One thing to keep in mind: the above price points are for the machines only. I highly recommend starting with a bundle for the best value! Whichever machine you go with, a bundle is great way to save money versus buying everything individually. The Explore Air 2 and the Maker are comparable in size I rounded to the nearest half inch for the measurements , but the Maker is slightly heavier. This is likely due to the components needed for the increased cutting power of the Maker more on that below.
The compact size makes it easy to move, store, and set up pretty much anywhere, without needing a designated crafting space in your home. The Cricut Explore Explore Air 2 is the most popular Cricut machine because it provides a combination of all-around vinyl and paper cutting ability and value pricing. This makes it the perfect choice for the home crafter. On the other hand, the Cricut Maker provides 10 times the cutting power of the Explore.
In , Cricut debuted the Cricut Joy and the crafting world was abuzz at the cutting machine that fits in the palm of your hand.
I also love the Joy-specific insert card mat that allows you to create professional quality greeting cards in minutes. These are special materials you can cut without a cutting mat. This means you can load large pieces into your machine and cut them in one go, which is really useful for big projects. If you have no need for cutting, and instead want to print custom designs onto items, take a look at numbers 6, 7 and 8 on our list. These are the best Cricut machines for this purpose. Tom May is a freelance writer and editor specialising in design, photography and tech.
He has previously been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Included in this guide: 1. View Deal. Cricut Maker. Best for: Professionals. Size: Weight: 4. Reasons to avoid - Unsuitable for smart materials.
Cricut Maker 3. Size: 56 x 18 x Weight: 6. Reasons to avoid - Overkill for standard projects. Cricut Explore Air 2. Best for: Novices. Reasons to avoid - Not for pro use. Cricut Explore 3. Best for: Hobbyists. Weight: 9. Reasons to avoid - Not as feature-rich as Cricut Maker 3. Cricut Joy. Weight: 1. Reasons to avoid - No USB connection. Cricut EasyPress 2. Best for: Professionals, hobbyists. You can read more about why I chose the Air 2 over the Cameo here. The Explore Air 2 is a great machine for both beginner and advanced crafters.
It allows you to cut a variety of materials from paper to faux leather and even bonded fabric. There are three different blades you can use with the Explore Air You can also use Cricut pens to write with the Explore Air 2 and the scoring stylus to make score lines for easier folding on cards, boxes and other paper projects.
Print Then Cut is another great feature of the Air 2 and Maker! It allows you to print images on your home printer and then cut them out with your Cricut machine.
This is great for invitations, cupcake toppers, planner stickers and more. You can read more about Print Then Cut here. The Cricut Maker is the best of the best when it comes to cutting machines, in my opinion! It can do everything the Explore Air 2 can plus a whole lot more! Thanks to the Adaptive Tool System, the Maker has a whole suite of tools that allows you to cut thicker materials, deboss, perforate and even engrave! Cricut Maker Tools include:. The last five tools all have a QuickSwap Housing that allows you to use the same housing and just swap out the tip or blade making it even easier to use.
You can learn more about how to use the QuickSwap Housing here.
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