luvstoquilt

I love my GO! I use it for strips most of all but I don't find a lot of waste when I make hexies or other shapes. It is a real time saver and all the pieces are the same size. Doesn't always happen when I cut them out individually.

Geri B

Works for me...no complaints here....

Prism99

I have the original Go! (hand crank) and find it a very useful tool for certain types of cuts -- especially triangles and odd-shapes such as hexagons and circles. I do not like using the strip dies, although many do. It is actually easier and faster for me to use my June Tailor Shape Cut for strips.

If you have the space, the Studio is nice because you can cut so many more layers (and pieces, because the dies are bigger) at one go. It is said to be easy to crank. I would buy the Studio from Accuquilt when it is on sale for $395. The only thing is that it is heavy, so it is best to have a dedicated space for it so you can leave it set up. Although the new version has folding sides, the machine is still heavy.

I have the hand-crank version of the Go! I like that it folds up compactly for storage when I don't need it. If I were to buy another one, though, I would pay the extra money and get the electric version. It eliminates the need to crank, which is great for people who have physical limitations or might develop them with age. Everyone on the Yahoo Accuquilt list who has upgraded from the hand-crank version loves the electric version.

Finally, my advice is not to buy a whole package to start out. I would start with the best machine for your needs and add dies a few at a time. To be honest, how many quilts do you plan to make in a year? I would buy the dies the suit the specific quilts I want to make. I don't necessarily want to make 12" geometric blocks for the rest of my life; I like more individuality than that. Plus I can cut squares and rectangles on my own just fine. If I want to make a baby quilt, most likely the 12" geometric blocks will be bigger than I want for the project. In other words, you may end up paying a lot up-front for many dies that you are really not interested in using. Storage becomes an issue too. I just think it is better to slowly collect the dies that are really useful to you. Accuquilt has many, many, many dies to choose from. My advice is to buy just one or two sets at a time, for the next quilt or two you want to make. Believe me, you will still end up with a nice collection of dies!

Edit: I agree with checking prices directly from Accuquilt before making a purchase. Their sales can be really good, plus you accumulate points you can apply points to reduce prices on future purchases. Starting with the machine and purchasing dies as you need them may actually result in better pricing and dies more tailored to your actual needs than a package deal.