The best Cricut machines
The best Cricut machines can make precise cuts in material, and print your designs on mugs, T-shirts and more.
The best Cricut machines that can help speed up your projects, whether that’s sewing, quilting, papercrafts or printing. This guide is based on my own use of these great devices, and will enable you to decide which machine is right for you.
I've tried all of the Cricut machines below at some point. From experience, the Cricut Maker 3 is the best overall machine for performance and value, which is why it’s at No.1. As well as digital cutters, I've included heat machines on my list, so you can build an end-to-end craft workflow. And once you've bought a Cricut, make the most of it with one of the best laptops for Cricut machines.
Top 3 Cricut machines
Cricut Maker 3 is the latest, most powerful of the brand's digital crafting machines. It can use over 300 materials, and is capable of cutting, engraving and scoring. It also makes use of the new Cricut Smart Materials for longer, mat-free cutting.
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Another new machine, the Cricut Explore 3 can handle the same Smart Materials as the Maker 3 but has slightly less power, which really means it is a little slower and has access to slightly fewer attachments. Overall, I think it's a solid cutter.
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The Cricut Joy takes the tech inside Maker 3 and reduces it down to a machine about the size of a small toaster, meaning this is ideal for papercrafts and mug designs, as well as taking to a friend's house for a day of crafting. As the name suggests, it's a joy.
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The best Cricut machine overall
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30-second review: The Cricut Maker 3 is fast and quiet, making it the best Cricut machine overall. It can cut, score and engrave using Smart Materials, which feed directly into the machine so there's no need for a cutting mat. In practice, this means you can make cuts of up to 12 ft (3.6 m) in one go. You'll ideally need the Roll Holder attachment for these longer cuts, so consider this an extra cost. You can use Smart Materials without it, for smaller projects.
Pricing: The Cricut Maker 3 is expensive, but if you're working on big craft projects the extra cost will be well worth it. It generally retails for $399.99 in the US and £399.99 in the UK. However, you can frequently find it for less, often in the $349-$400 / £300-£380 range, through third-party retailers, especially during sales events.
Design and performance: In our Cricut Maker 3 review we found the use of Smart Materials incredibly beneficial, and once you've tried it, you really can't consider being without the option. We said that "the big selling point of this machine is the ability to use Cricut Smart Materials, which do away with the need to use a mat and can cut designs up to 12 feet long".
The Cricut Maker 3 is also twice as fast as its predecessor Cricut Maker when working with Smart Materials and from personal experience, I found it to be much quieter. While Smart Materials are excellent, they are expensive, but just like other Cricut machines you can use any material with the machine, including fabrics. You'll find the extra speed and power of the Maker 3 comes in very useful if you're creating regular projects and are using the machine for crafting items to sell.
Read more: Cricut Maker 3 review.
Best budget Cricut machine
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30-second review: The Cricut Explore 3 is one of the best value machines and a recently released successor to the Cricut Explore Air 2. The main difference between them is that the Explore 3 allows you to work with Cricut's new Smart Materials, so you can cut projects without the need for a cutting mat. You also get a larger portable trimmer and a roll holder. This means that, like with the Cricut Maker 3 (number one on our list), you can make cuts up to 12 ft (3.6 m) long in one go.
Pricing: The main advantage Cricut Explore 3 has over the Cricut Maker 3 model is that it's cheaper. So if you want to use Smart Materials, but don't need professional features, then this is the best Cricut machine for your needs if you ask me. The current RRP is $299.99 in the US and £299.99 in the UK.
Design and performance: The Cricut Explore 3 cuts 100 materials, while the Cricut Maker 3 and its older model, the Cricut Maker, can cut up to 300 materials. To my mind, this makes Cricut Explore 3 the ideal middle machine in Cricut's craft line-up. It can cut enough materials to be competitive while also supporting Smart Materials, which the older Cricut Maker doesn't support. As our reviewer stated, this is "the perfect cutting machine for new crafters".
Read more: Cricut Explore 3 review.
Best Cricut machine for papercrafts
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30-second review: Want to craft on your travels or pop to a friend's house for a day of creativity? Then your best bet is the Cricut Joy, which I think is a beautifully compact and portable digital craft machine. With diminutive dimensions of 21.4 x 13.8 x 10.8cm, it’s significantly smaller than other models, and with a weight of 1.75kg, it’s easy to store and carry from place to place. This makes it the ideal choice for smaller crafting tasks.
