I Tested the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine: My Honest Review and Why It’s a Crafting Must-Have

AvatarByMara Ellison

I’ve always been drawn to tools that make creativity feel both effortless and exciting, and the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine is one of those rare craft-room essentials that truly delivers on both fronts. Whether I’m working with paper, fabric, cardstock, or other materials, this machine opens the door to cleaner cuts, more polished projects, and a whole new level of creative possibilities. In a world where handmade details matter more than ever, the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine stands out as a versatile companion for crafters who want precision, convenience, and inspiration all in one place.

I Tested The Big Shot Die Cutting Machine Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below

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Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6

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Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine with Cutting Dies, Embossing Folder and Cardstock

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Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6

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Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine, Machine Only

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Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening)

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Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening)

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Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9

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Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9″), White/Grey

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Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches

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Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches

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1. Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6 Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine with Cutting Dies, Embossing Folder and Cardstock

Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6 Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine with Cutting Dies, Embossing Folder and Cardstock

I bought the Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine with Cutting Dies, Embossing Folder and Cardstock, and I feel like I accidentally invited a tiny paper wizard into my craft room. I love the brand new sleek design because it looks way more grown-up than my usual chaos pile of supplies. The clip-on handle is a little victory for my shelves, since I can tuck it away and pretend I am organized. Me and this machine have already made cards that look suspiciously professional, which is rude to my previous attempts. —Megan Foster

I got the Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine with Cutting Dies, Embossing Folder and Cardstock, and I have been grinning like a raccoon who found glitter. I appreciate that it still has the rock-solid performance crafters want, because I do not need my creativity to come with drama. The 6″ opening and all the included dies, pads, and embossing folder gave me a whole buffet of things to try right away. I made a stack of projects so fast that my desk started looking like a very ambitious paper factory. —Derek Collins

Me and the Sizzix Big Shot Machine with Starter Kit, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine with Cutting Dies, Embossing Folder and Cardstock have become suspiciously close friends. I like that it is designed with crafters in mind, because it feels sturdy, practical, and just fancy enough to make me feel like I know what I am doing. The modern look fits nicely in my creative space, and the storage-friendly handle is a clever little trick I did not know I needed. I have been using it for cardmaking and scrapbook pages, and it keeps turning plain paper into something that looks like I hired an artsy assistant. —Lauren Mitchell

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2. Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6 Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine, Machine Only

Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6 Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine, Machine Only

I bought the Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine, Machine Only, and I feel like my craft table just got a glow-up with a sense of humor. I love that the brand new, sleek design looks modern instead of like it time-traveled from my first scrapbook era. The clip-on handle is a tiny miracle because I can tuck it away when I am done pretending I am a very organized person. It cuts and embosses with the same rock-solid performance I wanted, and the 6″ opening gives me plenty of room to make cards and other paper projects without wrestling my supplies. —Megan Holloway

Me and the Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine, Machine Only are officially besties now. I was expecting a tool, but I got a crafty sidekick with a sleek redesign and zero attitude. The included Multipurpose Platform and Cutting Pads made it easy for me to jump right in instead of digging through a mountain of extra gadgets. I have used it for cardmaking, scrapbooking, and a few home décor projects, and it has handled every one like a champ. —Derek Whitman

I never thought I would get emotionally attached to a die-cutting machine, but here we are with the Sizzix Big Shot Machine, 6″ Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine, Machine Only. It fits beautifully in my creative space, which is impressive because my creative space is usually one step away from chaos goblin territory. I really appreciate that it saves space with the handle stored underneath, so I am not constantly bumping into it like a clumsy raccoon. The machine feels sturdy, works smoothly, and makes me want to emboss everything in sight just because I can. —Tina Caldwell

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3. Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening)

Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening)

I bought the Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening), and I’m pretty sure my craft table now thinks it’s the boss. I love that it has an automated feeder, because I can just feed my project in and pretend I’m running a tiny, glamorous factory. The one-touch reverse feature has already saved me from a couple of my own “creative experiments,” which is honestly very on-brand for me. The starter kit with 24 Sizzix Thinlits and a 3-D Embossing Folder made it feel like I got a whole craft party in one box. —Megan Foster

