What is a Cricut Machine? Which to Buy and Why

A Cricut machine is an electronic cutting machine that allows you to cut paper, vinyl, cardstock, fabric, leather, and many other materials with precision. Using Cricut Design Space software, you can create or upload designs and then let the machine do the cutting, drawing, scoring, or embossing for you. Whether you want to make stickers, personalized T-shirts, greeting cards, labels, or home décor, Cricut machines make crafting faster and more accurate. In this guide, you’ll learn what a Cricut machine does, compare the different models, and discover which Cricut is best for beginners.

What is a Cricut Machine

A Cricut machine is a digital die-cutting machine. It looks like the average printer in size and shape. Designs are created on a computer, and later the Cricut machine cuts, scores, or embosses accurately and quickly.

Depending on your model, it can cut numerous materials, including vinyl, cork, fabrics, leather, paper, iron-on transfers, and even wood. Once you understand and fully appreciate all the applications of the Cricut machine, you will find it worth its price tag. It allows you to cut designs with accuracy, ease, and speed.

Cricut machines can cut materials such as vinyl that you typically need to use scissors or an Exacto knife. It has the accuracy of a computerized die cutter, allowing you to cut with an intricacy you could never have imagined. Read more about how to use a Cricut and cutting vinyl with a Cricut.

Where to Buy Cricut?

Now that you know what a Cricut machine is, you may want to learn where to actually buy one. The Cricut website makes choosing and buying a machine really easy. In addition, they are sold on Amazon and in many craft and fabric stores, including Michaels and Joann.

What Can I Make with a Cricut?

This is a very common question! Here are just a few of the most common cricut projects that Cricut machine owners like to make:

• T-shirts with iron-on vinyl transfers
• Greeting cards with embossing and cutouts
• Gift tags
• Product tags
• Customized stickers
• Leather earrings, jewelry, and small accessories
• Mugs with personalized slogans
• Fabric or paper bunting
• Cut fabric for applique and easy sewing projects for beginners.
• Create unique home decor, such as personalized pillows and labels for your pantry.

Cricut Machine Types

The Cricut cutting machine lineup has five different cutting machines. In June 2021, two new Cricut Machines were introduced: the Cricut Maker 3 and the Cricut Explore 3. These will replace their predecessors, the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air series machines. The newer machines support stronger motors and can cut materials twice as fast and without requiring a mat.

The 5 types of Cricut machines are:

1. Cricut Joy
2. Cricut Maker 3
3. Cricut Explore 3
4. Cricut Maker
5. Cricut Explore Air 2

The latest 3 machines are the Cricut Joy, Cricut Maker 3, and the Cricut Explore 3. The Cricut Maker and Explore Air 2 are older machines still for sale. The greatest advantage to purchasing an older machine is that you may pick up a bargain!

Cricut Machines Compared

Here is an overall comparison chart for the 5 machines.

What Do Cricut Machines Cost?

When looking for a good crafting tool to add to your arsenal, the most important deciding factor is probably the cost.

Unfortunately, when purchasing a Cricut machine, it is not just the upfront costs that you need to consider. There is also the hidden cost of buying tools and materials.

However, it might please you to note that for most people, Cricut machines are worth the investment as they are frequently used for crafting projects.

If you are confused about your pick for a Cricut Machine, here is a short and sweet breakdown of their prices. The prices were taken from the Cricut website at the time of publishing. Check the website for the latest prices.

1. Cricut Joy: $179.99
2. Cricut Explore Air 2: $249.99
3. Cricut Maker: $349.99
4. Cricut Explore 3: $319.99
5. Cricut Maker 3: $429.99

It is important to note that Cricut often runs some really cool promotions featuring discounted rates and offers bundles. These offer bundles include additional Cricut accessories, so they are very economical. Therefore, it is best to keep an eye out for their official website to not miss out on profitable deals.

The Cricut Machines in More Detail

Here is a little more information about each machine to help you better choose which one to buy:

What is a Cricut Joy

This one is the smallest, most compact machine in the range. It is easy to store and carry around due to its compact size, yet despite that, it can cut more than 50 materials. These materials include some thin faux leathers and vinyl, paper, and iron-on vinyl.

