OK, my wonderful hubby is trying to find the "perfect" birthday present for me and obviously "perfect" means "cake-related"!! So I was trying to give him some ideas of what I would really like and I know a lot of people love their Agbay levelers, but I checked them out and they are SO EXPENSIVE!

So can anybody tell me what the deal is, and why a person should spend that much on a leveler? DH is good with gifts, even if he thinks it's overpriced or stupid I know he'll get it for me if it's what I really want...but I need somebody to sell me on why it's really worth $150!!!!!

It is a great product, but I have good success with the Wilton versions, bot the regular and large leveler. Many others have a LOT of trouble with them and prefer the Agbay.

I would rather have another set of cake pans, a lesson book, or even a gift certificate to a cake store.

The Agbay is great! I don't know how I ever got a level cake just using a serrated knife before.

As to the question is it worth it - IMO that depends on how often you use it (I make a cake at most twice a month so it was just an indulgence), do you already have a great way of leveling and torting cakes, is there something else you would rather have?

The product is rock solid, the blade cuts straight everytime (I've even used it on styrofoam - but don't tell Mrs. Agbay as they have a foam cutter blade and I probably dulled it), it is super easy to set to the desired height...

yes.

It is definitely worth its price (if you don't just make cakes for yourself). It gives the finished cake a professional look, when cut. I usually make my cakes 4 layers. The blade doesn't wiggle and it cuts through nuts perfectly (haven't tried it on styrofoam yet).

I LOVE mine. I got the deluxe and it's great cause I tort all my cakes and get it done in one pass.

YES!!!!

worth every penny. I was lucky enough to get one extra cheap on ebay. They are never posted on there, but one day I just tried and there it was.

Definitely

I'm also hoping to get one for Christmas, so thanks for asking this question!

recently, i found that my wilton leveler was boughing in the middle of the cake. i mean, even if the cake was a coconut cake, it wouldn't tort straight so i am seriously contemplating buying an Agbay too!

does it need a lot of space to store it?

Worth every penny! It is the only way I can torte my chocolate chocolate chip cakes without tearing out chunks of cake. It cuts through every cake so easily...

I love mine!!!!!

It's worth every penny. I had the Wilton large leveler and it made a mess of a wedding cake I was working on.
The agbay even cuts through nuts and fruits. I do at least 3-4 cakes per week, somtimes more, and paid for the agbay with my cake $ like all the rest of my supplies and equipment.

ABSOLUTELY WORTH EVERY PENNY....I don't know how I did without it for so long. I had both the large and small Wilton levelers before purchasing this one and I swear it's like cutting through butter with a hot knife with the Agbay!!!

Christmas list 2008

#1. Kitchen Aid Mixer #2 Agbay Leveler

Thanks for the ? and the tips!

I have the small Wilton leveler and I don't like it. It doesn't cut a thick cake well and crumbles those that are not.

Yes! Yes! Yes! It is so worth it. I have the deluxe and I love it! Before I got it, I couldn't get a cake level to save my life. Now, all my layers are perfect. You will not regret it if you buy it, I promise!

for those who use the agbay frequently, do you need to replace your blade often?

TIA

Kind of OT, but I was watching Ace of Cakes and saw them using a leveler that was NOT an Agbay, can you tell me what it was? It had a sort of a big curve on the handle...

lol. thanks for all the replies! sounds like it's pretty unanimous. i do have a wilton leveler and HATE it, my cakes are never level and i don't even try to torte anymore. and i'm useless with just a knife.

but when i saw somebody's reply that their christmas list included a kitchenaid (that was my christmas gift last year!) i suddenly remembered that i could get a pasta roller attachment for mine to use with fondant...i always see these beautiful lace patterns pressed into fondant and the artist always says it was done in a pasta maker. and if i get the pasta cutter could i use it to cut uniform fondant ribbons?

i know i started the whole thread about agbay but now i wonder if any of you use pasta makers with fondant?

hmmm, so many toys to choose from!

staceyboots.... I've had mine for about two years now and I have never replaced the blade and it still works like the day I got it.

I am a big believer that to do a job correctly, you need the best tools.

Read this article I wrote about the "must Haves" for every cake decorator

http://cakesdusoleil.blogspot.com/2008/05/great-tools-make-life-easier-for-cake.html

Yes. Absolutely worth every penny. I have the delux.

I just saw the video for that. Wow! Does it really work as easy as it appears? I only make cakes for family and friends and I have trouble leveling the top perfectly, so much so that I just press the cake when it comes out of the oven. That works pretty well except it leaves a rim and whenever I try to trim with a knife or the Wilton leveler, I wind up losing so much cake that I leave it. I also noticed the layers seemed to "dip" down with the Wilton leveler--I don't know if it's me or that is how that works. I do have a birthday coming up so is the deluxe model worth it?

Wonderful tool. I use it on almost all my cakes. Worth the money for sure. As far as storing it. It take almost no space. I have mine hanging on my pegboard.

Joanne

Leveling my cakes is my least favorite part of the whole week. I hate hate hate it. You guys are really making me want to buy this thing!

So worth it, and i'm another believer that to do a job right you need the right tools.

YES!!!

It was worth every penny!