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| Cricut Maker in color Rose |
My Cricut Story
If you were like me, the idea of getting a cool, crafting machine that could do almost anything seemed like a great idea. I thought about all the homemade cards and gifts I could make for my family and friends, with the potential to start a small business making custom items once I’d gotten comfortable with my crafting. I debated on purchasing the machine as well as which machine I should get. There were so many color options, special editions and bundle sets. Every time I went into Michael’s, I would roam down the Cricut aisle and just stare at the displays, thinking about all the potential projects I could make. At that point, I hadn’t done any real research on the machines or what made them different (other than the obvious price, colors and overall design). When I finally decided that I definitely wanted to purchase a Cricut machine, I started “researching” the different types. At the time, only the Cricut maker and Explore Air & Air 2 were available. The Cricut Joy has been released since I have made my purchase. My research consisted of watching YouTube comparison videos, surfing Pinterest and reading the blogs of current Cricut owners/professional crafters. I have to say that the YouTube videos helped me make my ultimate decision. The Explore Air 2 could do a lot and was roughly $100 cheaper but one thing the maker could do better than the Explore Air 2 was cut wood. I really wanted to make a wood puzzle (no I haven’t done that yet) so I decided to take the ultimate plunge and go for the “big mama” Cricut Maker. Besides the idea of making a wood puzzle, the other thing that made me go for the Maker is that I knew I’d eventually want to upgrade to the maker even if I started with the Air 2. I figured it was better to just takes the plunge from the beginning instead of spending roughly $250-300 for the explore air 2 then spending another $350-$400 on the maker down the line. In March 2020, shortly after my school system declared we’d be closed for the remainder of the year due to COVID-19, I decided now was the time to make the purchase. I managed to find a bundle on HSN (Home Shopping Network) along with a couple of other supplies to get me started. The bundle was $399 which included the maker, decorative card stock and the gold and silver removable vinyl. Even better HSN lets you split your payments into 4 monthly installments which is great for those of us on a budget!
I was so excited when the packages arrived at my door! I was surprised at how heavy the machine was. I don’t say this as a negative, I was just expecting it to be a lightweight plastic type machine. The weight attest to its sturdiness and it is a well built machine. I opened the box and was so excited to start crafting. The maker comes with a startup kit that will walk you through making your first craft, which for me was a cute flower. I thought oh, this was so easy and what a cute first craft! I decided to try my hand at making a card and that is where I hit my first road block. In order to access many of the templates for cards, I found that I would need to “subscribe” to Cricut Access. Cricut Access is a monthly subscription that gives you access to tons of templates for a variety of projects, clip art and other pre-made things you can use to make a project. This is great for beginners, especially if you need a little motivation and are learning how to maneuver through Design Space. Don’t worry if the names of these items are unfamiliar, I will explain them more in a bit. For now, just know the monthly subscription to Cricut Access is 9.99, however, they were doing a feel 1 month trial and I was able to see if I liked it before committing (of course I did, and still do!). The moral of this story is know that purchasing a Cricut machine (regardless of which style) is an INVESTMENT. Whether you plan to use it for personal crafting or to establish a small business, just know you will have continued expenses associated with this product. I had a general idea of some of the expenses it would bring but I still discovered others along the way after I made my purchase which is why I decided to create this list of considerations and things to know before buying. Don’t get me wrong, I DO NOT regret my purchase, I just wish I knew a little more about what I would need to do some of the projects I initially wanted to do. I will say the info is out there, I just didn’t know what to look for at the time!
Check out my Cricut story on YouTube!
Things to Consider/ Know Before Buying a Cricut Machine:
1. Determine why you want to purchase a Cricut machine.
This may sound a bit silly, because of course you want to buy a Cricut to do cool crafting things. Duh! However, it is important to determine exactly what you want to do with your Cricut in order to select the best machine for your needs. They are all good machines and depending on your craft level/needs, you may be content with the Cricut Joy or you could need the “mama maker”. For example, if you mainly want to create designs to customize your belongings or even customize items for gifts, the Joy or Explore Air 2 may be the best option. They will handle those projects with ease and you would not need the maker to do those projects. If you want to see more comparisons on all 3 machines check out my Pinterest board “Cricut crafting” where I have saved pins with this info.
