If you like the Cricut brand and are looking for a digital die-cutting machine, you’ve come to the right place. This article reviews one of their flagship models, the Cricut Explore 3.
Cricut Explore 3 Machine
The Explore 3 is one of Cricut’s higher-end models due to the many materials it can work with. It has all the features you are looking for and comes at a reasonable price. So, let’s take a look.
Who Is This For?
The Cricut Explore 3 is for anybody who needs to cut, emboss, engrave, and more. It works with well over 100 different materials, whether paper-thin materials or fabrics and a lot more. So if you need an excellent digital die cutting machine for your artistic needs, this is a great model to consider.
What’s Included?
Your purchase includes the Cricut Explore 3, a premium fine-point blade, six other tools, housing, a welcome card, a USB cable, the power adaptor, and a subscription to Cricut Access software.
Overview of Features
If you are looking for one of the most advanced Cricut machines, this is probably it. This is one of the most advanced digital die-cutting machines out of many brands when it comes down to it. We say this because it is full of features – it has more functions than most machines of this kind. However, this is hard to believe because of its reasonable price.
In addition, the Cricut Explore 3 is one of the fastest machines; it’s about twice as fast as its predecessor, which was already one of the faster models on the market. So if you want to create a variety of artistic projects in a very short time, this is a great unit to consider. The Cricut Explore 3 can do virtually anything in a few minutes.
Notably, the Cricut Explore 3 can work with many materials, including cardstock, paper, construction paper, glitter paper, iron-ons, bonded fabric, cork, and even leather. These are just some of the 100+ materials this machine can handle.
Moreover, the Cricut Explore 3 is compatible with Cricut smart materials. These include smart paper, smart vinyl, and smart HTV iron-ons. This allows you to make long and precise cuts without a machine mat. However, keep in mind that only the smart materials don’t require a mat to use; you will need a machine mat for all regular non-smart materials.
The Cricut Explore 3 can cut up to 33 cm wide and 22.8 meters long. This model comes with six cutting, writing, scoring, and foiling tools. However, more tools are available for purchase separately, such as embossing, engraving, and more.
Usually, these die-cut machines aren’t always very portable, but this one is. The Cricut Explore 3 folds up into a relatively compact package that is pretty space-efficient and easy to transport.
In addition, you can connect this unit to your tablet, phone, or computer via both USB and Bluetooth. Dual connectivity options definitely help make life a bit easier. Finally, you can use the software to make your own designs as you see fit. However, there are already 100 ready-to-make projects available online for free with your purchase.
How to Use It
Explaining how to use something like the Cricut Explore 3 is not that easy. So, we have included a tutorial video. Watch below for an in-depth video on how to get started with the Cricut Explore 3.
Pros
- Reliable and durable
- 100+ materials
- Various smart materials – no mat needed
- Can make long and wide designs
- Comes with six tools
- USB and Bluetooth
- Relatively compact and portable
- User-friendly
Cons
- The smart materials are expensive
- Connecting via Bluetooth can be a challenge
Alternatives
One of the only drawbacks of the Cricut Explore 3 is that there are not that many tools included. If you want a model that has over 13 different tools, the Cricut Maker might be the better option for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something smaller and simpler, the Cricut Joy Machine could be the preferred option.
Conclusion
We think that the Cricut Explore 3 is an excellent digital die-cutting machine. It has many features and functions; it works with many materials and comes with a few tools. Then, of course, there’s also the fact that it can cut smart materials without a mat.