When people ask me what paper trimmer I recommend for scrapbook operations, I almost always recommend a Carl paper trimmer. This isn’t because Fiskars, Purple Cows and other brands are necessarily bad, it is because Carl goes above and beyond what you would expect in a paper trimmer. One recent addition to our site, which will probably be a huge hit with the scrabookers, is the Carl DC-300N premium 12″ rotary paper trimmer. This is my review.

Carl manufactures a wide variety of paper trimmers. This varies from handheld pizza-cutter-like trimmers to high-end professional trimmers for photographers. Carl paper trimmers are affordable. A few years back I purchased an RT-200 for my wife and she absolutely loves it.

The Carl DC-300N has a lot going for it. To begin with, it is made from 100 percent recycled materials. This is pretty cool in my book, and if you’re trying to be more green, an environmentally-friendly paper trimmer like the DC-300N is a great option. Both the metal and plastic components are made from recycled materials.

One feature everyone expects to have in a scrapbook-capable paper cutter is portability. While portability may not be a feature you need in a rotary paper trimmer, this cutter includes a built-in handle. Just grab the cutter and go! It also features several storage compartments where you can place extra blades.  You can see more pictures of the Carl DC-300N here.

Blades on the DC-300N are extremely easy to swap out. Not special tools are required. The cutting head itself keeps the blade safely covered during the entire cutting process, making the DC-300N extremely safe. The cutting head is also ergonomically designed to fit in the palm of your hand, making the trimming operation seamless. The blade itself is a premium carbide blade.

While you would expect a paper trimmer to cut only paper, the DC-300N can also be used to trim card stock, photographs, laminated material and more. It has a 20 sheet cutting capacity (with 20lb paper), so it is a pretty robust little cutter, especially considering the low price.

Accuracy may be one of the DC-300N’s highest selling points. The cutting blade is designed to stay true, stable and accurate during the entire cutting process. A built-in clamp helps to keep paper in place, eliminating the dreaded crooked cut. Specially patented Carl cutting rails also help keep things sturdy. This cutter is also pre-calibrated prior to shipping, ensuring accuracy.

One cool feature that I really like, which also helps contribute to accuracy, is the luminous paper holder. This is the green/yellow looking plastic piece you see in the picture. This holder is designed to gather light and highlight the item being trimmed. This puts you in control of the cutting process and makes it extremely easy to see what’s going on.

As you would expect with any rotary paper trimmer, the Carl DC-300N has a series of graphics, grids and rulers printed right on the base of the cutter. This makes it easy to align material for cutting. An adjustable paper clamp also helps you line up your cut.

Overall I have to say that this is a solid little cutter. While it isn’t designed for high-volume cutting, it is perfect for scrabooking, hobby cutting, photo trimming and much more.

You can find the Carl DC-300N premium 12″ rotary paper trimmer here and our entire line of rotary paper cutters here.

Carl rotary paper trimmers are some of the most popular trimmers we offer. There are many reasons for this. To begin with, Carl paper cutters are extremely affordable. There are a variety of different designs to choose from and many of them are available with interchangeable blades. Car trimmers are a huge hit with scrapbookers, photographers, hobbyists and others that need precision cutting. We are proud to announce that we have just added 7 new models to our site.

Carl has made many changes to their new lineup of rotary paper trimmers. These changes, in my opinion, are for the better. To begin with, their new paper trimmers are made from recycled materials. This is environmentally friendly and a rarity among paper trimmer manufacturers.

I’m also a big fan of the new color scheme. Carl trimmers used to have a blue and gray look, but now have a metal gray and black look. The new look is very modern and looks excellent sitting on a desk or table. Most of the new Carl trimmers are extremely portable and many even include a built-in handle.

One of the biggest changes is the addition of a luminous paper holder. This holder has a fluorescent yellow/green look to it. It is designed to gather ambient light; focusing the light on the item you are cutting. Because it is easier to see what you are trimming, cuts turn out better.

Here are the new Carl trimmers we just added to our site:

• Carl DC-95N Personal Rotary Trimmer
• Carl RBT-12 Personal Rotary Trimmer
• Carl RT-200N Professional Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-300N Premium Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-238N Heavy-Duty Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-210N Personal Rotary Trimmer
• Carl DC-220N Heavy Duty Rotary Trimmer

We are excited to have these new trimmers on our site. We have always had great luck with Carl. A few years ago I purchased an RT-200 for my wife and she loves it. I am certain you will love these new rotary paper trimmers. You can find our entire selection of rotary paper cutters here.