Pricing: The RRP for the Cricut Joy is $179.99 in the US and £109.99 in the UK. You can often find it for less, though (in the $120-$160 / £110-£140 range) at third-party retailers.
Design and performance: In our Cricut Joy review we found this smaller, portable craft-cutting machine was ideal for making cards, stickers and vinyl heat ink transfers – the kind that are pressed onto bags and shirts. It works incredibly well and is designed primarily for creating homemade card projects, which we found we easily used from within the excellent Cricut Joy mobile app. (I own one of these and regularly make cards for family and friends, as it's incredibly easy.)
That said, the Cricut Joy is still capable of bigger things. In fact, you can use the Joy for continuous cuts without a cutting mat, up to 20 feet long and four inches wide. More generally, it can be used to cut over 50 types of material, including iron-on, cardstock, vinyl, paper, and smart materials.
The Joy can also be used to engrave and even draw, but you'll need to buy extra attachments. One thing to note, while you can connect this machine to your computer or mobile via Bluetooth, it doesn't have a USB connection (unlike the devices listed so far).
The best Cricut machine for heat press
04. Cricut EasyPress 3
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30-second review: EasyPress 3 is the latest heat press from Cricut and is extremely user-friendly. It comes in two sizes, the large 12 x 10-inch device and the smaller 9 x 9-inch model. In many ways, this is similar to the older EasyPress 2, but it now has fully automated heat settings and connects to the new Cricut Heat app for ease of use. In short, this takes the stress and trial and error out of creating fabric designs: just hook up the app and go.
Pricing: The price for the Cricut EasyPress 3 varies by size. For the 9" x 9" model, it's typically around $199.99 in the US and £149.99 in the UK, while the 12" x 10" is around $249.99 in the US and £179.99 in the UK.
Design and performance: The level of automation is a big difference between the EasyPress 3 and EasyPress 2. Using the new Cricut Heat app ensures that you really don't need to do anything except load your design or create a new one in the mobile app, and send it to the heat press.
Some other makes of heat press can be hit and miss, or require you to add pressure by leaning on the material being used. The EasyPress 3 does away with all of this, its weight and the automated heat ensure that it transfers designs to a variety of materials with little fuss and adjusts the heat according to the material you've selected. It really is a dream to use.
The only issue is, that you might not need to spend the extra money on this when the older Cricut EasyPress 2 is on sale and regularly discounted. It can do pretty much the same job too. Another thing to note, the older Cricut heat press doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity, and as Cricut is becoming more reliant on its new Cricut Heat app eventually you will need to upgrade. If you have the money, the EasyPress 3 is recommended.
The best Cricut heat press for sewing
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30-second review: The Cricut EasyPress Mini – which now comes in Zen Blue as well as Rasberry – is ideal for transferring designs to small items (shoes, socks, etc) but is also ideal for sewing. This 50W device works in a similar way to the Cricut EasyPress 2 (number 6 on our list), but has a tiny ceramic heat plate (4.8 x 8.2cm) that's easier to use on small or challenging surfaces. It's particularly good for curving around contours, working between buttons, and navigating seams.
Pricing: The price of the Cricut EasyPress Mini is generally around $69.99 in the US and £54.99 in the UK. However, we've sometimes seen it for less, often in the $40-$60 / £40-£50 range, at various online and physical retailers like Amazon, John Lewis, and Hobbycraft.
Design and performance: As you'd expect, the Cricut EasyPress Mini is nice and compact, measuring just 10 x 8.5 x 5.3cm and weighing just 0.35kg. This makes it very easy to store and transport, so it's a great option for travel too.
The joy of using the Cricut EasyPress MIni goes beyond heat transfers. In our Cricut EasyPress Mini review we used the tiny heat press for a number of sewing and quilting projects and found its design, size and ease of use was unrivalled. Our review proclaims, "the Cricut EasyPress Mini is the best little craft device you never knew you needed".
The best value Cricut heat press
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30-second review: Cricut machines aren’t all about cutting; you can also get iron-on heat press machines for printing custom T-shirts, tote bags, pillows, aprons, sweatshirts, banners, blankets and more. My best value pick is the Cricut EasyPress 2, which lets you transfer Iron-On or HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) designs to any piece of fabric. The Cricut EasyPress 2 machine comes in two sizes. The 9 x 9 inch (22.5 x 22.5cm) model is best for standard items, while the 12 x 10-inch (30 x 25cm) model is better for larger items. For any smaller items (9 x 9 inches), I think you're best off with the Cricut EasyPress Mini machine (see above).
