Editor Note: We decided to buy a cricut maker a few months ago. I’ve been so busy playing with it I haven’t had time to put together any posts for you. I asked a good friend of mine to help me learn some cool crafting tips. She wrote several articles for this site. Here’s one of them:
Have you just recently gotten a Cricut Maker machine? Are you now curious about what Cricut Maker accessories you need? If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
There are so many Cricut Maker accessories on the market that it can seem overwhelming to pick out what you REALLY need, so frequently, you end up purchasing accessories that aren’t going to help you with your projects.
In this article, we’re going to look at some of the best Cricut Maker accessories that you can buy on the market to make all of your projects easier.
Scoring Wheel Combo Pack
The Scoring Wheel Combo Pack comes with the 01 single scoring line, which is designed to be used on cardstock, and the 02 double scoring line, which is made for special materials such as poster board, foil, and acetate. These wheels can give you a nice crisp folding line that is better than what you would get by just using the Scoring Stylus.
Pros:
- Easily scores thick and thin materials
- Two scoring wheels in one pack
Cons:
- This bundle is expensive
Knife Blade & Housing
This Cricut maker accessory is the perfect choice when you want to cut through thick the 2mm chipboard and Balsa wood that Cricut sells. With this knife blade, you’ll be able to make home décor and wood projects in no time. However, you will have to replace the blade after a few projects because the knife becomes dull.
Pros:
- Makes wood projects easy
- Does a great job cutting for all DIY projects
Cons:
- The blade breaks easily
Premium Fine Point Replacement Blade
This blade will be used for most of your projects that use vinyl and paper. These blades last for a long time and are calibrated to be used with the Cricut Explore and the Cricut Maker machines. So, having these replacement blades on hand will help you continue all of your projects, especially if one of your original blades break.
Pros:
- Comes in a pack of three
- Cuts great
Cons:
- Comes in a pack of two or three
Weeding Tool Kit
This tool kit is excellent if you’re planning on cutting heat transfer vinyl (iron-on) or vinyl with your Cricut Maker machine. These make removing unwanted pieces after you’ve cut out your project.
Pros:
- Makes removing unwanted pieces easier
- Great if you’re working with vinyl
Cons:
- The tweezers don’t line up, which can make them useless
Cricut Cutting Mats
Cutting mats are important when working with your Cricut machine, so ensuring you have extras on hand is essential. When you first purchase your Cricut machine, you’ll usually get one light grip (blue) mat and one fabric (pink) mat. When choosing which mats to go with, think about the types of materials that you want to cut with your Cricut machine. Below you’ll find what mats work best with which materials:
Standard Grip Mat (Green)
- Vinyl
- Cardstock
- Iron-on
- Embossed cardstock
- Patterned paper
Light Grip Mat (Blue)
- Construction paper
- Vellum
- Thin cardstock
- Printer paper
Strong Grip (Purple)
- Fabric (with stabilizer)
- Poster board
- Chipboard
- Magnet material
- Glitter cardstock
- Thick cardstock
Pros:
- Comes in a three-pack
- Very sturdy
Cons:
- Not Cricut brand, but work just as well
Spatula & Scraper
The spatula & scraper are used to help you lift your projects off of your Cricut mats. These two tools are necessary for most types of crafts that you’ll make with your Cricut Maker machine.
Pros:
- Makes getting projects off your Cricut mats easier
- Works great
Cons:
- There are no cons
Fabric Grip Mat
This Fabric Grip (pink) mat combines increased density, quality, and strength plus a light adhesive to make beautiful cuts with a variety of fabrics. In order to cut fabric using your Cricut Maker, you’ll want to use the included Rotary Blade. This mat also works great for cutting a wide range of felt and trims as well.
Pros:
- Great for cutting fabric and felt
- You can use a blade that comes with your Cricut Maker
Cons:
- You cannot wash this mat; otherwise, you’ll remove the adhesive
Sewing Kit
This sewing kit made by Cricut is a great accessory to have if you’re planning on cutting fabric with your machine. It includes 8” seam ripper, fabric shears, thread snips, leather thimble, pin cushion, measuring tape, and a set of pins.
Pros:
- Comes with everything you need for fabric projects
- Great for beginners
Cons:
- Can be expensive
Remover & Brayer Tool
These tools are great Cricut Maker accessories because they are necessary if you’re planning on using the Fabric Grip (pink) mat often. It’s the best tool fabric to stick down consistently to help you get perfect cuts with the Rotary Blade.
Pros:
- Necessary if you’re cutting fabric
- Works well even if your Fabric Grip mat isn’t as sticky anymore
Cons:
- There are no cons
There are several great Cricut Maker accessories that you should have when you get your Cricut Maker machine. Most of these tools help you create beautiful projects while helping you save time and energy.
For example, the Weeding Tool Kit will help you easily remove unwanted material in no time. So, you won’t have to sit there struggling to remove those pieces from your project.
Other Cricut Maker accessories that you should have to include extra cutting mats. You never want to be in a position where you don’t have any Cricut cutting mats – otherwise, your projects will be at a standstill.
With so many different Cricut Maker accessories on the market, it can seem difficult to know what you REALLY need. But if you use this guide, you’ll find that you’re getting the Cricut Maker accessories that you truly need and not accessories that are pointless for what you want to make.