Paper cutters and trimmers come in all shapes, sizes and designs. What makes one trimmer better than another? A lot of it has to do with the build quality, reputation and price. Carl, manufacturer of several different paper trimmers, has developed a reputation for making great trimmers at an affordable price. Is a Carl paper trimmer a good choice for you? Let’s find out.

To begin with, about 90%+ of Carl’s paper trimmers are what’s known as rotary paper cutters. They use a small pizza cutter-like blade that rolls around in a specially designed cutting head. This wheel rolls across paper, cutting it in the process. Rotary paper cutters are known for being accurate and ideal for use in photography, and perfect for scrapbooking purposes. Carl also makes a few different 2 and 3-hole paper punches as well as an entry-level corner rounder.

I would consider Carl to be on par with most entry to mid-level paper cutters, such as Fiskars. The quality isn’t up to high-volume cutting levels, like Rotatrim, but they work great for home and small business use.

The Carl RT-200 / RT-218 and the DC line (DC-210, DC-238 & DC-250) of paper trimmers are by far the most popular trimmers available. These cutters feature interchangeable blades that are extremely popular for crafts and scrapbooking. Some of these interchangeable blades include:

• Perforating Blade
• Scoring Blade

The RT-200 / RT-218 and CC-10 include unique trimming blades such as:

• Deckle Cut Blade
• Shortwave Blade
• Pinking Blade
• Scallop Blade
• Squiggle Blade
• Victorian Blade
• Colonial Blade
• Wave Blade

This combination of different blades, interchangeable blades and overall reliability make our Carl paper trimmers a hit. I even purchased an RT-200 for my wife for her own photo-trimming projects.

So is the Carl line of paper cutters perfect for everyone? I wouldn’t recommend Carl paper trimmers for print shops, copy centers or larger businesses, but I would certainly recommend them for home use, school use, small-business use and other occasional cutting projects. Carl paper trimmers look great and are very portable.

You can find our selection of Carl paper trimmers here and our entire selection of paper cutters and trimmers here.

Rotary paper cutters are some of the best tools for precision cutting. Larger commercial-style rotary cutters can be used to cut down blueprints, signs, banners, posters and much more. If you are in the market for a professional and precise cutter, consider looking at the 53″ MBM Kutrimmer 0135 rotary paper cutter. This is my review.

MBM makes some of the finest paper cutters available for businesses today. This includes the Triumph stack cutter line and the Kutrimmer guillotine cutter line. The Kutrimmer line, known best for its guillotine trimmers, is now available in several rotary paper cutter designs as well.

Rotary paper cutters are very unique. They use a rolling blade, usually fixed in some sort of housing, to cut paper. This housing slides along a rail and the rolling blade quickly cuts through material. Because the blade and housing are fixed, there is very little movement, which is why rotary cutters are considered to be THE most precise style of cutter available.

The MBM Kutrimmer 0135 rotary cutter can be categorized as a commercial cutter, in line with higher-end cutters like the Rotatrim Technical and Neolt paper cutters. The 0135 is designed from the ground up to be easy, functional and extremely durable.

You will notice from the photo that just about everything on the Kutrimmer 0135 is made from metal. This includes the included stand, base and rail. It is designed for heavy use, and the 53″ cutting length can handle a lot of large material. Another feature you will want to take note of is the ergonomic handle on the blade housing. This makes the cutting head very easy to move along the rail.

One thing people don’t realize about rotary cutters is that not only is the blade important, but the metal strip (counter blade) that the rotary blade slides against on the base of the cutter is equally important. The Kutrimmer 0135 uses a hardened steel rotary blade and a stainless knife steel counter blade strip. Together, cutting and precision meets a new level of professionalism. This combination also enables the 0135 blade to self sharpen.

Have you ever used a rotary paper cutter where the cutting head just didn’t seem to want to move? This is often a result of the clamping mechanism. The Kutrimmer 0135 uses a plastic clamp that not only holds paper and material in place while cutting, but also allow the cutting head to effortlessly slide along the cutting rail.

Unlike many high-end rotary paper cutters, the Model 0135 has a paper catch tray. This tray catches all the excess cut chaff, fine paper strips and other material that would otherwise clutter up the floor and make a huge mess. An optional paper roll holder is also available for this cutter upon request.

Overall the MBM Kutrimmer 0135 hits the mark on almost all levels. It is perfect for use in print shops, architectural firms, copy centers and many other businesses. MBM simply makes some of the best office equipment available today.

You can find the 53″ MBM Kutrimmer 0135 rotary paper cutter here and our entire selection of rotary paper cutters here.

