My cricut setup machines are some of the most powerful tools in my craft toolkit. I use them all the time to make a wide variety of crafts, including custom t-shirts, greeting cards, stickers, and so much more. In this article, I’ll share all sorts of information about the family of cricut.com/setup machines and what they can do. I’ll explain what they are, how they work, and tell you exactly what supplies you’ll need to get started. 

You may also be wondering which of the three Cricut models is the best choice for your needs. I recommend the  Explore to most beginners – but the Cricut Maker and the Cricut Joy are fantastic machines too! Keep reading for a comparison of the three Cricut machines so you can confidently choose the best Cricut model for you! 

What is a Cricut Machine? 

A cricut.com/setup is an electronic cutting machine that can cut all sorts of designs from materials like paper, vinyl, card stock, and iron-on transfers. Some cricut design space machines can even cut leather and wood. You can use the Cricut to cut just about anything you would typically cut with scissors or an X-acto knife. That said, a cricut can cut with much more precision and speed than would ever be achievable by hand. 

Best Cutting Machines 

Machines like the cricut.com/setup are sometimes called die-cutter machines or craft plotters. Other brands of cutting machines include the Silhouette Cameo and the Brother ScanNCut.  

There are currently three types of Cricut machines on the market: The Cricut Explore, the Cricut Maker, and the Cricut Joy. 

The design.cricut.com/setup Explore is the mid-level option and the best-selling machine. The cricut design space Maker is one step up from the Explore and can cut a wider variety of materials with more types of tools. The Joy is a smaller model that’s portable, easy to set up, and simple to use. 

How Cricut Machines Work 

You can think of a cricut design space cutting machine like a household printer. Except instead of printing your design onto a sheet of paper, a Cricut machine uses a small, movable blade to cut the design out of a sheet of paper (or other material.) First, you create a design in Cricut’s design software or app. Then, you send the design to the Cricut cutting machine via Bluetooth or USB. The Cricut machine receives the design and cuts it out using a small, precise blade. 

What is the best Cricut for a beginner? 

The best Cricut machine for the beginner on a budget is the Cricut Explore 3. The Cricut Explore 3 is cricut design space most popular machine, and for a good reason! It cuts over 100 materials: cardstock, vinyl, iron-on, and specialty materials like glitter paper, cork, and bonded fabric. It’s not the fastest or quietest cutting machine, but it does a lot and is very beginner-friendly. 

Which Cricut should you get? 

The best Cricut for you depends on the kinds of projects you like to do. Think about what types of materials you’ll want to cut before choosing which Cricut machine to buy.  

When to choose the Cricut Explore: The Cricut Explore is the best-selling Cricut machine and offers you great “bang for your buck.” The Cricut Explore is my all-around top choice for download cricut newbies on a budget.  It’s a relatively fast and powerful machine that cuts up to a maximum width of 12″. And like I’ve mentioned before, it cuts more than 100 popular craft materials, including paper, vinyl, and iron-on.  

When to choose the Cricut Maker: The Cricut Maker can do everything the Cricut Explore can do, and so much more. I recommend upgrading to the Maker if you want the versatility to cut heavy-duty materials like wood and leather and delicate materials like crepe paper and fabric for sewing projects. 

Speaking of using the Cricut sewing projects, the Cricut Maker has a special rotary cutter tool perfect for cutting fabric pattern pieces, quilt appliques, and other fabric projects. 

When to choose the Cricut Joy: The Cricut Joy is Cricut’s newest cutting machine. The Cricut Joy is perfect if you like to make quick, small-scale projects, like labels and cards.