You don’t technically need Bluetooth to cut, you can always leave your phone or computer tethered to the machine via USB cable instead. Then Cricut added a pen holder and colorful pens to scribe fonts or drawings. With the extra space on the machine’s body, Cricut has added additional storage for pens and accessories (which you’ll need with all these tools!). Want to learn about more Cricut blades? However, there is a lot of utility packed into those extra dollars. You want your engraving centered (or wherever you want it) and it will only be correct if you place the material precisely on your mat. © 2020 Cut, Cut, Craft! It’s also the only Cricut that comes with access to Cricut’s Sewing Pattern Library, with over 500 digital sewing patterns, complete with markings for seam allowances. to easily select machine settings without going into the software. The Smart Set Dial is a smooth knob where you can select the material you’ll be cutting, and the machine automatically selects the appropriate cut settings for Design Space to use. Cricuts are defined by the tools they use. Initially they were solely electronic cutting machines (with cartridges!). Written by Ali Fields | Updated: October 17, 2020. The Debossing Tip is essential for scrapbookers to create gorgeous foils. The most important step in engraving is to line up your material on the mat correctly. However, I was able to engrave 3mm acrylic – it’s actually slightly less than 3mm, that’s just what they call it. And there are all the regular and fabric pens as well. First were the original pastels, and more recently it was released in 8 additional imaginative colors like boysenberry, cobalt, fuchsia, sunflower, and persimmon. But for those who will take advantage of the versatility and power, it will be worth it. Set. The Rotary Blade is able to rotate around curves as it cuts, giving better cuts out of more difficult fabrics than a regular blade. The Deep-Point blade can cut thick materials like craft foam up to 1.5 mm thick. However, you could try to sell your used Explore Air 2 on eBay or Facebook Marketplace to get money to use towards a Cricut Maker. Want more Cricut? The engraving tip is labeled with a “41” to help differentiate it from other blades. In design space, to change a design to engrave, all you do is: REMEMBER – it will engrave an OUTLINE of the design. This is where you’ll find the most important differences between these two models of Cricut. I would say that anything under 3mm will work! The Explore Air 2 features embedded Bluetooth for wireless cutting. I found that the best results came from the “Tooling Leather – 6-7 oz. The options for the Air 2 are the Bonded-Fabric Blade and the Deep-Point Blade, which don’t cut quite as well as the Maker versions. Seamstresses and quilters were some of the early Cricut fanatics, and for good reason. I also loved being able to change the blade depth with just the turn of the dial. And there’s the Perforation Blade, the Wavy Blade, all the colorful pens, fabric pens, washable pens, plus whatever else Cricut dreams up next. I have used this blade to engrave acrylic several times. What sort of storage and buttons and knobs are there? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Cricut Maker was designed to elevate electronic fabric cutting to an entirely new level. You can cut 3x as many materials, including dense leather, matboard, and wood. Are the machines attractive? Open up your project, or create a new one. It is still the best cutter that Cricut offers, so I’m guessing they will roll out some bright colors in the next year or two. Best Maker and Explore Air 2 deals and bundles (where to buy). However, the Explore Air 2 is still able to cut foam, but only up to 1.5 mm thick. First, let’s take a look at the cutting technology that each machine uses. It is just so useful to have the cutting taken care of for you, so you can get straight to the business of sewing your work together. Duplicate your large circle twice. The limit on your machine is 2.4mm thick. It is the better machine for fabric projects, 3d paper crafts, and for makers craving versatility out of their cutter. A: The Maker is definitely better for cutting felt. Feb 22, 2021 - Learn how to use your Cricut and making amazing papercrafts, decals, projects, and things with it! This way you can differentiate between your acrylic and vinyl. 