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- Best overall: Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine
- Best budget: Cricut Joy Cutting Machine
- Best premium: Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine
- Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine: Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine
- Cricut Joy is the compact pick for cards, labels and small vinyl projects, with a 4.5-inch cutting width.
- Cricut Explore 3 handles wider projects and cuts Smart Materials up to 12 feet long.
- Cricut Joy Xtra adds an 8.5-inch cutting width and Print Then Cut for color designs.
- Cricut Maker 4 is the flexible choice for heavier materials and 300-plus material types.
- Match the machine to your project size and tool needs before choosing a Black Friday 2026 offer.
Cricut Joy vs Cricut Explore 3 Black Friday 2026 comes down to project size and the space you want to give a cutting machine. Cricut Joy is a compact choice for labels, cards and small decals. Cricut Explore 3 suits larger designs, wider materials and longer continuous cuts. We researched and compared specs, reviews and owner feedback to identify which Cricut models make sense for different budgets and craft rooms.
The seven machines below range from compact cutters to large-format and multi-material models. Each pick has a distinct strength, so a bigger machine is not automatically a better buy. Focus on the materials you use, the width and length of your designs, and whether you need features such as Print Then Cut or specialty tools. My pick for most people is a machine that fits their regular projects without paying for unused capability.
How We Picked
- Compared cutting width and Smart Materials capacity to separate compact machines from full-size cutters.
- Considered material compatibility, including the difference between basic vinyl projects and specialty materials.
- Reviewed features such as Print Then Cut, tool support and compatibility with common crafting workflows.
- Used specs, reviews and owner feedback to assess practical setup, storage and project flexibility.
- Prioritized clear use cases so shoppers can match a Black Friday 2026 pick to their actual craft plans.
Comparison Table
| Product | Best for | Cutting width (in) | Material range | Max Smart Materials cut (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cricut Joy Cutting Machine | Small projects and limited workspace | 4.5 | 50-plus materials | 4 |
| Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine | Printable stickers and compact workspaces | 8.5 | 50-plus materials | 4 |
| Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine | Full-size vinyl and home-decor projects | 12 | 100-plus materials | 12 |
| Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine | Everyday full-size crafting | 12 | 100-plus materials | 12 |
| Cricut Maker 3 Smart Cutting Machine | Specialty materials and varied craft projects | 12 | 300-plus materials | 12 |
| Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine | Frequent crafting across many materials | 12 | 300-plus materials | 12 |
| Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine | Oversized signs and large-format projects | 25 | 100-plus materials | 75 |
Best Picks Reviewed
#1
Cricut Joy Cutting Machine
The Cricut Joy Cutting Machine is the best compact cutter for crafters who make labels, cards and small decals, with a 4.5-inch cutting width. The Cricut Joy Cutting Machine's small footprint keeps storage simple, while Smart Materials support makes quick, mat-free projects convenient.
Best for: Small projects and limited workspace
- Cutting width
- 4.5 inches
- Material range
- 50-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 4 feet
- Machine category
- Compact cutter
- Compact and easy to store
- Good for cards, labels and small vinyl designs
- Supports compatible Smart Materials
- Narrow cutting width limits larger projects
- Less tool and material flexibility than Maker models
Is the Cricut Joy Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Joy Cutting Machine is worth considering for small, frequent projects and a compact craft area. The Cricut Joy Cutting Machine's 4.5-inch cutting width is well suited to labels, cards and decals, but full-size designs call for a wider machine.
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#2
Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine
The Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine is the best compact option for crafters who want Print Then Cut, with an 8.5-inch cutting width. The extra room over Cricut Joy supports more printable designs while keeping the machine suitable for smaller workspaces.
Best for: Printable stickers and compact workspaces
- Cutting width
- 8.5 inches
- Material range
- 50-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 4 feet
- Print Then Cut
- Supported
- Print Then Cut supports colorful printable designs
- Wider cutting area than Cricut Joy
- Compact alternative to a full-size Explore
- Less width than Explore and Maker machines
- Not designed for the broadest specialty-material range
Is the Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine is worth buying for sticker makers and crafters who want Print Then Cut without a full-size machine. The Cricut Joy Xtra Cutting Machine's 8.5-inch width handles more printable material than Cricut Joy while remaining space-conscious.
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#3 · Top pick
Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine
The Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine is the best value-focused full-size cutter for crafters who need wider projects, with a 12-foot Smart Materials cutting capacity. The Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine's 12-inch material format fits signs, shirts and home-decor designs better than a Joy machine.
Best for: Full-size vinyl and home-decor projects
- Material width
- 12 inches
- Material range
- 100-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 12 feet
- Cutting approach
- Mat or compatible Smart Materials
- Handles larger designs than Joy models
- Supports long Smart Materials cuts
- Broad material range for common craft projects
- Takes more room than a compact Joy machine
- Less specialty-tool flexibility than Maker models
Is the Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine is worth buying for crafters who regularly make full-width designs or long vinyl cuts. The Cricut Explore 3 Smart Cutting Machine's 12-inch material format and 12-foot Smart Materials capacity offer a useful step up from compact Joy models.
