Hello all,
hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I'm starting the Wilton classes soon and need some guidance. I have the decorating basics and the gum paste and flowers student kits. I think the only kit left to get is the fondant student kit. At this point should I just get the fondant kit and an empty caddy, or is it still worth it to buy the Ultimate set in the caddy? I mean is there much in the ultimate set that isn't included in the 3 student kits, so much that I should pay over a hundred bucks for it? I could get the empty caddy for $50 and one more student kit for maybe $16. Any opinions? Thanks all.

Michaels has it on sale for $119 tomorrow. If I recall, it contains all the class kits, plus extra stuff. I remember looking at with a woman who was going to begin the classes and at the full price of $199 she came out ahead buying it, so at the discount price I think you'll be way ahead. Just double check everything in the one you're looking at and compare the prices if you buy everything separately. You will use it all.

It's a good deal for all that comes in the kit, but when I took my classes a few of the women said the kit was too bulky and everything gets crammed in there. Personal preference I guess.

you coulg look for the hobby lobby 40% off coupon snd get it .

I was also a "wilton girl" a year and half ago... and I only use half of what I got on the older set, as "heywife" says, it is very bulky and remember mine is half of the one that is being sold now! Look very well into what you already have...and you might not need to buy "the ultimate decorating set" I ended not using my "caddy" instead I use a large bag, and my things were in plastic containers.
CIAO

I'd not buy it for the caddy, personally. A tackle box is way cheaper and does the same thing, plus you can get the size that suits you best.

My first thought is if you already have two out of the three kits, I wouldn't buy the big $200 kit. Even with a coupon you are going to spend over $120, and while there are some things in it that don't come in the kit, you can still pick them up with coupons along the way.

I'm not sure the repeated items you would get in the big kit wouldn't by worth the savings. If you have the money to spend, I'd get the 101 piece caddy instead of the tall blue and white box. It will have some of those items you would find in the UCDS, such as the spatulas, plus many other items like the bake even strips, cake leveler, 8 pack of icing colors... When using a 40% coupon the 101 piece caddy usually runs $80-$90. You would still need to pick up the other student kit (if you plan to take the classes), but again with a coupon you'd spend about the same on the student kit and the 101 piece tool box as you would on the UCDS, and have less repeated items.

http://www.wilton.com/contests/ratings/index_fb.cfm?cmp=fb2010&icid=fb1129sweep

You can try to win one.

I bought one, I'm a WMI, and thought I'd use it for my class stuff. I ended up going to home depot and getting a rolling tool box and continued using the blue tool caddy (like the 101 piece kit.) For me it really didn't have enough room in it for what all I needed to carry to class. For an at home use it would be nice to keep alot of smaller items together though.

This is great info to know! Especially since I was considering much the same thing.

I don't think it would be worth buying the whole set no. But I love the Ultimate tool Cady. Honestly I can fit almost all of my "frosting" tools in it.

I have to use another larger much larger box for the fondant and gum paste tools. But I love how my spatulas fit on the side its great.

Sometimes I wish you could try out storage containers before you buy them. One thing I have learned over the years is that what works for me may not work for someone else. It all depends on what supplies you have to store and carry. And the places you have to store them at home when they are not in use.

As far as the Wilton Tool boxes and Caddies or the ones made for tools, it all depends on what you are doing. If I never left my house with cake decorating supplies I would probably never actually use any kind of tool box or caddy since my cake supplies have grown so much they need their own room. Because I teach I do use my tool box alot and it is always ready to go for class.

I've fallen into the trap of it sounds like a good buy and is mega useful, only to get it home and realize that it isn't practical for my needs or my supplies really don't fit into it. This is why I wish we could take things out and try them out. Now when I shop for plastic storage containers I really try to consider exactly what is going to go into it, and if it will work the way I think it will.

Well if u take a desition to buy.... print a cupon from acmoore.com. For tomorow have a 50% off. I think is good deal

So I ended up just getting the empty caddy and the gumpaste student kit with the coupons. I added it up and it made more sense to do it that way. So far I like the caddy for home use, but yes, it might be a bear to carry back and forth. So I may get a smaller one, or a rolling one, for transporting to class. Thanks for all of the replies!

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xmx/R-100624570/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

The bottom part of it is an open area. The top part does have a tray that lift out. There are two smaller compartments on top, and one in the middle that slides out to a half stay tray that may work for tips and such.

One of my students had one, and I kept looking at it week to week and finally bought one. I actually have two. One I use for my first night of the Basic's class. If I arrange everything in it just right, I can get my notebook, turntable, the bag holder, hand mixer, box of spatulas and what not, the bottom. In the top, with out the tray I can fit a glass bowl for icing, my 8x3in cake pan, some bowls of icing, icing ingredients and so on.

My Wilton tool box sits on top nicely when I am dragging it through the store.

In the other one I keep the fondant/gum paste tools for the other two classes.

They are light weight when empty, so even when they are full they are pretty easy to lift up into the car. The only down side is they are a bit top heavy in cars, so my student would bungee cord hers in place. Mine I wedge between the front and the back seat so I don't have to worry about it falling over.

I bought it. I am just starting out and had very little. I love it. I do have a couple other storage containers I use as well. The cutter/embosser is not great, but the rest is good. I did not buy it to take classes though. No classes in my area.