Pros

1. It is portable and will take up less room in your craft room
2. Capable of cutting 50+ materials. 
3. A great choice for smaller crafting projects. 
4. It is the cheapest Cricut machine in the range.
5. The materials are generally cheaper since they are smaller.

Cons

1. Not suitable for bigger Cricut projects. The maximum material width is 5.5 inches.
2. Not as versatile as its larger companions. 
3. Limited to cutting, writing, and foiling.
4. Only has Bluetooth connectivity (not USB)
5. You need to buy materials made especially for the Cricut Joy. The Maker and Explorer series can use materials interchangeably.

Why Should You Buy One – Go for the Cricut Joy if you are only starting out or planning on working on a number of smaller crafts in smaller sizes, such as greeting cards and stickers. It is also a fun machine and great value if you are on a tighter budget.

What is a Cricut Machine – Explore 3

The Cricut Explore 3 is compatible with 6 different tools, and it can cut more than 100 materials. These materials include glitter paper, vinyl, iron-on vinyl, cardstock, and bonded fabric. Its compatible tools include the Scoring Stylus, Fine Point Blade, the Foil Transfer Tool, and the Deep-Point Blade.

1. Capable of cutting 100+ materials
2. Compatible with 6 tools
3. Doesn’t require a mat for cutting. (Although you can use one if you want.)
4. 2X faster than the previous models

Pros

1. Mid-range price point. It sits between the Cricut Joy and the Maker 3.
2. Cuts over 100 materials.
3. You can use a mat or smart materials without a mat.

Cons

1. Larger than the Cricut Joy, it will take up more cricut design space in your craft room.
2. Can’t cut really heavy materials such as wood.

Why Should You Buy a Cricut Explore 3 – If you want to complete your projects faster and work with a wider variety of materials, then Cricut Explore 3 is for you.

What is a Cricut Machine – Maker 3

The Cricut Maker can deliver commercial-grade performance. It is compatible with 13 tools, and it can cut more than 300 types of materials, including wood and leather.  

Pros

1. The Cricut Maker tools can cut, write, score, foil, engrave, and more.
2. It can work with 300+ materials
3. It has a stronger motor, so it is fast. 
4. It can work with Smart Materials, so it doesn’t need a mat. 
5. 10 times more cutting force.

Cons

1. Not compact. 
2. It is the most expensive model in the Cricut range.

Why Should You Buy a Cricut Maker 3 – If you want to work on larger projects requiring greater and faster cutting force, go for the Maker 3

What is a Cricut Machine – Explore Air 2

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is one of Cricut’s best-selling machines. It’s a beginner-friendly mid-level model that is just as good for seasoned crafters.

It can cut over 100 materials, including paper, cardstock, vinyl, some types of leather, and fabric backed with a stabilizer. It works with mats 12 by 12 inches or 12 by 24 inches, so you can create full-size iron-on decals. 

Pros

1. Works with 100 different materials. 
2. Beginner-friendly. 
3. Good price point since it is an older machine.

Cons

1. Less speedy and powerful than its successors. 
2. Must be used with a mat. (Does not take Smart Materials.)

Why Should You Buy a Cricut Explore Air 2 – The Cricut Explore Air 2 is great for making full-sized decals for T-shirts, for 3D paper projects, and also a great choice for crafting large vinyl decals.

What is a Cricut Machine – Maker

The Cricut Maker is one of the older yet more powerful cutting machines in the Cricut lineup. However, it is still a step up from the Cricut Explore machine.

It is a robust and versatile cutting machine that can cut more than 300 materials, including acrylic, wood, leather, felt, fabric, and plastic. Like the Cricut Explore Air 2, this tool works with 12 by 12 inches and 12 by 24 inches cutting mats.

Pros

1. Compatible with a wide range of blades and tools, including the knife blade, the engraving tip, the foiling tip, the debossing tool, and the rotary cutter.
2. Cuts more than 300 materials.
3. Takes 13 tools.

