6 Best Tools for Crafters

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced crafter, these 6 best tools for crafters are something you should have in your craft room. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

I’ve been on the crafting bandwagon for a few years now. I wouldn’t say that I’m an expert at all. I’m still very new to the craft world and learning new things every day. I discover new techniques that I want to try and tricks that work for me. Since I’ve been crafting though I’ve learned what tools I love the most. There are so many tools and products out there from label makers to smart cutting machines and die cutting machines that sometimes it’s hard to figure out where to start.

If you’re a beginner and trying to figure out which tools to start with, I’m sharing a little insight on the 6 best tools for crafters. No matter where you are in your journey, you’ll want these 6 things in your craft room.

6 Best Tools for Crafters

1. Craft Knife: A craft knife was the first actual crafting “tool” that I bought. I used it for so many special projects. They’re affordable and great to have on hand for projects that require precision cutting.

2. Smart cutting machine: I got my first smart cutting machine last year and my life has changed so much since then. Seriously. The Cricut Air Explore 2 was the first cutting machine I owned. I started creating projects that I never would’ve thought I could do on my own. After I got the machine I experimented on a few projects and loved the way they turned out. T and I made our first project a few months after for Mother’s Day and then another fun project for back to school. We loved the Air Explore 2 and Cricut Joy so much that I decided to upgrade to a Cricut Maker. A smart cutting machine like the Cricut has endless possibilities for a crafter.

3. Laminator: A laminator is a must to protect all of those special crafting projects. It comes in handy when I’m making keepsakes for my kids.

4. Washi tape: If you’ve never used washi tape you’re really missing out. Washi tape is one of my favorite things to use. It’s super easy to manipulate when creating projects. The designs are endless plus washi tape is so affordable.

5. Mod Podge: The first time I ever used mod podge was when I created birthday invitations for Tatiana’s 4th birthday party. Mod Podge is a decoupage medium that can be used for glueing, sealing, and finishing.

6. Cricut EasyPress: How many times have you made some sort or crafting project that required a heat source? I love the Cricut EasyPress because it provides even heating and you can adjust the temperature for the material you’re using. Did I mention it’s portable too?

What is a Cricut and what does it do?

A Cricut is the ultimate smart cutting machine. The Cricut Maker is one of the best machines you could have in your craft room. It can cut virtually any material you could think of. I’ve used it to cut through felt, basswood, cardstock and vinyl so far. Not only can the Cricut Maker cut but it can engrave and emboss as well. It’s pretty cool that it has so many capabilities inside of one machine.

What’s the difference between the Cricut Air Explore 2 and the Cricut Maker?

The biggest difference between the two machines are the tools and materials available to use. The Cricut Air Explore 2 isn’t able to cut through as many materials as the Cricut Maker and isn’t compatible with as many tools. Don’t worry it’s still a super awesome machine to have. Cricut Maker has an Adaptive Tool System which allows you to use more tools with your machine. The Cricut Maker has 10x the cutting power of the Cricut Air Explore 2.

The Cricut Maker doesn’t have a materials dial like the Explore Air 2. It’s actually one of my favorite things about the Maker. I think it gives the Maker a sleek look.

Is Cricut worth the price?

Yes, a thousand times over! A Cricut Air Explore 2 starts at $199 and a Cricut Maker starts at $349. In the year since we’ve had it I’ve saved well over that amount by making projects on my own. I’ve created everything from Mother’s Day gifts to baby shower decorations to Christmas coasters. If I would’ve bought any of those things in stores I would’ve spent way more money.

If you’re worrying about whether or not you’ll actually use the machine, you shouldn’t. Once you have your machine in hand it’ll take a little time to get used to it is very easy to use. There are hundreds of videos online to walk you through the process and even video tutorials for projects you may want to create.

Buying a Cricut truly is an investment but honestly it’s not one that you will regret if you make a lot of DIYs. I love party planning, decorating, and making handmade gifts so investing in a Cricut was a no brainer for me. We use it all the time.

Which Cricut should you buy?

The Cricut Maker is what I suggest to any and everyone even if you’re just a beginner crafter. I started out with the Explore Air 2 and quickly upgraded to the Maker. The extra capabilities that the Maker has are worth paying a little extra.

However, if you don’t think that you’re going to want to cut through materials like wood and metal then I would suggest getting the Explore Air 2. The Explore comes in a variety of fun colors.

What can you make with your Cricut?

The possibilities are endless with Cricut. I’ve seen some really amazing projects created by Cricut crafters. So far I’ve designed t-shirts, tote bags, coasters, picture frames, made ornaments, and garland. Cricut Design Space and the Cricut blog has loads of project inspiration and even templates that you can use to create something of your own.

What do you think are some of the best tools for crafters?