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.
1. Cricut Explore Air 2 Mint This is the most popular model that works 2 times faster than others, has the app, 370 fonts, and 80 settings. The machine features the 12-inch max material width and cuts over 100 different materials of any thickness. | |
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2. Cricut Maker, Champagne This is another 12-inch machine but with more features. It uses various tools, including a special rotary blade for fabrics. It works with over 300 types of materials, has a rich selection of digital patterns and the app. | |
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3. Silhouette Cameo 4 with Bluetooth Made with a smart system, this stylish machine has a 12-inch cutting width, a dual-motor system, and a smart system based on sensor technology. It automatically detects the tool type and adjusts settings. | |
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4. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Cutting Machine with Scanner Equipped with a built-in scanner, the device will make your work easier. It cuts materials up to 3mm thick, has a 5” LCD display, and an auto blade and holder with a sensor technology detecting the material’s thickness. | |
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5. Cricut Joy Machine - Compact and Portable DIY Machine This vinyl cutter under £200 is ideal for hobbyists. It weighs just 6 lbs and is compact and portable. It creates continuous cuts up to 4 feet and repeated cuts up to 20 feet. The fine point blade and pen are included. | |
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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.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Mint: Check the current price
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.
Cricut Maker, Champagne: Check the current price
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.
Silhouette Cameo 4 with Bluetooth: Check the current price
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.
Brother ScanNCut SDX125E: Check the current price
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.
Cricut Joy Machine: Check the current price
Best-Selling Vinyl Cutting Machines | Comparison Table
Cricut Joy, Paper, Blue, Portable
- Weighing in at only 1.75 kg (3.9 lbs), this smart little cutting and writing machine makes it easy to personalise almost anything
- Cuts 50+ materials, including iron-on, cardstock, vinyl, paper, and Smart Materials – super-easy, super-long cuts without a cutting mat
- Draws any shape and writes in a variety of styles
- Cuts individual shapes up to 1.2 m (4 ft) long or makes repeated cuts up to 6 m (20 ft) long*
- Fits in a cubby, packs away easily, sets up instantly
Vinyl Cutter Plotter Machine Cutting Printer 28" Sign Maker Printing Optical Eye Laser | SignCut Pro Software &...
- Mac / Windows compatible PixMax vinyl cutter with Signcut Pro Software
- In-built optical eye for accurate laser guiding, 3 quality Roland blades and a large surface of 72cm
- SignCut Pro software is included and can be used on Windows and Mac
- Includes a lightweight aluminium frame mounted on caster wheels plus a protective cover
- FREE next working day UK mainland delivery when ordered by 2pm (excluding Scottish Highlands)
Gemini Multi Media Die Cutting & Embossing Crafters Machine with Pause Resume & Reverse, White, Global Version,...
- The Gemini machine is faster, lighter and quieter than other die-cutting machines
- It is compatible with most thin 'metal dies and embossing folders
- It has a large platform size (9" X 12.5") so you can cut multiple dies at one time
- It uses Higher pressure than many other die-cutting and embossing machines
- Everything you will need is inside of the box
ReaseJoy 28" Vinyl Cutter Machine Plotter Sticker Cutting Machine with Stand Signmaster Cut Software 3 Blades
- [Vinyl Cutter with 720mm (28") Feed Width & 630 mm (24") Cutting Width]: with 2 adjustable pinch-rollers, can be adjusted on the guide rail according to different paper width, enables you to quickly and easily cut professional custom design sign; with CE certification
- [Roland Compatible Blade Holder]: enables to use with most blades
- [Adjustable Digital Force & Speed]: to handle the cutting process while working
- [Inertial Rotating Blade Holder]: enables more accurate and high quality cutting
- [Backlight LCD Display]: for easier handling the working process; Overall Dimension(LxWxH): 90 x 49.6 x 101.5 cm (35 7/16" x 19 1/2" x 39 15/16")
PixMax Vinyl Cutter Plotter Machine 28", SignCut Pro Design Software & Weeding Pack, Black
- PixMax 72cm vinyl cutter plotter with inbuilt optical eye for laser guiding, 3 quality Roland blades
- SignCut Pro software & device drivers for Microsoft Windows included
- 5 piece weeding kit includes 2 rolls of vinyl, a weeding knife, application tape and a squeegee
- Includes a lightweight aluminium frame which is mounted on caster wheels and a protective cover
- FREE next working day UK mainland delivery when ordered by 2pm (excluding Scottish Highlands)
Silicone Vinyl Weeding Scrap Collector, Suctioned Tools Vinyl Trash Weeded Scraps Disposing Kit Silicone Suction...
- ★【Keep Your Work Area Clean】: Great for collecting all the small pieces of weeds in one place No more vinyl pieces in your hands or the entire work area
- ★【Large size】: The specially designed opening is large enough to hold a lot of vinyl, allowing the vinyl to slide into the crack easily. Make the weeding process faster and easier.
- ★【Strong Adsorption Force】: Powerful suction-just press your work area. Sticks to many surfaces, such as wood, glass, ceramics. Keep in place and fix all small parts.