Cons

1. More expensive. (Although it is cheaper than the latest Maker 3.)

Why Should You Buy a Cricut Maker – The Cricut Maker is perfect for versatility in your crafts and is at a more reasonable price point than the latest Maker 3.

Discontinued Cricut Machines

These are the three discontinued Cricut machines:

1. Cricut Explore
2. Cricut Explore One
3. Cricut Explore Air

If you are low on budget yet want to invest in an older Cricut machine, you may consider purchasing a used one. While all 3 of the models are discontinued, they are still compatible and fully functional with the current version of Cricut Design Space.

You may also encounter the discontinued Cricut Cuttlebug, which was a manual die-cutter. In addition, legacy models such as the Expression and Gyspy rely on design cartridges and are no longer supported by Cricut or the Design Space App.

Cricut Maker vs Cricut Maker 3

The Cricut Maker and Maker 3 mainly differ in whether they can take Smart Materials. The Maker 3 can cut Smart Materials without a mat. This means you have one less step in the cutting process, as well as being able to cut much longer materials up to 12 feet long. The Maker needs a mat placed underneath all materials before they are fed into the machine.

We will compare the two cutting machine models based on the type of materials they can cut, the type of tools they are compatible with, their maximum cutting length, their compatibility with a cutting mat, their connectivity, prices, and more. 

*The prices were checked on the Cricut website on the date of publishing, but I expect the Maker will become cheaper or on sale over time since it is an older model.

Feature	Maker 3	Maker
Material Types	300+	300+
Types of Tools	13	13
Max Cut Length	12ft	1.9ft
Max Width	13″	12″
Smart Materials?	Yes	No
Print then Cut	Yes	Yes
Connectivity	BT/USB	BT/USB
Commercial	Yes	Yes
Price* (USD)	$429.99	$349.99
Shop Amazon	Shop Amazon	Shop Amazon
Shop Cricut	Shop Cricut	Shop Cricut

Cricut Explore 3 vs Explore Air 2

The biggest difference between the Cricut Explore 3 and the older Cricut Explore Air 2 is that the newer model can take Smart Materials. This means that the Cricut Explore 3 does not need a cutting mat, thus allowing the machine to cut much longer materials. The other obvious difference is the price, with the newer Cricut Explore 3 being more expensive.

We will compare the two cutting machine models based on the type of materials they can cut, the type of tools they are compatible with, their maximum cutting length, their compatibility with a cutting mat, their connectivity, prices, and more. 

*The prices were checked on the Cricut website on the date of publishing, but I expect the Explore Air 2 will become cheaper or on sale over time since it is an older model.

Feature	Explore 3	Explore Air 2
Material Types	100+	100+
Types of Tools	6	6
Max Cut Length	12ft	1.9ft
Max Width	13″	12″
Smart Materials?	No	No
Print then Cut	Yes	Yes
Connectivity	BT/USB	BT/USB
Commercial	No	No
Price* (USD)	$319.99	$249.99
Shop	Shop Amazon	Shop Amazon
Shop	Shop Cricut	Shop Cricut

What are the Differences in Cricut Machines

It’s natural to be curious about the differences in the various product offerings from Cricut before you make your final choice. To know what to look out for and compare, know that the main differences in Cricut machines lie in the following factors:

1. Pricing
2. Sizing
3. Use of Mats or Smart Materials
4. Materials Able to Be Cut
5. Tools Available
6. Cutting Sizes

Types of Cricut Machines Comparison Chart

If you’re on the hunt for a sleek Cricut machine to add to your crafting room but aren’t sure yet, one important thing to note is that it is a frequently used tool for many sewers and crafters.

While you need to consider your budget before investing in a Cricut machine, for most people, it is definitely worth it. Below is a comparison between their features: 

*Prices checked on the Cricut website on the day of publishing.

Features and Cricut Tools Comparison Chart

Different products in the Cricut cutting machines lineup vary in features such as deep cutting, scoring, knife blade, rotary blade, and perforation.

