I love my cuttlebug! At first i was a little hesitant to purchase it, cause I didn't know how much it would get used since I have a cricut. I have to say that I am so glad that I went ahead and got one. The embossing is great, and most dies are affordable. The alphas are a little pricey, but no more so than what I pay for a cricut cartridge. I also love that I can use any die in this machine. One of the best investments that I have made.