I have not bought a cartridge yet....

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tiggy2 Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 5:44pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gidgetdoescakes

I have and use software to manipulate any image on the internet I can find and I have not bought a cartridge yet....


Unless you owned the cricut and the software prior to Provocraft suing the software companies the software will no longer work. If you update your software or cricut it will no longer work either.

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LisaPeps Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 8:11pm
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Definitely go with the Silhouette. You are limited with what you can cut with the Cricut, and you'll spend a fortune buying the different cartridges. The silhouette seems more expensive at the moment but in the long run it'll be worth it.

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KateLS Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 8:16pm
post #10 of 28

The cricut may be cheaper right now, but you will have to purchase cartridges to get different pictures. So you're looking at $18-$90 per cartridge. In the short term, cricut is cheaper. In the long run, the Silhouette is cheaper and gives you WAY more freedom!

Realize this is why they keep selling the cricuts for so cheap. People stopped buying them as much once they sued the software companies and made it so you can only use their cartridges. It's their way to snag people and then they make their real money on the cartridges.

Totally go for the Silhouette! Even though I like my cricut cake mini, I just can't get myself to buy such expensive cartriges for that one image I need. Someday, I will get a Silhouette.

Good luck with your decision!

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icingimages Posted 6 Dec 2011 , 11:55pm
post #11 of 28

I would recommend the Silhouette. I have had the priviledge of watching Mike Terry and Linda McClure demo our Premiium cutting sheets together at the All Things Baking Show. It was amazing how easily it was for them to cut intricate designs. They were printing using my edible printer, and my desigining printing program and then they used the silhouette to cut beautiful patterns. Take a look at the most recent cake Linda Made on her blog. It is the type of cake that she would never have been able to complete by hand due to the intricate detail. The electronic cutters are really amazing and save soooo much time. The downfall of the cricut post lawsuit is the inability to use it with your computer. That is the main difference.

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QTCakes1 Posted 7 Dec 2011 , 12:29am
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I have yet to buy one, but this is great information to help me decide with excellent points. Thanks for sharing. A $50 Cricut may not be the best deal. Those cartridges are so expensive!

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carolinagirlcakes Posted 7 Dec 2011 , 12:53am
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I found this from the Cricut website... http://www.cricut.com/craftroom/default.html

It seems like it might be something you can use to create images, hook your computer up and cut!

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KateLS Posted 7 Dec 2011 , 1:07am
post #14 of 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinagirlcakes

I found this from the website... http://www..com/craftroom/default.html

It seems like it might be something you can use to create images, hook your computer up and cut!




It is actually very deceiving. With their software, you can combine images from cartridges and adjust them to your hearts content, but you can't cut them unless you actually OWN the cartridge for that particular image. There's no way around it for the cricut now, unless you OWN the cartridge. (Be it a digital image or physical cartridge.) Either way, you have to purchase the image.

Oh, and you can't make your own images. Say a business logo, for example..... No go with that. With cricut, you have to use one of their images.

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Chef_Stef Posted 7 Dec 2011 , 9:23pm
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Cricut shows 'digital cartridges' available to buy. Does this mean you can buy the a digital 'cartridge' online and somehow can cut them from your computer--without a physical cartridge?? I need snowflakes NOW, TODAY and if this would work, I'll do it; otherwise I'm going to be making a lot of calls around town for cutters...

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designdiva22 Posted 8 Dec 2011 , 8:47pm
post #16 of 28

wow.. this is all great info! Thanks so much everyone for your tips and advice. I'm gonna buy the Silhouette as soon as I can!! Thanks!!!

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bonniekaye Posted 9 Dec 2011 , 4:09am
post #17 of 28

The Silhouette is the machine to go with and you will not be sorry you bought it. It may be a bit expensive up-front, but you will save so much by not having to buy cartridges. You will have great support and customer service from the person who sells it. If you decorate professionally or just for fun you will love using the Silhouette.

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gidgetdoescakes Posted 9 Dec 2011 , 5:12am
post #18 of 28

then I guess I wont update anything, cause it works great now

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icingimages Posted 10 Dec 2011 , 11:37pm
post #19 of 28

Another consideration is the blade. People do not take this in to account. THe blade on ALL machines are ment for cutting paper, not sugar. Over time, sugar will dull the blade and the blades quality will deteriorate causing it not to cut as well. WIth the SIlhouette, Linda McClure has a food safe industrial strength blade. It is far superior to all blades on the market because it doesnt go dull. It was specially made for electronic cutting with edible products. So, just like a knife will go dull, so will the blades on the electronic cutters. This just one more thing to take in to consideration.

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Vista Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 2:09am
post #20 of 28

I also have a cricut cake and SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot). I only recently purchased the cricut, but would NEVER have done it without SCAL. The cartridges are WAY too expensive, plus I do not like being limited by Provocraft's imagination!

That being said, there are still ways to get SCAL that is compatible. Just not retail. So if you can find the program SCAL 1 or 2 at a reasonable price, it might be worth buying the cricut.

(just checked ebay, SCAL2 is selling for $300+!! Crazy!!)

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sberryp Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 5:01am
post #21 of 28

I got a gyspy and saw all of the images on it and was wondering would I be able to cut them since they allow mw to design with them. If I am able to use them I will let you know. Then I would just say buy a gyspy for your circut because all of the images are loaded on there.Walmart also sells cartidges very cheap. You do not need all of them to do great designs.

