I have the Studio 2 and all the strip dies for it. I don't really want the other dies because they don't fit in with the way I make quilts. I don't have a problem cranking it, but I think it would be hard for someone with hand or shoulder problems. I just bought a new plastic because the old one is very scratched, but it still works. As far as I can tell, the dies are as sharp as ever. The Studio 2 is very heavy, so I keep it set up on one end of my cutting table. The big strip dies are also heavy and take some space to store, so that's another thing to consider. I am glad I purchased my AccuQuilt, and I use it quite a bit.