Siser Juliet vs Cricut | Cutting Machine Comparison

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In the world of DIY crafting and small business projects, a few cutting machines often dominate the conversation: Cricut machines, Silhouette machines, and now the Siser Juliet & Romeo. All of these machines offer unique advantages, but which one stands out? Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced crafter, understanding their features, performance, and software compatibility can help you decide which is the right fit for your needs. In this post, I’ll break down everything you need to know about these machines. We will go over their cutting precision, ease of use, and much more. Letโ€™s dive into the Siser Juliet vs Cricut debate!ย 

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Cutting Precision and Performance

When it comes to cutting machines, precision is key. Both the Siser Juliet (& Romeo) and the Cricut offer impressive cutting capabilities, but each machine has its strengths.

The Siser Juliet stands out with its ability to cut a variety of materials with impressive cutting precision. Itโ€™s known for its performance on heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and adhesive vinyl, which is ideal for small businesses. The Siser Juliet uses a blade housing system that can be adjusted to suit different materials. This provides clean cuts even for intricate designs.

The Siser Juliet blade housing.

Their housing system can be a little tricky at first when you are getting started with a new blade. Unlike the Cricut blades and housing or Silhouette auto-blade, the Siser blades will need to be manually adjusted to start. They teach you that you should bring the blade out to about the width of a credit card.ย 

The Cricut Maker blade housing.

The Cricut series, including the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air, is known for its ease of use and consistent cut precision. The Cricut Maker, in particular, has the ability to cut over 300 materials, from balsa wood to delicate paper crafts. My first cutting machine was a Cricut Maker (not the 3). I originally thought I was going to be cutting out a lot of wood projects. I was sorely mistaken. Although the Maker has the ability and blade to do so, the cut time is just to long in my opinion. However, when it comes to clean cuts and accuracy (on vinyl, paper, etc), my Cricut machines are very reliable.ย 

Loving the Siser Juliet vs Cricut debate? Check out if you should go for a Silhouette or Cricut.


Mat-less Cuttingย 

The Siser machines and the Cricut three series (Maker 3 and Cricut Air 3 plus the Joys) offer mat-less cutting. If you have the older Cricut machines, unfortunately they do not cut mat-less. I have heard there are hacks for this, but I haven’t tried yet.ย 

Siser encourages you to cut without a mat and in the Leonardo Design Studio software the set up defaults to no mat. You are able to use this setting with vinyl and HTV, in sheets or in rolls. I have the roll attachment but will be honest, I have not used it just yet! 

Siser Bonus: Although its a 12 inch machine you really can cut just a little more than that, you get a full width. With your Cricut machines you will be limited to 11.5 in width unless you went for the Cricut Venture. 

Cricut mats hanging on a wall.

Cutting without a mat with a Cricut is doable as mentioned before but they do encourage you to use their Smart Materials. Cricutโ€™s smart materials technology helps you achieve clean, sharp cuts without needing a cutting mat, making it convenient for larger projects. You are able to use other brands but they frown upon it and I think its not as easy to set up. 


Ease of Use

One of the biggest factors in choosing a cutting machine is how easy it is to use. Hereโ€™s where the Cricut has a clear edge, especially for beginners. These are my honest opinions, I love both machines!

Cricut Design Space is incredibly user-friendly. The intuitive interface and cut settings make it accessible for anyone, from a first-time crafter to seasoned DIYers. The Cricut Joy offers a more compact and simpler experience, which is perfect for beginners who want to do basic projects without feeling overwhelmed. Cricut is truly a plug in and get crafting kind of machine. If you are an absolute newbie it will take some time to work yourself up to bigger projects but the overall set up is very beginner-friendly. I always like to compare it to Apple vs Andriod. Cricut is Apple in this case.

The Siser Juliet, on the other hand, has more of a learning curve. While the machine offers fantastic capabilities, it takes a bit of time to get used to the Leonardo Design Studio software. If you have used the Silhouette Studio Software you may have a bit of an advantage. When speaking with Siser, they explained that they tried to take all the best things from all of the electronic cutting machines out their to create the Juliet and Romeo series. So, once youโ€™re familiar with it, the Siser Juliet provides a wealth of powerful features. 

