Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've had the Cricut for a few years now. I had similar complaints that many others have - limited to the images on the cartridges; the cartridges have more images than I need; waste too much paper because it's difficult to position the needle; can't see clearly what you're cutting and how big the design will be when cut.... All that aside, the machine was meeting my needs until I needed to cut my own design for a project. A friend told me I could purchase a program that would allow me to use my own images, so I went researching. I was actually prepared to buy a new Cricut (because it was bigger and better) until I realized that Cricut sued the program that allows you to use your own images. That sent me searching for a new solution. After conducting research, I came across the Silhouette. And, all I can say - the Cricut pales in comparison! Out of the box, I was able to use my own images. And, every frustration I had with the Cricut was addressed by the Silhouette. This machine works beautifully! I've cut paper. I've cut fabric. I have seen complaints regarding the life of the blades and the cutting mats. I haven't had issues with either one. The possibilities are endless with this machine. I'm nothing short of impressed and would recommend it over the Cricut any day. Silhouette has a better business model, and they've got a better machine.