Are Cricut Machines worth it?
Cricut machines are worth the cost if you are an avid crafter. The price for a Cricut machine is between $300 and $400, which is a large investment. However, if you plan to use your machine often or start a business, then a Cricut machine is a must.
There are plenty of things you can make with your Cricut. You can even start a business on Etsy or in your local town with a Cricut machine.
Most serious crafters have either a Cricut machine or Cameo Silhouette.
Luckily for you, I’ll show you how to choose the right Cricut machine for you. I’ll even show you things you can make with your Cricut machine and help you determine if you’ll save money crafting.
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Which Cricut is right for you?
There are a few different Cricut models that are available for sale. The right one for you will depend on what you plan to use your Cricut to make. It might be helpful to compare the models to make sure you choose the one that best meets your needs and your budget.
It’s worth noting that the Cricut Maker is generally priced around $400, whereas the Cricut Explore is closer to $300. Before you purchase any accessories or materials for your specific projects, it is more of an investment piece.
Here is a little more information on the two main Cricut models available for purchase today. You can purchase these new, or you may be able to find a used older version for sale on Facebook Marketplace or through someone you know.
Cricut Explore
The Explore and Explore Air are great Cricut models to choose from because of their versatility. The Explore series is a popular choice with newbies or part-time crafters because it can cut all popular materials like vinyl, paper, and iron-on transfer material. There’s not much that you can’t make with a Cricut Explore.
The Explore is an excellent choice if you know you plan to stick to working with smaller, more simple designs. It’s a great option for making vinyl projects like customized drinkware and event signage, as well as clothing designs.
Cricut Maker
The Maker series is top-rated for serious crafters and crafters looking to make a business out of their Cricut creations. You can cut over 300 different materials with a Cricut Maker, which is the most out of any of their available machines.
The Cricut Maker has 13 different cutting tools, and some models can cut designs up to 12 feet long, so your options are endless. You may want to purchase the Cricut Maker if you’re going to work with unique materials like wood, leather, or delicate fabrics or if you plan to make significant, complex designs.
What will you make with your Cricut?
Now that you know what the Cricut Explore and Maker series machines are capable of, it’s time to decide if it’s worth investing in one of these machines. What you plan to make is a big deciding factor in whether a Cricut machine is worth it for you.
There are thousands of uses for a Cricut machine, but here are just a few of the most popular things you can make.
Decorative Items
Maybe you plan to use your Cricut to make custom cards and gifts for friends and family or vinyl stickers and decals to decorate items around your home like water bottles or office supplies. The options are endless with template designs you can find in the Cricut Design Space software, or you can make your custom designs.
Wedding Decorations
Another excellent use for a Cricut machine is making wedding signage and decor. If you’re a bride on a budget, there are tons of ways you can use your Cricut to make beautiful decorations for your wedding day. You can easily create custom signs, invitations, favors, and other decorative items to save money on your wedding day.
Custom Clothing
If you can dream it, you can put it on a tee-shirt (or a sweatshirt, or even a onesie) with your Cricut machine.
Using the Cricut iron-on heat transfer material, you can create fun custom clothing items in no time. You can make custom matching shirts for trips like bachelorette parties and family vacations or create beautiful outfits for your children.
Will you save money crafting with your Cricut?
An important thing to weigh when deciding if a Cricut machine is worth it is to consider the cost of making an item yourself vs. purchasing it. The Cricut machine and the materials required to start crafting with it are an initial investment that you should consider and the cost of making the item(s) you are interested in.
If you want to make a suite of wedding items like custom invitations and calligraphy acrylic signs, you might pay close to $1,000 from local invitation designers and calligraphers. If you purchase a Cricut and everything you need to do these projects yourself, you will likely spend well under $500.
On the flip side, imagine that you want to make four custom tee shirts for a one-time event. Custom tee shirts cost around $25 on independent maker sites like Etsy, so you’d pay $100 for four shirts. If you were to invest in a Cricut and shirt supplies, you would spend close to $500, so it may not be worth it for that one project.
Consider all of the things you are likely to make with your Cricut and try your best to calculate if you will save money or break even by going the DIY route. If you will, it might be worth it to invest in a Cricut machine of your own.
Can you wait to purchase your Cricut on sale?
Cricut machines aren’t on sale often, but there are a few times a year when they are marked down. Keep an eye on sales around Black Friday, after Christmas, and during any storewide semi-annual sales.
Sign up for email alerts from Cricut, Amazon, and other crafting stores that sell Cricut machines so that you will be notified when they run storewide sales that include Cricut products. Make sure to read the fine print on all sales because some stores do not have Cricut products in all of their sales.
If the projects you want to make with your Cricut are not time-sensitive and you can wait to purchase one until you can get one on sale, this is a great way to save some money. You may also be able to score a previous model for a discount when Cricut releases new models.
Can you borrow or purchase a Cricut with someone else?
There are a few other ways to get access to a Cricut machine without springing for the purchase on your own. The best ways to do this would be to borrow a Cricut from someone you know or see if someone else you know who is also interested in purchasing a Cricut might be willing to split it with you.
If someone you know has a Cricut, don’t be afraid to ask them if you can borrow it. This is an excellent option if you know you will only need one for a single project or for a short time.
Reach out to your crafty friends and see if anyone in your circle would like to get a Cricut but might be hesitating due to the price. If you are good friends and both equally want to purchase one, consider splitting the cost and sharing the Cricut machine.
Will you use your Cricut for business or personal projects?
If you want to make a business out of your Cricut designs, investing in one of your own is worth it. You can easily create a plan for yourself to make your investment back in a short time if you commit to your crafting business.
Once your business is up and running and you sell your creative projects regularly, you will not regret your purchase. Crafting with a Cricut is a fun way to make money doing something you love.
Cricuts are also great for hobby crafters, but it can be challenging to justify the cost if you only use them for personal projects here and there. The machines are large and bulky to store and require a lot of additional supplies.
If you decide to purchase a Cricut for personal projects like an upcoming wedding or party, it still might be worth it to buy one. You can make beautiful pieces at a fraction of the price of purchasing most of the time, and you can proudly say that you made it yourself. Sometimes that fact alone is worth it.
Once you are done with your Cricut, consider reselling it on Facebook Marketplace or to someone you know who needs it. This is a great way to make some of your money back and help someone who might not be able to pay full price for one.
Summary: Are Cricut machines worth the money?
Cricut machines are expensive but versatile. Whether you are a hobby crafter or looking to start a business selling your Cricut creations, you can make so much with these fantastic machines. A Cricut machine is probably worth it if you love to create custom, DIY items for yourself and others.