Rotatrim easily makes some of the best rotary paper cutters available. They feature an excellent build quality, extremely accurate cuts and they seem to last for years. If you are on a budget, however, you may not be able to afford a Rotatrim Professional paper cutter. So are there some other brands that compete on a “Rotatrim” level that are more affordable?

I have a tough time saying that “more affordable” cutters are equal to a Rotatrim, but there are some pretty good contenders out there. I have come up with a list of some great Rotatrim alternatives that are still a great value. These cutters should still provide you with excellent cuts and great durability, all for a great price.

Top 5 Best Rotatrim Professional Rotary Paper Cutter Alternatives

1. Dahle 500 Series Professional Rolling Paper Cutters – The Dahle 500 series of professional rolling paper cutters are by far the top alternative to Rotatrim. They are very popular for cutting down photographs, card stock and other paper.
2. Dahle 400 Series Premium Rolling Paper Cutters – The Dahle 400 series of premium rolling paper cutters are hot. They are affordable, are available in different lengths and are still very accurate.
3. Foster Econocut Rotary Paper Trimmers – These paper cutters aren’t able to handle the high-volume of the Rotatrim Professional series, but are still an excellent alternative for light to medium volume cutting. The Foster Econocut line of cutters is accurate and easy to use.
4. Akiles Roll@Blade Rotary Paper Trimmer – The Akiles line of Roll@Blade paper cutters are accurate and extremely affordable. The only downside is that they are only available in a couple of sizes.
5. Rotatrim Mastercut (Monorail) Paper Cutter – The Mastercut line of paper cutters, from Rotatrim, use a square bar for stabilization. These cutters are a great alternative to the “professional” line of Rotatrim paper cutters.

This list of paper cutters should help you find a great cutter at an affordable price. While I still think the Rotatrim Professional line of cutters is THE king of the hill, these other cutters are definitely great contenders. You can find our entire line of rotary paper cutters here.

Cutting photos is tricky and requires the most precise of paper cutters. One bad slice with a cheap paper cutter can quickly ruin a photograph. So which style of cutter should you use when cutting your valued photos? There are many options out there. Here are a few tips that should help you find the best cutter for your photographs.

There are a lot of factors that go into purchasing a high-quality photo cutter. There’s usually a budget to be considered, origin of the machine, reputation, ratings and more. While I may not be able to help you with all these concerns through this article, I can provide you with some great recommendations.

I have 10+ years of detailed experience with photograph cutters. There are two styles of paper cutters I recommend using for cutting photographs. These are guillotine paper cutters and rotary paper trimmers. Both cutters utilize modern technology to provide a great cut.

In general, guillotine cutters make great all around paper cutters. Not only do they cut photographs, but they can also cut card stock, laminated material, glossy paper, cardboard and more. Guillotine cutters generally cut more paper than Rotary trimmers, however, this isn’t always the case. Kutrimmer and Dahle have a great reputation.

Rotary trimmers are generally considered some of the most precise cutters available. Most photographers look for a rotary trimmer that either utilizes 2 cutting rails or a square cutting rail. Rotary cutters are perfect with paper and photographs. Rotatrim and Dahle have a great reputation.

I have come up with a list of the 5 best rotary trimmers and 5 best guillotine cutters for photography purposes. Hopefully this helps you in your decision.

Top 5 Best Photography Rotary Paper Trimmers

1. Rotatrim Professional Series Rotary Cutters
2. Dahle 400 Series Premium Rotary Cutter (Models 440, 442, 444, 446 & 448)
3. Dahle 500 Series Professional Rotary Cutters (Models 500, 552 & 554
4. Rotatrim Mastercut Monorail Rotary Trimmer
5. Akiles Roll@Blade Cutter

Top 5 Best Photography Guillotine Paper Cutters

1. MBM Kutrimmer 1134 Guillotine Cutter
2. Dahle 561 Premium Guillotine Cutter
3. MBM Kutrimmer 1138 Guillotine Cutter
4. Dahle 565 Premium Guillotine Cutter
5. MBM Kutrimmer 1135 Guillotine Cutter

There you have it. My list of the top 10 best photograph cutters. Keep in mind that both Dahle and Kutrimmer make a lot of other high-quality cutters. I simply listed the most popular models within the typical photograph cutting length. Other models are available with larger cutting lengths and capacities that are also great for cutting photos and pictures.

You can find our entire selection of rotary paper trimmers here and guillotine paper cutters here. Feel free to speak with one of our paper cutting specialists by calling 1-800-658-8788.

I had a customer call me a while back that was confused as to the difference between the Rotatrim Professional and the Rotatrim Mastercut rotary paper cutters. I can understand this. Rotatrim has undergone some unusual name changes over the past few years. Hopefully I can clarify the differences between these cutters in this post.