Pricing: The price of the Cricut EasyPress 2 starts around $149.99 in the US and £95 in the UK for the smaller sizes. As it's been superseded by the EasyPress 3, though, you might find it heavily discounted, potentially in the $70-$120 / £60-£90 range, from clearance sales or third-party sellers on platforms like eBay.
Design and performance: In our Cricut EasyPress 2 review we found this device easy to use, with an online guide explaining the ideal heat settings to use for different projects. Once you’ve programmed your settings, you apply the plate to your materials for the suggested amount of time, and there's a timer to help you stick to this. The base plate of the EasyPress 2 provides consistent heat, making it better than an ordinary iron, where the core of the plate is typically hotter than other parts. It also boasts a larger surface area than a normal iron, making it easier to adhere to the whole design in one go. Our review notes how the EasyPress 2 is ideal for pro crafters as "you can be sure your designs won’t peel off in the wash".
The best professional Cricut machine for heat pressing
07. Cricut Autopress
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30-second review: Cricut's latest heat press machine is the large Cricut Autopress, and it's a big and powerful device that delivers consistent and commercial-quality results. I think this would be best suited to larger studio design projects as it's not a cheap investment. The Cricut Autopress is quite bulky but will sit on the average kitchen worktop or large craft table. It's simple to use and offers consistent results across its even heat plate.
Pricing: The Cricut Autopress carries a high price due to its professional-grade capabilities, typically around $999.99 in the US and £799.00 in the UK. While it's a premium product, you may find occasional sales that bring the price down to around $700-$900 / £600-£750 at third-party retailers, or even Cricut's own website.
Design and performance: The Autopress may look hard to use but like all Cricut machines it's been designed with everyone in mind, for example, the device auto-detects material width and adjusts accordingly; the heavy lid can be closed easily with two fingers too.
The heat pan size ensures this heat press machine is perfect for those larger design projects, such as creating t-shirts, quilts or even replicating paintings onto wooden frames and blocks. The programmable Control Pod means you can set multiple timings and temperatures for your projects, in use this is a fantastic time-saver if you're swapping between designs. If you're planning more commercial craft projects, this is a great addition to your Cricut toolset – read more in our detailed look, 'Cricut Autopress: everything explained'.
The best Cricut machine for interior design
8. Cricut Venture
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30-second review: The new Cricut Venture is a wide cutting machine designed for creating large craft projects up to 22.8 m (75 ft) and 25 inches wide. This means it's ideal for interior design projects, such as printing home made wallpapers, scoring and even writing. It can be used for creating large banners or running multiple prints of the same design for ease of use and speed.
Pricing: As Cricut's wide-format professional cutting machine, the Cricut Venture is not cheap; usually costing around $999 in the US and £749.99 in the UK for the machine only. Discounts can sometimes be found, though, bringing the price down to as little as $699-$900 / £650-£700, especially when bundled with accessories or during special promotions on Cricut's site.
Design and performance: The Venture is compatible with over 100 materials and Cricut already has its own brand rolls to choose from, as well as handy stand attachment for a more compact use – similar in design to a large format printer (you can even print designs from these larger printers, like the HP DesignJet T230).
Its unique 45 degree design means it cuts and feeds material at an angle and can be used in smaller rooms. The optional 'Docking Stand' features 'baskets' for capturing cut material for tidiness as well as storage for the machine's larger mats. There are smoothly running wheels with safety locks so you can move it around if needed, or to push out of the way when not in use. Given how useful and well-designed the stand is, it's a shame it's a paid-for extra (though Cricut does sell a Venture + Stand bundle.)
The Venture is a smartly designed large format cutting machine that takes Cricut's design know-how and applies it to a digital craft machine ideal for small businesses or studios. Hobbyists may want to try a Venture, but you may be better suited with the Silhouette Cameo 4 Pro in my opinion, which is similar in length (but doesn't have the Venture's style).
The best Cricut machine for mug designs
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30-second review: As the name suggests, the Cricut Mug Press is the best Cricut machine for making custom mugs. It enables you to print your designs onto blank mugs, and couldn’t be easier to use. In fact, it has just one single button. It's a great addition to your Cricut setup and is easy to use, but has its limitations.