Siser Advantage:ย Cutting precision is great but another bonus to mention here is the test cut feature. You can send your designs via the machine or from your computer. Hit the button after selecting your material and it will cut a test to make sure it’s the right setting! Less wasted materials.ย 

Siser Juliet test cut feature on the light up display.

Connection

โ€‹You are easily able to connect both machines via a USB cable to your computer. However, for wireless connection with Cricut, you will be utilizing Bluetooth which as of lately has been a miserable experience for me. For the Siser machine,s you will connect wirelessly via your Internet which makes for a more stable connection.ย 

A Siser juliet machine.

Personal Experience: As someone who has used both machines, I can say that Cricutโ€™s ease of use made it a favorite at first. However, after spending some time learning the Siser Juliet, I found it to be a great machine with cool features that really shine once you get past the learning curve. It’s the same way I felt when I started using my Silhouette Portrait. 

Siser Juliet vs Cricut – Print then Cutโ€‹

Both machines offer a print then cut feature to make die cuts of PNG or JPEG images. Cricut is notorious for having horrible calibration issues and a difficult time reading glossy papers. So far, with my Juliet I have had a great success with print then cut because of its use of a camera to align your registration marks.


Software Compatibility

Both the Siser Juliet and Cricut come with their own design software, but the experience differs greatly.

Cricut Design Space is the go-to software for Cricut users. Itโ€™s internet based meaning you cannot cut without an internet connection. It works seamlessly with Cricut machines, making it incredibly easy to upload SVG files and use the machine with minimal setup. Positives are the ease of use and navigation. Once you play around with all of the features, you will be cutting and crafting in no time.ย 

Cricut Design Space canvas on a Mac.

Cricut Design Space does have the biggest flaw to me in that some features are via paid Access only. But here is the truth, Siser also has a Pro subscription that allows to access to certain things as well. I am not a fan of the subscription model and much prefer Silhouette Studio and their one time fee. 

Leonardo Design Studio is the software that powers the Siser Juliet and Romeo. While it offers powerful tools for design, itโ€™s not as beginner-friendly as Cricutโ€™s software. For more advanced users, though, it allows a lot of customization and precision, especially when working with intricate patterns or larger projects. You are able to create your own files with tools like the pen and adjusting basic shapes.

Siser Leonardo Design Studio on a Mac.

With the Pro subscription to Leonardo you will have access to a lot more in terms of functions, like knock out for layering HTV. You definitely can use the machines without a pro subscription, the basic version is great as well. They do boast that their Pro subscription fee goes directly back into making the software and features better. 

Siser also has a major advantage with 24 hour live customer service to help you with your Juliet vs Cricut which may not answer you for days.


Price Points and Value for Money

โ€‹Price is always a major consideration when buying a new machine, and both the Siser Juliet and Cricut offer different value propositions.

A Cricut Maker in pink

The Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air range from as low as $150 to as much as $400, depending on the model and included tools. However, Cricutโ€™s value is clear when you factor in the ease of use, the wide variety of compatible materials, and the overall accessibility of the Cricut Design Space. Now, I will say the older Cricut machines came with so many extras. Included in my box was a mat, the rotary blade, and the scoring stylus. Now, they are only giving you the USB cord. I was shocked to learn that they donโ€™t even include a mat.

The Siser Juliet is priced around $400, while its larger counterpart costs about $650. However, the higher price brings more specialized features, especially for those working with heat transfer vinyl and larger projects. While it may be more expensive than some Cricut machines, the extra cost is justified by its ability to handle more advanced projects. The Siser Romeo, a slightly higher-end model, expands on the features of the Juliet, giving you even more options. In the box you will also get some extra blades and a mat!



So, Siser Juliet vs Cricut โ€“ which is the better choice for you? The answer depends on your needs and experience level. If youโ€™re a beginner who values ease of use and accessibility, the Cricut is probably the way to go. If you’re looking for a cutting machine that offers advanced features and are willing to invest time in learning its software, the Siser Juliet may be the perfect fit. Both machines have their strengths, and the bottom line is that youโ€™ll find great machines in either option.

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