I was just wondering how many people use the icing tip from wilton to ice their cake instead of just slapping it on with a spatula. I have been putting on the icing with a spatula and have had so many problems with smoothing, crumbs, etc. From reading some of the other posts I think I am not getting enough icing on my cake. Do you think the icing tip helps with this or is it just another one of those tools that sounds nice but when you actually use it it doesn't work the way you thought it would. Any input would be appreciated. 
I use the icing tip and it really does help. To me it makes for much less work when you are trying to smooth since all I really have to worry about are the seams where the bands of icing meet or overlap. I have yet to find the perfect way of smoothing my buttercream. I love the taste but I find that it is a royal pain to smooth.
I always crumb coat. Wait awhile. Then add my other layer of icing. It can be time consuming. It's just my preference. I once used the icing tip and it didn't work for me. I didn't know how to work with all the frosting all at once. But then again I was new to decorating. So maybe I'll give it a try again and save me some time.
I put a huge amount of icing on my cakes so I just slap it on with a spatula...I end up taking off most of the icing with bench scraper. The icer tip doesn't put it on thick enough for me!! I also crumb coat and chill my cakes for several hours before icing them.
If your having trouble with crumbs then you may not be using enough icing. When I first started decorating I had that problem and it was because I wasn't putting enough icing on the cake. It could also be the consistency of your icing..If it's too think it will pull away from the cake and you get crumbs.
I was just wondering how many people use the icing tip from wilton to ice their cake instead of just slapping it on with a spatula. I have been putting on the icing with a spatula and have had so many problems with smoothing, crumbs, etc. From reading some of the other posts I think I am not getting enough icing on my cake. Do you think the icing tip helps with this or is it just another one of those tools that sounds nice but when you actually use it it doesn't work the way you thought it would. Any input would be appreciated.
I LOVE IT! Every since my Wilton teacher told me about it and how to use and I have always used it. I never have problems with crumbs on my icing and I find it faster and easier to smooth.
Like you said, you may not be putting on a thick enough coat on the cake. You need a nice thick coat in order to smooth it out and not worry about it getting too thin on you while you smooth it out.
I use it and like it a lot. I would like to find a little smaller one. Once I saw Elton Brown from Food Network us a plain round tip to frost a simple two layer cake.
No I don't crumb coat. Also I dont like my icing too thick so I find that the thickness that I get with my icing tip is good for me.
For those who use the Wilton Icing tip:
Do you still crumb coat your cakes?
Thanks
Connie
Connie: No, I don't crumb coat. The coat you put on the cake using the icer tip should be thick enough to allow you to smooth without worrying about the crumbs getting on your icing.
I do a thin layer for the crumbs and stick the cake in the fridge for about 10 min then I use the icing tip which I LOVE!!!! It works wonders. I do take a spatula over that to smooth it out, I just go the opposite way that I originally put the icing on. (don't know why, just that it works for me) I also read that people use a "scraper" thingie from like a hardware store. That sounds really interesting.
Bodaisey, I heard about the scraper too, and actually saw some pictures of someone using it do do a cake and it looks like it would really work good. I was told to not get a real cheapy one, but you don't have to get the most expensive either, midgrade will do.
Khalstead, I really like the old papertowel trick too, when I learned that the first time I was just amazed, like I have just learned the best thing ever!!!!....he!he!
I can't wait to try smoothing with the computer paper too, that sounds really interesting!!
Connie
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