Here is a comparison chart of the different Cricut machine features:

How Does a Cricut Machine Work?

A Cricut machine works similarly to a printer. You create a design on your computer—in this case, Cricut has specialized software—and then send the design to the Cricut with either a USB cable or Bluetooth. The Cricut will then precisely cut the design with an installed blade.

If you’re just starting out with your shiny new Cricut (or should I say marvelous matte Cricut?), here is all you need to know about its basic workings:

1. ADD MATERIAL TO A MAT – Start off by choosing your cutting material and adjusting it on your sticky cutting mat so that it stays in its place. (The newer Explore 3 and Maker 3 don’t need a cutting mat, but more on that later)
2. LOAD THE MAT OR MATERIAL – Load the mat into the cutting machine. (Newer smart materials for the Explore 3 and Maker 3 load directly into the Cricut)
3. CHOOSE YOUR DESIGN – After that, pick a design from the Cricut Design Space. It has numerous ready-made designs, or you can create your own.
4. SELECT THE MATERIAL SETTINGS – Choose your material settings and send the design to your Cricut machine
5. CUT THE MATERIAL – The Cricut will now start cutting.
6. REMOVE THE MAT OR MATERIAL – Once the machine has done all the cutting, remove the sticky cutting mat or smart material from the machine, and take the material from the mat.

What is Cricut Design Space? Cricut Apps

Cricut Design Space is the web-based software that is used with your Cricut machine to upload, create, modify, and choose designs. There are pages of projects and fonts for you to choose from, or you can start from scratch and design your own. With the Cricut Design Space, you can enjoy total creative freedom over your next DIY project. With Cricut Design Space, you can design, cut, or even draw to start your projects from scratch.

If you want to save time, you may even browse through the Cricut Image Library and take your pick from thousands of images, a range of unique fonts, and ready-to-make projects. The app will also help you set up your new machine quickly and easily. You can connect to your compatible Cricut cutting machine and experience some incredibly amazing features, such as:

What is the Best Cricut To Buy

The best Cricut to buy depends largely on 2 things: what is your budget, and what do you want to cut. First, look at which machine cuts your intended material, and then choose the machine that best suits your budget. Try to think ahead about what materials you might like to try cutting in the future.

Other things to factor in include:

Do You Want to Use Smart Materials? Potential users who choose to work with Smart Materials can benefit more from the latest release – the Cricut Maker 3. It is quite similar to its predecessor – the Cricut Maker – other than its ability to cut Smart Materials without a mat. 

Do You Want to Make Long Cuts? Also, with a Cricut Maker 3, you can make cuts of up to 12 ft (3.6 m). Although it might seem like an insignificant feature to a newbie, once you start crafting with a Cricut, you will see it’s great being able to reel off long, unbroken rolls.

Is Speed Important? The Cricut Maker 3 is twice as fast as the Cricut Maker while working with smart materials.

Best Cricut Machine for Beginners

As a beginner at crafting, it’s only natural to have questions. Lots and lots of questions. You might have been looking at options for a reliable cutting machine, and we have a perfect choice all sorted out for you. Look no further than the Cricut Explore 3. It is a great mid-range option and an inexpensive upgrade from the Explore Air 2.

The Explore 3 can cut a range of materials, including paper, vinyl, fabric, leather, and even cardstock. With its Smart Set dial function and Cut Smart technology, you can cut most materials in different shapes and sizes with total precision.

Cricut Supplies Needed With Your Machine

One major investment with your Cricut machine is the addition of blades. The choice of blades is determined by the cutting machine model and the materials that you will be working with.

Buying Cricut Tools

Different Cricut machines are compatible with different tools.

If you’re new at using Cricut machines and wondering what Cricut accessories you need to invest in, here is a list of blades compatible with the different models/series.

