What is a Cricut Machine and what does it do? How does a Cricut work? Is it a printer?
I’ve been a Cricut user for a year, and during that time, I’ve learned more and more about it, what it does, and why it’s so cool. I love sharing information and I love talking about it.
What is a Cricut machine?
A homemade die cutting machine used for crafts with paper and other materials.
Simply put, it is a smart cutting machine known as the “perfect entry point to the world of precision crafts.”
It is important to know that these machines are not only used to cut paper. They are made to cut a wide variety of material in incredible ways. Vinyl is another material associated with die cutting machines, as well as felt, cardstock, and many others. They can even cut wood!
In addition to cutting all kinds of materials, the machines that are now available can also draw and write with pens and mark material for sharp and easy folding.
What does a Cricut machine come with?
There are several different models, and the items that come with each machine vary from one to another. But there are some things that universally come with all machines.
Each machine comes with:
• A Cricut cutter
• One fine point blade and one premium blade cover
• One 12 × 12 inch “LightGrip” cutting mat.
• A USB cable
• A power adapter
• A welcome guide for easy setup
• A free trial membership for Cricut Access
• Access to 25 free projects ready to carry out
• Materials for a practice project.
Some models come with more elements, such as different blades, scoring wheels, or a special pen for writing.
What does a Cricut do to paper and other materials that make it worth so much more than a pair of scissors?
All essential functions of the cutting machine were used to make a card. First, cut out the card shape, cut the slots to insert a smaller piece of cardstock, and cut out that piece of cardstock. Then he drew wavy lines with a pen and wrote a greeting with that same pen. Finally, he marked the card to fold.
How does it work?
Your computer, tablet, or smartphone connects to your machine to send your chosen design (also known as a cut file) to the machine. The design should indicate whether each line should be cut, penned, or marked. The machine does the rest!
How are Cricut designs made?
Each machine uses its own software, and it is free to download and use. You can even use the Cricut Design Space app for your tablet or cell phone!
With Design Space it is very easy to use. You can create designs from scratch and upload images. You can also import cut files created by other people, buy designs directly within the application, and modify any of those designs to personalize them.
How does Cricut design Space work?
Design Space is like the recipe for your project. What you do in Design Space simply tells your machine where to cut, write, or mark.
Once your machine is connected to your computer or other device, the cutting machine can make a complete design if there is only one step.
If there are multiple steps, your Cricut will communicate instructions to display on your computer or device screen. It can tell you if and when you need to do other steps in the project. For example, it will instruct you to load your next sheet of paper (or other material) or to change the colors of the pens.
What are the types of Cricut machines available? What are their differences?
There are three series of Cricut cutting machines currently on the market: the Explore series, the Cricut Maker, and the Cricut Joy.
The Explore series includes:
Cricut Explore One
Cricut Explore Air
Cricut Explore Air 2
The different Explore models come in multiple colors, with the Cricut Explore Air 2 available in at least 18 colors.
The Cricut Maker is a unique model that currently comes in five different colors: champagne, blue, pink, purple, and green.
On the other hand, the Cricut Joy, which is the most recent machine, only exists in blue.
The differences between the machines:
The Explore One is the brand’s oldest cutting machine, while the Cricut Explore Air 2 is the newest model in the Explore family. It also has most of the features. It has the highest price of the three Explore cutting machines.
The Cricut Maker is currently in a category on its own thus far, with more features and capabilities than any other machine. There is only one model and it comes in five different colors.
The Cricut Maker is the most versatile smart slicer in the line, and it’s called the “ultimate smart slicer.”
The Cricut Joy is the newest machine and the smallest too. With this Cricut he sought to rely on versatility and new technologies such as continuous cutting to be able to incorporate them into machines in the future. Unlike the other machines, this one does not have a button and can only be connected through Bluethooth, you can use it perfectly from your cell phone or tablet with the app.
Is the Cricut a printer too?
Does it print on a Cricut? Many people think it is a printer, and I can see why! When a machine can do so much, it’s easy to assume that it can do just about anything crafty!
In a sense, a Cricut is a “printer”, but not in the way you think. You can use multiple pencils on your machine to print, write, or draw what you make, create, and design.
For example, you can address envelopes in beautiful fonts. You can write letters from Santa in authentic looking handwriting typeface. You can write greetings on your handmade cards or sign your name with a signature. You can even sign your projects with a custom saved monogram or symbol to identify your work!
I wasn’t kidding when I said there was a variety of pens!
Honestly, you will find any color you need, with different finishes (glossy, metallic, marker-like) and widths. You will also find pens that you can.
That said, a Cricut is not a printer. But, in addition to the pens and writing functions, it comes close with its Print and Cut functionality.
“Print and Cut” allows you to bring any design in any color to your projects. You can create designs that identify the areas to be printed on vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, paper, or other materials. Once the design is printed, you transmit it directly to your machine to cut it where you want.
A useful way to understand “Print and Cut” is to think about making your own stickers.
For example, look at these stickers created and cut by me for different activities. I decided to take one of each as a memento of the hard work #Robotinalacricut always does. First, the various colors and artworks were color printed on sticker paper, then they were cut exactly into the correct shape with the machine.