Pricing: The Cricut Mug Press typically retails for around $199.99 in the US and £179.99 in the UK. It's frequently on sale, though, so you may find it for as little as $140-$180 / £130-£160 at retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, John Lewis, and Hobbycraft.
Design and performance: As we discovered in our Cricut Mug Press review, be aware that this gadget won't do much on its own. You’ll also need a Cricut cutting machine to cut out your transfer, which needs to be on a Cricut Infusible Ink sheet (you can’t use normal vinyl). The main Maker series or Explore series are best, and while the Cricut Joy can be used, its size means you can only create custom designs for the smaller stacking mugs.
Once you’ve cut your designs, you wrap your transfer around your mug, put it in the machine, press the button and the Cricut Mug Press does the rest. While that's all it does, it works well in practice, creating professional-looking results that stand the test of time, and which are fully microwave and dishwasher-proof.
Our review explains that the Cricut Mug press "does one thing – enables you to design and print professional-quality mugs – but does it better than you could imagine". If you want to create unique mug designs and don't need the stress of using a traditional machine, this is the best gadget available.
The best Cricut machine for hat designs
10. Cricut Hat Press
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30-second review: The Cricut Hat Press follows on from the Cricut EasyPress Mini as one of the manufacturer's small but useful devices. While the EasyPress Mini can be used for several projects, like sewing or heat transfers, the Hat Press, as its name suggests, is designed exclusively for transferring designs onto hats and caps. It has one use, then, but does it very well, and features the kind of good design Cricut is known for.
Pricing: The pricing for the Cricut Hat Press is generally around $169.99 in the US and £139.99 in the UK. I've occasionally seen it as low as $120-$150 / £98-£130 range, though, through various online and in-store retailers.
Design and performance: The device has a unique curved heat plate that matches perfectly the dimensions of canvas caps loved by sports fans. It automatically heats to the required temperatures and using the Hat Pressing Form template, a kind of moulding, that comes with the gadget, you can easily press on your designs directly onto a cap.
Because of the heat transfer process designs you transfer onto a cap will last, are washable, and won't flake. For the best results, you'll need to use Cricut's own materials, such as its infusible inks, which from my experience can be expensive.
The Cricut Hat Press may be a one-use device but for many, it's a great one-use. If you're keen to expand your crafting to include commercial-quality hat and cap designs then this is a good option.
How to choose the best Cricut machine
The Cricut machines picked in this guide include some of the brand's most popular and latest devices. Also, it's worth noting the subtle differences in these machines – the newest or most expensive is not always the right one for you.
So what should you be looking for when choosing the best Cricut machine? Well, if you're after a cutting machine, I think the most obvious factor to consider is the types of materials you want to cut.
The more expensive Cricut models are capable of cutting a huge variety of materials: the first two on our list, for example, can each tackle more than 300 materials. However, if you just want to cut a few simple light materials, such as paper, card and felt, you may not need all that, and you may prefer a lighter, cheaper model.
Some Cricut machines are also capable of cutting Smart Materials. 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 useful for big projects. Smart materials include Smart Vinyl, Smart Iron-On, Smart Label Writable Paper, and Smart Label Writable Vinyl. If you have no need for cutting, and instead want to print custom designs onto items, take a look at our guide to the best heat press machines.
If you need more help choosing a Cricut machine then it's worthwhile visiting your local craft store, in the UK this would be Hobbycraft and the US this would be Michaels or American Crafts. And lastly, get involved in the craft community, visit crafting shows, markets and conventions, get hands-on with the machines and ask for advice.
How we test the best Cricut machines
When we test craft machines we not only examine what a product can do, but also the value it represents. We like to review them in the context of how they may be used, the cost, as well as the tech they offer.
Our writers are crafters, some professional, and so they know what's needed from a new craft machine. Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional yourself you can rest assured we've put these machines through their paces.
Our reviewers test each machine on the basis of how it's intended to be used. This can mean a Cricut craft cutter will be used to make a project, or even multiple projects, from start to finish. Overall, we aim to spend as much time as possible and try as many projects as possible on each machine, before compiling our reviews.
Read more: How we test and review craft machines
The best Cricut machine: frequent questions
What does a Cricut machine do?