2. A: Probably! The engraving tip – like all of the quickswap housing blades – ONLY works on the Cricut Maker machines. The Smart Set Dial enables you to easily cut over 100 different types of material with this craft cutter. You can buy a special Bonded-Fabric Blade, though this is actually identical to the regular blade that comes with your machine, but in pink. - All Rights Reserved. This machine can engrave/carve/cut different kinds of material such as wood, MDF, acrylic, cardboard, vinyl, and leather etc. However, the Maker sacrifices a bit in design and costs a fair bit more. Still, the Cricut Explore Air 2 is the best value cutter for a narrow range of use. 1. One of the things that I was most excited about when I got my Cricut Maker was the ability to swap out the blades for their new, hyper-specific tools. And it really enables you to create more multimedia projects than you otherwise would even consider. A: No, the Rotary Blade and Knife Blade work with only the Cricut Maker. Both machines have dual tool holders, and a fast mode for cutting vinyl and paper. Best of all, with the Maker you’ll be at the forefront for new tools, as Cricut is continuing to develop fun additions for the Maker. No more ironing your fabric onto HeatNBond or freezer paper before cuts, which will save tons of time. The Explore Air 2 is good for dense, thin felt up to 1.5 mm, but has trouble cutting out smaller pieces and finer details. This lets the blades use more pressure with finer control, giving 10 times the cutting power of the previous Explore series. Similarly, Cricut removed the material dial, and instead the machine settings are set within the design program. What Makes Cricut Maker Different From Cricut Explore Machines? You can also check out my free cut file gallery and the latest project for my printer stand and storage for my Cricut machines! And now, the options have exploded with debossing, engraving, perforating, & more. Will the Maker be coming out in any other colors? Cricut Maker vs Cricut Explore Air 2 [2020 update]. 4. (The Maker goes up to 2.4 mm.). The Maker was first released with three colors, then they added an additional two more. The Maker can cut 300+ different materials. But for me, having wireless cutting is essential. The Air 2 also features a Smart Set Dial so you can easily select the material type. One of them was the Engraving tip. The Explore Air 2 has a standard lineup of tools you can use. For the design of these Cricuts, I’ll discuss how the machine bodies look and feel when you use them. The Cricut Explore Air 2 was released in 2016, as the absolute fastest version of the Explore series. It has a Smart Set Dial (which I love!) The Cricut Maker was released just a year after the Explore Air 2, and proved to be one of the biggest upgrades to a craft cutter we’ve seen. It has a 2x fast mode for cutting thin materials like vinyl and paper at twice the speed of the old Explore. Since then, Cricut has released the Air 2 in some amazing and vivid new colors. Using Design Space Images, shapes and fonts I made a little mouse with a bow. It enables hobbyists, amateurs and even beginners to explore the engraving world, to create their own works and have fun! I cut mostly foam sheets, do I need the Maker for that? Cut. Unfortunately, Cricut has remained completely silent on if they will ever offer a trade-in option for those who want to upgrade to the Cricut Maker. Interestingly, because the Explore series has been around for so long, there are also a bunch of DIY hacks and off-brand tools you can try for embossing, engraving, debossing, and more. For my initial test of the debossing and engraving tips on the leather, I tried out a few of the different cutting settings that Cricut has pre-programmed into Design Space. We independently research our recommended products. It comes with a Rotary Blade for cutting unbonded fabric, just like the handheld rotary cutters that you’re used to. Can I trade in my Explore Air 2 for credit towards a Cricut Maker? How much do these machines cost? Since then, Cricut has released the Air 2 in some amazing and vivid new colors. Want to know which is the right machine for you? The Maker adds greater cutting power and works with a whole suite of exclusive tools that make it the top choice for fabric, 3d paper art, and cutting thick or exotic materials. If you can afford it, you'll have a versatile machine which will last you a long time. It’s just like a rotary cutter you might use by hand. Click here to buy the Engraving tool on the Cricut website, Click here to buy the Engraving tool on Amazon. The Knife Blade cuts through materials thicker than any other sharply angled blade, up to 2.4 mm thick. A: The Maker is better for cutting foam sheets because you can move the rollers all the way to the sides, so they won’t leave indents on your foam. The Rotary Blade for fabric (discussed above), is the best electric cutter for fabric yet. There is no more slot for cartridges, instead you’ll have to buy a special adapter. The Maker is practically swimming in amazing tools to try out. You can read my comparison of the Explore Air 2 and Maker, but the biggest benefit to the Maker is that all of the new blades that Cricut releases will be Maker-only. The Air 2 automatically opens at the touch of a