Which Craft Cutter? Cricut Expression 2 vs Silhouette Cameo

I currently own a Cricut Expression, 6 years, but I was one of the lucky one that I was able to purchase SCAL (2010) and was then able to purchase an upgrade to SCAL 2.o before it was taken off the market by Provocraft. Even though I like me Cricut with SCAL, it has it's limitations. I will keep my Cricut, but have put a bug in my husbands ear to buy me a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas.

Having bought both and got rid of one (I'll let guess which), with the Circuit you are buying into a license to spend more and more money in purchasing cartridges which if you buy 8 you have paid as much as you paid for the original machine, further more if you "link" a cartridge to the machine, it pretty well limits your ability to share it or trade it on . Originally their software allowed you to upload your own design but that has gone. With the Silhouette you can buy designs at a very reasonable price, but it accepts files from many different design software packages, many of which are very reasonably priced. Its own bundled software is able to produce designs but is maybe a little primative.

I've just been waiting for the price to com down on both machines but from what I've read most people are happier with the Cameo, so that's the way I'm going.

I've had my Cricut Expressions for two years and rarely used it because the cartridges were expensive and for each new event you have to buy a new cartridge even if you just need one design or a different type of font. After buying 5 cartridges at $49 to $69 a pop, I had enough and sold it on eBay. I lost a lot of money but in the long run it will be worth it. I bought the Silhouette Cameo and now just waiting for it to come in the mail.

Everything I have read about the Silhouette has been great. The fine cutting details and the ability to select patterns on-line instead of buying pricey cartridges. I just wish the Silhouette would cut chipboard, but maybe they will incorporate that feature on a new machine design.

I like the idea of being able to draw my own design or copy another design from somewhere on the internet. I have a Circut Expression 2 and I haven't even used them but to me the Circuit way is too expensive.

I have the Cricut and have invested a bunch into lots of cartridges but I really want to just sell it and get the Cameo. Even though I would lose plenty of money on it I still think it would be totally worth it. That's saying quite a bit for the Cricut.

thanks for your help! I wasn't sure which machine to choose but now I do!

I'm pondering on which machine to purchase and this has been really helpful. I will definitely be purchasing the silhouette instead of the Cricut simply because of the versatility. I want a machine where I can use the program and custom design some shapes. I heard cricut sued "sure cuts a lot" and honestly think it was a bad move by Cricut. The concept of having to buy a physical cartridge when you only need one of the shapes is simply so primitive to me. It's like having to always purchase the whole CD when you can download the 1 mp3 song that you want in a matter of seconds.

Cameo!
You don't have to use cartridges for fonts. You have the freedom to design and with design studio software you can find free svg files all over the web. If you get a subscription to their shapes, they run specials and are much cheaper in the long run. also has print and cut features. and word welds...too numerous to mention all the advantages!