The 10 Best Craft Cutting Machines as of July 2026

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.

We also weigh real-world owner reviews — star ratings and how many people left them — and whether each product has the features you'd expect in its class.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Craft Cutting Machines	Score	Best for	Type	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	Cricut Maker 3	9.1	Best overall	Cutting machine	£350	View Price
2	Cricut Explore 3	8.8	Best for vinyl/paper	Cutting machine	£250	View Price
3	Silhouette Cameo 5	8.8	Best software flexibility	Cutting machine	£280	View Price
4	Brother ScanNCut SDX125	8.6	Best built-in scanner	Cutting + scanner	£300	View Price
5	Cricut Joy Xtra	8.5	Best compact	Compact cutter	£130	View Price
6	Cricut Venture	8.5	Best for large projects	Large-format cutter	£900	View Price
7	Silhouette Portrait 4	8.4	Best budget Silhouette	Compact cutter	£170	View Price
8	Sizzix Big Shot	8.4	Best manual die-cutter	Manual die-cutter	£80	View Price
9	Cricut Joy	8.3	Best mini/cards	Mini cutter	£100	View Price
10	Sizzix Sidekick	8.0	Best ultra-budget manual	Mini manual die-cutter	£35	View Price

The full ranking

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our top picks at a glance

Cricut Maker 3

Silhouette Portrait 4

Cricut Explore 3

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How we ranked these craft cutting machines

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Cricut Maker 3

Pros

Cons

Cricut Explore 3

Pros

Cons

Silhouette Cameo 5

Pros

Cons

Brother ScanNCut SDX125

Pros

Cons

Cricut Joy Xtra

Pros

Cons

Cricut Venture

Pros

Cons

Silhouette Portrait 4

Pros

Cons

Sizzix Big Shot

Pros

Cons

Cricut Joy

Pros

Cons

Sizzix Sidekick

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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