To begin with, the Rotatrim Professional “M” series of paper cutters is currently Rotatrim’s highest-end paper cutter for precision tabletop cutting of photographs, paper, cardstock and other material. The Professional “M” series used to be called the Mastercut series about 5+ years ago.

This means if you are looking for the OLD Mastercut series cutter, you will now need to look for the Professional “M” series line of Rotatrim cutters. They are literally the exact same paper cutter, but with a different name. I have used the new Professional and the old Mastercut and they feel and work in the exact same way.

The Professional “M” series of rotary cutters from Rotatrim feature two round rails that support a heavy-duty cutting head. These two bars provide exceptional support and accuracy during the cutting process.

Rotatrim Mastercut –> Now Rotatrim Professional “M”
Rotatrim Monorail –> Now Rotatrim Mastercut “MC”

Rotatrim, a few years ago, put out the Rotatrim Monorail paper cutter. This cutter featured a single square bar. The square bar provided great support, but not quite as superior as the Professional series.

For one reason or another (perhaps for marketing purposes), Rotatrim decided to resurrect the Mastercut name. The old monorail line is now called the Mastercut “MC” series. It is still common, however, to find this cutter still being called the Monorail online.

Because the Mastercut name is being reused on a lower-end product, many people get frustrated when they discover their Mastercut is not the Mastercut of old.

You can find the current Rotatrim Professional “M” series cutters here and the new Mastercut “MC” series cutters here. You can find our entire selection of rotary paper cutters here.

Are you looking for a good alternative to a Rotatrim Professional rotary trimmer? This may be to save money or simply because you want to try something different. One model you should seriously consider is the Foster Keencut Classic rotary paper trimmer. I have used this rotary trimmer and this is my review.

To begin with, have you noticed the similarities between the Keencut Classic and the Rotatrim Professional? The design looks very similar. Probably the biggest similarity, and the biggest plus, is the cutting rail. The Keencut Classic has two rails for the cutting head, which makes cuts straight and accurate every time.

The Keencut Classic features an aluminum metal base that is lightweight and sturdy, measuring in at 15-inches deep. You can get the Keencut Classic in a variety of different lengths starting at 12 inches and going up to 48 inches.

The length you use depends entirely on what you will be cutting. Be sure you get a cutter that not only handles what you’re cutting now, but will also handle future jobs.

The Keencut Classic is commonly used by photographers, scrapbookers, graphic arts departments and many more. It can be used to cut up to 10 sheets of 20# paper, thin tissue paper, plastics and can even be used to cut 0.08-inch aluminum printing plate.

I have personally used this cutter to cut laminated paper without any issues. The cuts are clean and are absent of burs. The effort needed to push the cutting head is minimal.

The Keencut Classic also includes an adjustable guide that is attached to a ruler. This makes it easy to align paper and ensures the cut is where it’s supposed to be.

Overall I am impressed with this cutter. I definitely consider it to be a great alternative to Rotatrim and Dahle rotary trimmers.

You can find the Foster Keencut Classic rotary paper trimmer here. You can find our entire selection of rotary paper trimmers here.

At first they may look like pizza cutters fixed to metal bars, but the Rotatrim rotary paper cutters have moved up the line as the preferred method for precisely cutting paper. The idea is simple; a circular blade slides back and forth along a supporting rail. The result is paper that is precisely cut. You no longer have to worry about crooked cuts and ruined photos.

Rotary cutters first gained their popularity by scrapbookers who used them to cut photographs for albums. Photographers soon caught on, and rather than use a ruler and an exacto knife, now use rotary cutters as well. Rotary paper trimmers are now used by graphic arts departments, advertising agencies, print shops, universities, architects, drafters and more.

Mid-level Rotatrim rotary cutters are inexpensive and can precisely cut up to three millimeters of paper at once.

Rotatrim has taken these trimmers to the next level, creating industrial versions of this reliable paper cutter.

Industrial rotary cutters can cut up to four millimeters (5/32-inch) of paper at once and sheets of paper up to 99-inches in length. Industrial cutters are not only capable of cutting through paper, but can also cut through hardboard, rubber and shim steel

Motor powered Rotatrim rotary cutters can be operated with the push of a foot petal.

Jeremy Mayfield, a sales associate with ABCOffice.com, says that he always recommends the Rotatrim Cutters. “Customers are happy to hear that they don’t have to rely on traditional arm cutters that are unreliable and can cut at an angle”, says Mr. Mayfield. He has never had a complaint from a customer, and uses the cutters himself for occasional jobs.