Cricut, Designs

The best Cricut accessories

After you have bought a Cricut machine, you will most likely not do much with it without the aid of some extra accessories. Without accessories, all the Cricut can do is cut and score different soft materials. However, your Cricut machine can do way more than that if you get the necessary accessories. 

You will be amazed by how many tasks this machine can do when you attach it to some relevant accessories. Some of the tasks that need extra accessories include the following; writing, slicing through thinner bits of wood, and emboss fabrics, and many more. 

The Must-Have Goodies

Some of the accessories that you will likely need immediately after acquiring your Cricut include pens, blades, carry bags, toolset, and scoring tools. There are several other accessories, but these five are the must-have after you have acquired your Cricut.

Before buying any of these accessories, you will need to verify that it is compatible with your Cricut model because each of the models is compatible with only the accessories that were designed to work with it. 

Let’s look at each of these in details!

 

1. Blades

Two different types of blades are available for the Cricut machine. These are the deep cut blade and the carbide blade. The deep cut blade is one that I would recommend the most because it was designed to cut through wood and leather with less resistance. 

With the deep cut blade, you will be way more productive with your Cricut than you would with the stock parts only. Another advantage of the deep cut blade is the fact that it is compatible with the different Cricut models, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility issues. 

Another available alternative is the Carbide blade, which is also long-lasting just like the deep cut blade. 

Pros

  • Has multiple variants to choose from 
  • Long-lasting than the blades that come installed in the Cricut
  • These blades are easy to replace
  • Opens up new projects for your Cricut
  • It gives you the option of buying only the blade and the housing later to reduce replacement costs
  • Works hand in hand with the scoring tool

Cons 

  • It is not required for some materials
  • It is relatively expensive to replace in the long run
  • It cannot cut harder wood
  • Some blades are not compatible with some Cricut machines. 

 

2. Scoring Tool

The scoring tool is that accessory that anyone using a die cutter needs to have. One of the crucial features of the scoring tool is the flexibility it gives the crafter to partially cut through the materials or fold them if you want to. 

This kind of freedom is what a crafter needs to do good work. This functionality may seem irrelevant until when you have to deal with challenging projects like one that involves complex Vinyl shapes. 

Pros

  • It works hand in hand with the cutting blades
  • It works well with most of the materials
  • It is easy to install on most Cricut models
  • It is portable thanks to its small size
  • It gives the crafter more options with their Cricut 
  • It gives the crafter an option of scoring the materials instead of cutting through them

Cons

  • It is relatively expensive 
  • The tips of the blade will need to be replaced
  • It cannot cut through hard materials
  • It does nothing more apart from scoring.

 

3. Pens

If your handwriting is not that good, you will find these pens very necessary during your crafting projects. These pens were designed to recreate fonts with precision just like you would if you were writing. The good news is that these pens are compatible with any Cricut model, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility.

To avoid running out of pens, I would recommend buying a couple of them because they run out a bit fast, more so if you are doing a lot of tasks that involve writing. Cricut usually gives a 25% discount on these pens, which you should take advantage of when available. 

Pros:

    • They are easy to install 
    • Compatible with all Cricut models
    • They are available in many colors.
    • They save you the burden of having to write yourself.
    • They are in most cases available for sale. 
    • A single pen can be used on a couple of projects

 

Cons:

  • They get used up faster than normal pens.
  • They are expensive when they are not available for sale.
  • Not all colors are available at all times.
  • There are no alternative pens available.

 

4. Storage

After buying your Cricut machine, you will need to store it safely while not in use and sometimes when you chose to travel with it. There are several storage containers and travel bags available for the various models of Cricut machines. So, you should be kin while choosing one for your model. 

One of the most reliable bags that I can easily recommend to anyone with a Cricut machine is the Explore Tote. It is big enough, which gives you the option of using for different Cricut models. 

Pros

  • The bag itself looks good 
  • It is big enough to accommodate the Cricut and its accessories
  • It can also be used for different models of die-cutters
  • It is durable
  • It keeps your Cricut away from dust and water splashes while being stored

Cons

  • It is relatively more costly than the normal bags 
  • Fitting incompatible models may be a bit of a hustle
  • It doesn’t have extra compartments
  • Not the ideal storage for people who don’t travel with their Cricut machines

The basic Toolset.

While using your Cricut machine, you may in some cases have to open and close it while replacing parts or trying to fix a minor fault. These tasks will require you to have a set of tools that you can use to open it.

There are several sources where you can buy this toolset, however, the one provided by Cricut has tools that are of high quality and travel friendly. 

Pros

    • The tools are reliable since they are from Cricut itself 
    • They are a great match for the cutter bag
    • They blend well with Cricut’s design
    • They are travel friendly
    • Tools in this set are of high quality

Cons

  • Some crafters can do away with these tools
  • They are way too costly than other generic alternatives 
  • Cricut doesn’t give you the option of buying individual tools

Conclusion

The accessories we have shared above are the must-have that anyone taking their crafting business seriously should have. You may not buy all of them at ago, but it’s something you need to have at the back of your mind after you have bought your Cricut machine. 

Related Posts