Craftwell’s eCraft Cutter, our TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award winner, is removing boundaries left and right that crafters may have thought were permanent. With this digital die cutting unit there is no limit to the length of materials you cut – no cutting mats and no cords connected to a computer. You will get a lot of freedom if you choose this die cutting product. However, this machine is very focused on cutting and does not venture much into the world of engraving or embossing, which may be a drawback for some.
The eCraft digital die cutting system is unique and innovative in so many ways, but the most noticeable is the ability to cut without a mat. That makes it more like a printer than most, in all of the best ways. You can set and forget this die cutting machine more than any other cutter we looked at. Instruct it to cut a hundred of a specified pattern and walk away. You will come back to a nice stack of finished cuts. There is even a roller bar, so if you want to cut a large quantity of patterns from a roll of vinyl, for instance, that is no problem.
The lack of a cutting mat also means the elimination of replacement mats. Cutting mats will always have to be replaced when they get old. Replacing them gets old fast. Buying the eCraft digital die cutting machine means never having to replace a cutting mat again.
We like the fact that there are a number of ways you can access designs for the eCraft Cutter digital die cutting system. This innovation means you can use the die cutting machine with or without your computer. If you are more technology savvy you can create your own unique designs using eCraft’s included software, eCraftshop Pro. If you generally avoid technology you can use the SD cards and your machine independent of a computer. Craftwell offers a wide selection of SD cards filled with designs.
Adjustable pressure means you can kiss cut, cutting only the top layer of a material. That means this die cutting machine can cut the sticky layer only of sticker paper, for instance.
This digital die cutting unit is quite light compared to others in our lineup, especially considering all of the things it cuts. To weigh less than 11 pounds and be able to cut the things it can is really impressive. A carry handle and the fact that it can run without connection to a computer also add to this machine’s portability.
An interesting added feature for this die cutting machine is the creation of a Craftwell iPhone app. This means you can keep a folder of all of your cutting designs on your phone and you can access catalogs of images for sale. You can even manipulate images using just the app. The app basically is a scaled-down version of Craftwell’s software. You can send an image from your phone to your cutter for cutting. You can also sell your own designs through eCraft’s site and monitor all of that with the app.
With its bright colors this die cutting unit may look more like a toy than a machine. But make no mistake, it can handle some pretty serious materials. eCraft Cutter will take on cardstock, chipboard, sheet magnet, foam, balsa wood, rubber, vinyl, and even thin metal and leather. As with any of these machines it will cut some better than others, but there is quite a bit of muscle under the hood of each Craftwell unit.
This die cutting machine is not designed to do much beyond cutting, and that will be a problem for some users. The eCraft Cutter is not designed to engrave or emboss, for instance. However, this die cutting system comes in at a lower price point than some of the machines with those capabilities, so that may be a good trade off for some users. If you really just want your cutter for cutting, this is a great option.
This is the first product in our lineup that has the kind of help and support it really deserves. The Craftwell site is professional looking and well organized. The customer service is easy to access through FAQs, the Tips & Tricks page and speedy pick-up on the phone lines. Tutorials are easy to find and forums are easy to navigate. The only drawback is this die cutting machine does not quite have the following some of our other top products have, so there was a little less in the realm of ideas and inspiration for eCraft Cutter than we found for our top die cutting products.
The eCraft Cutter is a little daintier overall than our top two picks in this category, but we think you’ll love its many innovations. This machine can cut mat-free, which has been unheard of in the past. It also has some wonderful portability features, like the flexibility to work with or without your computer. Extras like an iPhone app and good customer service are also helpful. This digital die cutting system does not venture far beyond cutting, which may be a drawback if you love to emboss and engrave many of your projects, but no device on our lineup cuts mat-free like this one.
