Xyron has manufactured a lot of devices that can be used in crafting, from the brand new Creatopia to their series of Create-A-Sticker machines. One of their other crafting tools is the Xyron Design Runner, a portable printer that allows you to print words and graphics on a variety of surfaces, including handmade greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and so on. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the Design Runner. Strengths: -
This product can print designs on just about anything. Some materials you can use include paper (of course), metal, fabric, wood, and photographs. You can create standalone images or repeat your design to create borders. -
The ink is non-toxic and acid-free. It won't fade away. -
This is a small unit that will fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Xyron also manufactures a carrying case for this product so you can take your printer with you to crafting events or anywhere else you want to use it. -
This device is pretty easy to learn how to use, thanks to a display that will show you what you're printing and buttons that let you choose which design you want. You won't spend a lot of time learning how to use this machine, which means you can get to the fun part - crafting - sooner. -
Each ink cartridge has the capability of printing up to 5,000 inches of words or designs, so long as the device is stored properly in between uses. This printer comes with a docking station for easy storage. -
Xyron makes several accessories to accompany this product. As mentioned before, one of these is a tote bag. The company also makes design discs that have a lot of different themes, such as pets, holidays, flowers, new baby, and so on, and there are also font discs. (The printer comes with a starter disc.) And if you want to create your own designs, you can purchase a blank disc and Xyron Design Disk Maker to get started. There's also an accessory kit you can buy that will assist you in printing in straight lines, creating circular patterns, and more. Weaknesses: -
This device comes with a standard disc that contains 40 designs. While it was nice of Xyron to include such a thing, 40 designs isn't really that many, and the other discs can be a bit expensive. You can expect to pay around $35.00 for a single disc. -
There are only two colors of ink available for this product: green, and black. It would be nice if there were a better selection of colors, such as pastels and neon colors. Plus, you can only print with one color at a time. -
Getting back to prices, the Design Runner isn't exactly inexpensive. This machine sells for around $99.99. So if you purchase this printer along with several of the design discs (and possibly the carrying case and accessory kit, as well), you will be putting out a lot of money. The Xyron Design Runner is a machine that should appeal to creative people and it is pretty cool that you can print designs by using a hand-held machine. However, it's disappointing that the machine can only print one color at a time, and that the machine itself is pricey, as are all the accessories. Nevertheless, if you can afford it, this would be a good product to have if you love crafts. |
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