Best Vinyl Cutting Machines for Hobbyists & Pros | 2022 Buyer’s Guide

What is the best vinyl cutting machine? These devices can be of two types: desktop vinyl cutters for home use and small to medium projects and professional-grade freestanding cutting machines. Desktop models are compact, have a lower price, cheaper to maintain, and are less noisy. Another essential advantage is that they can work with a wider range of materials than plotters can do. Freestanding cutting machines feature a much larger cutting width and can be used for large projects. Also, they work faster and offer more features.

Types of Vinyl Cutting Machines

The choice of the right vinyl cutting machine depends on what you are going to use it for. Compact desktop models are more suitable for small projects and personal use while larger freestanding vinyl cutters are intended for commercial use and have greater capacity.

Desktop vinyl cutters

Designed to be placed on a desk, these devices are portable and compact. Typically, they are about the size of a regular printer and do not take much space. This is the most suitable option for personal use and small businesses. In addition to a lower price, desktop vinyl cutters have the advantage of low-noise operation, something that is particularly beneficial for those who need to use the machine at home. One of the popular models is the Cricut Maker with an expandable suite of tools.

These machines are easy to use and set up and do not require special skills to operate them. They are also cheaper to maintain. Since the desktop models can cut through different types of material, they have more applications when compared to freestanding cutters. On the other hand, there is a crucial disadvantage of this option. Desktop vinyl cutters operate at a lower speed. When properly harnessed, such a machine can make hundreds of designs per day.

Freestanding vinyl cutters

For commercial use, you should opt for freestanding machines like the VEVOR Vinyl Cutter. They have a big size and require a dedicated space. These units offer higher cutting precision and more features allowing you to enhance performance. Freestanding vinyl cutters have different capacities depending on whether it is a professional or a semi-professional model. With these machines, you can effectively handle large projects like billboards.

To understand whether you need such a machine, you should consider not only the pros but also the cons. The main disadvantage is the high price and noisy operation. Additionally, freestanding machines can work only with paper and vinyl, unlike the more versatile desktop vinyl cutters. Besides, they are more complicated to operate, which isn't going to be an issue for a professional, though.

Best Vinyl Cutting Machine Review

Below, you will find a review of the best vinyl cutting machines from $180 to $400. You may choose a compact and unsophisticated model for small projects and entertainment, an advanced desktop machine packed with useful features, or a professional plotter with a large cutting width to quickly and accurately cut materials of different sizes.

Cricut Explore Air 2 Mint | Best Overall

With over 9,000 customer reviews, this is the most popular and best-selling desktop vinyl cutter. It cuts and writes up to 2 times faster than competitive models, working with more than 100 different materials. The device cuts materials of any type and thickness, be it vinyl, leather, iron, foil, or vellum. There are over 80 material settings to choose from, which is more than enough. It cuts details with precision and uses more than 370 fonts. This wonderful machine can even imitate handwritten text and create fold lines for envelopes and cards.

To edit and customize your projects, you can use the cloud-based software Design Space. The software allows you to pick a ready-to-use project from over 50,000 available images and 920 patterns or upload your own ones. What we particularly appreciate is that it lets you work in an offline mode, which is very helpful in case the internet connection fails. With the 12-inch max cutting width, the machine measures 24 x 9.5 inches and weighs 14 pounds.

Customers rate the Cricut Explore Air 2 high for its durability and versatility. It is notable that almost 90% of the buyers gave it five stars. Many of them purchase the product as a gift as it has an amazing, sleek design. For example, one man says that his wife loves this machine and he saw “the pure joy in her eyes” when she got it as a gift.

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Cricut Maker, Champagne | Best for Fabrics

One of the peculiarities of this 12-inch machine is that it comes with a rotary blade designed specifically for fabrics. The blade copes with any type of fabric, cutting through them fast and accurately. The machine works equally great on felt and crepe paper, too. That said, the rotary blade is not the only useful tool. The machine uses over 12 tools and capabilities, such as pens, scoring tools, and blades, which is 3 times as much as the Air 2 model offers.

