Testing These Cheaper Options Against the Tonic Paper Trimmers!

[@ntaylor1075]

Thank you, Mary, for doing this. It's so hard to know what to buy when there are so many brands/types out there. Grateful for the time and effort you put into all your videos!

[@marypolancodesigns]

You are so welcome! Thank you for this

[@wilmadiaz5517]

I have a CutterPillar rotary cutter, and I love it, I’ve felt no need to purchase another one. The cuts are perfect every time. Thanks for sharing your reviews!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Awesome thanks so much for sharing!

[@aimeegill]

For the rotary. The markings are pre-set measurements. If you put your paper or photograph to match up with the corner you will get the measurement that is listed. A2, 4x6, A5 etc.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Okay I'll give that another go, thanks so much!

[@47angel47]

Thanks for the comparisons! I started with Carl rotary trimmers 20+ years ago and have been using them ever since. I love them but my favourite now is the fiskars 12" proCision rotary trimmer. It has a self sharpening blade which is brilliant!

[@marypolancodesigns]

That is brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@jeanettereynolds3151]

I'm newbe where did you buy yours from please uk 🇬🇧

[@47angel47]

@jeanettereynolds3151 I got my first one from Spotlight in Australia. I just went looking for another so I could have one at work, too, and could only get it from Amazon, at double the price I paid a year ago. I think maybe Fiskars have deleted the item or are out of stock maybe? Crazy as it really is the best cutter I've ever used.

[@lesleydickson7746]

I have a Dahle rotary trimmer. With a rotary trimmer you either trap the paper against the top edge and cut upwards or trap the paper against the bottom edge and cut downwards. Stops the blade dragging the paper. I like the rotary trimmer because it can shave a whisker off the edge of a folded 300 gsm card base if I’ve folded it slightly wonky. I also have a Tonic guillotine like your orange one and a Fiskars trimmer with the wire. Love them all for different things. 😊

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great tip thanks so much

[@pink25poppies1]

I got a dahle rotary trimmer as well, a solid steel 12" one so no fussing with crooked extender arms. I love it!

[@c.r.mcleod8959]

I love my Tonic rotary trimmer & it's my go to, even for cutting papers. I know that a lot of people complain about not getting a clean & sharp cut with it & a couple of "Gray" areas with the 6.25" & 6.5" marks, which I do get, What I did was cut a strip of cardstock to those measurements & marked them at the top of my trimmer, I get perfect cuts in those sizes. The other thing people complain about it is they say it's too hard to get a clean cut around like say a Square picture, I just line up the edge of the square with the metal edge of the trimmer & perfect cuts. Always remember when cutting to gently hold the blade to the left, the trimmer is designed to be like that. I love the sound it makes when cutting through chipboard.😂

[@marypolancodesigns]

This is such a great share thank you!

[@angelag6156]

Hi Mary, Thank you for the comparison. I'm a new crafter, and I started about six months ago. I made many mistakes with the trimmers. My first paper trimmer was a Firbon, which cost me about $10. It was a big mistake because although I had a few clean cuts, the blades dulled in less than a month. After that, I bought the Tonic Studio Advantage 12". It was so much better, but the blade didn't last after practicing my cuts. However, it is still a good trimmer. Then, I saw a lady using the We R Memory Keepers Trim and Score Board, which includes a 12x12 inch board and one scoring tool. I like it because it is foldable, and the best part is that it has fractions painted on it. So, I can figure out where 3 and 1/8 are. It produces good, clean cuts, but the blade only lasts if it is used a little. Next, I wanted a guillotine and bought the Swingline you showed in your video. The cuts are perfect. Finally, I purchased the Tim Holtz six-inch mini guillotine, ideal for cutting small papers. Lastly, I bought the newest Tim Holtz Tonic Studio Precision Advantage. It has been a trial and error, but I like the Tim Holtz and the Swing line. Although I feel tempted to buy the Sizzix, I don't need it and don't have room for it.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Wow, you've been on a journey. lol Thanks for sharing all this.

[@debbieharper4771]

Great review of many trimmers / cutters! I have used MANY paper cutters and by far my favorite is the Stampin' Up paper trimmer. It's reasonably priced and has a scoring blade and you don't have to remove either to use them. Just wanted to add that one to the list...

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great add! I used to have one too and loved it.

[@jeanettereynolds3151]

I love sound of this one I'm newbe so where did you buy yours from please.trouble is I'm uk 🇬🇧

[@missytodosciuk5911]

Love the reviews! Thanks for sharing! ❤️ On paper trimmers I was always taught to sink the blade in middle of paper and go up and then down. This works well for me. Just wanted to share in case it works for anyone else.🙂

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great tip! Thank you so much!

[@michelegourd5742]

Mary, I really appreciate you taking the time and giving a honest reviews!! It is so awesome that you do this!! It is so very helpful!! Thanks so much!!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you saying this

[@pattiepan]

Mary your review is so complete with the way you covered things. My brain was starting to buzz out from so much information. I mean you really went into a lot of detail and did things I never even thought about. An excellent tutorial and I have Tonics. I like them but I could never be as through as you were with so many. I just like it. I can figure it out and it works so I'm happy. See how simple I am Mary. You did a super job. Love it. I'm old so I can only do so much. ha ha ha.........pat

[@marypolancodesigns]

😊 Thank you so much for the feedback I really appreciate it. It was very kind of you to share.

[@creatingeyecandy]

Mary I have had a lot of these trimmer over the years--and have all the tonic other then the large guillotine. My favorite trimmer hands down is a Fiskars rotary that I've had for about 25 years. I have two studios (one for general and another room with my sublimation/cricut stuff.) and I've been searching for that second trimmer that I could love as much and yet I still find myself going to get my original rotary regardless of which craft i am doing. I love the tonic trimmers....but just love my outdated fiskars rotary more. (they still sell blades--and I changed it for the first time a few months ago even though that trimmer has been my dedicated paper trimmer for cards and scrapbooking for nearly 3 decades.

[@drewcrew711]

I too have had many cutters but 95% of the time I reach for my 13” fiskars rotary (the one that folds in half to 6”) for over 10 yrs and never replaced the blade… I’ve been through the onslaught of various cutters and own several guillotines in 3 sizes (2 fiskars & 1 Stampin up)… though I did buy the Tim holtz /Tonic rotary when it came out for its reviews and being lightweight actually disappointed me and less superior than my fiskars mainly since the cutting guide track sitters right over the cutting line making it difficult to view for intricate cuts unlike the fiskars whose track is offset to view your cuts

[@angelalittlewood3039]

I love my Fiskars slide trimmer. Fiskars stand by their products. They replaced mine because the wire used to guide where to cut snapped and they don't sell replacements. I would have been happy to buy the same trimmer again, but they said that their trimmers have a lifetime guarantee and they replaced it even though it was 15 years old.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Well now I really want this trimmer. So many of you recommended it! Awesome!!

