If you are a scrapbooker or one who enjoys crafting, there is no doubt you have heard about a Cricut. Cricut is one of the few companies that have completely dominated die-cutter manufacture.
There are a number of different Cricut machines, all able to perform different tasks. Here are the top six machines, reviewed!
6. Cricut Mini Cutting Machine (Discontinued)
The Cricut Mini only weighs 5.2 pounds, so it is the perfect machine to take with you on the go! The machine is also a powerful little bugger, able to cut through 1.5mm cardstocks!
The mini is also capable of drawing. Featuring only two buttons, one acting as the on/off button, while the other is for loading the mat.
Acting as a fairly quiet machine, the powerful blade does work quite well, despite having to set the blade depth manually.
Pros
- Awesome portability
- Excellent cutting precision
- Quiet cutting technology
- Space saving design
- Strong and powerful cutting blades
- Super light machine
- Very simple to use
Cons
- Limited cutting power
- No access to Design Space software
Buy One On Amazon HERE
5. Cricut 29-0001 Machine (Discontinued)
This machine is best for scrapbooks, greeting cards as well as other paper crafts.
The machine is able to cut phrases, shapes, letters and can easily work with vinyl, cardstock, paper, and vellum. This does come with the old cartridge system, which is nice if you don’t want to use a computer in addition to your Cricut.
So, if you’re looking for portability and are willing to limit your creativity to a few George and Basic Shapes, the 29-0001 would dazzle you with what it has to offer.
Pros
- Able to use a variety of materials
- You are able to control the sizing of the cuts
- Amazing scrapbooking results
- Compact and lightweight design
Cons
- If you are into heavy duty die cutting, this is the machine you want
- There are limits to the graphic design work you can perform
4. Cricut Expression 2 (Discontinued)
This machine is easy to use and quite powerful, but it uses the old cartridge framework, so you won’t be able to do custom design work with this unit.
The unit does feature a full color LCD screen, which allows you to arrange images easily. You are also able to use Craft Room Software, which has thousands of images for use.
Pros
- Design work is quick and easy
- Free designs on Craft Room software
- Ability to handle different materials (chipboard, balsa wood, foam and so forth)
Cons
- Very limited graphic design options
Buy One On Amazon HERE
3. Cricut Explore One
Looking for a new machine with great performance? This is a perfect match! It’s small, affordable and it’s linked to the Design Space software.
Right when you turn on the machine, you are presented with over 50,000 images! You can seriously boost your die cutting game with this machine and take your career or hobby to a whole new level of awesomeness!
The machine does have wireless technology, so you are able to send images from your phone or computer directly to the machine — however — you do need to purchase a separate Bluetooth adapter in order to use this feature.
Pros
- No need for manual settings as it has smart dial technology
- The cut smart technology allows you to create different cuts
- Super strong German carbide blade
- USB port
Cons
- The Design Space software can only be accessed online
- Does not fair well with cutting heavy materials
Buy One On Amazon HERE
2. Cricut Explore Air 2
This is noted as one of the fasted cutting machines on the market today!
The machine comes with a double tool holder, so it is capable of cutting, writing and scoring simultaneously.
The unit does feature Bluetooth wireless technology, so sending images directly from your phone to the unit is no problem and done with ease! So unlike the Explore 1, you don’t need to purchase a separate Bluetooth adapter for this unit.
The cutting and writing speed of this machine is amazing! The machine has two modes, basic and fast. The first mode allows you do complete a job in normal cutting time, while the fast mode will get the job done in twice the speed.
Oh, and the Explore Air 2 can cut wood. Yes, that’s right — wood.
Pros
- Insanely powerful cutting blades
- Customize your own designs
- Compact design and fairly lightweight
- Easy storage compartments
- Able to use the Design Space software
- Over 3,000 ready-to-make projects
Cons
- The Design Space software can only be accessed via the internet
- No Android app available for it
- The machine is one of the loudest cutters Cricut produces
Buy One On Amazon HERE
1. Cricut Maker
This machine is known across the land as one of the best Cricut machines ever produced! It’s extremely powerful and also completely wireless! It comes with a double tool holder and faster-cutting speed with a rotary blade as well.
The rotary blade does wonders when cutting fabric. The unique blade has both rolling and gliding action, giving it the ability to cut fabric with extreme ease.
The unit also comes with a ‘knife blade’ which is able to cut through materials as thick as 2.4mm thick.
The machine also has a 4kg of cutting pressure, making it one of the most powerful cutters around!
It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a professional, this machine is by far one of the best on the market!
Pros
- Powerful cutting blades
- All of this for under $500
- The machine is an absolute beast
- Cool design and easy to operate
- The machine will let you know if you are using the correct blade or not for whatever material you are cutting
Cons
- Tiny cutting space, could be bigger
- Still uses the web-based Design Space software
