Picking a quality vinyl cutter can prove a difficult task especially for beginners. Choosing a good cutter requires more than just taking into account force, speed or price of the machine. You also need to consider your specific needs. Do you want a cutter for home or small business use? And is a kit/bundle a more viable option if you don’t want to spend time looking for important accessories? Other than vinyl, what other materials will you cutting? All of these are factors you need to consider before making your purchase. With that in mind, here are the 10 best vinyl cutting machines on the market.
Best Vinyl Cutting Machines Comparison Chart
| Product | Image | Features | Price | Star Review Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine |  | Circuit pens allow you more than 300 handwritten fonts Fast Mode boosts performance significantly Can be controlled wirelessly | $$$ | 4.4 out of 5 Stars |
| 2. Silhoutte Cameo Electronic Cutting Machine Vinyl Starter Kit Bundle |  | Touch screen pad 51 exclusive cuttable designs | $$$ | 4.5 out of 5 Stars |
| 3. Cricut Explore Air Wireless Cutting Machine |  | Integrated storage compartments Accepts wireless commands via Bluetooth | $$ | 4.3 out of 5 Stars |
| 4. Silhoutte Portrait Vinyl Cutter |  | Compact unit designed for beginners Smaller, lighter version of the Cameo | $$ | 4.4 out of 5 Stars |
| 5. Silhoutte America Cameo 3 Bluetooth Starter Bundle |  | Comes with a ratchet adjustment tool Bluetooth enabled Lots of accessories | $$$ | 4.2 out of 5 Stars |
| 6. US Cutter MH 871 Sign Making Kit |  | Included software is very easy to learn Has 12" cutting width | $$$ | 4.1 out of 5 Stars |
| 7. US Cutter MH 34in Vinyl Cutter Plotter |  | Comes with three high quality cutting blades Plot adapter for easy plotting | $$$ | 3.1 out of 5 Stars |
| 8. Brother ScanNCut CM100DM Cutting Machine |  | Comes with inbuilt 300 DPI scanner Cuts various materials easily More than 600 built-in designs | $$$ | 3.7 out of 5 Stars |
| 9. Cricut Expression 2 Cutting Machine |  | Vast library of professionally designed images 12" x 24" cutting capabilities | $$$ | 3.8 out of 5 Stars |
| 10.Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter |  | Good for small and complex designs Fast cutting speed Works well with 350 grams of force 10x overlap cutting feature | $$$$$ | 4.0 out of 5 Stars |
1. Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine
Finding a good vinyl cutting machine that is cordless is a challenging task. The good news is that the Cricut Explore Air 2 is designed to cut with precision. It comes with circuit pens that allow you choose from more than 300 handwritten fonts.
Cricut implements a Fast Mode that boosts performance significantly by allowing you to work faster than average cutters. In addition to speed, this cutter boasts the ability to cut almost anything ranging from cardstock to vinyl.
Another notable feature is the Smart Dial, which makes it easy to find the best settings for the current project. This cutter also makes it easy to design your artwork on a computer using the free Design Space software. What’s even better is that it is embedded with Bluetooth for wireless commands.
Pros
Ability to cut materials of varying thickness
Features Smart Cut technology
Can be controlled wirelessly
Fast Mode for twice the speed as standard cutters
Has a double tool holder
Cons
Pricey
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2. Silhoutte Cameo Electronic Cutting Machine Vinyl Starter Kit Bundle
When it comes to reliable and high quality output, this cutting machine doesn’t disappoint. The Silhoutte Cameo Electronic Cutting Vinyl Starter Kit Bundle is specially designed for beginners. It can cut materials up to 10 feet long and 12 inches wide.
This cutting machine comes with a touch screen pad that’s easy to navigate as well as two cutting blades made from highly durable material. One thing that will make you love this machine is the ease with which the paper peels off the cutting without leaving residue.
As if that’s not enough, it is provided with all the necessities you need to get started. Such include 51 exclusive cuttable designs, black cutting blade, vinyl trimming blade, cutting mat and instruction guide. You also get four sheets of premium vinyl in different colors, a download card that allows you to download 10 vinyl designs as well as 10 feet of premium transfer paper.
Pros
Has built-in designs that are easy to incorporate
Easy to navigate touch screen pad
Long lasting
Cons
A little noisy considering the motor is advertised as supposedly quite
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3. Cricut Explore Air Wireless Cutting Machine
With more than 1000 reviews and an average rating of 4.3/5, it’s easy to see why the Cricut Explore Air Wireless Cutting Machine is a favorite for many. It is a high quality vinyl cutting machine that delivers performance. With the ability to handle anything from simple DIY task to more complex projects, you can rest assured that it has potential to satisfy your needs.
One of the most unique features of the Explore Air is its wireless capabilities. The embedded Bluetooth technology allows for wireless cutting and eliminates the worry of a workspace cluttered with unnecessary chords. Because the apps are cloud based, you can sync across all of your devices.
You can use this machine to cut materials of varying thicknesses including adhesive vinyl, paper and leather. The dual carriage helps simplify the creative process by turning procedures like writing and cutting or scoring and cutting in a single step. The Smart Set technology ensures that you get every cut right.
Pros
Easy material setting
Has integrated storage compartments
Accepts wireless commands via Bluetooth
Works fast
Cons
Print-then-cut feature has a maximum resolution of 720dpi
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4. Silhoutte Portrait Vinyl Cutter
The Silhoutte Portrait is probably the best cheap vinyl cutter on the market. It was introduced in 2012 and designed as a smaller, lighter version of the Cameo. This is a good machine for small signage and making cards with all kinds of materials including fabric, chipboards, paper, cardstock and vinyl.