[@cz5148]

@@angelalittlewood3039 Totally agree. I have the 13 inch and the slide trimmer. I had an issue with the slide trimmer after about 6 years and they replaced it. I have tried other trimmers (thinking I could save some space or small enough to travel) but ended up giving them to an art department at a local school. Thank you Mary for the reviews. Christine

[@cindym9851]

I love this review!! Oh how I wish you had done it years ago when I was starting out in paper crafting ……before I invested in a whole variety of trimmers. As the years have passed, I evolved from the bladed trimmers (hate replacing blades) to guillotine and have stuck with them in both large and medium sizes.

[@irishk.1041]

Coffee - up early and there you are with all those trimmers. As usual got a lot of smiles and YES you HAVE grace from me - always. Well, I am STILL sticking with my Cutterpillar Pro. Yes - expensive (hubby spoils me) BUT and this is huge. Have had it for many years now. Cuts heavy paper & cardboard easily / has light along cutting edge for pictures etc. / online complaints about its lines & numbers not marked well (doesn't bother me) / self sharpening blade is priceless! Unit is large (can get the "crop" unit that is smaller) size doesn't bother because of having a full studio space. You do have to hold paper securely with your hand. But I would NOT trade this for any other cutter. Have an antique guillotine in studio that is HEAVY and works great-still like the Cutterpillar better :)

[@marypolancodesigns]

This is a great testimony thank you!

[@sueenberg4893]

Many years ago I bought a "Purple Cow" brand cutter. It's big like the Swingline but has guillotine on one side and a rotary with both straight and wavy rotary blades on opposite side and it can be separated. I don't know if they're even still made but it never gets dull and is a real workhorse. I have small Fiskars guillotine for small trimming( card size or less). The Fiskars work well for me. Love your videos, both crafting and reviews. ❤

[@erinwood4968]

I have a Purple Cow too! Love it 😊

[@marypolancodesigns]

Interesting thanks so much for sharing this with me!

[@jenniferlarsonjaylaplans]

I got the Tim Holtz rotary trimmer and at first I hated it. It did take a tiny learning curve to use on card stock. Now I love it, I use a lot of mixed media and chipboard and it cuts through with no issues!

[@marypolancodesigns]

I agree, there is a learning curve, almost like a certain amount of pressure or something.

[@lauriedamon1251]

I have a Fiskars rotary cutter and love it. I find the ones with the slider/replaceable blades get dull so quickly and don’t cut well.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I habe found thar too that's why I only use them for certain things.

[@michellerickard1290]

I really and truly appreciate you doing all the comparisons for us. It is such a big help! I'm a guillotine girl. They just cut so smoothly and straight. I have the tonic 8 inch across small and a very large one that can do several cuts w/ blades and with a guillotine (By Purple Cow). I use the tonic smaller one all the time, but for 12x12 paper I stand up and go across the room to my large one.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I too, love my guillotine. They seemed to be a hit or miss among us. lol I just love the ease with which i can cut so many panels.

[@gavincollins8053]

I have a rotary trimmer that is just attached to a ruler (and it is just that, it's basically a ruler with a rotary cutter attached). It takes up hardly any room, about the same as a ruler with a bump on it. It is light, easy to read the markings, easy to use. It is spring loaded, so the cutting blase only comes out when you press down on it, so it is very safe. I have had it for nearly 20 years, I use it at least 3 to 4 days in a week, so it gets a lot of use. I have never had to replace the blade and is cuts just as well as when I first got it. I use it on a self healing cutting mat. It is the best thing ever, I absolutely love it, and I hope I never have to find another one, because I don't know if they still make them like that.

[@marypolancodesigns]

That sounds like a very streamlined tool; thanks for sharing!

[@suzannebisson9338]

Hi Mary, With the sliding cutter I always start the cut in the middle of the item to be cut and go up then down, I always get a clean cut no matter the weight of the cardstock. Two sheets at a time can be cut this way. Not my idea, saw this on KZbin a long time ago. Thanks for you helpful videos.😊

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great tip! Thank you so much for sharing that!

[@LynnMLeBel]

Thanks for the comparisons Mary! You always do such a great job in your reviews. They are so informative.!!

[@marypolancodesigns]

You are so welcome! THank you so much for this

[@kkat54]

I used the same 2 fiskers trimmer for years and will continue. I also have the small tim holtz guillotine trimmer. I used to have a Carl but I used it more for trimming photos. I don't scrapbook anymore so I let it go. However I always like looking at reviews of other trimmers.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for adding this to the conversation!

[@scubajenn5]

Thanks Mary!! Love these videos & thank you for doing them!! My FAVORITE trimmer is the Tonic 12x12 guillotine trimmer!!! It has a large foot print but, the TH 12" guillotine trimmer doesn't have the large platform like this one but, I still use that one for cutting smaller paper when I die cut stuff. I have the 8.5" guillotine in the straight and the deckle & love them both!! My favorite slide trimmer (& yes I agree you need a variety of trimmers in your craft room) is the Cricut slide trimmer. Cuts smooth & like buttah!! I have 12" rotary that I rarely used & a large 15" rotary that I use for large stuff & cardboard. Ps...i was gifted the large rotary trimmer. & years ago, hubby bought me an "old school" guillotine trimmer (like the teachers used to use) & I also use that for heavyweight stuff as well. LOVE my tools!! I'd like to have that Sizzix all-in-one but...I can't really justify it at this time... ❤😊

[@marypolancodesigns]

Yay! Love these shares!!!!

[@tmedley3]

Hey Mary I can't believe I missed this great video when it was released, but honestly I don't have the time to read ALL the comments so if someone has already said this just ignore this message. I'm not sure if you've figured it out yet, but I have the Work Lion and it does extend out to 12'. To extend the arm look were it shows the numbers at the bottom (45, 60, 75,90) that swings out. Mine is still tight after 3 years of regular use, just give a gentle pull.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Awesome thank you so much for sharing this with all of us!

[@kathynielsen518]

Great video Mary. I love Tonic products but my full size guillotine cutter is an xActo with a wood base, solid four corner large "feet" that make it stable on my cutting table, lots of measurements for 12" stock or standard 8.5 x 11 stock, diagonal metrics too and all are in inches AND centimeters. The comfort cutter arm locks down for safety when not in use. My husband bought this for me quite a few years ago because he searched and compared but did not know about Tonic then. Since, I have added the Tonic guillotine small trimmer and the deckle edge trimmer.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing this 😊

[@Peggy2316]

I have several trimmers, my favorite is the Tim Holtz Rotary Trimmer Paper Cutter. Thanks Mary for demonstrating different trimmers!! ❤

[@laraszoo]

Glad to hear that! I just ordered that trimmer and it should be here tomorrow!

[@Peggy2316]

@@laraszoo hope you love it, It’s an awesome trimmer!!

[@jesseb5112]

​@laraszoo I LOVE mine!

[@marypolancodesigns]

You are so welcome!

[@LuvsSno]

And it's on sale for $60 right now on Amazon

[@carolebass4582]

I had a Carl Rotary trimmer several years ago and loved it. At the time, I used it to cut photos for scrapbooking. By the way, that's what the marks and measurements on the platform are for. Unfortunately, I lost it when my house was destroyed in a wildfire. Thanks for the interesting video.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for sharing this about your trimmer. I'm so very sorry to hear about your home. We lost our home to a fire as well when I was 11 so I know this particular heartache. All my love.

