@ShirleyW - Are you the same wonderful/darling/adorable/precious ShirleyW that did the CakeCentral tutorial about wrapping a cake in chocolate???
Anyway...on to your question. You will LOVE your Agbay. You will not need to purchase new pans since the Agbay cutting height is adjustable. I only use 2" deep pans. I do not cut off the bottom of a cake just because I think that is way too "perfectionist" which I am not. However, if you did wish to follow the perfectionist route and cut off the bottom it would be just fine. I always use a lifter to move my room temperature cake layers since I don't have the fridge space to "cool" the layers. For 10" and smaller cakes I use the Wilton 8" Cake Lifter, Item # 2103-307 For larger layers I use the Wilton 14 x 20 x 1/4 in. deep Jumbo Aluminum Cookie Sheet Item# 2105-6213
These cake lifters work great on any layers, no matter how thick or thin, or whether pound or delicate texture.
I'd suggest you make at least two, 2" deep layer cakes before your Agbay arrives so you can have something to cut. Do not level the cakes in the pan. You'll have fun and be smiling big, giant smiles when you look at your torted cakes.
The Agbay will NOT cut FROZEN cakes, but it will cut cold , cool, or room temperature cakes.
Hi Apti, yes, it is me (I) I just don't post in the forums any longer. 77 now but still doing cake design, I have added lots of new cakes in my gallery page. Thank you for remembering me. The temps. here have been 100 degrees and over so was not thrilled about baking a cake. But of course I want to try out that leveler as soon as it gets here so no doubt will be baking to experiment. Glad to know I can still use my 2" deep pans. The lifter sounds great but in the meantime I am going to look for an inexpensive cookie sheet without sides. Just one that is sturdy enough to not bend when lifting a cake.
Okay I know the Agbay is probably the best. But what if someone can't afford it? Maybe they are just getting started at all this cake baking and decorating thing (like me). I think my husband would flip if I told him I wanted to spend that much on a cake leveler. I also agree that the Wilton cake leveler is scrap. Don't buy it!
So what did I do? I found this one and have been using it for about a year now. It's not a bad option at all. It comes with 3 blades too. It's is definitely more stable than the Wilton one for sure. Just my two cents here.
Hope this helps someone like me!
Yes to the Agbay. Absolutely. There is nothing better! Yes, its a lot of money, so for those just starting out, ask your family to pool there holiday or birthday gifts to you and jointly purchase the Agbay. The cost split several ways is not that bad. It will make such a difference in your cake life!
I too, resisted for years, did work arounds, tried different products. Once I got my first Agbay, I finally understood. There's only one answer to the question, "Should I buy an Agbay?" "yes!"
PS, yes the blade it very sharp. Please treat it with respect.
@leah_s I am getting ready to finalize the order for an agbay. Any tips on using it and how to keep fingers intact? Thanks for the info on it. While it's a big purchase anything that gives you a consistent result is worth the purchase so I'm excited to see how this improves my husbands work.
Though I no longer have it for years I had something very similar to the one Aliceinde mentions. I loved it! Don't remember where I got it, what it's called or anything. It had a single blade w/plastic (?) sleeve 'legs' that allowed one to adjust the blade height about 1/2" each of 3 slots. I really miss it!
@leah_s I think it's the obvious things that seem to cause me the most damage. If I were to use it if probably lose a finger!! I've told my husband all the tips and suggestions. Thanks again!!! I can't wait for it to come.
I'm sure agby is the best and I really appreciate you everyone sharing their experiences. Your comments are helping me and others. I would love to have an agby, but it's not in my budget right now( I suspect I will purchase one within a year), but I will be ordering the one aliceceinade suggest for now, I'm sure it is better than the wilton(don't like it at all )one I have and it will beat the tooth picks and tooth floss method that I have been using
Happily my 2nd AGBAY cutter is on the way. I already have the larger one and I'm adding the small one to my kitchen. It's a brilliant product and the owners are really wonderful people. It definitely goes high on the list of things that are the Best Buy for cake decorating.
Good demonstration @Apti nice of you to share!!!
Son of a gun! It finally worked! Apparently reducing the photo size before loading was the answer.
When you need four, perfectly torted 14"x1" layers, THAT'S when the Agbay is worth every penny! No matter how careful I was, my torting cuts on the cakes larger than 8" or 10" ended up going wonky.
It's just brilliant how perfectly it torts and levels those tops. I'm just a devoted hobbiest, I can't imaging how much easier it would make life If I was running a small cakery. Now I'm going to learn how to do the icing leveling next. That might just be another huge step for me. I've basically failed with the acrylic discs, so it's well worth the attempt.
Thanks to Maureen at Agbay, my decorating has been kicked up a knotch. I just love it when small privately owned business people are successful with ingenious products.
When I was researching the Agbay I read about how the owner worked in a bakery and hated all levelers on the market so she talked to her husband, who is a mechanical engineer, and he developed the Agbay. So, I had my husband, who is also a mechanical engineer, look at it and see if he could make me one for cheaper and said he didn't see a way to improve it or reproduce it for less.
After looking at the agby sight and pondering on the purchase I figured if a junior agby can fit all my needs I wont have to wait to purchase it. I have a few questions that will help me to decide which agby is best for me. Do you suggest Single or double blade, and why? Will the average half sheet cake fit through the junior agby?
My recommendation as a hobby baker: Invest the extra $79 and get the Agbay Single Blade Cake Leveler, not the junior. The biggest differences are the overall height of 6" vs. 4-1/2", and obviously the extra width for wider cakes. I find I enjoy the extra width even when torting smaller cakes because it is just "easier" and I don't have to fiddle be precise when cutting a layer. Since I hobby bake, I'm always trying something new and it is very nice to have the flexibility of those extra inches in height and width, even if I only utilize those features once in a while.
Personally, I don't see the need for a double blade system unless you are turning out a LOT of cakes like a production bakery. It only takes a moment to re-adjust the single blade for the second cut.
Realistically, I would probably be just fine with a single blade Agbay Jr., but I figured for the extra $$, it didn't make sense to get something that wasn't the best of the best. Heck, I've spent a bloomin' fortune on useless cake gadgets, flavorings, molds, ingredients that I end up throwing away because I'm never going to "use the rest of the bag", etc. Every now and then I want to smack myself on the forehead and say, "stupid, stupid, stupid!". I don't get that feeling when I look at my larger Agbay Single Blade.
It's here, It's here! It's like the stork delivering a new bundle of joy. I was very careful removing it from the bubble wrap and putting it together. Haven't tried a cake as yet but I will. I have been watching the Agbay video over and over to make sure I know what I am doing.
Thanks Apti and Maram64, you are always very helpful. So I will be ordering the agby in a few months.
Hands down the best purchase we've made. We leveled 8 cakes this weekend with the agbay and my husband was like I can't believe I didn't buy this sooner!! It's a simple tool with amazing results!! It's a super clean cut and the no crumbs blew us away. It is definitely worth every penny I feel silly for questioning whether to buy it or not now lol.
I had the same reaction when I bought my first one. I can't believe I waited so long. Money well spent. It just one of those things where you can't believe how good it is, and how much difference it makes in your cake life. It seems so simple to just use a knife, but once you Agbay, you'll never go back to a knife, floss, toothpicks or any other of the nonsense I used to do.
@ShirleyW congratulation, yes let us know how you like it.
@littlejewel you won't regret the purchase at all. Can't wait for you to get it.
I have to say it was the best purchase I ever made and I don't bake professional.
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