button. If any of these new features seem like must-haves to you, the Maker is the machine for you. The Cricut Maker works with an ever expanding array of tools designed to work with the Adaptive Tool System. The Scoring Stylus can score into cardstock, though not as well as the Maker’s Scoring Wheel. FoxAlien LE-4040 Desktop Laser Engraver. How big are they? We take a look at two of Cricut's most popular machines. Still, it’s useful to keep the fabric blade separate so it is only used on fabric and stays sharp. And best of all, the Cricut Explore Air 2 is the speediest cutter from the Explore line. It has a dual tool holder so you can cut & draw, or cut & score in the same pass. The scoring and debossing are sharper. And the tools work better than on the Explore Air 2. But no one knows yet! (If you’re looking for a larger comparison, I have a new article on Cricut vs Silhouette which goes over all of their machines). The Cricut Explore Air 2 was released in 2016, as the absolute fastest version of the Explore series. Cricut Explore Air 2. So even when cutting thin paper and vinyl, you get cleaner curves and can cut smaller fonts more precisely. This machine is regarded as the best deal, as it uses the same software as the Cricut Maker, it’s just not as powerful and doesn’t work with the new tools. It actually ranks as my top overall pick for best vinyl cutter. In fact, that’s the “Air” in Air 2. FoxAlien LE-4040 Desktop Laser Engraver is the perfect device for home use. The Maker also comes with access to the Sewing Pattern Library with over 500 digital designs, from real designers. Other than that, there haven’t been significant improvements to the Explore line of vinyl cutters. Cricut has moved towards simplicity in the design of this machine. The Maker is one of the first Cricuts to actually use an entirely new control system for controlling the tool heads. Cricut has released a wide array of fun and useful tools to use with the Adaptive Tool System in the Cricut Maker: And best of all, with the Maker you’ll be futureproof: Cricut plans to continue to develop and release additional tools for this machine. There is also a dock for a phone or tablet, and a 3.0 Amp USB port for charging that device. Considering purchasing the Cricut Engraving tool? Most of the advanced features of the machine make it easy to use, and improve your quality of life, as you cut out your creative projects. I actually prefer engraving to cutting vinyl or paper because there’s no weeding and no applying it to anything – once your design is ready, it’s so quick and easy! The Maker can be used with the Knife Blade (sold separately) which has a steeply angled edge for cutting dense materials up to 2.4 mm thick. The Cricut Maker vastly outpowers the Explore Air 2 with the Adaptive Tool system. The 2 colored circles are vinyl. With the power of the Adaptive Tool System and the Knife Blade, you can actually cut fine details out of tough leather, matboard, and balsa wood. There is a regular blade for thin and easy materials. You now have 3 circles, you can remove the 2 smaller ones. As much as I dearly love the Cricut Maker, I just can’t ignore its price tag. The single and double Scoring Wheels can deeply score cardstock for 3d paper crafts. The more time you save cutting means the more projects you’ll get to do! For Fine-Point, Premium Fine-Point, Deep Point, and Deep-Cut Blades: Gently push the pin on the top of the housing and carefully pull out the blade from the bottom. However, the Adaptive Tool System really shines for powering through thick or tough material like leather and wood, for cutting unbonded fabric, and for scoring, engraving, and embossing more deeply than ever before. The Cricut Maker was announced in 2017, about a year after the Explore Air 2, to a whole heap of excitement from the Cricut community. The Explore Air 2 is a fantastic cutter, at a fantastic price. Are you trying to decide between the Cricut Explore Air 2 and the Cricut Maker? The plus is that it’s a fair bit less expensive and comes in a variety of beautiful, colorful designs that just pop in … But if you’ll be doing more than the occasional fabric piece, the Cricut Maker is definitely the machine for you! After that came fabric cutters, deep-angled blades, and scoring tips. The Bonded-Fabric Blade (described above) is a pink version of the regular blade that is useful for keeping separate from your regular blade. By just turning a knob, the machine will automatically select the appropriate cut settings for your chosen material. The machine has a black base, a white body, and the lids come in a handful of colors: lilac, blue, rose, mint, and champagne. The Cricut Maker is the clear winner for selection and quality of tools. Final Verdict: the versatile and powerful Cricut Maker! It even cuts paper and vinyl more accurately, as