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The 10 Best Craft Cutting Machines as of June 2026

Updated 18 June 2026 · Reviewed by the Pickarank team · Prices in GBP, subject to change

We compared the best craft cutting machines you can buy in 2026, scoring each out of 10 on performance, value, build quality and features. Here are the ten worth your money — with an at-a-glance table and the current best prices.

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Our top picks at a glance

Top pick

Cricut Maker 3

9.1Best overall
Check price on Amazon ≈ £350
Best value

Silhouette Portrait 4

8.4Best budget Silhouette
Check price on Amazon ≈ £170
Also great

Cricut Explore 3

8.8Best for vinyl/paper
Check price on Amazon ≈ £250

Prices were correct at the time of writing and change often — tap through for today's price on Amazon.

How we ranked these craft cutting machines

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

  • Performance (35%) — how well each cutting machine does its core job.
  • Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
  • Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
  • Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

At a glance: top 10 compared

#Craft Cutting MachinesScoreBest forTypeApprox priceAmazon links
1Cricut Maker 39.1Best overallCutting machine£350View Price
2Cricut Explore 38.8Best for vinyl/paperCutting machine£250View Price
3Silhouette Cameo 58.8Best software flexibilityCutting machine£280View Price
4Brother ScanNCut SDX1258.6Best built-in scannerCutting + scanner£300View Price
5Cricut Joy Xtra8.5Best compactCompact cutter£130View Price
6Cricut Venture8.5Best for large projectsLarge-format cutter£900View Price
7Silhouette Portrait 48.4Best budget SilhouetteCompact cutter£170View Price
8Sizzix Big Shot8.4Best manual die-cutterManual die-cutter£80View Price
9Cricut Joy8.3Best mini/cardsMini cutter£100View Price
10Sizzix Sidekick8.0Best ultra-budget manualMini manual die-cutter£35View Price
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The full ranking

1
Best overall

Cricut Maker 3

9.1Our number one pick.

The Cricut Maker 3 is the most capable home cutting machine, slicing hundreds of materials from vinyl and card to leather and balsa with adaptive tools, plus fast matless cutting with Smart Materials. It needs the Design Space app and is pricey, but for versatility it is the best.

Cutting: 9.4Software: 8.8Materials: 9.4Value: 8.4
Pros
  • Cuts 300+ materials
  • Fast matless cutting
  • Adaptive tool system
Cons
  • Pricey
  • App-dependent
Check price on Amazon≈ £350
2
Best for vinyl/paper

Cricut Explore 3

8.8A superb runner-up.

The Cricut Explore 3 handles the most popular crafts — vinyl, card, iron-on and more — with fast Smart Material cutting at a lower price than the Maker, ideal for most crafters. It cuts fewer materials than the Maker, but for everyday projects it is excellent.

Cutting: 9.0Software: 8.8Materials: 8.8Value: 8.8
Pros
  • Great for vinyl and card
  • Fast Smart Material cutting
  • Cheaper than Maker
Cons
  • Fewer materials than Maker
  • App-dependent
Check price on Amazon≈ £250
3
Best software flexibility

Silhouette Cameo 5

8.8Rounds out our top three.

Silhouette's Cameo 5 is a versatile cutter whose Studio software allows offline use and powerful design control, a favourite of those who want more design freedom. The learning curve is steeper, but the flexibility and value are excellent.

Cutting: 8.8Software: 9.2Materials: 8.8Value: 8.8
Pros
  • Powerful offline software
  • Versatile cutting
  • Design freedom
Cons
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Less polished app
Check price on Amazon≈ £280
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4
Best built-in scanner

Brother ScanNCut SDX125

8.6A standout in the upper half.

Brother's ScanNCut has a built-in scanner so you can cut around printed designs and work without a computer, a standout for those who want standalone operation. It is pricey and the interface is dated, but the scan-and-cut feature is excellent.

Cutting: 8.6Software: 8.4Materials: 8.6Value: 8.4
Pros
  • Built-in scanner
  • Works without a PC
  • Cuts many materials
Cons
  • Pricey
  • Dated interface
Check price on Amazon≈ £300
5
Best compact

Cricut Joy Xtra

8.5A well-rounded mid-table pick.

The Cricut Joy Xtra is a small, affordable cutter for cards, labels and smaller vinyl projects, brilliant for beginners and tight spaces. It cuts smaller widths and fewer materials, but for casual crafting it is great value.

Cutting: 8.4Software: 8.6Materials: 8.2Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Compact and affordable
  • Easy for beginners
  • Good for cards/labels
Cons
  • Smaller cut width
  • Limited materials
Check price on Amazon≈ £130
6
Best for large projects

Cricut Venture

8.5Great value in the middle of the pack.

Cricut's Venture is a large-format machine for big signs, banners and bulk cutting, aimed at small businesses and serious makers. It is very expensive and large, but for scale and throughput it is excellent.

Cutting: 9.0Software: 8.6Materials: 9.0Value: 7.8
Pros
  • Large-format cutting
  • High throughput
  • Great for business
Cons
  • Very expensive
  • Large footprint
Check price on Amazon≈ £900
7
Best budget Silhouette

Silhouette Portrait 4

8.4A dependable pick if the price is right.

Silhouette's Portrait 4 is a slim, lower-cost cutter with the flexible Studio software, good for smaller vinyl and paper projects. It has a narrower cut and is less powerful, but offers Silhouette's software at a friendly price.

Cutting: 8.4Software: 9.0Materials: 8.2Value: 8.8
Pros
  • Affordable with Studio software
  • Slim and portable
  • Flexible design
Cons
  • Narrow cut width
  • Less powerful
Check price on Amazon≈ £170
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8
Best manual die-cutter

Sizzix Big Shot

8.4Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

Sizzix's Big Shot is a manual, no-electronics die-cutting and embossing machine that presses shapes from card and fabric using dies, a craft-room staple. It needs dies and is manual, but it is robust, simple and great for card-making.

Cutting: 8.4Software: 8.0Materials: 8.4Value: 8.8
Pros
  • No electronics needed
  • Robust and simple
  • Great for card-making
Cons
  • Needs dies
  • Manual cranking
Check price on Amazon≈ £80
9
Best mini/cards

Cricut Joy

8.3A budget-friendly option worth a look.

The original Cricut Joy is a tiny, simple cutter for quick cards, labels and small decals, ideal for casual makers and kids' crafts. It is very limited in size and materials, but for simple projects it is cheap and easy.

Cutting: 8.0Software: 8.6Materials: 7.8Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Tiny and simple
  • Great for quick cards
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Very small cuts
  • Limited materials
Check price on Amazon≈ £100
10
Best ultra-budget manual

Sizzix Sidekick

8.0Rounds out our top ten.

Sizzix's Sidekick is a tiny, hand-crank die-cutter for small embellishments and card details, a cheap, portable entry to die-cutting. It only handles small dies, but for the price and simplicity it is good value.

Cutting: 7.8Software: 7.8Materials: 8.0Value: 9.0
Pros
  • Tiny and cheap
  • No electronics
  • Portable
Cons
  • Small dies only
  • Manual
Check price on Amazon≈ £35
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Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the craft cutting machines in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Cricut Maker 3, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Cricut Explore 3 and Silhouette Cameo 5 are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best craft cutting machines without overthinking it, the Cricut Maker 3 is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £350

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