My Honest Cricut Maker Product Review

This “My Honest Cricut Maker Product Review” is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

If you have been following me on my Instagram stories, you might have seen the exciting news I’m about to share!

Recently I was asked to join the Cricut Influencer Program. Part of this exciting new experience is being able to review their products and share some awesome things I create using them. This in turn will hopefully inspire YOU to get crafty with the amazing brand as well.

I’m starting off this grand new venture with today’s honest Cricut Maker product review post. I’m going to share the ins and outs & all the details of what YOU can expect if you decide to get a machine of your own. As I move forward with this collaboration, you can expect TONS of great craft tutorials from Glued To My Crafts using the Cricut machine & branded materials. Several of which will include ways to get your kids involved with the maker.

I don’t know about you but when I think of any cutting machine these days, I instantly start to think of vinyl shirts and decorated tumblers. Yes those are amazing {they really are!} BUT if you have been a long time follower of mine, I really STRIVE to inspire you to think outside the traditional and use it in different way. Stay tuned because I have a lot of great ideas to share! Till then – let’s get to the review post!

We are going to go back in time a little bit, shall we?

I’m actually not a newbie to the Cricut brand. I would like to think of myself as an “original” Cricut machine owner.

You see, back in early 2006 almost a full year before Lil Man came along in our lives, I remember asking my husband if I could buy a Cricut machine. Back then it was a HUGE deal in all the online craft groups I was in, to own one.

Everyone swore by this machine. But back then money was a little tight for us with everything going on but I told my husband {and convinced him} of ALL the amazing things this one little machine could do for me. Since I was really into making cards and scrapbooking back then, he thankfully agreed to the purchase.

Anyways – long story short, I fell in love with the machine instantly. I made so many handmade paper cards and elaborate scrapbook pages. It was paper craft heaven for me!

Then we PCSed with the military and Lil Man came along in our lives. You can probably see where this story goes now. We just didn’t have the room and a newborn became my biggest priority. Then as the years went by, I just felt myself irritated with the cartridges, lining things up, all these settings etc. that the machine just sat in my craft closet, untouched for the longest time. Then as we prepared to move again in 2015, I sold my machine and all the items I collected over the past few years. It made my heart hurt {A LOT!} but it just wasn’t my “love” anymore and I felt like it was something I just didn’t “need” in my craft life at the moment.

Fast forward to the present. Since we have moved to Florida, I’ve actually been longing for a Cricut machine but I couldn’t push myself to make the purchase just yet. As I type this very paragraph, it’s actually hard to explain. I did miss the joy I had with my first machine but I didn’t want to do the same mistake twice. I didn’t want to invest a large amount of money into something with good intentions but have it sit again in my closet. I’m sure many of you can relate to that statement.

Anyways – I don’t want to bore you anymore with my particular “backstory” because I want YOU to decide for yourself.

In this post, I’m going to explain why and how I fell in love with the Cricut machine and brand again. I honestly can say, after taking some time to really “play” with it, I don’t think my machine will be sitting in the closet for a long period of time, anytime soon. The latest machine, the Cricut Maker, has definitely changed and improved from what I have had in the past. So many GREAT changes and I’m going to go over ALL of it!!!

But first – let’s talk about what comes in your initial box. Shall we?

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What’s Included in the Box:

Cricut Maker Machine
Rotary Blade + Drive Housing
Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing
Fine-Point Black Pen
FabricGrip Mat 12″ x 12″
LightGrip Mat 12″ x 12″
Welcome Book
USB Cable
Power Adapter
Cricut Access Trial Membership
Materials for your first project

The Machine Design:

Here are a few things that stuck out to me the most:

The machine itself is VERY appealing to the eye and I “might” be a little crazy but I felt like it was whole lot easier to carry around and lift, then my original machine. Overall, I really like how this machine looks and feels. As told my husband, it’s super pretty 🙂
The original dial and cartridge slot from the old machine is GONE! More on that later!
Another thing that stuck out to me, is that there is a ledge on the top of the machine, for setting my tablet up and securely holding it in place {more on this later as well!}
There’s also a charging port on the right side of the machine, so I can charge my mobile device or tablet, directly from the Maker.
There are two accessory tool cups on the left of the machine. One is super deep which is great for some of the tools you may need to use, in arms length. I like this feature because I can also store my tools there when the machine is not in use.
There’s also a front tool drawer on my machine that has deep storage and some awesome magnetic strips for holding my blades in place! If you are a sewer, this feature is also great for pins and needless.