- ★【Easy to Clean】: It comes with 100% high-quality silicone material, BPA-free, safe and environmentally friendly. It is completely silicone, so nothing sticks in it, so it is easy to clean.
- ★【Widely used】: Convenient and useful weeding vinyl crafts. Can be used with all weeding tools, such as shovel, scissors, grapple, silhouette, hook weeder, etc.
Whaline 30 Pack Vinyl Bundle Beginner Set with Case, Include Vinyl Tools Set, Matte Adhesive Sheets, Glitter Heat...
- A complete tool kit – Our vinyl bundle beginner set includes rose gold wedding vinyl tools, a rose gold scissors, 15 matte adhesive sheets, 8 glitter heat transfer sheets, 2 sheets clear transfer paper, ideal for beginners and professional persons
- Measurement – The case is in the size of 20 x 6.5 x 2.4 cm (L x W x H); the tweezer, 11.7 x 0.9 cm (L x W); the scrapper, 16.5 x 0.5 cm (L x W); hooks or picks, 16 x 0.5 cm (L x W); the scissors, 10 x 5 cm (L x W); the matte adhesive sheets and clear transfer paper, 30 x 30 cm (12'' x 12''); the heat transfer sheets, 9'' x12''
- Colorful – The color of tools are all in rose gold; the 15 matte adhesive sheets all in different colors; the transfer papers are transparent; and the heat transfer sheets are in 8 various glitter colors; multicolor and beautiful
- Good quality – The tools are made of stainless steel, free from rust and erosion, durable, strong and not easy to creep down. The rose gold box is also made of stainless steel, convenient for you take with it at any time. The scissors is made of stainless steel and plastic, it is stretchable and easy-carrying. The matte adhesive sheets are made of permanent material, and the transfer paper is made of polyurethane
- Wide application – You can use our set of DIY T-shirts, handbags, hats, aprons, pillows, etc. It can also be used for indoor and outdoor decorative signs such as mobile phones, computers, walls, cups, cars, notebooks, doors, letters, banners, stripes, decals, window graphics, tiles, etc
Cricut Explore Air 2, Sunflower, Machine
- This DIY speed machine combines time-saving performance and class-leading simplicity
- Cuts 100 materials – everything from cardstock, vinyl, and iron-on to a range of Speciality materials
- Fine-Point Blade for cutting a wide variety of popular craft materials
- Fast Mode for up to 2X faster cutting and writing(1)
19 pieces vinyl weeding tools stainless steel plotter accessories HTV + 1 piece A5 cutting mat, DIY craft tool...
- -A5 cutting mat and precision craft knife are a perfect combination. The cutting mat can protect your desktop from being cut and make your craft knife feel better while cutting.
- -The weed control tool kit is made of high quality stainless steel, ensures wear resistance, durability, rust, etc. The various tweezers and hooks make it easy for you to remove the sticker and also make small repairs that are not easy to damage Take it with you at any time
- -2 x weed hooks (different types), 1 x tweezers (different types), 2 x spatulas (different types), 6 x scrapers (different types), 1 x small scissors, 1 x ruler, 1 x precision craft knife + 5 blades , 1 x A5 cutting mat
- -This silhouette tool is made up of many pieces of metal and its edges are sharp (like rulers). Please be careful when using them. And please don't let children under the age of 8 touch you
- -We aim to provide the best service and cheapest products. If there is a problem with the product, please contact us as soon as possible.
Holographic Adhesive Vinyl - 1x 6 ft Opal White Holographic Vinyl Permanent Roll for Cricut and Silhouette Cameo,...
- EYE-CATCHING COLOR: The color of this holographic adhesive vinyl is opal white, which is a rainbow effect that can be observed and displayed in multiple colors, its colors may vary with the change of light, this adhesive vinyl has high gloss finish, it will truly capture light and show all holographic colors. No matter what type of surface you use this holographic vinyl on, it will shine.can add luster to your daily life, it is good decoration to DIY your crafts or gifts.
- HIGH-QUALITY MATERIALS:The size of this holographic adhesive vinyl is 1FT x 6FT, can be arbitrarily cut to the size you need. It is made of high-quality materials, non-toxic and eco friendly, you can stick them on any smooth surface indoors and outdoors without worrying, because they are not harmful to children. And the surface of the material has a protective film to prevent vinyl from getting scratches. (please remove with tweezers before cutting).
- EASY TO USE:These holographic vinyls are very easy to use, which is easy to cut into the pattern you want, bigger or delicate. It is very easy to weed, stick firmly and it is waterproof and doesn’t fade. And the bottom paper is attached with a layer of silicone oil, which will not sticks to the bottom plate when cutting.
- MULTI-APPLICATION:DIY your decorative craft gifts with the holographic adhesive vinyl, aslo be used in Home decor, LOGO, Lettering, Banners, Window Graphics, Car Exteriors, Glass Mirrors, Scrapbooking, Stickers, Decals, Mirrors, Sign Plotters, Laptop, Windows, Sign and any other smooth flat surface.
- 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE:Holographic adhesive vinyl is backed by our guarantee that you are not satisfied with your holographic vinyl or receive your money back no questions asked. However, if you are pleased with the adhesive vinyl, please help us share it with more craft lovers or any social medium you own.