[@carolebass4582]

@@marypolancodesigns Thank you. That must have been horrible at such a young age.

[@carriesmola6222]

I have a cutter Pillar and love love love it. It has a self sharpening blade so you never have to replace them.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Amazing, thanks for sharing

[@melodywelsh2315]

Thanks for sharing, very helpful. I don't use a guillotine cutter due to not knowing how or where to sharpen or replace the blade. I also find them more challenging to get precise measurements. I like the slider and have fiskars brand which I was surprised you didn't included because they are available everywhere. I like a slider because you can get a precise cut but, it doesn't always cut card stock cleanly. My go to is the Carls rotary cutter, it cuts clean but I only cut 1 sheet at a time. I do wish it had a ruler across the middle because I find at times I dont always get my paper lined up appropriately. I know the 12 in wide cutters take up more table space but I much prefer them to the little arms. I find the arms hard to read and it seems the size I want lines up in the worst possible place. I did like the rotary tonic you showed but since it has a fold out arm I'll stick with my Carls.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I should have included the Fiskars because I had one for a while but the rotary was really expensive and I wanted to see if there was a cheaper one. 😆

[@angelaharnett6437]

My first purchase was a caterpillar crop that was 7 years ago and it still cut beautifully. It extends out but doesn’t take up loads of room . Also there is no replacement blades . Yes I have a 81/2 “ Tim Holtz guillotine and love that too . Than’ you for you time doing this comparison video . Mary

[@anntaft7808]

I also love my Catapiller trimmer. I feel it more accurate than most trimmers. It is quite pricy. Do not need to replace blades

[@marypolancodesigns]

I'll have to check this one out for sure!

[@peggydollar3089]

You should have replacement blades for life with just a shipping fee. I have replaced mine several times. Easy to replace, also the metal bar which can become pitted. Just call the company.

[@shan-fh4uq]

I have an older (really old) swingline guillotine cutter, and I don’t recommend the older ones. It was fine for just cutting paper, but when I started making cards, I noticed they never lined up right. So there was something off about the lip alignment edge. Like you, my fav, most often used, is the Tim Holtz 8” guillotine cutter.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing this! I appreciate you taking the time for us.

[@JH-wd7ul]

I bought a 12" Quartet guillotine trimmer from an office supply store 15-20 years ago. The blade is self-sharpening, which is fantastic! It has a locking mechanism and cleanly/accurately cuts cardboard, cardstock, acetate, vellum, etc. It still performs as when it was new, so I haven't tried any other guillotines. (Very similar to your Swingline, but with a wood base.) It's my favorite and has its own dedicated space next to my craft table. I also have a Cricut 13" slide trimmer for when I need to make inside cuts and small quick cuts. It was on sale for $10 several years ago and I bought 6 extra blades and 1 extra score blade at the same time. I don't use it as often as the guillotine and only for lightweight paper, so haven't had to replace the blade yet. (Very similar to your Weenklier trimmer.) It performs very well for the tasks I use it for, so no complaints. The rotary trimmers interest me, but I really don't "need" it, so have resisted the temptation (so far). I appreciate that you give honest and fair reviews on your channel. Thank you very much! 👍👍👍

[@marypolancodesigns]

My pleasure thank you so much for sharing all these details; super helpful

[@brteyes8423]

I use two Carl trimmers 12” and 17” for all of my card/paper stock cutting. I’ve used them for more than five years and have never had to purchase any replacement blades. I highly recommend Carl Rotary Trimmers. Thank you for your diligence in comparing the different types and brands. 😉

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing this! It's so helpful!

[@elizabethharris8692]

I’ve had a fiskars rotary trimmer for years, never had to replace the blade, works wonderfully.

[@marypolancodesigns]

That's awesome thank you!

[@kathyp374]

Just an FYI, for the Tim Holtz sliding trimmer, you do not need to lift the bar to put paper under it. If you push it lightly you will see it’s on a spring so all you have to do is slide the paper under then press down to hold in place. I personally don’t have it because I bought the Rotary one and have a Fiskars wire guide sliding trimmer. Tim has great videos especially the lives showing how his tools work! I don’t know about the Carl, but the Tonic Rotary is a “gear” cutter and there’s a technique for cutting which may be different from the Carl and others.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I did notice there was a bit of finesse needed for the Tonic one but once you get it it works beautifully!

[@annecronin1267]

I believe the Tim Holtz rotary trimmer is self-sharpening. The noise you hear is the rotary blade scraping its edge against the metal piece it cuts against. The blade should be held firmly gripped and dragged with rotary blade tilting very slightly inward as its slides over what is being cut. I got it for chipboard and bulk cuts. If it balks at cutting something, or just won’t cut, never force it. Can really mess it up.

[@shelleyhenry4846]

Thanks Mary! I have been using the swingline trimmer and like it a lot. It is larger but it’s not heavy at all and it cuts beautifully.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing this!

[@LaCretiaOgle]

I'm on my third Carl rotary trimmer, worn out the first two. I love them, the blades are easy to change out.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great to know thank you so much!

[@melissazabower339]

I just bought a birabira slider trimmer with a scoring blade. I have arthritis and scoring with bone folder hurts my fingers. I got it on Amazon for $25, I think. I highly recommend. I am afraid of guillotine trimmers! Back in the day, as a kid who liked to help the secretaries in the school office, they instilled fear in me for the have duty guillotine cutter. Can't shake it. 😄

[@marypolancodesigns]

That sounds like a good one thanks

[@sueb1828]

Thanks for doing this review. I now use the 8.5 guillotine trimmer & the Spellbinder trimmer. I am finding the handle from the guillotine trimmer to wobble now. The Spellbinder trimmer has a scoring tool, extended arm, top & bottom lip, plastic paper holder, & replacement blades available. My cutting is limited to small cuts & not bulk cutting. I now take my ream of cardstock into my local store to be cut down for my A2 cards bases. Less stress from uneven cuts for little money.

[@marypolancodesigns]

That's a great idea; I've never had mine cut professionally!

[@annecronin1267]

I just invested in the Spellbinders trimmer. I need the contrast of the black ink lines on the white plastic background, the very nice arm that lines up exactly with the base when extended, the cutting blade and scoring blade, and the edges top and bottom raised with markings with additional markings in the mid-point of the base. Arm extend with markings to approx 13”. All sides have straight edges. I cut 12x12 a lot and like to gut the inside to save paper. Solid and great for my vision limitations.

[@robertahahn3869]

I use the Slimline and 8.5 Tim Holtz and now looking for a trimmer. Thanks for helping me make a decision.

[@marypolancodesigns]

You are most welcome; I'm so glad it could be helpful!

