Guillotine. Paper trimmer. Rotary cutter. Craft knife. All of these pieces of equipment are suitable for cutting paper – so which is the best paper cutting tool for card making, scrapbooking or papercrafting?
As always it depends on the project and quantity that you’re making. If you’re cutting hundreds of pieces of card for wedding invitations, for example, a guillotine would be perfect as it has a flat base and a cutting arm that slices through many sheets at once.
Each guillotine has a load capacity so don’t try to cut too many sheets at once. Use the paper clamp if one is fitted and bring the blade down slowly to avoid ragged edges.
Heavy-duty rotary cutters have a circular blade that can cut through about five layers of paper at a time and, as the blade is circular, it’s also suitable for cutting other materials such as cork, foam sheet, corrugated card and even grey board.
If you’re a hobby card maker or scrapbooker then an A4 size paper trimmer may be all you'll ever need. These can either have a rotary blade or a sliding blade, but which is the best paper trimmer to use? The rotary blade definitely has a longer life, but slider versions often let you add a scoring tool into the slider slot instead.
This style of paper cutting tools allows for speedy cutting, accurate measuring with its retractable ruler and neat scoring – everything you need for crafting!
How about the best craft knife for paper cutting? Should you prioritise getting a paper cutting tool knife that has inexpensive replacement blades for a fresh edge that is easily changed, or a high-spec blade that will last for all your projects?
Get ready to craft with the option that is best for you with our pick of the best paper cutting tools, trimmers and knives.
11 best paper cutting tools for your projects
Paper trimmers
Fiskars 1-Piece 12-inch SureCut Deluxe paper trimmer
This is such an instinctively easy to use paper cutting tool and is a great choice if you work with larger pieces of paper. The cutting blade is housed permanently in a guide channel, so you just slide it along to cut– as long as you keep the paper secure, your cut can't go awry.
And the trimmer has a host of features to make sure your paper stays secure. The fold-out extension arm helps support longer pieces of paper, giving you a longer cutting edge to butt your paper edge too, which makes this one of the best paper trimmers for card making if you like to work with 12x12in papers.
The trimmer housing can be folded up when you are inserting your paper, then fold down to slide the blade across safely while the arm also helps hold your paper in place.
Cricut Portable 12in trimmer
Super-lightweight for portability, this sturdy plastic paper cutting tool packs a punch. You can change the blade in the slider arm to use for cutting or scoring papers, and there is a fold out extendable arm that lets you work with up to 15 inches.
The trimmer is clearly marked with both both inches and centimetres, on the cutting guide and on the unit itself which makes it simple to measure paper in every orientation for neat and accurate corners.
Really versatile tool for the price, this is the best paper trimmer for card making and scrapbooking if you also want to take your tools out and about to workshops with you.
Kit 'N' Caboodle 12 in paper trimmer
With its small cutting surface, and without an extendable arm, this trimmer is bet suited to cardmakers looking to cut accurate mats, as it does not work so well with the larger panels you may want as a scrapbooker. It is sturdy and easy to use, with a sliding blade housed in a strong clear plastic channel for durability with visibility.
There is a scoring grid on the trimmer surface to help with scoring. We have heard that finding replacement blades for this paper cutting tool can be a problem, so buy a few spares if you choose this as your paper trimmer.
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We R Memory Keepers Circle Spin & Trim
Though this is a more specialist paper cutting tool, it is so useful for card making that it deserves its spot in our list.
Cutting perfect circles in different sizes has never been easier. The rotating handle makes cutting effortless, and the new base and hinge design keeps your craft desk uncluttered, as no cutting mat or die-cutting machine is required!
Create circles in half-inch increments from one inch in diameter, all the way up to eight inches. The Spin & Trim features built-in blade storage, and with two blades included you can be sure of crisp cuts that give your cards a professional finish. This is such an easy way to make your circle easel cards, or quickly cut out circle apertures!
Guillotines
Crafters Companion small guillotine
Here's a handy A5 size guillotine that's perfect for card makers. The curved stainless steel blade is based on designs from knife makers, and is self sharpening with every cut, so it glides through material with very little pressure.