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#4
Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine
The Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine is the best current Explore-series choice for crafters seeking a 12-inch material format and broad everyday capability. Support for 100-plus materials makes it a flexible option for cards, apparel decorations and household projects.
Best for: Everyday full-size crafting
- Material width
- 12 inches
- Material range
- 100-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 12 feet
- Cutting approach
- Mat or compatible Smart Materials
- Wide material format supports larger designs
- Handles a broad set of everyday materials
- Suitable for varied home and apparel projects
- Larger footprint than the Joy family
- Fewer specialty-material options than Maker models
Is the Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine is worth considering for a full-size cutter with broad everyday use. The Cricut Explore 4 Smart Cutting Machine's 12-inch material format and 100-plus material compatibility suit varied projects, while Maker models better fit specialty-material needs.
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#5
Cricut Maker 3 Smart Cutting Machine
The Cricut Maker 3 Smart Cutting Machine is the best versatile pick for crafters who use specialty materials, with support for 300-plus material types. The Cricut Maker 3 Smart Cutting Machine's wider tool range than an Explore model gives ambitious projects more room to grow.
Best for: Specialty materials and varied craft projects
- Material width
- 12 inches
- Material range
- 300-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 12 feet
- Compatible tool types
- 13
- Supports a wide selection of materials
- More tool options than Explore models
- Handles large Smart Materials projects
- More capability than basic decal projects require
- Needs more room than a Joy machine
Is the Cricut Maker 3 Smart Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Maker 3 Smart Cutting Machine is worth buying for crafters who plan to work with specialty materials and varied tools. Support for 300-plus materials gives it more creative range than Joy or Explore models.
See today’s Black Friday price on Amazon
#6
Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine
The Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine is the best premium all-rounder for crafters who want broad material and tool support, with compatibility for 300-plus materials. The Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine suits frequent, varied projects better than a compact cutter built mainly for small designs.
Best for: Frequent crafting across many materials
- Material width
- 12 inches
- Material range
- 300-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 12 feet
- Compatible tool types
- 13
- Broad material compatibility
- Supports an extensive tool selection
- Fits frequent, varied crafting plans
- Extra capability is unnecessary for simple labels
- Requires more workspace than compact models
Is the Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine is worth buying for frequent crafters who want one machine for many material types. The Cricut Maker 4 Smart Cutting Machine's 300-plus material compatibility and 13 compatible tool types offer flexibility beyond the needs of basic vinyl work.
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#7
Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine
The Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine is the best large-format option for studios and high-volume projects, with a 25-inch cutting width. The Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine's expanded format suits oversized signs and production-style work that exceeds the practical reach of desktop cutters.
Best for: Oversized signs and large-format projects
- Cutting width
- 25 inches
- Material range
- 100-plus materials
- Longest Smart Materials cut
- 75 feet
- Machine category
- Large-format cutter
- Much wider format than desktop Cricut cutters
- Supports very long Smart Materials cuts
- Suited to oversized projects and studio use
- Needs substantially more room than other picks
- Oversized capacity is unnecessary for small crafts
Is the Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
The Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine is worth considering for large signs, long designs and studio work. The Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine's 25-inch cutting width and 75-foot Smart Materials capacity exceed the needs of most casual crafters.
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Which Cricut is better for Black Friday 2026: Joy or Explore 3?
Cricut Joy suits small designs with a 4.5-inch cutting width, while Cricut Explore 3 supports 12-inch materials and Smart Materials cuts up to 12 feet long. The right choice depends on how often your projects outgrow card and label size.
Choose Cricut Joy for simple decals, labels and cards, especially when storage space matters. Choose Cricut Explore 3 for larger signs, apparel designs and home decor. Explore 3 also works with a broader range of materials, so it gives growing crafters more room to take on different projects.
For occasional small crafts, a compact cutter avoids paying for unused capacity. For a first full-size machine, Explore 3 is the more flexible starting point. Skip it if your work stays small and portable.
What is the difference between Cricut Joy and Cricut Joy Xtra?
Cricut Joy Xtra has an 8.5-inch cutting width and Print Then Cut, compared with Cricut Joy’s 4.5-inch cutting width. Both machines target compact workspaces, but Joy Xtra handles larger printable designs.
Cricut Joy fits small cards, labels and quick vinyl decals. Cricut Joy Xtra is more appealing for colorful stickers or projects that need a wider printable sheet. Both models offer a smaller material range than Explore or Maker machines, so they are less suitable for crafters who want to explore specialty materials.
