Deluxe Spirograph

I have wanted a spirograph for a while. I remember the old ones I had as a kid and they were great. This one, however, is made very cheaply. None of the circle pieces stay in the cut outs, so you can't get a good shape. They slip all around while trying to rotate them. I would not recommend this product.

My parents had a Spirograph Deluxe when I was a kid. I remember spending hours making fancy designs and multi-colored pictures. I literally squealed when I found this at the store.

How does it compare? Not well, in most cases.

The old set was made of a brittle plastic that broke easily if not carefully handled. The new set is made of a more flexible, softer plastic that MIGHT hold up better.

The old set came with four multi-colored pens. The new one has one.

The old set had multiple gears and other interchangeable "bits" to create thousands of shapes and configurations. The new set has seven gears, three gear templates and a clunky stencil. It's very limited in options.

The old set was precisely engineered so the gear teeth would mesh properly with any other gear. The new set doesn't seem as carefully made, and the teeth taper toward the tips, so they slip.

The old set came with a cardboard drawing surface and a set of pushpins to hold the paper and gears still as you worked. While it wasn't perfect, it's clearly better than the new set's rubber feet which rest ON a standard sheet of paper, providing no stability whatsoever.

The old set had a rigid plastic tray and a reusable cardboard box to keep everything in. The new set has a handy covered storage area for the gears and another for the single pen, but the stencil and gear template are separate. The packaging is not reusable. I need to find some way to keep everything together.

The old set had tiny parts that a small child (under 8) would find frustrating to use. The new set is made bigger for younger children. At least, that's the theory.

This set might be a good introduction to Spirograph while you're saving up for the original on eBay. The name "deluxe", however, is misleading. There's nothing deluxe about it.

Just got one of these this evening and WHAT A BLAST! It is an incredibly well-made, durable product that is easy to use. Covered, locking on-board compartments make sure that no small parts get lost and you'll also have a pen handy. Three primary shapes are available for working the gears--a small circle and a kidney-bean shape on one tray, and a large oval underneath. A stencil plate and detailed, easy-to-follow instructions make for fun pictures straight out of the box.

I bought this for my 4 year old daughter. She doesn't know the old spirograph, so found it somewhat interesting (though difficult - see below). However, I was thoroughly disappointed. It comes with a small set of orange drawing gears and just 3 template items to run them around in. Not the numerous gears and templates that I remember from the spirograph I had. Two of the templates are designed to fit within the third outer one, but the plastic warps so it is hard to keep flat and the gears keep slipping of track. The paisley shape is exceptionally difficult for a 4 year old to play with, leading her to become frustrated with the toy overall. The solid orange color of the gears also can make it difficult to see just what is happening with the drawing. Quite a bummer - now I'm looking for the real thing and this will probably end up in a donation box.

Not like the one I enjoyed so much when I was I little girl.
We are experiencing the same problem as everyone else. The gears don't line up, and keep sliding under the template. I was so excited to give this to my daughter, because it was something I enjoyed so much as a child.
O well