Bira Craft Adjustable Die Cutting & Embossing Machine, 9" Opening, Paper, Fabric and Other Materials

I spent months looking for a machine. They're not cheap, and I wanted to buy right the first time. I'm thrilled! I'm a first-time embosser and within 20 minutes of receiving my Bira, I had a beautifully and perfectly embossed piece of card stock. I kid you not. It was so easy! I had watched many videos on operating this and other machines, but this one sold me for two reasons. %231) It's mechanical vs electronic. Less parts mean less to break (no motor to burn out), and I knew I'd want to be able to feel the pressure. I know if I am controlling it going through the machine, I can stop it before I ruin my dies. %232) This and one more brand (theirs just came out last year, but Bira has been out for much longer) kept things simple. It was exhausting just watching videos of people using other machines with their multitude of pads and configurations. With the Bira, most will need only two. For embossing you probably will want a silicone mat. TIP: I bought a clear silicone counter liner (2mm thick) and it works perfectly! If you just saw the Bira sitting on a table, you'd think this was a cheap piece of junk. It is not! All you have to do is lift it up and you'll know it's a heavy weight, and the plastic is simply a pretty cover for the robust machine underneath. I played around with the dials and you can feel them adjust as you turn them. Was very easy and took little effort. When I rolled my first project through, I could have turned the handle with a single finger. I thought for sure I had done something wrong and my paper would still be flat, but no! It was a nice, deep, and crisp emboss! This takes my card-making up a level -or two! I've already remade a couple of my base cards and the difference is truly amazing. I'm so excited! If you're on the fence, just get it! You won't be sorry, and you can always return it to Walmart!