Sizzix Eclips2 Review

The Sizzix Eclips2 is the successor of Eclips only that it comes with industrial-grade parts meaning it’s much stronger and versatile. From the look of things, this die cutter is designed to punch above its weight probably following in the footsteps of its elder brother the Sizzix Big Shot.

But despite its non-compromising design, it generally attracts mixed reviews from its users. So, what are the pros and cons of owning one? Let’s investigate.

Sizzix Eclips2 Product Overview

Armed with a cutting force of 600 grams, the Eclips2 cuts through paper, cardstock, and vellum like a hot knife through butter. Besides being powerful, it doesn’t require a cartridge to operate.

Being a software-based die cut machine makes it quite easy to use and maintain. And even though you may need to spend quite some time learning how to use the eCAL software for this, the creative options are virtually limitless once you learn the ropes.

In fact, you can easily import files of different formats ranging from .png to .jpg and .svg. In other words, you can go ahead and build your array of custom shapes and cut them without breaking a sweat as long as you have the Eclips2 with you.

What Is In The Box?

• The Sizzix Eclips2 electronic cutter
• Blade holder
• 2 Cutting blades
• Cutting mat (12 x 12 inch)
• User manual
• eCAL lite authorization code
• Power cord
• USB cable (6-foot)

Key Features

The Sizzix Eclips2 is a direct competitor to the Cricut Explore and Silhouette Cameo cutters. Of course, Cricut Explore is better at cutting small detail work and the Cameo does a better job of cutting thick materials but the Eclips2 still stands a fighting chance thanks to its design freedom.

And that’s not all! The Eclips2 also packs the following noteworthy features.

1. Speed & Pressure Autoselection

You don’t have to waste time trying to figure out which speed or pressure level suits your task. This system is intelligently built to do that for you.

2. Auto Tracing

Don’t feel like designing stuff from scratch? All you need to do when using the Eclips2 is feed it with the images that you need cut. The system will automatically turn the outlines of that image into cut lines. How cool is that?

3. Laser Cut Preview

Want a sneak peek cut? This awesome feature ensures that you can see where you will cut even before you start cutting. That way, you can make better decisions and avoid material wastage. And of course, you can use this preview to determine if the artwork you’re planning to work on meets your end goal. Indeed, this is a great way to remove the guesswork from die cutting tasks.

4. eCAL Software

eCAL is a pretty well-made software program. It enables you to cut virtually any shape or design using your Eclips2. With it, you can access a wide variety of fonts, draw your own fonts and even import custom artwork – in other words, the possibilities are endless.

It’s, however, worth noting that the system requires Windows 7/8/10 or Mac OSX 10.11 and a minimum of 512MB RAM to operate.

Once up and running, the program stuns with its friendly WYSIWYG user interface. This is a no-brainer for anyone although you may need to learn the ropes before you become fully confident in using the system for your DIY tasks.

5. True Scoring

Scoring is important if you want to fold anything. However, not all machines are capable of delivering true scoring. In fact, quite a few of them only come with perforating features which are only suited for perforating business forms, raffle tickets, and sales tickets.

The Sizzix Eclips2 lives up to expectations with its powerful rotary scoring wheels. It accurately scores different materials providing you with a neat, professional finish. That’s what true scoring is all about.

6. Pen Holder

This die cutter can be operated either in the cutting mode or pen mode. The pen mode is quite well-thought out because of the pen holder and the firmware the system comes with.

The pen holder itself is a well-made piece of hardware which can be put in place with just one hand. The work of the pen holder is to hold a ballpoint or market in place and have the system draw exactly what the center blade will cut.

Besides the physical pen holder, there is a firmware that comes with it enabling you to actually use the pen. This is contained in an easy-to-use pop-up menu through which you can select one of the following options:

• Marker
• Ball Point
• Glue

The glue option is our absolute favorite. Using a glue pen opens up a whole new window of creative opportunities. For instance, you can sprinkle some glitter to add an oomph to your glue drawing.

7. The Sizzix Eclips2 Mat

You get a 12 x 12-inch cutting mat with a smooth and flat surface. The mat is quite well-made and we particularly like its adhesive surface and enhanced grip. It also has a grid as well as side rule which make the process of material placement simple and straight to the point.

The mat also has well-rounded corners which do an incredible job of holding 12 x 12-inch sheet papers in place.

But even though there are so many awesome things to be said about the Eclips2 cutting mat, we’d like to say that we found it quite difficult to clean. It’s a tiny issue that’s, however, important to keep in mind before making a purchase.

List of Materials It Can Cut

Thanks to its 600-gram cutting power, this die cutter is capable of taming materials with optimal thickness of 0.5mm. Some of the materials most commonly cut with this device include Vellum, Cardstock, Paper, Sticker Paper, Iron-on heat transfer, and Fabric.

While this list of materials is quite generous, the Eclips2 is obviously an underdog compared to the like of Cricut Explore Air 2 and the Cameo 3 which are capable of cutting through hundreds of different materials.