Despite its compact size, the Potrait offers great capabilities. The cutting process is very straightforward since all you need to do is connect it to your computer via the provided USB cable. Its design software offers plenty of flexibility, allowing you create custom artistic designs or download shapes from the store.
Pros
Compatible with materials of varying thickness
Compact unit designed for beginners
Ability to create your own designs
Cons
Not the best for complex projects
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5. Silhoutte America Cameo 3 Bluetooth Starter Bundle
Silhoutte manufactures some of the best beginner bundles and the Cameo 3 Starter Bundle is no different. It has network connectivity and inbuilt designs, making it very easy for you to customize your designs. Like other Silhoutte vinyl cutters, this one comes with inbuilt Bluetooth technology for easy transfer of files from your mobile device.
You can use the automated blade to cut pictures measuring 12″ by 12″. The best thing about this cutter is that it is well accessorized with 24 sheets of permanent oracal 651 vinyl, assorted mix of 24 sketch pens, cutting mat, ratchet adjustment tool, hook tool, vinyl trimmer and scraper tool.
The touch screen pad is very responsive and makes it easy to navigate. You will certainly appreciate the included designs, which make it easy to customize your work. You don’t have to worry about spending an extra penny on extra designs. In addition, the cutting area is wide enough to accommodate larger structures.
Pros
Kit comes with everything you need to get started
Comes with a ratchet adjustment tool
It is Bluetooth enabled
Wide cutting area accommodates larger structures
Cons
Bluetooth doesn’t always connect
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6. US Cutter MH 871 Sign Making Kit
The MH 871 is easily US Cutter’s most popular cutting kit. Rated as a bestseller, this is a great bundle for making precise cuts. It offers a cutting width of 12″ and unless you want to go industrial, this is more than enough for DIY projects.
You can take advantage of the spooling function to send multiple jobs to the queue, sorted by color. This will allow you to complete multi-layered multi-color projects without switching between rolls of different colors.
This kit comes with everything you need to get started including a hobby knife, squeegee, 3 vinyl cutting blades, grid application tape, paper application tape, 2 sheets of magnetic blanks as well as 5 rolls of Greenstar vinyl. All in all, this package is everything a beginner would hope for.
Pros
Comes with everything a beginner needs to get started
Included software is very easy to learn
Has 12″ cutting width
Cons
Doesn’t handle complex projects very well
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7. US Cutter MH 34in Vinyl Cutter Plotter
This is a 34in vinyl cutting machine from US Cutter with plenty to offer the DIY enthusiast. It comes with a stand for sturdy support. US Cutter integrates both USB and serial connections. The three cutting blades are crafted from high quality material and do their job well.
Also included is a pen adapter that allows you to customize your handwritten designs to give your work a more artistic feel. In addition to vinyl, you can use this cutter for other materials like cloth and paper thanks to the fully adjustable pinch-rollers.
The superior ball-bearing dual roller media roller system is another welcome feature. Like other US Cutter machines, this one is well accessorized. It is offered with magnetic blanks, transfer tapes, knife, squeegee and vinyl rolls just to name a few.
Pros
Firm on the ground
Comes with three high quality cutting blades
Plot adapter for easy plotting
Cons
Expensive compared to other models on the list
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8. Brother ScanNCut CM100DM Cutting Machine
This is probably the best vinyl cutting machine with an inbuilt 300 DPI scanner you’ll find on the market. It is designed for home use and can scan virtually anything from your cherished family photos to a handmade drawing. It also has more than 600 built-in designs so you don’t have to pay a penny to download more from the online shop.
The integrated LCD screen allows for editing capabilities like resizing, welding, organizing and rotating. This machine cuts a wide variety of materials and its lightweight, standalone design is a welcome feature for those who are tight on space.
Pros
Comes with inbuilt 300 DPI scanner
Cuts various materials easily
Reliable lifetime customer support
Fit-to-page space saving capabilities
Cons
Doesn’t cut partial or perforated lines
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9. Cricut Expression 2 Cutting Machine
The Cricut Expression 2 offers 12″ x 24″ cutting capabilities and you can use it with a variety of Cricut cartridges. It is equipped with an LCD screen that allows you to edit, rotate, organize and perform other editing tasks for a custom output. Thanks to its touch screen capabilities, you don’t need to worry about a keypad overlay.
The mat preview makes it easy to arrange images on the cutting mat so that you can maximize paper use. In addition to the cutting machine, your money also gets you two cartridge handbooks, three port covers, a screen protector, a cutting mat, stylus, blade assembly and a Quick Start Guide.
Pros
Endless design capabilities
Cuts a wide variety of materials
Has a vast library of professionally designed images
Cons
Cartridges are expensive
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10.Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter
This is a premium cutting device that offers efficiency and precision. It works well with 350 grams of force. The 10x overlap cutting feature helps improve the workflow significantly, thus saving you time to work on other projects.
This machine has an optical registration feature that instantly recognizes crop marks from the desktop printer and aligns them for a precise cut. The manual blade offset is adjusted manually, making it easy to make perfect cuts of the smallest and most complex designs. Its ability to cut up to 20 inches per second without compromising efficiency or accuracy is another thing we love about this machine.
Pros
Fast cutting speed with efficiency and precision
Good for small and complex designs
Software is easy to learn and use
Cons
Expensive
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