Cricut is synonymous with cutting and crafting machines. There are plenty of competitors in the market, but Cricut dominates because of how easy it is to use (and its ubiquity). Cricut has just updated its Maker and Explore lines to the Maker 4 and Explore 4. This update brings new colours and some experience bumps, but is decidedly evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
Table of contents
Cricut Maker 4 first impressions
I recently wrote a love letter to the Cricut Maker 3, because it’s such a good and solid crafting machine. So, when I heard there was a Maker 4, I was keen as mustard to check it out.
My first impression upon opening the box was just how beautiful the new “sage” colour is compared to the old white. The previous white was classic and blended well with everything, don’t get me wrong. But this sage just looks so fresh, and also nothing like what I picture when I imagine “sage”. To me, sage is quite a green colour. This is like a bluish green tile you’d put in a very nice bathroom or kitchen renovation. I’m not entirely sure what it should be called (the internet suggests Cadet Blue), but either way, I very much enjoy it.
The other thing I noticed is that the box now comes with some more supplies to try out. The supplies aren’t amazing, but they are better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick. More on that later.
I really like that when you set up the machine, it takes you through an easy first project to help you get the hang of what the machine can do, and what you’re supposed to do. It’s a simple tutorial, but effective.
Cricut Maker 4 specifications and price
| Dimensions | 56.1 cm x 18 cm x 15.7 cm |
| Weight | 6.98 kgs |
| Max cut size using machine mat | 29.2 cm x 59.6 cm |
| Max cut size using Smart Materials | 29.7 cm x 3.6 m |
| Cut speed | up to 14.1 ips |
| Included in box | Cricut Maker 4 smart cutting machine Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing Light Grip Machine Mat: 30.4 cm x 30.4 cm Fine Point Pen (0.4 mm) Mini Weeder Materials for practice cuts |
| Price (RRP) | $699 |
| Warranty | One year |
| Official website | Cricut Australia |
As you can see, these specs are basically the same as the Maker 3. The big headline changes are the box inclusions, new colour, and faster cutting speeds.
Performance
I was really impressed with the performance of the Cricut Maker 3, and so it’s no surprise that I remain impressed by the almost identical performance of the Maker 4.
Cutting Speed
This is really a big improvement. Yes, the most time-consuming part of any project is spending 20 years in Design Space trying to make it look perfect (and then redo it when you go to cut it and the mat layout doesn’t behave). But still, any time that can be saved when crafting means there’s even more time for crafting.
In a race between the Maker 3 and 4, this is how the times compared between the same types of projects:
| Project | Cricut Maker 3 | Cricut Maker 4 |
|---|---|---|
| R20 card with drawn and cut elements | 186 seconds | 144 seconds |
| Words in infusible ink | 110 seconds | 65 seconds |
| Smart removable vinyl | 45 seconds | 43 seconds |
Note that these times were just from pressing start on the cut to the mat unloading. The part where it measures the mat was significantly faster (huge difference), but that’s a more difficult thing to time along with the full cut because there’s too much room for human delay between the measurement and pressing start, which would throw off the numbers.
On their own, the time savings don’t look significant. A few seconds here, a minute there. But for people who are making, say, 60 cards for a party, or making t-shirts for an extended family event or sports team, those time savings really do add up.
Inclusions in the box
Much has been made about the new Maker 4 coming with some materials in the box. I do think it’s nice that there are a couple of little projects people can do off the bat to get some ideas.
I must admit that when I was told that the new machine came with more materials to help newbies work out what to do for their first few projects, I kinda assumed that they would be full size sheets, or at least A4. But they’re just strips? Sure, there are projects built into Design Space that work with materials that small, and these are just to get a newbie started. This just means that it’s less of a boon for new crafters than originally hoped, and shouldn’t factor into a purchasing decision.
I had really wanted these to be a couple of full size rolls, so you could do the starter projects, and then immediately dive into something else with the same materials to get a better handle on how it all works. $699 is not cheap, and I assume the cost price of a small roll of vinyl is negligible, so it can’t have been that difficult to put in one full-size product.
That was a bit of a let down.
Backwards compatibility
One big concern a lot of people had is whether the Maker 4 would work with all their old accessories. The good news is that everything that worked with the Maker 3 will work with the Maker 4. All the same materials and tools. The Maker 4 is essentially just a faster Maker 3.
It would have been nice if it had been able to handle larger materials, have more reliability with plywood, and my personal dream of laser cutting (which was, admittedly, not physically possible without being an entirely different machine). But that’s not what this update is about.
I do wish that the accessories were more compatible across ranges, i.e. pens working across the Joy and Maker ranges, and only things like debossing tools being specific to machines that can use them. But at least Cricut is great with making things compatible across new and old generations of product families, so people upgrading from the original Maker (or a Maker 3) don’t have to start again from the beginning.
Who is the Cricut Maker 4 for?
The Cricut Maker 4 is for crafters, small business owners and market stall tycoons. I’ve seen Cricut products in Myer at Christmas time for customising baubles, I have a friend who uses them in his shop to customise orders and make custom signs, and other friends who use them to do elaborate card crafts. I use mine to make murals, cards, and stickers, as well as customise clothing. I recently got into customising hats for events.
For people who already have a Maker 3 that they’re happy with, this upgrade isn’t really for you. The speed bump is nice, but it’s not life changing unless you’re making a lot of identical designs. In the Myer example, the Maker 4 would make a noticeable difference, but not so much for a home crafter. For those with an original Maker, a Joy, Joy Xtra or Explore, and looking to upgrade to the most powerful consumer-grade Cricut machine, then the Maker 4 is the obvious choice.
The post Cricut Maker 4 review: A Faster and bluer creative cutting machine appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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