The cutting surface has a recessed guideline grid, which you can use with the enclosed scoring tool to crafts accurate score lines alongside using the guillotine to accurately cut your paper and card. The clear finger guard protects your fingers from the blade when you are operating the guillotine, but still lets you see where the blade is, and pushing down on this also helps support the paper you are cutting.
We've had great results with this product, and the self sharpening blade has seemed to bear up its promise after continuous use!
Fiskars 22cm Bypass guillotine
Fiskars feature a lot in this list for a reason – their speciality is blades and they make long-lasting and reliable paper cutting tools. This A5 guillotine is no exception.The guillotine will cut up to 5 sheets of up to 80gsm thickness at once, which is great if you are mass crafting for wedding invitations or Christmas cards.
As well as having inch and centimetre measurement running along the top and bottom edges, it has these across the centre of the guillotine too, which is very handy if you are working with smaller mats. There are also marking in both orientations to help cut A6 and A6 sizes accurately every time.
Craft knives
Cricut TrueControl knife
What sets the TrueControl knife apart from most other craft knives is the blade changing system. When you've used your knife quite a bit and the blade is not giving you as crisp as cut as it first did, turn the dial at the bade of the knife to unlock, and push forward to safely push out the spent blade, no touching of the sharp required.
Similarly, the replacement blades are packaged so that you can slip the end into knife handle and lock it in place before pulling the new blade out of its packaging.
As well as being much safer, this keeps any oil or dirt you might have on your hands away from your fresh cutting blade. This is comfortable and easy to hold and manoeuvre with its soft grip – a light and precise cutting knife for card makers, scrapbookers and papercrafters.
Premier Craft Tools craft knife
If you like to work with extra-thick cardstock for 350gsm or above, it is best to choose a strong craft knife that has been designed to work with these thicknesses - like this tool from Hunkydory's own brand, Premier Craft. The thick and strong blades work well with these thicknesses and this great value knife is a good choice.
When not in use, store in the clear lid to keep your blade sharp, but when it does get less sharp from use, it is simple to change by twisting the knife handle to release. You then insert and new blade and twist the handle the other way to secure.
The fact that it is so simple to switch blades and the price point of the replacement blades means it's easy to always have a super-sharp cutting edge!
- Buy the Premier Craft Tools craft knife from HobbyMaker
Fiskars Premium Precision art knife
Does your craft knife keep rolling across the table and falling onto the floor? Here's a clever idea that could change the face of craft knives forever – don't make the handle circular, so the craft knife can't roll off a craft desk but instead stays where it is put.
It has a specially designed grip and soft touch holding points that still make it comfortable and accurate to hold for precise paper cutting. The lever release system makes changing blades quick and easy, and the 3cm stainless steel blade can cut through thin and thick materials such as paper, photo board, plastic or fabric.
- Buy the Fiskars Premium Precision art knife from The Home Crafters
Rotary cutters
Fiskars Pivoting rotary trimmer
Not just for sewing and quilting, rotary cutters are great for comfortable and quick paper cutting. Used with a cutting knife and guiding the cutting wheel along a straight edge like a ruler, they can achieve guillotine-quality cutting with lots more flexibility, as you control the pressure, so can use for scoring with a light pressure, or to cut multiple sheets at once with a stronger pressure.
This rotary cutter is especially good for papercraft, as the handle can be adjusted to 4 different cutting positions, which is great for control if you're cutting freehand shapes. It also works well for both right an left-handed crafters.
Olfa Original rotary cutter
This is many crafters go-to rotary cutter! You can use it for cutting fabric as well as paper, and its durable rolling blade won't get dulled by paper so will still cut fabric after using on paper and card.
A great choice if you are a multi-crafter looking for a rotary cutter you can use across all your projects. If you think of the length of the cutting blade on a rotary cutter compared to the length of the butting blade on a knife, it's no wonder that rotary cutters last as long as they do – wear and tear gets spread along that whole length.
Get a professional finish with the best paper cutting tools
Choosing the right paper cutting tools for the job can help to give your completed projects a neat and tidy appearance. The correct tool will depend on the task at hand and the craft you're working on.
Card makers and scrapbookers will both find paper trimmers useful, but a scrapbooker is unlikely to need a hefty guillotine. Meanwhile, paper crafters will appreciate the precision of an art knife or a craft knife.
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