What is a Cricut machine & what does a Cricut machine do?

A Cricut machine is an electronic cutting appliance that is the perfect size for your craft desk or bench. Cricut machines cut many types of material, with the Cricut Maker 3 cutting over 300 kinds of materials into your desired shape or pattern, saving you time and effort and delivering that professional result - it’s perfect for anyone who loves a custom craft project! But what is Cricut, exactly?

At its essence, a Cricut machine is an electronic cutting machine that can cut any material you could cut by hand using scissors or a knife in your chosen design. Paper, card and vinyl for sure, but the Cricut Maker and Maker 3 can also cut leather and wood! You’ll be able to get everything you need and even more of what you want at Office Central.

How a Cricut machine works 

While it may look visually similar to your home printer, a Cricut machine is not a printer. It works in only a few simple steps.

First, choose your project from the Design Space software or design or upload your own. Second, you pick the material you want to use and place it onto the cutting mat, then load it into the machine.

Press the button and watch as your Cricut machine gets to work cutting your materials! Once finished, remove the finished piece from the cutting mat, assemble and you’re done. You have created a masterpiece.

It’s so easy to use, and produces great results every time! 

Cricut machine types & the Cricut Design Space

At Spotlight we stock a range of Cricut machines you can choose from. Each one has its own capabilities, size and price, so be sure to choose the best Cricut machine for you. 

1. Cricut Maker 3

This is the ultimate Cricut machine if you want to do it all. The Cricut Maker 3 can cut over 300 types of materials, from the most delicate crepe paper and fabric, to balsa wood and leather. It is suitable for use with 13 different tools, from cutting add-ons to delicate embossing and engraving tips. The Cricut Maker 3 is also faster and stronger than any previous Cricut machine, plus it is compatible with smart materials - special Vinyl, Iron-On and sticker paper that can be fed directly into your Cricut machine, no cutting mat required.

2. Cricut Explore 3

The Cricut Explore 3 is a faster and smarter Cricut machine than its predecessor that can work with over 100 materials, including vinyl, cardstock and foil. It is compatible with six of Cricut’s most popular tools and is also compatible with smart materials - you can create designs up to 12ft (3.5m) long without the restrictions of a cutting mat.

3. Cricut Joy

Small and stylish, the Cricut Joy machine is a fantastic cutting machine that also happens to be portable! It can create small crafts like labels, cards and decals in as little as 15 minutes. It has built-in Bluetooth that can easily link with your smart device where you can use the Cricut Joy app to load your design, plus it is also compatible with smart materials and makes custom card making a breeze.

Each Cricut machine comes with access to the Cricut Design Space app, where you can create your image from scratch with access to a useful range of fonts and images. You can also pay a small fee for Cricut Access which provides unlimited access to an enormous library of images, designs and projects and other features.

The Cricut Design Space app works on Mac and PC and is available for both iOS and Android devices. If you are not sure about whether Cricut is right for you, you can download the Cricut Design Space app for free before buying a Cricut machine - it’s a great way to see if you like it, plus you can get a head start on your designs!

Other Cricut Machines

Cricut has more to offer than just cutting machines. Personalise your clothes with one of Cricut’s Easy Press machines, which makes transferring designs on clothes, bags and more a breeze! Or create your own personalised mug using a Cricut Mug Press, following three easy steps to create a unique mug that is microwave and dishwasher safe.

Cricut Materials

Whether you want smart or traditional Cricut materials, Spotlight has a huge variety of both for you to pick from. In our range of Cricut materials, choose from vinyl, foil and iron-on textiles in a range of colours. They also come in amazing effects like metallic, holographic, neon, shimmer and glitter! In our Cricut Smart Materials range you will be able to find vinyl and iron-on fabrics in gorgeous glitter and holographic colours.

Cricut accessories & add ons

Make your experience even more joyful with our great range of handy Cricut tools and accessories. 

• Cricut cutting mats:  these reusable mats keep your material safely in place while the Cricut machine does its thing. Choose from light, medium or strong grips for different weighted materials, in a range of sizes and packs.
• Cricut blades: get the right blade for your craft project, or just replace the one you might have lost! Choose from fine-point, engraving, scoring and rotary blades, or even a handy holder to keep them all safely together in one place.
• Cricut pens:  create vivid colours and designs in your Cricut crafts with specially-designed pen sets. Choose from a range of beautiful pen colours and turn your ordinary crafts into professional masterpieces. 
• Cricut tools:  the perfect companions to your Cricut machine of choice, Cricut’s range of tools will help you create your craft precisely every time. Choose from single tools or value tools sets including implements like scissors, hooks, scrapers, weeders and more.