Is Buying a Cricut Worth It?

Before I purchased my Cricut, I went to a friend's house who owned one to see if buying a Cricut was a good investment for me. After five minutes I was completely overwhelmed and simultaneously terrified of what could happen if I bought my own Cricut. Here's why and what happened...

As a now retired professional photographer, I knew firsthand how quickly you accumulate "needed" items for a hobby (which could also lead to profession down the line). I was concerned if I got a Cricut, I would want to start creating new businesses to support my habit, er hobby. This was a fleeting thought at the time but seriously, here you are reading my blog post, so I was right to be concerned!

Again, coming from the land of photography where average purchases were in the thousands of dollars, not tens or hundreds of dollars, I thought the machine was a good value for what you can accomplish with it. I did keep in the back of my mind how quickly you could get into trouble purchasing new materials and tools as I made my decision.

Cards I created with Cricut and mailed to my photography business clients.

The overwhelmed part for me came in the sheer number of projects, materials and tools available with the Cricut. What would I use it for? Is it something I need or something I want? Would I even use it? What if I start making everything? What if I start buying everything? Something else to know about me is that I like making projects that are unique to me, not projects that "everybody" has. So I also wanted to carefully consider how much time I would spend designing and then making the projects.

I came to the decision that I would purchase a Cricut Explore Air 2 - I didn't feel I needed the Maker and it was 2020 where in California, we spent a lot of time at home. What better time to learn something new and make projects? After unboxing and setting up the machine, I used it regularly to make all sorts of projects: cards, pillows, coasters, signs, decor, gifts, etc. I binge-projected my way through 2020.

So, while I can absolutely say the investment in the machine was worth it for me, here are a few things to consider when making your decision:

1. I bought a lot of materials. Like, A LOT. I turned a whole bedroom into a craft room. Be warned and be careful.

2. I didn't sign up for Cricut Access because I like to make my own designs. (2023 Update: I signed up for a one year membership to Cricut Access to see how I would liked it. I'll keep you posted.) While I love making my own designs, it does take up much more time than you'd think. If you have limited time, I recommend Cricut Access but know that projects will still likely take more time to complete than you think they will.

3. Making custom paper crafts has become my new favorite thing - I NEVER would have guessed that. So, the Cricut opens up doors of creativity you maybe wouldn't have explored before you bought it.

4. Speaking of paper crafts, I would have loved to have had a Cricut when my kids were young because we handmade all their birthday party invitations. The amount of time it would have saved us!

5. Buy your machine and materials when they are on sale or look for alternative manufacturers for materials. Some items I will only buy Cricut, while other items I will experiment with non-brand.

6. You do have to replace your mats and blades regularly - I wasn't expecting this but again, take advantage of the sales.

7. I am happy with the Explore Air vs the Maker. The cost differential wasn't worth upgrading for me, although there have been times I have felt the limitation of the Explore Air. Not sure, what's right for you? Take a look at Cricut's comparison of their machines. (2023 Update: I bought the Maker. I've only used it for a few projects I couldn't do on the Explore Air 2, but I have more waiting for me to try!)

8. If you enjoy making things and you're considering a Cricut, you likely won't regret the investment in a machine. If you're considering purchasing it because you think you should use one, for example for your business or to cut fabric on your occasional sewing project, it may not be worth the purchase.

9. If you aren't tech savvy at all, I would think twice before making an investment - you do need to learn their software to make projects. Coming from the world of Adobe, I would consider Cricut Design Space easy software to learn, but I know there are people who get frustrated with learning tech and have a hard time catching on. For those that have some tech skills, there are lots of tutorials on YouTube and on the web to help you out.

10. The Cricut can do a lot of things: cut paper, vinyl, iron-ons, stencils, fabric, faux leather, thin wood, foam, stickers, tags, vellum, etc.; draw designs or print fonts with their pen tools; engrave soft metals, acrylic, leather, papers and plastics; emboss/deboss; foil transfer; infusible ink transfer onto materials like shirts, mugs, coasters, hats, etc. Not all machines have all these capabilities so look into why you need a Cricut and get the machine that fits those needs. A Cricut does not print, sew or laminate.

Hopefully this helps you determine if purchasing a Cricut is worth it for you. In summary, don't invest if you can't afford it, just think it's the "cool" thing to own, or don't love making things. If you have any questions, please leave them in the Comments below.