I need a real Extruder really bad, and thinking about asking hubby to get me one for Christmas...

Could yall please tell me the best one to buy, I want to make sure I can make long continuous forms, like long seamless ropes and such as, yet easy to use and refill.

Any tips and tricks to using one would be highly appreciated as well...the only extruder I have ever used is a play doe one, its ok for the small stuff, yet very hard to use and very limited as well (

Thanks in advance, Mary/Frosting111

I don't have the brand name, but be sure you get one with a threaded top that lets you easily twist a bar at the top to extrude rather than a plunger type. The ratcheted tops let you extrude with even pressure without hurting your hands. Makes all the difference in the world.

Don't know if you are talking about this one luddroth but I just bought the Makins Professional Ultimate Clay Extruder off of e-bay. Haven't recieved it yet. Hope it's a good one.

I have the one from Global Sugar Art......squeeze and extrude......It works OK, especially well if you soften the fondant a little....but you you have to keep reloading it for larger jobs.

I have the Makins Professional. I love it! It's easy to use, easy to clean, and does everything I need it to. I just knead a bit of shortening into my fondant to get it nice and pliable. It makes a good size rope for borders and such. I've seen others (the squeeze barrel that Sharon Z uses) and heard great things about them, just never used any others. With a 50% off coupon, I paid very little for mine at Hobby Lobby. Highly reccommend it!

I have the Makins one too, the green one with the twist top, and it's great. If you're making thick ropes you do have to refill it often but it's very easy to use and easy to clean. You can buy more discs for the end to make different shapes too.

Thanks, everyone..so the Makin's Professional Ultimate Extruder is the most recommended one thus far..cool

I'll look one up and get the prices for it and the extra discs and drop a hint in to hubbys ear tonight....wish I lived closer to a Hobby Lobby, they dont sell that brand at Michaels , gosh darn it!!! (stomping foot)

Thanks, I do apprecite all yalls feedback

I ordered myself one for Christmas (from my DH) off of eBay and it's the squeeze one. I haven't received it yet. But I'm paying $30can vs. $80can from Golda for the same one! I hope this one works good because I could have gotten a cheaper one that twists instead of squeezes. I didn't know which one is best either! I just went for it!

If you want a big one that you don't have to keep filling and can make really long ropes check this one out. http://www.bigceramicstore.com/Supplies/ClayGuns.htm It's the one Jennifer Dontz uses. I got it a couple of months ago but haven't used it yet.

Oh I forgot to add the link to the one I bought to see what you guys think
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300304357489&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I just got the Makins one from Joann.com for 50% off. I think it ended up being about $12. I still had to pay shipping, but the stores around here don't carry that one. My husband bought me a plunger-type one last year, and it works fine, but I think the Makins will be even better!

I also have the Makins Ultimate Professional Extruder. It's fantastic! And so easy to clean up!

Is this the correct one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018BOXWQ/?tag=cakecentral-20

It's only $16 on Amazon.

I have the Makin's ultimate extruder, and it has all the good qualities that the PPs have already mentioned. HOWEVER, I had a little difficulty using it to make the green ropes in the Christmas cake in my photos. The reason is, I was unable to extrude with only one hand and guide with the other because I need both hands to extrude (one to twist the handle, and the other to hold the barrel). So I ended up with a lot of finger marks all over my extruded fondant.

I think my particular cake design could have benefitted from the squeeze extruder, so if you don't anticipate needing it for what I needed it for then I would go with the Makin's.

GL!

Got my Makins Professional Ultimate Clay Extruder yesterday in the mail and loving it already. Already used it twice. Used it to make shoe strings on my Nike Cake. Sure glad I had it! Used it to make straw for my Manger scene cake....not yet posted.