Cricut Shopping Guide
Investing in a new Cricut machine can be both exciting and confusing! While you may want aaalll the things, budget, space, and what you’ll actually use should all be considered. After working extensively with the Cricut Explore Air 2, the Cricut Maker, the Cricut Joy, and all their various tools, accessories, mats and materials, I’ve assembled a shopping guide of my favorite picks. These items will will allow you to fully explore all the capabilities of your Cricut machine while creating anything you can imagine!
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PICKS FOR THE CRICUT EXPLORE
WHY:The Explore line of machines is Cricut’s “hallmark” e-cutter, and is the true workhorse of the Cricut family. Available in a wide variety of colors and compatible with an array of accessories, the Explore Air 2 will allow you to create almost any project with ease! See how it compares with other popular Cricut machines here.
PICKS FOR THE CRICUT MAKER
WHY: The Cricut Maker is the strongest and most capable machine in the Cricut family. Thanks to its more powerful tool housing and a wide array of interchangeable blades, it cuts the biggest collection of materials and performs the most specialized functions. See how it compares with other popular Cricut machines here.
WHY: The Knife Blade and Housing are required to cut any stiff materials such as Kraftboard, matte board, chipboard etc. This one is a “must have” for the Maker!
WHY: Beyond just cutting blades, you can now do so much more with your Maker thanks to the Scoring Wheels, Wavy Blade, Perforation Blade, Debossing Tip, & Engraving Tip. This bundle is the most cost-effective way to get the entire collection!
WHY: This Bundle comes with the usual Maker components but adds a very wide array of materials including vinyl, iron-on, fabric, Kraftboard, faux leather, sticker paper, cardboard and adhesive foil. This bundle is ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a stocked craft room!
BEST ACCESSORIES FOR THE EXPLORE & MAKER
WHY: When your projects are consistently not cutting right, it’s time for a blade swap. Don’t skip a beat by having a stash of fresh blades at the ready!
WHY: Over time, mats will lose their stick. Keep a variety of fresh mats on-hand so your projects continue to turn out right!
WHY: An ideal set for vinyl and iron-on lovers – these tools make weeding ANY design a breeze!
WHY:From vinyl and home decor projects to quickly cleaning off mats, this scraper is a craft room essential!
PICKS FOR CRICUT JOY
WHY: Because it’s the cutest, quickest and easiest Cricut machine you’ll ever use! See how it compares with other popular Cricut machines here.
WHY: Cricut Joy only comes with a 6.5″ long mat. This 12″mat is more compatible with standard sheets of cardstock and rolls or vinyl without having to trim them down.
WHY: One of the most fun things to do on Cricut Joy is make cards and this mat makes it a real snap.
WHY: This Smart material makes creating labels (and sticking them to your containers) quicker and easier than ever before.
WHY: Cricut Joy only comes with one black Fine-Point pen. These Extra-Fine pens are ideal for creating clean, simple pen details on your projects, especially labels.
WHY: If you don’t have a vinyl stash already, these sampler sets of 5 sheets give you a variety of colors while providing plenty of material for a wide array of projects.
WHY: Don’t forget to snag a roll of Transfer Paper if you buy any vinyl. You’ll need it to transfer your projects seamlessly, and 1 roll goes a long way!
WHY: If you don’t have any iron-on for fabric projects, these sampler sets of 3 colors/patterns is a great way to get started.
WHY: These packs of thick, patterned sticker paper are ideal for making labels, cards, scrapbook projects and more! A single pack gives you lots of variety for a multitude of projects.
WHY: These card packs allow you to make greeting cards in a matter of minutes. They are a great deal, and will save you a ton of time when used in conjunction with the Card Mat.
WHY: This card pack features clear acetate inserts, which are awesome for layering over solids to add some fun details to your cards!
CRAFT ROOM ESSENTIALS
WHY: Whether you’re prepping papers/vinyls to load onto a mat or you’re creating other fabric or paper projects, this mat makes it a snap to cut your projects down to perfect size. I literally use mine every single day!
WHY: Use in conjunction with an acrylic ruler to make precision cuts on paper, fabric, vinyl and more!
WHY: From smoothing paper and vinyl onto your mats to securing vinyl details to walls and final projects, a brayer is something you’ll reach for more than you realize!
WHY:The line of Cricut EasyPress 2 machines makes it easy to create custom fabric projects with both Iron-On and Infusible Ink! I find this “small” EasyPress the most versatile. It’s small enough to pull out quickly and easily, but big enough to cover large sections of any design. If you can only get 1, I recommend this one!
MUST-HAVE MATERIALS
WHY: Be ready for any design on any project with 40 sheets of vinyl in 10 different colors!
WHY: Chipboard is such a fun medium for making sturdy, 3D projects, tags, labels, decor and more!
*For Cricut Maker only
WHY: This thick board is great for making boxes and other 3D objects. It comes in basic colors, as well as Jewel and Metal tones!
*For Cricut Maker only
WHY: Making really large projects is much easier with really large paper! These stacks are available in several different color sets!
WHY: These coasters make amazing home decor projects and gifts when used in conjunction with Infusible Ink products!