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sberryp Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 5:03am
post #22 of 28

I got a gyspy and saw all of the images on it and was wondering would I be able to cut them since they allow mw to design with them. If I am able to use them I will let you know. Then I would just say buy a gyspy for your circut because all of the images are loaded on there.Walmart also sells cartidges very cheap. You do not need all of them to do great designs.

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designdiva22 Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 9:23am
post #23 of 28

Thanks for the info on the blades! Looks like Silhouette is the way to go!

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Foxicakes Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 11:54am
post #24 of 28

I took the above advice and looked up Linda Mcclure on Google. And before I read her blog entry "The Real Story" about how ProvoCraft (Cricut makers) not only took her idea without permission OR compensation, I was considering the Cricut product. But, now I wouldn't take one if they GAVE it to me!! Luckily for Linda HER method works with all of these types of cutters AND she is finally copyrighting her method to keep THEFT from occurring blatant to her again. This woman put many hours into developing her method and chose to share it with the rest of us by presenting the idea to Cricut- only to have it, literally, stolen from her!! Cricut should be ashamed of themselves!!
But, all is well, because Linda reports that she has developed additional methods for using these machines for cake decorating and Cricut will be missing out BIG TIME one these new methods!!! All because they chose to do business in such a sneaky way when she presented them with the first idea. So, I guess the joke's on them.
Linda, you GO GIRL!! And, I will definitely be spending the little bit of extra money (not buying the $49.95 Cricut Cake) and I will choose one of the other machines that chose to treat you right and with the respect you deserve....
Further, for the decorator who was "so disappointed" in the way in which Linda released her statement (on her own private website and NO WHERE ELSE ie. CC...) She had every right to defend herself and to set the record straight. To get her side of the story "out there" as they say. And. the mere fact that you felt as though it should have remained a "private matter" between Linda and ProvoCraft, should have in and of itself prompted YOU to keep your OWN statements to YOURSELF!! So, in all actuality you are no better.

Sorry to have gotten on a rant, but reading her story just really fired me up...If I've offended anyone, it was not my intention. :

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Foxicakes Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 11:56am
post #25 of 28

Duplicate post

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tiggy2 Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 2:06pm
post #26 of 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foxicakes

I took the above advice and looked up Linda Mcclure on Google. And before I read her blog entry "The Real Story" about how ProvoCraft ( makers) not only took her idea without permission OR compensation, I was considering the product. But, now I wouldn't take one if they GAVE it to me!! Luckily for Linda HER method works with all of these types of cutters AND she is finally copyrighting her method to keep THEFT from occurring blatant to her again. This woman put many hours into developing her method and chose to share it with the rest of us by presenting the idea to - only to have it, literally, stolen from her!! should be ashamed of themselves!!
But, all is well, because Linda reports that she has developed additional methods for using these machines for cake decorating and will be missing out BIG TIME one these new methods!!! All because they chose to do business in such a sneaky way when she presented them with the first idea. So, I guess the joke's on them.
Linda, you GO GIRL!! And, I will definitely be spending the little bit of extra money (not buying the $49.95 Cake) and I will choose one of the other machines that chose to treat you right and with the respect you deserve....
Further, for the decorator who was "so disappointed" in the way in which Linda released her statement (on her own private website and NO WHERE ELSE ie. CC...) She had every right to defend herself and to set the record straight. To get her side of the story "out there" as they say. And. the mere fact that you felt as though it should have remained a "private matter" between Linda and ProvoCraft, should have in and of itself prompted YOU to keep your OWN statements to YOURSELF!! So, in all actuality you are no better.

Sorry to have gotten on a rant, but reading her story just really fired me up...If I've offended anyone, it was not my intention. :


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Marla84 Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 3:25pm
post #27 of 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by sberryp

I got a gyspy and saw all of the images on it and was wondering would I be able to cut them since they allow mw to design with them. If I am able to use them I will let you know. Then I would just say buy a gyspy for your circut because all of the images are loaded on there.Walmart also sells cartidges very cheap. You do not need all of them to do great designs.




You still need to own the cartridge to cut (with the exception of the 2 preloaded ones) With the Gypsy, you "link" the cartridges that you own, so you do not need to actually put them into the Cricut to cut, but you do have to own them. Cartridges can only be linked to one Gypsy, and once they are linked, they can not be unlinked.

I agree with sberryp that you can do great designs with just a few cartridges though. I only own about 12 cartridges (bought most for scrapbooking) and really don't feel the need to purchase more. I am lucky that I was able to get MTC software as well, but it in most cases I just use the cartridges since it's so much easier and I don't have to hook up to the computer. There is quite a large selection of images on each cartridge, and I like not having to hunt around the internet for an image and then spend time separating it into layers to cut. Cartridges are not that expensive if you shop around - on average, mine were around $12-15 each.

I don't love Provo Craft (Cricut company) but I do really like my Cricuts.

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designdiva22 Posted 11 Dec 2011 , 7:04pm
post #28 of 28

I didn't read Linda's blog in detail but thanks for sharing that Foxicakes! That is so sad that Provocraft stole her idea like that.

Not many people must be aware of Linda's story so Provocraft sadly would continue to benefit from Cricut sales.

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