Choose between them based on design size and whether printable color work matters. A Joy Xtra buyer gets more flexibility without moving to a full-size Explore, while a Joy buyer keeps the machine footprint and project focus especially compact.
Is Cricut Explore 3 still a good choice beside Explore 4?
Cricut Explore 3 and Cricut Explore 4 both support 12-inch materials, 100-plus material types and Smart Materials cuts up to 12 feet. Both are aimed at crafters who need full-size projects rather than the compact format of Joy.
For Black Friday 2026, compare the exact machine bundle and included accessories rather than assuming a newer model is automatically the best fit. A bundle with useful tools or materials can be more practical than a machine-only package, especially for someone starting from scratch.
Cricut Explore 3 remains a sensible option for everyday vinyl, paper and apparel decoration. Cricut Explore 4 is also a strong full-size choice. Neither replaces Maker for shoppers whose priority is the widest material and tool flexibility.
Should you choose Cricut Maker instead of Cricut Explore?
Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Maker 4 support 300-plus materials and 13 compatible tool types, while Cricut Explore models focus on a smaller range of everyday crafting materials. Maker models suit crafters who use specialty materials or want broader tool support.
For routine vinyl, paper and card projects, Explore offers the essential full-size format without adding capability you can not use. Maker makes more sense when your plans include a broader mix of materials and tools, or when you want one machine to serve different types of craft projects.
The material count is only useful when it matches your projects. Check that the materials and tools you want are compatible, then weigh that flexibility against your workspace and typical project size.
Who should buy the Cricut Venture Smart Cutting Machine?
Cricut Venture supports a 25-inch cutting width and Smart Materials cuts up to 75 feet long, making it the clear large-format pick in this guide. The machine is designed for oversized work beyond the normal reach of compact and desktop Cricut cutters.
Venture fits studios, frequent large-sign makers and projects that need long, wide cuts. A casual crafter making cards, small labels or occasional decals gets little practical benefit from its expanded capacity. Workspace and project scale should decide whether its format makes sense.
For most home craft rooms, Explore or Maker is a more balanced size. Choose Venture when production volume or large designs are a regular requirement, not just an occasional idea.
Buying Guide
Start with your largest regular project
Cricut Joy covers compact designs with a 4.5-inch width. Cricut Explore 3 handles 12-inch materials, while Cricut Venture reaches 25 inches. Choose for the projects you make often, not a one-off oversized design.
Check material compatibility
Cricut Explore models support 100-plus materials, while Cricut Maker models support 300-plus. Confirm the machine supports your planned materials and tools before choosing a model for specialty crafts.
Decide whether Print Then Cut matters
Cricut Joy Xtra offers Print Then Cut in a compact format, making it a useful fit for printable stickers and colorful designs. Standard Joy is better for simpler, smaller cuts.
Plan for space and workflow
Cricut Joy and Cricut Joy Xtra suit compact craft areas. Explore and Maker need more room for full-size materials, while Cricut Venture is built for a dedicated large-format workspace.
Compare Black Friday 2026 bundles
Review included tools, mats and materials alongside the machine. A useful starter bundle saves setup effort; a bundle full of accessories you will not use is less valuable than the right cutter.
FAQ
Is Cricut Joy or Cricut Explore 3 better for beginners?
Cricut Joy is better for beginners making small labels, cards and decals, while Cricut Explore 3 is better for larger projects. The 4.5-inch Joy cutting width is compact; Explore 3 supports 12-inch materials and a broader range of common craft work.
Can Cricut Joy cut long designs?
Cricut Joy cuts compatible Smart Materials designs up to 4 feet long, making it useful for narrow decals and labels. Its 4.5-inch cutting width still limits project width, so Cricut Explore 3 is a better fit for broad designs.
What is the difference between Cricut Explore 3 and Cricut Maker 3?
Cricut Explore 3 supports 100-plus materials and suits everyday crafting, while Cricut Maker 3 supports 300-plus materials and 13 compatible tool types. Choose Maker for specialty-material flexibility and Explore for common projects such as vinyl and paper.
Does Cricut Joy Xtra print stickers?
Cricut Joy Xtra supports Print Then Cut, so crafters can print designs on compatible printable materials and then cut them with the machine. The 8.5-inch cutting width gives sticker projects more room than the smaller Cricut Joy format.
Which Cricut is best for vinyl shirts?
Cricut Explore 3 is a strong choice for vinyl shirt designs because its 12-inch material format suits larger cuts and it supports 100-plus materials. Cricut Joy works for small shirt details; Maker suits crafters who also need specialty-material tools.
Is Cricut Venture too large for home crafting?
Cricut Venture is oversized for many casual home crafters, with a 25-inch cutting width and capacity for 75-foot Smart Materials cuts. Choose it for frequent large-format work; Cricut Explore or Cricut Maker is more practical for typical desktop projects.