You got your Cricut! Congratulations! But now... what Cricut tools do you need for your crafts?
*Disclaimer: Some links may help earn me a commission
Cricut has some great tool sets that you can purchase, but there are also other great brands out there. Let's dive into each Cricut tool, how do you use these Cricut tools, and whether or not you need to spend your money on them!
What Cricut tools come with a Cricut Maker?
To put it nicely - basically nothing.
I don't mean this to sound harsh but if you are buying directly from Cricut - be prepared to buy tools separately or upgrade to a bundle so you can start crafting as soon as you open the box.
And if you're still wondering which one to buy in 2022: check out my Cricut guide!
Each Cricut machine is also different, so let's go through what comes in each box.
Cricut Maker 3 & Explore Air 3
- Premium Fine-Point Blade + Blade Housing
- Test Materials
- "Bonus" Materials
What this means? No Cricut Tools Included. You need to buy mats (unless you plan on only using smart materials) and all of your tools to help you create. I don't really consider mats a tool since you really need them to use the machine. You can opt to focus on Smart Materials but that is going to limit you in a lot of craft areas.
Side Note Tip: Buy those mats in BULK! I did this almost 6 months ago and have over half my pack left - I never run out and it lasts!
Cricut Maker
- Rotary Blade + Drive Housing
- Premium Fine-Point Blade + Blade Housing
- Pen and Accessory Adapter
- FabricGrip Mat 12” x 12”
- LightGrip Mat 12” x 12”
- Test Materials
So, still not Cricut tools really, but you do get more than the Cricut 3 series. The older model seems to have more in terms of what comes in the box - including the rotary blade which I use often for cutting foam. It also comes with two mats which is helpful if you're getting started. They include a FabricGrip mat which by the name you can tell is more for Fabric materials like felt or cloth and it includes a LightGrip mat which is great for paper but I tend to stick with Standard Grip mats for all my projects.
I know the Maker 3 is gauged more towards the Smart Materials but Cricut is the only one producing those, so again you will need lots of mats for other things. I am honestly shocked they don't provide at least one with the new machine. Also, NO PEN????
Cricut Explore Air 2
- Premium Fine-Point Blade + Blade Housing
- Pen and accessory adapter
- 12 x 12 LightGrip cutting mat
- Test Materials
Again, no Cricut tools included. The Air 2 gets one less mat than the Maker and also no rotary but it also can't use that blade so, I understand that. Again though, in all of these boxes, you aren't getting any crafting tools - just the machine and what it needs to cut.
What comes in the Cricut tool set?
They have a few options on their website for tool sets, but we will focus on the Essential Tool Set. It includes:
- Scoring Stylus (which is compatible with Maker and Explore machines)
- Small Scissors
- Weeder for Vinyl
- Tweezers
- Spatula
- Small Scraper
- Basic Trimmer
They also offer other Cricut tools not in their sets:
- Brayer
- Rotary Cutter
- True Control Knife
- XL Scraper
They make good hand tools, I got all of mine Cricut tools at once with the bundle I bought - I searched high and low for the best deal on my Cricut and I always suggest you do the same. It will depend on the time of year you are purchasing and if they have a newer model out or coming out soon.
So, how many of the original Cricut tools do I still use from my Essentials bundle?
Maybe Three? On occasion - I would not say I am using these often.
Scoring Stylus
This is the one I use the most and that's because it sits in my machine now being swapped out with pens. I use to to score my cards and 3D Letters so it is helpful. I have found on my maker, it doesn't stay in the adapter anymore and I have to wrap it in painters tape (insert eye roll here). I invested in the scoring wheel for my maker and I use the stylus in my Air now.
Basic Trimmer
This tool is helpful, sometimes you need to cut down rolls of vinyl and you want a nice even cut or you just need a simple rectangle of paper and don't want to go through the hassle of making a design to cut on your Cricut machine.
Small Scraper
I use this for my vinyl pieces and also to clean my table. It's thinner on the bottom so it easily picks up the stuck glue that lingers! I use my squeegee more for my vinyl projects.
What tools can you skip from Cricut:
Tweezers
In my opinion their Tweezers are bulky and they cross over which means they are not easy to pinch. A good set of tweezers is a MUST for crafting in my opinion but there are other brands out there that are easier to use. Some people may love them but I look for something with a super fine tip and they aren't it!
