I discovered this mat on youtube and was just wondering if anyone out there has it and how they like it? It sounds like a great product, has anyone had any problems with it? TIA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu6QpimDDDQ&feature=player_embedded

That's the same as the craft store vinyl that she apparently doesn't like, Of course she doesn't like it, or she wouldn't sell her "system." Just go get a sheet of vinyl from the fabric store, it's cheaper and easier to replace if you need a different size for bigger cakes.

There is another thread on this you might find interesting:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-695866.html

She did say this one was food safe, not manufactured with something (can't remember the ingredient, lead?) and the vinyl at the craft store contains this ingredient. Also it is ,axe in such a way that the fondant is supposed to release easier. Are these two statements not right?

I'm curious because I might get one, or at the very least some vinyl at the craft store.

It is "food safe" on the other hand I don't see any evidence anywhere that says that the "metals and toxins" in vinyl are transferred to fondant when you roll on a sheet of fabric store vinyl. I am going to give it a shot, not much more than vinyl from a fabric store and well it is a local business and I like that.

I am thrilled that someone has taken the initiative to manufacture this type of tool in food safe materials. There are so many items that us cakers use that were not intended to be used in contact with food. I have heard these type of materials (craft store vinyl, contact paper) referred to as "downstream" plastic products, meaning that they have waste/material in them that is not present in food-grade plastic.

I have one of these mats. Her store is based here in Nashville. I used the mat tonight for the first time and it was wonderful...and best of all unexpensive

Does anyone know if they have released the deluxe version yet and if so how much it costs? On the website it said it would be released soon. The deluxe version will have size gradients marked.

Fairmaiden IMHO the Mat is worth it. I bought mine recently and have used it quite a bit. I was able to adjust the mat a few times on the cakes with ease. Clean up is much easier now. just roll and store in the container it comes in.

Thanks everyone for the tips! I think I am going to purchase one, I too am wondering when the deluxe version will be released-think I will e-mail the co.

This is interesting...http://www.vinylnewsservice.com/MainMenu/Factsheets/FAQs.aspx
an article about vinyl.

"Are products containing vinyl or PVC safe for human health?"

In doing some research, it seems vinyl and pvc have alot in common. We use pvc all the time in the kitchen. Just FYI....still researching. BTW Just bought double polished vinyl, a huge piece,at WM made by Kittrich Corp. for $3. Have some info coming from them.
Blessings

where can we buy this mat?

I have a regular sheet of vinyl that I use occasionally, but for me it's really just easier to roll it on a clean counter and put it on the cake. Any kind of vinyl sheet tends to pick up stray fibers etc and it gets tricky to keep them totally clean.

The amount of any kind of non-food grade chemicals that could be transferred from a vinyl mat is so negligible it's not a concern for me. When they were worried about chemicals leaching from soft plastics it's always because those plastics are either microwaved, or because babies were chewing on them for extended periods of time.

I hope that if anyone is worried about chemicals transferring onto cakes they never use fresh flowers on their cakes, because there's a much higher risk of pesticides, dirt and unregulated fertilizers from South America (think of the septic tank) getting into the icing from flowers being placed on the cakes. Even if the flowers are organic, would you want to drink the water they had been sitting in? That's more of a concern to me than rolling a piece of fondant onto a mat for five minutes.

I purchased this mat a love it. I did not want to get something that was NOT food grade. We as a society are putting some many harmful chemicals into our bodies and we don't even realize it. We think that the Food and Drug administration is looking out for us. They are NOT.
After seeing a segment on The Dr.s show I am taking control of my on life and what goes into my body and not waiting or depending on someone else. I would rather spend a little more and be safe.

@costumeczar: Great point about the flowers. Everyone assumes them to be "natural" and therefore safe, but just as you said, whatever was in that liquid keeping the flowers fresh can leach through the liquid and into the cake.

Please remember that business CANNOT be conducted in the forums, so let's keep strictly to the topic.

Well, I just caved and bought one...I had been using the Wilton mats but the fondant sticks to them so what the potint? I wasn't thrilled that the shipping was almost as much as the product, but what the heck...I also like supporting an American business.
Cathy

I want to add that vinyl, even "safe" vinyl can have many harmful effects. Babies whose mothers are exposed to "safe" vinyls can have decreased testosterone levels (male and female), which can cause many side effects. Plastics that are used for containers that contain PVC are one of the methods of exposure. It has become such a problem that it is illegal to use PVC in baby products, not just the ones that contain foods because breathing in gases released from the plastics can cause harmful effects.

What does this have to do with our cakes? If PVC is too dangerous to put baby soap in, don't you think it is too dangerous to put on our cakes?

I personally am looking into the Mat (I am taking a trip to Nashville and will be visiting the store ) because I have a 9 month old and the last thing I want to do is serve him a cake at any point in his life that I know can harm him.

Oh, also, carpeting and paint on the inside of your house, they can give off really bad fumes. And new furniture and walking around outside in the air where there's car exhaust.

Yes, I agree it's possible to be over protective; however, why use something that I know is harmful? I don't use scented baby wash because of the phthalates in it and it only goes on his skin. I'm definitely going to be more cautious of things going inside him. That's just my opinion. My point is, why would you chose to use something that has harmful materials, especially when there food safe options out there?