Having good cutting tools and paper trimmers are essential for any paper crafter. And sometimes we need tools for big jobs and sometimes we need them for small projects and sometimes we need something to take with us on our travels. Today we are going to take a look at the X-ACTO Designer 9″ Guillotine paper cutter. This would be perfect for on-the-go crafting, 8.5×11 scrapbookers and card makers. According to X-ACTO,
“X-ACTO Designer Series Guillotine Trimmer has a 9″ blade that precisely cuts 4 sheets of standard cardstock or 8 sheets of 20 lb. paper at one time. Pull out the trimmer top to reveal extra storage for your supplies such as X-ACTO knife, stamps, and other embellishments. X-ACTO is a recognized brand in precision cutting.”
The guillotine blade is not replacable and is fixed, so no decorative edges. But you do get great precise, straight cuts! I went ahead and tried out the amount of paper in the description above and everything cut like a dream. I also did some test cuts on other materials. I wouldn’t suggest trying anything thicker than chipboard and the grunge materials seemed to tear a bit, but other than they I was impressed. It even cut the felt easily!
The guillotine arm doesn’t raise very high, and for some reason I found this to be a bit bothersome. I also suggest using quick, swift movements when cutting. If you slow down, you run the risk of not cutting, and just bending, the paper.
Awhile back I reviewed the X-ACTO Designer Series shape templates and created a fun chevron card using paper scraps. Well, I still had some scraps left from that specific card and I used the guillotine trimmer to make fun lines and squares to create this abstract and “sister” card to my other X-ACTO project!
I really loved having the capability to store a few items in the compartments once you slide off the top of the cutter. I thought this would be absolutely perfect for someone who loves to do Art Journals or even the K&Company Smash journals. I fit a few goodies inside and took the cutter and my journal to the park to create! It was so convenient!
Overall, this is a good cutter for someone who is just starting out with smaller paper projects, card making or as I stated above, on-the-go crafting. I would not recommend this as your “main” cutting tool if you’ve been crafting for a while. At approximately $18.99 I would suggest weighing out the Pro’s and Con’s and what your personal uses for it would be before purchasing. What do you think, crafters? As always, let me know in the comments!
Disclosure: Sample Provided for Review
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Mary Lee says
Would be good for me. I have a hard time making really straight cuts. There always seems to be a curve in the paper. I have heard that guillotine cutters are the best for avoiding that and the price is low enough. Thanks, Mary Lee
Rebecca Ednie says
I’d never buy a Cutter that didn’t cut 12 inch paper. And I’ve never found that cutters cut the Maximum amount of paper that they say they will cleanly and without shifting. But this might be a good cutter for kids.
Cat Graves says
I have always preferred a guillotine style cutter and it is cheap enough so I would seriously consider this product. Thanks for the review!!