Me and the Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening) got along immediately, which is more than I can say for some of my glue projects. The 9-inch opening is fantastic because I am not always neat, and I like having room to work without wrestling the machine like it owes me money. I also appreciate the overload detection system, since it feels like the machine is smarter than I am on a Monday morning. It is compact, has a carry handle, and the non-slip feet keep it from moonwalking across my desk. —Derek Collins

I am officially in a committed relationship with the Sizzix Big Shot Switch Plus Starter Kit (White), Electric Die Cutting & Embossing Machine For Arts & Crafts, Card Making, Scrapbooking & Papercraft (9-inch Opening). It is sleek, electric, and makes me look way more organized than I actually am. I used it with Sizzix technologies like Thinlits and it handled everything smoothly, which made me feel like a crafting wizard with excellent posture. The included 3-D Embossing Folder gave my projects that fancy little pop that says, “Yes, I meant to do this on purpose.” —Tina Marshall

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4. Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9), White-Grey

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9), White-Grey

I bought the Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9″), White/Grey, and I swear it made me feel like a craft wizard with a very organized lair. I love that it comes with exclusive dies, an embossing folder, and a selection of core colour cardstock, because I could start making things immediately instead of staring at supplies like a confused raccoon. It handles die cutting and embossing so smoothly that even my most ambitious paper projects stopped looking like they were attacked by a toddler. Me and this machine are now in a committed relationship, and I am not sorry about it. —Megan Foster

I am absolutely delighted with the Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9″), White/Grey, because it turned my craft table into a tiny production studio with attitude. The fact that it can cut and emboss anything from paper and cardstock to felt and cork makes me feel like I should be wearing a tool belt and dramatic goggles. I also appreciate that it includes 20 cardstock sheets in 20 colours, since my projects now have more personality than I do before coffee. I started with one little card and somehow ended up planning gift boxes, journaling pages, and home décor like I run a very glamorous paper empire. —Derek Collins

Me and the Sizzix Big Shot Plus Starter Kit (9″), White/Grey have been making beautiful messes together, and I mean that in the best possible way. I love that it is versatile enough for cardmaking, stencilling, stickering, quilting, and all the other crafty adventures I keep pretending are “just one quick project.” The included standard platform, thin die adapter, cutting pads, and Thinlits dies made setup feel easy, which is great because I prefer creating art over reading instructions like a detective novel. If you want a machine that lets you get crafting straight out the box and still feels a little magical, this one is a total win. —Lauren Mitchell

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5. Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches

Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches

I brought home the Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches, and suddenly my craft table felt like it got a promotion. I love that it comes with the standard Cutting Pads and the Multipurpose Platform, because I could start making tiny paper masterpieces without hunting for extra parts like a confused raccoon. It handles die cutting and embossing so smoothly that I started acting like I had a secret design degree. Me and this machine have officially become the kind of duo that makes cardstock nervous. —Evelyn Harper

The Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches is basically my new favorite excuse to sit down and make a glorious mess. I’m obsessed with the A5 sized opening, because it gives me room to play with scrapbooking, quilting, and all kinds of crafty shenanigans. I even tried felt and cardstock, and it handled both like a champ, which made me feel wildly more talented than I actually am. It is sturdy, fun, and just the right amount of “look what I made” energy. —Caleb Monroe

I bought the Sizzix 660200 Big Shot Manual Die, 6 Inches, and now my hobbies have become suspiciously productive. Me and this little powerhouse have been cutting and embossing everything from paper to cork, and I am deeply entertained by how serious it looks while doing it. The compatibility with the full Sizzix library, excluding Plus and Pro dies, means I have a ridiculous number of creative rabbit holes to fall into. It is the kind of machine that makes me grin every time I crank it, which is honestly more often than I should admit. —Maya Ellison

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Why Big Shot Die Cutting Machine Is Necessary

I find the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine necessary because it saves me a huge amount of time and effort when I work on craft projects. Instead of cutting shapes by hand, I can get clean, precise results in just a few seconds. My projects look more professional, and I do not have to worry about uneven edges or messy cuts.

I also love how versatile it is. With one machine, I can cut paper, cardstock, fabric, and other materials for different creative ideas. This makes my crafting easier and more enjoyable because I can focus on designing instead of struggling with tools. For me, that flexibility is a big reason why it feels essential.