[@Kammitoes]

I've had or have all of these trimmers/guillotines, and a whole bunch more. I love guillotines, but they are, for the most part too big to keep on the desk, and too heavy to be moving about every time I want to trim some paper. It's why the Tim Holtz/Tonic 8.5" trimmer is so useful....but I wish it was rectangular instead of the rounded uneven shape that it is because it makes it a pain...and because it's dimensions are uneven, that also means the weight distribution is uneven. On the topic of Tim Holtz/Tonic trimmers. The new Rotary Trimmer works like a dream, but again is too large to leave on my craft table, but also too heavy to be moving it about a lot (AUD175). The new regular (formerly Super Trimmer) trimmer is lovely. It's lightweight, so convenient to store under my craft desk and bring out to trim often. My only "but" is that slide trimmers (that cut into a gutter rather than a mat) leave an 'edge' that needs to be flattened with a bone folder or similar to use for cards etc (AUD65)...another 'but' is that you can't keep the Cut and Score blades on the machine at the same time, unlike the Spellbinders which had a lot of good functions, but at the end of the day it's a gutter cutter and you really need to burnish your trimmed edges to flatten them before using the card stock. To cut a long story short my picks are 3. The Kaisercraft (Woodcraft in the UK) rotary trimmer. It only costs $AUD50 in Australia and you have the choice of Straight Cut, Perforated Cut and Score Blade. The Sizzix cuts beautifully as long as you're only cutting single sheets up to 300gsm, but it's also a scorer and envelope maker (AUD109). My third choice is the We R All In One. It does more than than the Sizzix and is therefore more of an all in one, and handy for card makers, scrapbookers, Journallers, and crafters (AUD129). So that's my take. Thank you as always Mary. Another thorough test vid. ♥

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing all of this with us!

[@lauraingersoll981]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this. I really struggle with trimmers. I’d love to find one that doesn’t all, but I don’t think such a thing exists. I like the sliding trimmer because it’s lighter and easier to cut thin strips but constant need to buy new blades drives me crazy. The guillotine has that wonderfully sharp blade that never needs replacement but it just won’t do some things. The rotary trimmer might be the best of both worlds. I feel like the blade would last longer but not sure. Also, I think that trimmers are machines, at least technically. So you’re good there. You call them whatever you want. :)

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for the grace...hahaha I appreciate you!

[@sharondrucker7163]

Loved the videos I’ve seen. So glad I found you. You are entertaining as well as the content. You’ve done so much research and it’s appreciated. 😊

[@marypolancodesigns]

What a great compliment thank you so much

[@susan710734]

Hi Mary. Thank you so much for going through all these trimmers and showing what they can do and what they can’t do. I know I have quite a few but the only one that I use right now is the Stampin Up trimmer that also has a scoring tool also. I’m really looking forward to your embossing folder class. My favorite embossing folders are from Altenew. I think they make the best ones. Thanks again. Susan from Michigan 😊🥰

[@marypolancodesigns]

I love the SU trimmer, so good. I had mine for a long time. So excited about class and that you'll be there. YAY !

[@julia_l-c]

KZbin just started recommending your videos to me...and just yesterday I was trying to look up trimmer reviews/comparisons....good timing! I picked up the Tonic 12" Guillotine from my (now closed) local art shop - overall really good, and handles thicker materials nicely. But I was debating picking up a slide trimmer, either the Tonic or the newer Fiskars with the updated titanium blades.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Welcome aboard! So glad you're here! I think you won't go wrong with either to be honest.

[@RedArrowTinker]

This was a great review. thanks for sharing; Thanks to all the commenters for the great information.

[@marypolancodesigns]

RIGHT? You all really pulled through!

[@peggydollar3089]

I bought several different kinds of cutters TRYING to get a straight cut and finally bought the Cutterpiller. The customer service is AMAZING. EASY to talk to a REAL person. You get free blades for life but you pay $5.99 shippimg. They also will replace the metal bar it cuts against for free and if it is shipped at the same time as a new cutting blade it is still only $5.99. Also anything you need to replace is very user friendly to do so. I also lost the battery cover for the light (which I love) and it was replaced for free as well. I have had mine for several years. I too keep other cutters for other purposes. Lately I have been getting a slightly off cut and I am not sure why. It has a 12x12 base which I love, so it needs a dedicated place to keep it for everyday use, in other words you can't keep it hidden away until you need it. But I also use it's surface as a work space (easy to clean) so it is not a problem for me. It is not perfect but it has been perfect for me.

[@marypolancodesigns]

This is awesome thanks so much for sharing all of this information

[@DanaK44]

Thank you Mary! I saw an old video of you explaining that you cut your card stock in bulk. I loved that idea. Now I know which one to get!

[@marypolancodesigns]

I do! I LOVE that method and will continue to keep up with it! Thanks!

[@paulage1art]

Regarding the slider trimmer by Tonic - Tim Holtz requested that he didn’t want to have to lift the slide attachment every time he wanted to make a cut so they added those little black bumpers at the top and bottom of the trimmer base. They hold the slider up just a bit so you can slide your paper in without having to raise the slider every time! Great feature!!!🩷🩷🩷

[@marypolancodesigns]

I really should have watched his video before doing mine but I like to go in with fresh eyes sometimes. Great feature indeed!

[@paulage1art]

@@marypolancodesignsI saw his paper slide paper trimmer with a 2 pack of extra trimmer blades, his craft pick and micro serrated titanium scissors on sale for $39.95 plus a $5 off coupon (was $72.95 for the collection.) Looking forward to getting it! Thanks for your review. I got a Mack Daddy of trimmers - a 15” Rototrim - about $237 maybe 10 years ago?) Primo!!! Unbelievably precise, razor sharp and outstanding. Should last a few lifetimes!!!

[@sharonpeterson2378]

I am looking at paper cutters and trimmers as I need some new ones. I wish you could have also included Friskers but do understand expense etc. This was very informative, and thank you for taking the time to do this. What I really like about Fiskers is that they have the right side measurements for trimming. I don't like the long extended handles on guillotine cutters. For the record, I did recently buy from Amazon and birabira brand guillotine trimmer that will accommodate an 8 inch piece of cardstock, and much prefer that size to the smaller paper trimmer, plus it has a place on the top so I can hang it from a hook on my craft cart. I love that feature. It only has measurements across the top, and not also along the side.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for adding this to the conversation; great info!

