Spellbinders PZ-100 Prizm Die Cutting and Embossing Machine

I received my Prizm today, and I love it! I'm including a photo of the Prizm next to a water bottle to show the size -- it is TINY! I'm also including a photo of my first cuts, some tiny alpha dies. I cut the letters from watercolor paper (140lb) and the cuts were crisp and clean. This is a SMALL, light-duty die cutting machine. Compared to my Sizzix Big Shot, this machine is very lightweight and "feels delicate", if that makes sense. It needs to be treated gently, and the "die cutting sandwich" is different here -- the order is base plate, then cutting die with cutting edge UP, then paper, then one cutting plate on top. This machine will NOT emboss with folders -- only dies that also emboss (I did experiment with a border folder and multiple configurations of sandwiches, no luck). I did cut and emboss with a tiny Christmas tree die from the Spellbinders kit of the month (see photo). After cutting, I replaced the cutting plate with the brown embossing mat and blue embossing plate, ran it through only once, and the embossing is crisp and clean. The plates are 6 1/4" x 2 5/8" and fit perfectly in the pen caddy that was already on my desk. Plus they are adorable! For my purposes, this is a fabulous machine. I have my Big Shot and Grand Caliber for bigger/heavier/wider work, but I needed a small convenient machine for quick small die cuts that I tend to put off doing because it's such a pain to get my bigger machines out. It is NOT a replacement for a big die cutting/embossing machine, but for quick light-duty cutting and die embossing, it's a great value. One more tip, the book that is included (Read The Book!) suggests flipping over the cutting plate each time, so the wear is evenly distributed on both sides. This is good advice for any die cutting machine. Just be gentle with this little fella! If you feel resistance when rolling it through, pause and make sure your sandwich is correct. You won't be able to "force it through" the way you can sometimes with the Sizzix. This is a great buy for the specific purpose of light-duty cutting and die embossing.

handy little machine but cannot handle much - works with small die only

So happy with this machine . It cuts any die that is up to 2.5 inches width .. it cuts flawlessly and easy. I keep it on my desk and use it continuously. The plates are very sturdy and don't seem to wear or wap as much as the big size machine plates. Yes I highly recommend this Spellbinders product as well as their Spellbinders PL-001 Platinum

Well, it looks like I had the same problem every one else did. Mine broke in the first half hour of using it. It seems like the internal gears have broken and it no longer works. Back to Amazon! I have several other die cut machines and am familiar with proper sandwiches and did not abuse it. I was cutting with a wafer thin die, 1 sheet of normal cardstock, and the two cutting plates. During the short time it worked, it did a good job and cut several thin dies well, including a couple of intricate ones. It would have been great for portability for taking to craft get-togethers or to take to classes. I'll wait until they fix the problems before I get another one.

I love the Prism for small dies! I have a big shot and when I would carry it down stairs to my family room, I wished I had a small compact die cutting machine that would fit in my slant front desk to be out of sight and keep it in there. The Prism is very small and only takes up very little room. It cuts nicely and I do run it through and back again to be sure it cuts. It does a beautiful job! I am delighted!!My Impression Obsession word dies cut beautifully and look terrific on cards. My only objection would be the mechanism doesn't always stay anchored to the desk top but I use one hand to hold it. Due to its small size it is manageable.When I read the poor reviews I waited and checked other reviews. Finally I decided to take a chance. Iam very happy that I did.

This is a cute little thing. However, it doesn't work really well. You have to do a lot of fussing to get it to cut the dies. But, it was cheap enough that I can keep it on my work table and develop a little "shim" box with my notations for various brands of dies. I think it would be frustrating for those who aren't familiar with the ins-n-outs of "fussing" with different brands for machines that aren't that brand. Such as not using Cuttlebug in the Cuttlebug, Sizzix not in Sizzix, Spellbinder not in Spellbinder. My "C" plate just cracked after 10 years, so I was looking to order a replacement and saw this cute little item. As with anything, it could be something in the pressure settings, and perhaps I just got one that needs more pressure. No way to adjust that on this machine.

I bought this despite the neg reviews I found because I thought it would be fine for the small project I was working on.It worked for a couple days and then I heard a pop and the handle came loose. something literally broke on the inside. I thought I could fix it and use it some more but I couldnt get it apart to look at the insides.This wasnt crazy spendy but it was a waste of money.

I love this little machine. I've used it a lot for the past month. No problems, cuts small dies beautifully. It's only meant for light cutting so I'm careful. I have a big die cutting machine, but wanted something more portable when I craft on the patio. So happy I got one.