A Cricut machine (also known as a craft plotter or die-cutting machine) is a personal cutting machine. It is similar to a desktop printer; Images and designs printed on a computer are sent to the machine. Except that instead of printing the design, the machine moves a blade around to cut out the desired material. The Cricut machine works automatically and can cut through materials such as paper, vinyl, craft foam, fabric, metal, faux leather, sticker paper, and even adhesive sheets.
There are models of the machine that allow users to use a pen rather than cutting to write texts and draw images and can be used to produce wedding and party invitations that look handwritten.
The designs are digitally stored; thus, users can select and edit different patterns on their personal computers or mobile devices. Furthermore, there is a Cricut Image Library with over 50,000 images, fonts, and projects that users can choose from.
How does the Cricut machine works?
First of all, Cricut machines are electrical appliances and, as such, require power to work. Similar to the workings of the ink nozzle in a printer, they have a tiny computer located within the machine that controls a cutting blade. They use digital cutters that can be connected to a computer through Bluetooth and wireless.
What can I make with a Cricut machine?
There is a lot that can be done with a Cricut machine.
The possibilities are limitless!
However, the following are a few examples:
Make custom bags, shirts, or hats using iron-on (heat transfer) vinyl.
Cut quilt square and appliqués
Create and produce customs cards for events like holiday cards, party invitations, and thank you notes, etc. Make window clings using static cling vinyl.
Make and address envelopes
Print and cut out stickers
Etch glass
Make stencils for etching and spray painting
Create Christmas ornaments
Produce Wall decals
Produce vinyl decals for shot glasses, mugs, and champagne glasses, etc.
Make leather bracelets
Cut out letters and shapes for scrapbooking
Make monogram pillows
Make painted wooden signs
Make window clings
Label items in a playroom or pantry
Cricut Types and Uses
Cricut Machine Comparison Chart
Cricut Joy
Cricut reported their most up to date cutting machine, Cricut Joy, last February 17, 2020. I was fortunate enough to find out about the machine before it was declared. I wasn’t sure from the start if I would utilize a littler machine, yet it immediately prevailed upon me.
This machine is a reduced small cutting machine, not exactly a large portion of the size of Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore. The cut width is 4.5″. Yet, don’t let it, simpleton, you because a ton of fun new highlights! Two major ones are without tangle cutting, which implies you can slice up to 20 feet of “Brilliant vinyl” in a go. Cricut Joy additionally has a Card Mat, which makes it very easy to create cards for a wide range of events.
The value purpose of $179 may, in any case, be somewhat high for confident crafters, mainly since a portion of the capacities are somewhat restricted. In any case, Cricut Joy is ideal for practically the entirety of your essential Cricut makes, remembering iron for vinyl, glue vinyl, writable marks, and cardstock.
Best for: producers without a devoted specialty space, new Cricut clients scared by the bigger Cricut machines, which can also be a partner machine to your Explore or Maker.
Cricut producer
It is the Cricut’s best cutting machine, which appears to be like the Explore line of machines. However, it has been restructured from the base up. It does everything Cricut Explore will do, yet with included highlights.
This cutting machine cuts unbonded texture utilizing the minor Rotary Blade. It cuts thicker materials like balsa wood and thick calfskin utilizing the Knife Blade. It can score a wide range of materials utilizing the Scoring Wheel (a stage up from the Scoring Stylus).
The Debossing Tool
The Wavy Rotary Tool
The Perforation Tool
Cricut Maker’s versatile apparatus framework is worked in light of development—which means it was worked to utilize instruments that Cricut hasn’t concocted at this point! This machine will accomplish increasingly more as new instruments are discharged because they have twelve extra apparatuses in testing
The value is the most noteworthy in the Cricut line, and that is $399. Be that as it may, if you’re a genuine crafter who utilizes an assortment of materials, or if you are a sewing fan, a devoted paper crafter, or maybe even a carpenter, this is for you.
Best for people who need everything—particularly the individuals who cut texture or cut thicker materials.
Cricut Explore Air 2
It is the Cricut Explore that I have (notwithstanding my Maker), and I should state that I love it. At $299, however, I realize it may be out of the value scope of particular clients.
There are two differences between the Cricut Explore Air 2 and the Cricut Explore Air. One is enormous, and one is little. The enormous one is that the Air 2 will slice and evaluate to multiple times quicker than the Air. It’s not all materials, yet it functions admirably for most materials that you’d need to cut. This is a distinct advantage if you utilize your Cricut a ton—you comprehend what it resembles to sit tight for a since quite a while ago eliminate or compose position to wrap up!
The little difference is that Air 2 arrives in a gigantic assortment of hues to coordinate your specialty space. For a few, it’s not worth spending the extra $50. However, it may be if you merely LOVE one of the numerous hues available today.
Best for users who possess a creating business will genuinely see the speed difference, and it will have any kind of effect with how rapidly they can deliver things for customers.
Cricut Explore Air
Cricut Explore Air is a stage down but offers you the two things that the Cricut Explore One beneath doesn’t. It is Bluetooth-empowered, so you don’t need to plug it into your gadget, and it has the auxiliary device holder, so you can compose and cut or score and cut simultaneously. At $249, I believe it merits the move up to get these two additional highlights. However, you may conclude that they aren’t justified, despite any potential benefits for what you need to do with your Cricut.
Best for most clients will see this as a competent machine for all that they have to do.
Cricut Explore One
Cricut Explore One is the most essential and conservative machine that Cricut offers, and at $199, the cost can’t be beaten. It has the entirety of the exact cutting, composing, and scoring capacities of the Explore Air machines, and you can cut no different materials (there are more than 100!). None of the three machines requires cartridges. However, you can utilize your heritage cartridges in every one of them.
The sorts of vinyl you use for Cricut relies upon what you need to do. You can’t utilize a similar kind of vinyl for each Cricut undertaking, and there are specific sorts of vinyl for each venture. So, it’s ideal for getting them straight in your mind before you start.