The best vinyl cutters

This is a lifestyle image of a Cricut explore machine on a desk with a garden in the background.

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Retrieve of a vinyl cutter every bit a digitally controlled scissor, shaped like a printer with a calculator's brain. Instead of printing images, a vinyl cutter carves letters and shapes from sheets of vinyl or other materials. You first upload an image — either premade or your ain design — and adjust font, sizing, etc. Then, load the machine with a sheet of vinyl from which your blueprint will exist cutting. Adjust the cutter's settings (e.k., speed, knife depth, cut force per unit area) if your cutter model doesn't do this automatically. Push start: The machine carves the epitome before ejecting the canvass with your design cut out.

Sound too simple to exist truthful? It isn't, especially if you cull the right model for your needs. Consider size (to accommodate your projects); speed (especially when producing multiple copies); output quality (precision in cut), versatility (in materials it can handle and in its functions), and software (user-friendliness and library of designs); and connectivity (wired vs. wireless, online vs. offline functionality).

It may seem similar a lot to think about, but don't worry — plenty of crafters recommend watching YouTube tutorials on vinyl cutter employ and searching project ideas online. Only be sure non to use copyrighted images on items you plan to sell. After reading crafter reviews and interviewing users, we compiled this list of top vinyl cutters for different needs.

Here are the best vinyl cutters:

Best overall: Cricut Explore Air 2, $199.99 at Cricut
The Cricut Explore Air 2 is fun to utilize, precise, versatile, and fast for quick jobs.

Best on a upkeep: Silhouette Cameo 3, $449.99 at Amazon
The Silhouette Cameo 3 delivers more than than expected for its price — information technology holds two tools at one time, can scan and print, and is able to work offline.

All-time with a scanner: Blood brother CM350 ScanNCut2 Electronic Cut Machine, $299.95 at Walmart
The Blood brother CM350 ScanNCut2 Electronic Cutting Machine is perfect if you want to hand depict and scan in your own original designs; information technology's besides neat for quilters.

Best portable vinyl cutter: Silhouette Portrait ii, $179 at Amazon
Minor but mighty, the Silhouette Portrait two packs versatility and functionality inside a little machine.

Best for big projects: USCutter Vinyl Cutter MH 34in, $349 at Amazon
Straddling personal and commercial use, the USCutter Vinyl Cutter MH 34in is useful for both hobbyists and small-business owners with its large chapters for projection size and volume.

Best overall

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The Cricut Explore Air two is fun to use, precise, versatile, and fast for quick jobs.

Owners gush over the Cricut Explore Air 2. Information technology's able to cut many different materials (e.grand., vellum, carte du jour stock, leather, material, balsa forest, etc.), opening up endless possibilities for projects. Besides, it'southward multifunctional — it cuts with a German carbide premium blade (included), writes with a black pen (included), and even scores and embosses with a stylus (sold separately).

The Cricut Explore Air ii as well comes with a cut mat and materials for conducting a examination-run project as well as practicing using the pen with the bract. It features 2 compartments for holding accessories, a magnetic strip for grasping extra blades, and a cup-holder-like area for stashing pens or tools. All-time of all, this model comes with Bluetooth for cord-free connections to computers, phones, or tablets.

The Explore Air ii uses Cricut'south Design Infinite software, which contains more than 100 free images and fonts (available for Mac and Windows computers, and iOS and Android mobile devices). Considering Design Space is simply attainable through the manufacturer's website, yous volition need access to the internet. However, the iOS version of Design Space lets you download content for offline use.

All the same, when all systems are go, this model cuts intricate designs with accuracy and surgical precision. And if yous are in a hurry, simply switch it to Fast Style for cutting and drawing at twice the speed.

Pros: Versatility, precision cut, Bluetooth connectivity

Cons: Needs to be connected to internet for downloadable content, software has learning curve for some

Best on a budget

Amazon

The Silhouette Cameo iii delivers more than expected for its toll — information technology holds ii tools at once, can scan and print, and is able to work offline.

The Silhouette Cameo three is a super-handy cutter that offers most limitless possibilities in creating projects and supports a multifariousness of materials. In fact, with the Silhouette Deep Cutting Blade (sold separately), it can slice through materials up to two millimeters thick.

This model has a dual-carriage organization that holds 2 tools at once (e.g., two blades or one blade and one pen) for efficient multi-functionality. For instance, you lot tin cutting card stock with the blade and and then embellish it with the pen, in one pass — no need to change tools manually. Simply tell the automobile which tool to use.

And in that location's more: The Silhouette Cameo three has a Print and Cutfeature that lets yous create a design using the included Silhouette Studio software and impress information technology out. Then, feed the printed design into the cutter for scanning; the cutter then carves out your blueprint.

What users really notice convenient is that the Silhouette Cameo three doesn't have to be connected to the internet in guild to operate. Equally a stand up-lonely machine with Bluetooth, it offers lots of freedom during use.

