by Jessi Wohlwend
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
Why should I get a Cricut? Am I really going to use it? Here’s all the info you need to decide if it’s worth for you to buy a Cricut!
One of the most common questions I am asked about Cricut is “Is a Cricut worth it?” Makes sense; a Cricut machine feels like a pretty big investment! Personally I think a Cricut is absolutely worth it, but I’m a craft blogger and I use mine every day for my job. So of course it’s worth it for me. 🙂
The real answer is “It depends.” There are a lot of things to think about before you can decide if a Cricut is worth it for you. In this article I talk about people for whom a Cricut is absolutely “worth it”, and some people for whom it’s probably not. Plus, I give you a bunch of questions to help you decide if a Cricut is worth it for you.
Is A Cricut Worth It?
YES! No. Maybe?
It all depends on what you plan to do with it, how often you’ll use it, etc. But the article below will help you decide for yourself if you should buy a Cricut.
What is a Cricut machine? How does it work?
First off, let’s talk about what a Cricut machine actually is and how it works…
A Cricut machine is a die-cutting machine (aka craft plotter or cutting machine). You can think of it like a super-awesome crafty “printer”; you create an image or design on your computer and then send it to the machine. Except that instead of printing your design, the Cricut machine cuts it out of whatever material you want!
But actually, a Cricut can do even more than just cut: it can cut, write, draw, score, engrave, deboss, perforate, and more! It all depends on which blade, tool, or accessory you install in the machine.
Here are some great posts that go into more detail about what a Cricut machine is and how a Cricut machine works. You can also see a detailed comparison of all of the Cricut machines that are currently available so you can see which machines have which features. If you specifically want to learn more about the newest model, the Cricut Maker, I answer common questions about the Maker here.
Why get a Cricut?
Ok, so why get a Cricut? There are tons of reasons why having a Cricut makes your crafting life better and easier. I find having a Cricut actually encourages me to craft more than I used to just because it’s so dang easy to make stuff with a Cricut! None of this is to say that you can’t do awesome projects by hand if you don’t have a Cricut; a lot of things could be cut out with scissors or an X-Acto knife. But I find it WAY easier and WAY faster to use my Cricut than to do it by hand, plus my Cricut can cut out stuff that’s WAY more intricate than I can do with scissors.
It’s super versatile. A Cricut can cut over 300 materials, and it can score, engrave, deboss, perforate, etc. even more. No matter what type of crafting, DIY projects, or hobbies you have, a Cricut can open up a whole new world of possibilities that you can’t do by hand.
It’s efficient. Not only does a Cricut do tons of different things, but it does them way more efficiently than you could possibly do by hand. It will save you time, save you from aching hands, and can even save money and materials by efficiently spacing the designs it cuts on your material.
It’s easy to use. Even though the machine may seem a bit daunting at first, it’s actually quite easy to use once you’re familiar with the basics of the machine. There are tons of great tutorials out there on how to use a Cricut.
You don’t need to be a designer to make awesome things. Your own design skills are definitely not a factor when determining if a Cricut is worth it for you! You can always design your own images and graphics to use with your machine, but there are also tons of pre-designed images, graphics, and projects you can make.
Cricut machines are high-quality and durable. The machines are well-constructed and made with quality parts that don’t really seem to wear out or break. I’ve been actively using my Cricut machines for more than 7 years and all of them still work just fine! When I did have a blade that wasn’t cutting properly, I contacted Cricut support and they replaced it for free; no fuss, no hassle. In the rare case that something is broken, they do everything they can to fix it for you. (I hear from TONS of people who’ve had dealings with Cricut support that their team is really amazing!)
There are “future-proof” Cricut machines. With the new Adaptive Tool System, the Cricut Maker can use a ton of different blades and tools, and Cricut is always developing new tools for the Maker. Every new type of tool or blade opens up a whole new world of crafting possibilities, using the same machine you already have! (Unfortunately these new tools aren’t compatible with the Explore machines, although the Cricut Explore machines are still totally worth it and they can save you some money if you don’t need to be able to engrave, deboss, perforate, etc. with your machine.)
Who is a Cricut for?
Anyone can use a Cricut; it doesn’t matter if you’re technologically inclined or not. The only thing that’s really “required” to use a Cricut is to want to make things! If you consider yourself a crafter/DIYer/hobbyist/maker or any other type of person who likes to make things with their own two hands, it’s probably totally worth it to buy a Cricut because you’ll get a ton of use out of it!
Cricut machines are great for teachers; you can use your Cricut to make coloring pages, classroom activities, holiday decorations, and tons of other great stuff for your classroom. Cricut machines are great for weddings; you can use them to make cake toppers, place cards, name tags, and tons of other decorations for the big day. Cricut machines are great for handmade shop owners; you can use them to make or personalize tons of items you can sell online on Etsy or your own handmade shop.
Cricut machines are great for any kind of maker!
If you’re a crafter who has arthritis, tremors, or any other type of thing that affects your hands, a Cricut can be an amazing tool! I have severe intention tremors in both of my hands, which means my hands shake whenever I try to do “detail work” or anything that requires precise motions. (Yes, literally my hands shake only when I specifically need them NOT TO!) My Cricut has been a HUGE help with even the most basic things; I use it to address envelopes and cut out even simple shapes like squares or rectangles because it’s just way less shaky than doing it by hand.
Who is a Cricut NOT for?
Even though I think almost everyone could benefit from having a Cricut, there are some people for whom a Cricut is probably not worth it.
- If you love handmade things, but you prefer to buy them on Etsy rather than make them yourself, a Cricut is probably not for you. If you’d rather pay someone else to make it instead of make it yourself, you probably won’t use a Cricut enough to make it worth it.
- If you love making things, but you’re crazy busy and you don’t actually finish the projects you start, a Cricut is probably not for you. I would hate for you to feel guilty for having half-finished projects laying around (or for having MORE half-finished projects laying around.) :-p
- If you are an occasional crafter or hobbyist, a Cricut might not be for you. If you only use the machine once or twice a year, it’s probably not worth the price. Even if you have a wedding coming up, even if you’re a teacher…if you don’t think you’ll use the machine outside of one or two times a year it’s probably not worth it.
Questions to help you decide if a Cricut is worth the price for you
If you’re still not really sure if a Cricut is worth it for you, think about these questions.
- Are you going to make your own t-shirts or clothing?
- Are you going to make gifts for family and friends instead of buying them? Or are you going to personalize/customize store-bought gifts?
- Are you going to make crafts or items to sell?
- Are you going to make your own decor instead of buying it?
- Are you going to make your own greeting cards?
- Are you an avid scrapbooker?
If you answered yes to most of those questions, you’ll probably get a ton of use out of a Cricut, and it’ll be totally worth it. If you’re not sure, check out some of the cool projects I’ve done with my machines and see if they spark any inspiration for you. 🙂
It sucks to invest in something and then have it sit unused after the exciting “newness” wears off a month later, or have it become a source of stress and guilt for you if you’re too busy to use it.
If you’re totally ready to buy a Cricut, you can do that here. If you’re not sure yet, think about it a little while longer. I absolutely love my Cricut machines, but they aren’t necessarily worth it for everyone, and that’s okay!
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