Question 1

What kind of projects can I do on a Cricut Explore Air 2?

Accepted Answer

All kinds of fun stuff. As a beginner, here are some of the things you can try:

Paper greeting cards
Foam stamps
Wood signs
Pencil pouches
Pantry labels
Custom print shirts
Custom cup and mug designs
Felt bows
Leather hair bows

... and much more.

Question 2

What competitor products are there to Cricut?

Accepted Answer

As I see it, these are the 3 main brands competing with Cricut:

Silhouette (biggest one)
Sizzix
Pazzles

The Silhouette Portrait 2 is an alright machine as an alternative to the Cricut Joy - it's cheap, can make stickers and cards, and is of decent build quality. I still believe the Cricut Joy is a bit better though due to its ease-of-use and larger cutting area. If you want the next best Silhouette cutting machine, you can try the Silhouette Cameo 4 which is a worthy competitor to the Cricut Explore Air 2 and significantly better than the Silhouette Portrait 2 (so that's the machine you should get if you're going with a Silhouette product). Sizzix has its Big Shot Machine, a simple, budget machine similar to the Silhouette Portrait 2 and the Cricut Joy. It's a worthy competitor in the budget cutting machine space. Pazzles, meanwhile, offers the Inspiration Vue at $399. This is a relatively unknown product as of the time of writing and I haven't tested it personally.

Question 3

Should I get the Cricut Explore Air 2 by itself, or as a bundle?

Accepted Answer

If you want to buy an Explore Air 2, definitely get the bundle that comes with these additional materials:

Deep-Point Blade + Housing (makes it easier to cut a wider variety of materials)
Machine Mat Variety Pack, 12" x 12" (30.5 cm x 30.5 cm) - 3 ct (these mats are sticky in order to keep your materials in place during the cutting process. You can try cutting without them, but I advise using a mat)
Scoring Stylus (lets you score lines, ie. make a crease, for use with cards, boxes, envelopes and so on. You may not need this)
Basic Tool Set (includes scissors, tweezers, a weeder, scraper and spatula - very handy if you don't have these lying around in your house already)
Pen Set, Candy Shop (5 medium tip pens in Blueberry, Candy Crystal, Sour Apple, Candy Corn, and Very Berry)
Window Cling, Black (designed for indoor use)

Question 4

Does the Cricut Explore Air 2 require a monthly subscription payment?

Accepted Answer

As of May 2020, no.

Question 5

What's my overall verdict of the Cricut Explore Air 2?

Accepted Answer

Cricut makes a quality product, and the Cricut Explore Air 2 is no exception. I definitely recommend getting it if you want it and you've concluded it's right for your needs, as you won't be disappointed. It's just a matter of comparing the different cutting machines (see above) to make sure you get the one that suits you best.

OutwitTrade

Kevin Smith

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