Weeder
This one might get me in trouble but - I weed with either my pen (I'll show you what I mean later) or with my fine point tweezers. It's more precise and easier to get those small pieces. It is a good tool for vinyl but upgrade to a pen! They are such a better option if you do a lot of detailed work.
Small Scissors
They are nice to have at the beginning and maybe they are great for cloth and sewing (I don't use either right now) but I invested in some great non-stick scissors. I keep these in the cup of my machine for a quick grab if I need them but I usually end up picking up the bigger ones.
Spatula
I teeter with this one, I use it very rarely for small intricate font cuts with paper but overall I always go back to my tweezers and use this as reinforcement.
What tools do I love for Cricut crafting and what are they used for?
I am mostly a paper crafter (if you couldn't tell) and I have gathered a lot of great tools over the past two years that help me create my projects. So here is a list of my favorite tools for Cricut:
Listed from MOST USED to LEAST USED
Fine Point Tweezers
Fine point tweezers are hands down my most used tool - period.
I have two kinds which you can find in this Hobby Captain bundle - my straight tweezers and bent. For some reason, I tend to aim towards the bent tweezers more often than the straight but they are both excellent tools.
I use these for small pieces of paper, weeding, rolling flowers, and poking holes (that sounds weird I know) but they are such an awesome versatile tool.
Just to reiterate between the difference in the tip:
The Hobby Captain tweezers are SUPER sharp, so they really can grab the tiniest bits. It's great for when I make my portraits.
Brayer
If you don't have a brayer yet, get that in your amazon basket now. I feel like this is a must for all crafters - it helps lay your material flat. What I love about it most is how well my materials stick to my mats after I use it. Invest in a brayer - I got mine here.
Mini Heat Press
I will get more into heat presses in a future blog post, but I do love my Mini Heat Press when I originally thought it seemed kind of pointless since it is SUPER small. However, with my love of HTV on card stock has grown, my Mini Easy Press has become one of my most used tools.
Cordless Hot Glue Gun
Yes, yes, yes! Especially if you are making toppers and flowers! It's so handy to not have that cord in the way. I use the Lynn Lilly from SureBonder. I will get into what materials (like glue) I like in a future post.
Non-Stick Scissors
One of the best purchases I have made! These are super helpful when cutting your tape so that it doesn't get all over your blade and dull them down. I bought this pack of two and every time I mention them to other crafters people are blown away that they exist.
QuickStik
Such a fun and unique tool - one end has a detachable piece to help place small pieces while the other side is tacky so when you're working with small detailed pieces this is an amazing tool! I hold the small piece on the tacky side while I add adhesive and then I use the stick from the other side to hold it into place. You can find it here.
Bone Tool
This was another tool I was skeptical about at first but again, I use it regularly.
Its a small tool that helps with sharp creases, hand scoring, and with curling your card stock - great for paper flowers and cards!
Check out this one.
Weeding Pen
This is such a great tool, the tip is a super small pin that helps get those small bits when weeding. You also can use it to poke a small hole into your vinyl if you're finding any air bubbles. Also, this one comes in the Hobby Captain pack, so you will be covered 100% with vinyl tools. If you want to earn some free beginner vinyl projects - check them out here.
Exacto Knife
I have nothing fancy - I got mine at the Dollar Tree and it works great! It came with multiple blade options and is easy to change out. The handle can be a bit wobbly so tighten it well but you can craft on on a budget. I definitely do!
Self Healing Cutting Mat
Goes hand in hand with my exacto. Every once in a while, I need to cut something by hand - it's not super often but this mat has saved my table in those situations. I also sometimes put my foam mounting tape roll on there and us my exacto to cut through to make pieces. I bought a pack of two here - as you can see, I love a deal.
Tweexy Hinge
I received this recently and it's a great add on tool. Super cute and comes in a lot of great colors to collect your weeding scraps and tape backs. You can definitely live without this one but it does make for a cleaner work space. Grab one on Amazon!
Squeegee
You can compare this to your scraper but it's usually a little wider and great for getting your vinyl down smooth. Again, this is in the Hobby Captain bundle!
There are so many more amazing tools for Cricut crafting but these are my favorites!
So, what are my top five Cricut Tools?
- Tweezers
- Brayer
- Mini Heat Press
- Non-Stick Scissors
- Scoring Stylus
If you ever come across a tool you are OBSESSING over, shoot me an email please so I can add it to the list!