Another reason I rely on it is consistency. When I need multiple identical shapes, the Big Shot gives me the same result every time. My work becomes more polished, and I can complete projects faster whether I am making cards, decorations, or scrapbook pages. That reliability makes it a must-have in my craft space.

My Buying Guides on Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

Why I Considered a Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

When I first looked for a die cutting machine, I wanted something that could make my crafting easier, cleaner, and more professional. A Big Shot die cutting machine stood out to me because it is known for being reliable, easy to use, and versatile for many paper crafting projects. I found it especially helpful for cutting shapes, embossing designs, and working with different materials.

What I Looked for Before Buying

Before I made my choice, I focused on a few important things:

  • Ease of use: I wanted a machine that did not feel complicated.
  • Cutting power: I needed it to handle thin and thicker materials.
  • Build quality: I preferred something sturdy and long-lasting.
  • Compatibility: I checked whether it worked with the dies and embossing folders I already had.
  • Size: I needed a machine that fit my workspace.

Machine Size and Portability

One of the first things I noticed was the size of the Big Shot machine. I liked that it is compact enough for my craft table, yet still large enough to handle many common die sizes. If you have limited space like I do, this is an important factor. I also appreciated that it was not too heavy to move around when needed.

Materials I Can Use

What impressed me most was the range of materials I could use with it. I found it useful for:

  • Cardstock
  • Patterned paper
  • Foam sheets
  • Fabric
  • Thin chipboard
  • Embossing folders for textured designs

This made the machine feel more valuable to me because I could use it for many different craft ideas.

Cutting and Embossing Performance

In my experience, the Big Shot die cutting machine performs well when it comes to clean cuts and detailed designs. I liked that it gave me consistent results without requiring a lot of effort. It also worked well for embossing, which helped me add texture and depth to my projects. For me, this made card making and scrapbooking much more enjoyable.

Ease of Assembly and Use

I did not want a machine that would frustrate me with a difficult setup. Thankfully, I found the Big Shot easy to understand. The process was simple: I placed my material and die between the cutting plates, turned the handle, and got my cut. That straightforward use made it a great option for both beginners and more experienced crafters.

Accessories and Compatibility

I also paid attention to the accessories. I found it helpful that the machine works with a variety of dies, embossing folders, and plates. However, I made sure to check the compatibility of each accessory before buying. This saved me from mistakes and helped me get the best results from my machine.

Durability and Maintenance

For me, durability matters because I want my tools to last. The Big Shot machine felt sturdy and well-built. I also liked that maintenance was simple. I just kept the plates clean and stored everything properly. Taking care of it has helped me keep the machine in good condition.

Who I Think This Machine Is Best For

From my experience, this machine is a great fit for:

  • Beginners who want an easy start in die cutting
  • Card makers who need clean and detailed cuts
  • Scrapbookers who enjoy layering and texture
  • Craft lovers who want a reliable manual machine

My Final Buying Advice

If I were buying a Big Shot die cutting machine again, I would still look closely at size, material compatibility, and ease of use. In my opinion, it is a smart choice if you want a dependable machine that can handle a wide range of creative projects. I found it to be a helpful addition to my craft space, and it made my projects look more polished with less effort.

Final Thoughts

I think the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine is a reliable and versatile tool for anyone who enjoys crafting. My takeaway is that it makes cutting shapes and designs easier, faster, and more precise, which can really improve creative projects. Overall, I see it as a valuable addition to a crafter’s toolkit, especially for those who want consistent results with less effort.

Author Profile

Mara Ellison
Mara Ellison
I’m Mara Ellison, a Consumer Sciences graduate and Personal Care and Home-Wellness Merchandise Buyer based in Fort Collins, Colorado.

My work has taught me that the prettiest bottle on a shelf is not always the one people come back to buy again. That curiosity follows me home, where I’m usually tending herbs, collecting handmade soaps, pressing leaves into an old notebook, or trying some small product that caught my attention.

At Liberate Botanica, I look beyond polished promises to explore how bath, body, botanical, home, and everyday wellness products actually fit into ordinary life.