[@brendalawrence6732]

I have a love hate relationship with paper trimmers. There is no one paper trimmer that does everything that I want it to do. Thus I have a ton of paper trimmers. Sliding paper trimmers with the triangular blades, the blade needs replacing constantly, the blades are super expensive for no longer than they last and it gives a weird edge to the paper, which I don't like even if you do use a bone folder to try and "iron" it out-you can still see it. The swing out arms measurement at the fold out part don't flow to where you can see every 16th of an inch. But I love how your can use the right hand side measures, love that you can cut a box out of the middle of your paper or do slices in farther on your paper. Love rotary and guillotine trimmers because you can nice clean slices and most of the time the blades self sharpen, a huge plus and you can slice off the smallest sliver of paper. But no right side measurements though, can't cut the center of the paper, etc....I wish someone would come out with a perfect paper trimmer, unrealistic though, so I have many paper trimmers in my craft room for many different uses. Sigh, no prefect trimmer that does everything that I want it to do. LOL

[@marypolancodesigns]

As I was reading this, I was trying to use my non-engineer brain to imagine up a trimmer that has all the features; I got stuck so I started thinking about chocolate. haha

[@brendalawrence6732]

@@marypolancodesigns 🤣

[@marypolancodesigns]

@@brendalawrence6732 hehehe

[@loisault993]

I do have all the Tonic trimmers you showed as well as the Sizzix one you decided not to compare. I honestly feel you were correct in not using it as a comparison. It is really totally different. I personally like my Tonic ones. I do like others and like you, I have many of them. Always searching for the perfect one. Another thing that I also keep in mind when purchasing one is, is it for home of for taking to crops. Some can be very heavy and you would not want to carry them around. I have a Fiskars rotary trimmer that I have had for years and LOVE it. But it is for home and does not move off my table. Just another thing to add to your list when comparing. I will say that I also have a Stampin’ Up trimmer that has now been discontinued. It was my favorite for a long time. I loved that it had a place for storing extra blades underneath. It seemed to cut straight lines longer than most any other brand of cutter I had tried up to the time I purchased it. I loved it and then they discontinued it. I’ve purchased the new one they came out with afterwards, and don’t feel the same about it. So, there are my thoughts.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Yeah it's too different and has too many other features to be compared. Thanks!

[@brooksdogdays]

What is it that you don't like. I was seriously thinking about purchasing it. Would love your thoughts.

[@vickilavell9037]

I love the Tonic rotary trimmer. I seem to recall that when I watched the Tim Holtz introduction to the trimmer, they said that the blade is self-sharpening so although a replacement blade is available, under normal use, you shouldn’t have to buy one for a long time. One thing I would like would be the capability of having a fence that could be attached when needing to make multiple cuts using an eighths fraction. Since the lines on the base are at every quarter inch, trying to get multiple cuts to be the same when having to line up between the lines is challenging.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great idea! I did like the trimmer; I thought it was super smooth.

[@lindastubbington6105]

Useful comparison, thanks for doing it. If you can't see the ruler clearly, you can rub over with either white or black pencil or acrylic paint and wipe off excess (quickly if using the paint!) This then highlights the marks.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great idea thanks

[@evemercier3460]

I love my swingline guillotine and I just bought the Tonic slider trimmer but I didn’t get to use it much yet. I used to have a very old guillotine trimmer with no safety at all, but even rusted it worked great! Guillotines are unkillable! 😉 I’m looking forward to your embossing folder class, because I struggle a lot with those (already registered)

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great share thanks so much! Yes I agree, they are beasts and my Tonic is killin it.

[@JoanOrloffDK]

Great comparison video Mary 🥰 I use the mini and the 12 inch trimmer most of the time, I have the Tim Holtz rotary trimmer, but we are not good friends 😂 maybe someday ❤️ thanks for sharing your honesty Hugs xx

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing this Joan! Super helpful insight.

[@CraftwithLorie]

Thank you for this! I am deciding which trimmers I want for my craft room.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Glad it was helpful! YAY happy shopping

[@sueenberg4893]

The corner markings I believe are to make the different card base sizes. My purple cow has that too and I love it because I edge the paper on it and it cuts the card to size.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@alisonmartin6101]

I love your thorough reviews and cheerful voice. 😀Even though I live in Canada, I’ve managed to hunt down some of your suggestions. I have the 8.5 Tomic Studio & Swingline guillotines, in addition to the Fisker’s trimmer and a rotary trimmer that I can’t remember the name of. I like and use them all.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Oh thank you for that sweet compliment; I appreciate you!

[@marybrown2545]

Thank you for this information, I’ve been thinking of getting a guillotine cutter and this was so helpful. 🦋

[@marypolancodesigns]

I'm so glad it was helpful thanks so much for letting me know

[@angelalittlewood3039]

Thanks for doing this, Mary. I can't get the hang of the guillotine cutters. I have two rotary cutters. I have the Cutterpillar crop which I love. However, I had to run a Sharpie over the ruler to be able to see the measurements. It is also difficult to cut smaller strips as there are no measurements beyond the blade. The things I love about it are: 1. It is a self-sharpening blade so no need for replacements. 2. It has a light that shows up the cutting line if you need it. I purchased the Tim Holtz one recently because of the ability to cut smaller strips of card beyond the cutting blade. The cutter I use the most is my Fiskars slide trimmer. I had the original for over 15 years when the gold wire which is the cutting guide broke. I wrote to Fiskars asking where I could purchase a new wire. Apparently, you can't buy one, and despite the age of mine, Fiskars sent me a whole new trimmer as their trimmers are guaranteed for life. I cannot recommend this trimmer highly enough. It is easy to see where your cutting line is, and it has a 1 1/2 measurement beyond the blade. I am looking at the Tim Holtz one, simply because of the 2" measurement beyond the blade. When Tim did his video reviewing all his trimmers, he said not to buy the new slide trimmer for the scoring blade as it wasn't really designed to score card stock, it was more for thinner mediums like vellum.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I have to say one thing I loved about the rotary over the guillotine is the little pressure I had to put on my cardstock; just had to hold it in place but with the Guillotine I always feel like I have to hold it down so hard.

[@loraleighdoxin]

I have the Sizzix. Love it for all the other options you can use it for. I have the Cricut trimmer and hate it. If I bump it in any way, the blade pops off and because it's small and gray, I waste time looking for it since it flies half way across the room! I plan on getting another brand when the blade goes. I can probably get a whole cutter for what Cricut blades cost.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I didn't know Cricut made one; thank you for this

[@chrisrn44]

Thanks for all your videos. They are truly helpful. I have 2 Cutterpillar pros rotary trimmers.which I LOVE LOVE LOVE. They have self sharpening blades and will replace blades for free if there's an issue and they both have lights on the side which helps a lot. I also have a non brand guillotine cutter which I use seldom. Then I have the Tim Holtz mini trimmer.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Oooh I have heard great things about the Cutterpillar, thanks!

[@BobbiReed-c5u]

Hi, Mary! Very informative. I would like to comment that I currently own all three of the Tonic guillotine cutters and I absolutely Love 2 of them, lol! I received the mini trimmer as a Christmas gift and was so thrilled, but when I actually used it, I was rather disappointed! It cut my cardstock well, as you demonstrated, but it was absolutely Horrible with trimming my lighter weight patterned paper. It performed poorly, leaving jagged edges...just a very rough cut. Like I said, though, I love the other two! I was intrigued about the rotary cutters, but without knowing how long the blades last, the replacement cost seems rather high. Guess I'll just stick with the guillotine ones that I currently use. Thank you for all the time and effort and $$ you put into this video!

[@marypolancodesigns]

That's probably why I don't use the mini at all; I just wasn't overly impressed and found it almost too mini. lol

[@elsieb3176]

I love my 9" Fiskars guillotine and use it most often. Many years ago StampinUp sold a 12" Tonic guillotine like you have, an excellent choice for me because of the features you note. I didn't care about the price because I trusted the Tonic brand. I've never put the handle extension on, though! 😂 I do have a thrift store Fiskars sliding trimmer for applications you mention. Excellent review.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Awesome than you so much for sharing these.

