Product Review: Craft-Lite Cutter

I was wandering thru Target the other day and saw this Craft- Lite Cutter. I remember seeing an infomercial for this on TV. I wondered, if it was any good, but I wasn't curious enough to pay the cost plus the shipping just to find out. I totally put it out of my mind until I saw it in Target last week. So my inquiring mind just had to find out...

They say: Perfectly cut crafts every time Scissors are awkward and don’t give you a crisp cut. Do the job right with the Craft-Lite Cutter.

I say: It's OK. Not any better that any other paper cutter I have.

They say: It’s the first sliding trimmer with a built-in light so you can see what you’re cutting. There’s even a fold down guide to hold your paper in place and a swing out ruler to ensure perfect cuts in any direction.

I say: As with every other trimmer I've ever purchased there's a learning curve to figuring out where it's going to cut. I expected the "light" to be a precise laser like line to show me exactly where it was going to cut. Not so. The whole area was lit up so that didn't necessarily help. And a double bogey, the light doesn't show thru card stock at all, which is what I use most of the time.



They say: The blades are interchangeable cutting heads that snap in and out in seconds.
I say: Yes, it is very quick and easy, simple in fact, to change the blades.




They say: Ditch the scissors Just slide the rolling blade for unrestricted, accurate cutting. The retracting blade makes it safer than scissors, so it’s ideal for school projects. Plus, it’s great for photos, scrapbook embellishments, paper and other materials.

I say: it's not a bad trimmer. It's not the worse one I have, but it's not by far the best either. For someone who doesn't have a trimmer at all, this "beats a blank". I prefer paper trimmers to scissors for straight edge cuts anyway.

Here is what I don't like about it.

• I don't like the thickness of it. I understand it, I just don't like it. It has to be thick to house the batteries. The paper isn't stable enough on that narrow platform. The extended arm hangs in mid air.


• Because of the way you have to look into it, the bright lights hurt my eyes.


• It didn't like the card stock too much. For a brand new sharp blade, it didn't seem to cut as easily as I would have liked it to.
  

So this is my public service announcement for the day. If you have a paper trimmer, there is no reason you need to buy this one. If you don't have a trimmer and the things I mentioned that I don't like don't bother you, then this is a good trimmer, considering the price and all you get for it, it's a good deal and available at Target for $19.99.