2. DO YOUR RESEARCH!!
Before making this purchase, I would suggest looking into the various types of Cricut Machines. Currently, there is the Cricut Maker (which I own and is pictured above), The Explore Air 2 and the Cricut Joy (newest model). To give you a general idea the Cricut Maker is what I call the “big mama” because it is the top maker. It does everything and can cut the largest range of material. It is also the most expensive. The Maker usually retails for $350-399 which is just for the machine and the startup kit (instructions). They do offer bundles with tools and sometimes card stock or vinyl and they also go on sale at Michael’s from time to time. Prices vary by store and also with sales. If you’re lucky you can find one on clearance!
The Explore Air 2 is slightly smaller and can do almost everything the Maker can do (check my Pinterest) . It becomes a little more limited with denser fabrics/materials such as wood or sewing fabric. It also can’t use as many blade varieties as the maker but you can use the blades from this machine in the maker as long as you have the right adaption tools (housing). This is again why I say it is important to think about what crafts you mainly plan to use your Cricut for. The Explore Air 2 retails for $227-$250 (sounds better already right!?). Bundles can go up to $300 or a little more. Again prices vary based on store and sales. I have seen people purchase one for as low as $80 on clearance, so keep those eyes peeled for deals!
The Cricut Joy is the newest and smallest machine on the scene. It’s also the most budget friendly machine in the Cricut family starting at $179 for the machine itself. If you already have the maker or Explore air model, this could serve as an on the go sidekick but not a necessity. If you are mainly wanting a way to do custom labels, t-shirts, water bottles, etc. This could be the perfect device for you. I’d also say for maybe younger crafters such as middle or high school students, this could be a nice introductory machine. One thing to keep in mind is that the materials and blades for this machine are smaller than those for the maker and Explore Air 2 so they can not be used with the other two devices.
Also “research” what materials, blades, mats, tools, etc you will need to complete a majority of the projects you plan to do with your Cricut. In this case, “research” means simply scroll the aisles of your local craft stores or anywhere that sell Cricut products. This will give you an idea of price points for things you will need to buy in addition to your Cricut machine. Walmart & Target do carry some of the basic tools and materials but a majority of what you will need will tend to come from craft stores or online retailers. I do think Cricut and Target have some form of deal with the Cricut Joy so they do carry a majority of tools and materials for that machine.
3. Are you ready to INVEST?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, buying a Cricut machine is an INVESTMENT! There is so much more to it than just the machine. Regardless of which machine you decide to get you will need additional tools such as blades, weeders, vinyl, and mats. if you plan to go into a business selling t-shirts, you may want to invest in a heat press which can be pricey ($100+, depending on brand and style), but Cricut also makes these as well (called Easypress) starting at $89 (there is a mini press for $49) and going up to $199. This is an optional tool and I’ve done fine using my $20 iron I purchased from Target to iron vinyl designs onto my tshirts. I do want to note I don’t do them as an official business yet, I just do small projects for friends and family or myself. This is why considering a bundle package may be a good idea, however, read carefully at what is included in the bundle because sometimes it’s cheaper to get the items separately.
4. Do you have time to learn?
Cricut requires a learning curve. If you’ve watched people make things on YouTube or seen finished products, you may think oh that looks simple. In some cases, it is and in others there is a lot of behind the scenes knowledge that went into creating that beautiful final product you see. You will need to have time to learn the Design Space software, Cricut Access (if you choose to subscribe), how to use the machine, the different types of blades, mats, materials and tools. Most importantly you have to learn how to create the fun projects you imagine! I’m not saying this to scare or discourage anyone, but just know it is a learning curve, you will mess up and waste material but it will be ok! Just be patient with yourself and don’t judge yourself against others who have likely been crafting longer than you have. Joining supportive Facebook groups or watching YouTube tutorials is one of the best ways to learn and gather ideas.
I hope that you found these things helpful as you decide whether or not you are ready to take the plunge and purchase a Cricut machine!
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