The Materials You Can Cut:

So now that we know what’s in the box and how the machine looks, let’s talk materials you can cut with your new device!
Back when I had my first Cricut, I only used it for paper. That’s what it was good at, so that’s what I put through the machine. But boy have things changed since then!
Now the Cricut Maker gives YOU the freedom to create with almost anything you want! The people behind the machine have tested hundreds of materials, carefully calibrating the cut speed and pressure so each cut is as neat as possible. All you have to do is select your material {in Design Space for convenience – more on that later!} and let the machine do it’s work from there. Easy peasy!
Are you by chance a sewer? If you are, there’s some great news for you! The Rotary Blade {included in the box} brings precision fabric cutting to the world of home sewing crafts for the very first time. You can use it to cut cotton, fleece, denim, craft felt, canvas and more! This unique blade can cut through virtually ANY fabric quickly and accurately, without the need of a backer material.
The Fine-Point Blade {also in the initial Cricut Maker box} is designed to make the most intricate cuts imaginable in a variety of thin to medium weight materials. This blade is versatile and cuts through everything from paper, cardstock and poster-board to vinyl and iron-on materials.
Overall, this machine and the provided blades in the box, are going to allow you to cut through everything from vinyl to leather, craft felt to iron-on foils, and dense clipboard to light cotton fabric. There’s seriously so much you can cut, I would need an ENTIRE blog post to explain them all. It’s going to be a game changer for you!

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Design Space – Fonts, Images and MORE!

The Design Space application is probably the BIGGEST game changer for me since my first experience with Cricut. No more buying BULKY cartridges and flipping through tiny books to find what you want to make.
Design Space is the FREE design layout application that will be the heart of your Cricut experience. They have created a simple way for people who are new to crafting, but with enough power for their most experienced makers as well!
So on that note, this new machine has a embedded Bluetooth feature that allows for wireless cutting. Again – GAME CHANGER! And since Design Space is cloud based, you can design in the comfort of your own home or while on the go. This program can be used on your computer or mobile device, while giving you access to your files ANYWHERE! You can even work offline if need be, so don’t feel restricted when your wifi is limited!
The Cricut Library in Design Space is FULL of designs and tons of ideas to kick-start your next project. In there, you can browse and play with thousands of images, fonts and even ready-to-make projects. They are constantly adding new stuff, so you will always find something fresh, new and inspiring to recreate!

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Above are a few images of what I decided to create for my first “out of the box” project. I decided to go back to my old stumping grounds and make a quick card for my husband {the one who pushes me the most in my crafty ways!}

To make the card, all I did was type “coffee” in the search bar of my app and from there I picked the file I wanted, added it to the mat, resized and hit cut. That’s it! The app laid it out from start to finish and made it seamlessly easy! I’m telling you, this is nearly fool-proof from the original days!

Once the machine did it’s job, I simply peeled off my cut image from the mat and added it to a cardstock card front with some glue. That’s it! Then I had my card that looked just as impressive as store-bought!

Again, Design Space is a game changer for sure especially since I absolutely HATED storing all those cartridges and tiny catalog books before. They just took up too much space and honestly money, because you had to keep buying to keep up with the trends. If I could only say one good reason on why you should buy a machine today, I would say for this app and the ease of picking designs. Remember – they are constantly updating the app so you will always have those trends beneath your fingertips.

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My FAVORITE feature of them all – Snap Mat!

Although the Design Studio itself is pretty amazing and a huge game changer for sure, my FAVORITE feature within the app is the SNAP MAT camera!
The Snap Mat is a major upgrade for me from the past because this means I can use up those scraps I’ve been hoarding, with no added headache! I know first hand, that vinyl and iron-on materials are expensive. No need to fret over the thought of just throwing away the tiny stuff!
The Snap Mat feature can be found via the Cricut App I mentioned above {which I have on my IPad and that is primarily how I use my machine these days since the camera is built in.} With this feature, you will be able to design as you normally would BUT before you go to hit cut on your project, you can take a picture of your mat and then arrange your scraps PERFECTLY so everything can be cut just right. No more guesswork and fingers & toes crossed that you hope you got it lined up correctly.
This was something I could never do on the previous original machine. Again, I repeat – game changer since you will be able to virtually see where your cuts will be made!

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The Review Conclusion:

Well friends, this is where I wrap up my review. I honestly could go on and on with all the amazing things I have learned & seen from the short month I have had this new machine in my possession.

Overall, I can say with all honestly and truthfulness, this machine is going to change A LOT of things in your craft world. Not only are going to be working smarter not harder but you are also going to be saving so much time and money!

Plus you are going to be able to create pieces that are custom to you! Just think of all the handmade cards or home decor pieces you can make. Or those vinyl shirts with quirky sayings, so your child can stick out from the crowd.

Cricut even has a feature where you can print something on your home printer and then cut out the design with your machine. Think planner stickers or custom labels for your home.

Not to mention all the scrapbooking you can do with ease now! I’m also going to be sharing in the coming days how you can make coloring pages and even write addresses on envelopes with ease! I seriously could fill up this tiny space with so much info but I don’t want to overwhelm you. It’s a TON to take in!

So on that note, I really do hope I inspired you to give some thought to buying your own Cricut Maker today. Like I mentioned in the beginning, I’m going to be sharing so many new ideas in the coming weeks and months, that I don’t want YOU to miss out on the fun!

Come join me as we get crafty together with our new Cricut Maker Machines. Make the investment today! Not just because it will make your crafty life easier but because I know it’s going to bring you so much joy!

I also would LOVE hear if you get a machine of your own and/or your thoughts of it, on our Facebook page! I can’t wait to hear from you and see what you create on your first run! You can also tag us on Instagram when you complete your first project!