[@hannahdee855]

New to your channel and so appreciate you testing and reviewing all these trimmers! I have the Fiskars slide trimmer with the wire guide which always seem to get in the way of the blade so I took it off. When I did I noticed the wire looked cut in a couple places. I have a Bira Craft trimmer that I have a love/hate relationship with. I guess I just don't like the swing out arms on trimmers. I find the arm flexes somewhat when cutting anything over 6" and throws the cut off. Recently purchased the Tonic 8.5" guillotine and it's ok but I really need something to use for 12x12 paper without the swing out arm so I'm looking at the Tonic 12" guillotine. I also always have to trim paper (from every manufacturer I've used) because I finally realized none are true 8.5"x11" or 12"x12". Drives me crazy. Thanks so much for all your information.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great points about the paper.Not actually being the right size.I have noticed this too recently. Check out the comment section because it seems to be a lot of people really love the large fiskers.

[@ingelagoransson3560]

I have Fiskars trimmers. Cutting blade, guillotine and rotary cutters and I love them. Fiskars are so good as company. If something brakes you can ask them to replace it. Here in Sweden you can buy them in most craft or book/paper shop. I must say that the Tonic rotary cutter looks really good. If I was to buy one. Thanks for the comparison video.😃

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing!

[@andrealavigne7824]

Great review video, Mary. I don't know if anyone has already mentioned it (I am not inclined to read through 180+ comments to see), but the markings on the Carl rotary trimmer are for faster measuring to cut photos & paper to standard sizes. I kind of wonder, as it seemed like the measurements/markings on that looked printed on, how they would hold up. In other words, would the printing wear off over time? Of course, only time & usage would tell. :) I have currently the Tonic Maxi guillotine trimmer & the Fiskars Deluxe slider trimmer (the one with the rail guide for the blade rather than a wire). I love the Tonic for most of my cutting, primarily because it cuts well & I don't have to "worry" about changing blades or the blade going dull. The first one I got, in fact, would often - though not always for whatever reason - cut with a frayed edge, like the blade was dull. But I was able to contact Tonic through Ellen Hutson (I had ordered the trimmer from her shop), & they ended up sending me a replacement & a label to ship the other one back to them. So the customer service is an important consideration as well, imo. The Fiskars is nice, though the blades don't last long. I have also concluded it has been discontinued, as I can't find replacement blades. I do have several blades, so I'm good for now, but I did spring for the Tonic slider trimmer for when my last Fiskars blade bites the dust. I got a good deal on it when it was on sale at Scrapbook.com, which is why I went ahead & got it before I (technically) need it. I know Kristina Werner has one, & really likes it. I do hope that the blades last longer than the Fiskars ones. But I think I read somewhere that Tim Holtz had used his extensively for months, and was still on the original blade. Plus, the trimmer comes with a replacement cutting blade included, so I consider that a plus. I used to have a Memory Makers rotary trimmer years ago. It was nice, but I ended up replacing it with a slider trimmer (a different Fiskars one than what I have now, with a wire guide). The rotary blade cut really well, but I just didn't like how I couldn't "gut" my paper or do other partial cuts with it. Plus, the base folded in half, so I could unfold it to cut larger sheets. But it then took up a lot of real estate. I think I much prefer an option of a fold-out arm like the Tonic ones have. Anyway, those are my observations. Thank you for doing this. Take care, & have an awesome day! :)

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for sharing all this information. I really appreciate that you took the time to do it.

[@kathleenmills7452]

Very helpful. I do like to have a good slider for partial cutting, like when I’m cutting a 12x12 into 4, 5x7 pieces. However I have an old swing line and I love it. One thing you didn’t discuss - a good guillotine should have a removable high quality blade that you can remove and have professionally sharpened.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great to know thank you for adding it.

[@janetmccurryzipay8943]

Fisker large rotary trimmer is the best trimmer that I’ve ever used it is spending but you don’t have to replace the blade it’s self sharpening and Fisker has a lifetime guarantee on their products which they do honor. I found mine at Joannes but you have to look for it in the wood section it’s actually, heavy enough that you can cut balsa wood with it so it’ll cut five sheets of 110 pound card stock fairly easily

[@marypolancodesigns]

Yes! So many people are saying that. So great

[@racena2034]

This was awesome!!! I've always found the Tonic/Tim Holtz stufff to be overpriced for what you get. Glad to see your assessment was similar. I have a Creative Memories rotary and it's great and not crazy expensive. It's smaller than the Carl and I love being able to cut the center of a sheet of paper (vs. the guillotine trimmers)

[@marypolancodesigns]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@DianeBazydlo]

I have the Carl rotary because I purchased several different cutting blades. Scoring,scallop,perforating wave, pinking,and deckle

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@cherieselauer7829]

I have had a Carl for YEARS and have loved it! I find that others that “slide” (the one that you can score on) I can never get a straight cut!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@EvelyneJackman]

I do have the TH by Tonic Studios, the small guillotine and the rotary one, and they are awesome!!! I also have the guillotine 12.5"x12.5"and the medium size and a size comparable to the mini guillotine of TH by Tonic Studios, but I got them in a bundle, and they are orange and grey. Because I bought them directly from Tonic, I saved a ton of money. They always offer these kind of bundles, and the price is insane. To give you an example, 3 tools cost me as a bundle, 30$, and they included a bunch of scissors. If you want the quality but don't care about colors, keep your eyes peeled because Tonic always offers amazing sales. I put white acrylic paint on top of the measurements and wipe out the excess and it helps me a lot to see the measurements better.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much and this is a great tip too

[@judipalumbo]

Thank you for this great video.... one bad thing about rotary cutters I forgot to mention below. If you have a lets say, 2" piece of paper and want to split it. Almost can't do because you can lift the blade area to get it lined up. That is when the slide blade comes in handy because the same with the guillotine cutters, some have the plastic guide piece. The swingline just has a bar but still awkward. Happy cutting everyone!!!!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great point, thank you for adding it here. I didn't realize that.

[@deniselothrop70]

My favorite is the rotary which I have used as my primary since 2004. I have the other two types but the rotary is my go to

[@marypolancodesigns]

Nice, thanks so much for sharing!

[@barbborja1910]

Great information, Mary. Thank you for sharing your insights into the ones you showed here. If you ever do a part 2, I would love to hear your comparison of the Fiskars gliding blade trimmer and the one from Tim Holtz. My Fiskars one is the trimmer I use most and I love that they come with a lifetime warranty, which I have had to use before. Just wondering if Tim’s is any better, and if so, is it worth upgrading?

[@marypolancodesigns]

I can't say for sure but from all the comments, it sounds like you have yourself one of the best on the market! I actually really want the foldable one now from Fiskars. haha

[@reneebennett590]

I have a fiskars rotary trimmer and I love it. I can get replacement blades. Both straight and deckle, and curvy. I can also get replacement channels. I have had mine for at least 20 years and only just recently replaced my channel. I have several blades and replaced my blades twice.