Cricut is an American brand of automated cutting machines for home crafters. They are typically used for cutting materials paper, felt, vinyl, fabric, leather, matboard, and wood, using pre-programmed designs.
You use Cricut's proprietary software, Design Space, to prepare your designs on a computer or phone. Then you feed your material into the machine, and it will cut out your design automatically. Cricut also makes machines for pressing custom designs onto clothing, mugs and other items.
Do you need a computer to use a Cricut machine?
You need either a PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet to use a Cricut machine. That's because you need to prepare your designs on Cricut's own app, Design Space. See our pick of the best laptops for Cricut for options that play nice with Cricut's software. If you're using an iPhone or iPad, you can down the Cricut Design Space app from the Apple App Store. If you're using an Android phone or tablet, you can find the Design Space app in the Google Play Store. A new Cricut mobile app is available for Cricut Joy users, too.
Can I use a Chromebook with a Cricut?
Yes, you can now. For a long time, Cricut's and Chromebook laptops really didn't get along but now you can download Cricut Design Space from the Google Store and it works fine. From experience, it's still not quite as stable as the Windows version but it exists and is worth looking into. This is particularly good if you have a touchscreen Chromebook with a stylus, as it turns your laptop into a design studio. Read our guide to the best Chromebooks for Cricut for more.
Can I use other software with a Cricut?
You need to put everything through Cricut's bespoke design software, Design Space. But you can import projects from other software into Design Space. This is great as you may find the free projects limiting and the tools to design your own not as deep as in apps such as CorelDRAW. For more info, see our full list of the best software for Cricut.
How do you pronounce Cricut?
Many people see the word 'Cricut' and pronounce it "cry cut". However, the correct pronunciation is using a weak 'i', like in 'cricket'. The company have even featured a cricket in many of its logos to ram the point home. That's unlikely to stop people pronouncing it wrongly, of course, as other brands like Nike, Adidas and Sony have historically found. But at least you know, and you can now correct other people and look smart.
Which materials can I cut with a Cricut Maker machine?
The Cricut Maker allows you to precision-cut more than 300 materials (we cover more in our feature, 'the best Cricut materials'). These include everything from delicate fabric and paper to tough materials such as denim, matboard and leather. And you've covered for virtually everything in between too, including metallic poster board, neoprene, oil cloth, bonded polyester, quilt batting, bonded silk, velour and washi sheet. For a full list of materials you can cut with a Cricut Maker, see this Cricut help page.
Are there alternatives to Cricut?
Yes, there are two main makers of Cricut alternatives. First there's Silhouette, a US company that produces machines that match up to Cricut in most categories. Take a look at our guide to the best Silhouette machines for more details. Secondly, sewing machine manufacturer Brother has a range of machines called ScanNCut; these differ in that they include a built-in scanner and CPU, so there's no need for a laptop; just design, scan and cut directly in the craft machine. (Read our Brother ScanNCut SDX2200D review for more info.) You might also want to see our guide to the best vinyl cutter machines.
Is Cricut difficult to use?
Not at all. Indeed, the success of Cricut's machines comes precisely from their ease of use. The free Design Space app makes creating new projects simple, or you can download and use pre-made patterns and designs. Generally the machine, whether it's the high-end Cricut Maker 3 or the entry-level Cricut Explore 3 or Cricut Joy, will automate a lot of the cutting process.
Can you make money from Cricut?
Yes, this is the whole point! Cricut machines offer professional, quality crafting from the home. Using a Cricut means you can create projects good enough to sell on marketplaces and in craft stores. More so, you can create and offer patterns and designs for sale inside Cricut's Design Space. If you end to learn more about selling your crafts, take a look at our guide to how to sell on Etsy.
What's Cricut Access and do I need it?
Cricut Access is the brand's subscription service that, for a monthly fee, unlocks new projects, fonts and designs to use with your Cricut machine. It also enables you to load projects and designs to Cricut Access where you can earn money from your work. Finally, the service offers regular discounts on materials and tools to save you money. Read 10 reasons to get Cricut Access for more info.
Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors.
Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer and has the fun job of finding you the very best prices and deals on creative tech. Beth kicked off her journalistic career writing for Digital Camera World and has since earned bylines on TechRadar and PetsRadar too. With a Master's degree in Photography, Beth loves getting to tinker with new cameras, especially camera phones, as the resident Samsung fan on the team.