Moreover, it handles 3 times more different materials (over 300 types), ranging from paper and fabric to mat board. The product also includes a knife blade for cutting thicker materials. The downloadable design app is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. There is a selection of digital patterns from the most famous brands. The purchase includes the machine itself, a rotary blade, fine point blade and pen, 2 cutting mats, the design app, materials, and fifty ready-to-make projects.

The Cricut Maker rates 4.8 out of 5 with around 6,500 customer reviews. Some of them joke that this machine is very dangerous because it leads to addictions. One buyer notes that it has tons of fonts, which is much more than other models have. The downside is that the unit needs to be “hooked up” to a computer or a smartphone.

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Silhouette Cameo 4 with Bluetooth | Best Smart System

This stylish machine with a 12-inch cutting width has several advantages over competitive products. First, it uses a dual-motor system allowing the machine to cut in two different ways. It works fast, making smooth and accurate cuts. It is equipped with a smart system based on sensor technology that detects the type of tool you are using and then automatically adjusts settings for cutting.

The unit is made with a roll feeder allowing you to cut vinyl directly from a roll. The feeder holds rolled material while it is being fed into the cutter, something that adds to the convenience of those who have to work longer or need to align the material properly. On top of that, you can use the backlit touch panel to load or pause your projects.

The Silhouette Cameo 4 uses 4 tools, three of which are sold separately. The Rotary blade is a versatile tool for cutting different materials, while the Kraft blade is good for certain types of materials like acetate or leather. The Punch tool is needed for creating weeding points. And the fourth option, the AutoBlade, comes with the product. The advantage of this tool is that it does not require manual adjustment as the software will do the work for you.

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Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic DIY Cutting Machine with Scanner | Best Integrated Solution

What separates this model from others is that it comes with a built-in scanner. This will significantly facilitate your work as you can scan a drawing and immediately save it as a cut file. You can also wirelessly transfer the file to your computer or smartphone. The machine features a large 5-inch touchscreen LCD display that allows you to customize your projects. There is no need for manual adjustment as the device has an automatic blade and holder made with a special sensor technology that detects the material’s thickness.

The SDX125E cuts even tough materials that are as thick as 3 mm. In addition to vinyl and paper, it handles fabric, felt, balsa wood, foam, and more. The product includes a 12 by 12-inch mat, an auto blade, pens, holders, a spatula, an accessory pouch, and a collection of patterns. However, this model has fewer fonts compared to the Silhouette and Cricut cutters, just 9 fonts. The number of patterns is also lower and amounts to 100 options.

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Mophorn Vinyl Cutter Machine 53 Inch Vinyl Cutter | Best for Professionals

With a cutting width of 49.6 inches and the max paper feed of 53 inches, this machine can cope with almost any kind of project. It cuts at a speed of up to 800 mm per second and has a cutting pressure ranging from 10 to 500 grams. Both features are adjustable and the speed can be as low as 10 mm per second, if needed. The four pinch-rollers can also be adjusted depending on the paper width. The backlight LCD display will help you control the whole process, as well as an emergency stop and start function.

The Mophorn comes with 3 standard two-millimeter blades and a closed blades holder. It has a sturdy heavy-duty design with a metal floor stand and four caster wheels ensuring mobility. The included software will allow you to make customized designs, import artwork, and create your own shapes. Note that the system is not compatible with Mac. Another downside is that it is too heavy and weighs over 63 pounds.

Mophorn Vinyl Cutter Machine: Check the current price

Cricut Joy Machine - Compact and Portable DIY Machine | Best Budget

Recommended for hobbyists who just need to occasionally make T-shirts, decals, or greeting cards, the Cricut Joy Machine is not only inexpensive but also easy-to-use. Another advantage lies in its size and small weight. The unit weighs just 6 pounds and is less than 9 inches long, which makes it very compact and portable. However, this makes the maximum cutting width limited, too. It is only 5.5 inches and no cutting mat is required.

The Joy Machine can make continuous cuts up to four feet while repeated cuts can be as large as 20 feet. A fine point blade and a fine point pen are included in the purchase. Beginners would appreciate 50 ready-to-make projects that come with the product. The Joy Machine rates 4.7 out of 5 stars with more than 1,300 customer reviews. What many users like is the ease of use. You pick a project in the app, the machine cuts and writes, and then you put it together.

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16 Best-Selling Vinyl Cutting Machines Comparative Table