[@pamelas1333]

Ha, I guess I'm not odd man out, so to speak. I have the same one and love it also. I recently tried to get a guillotine trimmer, but they just aren't the same. Returned that one and ordered a new blade for the Fiskars. I actually thought I'd never find a replacement blade. I also have the 8 1/2" Tim Holtz because the Fiskars is huge.

[@marypolancodesigns]

I love this thank you for sharing; sounds like an incredible tool. I just looked more into it and love that it folds

[@deannayen8692]

I may be in the minority but I"m not a fan of the new Tim Holtz Rotary trimmer. First, it is packaged with the blades unprotected so that it can scratch the trimmer if it is dislodged from the track. Second, the blade cuts into the plastic around the track if you're not careful with cutting. Also it does not have the wire like the Fiskars trimmer so I can see exactly where I am cutting. So now I have jagged edges along the track and have to trim slowly. My favorite trimmer has been the Fiskars Precision bypass trimmer which can cut through anything (chipboard, magnetic vent sheets) but it does take up some room. I will continue to keep trying the TH trimmer but I was hoping for more.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing this insight; super helpful!

[@TheKrazysinner]

IE the carl cutter, my guillotine cutter has those marks on it, its used to quickly cut your card sizes, you line up the corner of your paper to the mark of the size you want to cut to, there is two marks for each card size you want for each direction you need to cut the card. it makes cutting cards MUCH FASTER and easier to line up instead of having to use the ruler

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so very much!

[@TheKrazysinner]

you're welcome@@marypolancodesigns

[@nonnajoymadrigal6025]

Hi Mary! I have the 8.5 guillotine trimmer and also love it...BUT, my plastic piece to hold down the paper often pops up from the bottom blocking the blade. Have you had this happen and if so, any recommendations? Thanks so much...

[@marypolancodesigns]

I had mine pop off once or twice in the beginning but I think I just started maneuvering around it but can't remember how. Uggg...I'm sorry!

[@avendarkrose]

Hey, I am using fiskars trimmers sliders and now ordered a guillotine because for my crafting the blade from the slider goes blunt too fast with thicker paper but I can recommend those

[@marypolancodesigns]

I agree with this; the slider trimmers always go blunt too fast for me. Thats' why I ONLY use them for certain techniques.

[@ScrappyMim]

I have always used a rotary cutter. I feel it is a cleaner cut than a blade cutter. I just replaced my 20 yr old Fiskar with a Carl. While it is only 8 inches wide it is 12 inches tall so meets my needs perfectly. I have a slightly different model and find it will cut through 2 sheets on one pass. I also use a small guillotine cutter that stays on my desk.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Awesome thanks so much for sharing this! I thought I might be doing something wrong with the Carl but I tried it off camera a bunch and got the same result.

[@carolstella6776]

I love my Fiskars ProCision rotary bypass trimmer. To me nothing else compares. It’s self sharpening, folds, and I’ve had it since 2016, and it’s still sharp! It can cut through chipboard and magnet sheets like butter! It can be used left or right handed, and can easily trim off slivers. As a lefty, I can’t use a guillotine at all. Everything in the craft world seems to be designed for right handed people. ☹️

[@deannayen8692]

I also love my Fiskars bypass trimmer and wish it was a bit smaller. I think this trimmer has been underrated.

[@marypolancodesigns]

You and many others love this; I think it will be in my craft room by Christmas. haha

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for adding to this; i think you are right. I'm gonna check it out eventually

[@geminidream4347]

I have quite a collections of paper trimmers doing what you are doing now. Find the one that works best for me! I have the Carl Rotary Trimmer. I love it, however I did not take into consideration it's height issues. You can't put a lot under it. It took me a bit to learn where to place things to cut on the spot but that could just be me. Watch out when ordering from Amazon, they sent me a completely different one than the one I ordered! It did not have all the measurements on it for scoring. My next best one is the We R Memory Keepers on the Works ONLY! I have the small score board one and I hate it for not cutting but tearing!!! However with the Works, you don't get to many uses from one blade so be careful to test on a scrap before you try your good ones if it has been used a lot. I find that new tip of going in further before putting the blade down and run either up or down and not start at the edges to be the best yet for not tearing up you paper. I have a no name guillotine that serves it's purpose but it is huge! Am a newbie to crafting so of course made a lot of mistakes. lol

[@marypolancodesigns]

Great shares thank you so so much!

[@geminidream4347]

@@marypolancodesigns You're welcome. Always like to help out others so they don't make the same mistakes when I can.

[@rrome6178]

Thank you for comparing these trimmers. I wasn’t even aware of the rotary version. I’m curious to know whether the channel it slides through to make the cut is narrower than the sliding trimmers. I feel that they have too much wiggle room and therefore does not always cut even. I do not prefer the guillatine style at all. You’ve peaked my curiosity in the rotary. I would assume the Tonic one slides more smoothly due to the metal bar but I sure wouldn’t like spending $100 and another $16 for replacement blades. Thank you so much!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Oooh that's a great question; I'm not sure but what you're describing makes sense and could be an issue. So far no one has said that's an issue though.

[@jt2553]

I want a trimmer that cuts accurately aligned so when I fold the paper after cutting it, the sides match, no 1 side shorter than its opposite side.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Agree, what I do is after I score it u line up the edges before pressing with bone folder

[@moniquevann9950]

I have the swing line trimmer and I love it and yes I too have to use markings for card making

[@marypolancodesigns]

I was really impressed with it actually. Thought it cur super well

[@CarolynWeese]

I have a cutterpillar which I love and so do all my friends that I scrap with.

[@marypolancodesigns]

YAY sounds like a good one! Thank you

[@doodahgurlie]

I have a ton of trimmers...because I'm always looking for that PERFECT trimmer, which does not exist. I will say, for the money and value, the Fiskars brand is probably the best overall. Especially for the Procision, SureCut Delux, and small guillotine lines. They have accurate measurements, are reliable, have lifetime warranty and will serve most of your crafting needs. The Procision is awesome because it has a self-sharpening blade and doesn't require a cutting mat (i hate replacing parts). The Surecut Delux is lightweight and that cutting wire guide is genius, however, continually replacing the V-blade is no fun. I love that both have measurements to the right of the cutting blade - all trimmers should have this feature. But the issue with these two trimmers is trimming 1-2 inch wide papers into slivers. This is a problem for a lot trimmers due to the paper guard or blade width. So I got a Cutterpillar Crop. It's more lightweight than the Procision, but because there isn't a guard, I can cut slivers with smaller pieces of paper. The problem with the Cutterpillar is that because it doesn't have that paper guard, the paper will often move unless you really press down and hold tight whilst cutting. It also doesn't have measurements to the right of the blade...but it does have a blinding light that can be used on the rare occasion you may need it. But that light means the paper slivers and pieces fall onto the light cover so you always have to spend time wiping it off. And who's bright idea was it to have color on color markings? It's very difficult to see the measurements. And yes, you can jerry rig it, but it looks messy and unprofessional (I used acrylic paint on the etched plastic to make the measurements stand out). It is more portable than the Procision. However, my cuts have been ragged/jagged compared to the Procision so either the blade or metal plate needs replacing. I also have 2 Dahles for bigger and more heavy-duty projects (self-sharpening, no cutting mats needed) and a 12 inch Carl trimmer (cutting mats do need to be replaced at some point). I refuse to buy the Tim Holtz branded trimmers because they just feel cheap to me and are overpriced compared to Fiskars. Oh, I also have 2 large guillotine trimmers...one is heavy and made of wood, the other is an Xacto brand I got years ago with a laser light. It's more of a lightweight guillotine, but cuts like butter...too bad the measurements are off by like 1/16" to 1/8"...and since the measurement base was just basically stuck on with a temporary adhesive, it eventually fell off so now I cut blind (I actually jerry-rigged it with an old tape measure, which looks terrible, but works okay)....the search continues...LOL

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks for sharing. I agree that I haven't found ONE that does all the things I want. So I have set on my large Tonic guillotine, my small Tonic guillotine and my Tim Holtz score/sliding cutter.