Pros: Dual-wagon holds two tools, has Print and Scan feature, able to piece of work as a stand-lonely machine

Cons: Software takes a bit of studying for some

Best with a scanner

Amazon

The Brother CM350 ScanNCut2 Electronic Cut Machine is perfect if y'all want to manus depict and scan in your own original designs; it's also cracking for quilters.

Fast and portable, the Brother CM350 ScanNCut2 Electronic Cutting Motorcar comes loaded with 631 congenital-in designs, including 100 quilt patterns. This model not only cuts these images, simply likewise scans and carves out any original designs you create. With its 300 dots-per-inch scanner, yous tin browse in practically anything (a magazine clipping, photos, your own drawings, etc.), save it to the machine's memory, and and then cut out its image.

This lightweight model operates as both a stand-solitary auto and a Wi-Fi-gear up device. The cutter'due south design software is CanvasWorkspace, a free cloud-based web application that comes with a library of images, shapes, and fonts. Using this collection as well as the auto itself presents a learning curve that crafters say is well worth climbing in the end.

The versatile Brother CM350 ScanNCut2 Electronic Cutting Car easily slices through diverse materials with precision and speed to produce intricate designs. Its hardworking German carbide blade can cut materials up to two millimeters in thickness. Although it cuts through fabric — and even adds a seam allowance in quarter-inch increments for sewing — some users noted its operation on felt is only so-so.

The Brother CM350 ScanNCut2 Electronic Cut Motorcar has a 4.85-inch bear on-enabled brandish for user-friendly on-device editing. You can see the scanned images on the screen and then make any adjustments. Just use the stylus to resize, reshape, reposition, rotate, and/or combine images before cutting.

Pros: Worth the investment, scans as well as cuts, bully for quilter and sewers

Cons: Library of images fine for some merely merely basic for others

Best portable vinyl cutter

Amazon

Small but mighty, the Silhouette Portrait 2 packs versatility and functionality inside a little motorcar.

The meaty Silhouette Portrait 2 is a fine, fun tool for beginners to dip their toes into the earth of vinyl crafting. Sleek, light, and easy to transport, information technology takes upwards little space and is convenient for toting around for on-the-get crafting. The downside of its beautiful size is a restriction on project size. Although limited to cutting 8-inch-wide sheets, this model is great for making decals and stickers.

The Silhouette Portrait 2 is durable and economic, reportedly lasting years under constant use. It comes with an viii-inch cutting mat and an AutoBlade, which cuts cleanly and works well on small, intricate designs. With the Silhouette Deep Cut Bract (sold separately), you lot tin can slice through materials up to 2 millimeters thick.

In improver to a Bluetooth adapter, the cutter comes with Silhouette Studio software, 50 exclusive designs, and a 1-month Silhouette Design Store subscription. With its Print and Cut feature, the Silhouette Portrait ii allows you lot to create a pattern with the Silhouette Studio software and print it out. You lot so feed the printed design into the cutter, which scans and cuts it out. As well, PixScan engineering allows yous to browse and cutting your own images.

Pros: Compact, calorie-free, economical, easy to apply, custom design functions

Cons: Limited to eight-inch-wide sheets

Best for big projects

Amazon

Straddling personal and commercial apply, the USCutter Vinyl Cutter MH 34in is useful for both hobbyists and small-business organization owners with its large capacity for project size and book.

Perched on a floor stand, the large USCutter Vinyl Cutter MH 34in accommodates big projects like signs, banners, and automotive and window decals. Information technology has a maximum feed width of 34.2 inches, a cutting width of thirty.63 inches, and a cutting length of 96 inches (eight feet). It has a cutting speed of up to 48 inches per 2nd – ideal for high-volume businesses.

Cutting accuracy isn't sacrificed for speed, though. During performance, the USCutter Vinyl Cutter MH 34in is a bit loud but cuts cleanly. It comes with three blades (one for utilize and two replacements) and a backlit display for entering commands, controlling speed and force per unit area, and making adjustments. It also has a pen holder for switching out the knife for a pen and turning the cutter into a plotter. Many users praise this model's vectorization and tracing abilities.

USCutter Vinyl Cutter MH 34in utilizes VinylMaster Cutting software merely also can run other popular pattern software like Sure Cuts A Lot, Flexi, SignBlazer, and SignCut Productivity Pro. Setup and software use are fairly polish if you follow instructions and picket manufacturer videos. Although some reviewers consider this model to exist "entry level" as a commercial tool, others feel that information technology is best for advanced users.

The included sign-making kit offers plentiful supplies: five ii-by-5-foot rolls of Greenstar vinyl (blackness, white, carmine, green, and xanthous); two 1-past-2-foot sheets of blank magnetic signs; 1 6-by-x-1000 roll of TransferRite Ultra Articulate 1310G (Grid) Medium Tack Awarding Transfer Tape; and ane 1-by-i-k roll of TransferRite Ultra 592U Paper Application Tape. This large bundle makes this cutter's price a decent deal.

Pros: Handles large jobs (both in size and book), cuts and plots, great vectorization abilities

Cons: Loud performance, bones software, incompatible with Mac computers

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