If you've been waiting for an affordable, desktop print and cut machine to hit the market...the day is finally here.
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xTool has just announced the released of the $469 xTool C1 Print and Cut machine and guess who has one of the very first units...me!
The new xTool C1 Color Cutter is trying to fill the gap between having a separate printer and cutter that require registration marks like the Silhouette CAMEO or Cricut and expensive and commercial-grade all-in-one machines like the Roland BN2 or iColor 250 which start at $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.
Meet the xTool C1
The xTool C1 is a 12" die cutter with a built in CMYK print head. It runs on xTool Studio which powers all of the xTool equipment including the Omni UV printer, Apparel Printer and all the lasers.
Dura Ink Cartridge
The special Dura print cartridge is a single unit much like the iColor 250 uses to keep things compact. But it also means that when one color runs outs you need to replace the entire cartridge. The cartridge can not be refilled and third party ink can not be used.
At the time of this publishing, xTool has not publicly confirmed the price of the replacement cartridges. However, given that the xTool M2 laser also has a similar style print head and the cartridge replacements are $99, it's probably safe to guess that's about how much the C1 print cartridge will run.
The cartridge does require that the machine stay plugged in at all times and small moisturizing pads must be replaced every two weeks to keep the cartridge from drying out.
Printing, Cutting, and Scanning
You can run jobs where you both print and cut, but you can also run jobs where you only print or only cut. The C1 will both die cut and kiss cut.
You also don't have to use xTool materials - so if you have a favorite like Online Labels sticker sheets you can still keep using those.
You will likely have to do some testing to find the best cut settings, whereas xTool materials will have a scan code the machine can read and auto-set settings.
Stickers are an obvious with this machine, but you can also print and cut things like printable vinyl and printable heat HTV.
In addition to printing and cutting, the xTool C1 can also scan and cut. This allow you to print on a different printer and cut with the C1 or cut pre-printed materials. Scan and cut requires the use of the C1 cutting mat which has special marks on it. This process is similar to how the Silhouette Pixscan mat works. Watch my full Scan and Cut with xTool C1 video here.
Aside from the knife tool there are also a variety of other tools and accessories including a hot foil tip, a roll feeder for matless cutting of lined materials, an electrostatic mat, and a longer cutting mat.
xTool Studio Software
The xTool Studio software is free to download and is compatible with Mac and PC. While it has a lot of similarities across all of the different hardware, there are obvious differences in certain tools, settings, and workflows depending on which machine is connected.
One of the big benefits of xTool studio for users is if you're already using an xTool machine you're not learning a new software from scratch. This significantly cuts the learning curve. It also offers the opportunity to pair your various machines together - for example cutting vinyl stickers on the xTool C1 that are then UV printed (for higher quality) on the O1 Omni UV printer.
Watch the full xTool C1 breakdown
I go through everything xTool has shared so far, including the ink, the materials, and the questions I still have, in this video. I'm also sharing 11 things that surprised me about the xTool C1. You can watch that video here.
Be sure to follow my new xTool C1 Youtube playlist so you don't miss any of my upcoming content including a full unboxing, setup and tutorials on how to Scan and Cut with the xTool C1 and how to make sticker sheets
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!
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