[@carolgoff4317]

I bought Tonic Rotary. Overall, sadly not that happy with it. It often does not cut clean with lightweight paper ie copy paper. It actually leaves a frayed edge, seems to do a bit better with heavier cardstock. It is hard to see where I'm actually cutting. If I want to take off a slight edge, very hard to see or line up. Really don't like the "jog" when pulling out extended legs. I would prefer one long smooth edge. Finally the price. I felt I was buying top of the line, well thought out product. It leaves a lot to be desired and I really had such high hopes for this product.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for sharing this

[@jesseb5112]

I greatly enjoy my swingline trimmer. I also LOVE the Tim Holtz rotary (the 99 one). I have a comment on Craftstash. I bought my TH rotary for slightly less than $50 because Craftstash had it a little less than $99 for regular price, and ran it half off for a deal of the day. I think that Craftstash is a great place to shop

[@marypolancodesigns]

YES! I put in the description they were the lowest price on a few of them.

[@jesseb5112]

​@marypolancodesigns I recommend getting on their mailing list. I have ordered from them 3 times. Each time was based upon the deal of the day. Thank you for doing a well rounded trimmer review.

[@craftedbykatz]

Thank you for this review! I have been shopping and looking online for a guillotine trimmer and just can't find the one I want for the space that I have. Naturally, I'm now eyeballing the large Tonic one because of the smaller footprint, but it can still do the longer paper. I wish it had the bottom lip, though. For now, it's cheaper than getting a new home with a craft room for my growing collection of craft goodies. LOL I really appreciate you taking the time to do this and adding the links to the products!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Well if you go for the large Tonic one it's on super sale from Craftstash for $39 right now. Here is the link: shrsl.com/4ehs5

[@craftedbykatz]

I did!!!! That was an amazing price! My box (I ordered way too much fun stuff) just cleared customs and is in my state now. I keep refreshing my tracking page because I'm so darn excited to get that trimmer! Thank you again for all of the research and trials you do. I really appreciate you and the crafting community doing that to save the rest of us money and frustration. ❤ @@marypolancodesigns

[@lisawagner6076]

I always love watching these types of reviews because I wonder if there is a better "wheel" out there. I have the Fiskar's Rotary trimmer and I LOVE that! It cuts multiple sheets of cardstock and I have also used it to cut chip board. That is in fact why I bought that one. I also love my Fiskar's sliding cutter. I love how it has the wire so you can see exactly where it will cut. And finally I have the Tonic 8.5" guillotine trimmer. I have tried the Fiskar's version of this type and don't like it. It makes fuzzy cuts. I do hate how anything with TH name on it is automatically twice as much as other comparable items, so I avoid buying any of his products as much as I can. But I do use that trimmer. Thanks for doing this video.

[@marypolancodesigns]

So many of you love that tool so I looked into it and it's incredible. I didn't buy it for the review because of the cost but looks like it is worth it.

[@nancyglaspie6735]

Thanks for sharing. I have a really old Fiskars guillotine cutter. It works!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Awesome thank you so much for sharing!

[@ilms4e1]

Mary, I wanted to let you know please be careful taking off the clear plastic piece on the medium 8 1/2 tonic paper trimmer. I took mine off to clean as you said you have done and broke it. Tonic would not replace it, I even said I’d pay for a new clear piece. 😞 I had to buy a brand new one normally I wouldn’t have done that but I do love that trimmer

[@marypolancodesigns]

Absolutely I will; great tip!

[@terukounit]

I’m from Canada and Michael’s I think only carries Fiskars brand, never heard of any others brands. As others have said good to hear about how cutters are different, maybe one day a woman crafter will design one!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks for sharing this!!

[@nancyrynearson2874]

Just recently purchased the Tonic Tim Holtz Precision Trimmer after watching demo by Tim. Mary didn't mention the replaceable blade has points on all four sides that shows where the blade will cut. That was the game changer for me. Also the cutter arm while it can be lifted the paper slides under it, eliminating the need for that movement... if you can break the habit. I cut mostly 100# card stock and the cutters I had while cutting a clean edge on the left side paper the right side (that drops off edge) was not a smooth cut. Also it was difficult for me to get the cut exactly where I wanted it, even with a lit edge... which was frustrating and wasteful. I will admit it may partly be my 80 yr old eyes but the Tonic ruler was so easy to read and it was easy to see exactly where it was going to cut with the points on the blade housing.

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thank you so much for adding that; I didn't even realize it.

[@melindagibson8606]

I have the Cutterpillar, unfortunately its not my fav. The measurements are hard to see and there's no marks on the right side at all. Cuts wonderfully though. I have the Fiskars HUGE rotary cutter. Its great, cuts perfectly, heavy and bulky and needs TONS of room. So far.. i keep grabbing the Cricut trimmer and my Stampin Up trimmer. They are wonderful! I do hate to replace blades as often as i need to, but they are great. I have the Sizzix trimmer, (I got it from a friend) so there's no measurement guide or instructions. I emailed Sizzix, you cannot reorder it, only print the small version that doesn't really work the same. It does cut nicely but honestly, I NEVER use it. It's really big and bulky for my needs. Mary, your video is perfect and so helpful as always! Thanks so much for your hard work!!!

[@marypolancodesigns]

Thanks so much for sharing all these details; super super helpful. And thank you for your kind encouragement; I appreciate you!

[@Imjinks64.]

You can usually get score blades for the other sliders. Rotors you push down on blade as you roll back and forth

[@marypolancodesigns]

I thought that might be an option (score blades); some had it some didn't. Thanks for adding this.

[@virginiaellison8227]

First Question: I have the Tonic Tim Holtz Guillotine Trimmer.... I love it... but have you ever had to maybe sharpen the blade? I have really thought about the Tonic Rotary Trimmer but haven't purchased it as of yet..... I am using a Fiskars right now but I am disappointed with the replacement blades and I can't get the ones I need from Fiskars. Thanks for the review....

[@marypolancodesigns]

For the Tonic Guillotine I've had it over 3 years and never replaced the blade nor feel I need to. I believe it's self sharpening.