Hi!! I have an Expression and thinking about getting an Imagine.

I have been reading the reviews on hsn regarding the imagine and after reading them i actually told my husband not to get me an imagine for Christmas.

I also realize that alot of the people giving reviews on hsn have never used a Cricut before so i wanted to check with some experts and see how the Imagine is really working out for people

Thanks for your input!
E

I have a Cricut expression which I've used just a couple of times over 2 years (I know, not much--my DH wasn't real happy I got a new one when the old one was hardly used!) I got the CI a week ago and was waiting for it to crash and for me to have problems with it like so many people have stated on the HSN reviews. Nope, it works just fine and I love it! I have had no problems whatsoever and I am NOT very Cricut literate at all. My 15 year old pressed a few buttons the first time out and made some pretty fancy designs from my accent cartride and a new Imagine cartridge. I've done 3 pages with it and I can't wait to go buy more cartridges for it. All three cartridges arrived in great shape from HSN and they loaded just fine for me. Oh yeah , the original mat wasn't sticky but I had bought two mats from Michaels before the CI arrived and they work just fine.

I'm loving my Imagine! I haven't had any issues with it. I have been using it for a month now. I think it is a great product. I can't wait for the updates so it works with the Gypsy.

Regarding the HSN reviews. I think people are more apt to post when they don't like a product. I have read a lot of positive posts on the MB regarding the Imagine. It just seems like the negitive posts tend to resurface and the positive posts get burried. I don't know why that is. Just seems to be the case from my observations.

I have a an Imagine and I love it! I have never owned a Cricut before because I was intimidated but this is so easy to use right out of the box. I bought mine from HSN and it arrived in perfect shape all the cartridges work great and I have been playing with it everyday. I use the cut only function the most and it is very fast when you only cut! Amazing technology and I am proud to say that I'm the most popular kid on the block now that I have this. =)
The art on the cartridges is awesome and my boys love all the stuff I have made with the JT Art Cartridge..especially the little 3d car.

Edited by user Thursday, October 14, 2010 3:27:19 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I have the original "bug", Create and now the I, and I love my I. I ordered it on release day through HSN, but it was late in the day so I have only had it a week, but had no problems at all with getting it set up, and love the style of art PC has put out for it. The sheet enclosed about which cartridge needed to be installed for updates was different than the printed easy start guide, so I think a few updates were done prior to getting mine. Yes I will have to spend money on ink, but I have been spending a lot of money on pattern paper, and most of the time I do cards and you don't need much so being able to print a mat in the pattern to match everything else on a card is SUPER. I will still keep my Create and cut materials I am not sure about (glitter paper, chipboard etc.) so as not to mess up the I (gave away the original to a friends daughters). I have purchased 7 cartridges this week, can't wait for them to arrive so I can really give the machine a work-out. For anyone interested 6 of the cartridges I got from eBay power seller "proudparents2005" and one from the Imagine facebook page (not connected to PC) and the most I paid for an Art cartridge was $57 (JT to be exact) and the most for a pattern cartridge was $36, they are out there for a fair price, you just have to do a little digging.

The first Imagine I received did not work and I was ready to not like the replacement...however, I LOVE the Imagine . My replacement has worked beautifully from the time I plugged it in and I haven't stopped playing. I just got Imagine More Cards and Kate's Kitchen and will probably be up late tonight playing too. I'd say order from HSN. That way if you don't like it you can send it back....just be prepared for the possibility that you may really like it.

I LOVE mine, I use it much more then the E which is weird.

[ ] Hello everyone. My Imagine is working perfectly. It cuts exactly, mat goes in, sticky wonderful, cartridges work well, and it is not too noisey. I believe Provocraft will work with you if you get a lemon and the hardest thing is having to wait. I ordered from HSN, and was back ordered, and know the frustration of not being able to play when you would like to. I think the machine is amazing for what it can do, and am sorry that people were disappointed when it didn't do all that the launch seemed to suggest. That aside, there is so much it can do. There will be updates and the support on this forum is priceless. Also, the more you explore it, the more you learn, and it becomes so enjoyable and relaxing if you get through boot camp.\\

I love the Imagine. I got it at launch and it arrived with no problems.
It cuts better than the Create and the E I have and it is much faster.
I still love the Create and E, but I think the I was a nice addition to all my toys.
I also expect that eventually the I will be the greatest when they start giving us all the updates.

I have an Expression, Cricut Cake, Gypsy, Cuttlebug and now the Imagine. I use all of them for different projects and wouldn't give any of them up.

My Imagine worked right out of the box with no issues or problem. I have it almost a month now and couldn't be happier with it except it doesn't work with my Gypsy yet. I think I am saving money by using the Imagine because I don't need to buy all the color and patterned paper I was buying before with my E. I used my Imagine exclusively this past month doing a project a night and printed and cut every project and I have not made a dent in my ink cartridges yet. I love the ability of using my original carts with the added feature of the pattern carts.

All in all my Imagine has exceeded my expectations and I am thrilled I decided to buy it.

I have the expression, gypsy, Design Studio, LOTS of over 90 cartridges and the cuttlebug, plus about 80 embossing folders. I thought long and hard about getting the Imagine and if both my kids weren't in Collage probably would of gotten it the day it was on HSN Todays Special, but didn't because from what I have read they have no plans to allow Design Studio to work with it and I do all my work on Design Studio. I hardly use my gypsy because just don't feel its user friendly or least I can't use it easily, plus don't like the small screen, but had to have it!! I also like all the types of papers out there which I get when its 50 % off at Hobby lobby, plus really don't like the thought of the high cost of ink. I have an HP printer already and spend a lot on ink just for my kids collage studies and my own use of it. If they ever up grade it so you can use design studio with it then I will probably get it but not before. Sarah

I'm probably going to repeat what a lot of others have said.. I have the E and the CI and I love them both.. I can't wait for more functionality to be brought to the CI.. I haven't had the problems that a lot of people have been having with updating. Mine updated in less then 5 minutes and has worked like a charm since.

The CI is a big mama.. Thus I am keeping my E and will probably use that for my projects that I am not doing a lot of printing with.

I am not as impressed as I wanted to be. I have had an Expression for years, use it tons, and love it. After setting up the Imagine, (with no problem at all) I am not as happy with it as I want to be. Unfornately, I have not be able to pin point why. I think part of it is I miss the bright, vibrant colors that card stock offers. Though it prints well, the colors are pale in comparison. I went so far to call Michaels last night and talked to the manager about returning it and he was not happy at all. He asked if it was working correctly and when I said "yes" he was not happy with the fact that the ink and cartridges would already have been opened. He eventually said he would honor it as all as I have my receipt. My DH tells me to just keep it and dabble with it some more. I just worry for th price if I wouldn't prefer a second Expression.

I have the Expression and the Gypsy & I just got the Imagine from HSN and love it except for one thing.....the MAT. It won't keep the stickiness!!!! I get o upset when I go to cut my project and the mat starts to move all over the place. Hope Provo Craft fixes the mats!!

Bug Hugs!

Edited by user Saturday, October 16, 2010 11:09:23 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I'm dissapointed to hear it doesn't work with the Gypsy. I just watched the launch last night on tape and Jinger said it would work with the G but not DS.