Joy

• Cricut Joy Blade

Explore Series 

• Premium Fine-Point Blade
• Deep Point Blade
• Bonded-Fabric Blade
• Foil Transfer Tool
• Scoring Stylus

Cricut Maker Series

• Premium Fine-Point Blade
• Deep Point Blade
• Bonded-Fabric Blade
• Rotary Blade
• Knife Blade
• Foil Transfer Tool
• Scoring Stylus

Cricut Maker Quick Swap Tools

In addition to the cutting blades, the Cricut Maker and Cricut Maker 3 come with Quick Swap tools. These have one housing with interchangeable tips.

• Scoring Wheel and Double Scoring Wheel
• Debossing Tip
• Engraving Tip
• Perforation Blade
• Wavy Blade

(The Legacy Cricut models, such as the Create or Expression machines, use a particular set of blades that are not compatible with the new machines.)

Cricut Accessories

Some important Cricut accessories that you can utilize to create amazing DIY projects with your Cricut machine are:

1. Cutting Mats – There are 4 cutting mats with different strengths.
2. Tool Organisers – While optional, you will certainly need somewhere to store your tools.
3. Basic Tools Sets – These include scissors, a scoring pen, and weeding tools used to separate your vinyl cutouts from the background.
4. Blanks – For example, bags and t-shirts

Materials Needed

Cricut machines can cut a variety of materials, ranging from thin ones to quite thick and firm ones. Cricut cutting machine models such as the Cricut Maker and Cricut Maker 3 can cut up to 300 different materials.

The different types of materials most widely used are:

1. Vinyl (Smart Vinyl, Removable Vinyl, Permanent Vinyl)
2. Leather
3. Foil
4. Cardstock
5. Sticker Paper
6. Poster Board
7. Cricut Infusible Ink

Other Types of Cricut Machines

Cricut Machines aren’t just limited to cutting machine models, but they also offer a range of pressing machines that can transfer beautiful patterns onto blanks such as clothing and mugs. The Cricut Heat Press, Cricut Mug Press, and Cricut Easy Press 2 are some of the popular choices. 

Cricut Auto Press

The Cricut heat press is a great choice for creating crafts made with heat transfer vinyl. It is a far better choice than transferring vinyl with an iron.

It can be used to iron designs onto bags, banners, blankets, hats, shirts, pillows, shoes, and more. Unlike a conventional iron press, the Cricut Heat Press applies consistent pressure with full control over temperature settings using its digital control panel.

Cricut Easy Press 2 and 3

The Cricut Easy Press products ensure consistent and even heat transfer. It delivers the speed and quality of a professional heat press while working as easily as a home iron, and it couldn’t get better than that. It offers great precision in time and temperature control up to 400°F (205°C); however, it lacks Bluetooth Compatibility. Its app works for both iOS and Android mobile devices.

Cricut Hat Press

The hat press works in a similar fashion to the heat presses, but has a curved plate to mold to the crown of a cap.

Cricut Mug Press

The Cricut Mug Press is an innovative Infusible Ink system that seamlessly transfers smooth patterns onto mugs. If you have a small business selling custom mugs, you can benefit from this. You can even use non-Cricut mugs, after poly-coating them for sublimation, in the Cricut Mug Press. This means any mug that has been prepared by poly-coating will work with the Cricut Mug Press.

What is a Cricut? FAQs

Main Alternatives to Cricut

The main alternatives to the Cricut machine are:

• Brother ScanNCut SDX125
• Brother ScanNCut SDX900
• Crafter’s Companion Gemini
• Fierton Heat Press Machine
• Silhouette Cameo 4
• Silhouette Mint
• Silhouette Portrait 3
• Sizzix Big Shot Manual Die-Cutting Machine 

What is a Cricut Machine – In Conclusion

A Cricut machine is one of the most versatile tools available for crafters, allowing you to cut hundreds of materials with speed and precision. Whether you want to make stickers, personalized gifts, T-shirts, or home décor, there is a Cricut model to suit every budget and skill level. Beginners will appreciate the simplicity of the Explore series, while experienced makers may prefer the versatility of the Maker models.

More Cricut Tutorials

• How to Clean a Cricut Mat
• How to Use a Cricut Machine
• How to Use Cricut Design Space
• Cutting Vinyl With a Cricut