What can a Cricut cut?
If, after reading the previous section on what you can do with a Cricut, you still have the impression that it can only cut paper for scrapbooking purposes, you are wrong.
A list of everything that any of these currently available cutting machines can cut has been put together. If you’re wondering about the specific material a Maker can cut, Cricut Maker can cut everything any of the Explore machines can cut, and more.
In summary, I recommend that you read both sections.
What can a Cricut Explore Air 2, Explore Air, and Explore One do?
• Paper
• Vinyl
• Adhesive paper
• Transfer vinyl
• Cardboard
• Woven, including oil cloth, silk, polyester, denim, and felt (after stabilizing with HeatnBond)
• Corkboard
• Wax paper
• Foil
• Washitapes
• Gift Wrap
• Construction paper
• Parchment paper
• Scotch tape
• Window vinyl
• Synthetic suede
• Adhesive paper
• Paper bags
• Leather up to 2.0 mm thick
• Synthetic leather up to 1.0mm thick
• Printable fabric
• Magnetic sheets
• Chunks of paint
• Vellum
• Canvas
• Photographic paper
• Wood, birch, up to 0.5 mm thick.
• Faux Leather
• Cardboard
• Corrugated cardboard
• Aluminum metal up to 0.14 mm thick
• Woolen texture
• Template movie
• Transparency film
• Tattoo paper
What can a Cricut Maker cut?
A Cricut Maker can cut everything that a Cricut Explore Air 2, Explore Air, and Explore Air 2 can cut. It can also cut virtually any type of fabric.
You may have noticed that there are several types of fabric on the list for what the Explore series can cut, but they all need to be stabilized with HeatnBond.
HeatnBond is a fabric backing that is ironed onto fabric. It is often used to join one fabric to another, but when you use it before cutting it, it prevents the fabric from fraying or tearing.
The biggest difference between what a Cricut Maker can cut and what a Cricut Explore machine can cut is fabric.
First, you do not need to stabilize the fabric before the Maker cuts it. That means you can use almost any fabric straight from the fabric store without any additional preparation or materials. (Remember, the Explore series requires you to treat your fabrics with HeatnBond before cutting.)
Second, the Maker has a rotating blade, which is a different cutting method than all the other machines before it.
The rotating blade is not just a blade on a wheel. It is a blade that rotates and rotates with a sliding and rotating movement. That rolling action allows your Cricut to cut from side to side, up and down and in any direction in between.
The Maker can also cut up to three layers of lightweight cotton at the same time, making even cuts much easier.
One more way that Cricut Maker can cut different materials than the Explore Air 2, Explore Air and Explore is thanks to the special blade. The blade also means that it does a better and more precise job of cutting those items.
The blade is an extra deep cutting blade that moves through dense materials up to 2.4mm (3/32 “) thick. That sounds super thin, but it isn’t. Think leather, thick cardboard, multiple layers! thick fabric and more!
For reference, standard cardstock is 0.3mm thick. The Cricut maker can cut a solid piece of material the thickness of eight pieces of cardstock stacked together!
The blade can be compared to an automated X-Acto cutting blade due to its precision and sharpness. That means this special blade can cut balsa wood, matte board, and heavier leathers.
What can a Cricut Joy cut?
The most common, which are not extremely thick, such as adhesive vinyl and textile, cardboard, paper and adhesive paper. If we try to cut much thicker materials we could break the machine since it is not made for it.
What are Cricut bundles?
The “bundles” are packages that include materials, tools and / or accessories with the cutting machine and sell them all together at a lower price. Therefore, you pay much less than what you would pay for individual items. There are packages for all models available except the Explore One. Some packages currently offer savings of more than 50% of the total value of the package!
Where can I buy a Cricut machine?
I recommend purchasing your machine directly from Cricut.com. Of course, you can always buy your machine at any department store or safe retailers – you will definitely get what you bought!
But here are three downsides to shopping elsewhere outside of Cricut.com:
· Their prices are generally higher than what you will find on the Cricut website.
· You cannot use your popular and frequent coupons on any Cricut product.
· You will not find the package deals as I mentioned above.
Can I buy a Cricut on Amazon.com? A word of caution:
Most crafters prefer to purchase their cutting machines directly from Cricut.com, and I agree with their decision 100%.
The truth is, it’s getting riskier to make larger purchases on Amazon. You’re protected by Amazon’s return policies and its A-to-Z guarantee, but that doesn’t save you from the hassle of dealing with orders that went wrong.
While Amazon prices are sometimes much lower, you will find that Cricut.com prices are generally within a few dollars of Amazon’s price. As a result, in my opinion, it is worth paying a little more to make a great purchase directly from the brand itself.
If you decide to buy your machine on Amazon, be very careful before placing your order.
In any case, they are the things to check before buying your Cricut from Amazon.
- Make sure you buy a new machine.
- Make sure the model you are looking at matches the model you want. Don’t just look at the photo.
- Check the brands of all accessories.
- Check the markings of everything that comes with it. The deal might not be so great if those “free” extras aren’t the quality and brand you expect.