the turning technology of the Adaptive Tool System lets you cut out smaller lettering out of thing materials. Is the more expensive Maker actually worth it? A: Not that we’ve seen. The cartridge slot lets you easily insert your old Cricut cartridges so you can link them to your Cricut account and access the designs within Cricut Design Space. Cricut Explore Air 2. Okay, you can probably guess this one. 3. Just below I’ll take you through the features that the Explore Air 2 has to offer. Remember that they both do have the dual tool holder, so they can both cut fabric and label it with washable fabric markers in the same pass, without getting out of alignment. The Explore Air 2 has a gorgeous design that comes in an amazing variety of full-body colors. This one is no contest. And with the Explore Air 2, weaker felt will need to be bonded like other fabrics in order to be cut. The Cricut Maker is a solidly built machine, coming in at 21 lbs. It comes with the Rotary Blade for fabrics, which is able to cut unbonded fabric cleanly and precisely. Below, I’ve outlined some of the key attributes that make the Cricut Maker such an amazingly versatile machine. It typically costs about 1.5x as much as the Explore Air 2. The model is an excellent tool if you need to cut wood, MDF, acrylic, cardboard, vinyl, leather, even pleated and powder-coated metal while on maximum speed (although it won’t cut it as nicely as wood).. Once the project has completed, You will need to wipe the tiny shreds of plastic off the engraving. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do you have a crafting tutorial you'd like to see? Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube, Copyright by The Charleston Crafted Blog, LLC, 2020 | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, How to lower price on Facebook Marketplace, my comparison of the Explore Air 2 and Maker, Soft metal – like aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel. It works similarly to other brands of home vinyl cutter, to give clean cuts on over 100 different materials. You can grab my project above. The fabric cutting is easier and cleaner. Well, these new tools are actually able to lift and turn while cutting, which is unlike any other cutting tool we’ve seen. Cricut sells has washable fabric pens so you can cut and mark your fabric in one sweep, without anything getting out of alignment. I ordered a few blades when I got started just to experiment with. Or is the Explore Air 2 enough? The Adaptive Tool System design also lets you use rotary tools, which simply don’t work with the Explore. Most of its utility is geared towards making paper and vinyl cutting easy and successful, and so it proves to be a great value for that purpose. On the top of the machine body, you’ll notice features missing on the Cricut Maker vs Explore Air 2: the Smart Set Dial and the cartridge slot. [Reader tip: You can also just email Cricut support with pictures to have your cartridges linked to your account!]. Here is everything you need to know to get started! Other than that, there haven’t been significant improvements to the Explore line of vinyl cutters. No complicated installation; simple and easy for beginners. Which is a better value for what you get? It also only engraves the outline of a shape or word – it does not fill it in. At the release, there were even quite a few grumbles from those who had recently bought an Explore Air 2, wishing they had known a better machine was coming out. The value of the Maker will depend on what you want to do with it. It also has a cartridge slot to link Cricut cartridge if you still have some lying around, or pick up a batch at a yard sale. It is able to cut all thicknesses up to 2.4 mm. It has all the tools and features that an average user might need and it can handle a wide range of materials. While the Explore Air 2 cuts similarly to other popular home cutters, the Cricut Maker is absolutely in a league of its own. The Explore Air 2 uses a drag blade technology that moves up and down and cuts side-to-side. Ready. The Maker uses the innovative Adaptive Tool System to cut, draw, score & more. But the basic design of the machine, beneath the colors, is more attractive as well. The New Bold Cricut Explore Air 2 Family – There’s a Hue for You! Change the 2 new to a different color. I’ll go over all the most important features of these two machines, so you can decide if the upgrade is worth it for you and the crafting you do the most. The Knife Blade cuts deeper. You won’t just be making puzzles or fun shapes out of craft foam. It doesn’t look like the Air 2 will be getting additional tools any time soon (outside of new hacks that the community can try out). Among the three Cricut machines the Explore Air 2 is the most popular model. I use a cloth or T shirt to do this! As just a regular vinyl cutter, it is overpriced, even if it does cut a bit more nicely than the Explore Air 2. The Explore Air 2 is able to cut bonded fabric, meaning fabric that is adhered to a stiff backing that makes it easier to cut. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our links. The Cricut Maker does everything, and it does it well, an uncommon combination. Cricut Explore Air 2 vs Silhouette Cameo 3, How To Cut & Make Vinyl Decals With a Cricut, How to Save a Silhouette File as a JPEG, PDF, or PNG, Cricut Maker vs Cricut Explore Air 2: a comparison, Cricut Maker vs Explore Air 2 – a quick glance, Feature Comparison of the Cricut Maker vs Explore Air 2, Cutting technology: Adaptive Tool System vs Smart Set Dial. The Explore Air 2 is not just more affordable, but I also think it’s the better value. I’ve scoured the web and picked out some of the best bundles and deals for both the Explore Air 2 and the Maker. Since the machine is a few years old now (released in 2016), it always on sale, and actually keeps getting cheaper and cheaper! Be sure to check out my review of the wavy blade? It engraves better, scores better, and debosses better. Check out my super detailed guide to using the Cricut Maker Knife Blade, how to slice text in Cricut Design Space, my EasyPress 2 guide, my Cricut Explore Air 2 review, and my tutorial for the new EasyPress Mini and using iron-on with wood! There is no button to open, you simply lift the lid and the rest of the machine unfolds. You can read my comparison of the Explore Air 2 and Maker , but the biggest benefit to the Maker is that all of the new blades that Cricut releases will be Maker-only. The Maker does a lot more than basic paper and vinyl cutting. Makes cutting fabric easy (even materials like crepe paper or silk), 10x the cutting force of the Cricut Explore Air 2, Requires an internet connection or an iOS/Android device, Includes all of the best Explore Air tech: Bluetooth, dual tool holder, and 2x fast mode, Works with great new tools for fabric, leather, wood, metal, and more, Built-in mount and charger for your phone or tablet, plus additional storage, Best value on a Cricut for cutting paper and vinyl, Dual tool head and 2x fast mode to make your cuts a breeze, Dual tool holder, so you can cut & draw in a single pass, 2x fast mode for quick cuts on paper and vinyl, Cartridge slot for linking your old Cricut cartridges, Smart Set Dial automatically selects machine settings to cut 100+ materials, Best value of any Cricut for cutting thin materials like paper and vinyl, Gorgeous design comes in a vibrant array of colors, Deep-point blade for cutting material up to 1.5 mm thick, Easily upload your own images, fonts, and SVGs to Design Space for cutting, Doesn’t work with the Rotary Blade for fabric or the Knife Blade for very thick materials, The Scoring Stylus doesn’t score as strongly as the Maker’s Scoring Wheel (used with the Maker), Fabric must be bonded to a stiffener before it can be cut. Cricut machine (I have the Cricut Explore Air, and I love it!) This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we earn a small percentage of each sale. The engraving tip – like all of the quickswap housing blades – ONLY works on the Cricut Maker machines. Can I use the Rotary Blade or Knife Blade with the Explore Air 2? It will save you so much time, and allow you to cut more fabrics than ever before. Cricut claims that you can engrave thick paper or thin wood with this tool, however, I have never been able to get it to really show up – it’s just so, so faint. They remain some of the best priced machines for cutting vinyl and paper, especially since they are almost always on sale these days. Just be sure to select the correct thickness that corresponds to your material! When buying a craft cutter, what’s more important than how it cuts? What exactly is the difference between these two cutting machines? Cricut StandardGrip cutting mat; adhesive vinyl (I get my vinyl from Expressions Vinyl, but you can also get it directly from Cricut, or from a craft store like Michaels or JoAnns) Cricut basic tool set; Instructions. If you want a non-outlined font, you will need to select a WRITING font. Compared to the Cricut Joy, the Explore Air 2 is much bigger and as a result it can cut much wider and longer projects. I also sorely miss having the material dial on the Maker, though the additional storage and iPad perch it has instead is quite nifty. Design space has settings for acrylic. And of course the digital designs provide so many fun patterns for applique, as well as sewing plushies, pillows & more. It inscribes, etches, or makes a permanent imprint on your material. For most people who just want to make simple vinyl and paper projects, the Cricut Maker will be overpriced and overkill.

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