Cricut Explore 5 review: a faster, smarter crafting machine that's perfect for beginners

For years, Cricut has occupied a sweet spot between hobby crafting and genuinely professional-looking results – I use Cricut Maker daily in my business, making bespoke memory quilts and couldn't think of ever not using one. The Explore series sits just below Maker, and has always been the machine I'd recommend to anyone curious about making cards, stickers, labels, decals or personalised gifts without stepping into the more expensive Maker ecosystem.

The Explore 5 doesn't change that formula; it's one of the best Cricut machines for papercrafts and everyday hobbies and crafting, but it does polish the tech in almost every area. After using it for a month to test, I can say it's a step-up over Explore 4 – not a huge step, but better in small ways, such as speed, ease of use and noise reduction – and certainly a machine that you'll love using.

If you've never owned a Cricut before, this is probably the best entry point yet. If you're upgrading from an older Explore Air or Explore 3, you'll appreciate the improvements. If you already own an Explore 4, though, this becomes a harder sell, as the differences and improvements feel wafer-thin.

Cricut Explore 5: what's in the box?

Cricut has clearly designed the Explore 5 bundle to get beginners making projects immediately, and it's here that I can see where this model is perfectly pitched. Having used a Cricut since the Maker, I was actually taken aback by just how much you get bundled here to get you up and running.

Inside you'll find – and take a deep breath before reading – all this: Cricut Explore 5 machine, LightGrip cutting mat, Portable paper trimmer, Double card mat, Fine-point pen, Scoring stylus, Spatula, Weeder, Scraper, Transfer tape, Smart permanent vinyl, Smart Iron-On vinyl, Printable vinyl, Insert cards, Cardstock, Instruction guides and setup materials.

It's one of the better starter bundles Cricut has produced and offers excellent value for money. Rather than immediately shopping for accessories, you can jump straight into making greeting cards, decals and personalised gifts.

One of the genuinely worthwhile additions is the inclusion of a scoring stylus. It's an accessory previous Explore bundles lacked, but one that dramatically expands what you can create. Folded cards, gift boxes, invitations and paper engineering projects suddenly become much easier, producing crisp fold lines that are difficult to recreate by hand. It's a small addition that has a surprisingly big impact.

Cricut Explore 5: setting up

Getting started couldn't be much simpler, despite Explore 5, as with all Cricuts, being a fairly complex crafting machine. If you're new to Cricut, the printed setup guide walks you through everything with clear photography and multilingual instructions. Existing Cricut users simply update Cricut Design Space, select the Explore 5, let the firmware install and they're ready to go.

The software then walks you through a practice project using the included sample materials, which is a smart way of learning how the machine behaves before committing to your own designs. And that's it, you're up and running in minutes, making what could feel like a complex craft machine easy to use.

Cricut Explore 5: design & performance

The first thing I notice is the size, as Cricut has managed to shrink the Explore 5 considerably, and it's the one big area anyone who has an Explore 4 will notice. At around 19.8 x 4.7 inches, Explore 5 is noticeably more compact than the Explore 4, making it much easier to leave permanently on a desk rather than finding somewhere to store it after every project.

The cleaner design looks more modern too, and this is from a brand that has always had one eye on Apple for how to design products. Some longtime Cricut fans may miss the more enclosed look of older Explore machines, but I found the smaller size much more valuable in day-to-day use. My Explore 5 stays on my craft desk, along with my sewing machine and still gives me room to cut and plan.

The Explore 5 is also noticeably quieter, something you'll appreciate during longer crafting sessions, as previous Cricuts could chug away and distract. Interestingly, the Explore 5 also has smoother cutting and drawing performance, so you don't get the sway older Cricuts used to suffer from as the blade swished side to side.

In fact, it's the smoother, quieter, faster performance where the Explore 5 feels like a genuine upgrade. Of those three pointers, it's speed that impresses – the machine is simply faster.

Whether cutting vinyl or drawing with pens, projects complete noticeably quicker than on previous Explore machines, and Cricut has simplified the workflow too. Once you start a project, the machine guides you through each stage rather than requiring constant button presses or intervention. It's a workflow and use that feels more automated and much more approachable for first-time users than older Cricut machines.

Importantly, cut quality is excellent. My first project was a folded birthday card for my niece. I personalised the included template by changing the recipient's name and adding additional "Happy Birthday" lettering using Smart Permanent Vinyl. The cuts were impressively crisp, even on relatively small lettering, while alignment remained accurate throughout. Transfer tape made positioning the vinyl simple, and the included scraper helped achieve a clean finish without bubbles. (You'll be pleased to know she loved it!)

Whether you're making greeting cards like this, labels or decals for mugs and glassware, the precision is exactly what you'd expect from Cricut; it's where the brand excels, and Explore 5 nudges the quality up, even if it's just a slight upgrade over Explore 4.

Cricut Explore 5: Cricut Design Space

Where Explore 5 also falls into familiar, but perhaps unwanted, territory is that the hardware continues to outshine the software.

Design Space remains approachable, especially for beginners, with thousands of ready-made projects and templates available, and the blank canvas also allows you to build your own designs from scratch, while newer AI-assisted features make generating ideas and graphics easier than before. The project guides remain one of Cricut's biggest strengths, taking users through each stage step by step.

But that said, Design Space still isn't perfect. Organisation can feel clunky, editing tools remain fairly basic compared to dedicated design software, and experienced creators may find themselves bouncing between the best design software like Illustrator, Photoshop or Affinity Designer before importing artwork.

Design Space is still the weakest part of the Cricut experience if you want to create complex bespoke designs and projects, but in many ways it's an ideal app for Explore 5, which is aimed at the stage below, where you'll probably prefer to create from pre-made designs that can be used as is or tweaked to make them more personal.

Cricut Explore 5 vs Explore 4

The improvements aren't revolutionary, but together they make the Explore 5 feel noticeably more refined. Compared to the Explore 4, you get a significantly smaller machine, faster cutting speeds, quieter operation, simpler project workflow, an included scoring stylus, and the impressive starter bundle, all at a slightly lower launch price.

If you're coming from an older model, like the Explore Air 2 or Explore 4, then the new machine’s speed and quieter mechanism feel worthwhile. If you already own the Explore 4, however, they're probably not enough on their own to justify upgrading unless you particularly value the smaller design or bundled accessories.

Cricut Explore 5 vs Maker 4

Explore 5 is still very much Cricut's everyday crafting machine. It handles cardstock, vinyl, iron-on materials, stickers and paper beautifully, but it isn't designed for heavier-duty creative work.

But if you want to cut fabric for quilting, engrave metal, emboss leather or work with thicker materials, and generally take your crafting up a level towards more professional projects, then the Cricut Maker 4 remains the better choice.

But you can't escape the value offered by Explore 5, which finds a good balance between performance and cost.

Cricut Explore 5: should I buy one?

The Cricut Explore 5 doesn't reinvent Cricut's cutting machine, but it makes an already excellent product noticeably better.

The smaller size, quieter operation, faster cutting and streamlined workflow all combine to create a machine that's simply more enjoyable to use. The included scoring stylus is a welcome addition, and the generous starter bundle means you'll be making polished projects almost immediately.

There are still frustrations. Design Space continues to lag behind the excellent hardware, and Explore 4 owners won't find enough here to make upgrading essential.

But if you're buying your first Cricut – or upgrading from an older Explore generation – the Explore 5 is the easiest recommendation the range has seen in years. It strikes an excellent balance between capability, ease of use and price, and reminds you why Cricut remains the go-to name in home crafting.