WHAT CIRCUT MACHINE SHOULD I BUY? THE CRICUT MAKER OR CRICUT EXPLORE AIR 2?
If you are on the fence about what Cricut machine to buy, it’s okay! Let me walk you through this step by step.
First of all, it is important to know the Cricut Maker has 10X the strength and cutting force than the Cricut Explore Air 2. Simply put, the Cricut Maker is a stronger machine. If you are a beginning crafter or novice DIY crafter, the Cricut Explore Air 2 will probably do the job.
If you are a professional crafter or looking to use your machine to sell products, a Cricut Maker may be a better machine for you. It is important to know that each machine has some similarities and some differences (more on that later) so do your research before you buy!
The Cricut Maker will cut more materials than the Cricut Explore Air 2. The Cricut Explore Air 2 will cut 100 different types of materials. The Cricut Maker will cut over 300 types of materials.
Practically speaking, what machine you buy greatly depends on what you plan on creating with your machine. Are you only planning on cutting vinyl and cardstock? The Cricut Explore Air will do the job.
However, if you want to try your hand at cutting garment leather or fabric, the Cricut Maker is a better machine for you. Let’s break down all the differences between both machines so you can decide for yourself what purchase to make!
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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CRICUT MAKER AND THE CRICUT EXPLORE AIR 2?
Other than cutting power, the biggest difference between the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air 2 is the blades. You can not use ALL the blades interchangeably between machines (more on that later).
Each blade is specifically designed to cut a specific material. If you know what material you intend on cutting be sure to purchase the machine that is compatible with that blade.
The Knife Blade
The Knife Blade is only compatible with the Cricut Maker. This blade will cut balsa wood, chipboard, garment leather, and tooling leather. It will cut dense materials up to 2.4mm.
Scoring Wheels
The Scoring Wheel and the Double Scoring Wheels will prove 10x more pressure than a scoring stylus providing crafters with creases on thick or thin materials. The Scoring Wheel is perfect for crepe paper and light cardstock. The Double Scoring Wheel is recommended for posterboard and cardboard. The scoring wheels will only work with the Cricut Maker.
Rotary Blade
The Rotary Blade will cut fabric without backing. It will cut virtually any fabric quickly without the need for backing. You should use the rotary blade with a FabricGrip mat. The Rotary Blade will only work on the Cricut Maker.
It’s also worth noting the Cricut Maker has a 3 amp power cord while the Explore Air 2 has a 2.5 amp power cord. The Cricut Maker weighs 30 lbs. while the Explore Air 2 1 weighs 21 lbs.
WHAT IS THE SAME ABOUT THE CRICUT MAKER AND THE CRICUT EXPLORE AIR 2?
You can use the fine point blade, bonded fabric blade and the deep point blade on both the Cricut Maker and the Cricut Explore Air 2. The fine point blade is great for cutting cardstock and vinyl. If you are looking to make vinyl signs, labels, or decals a fine point blade works great!
If you want to make simple leather earrings with Cricut brand leather like our Open Tear Drop Leather Earrings you can use a deep point blade on your Cricut Explore Air 2 AND a Cricut Maker.
You can also use both the standard grip mat and deep cut mats on both machines. Each machine will cut materials with a max width of 12”. I use my mats interchangeably with both machines. The 12 x 12 mats work seamlessly on both machines. Tip: I love buying my mats here in a 3-pack. Its the best deal I’ve seen so far!
The Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air 2 have allowed users free access to Cricut’s Design software. You can pay monthly (or by the year!) for Cricut Access which allows you to use hundreds of images and fonts for your creative projects. Or you can pay per project to use images and projects within Cricut Design Space.
Many crafters upload their own SVG files to Cricut design space. You can learn more about how to do that here!
Each machine is Bluetooth enabled.
IS THE CRICUT MAKER WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY?
If you have the money to spend, YES! I highly recommend buying a Cricut Maker. If you are a casual crafter on a limited budget, shop around for a Cricut Explore Air 2. Just remember to think about what you want to create with your machine before you buy it!
I started with a Cricut Explore Air 2. It was within my budget. It was a great machine to learn on. I don’t regret starting with that machine.
Over time, I wanted to do more projects that required Cricut Maker blades. So I saved my money, watched the sales and bought a Cricut Maker. I love my Cricut Maker. I’m so glad I waited and found a great deal (Hot tip: I scored a GREAT deal on my Cricut Maker during Amazon Prime week!).
Check out my Cricut Tutorials Here:
How to Upload Files into Cricut Design Space