Best Craft Cutting Machines
Top craft cutting machines ranked by transparent trust scores.
8 products ranked
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Top Pick
9.4
Excellent
Cricut Maker 3
Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
#1
9.4
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Cuts 300+ materials including leather
- Cuts 300+ materials including leather
- 10x cutting force for thick materials
Cons
- Cricut Access subscription adds cost
- Cricut Access subscription adds cost
- Expensive entry point
Don't buy this if…
- Many premium Design Space features require a Cricut Access subscription at $12.99/month or $119.88/year.
- Many premium Design Space features require a Cricut Access subscription at $12.99/month or $119.88/year.
#2
9.2
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #2 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- 2x faster cutting speed
- 2x faster cutting speed
- 100+ compatible materials
Cons
- Cannot cut thicker materials like leather
- Cannot cut thicker materials like leather
- Requires subscription for full features
Don't buy this if…
- The Explore 3 lacks the Adaptive Tool System so it cannot use rotary blade, knife blade, or engraving tools.
- The Explore 3 lacks the Adaptive Tool System so it cannot use rotary blade, knife blade, or engraving tools.
#3
9.0
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #3 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- No mandatory subscription required
- No mandatory subscription required
- Dual carriage for cut and draw
Cons
- Steeper software learning curve
- Steeper software learning curve
- Fewer material presets than Cricut
Don't buy this if…
- Silhouette Studio has a steeper learning curve than Cricut Design Space especially for beginners.
- Silhouette Studio has a steeper learning curve than Cricut Design Space especially for beginners.
#4
8.7
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #4 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Compact space-saving design
- Compact space-saving design
- Smart Materials matless cutting
Cons
- Limited 8.5-inch cutting width
- Limited 8.5-inch cutting width
- Fewer tool options than Maker
Don't buy this if…
- The 8.5-inch maximum cut width limits project sizes and you cannot do full 12x12 scrapbook layouts.
- The 8.5-inch maximum cut width limits project sizes and you cannot do full 12x12 scrapbook layouts.
#5
8.5
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #5 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Built-in scanner for print-and-cut
- Built-in scanner for print-and-cut
- No subscription fees required
Cons
- Smaller design library than Cricut
- Smaller design library than Cricut
- Heavier and less portable
Don't buy this if…
- The built-in scanner is convenient but lower resolution than flatbed scanners for very detailed scanned designs.
- The built-in scanner is convenient but lower resolution than flatbed scanners for very detailed scanned designs.
#6
8.3
Good
Consensus
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Ranked #6 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Very compact footprint
- Very compact footprint
- No subscription needed
Cons
- 8-inch max cut width
- 8-inch max cut width
- Fewer material capabilities
Don't buy this if…
- The 8-inch cutting width is narrower than the industry-standard 12 inches limiting larger project options.
- The 8-inch cutting width is narrower than the industry-standard 12 inches limiting larger project options.
#7
8.1
Good
Consensus
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Ranked #7 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Blade and laser dual functionality
- Blade and laser dual functionality
- Cuts and engraves wood and acrylic
Cons
- Very expensive entry point
- Very expensive entry point
- Requires proper ventilation for laser
Don't buy this if…
- The laser function requires a ventilation system or fume extractor for safe indoor operation.
- The laser function requires a ventilation system or fume extractor for safe indoor operation.
#8
7.9
Good
Consensus
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Ranked #8 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Commercial-quality HTV cutting
- Commercial-quality HTV cutting
- Works with any design software
Cons
- Focused primarily on HTV
- Focused primarily on HTV
- Smaller community and support
Don't buy this if…
- Primarily designed for heat transfer vinyl work and may lack the versatility needed for mixed-material crafters.
- Primarily designed for heat transfer vinyl work and may lack the versatility needed for mixed-material crafters.
Quick Comparison
How We Rank
Composite trust score from expert reviews, user sentiment, complaint analysis, and value assessment.
Trust Score
Weighted composite of all factor scores
Expert Score
Aggregated expert review ratings
User Sentiment
Community votes and review analysis
Value Score
Price-to-performance ratio
Freshness
Recency of reviews and data
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