The Bare-Bones, No-Frills Cricut Accessory List

What accessories are must-haves for your new Cricut? Here’s a short list of just the necessities. I am sharing this post today in partnership with Cricut as a part of the Cricut Ambassador Program. This post contains affiliate links. 

Waiting on a new Cricut machine to arrive is a mixture of exciting and overwhelming. Once I made the decision to order one, I felt like the delivery would never come! I was thrilled at the thought of getting started and all the projects that I would create. Yet, at the same time, I was nervous. Did I have all the supplies that I needed? What accessories would the Cricut box include and what would I need to purchase? If you have the same question, read on and I will try to help!

I understand that a Cricut machine is a steep investment for most people. The machine itself is not cheap, and if you are like me, then you may be reluctant to spend any more money on supplies and accessories than absolutely necessary. For that reason, I will keep this list short and only include the items that I truly think are important to have on hand when your Cricut arrives (or to order with your Cricut machine). It’s the Bare Bones, No Frills Cricut Accessory List!

First it is important to know what is included in the specific Cricut machine box that you purchase. A standard Cricut Explore Air 2 box includes the items seen in this post. These items typically include a pen, a blade, and a Standard Grip Cutting Mat. However, if you purchase a machine bundle, then you may receive more than this. For instance, the Cricut Explore Air™ 2 Mint Machine + EVERYTHING Starter Set includes everything from window cling material to the basic tools set. But for those who order the standard machine, these items are must-haves for crafting.

Extra Cutting Mat(s)

Each Cricut machine arrives with one mat. Having additional mats on hand is important for several reasons.

-When making a project where you will be cutting different materials/card stock on different mats, having an extra StandardGrip mat saves time. You can have the extra mat ready to go while you are weeding the image from the first cut.

-Mat accidents happen. One of my first mistakes as a Cricut newbie was somehow cutting through the mat. I’ve also cut my mat with scissors accidentally (don’t ask!). Hopefully, you’ll be spared from crazy mat accidents, but, if not, have an extra mat on hand so that you can still continue with your crafting.

-You may need to cut materials that do not work with the StandardGrip cutting mat. Materials such as printer paper, vellum, and construction paper need a LightGrip mat. Glitter cardstock, poster board, and fabric need a StrongGrip cutting mat. If you plan to cut any of these materials and the LightGrip and StrongGrip mats were not included in your machine purchase, you will need to purchase these.

COST: Purchase the mats singulary for $12.99 (StandardGrip)/$14.99 (LightGrip/StrongGrip) or in a variety 3 pack for $34.99.

Cutting Materials

This one is kind of obvious, but materials are one of the biggest starter expenses outside of the machine itself. Are you into card making? You’ll need card stock. Do you want to make cute iron-on shirts for the grandkids? Then you’ll need iron-on vinyl and blank shirts. Decide what you want your starter project to be and purchase the cutting materials for that project. If you are a new Cricut user, I recommend purchasing more than you will need for the individual project. First-time mistakes are common (trust me, we all make them!), and the only thing more frustrating than making a Cricut mistake is not having the needed items to try again.

Cost: This is difficult to pin point because it depends on the type of material. Card stock is typically the cheapest material, ringing in at $9.99, but typically when card making I use multiple types of card stock so even this material cost adds up. Iron-on vinyl begins at $12.99/roll. See a complete list of materials and their prices on the Cricut materials page.

Cricut Tools Basic Set (optional)

Okay, so the Cricut Tools Basic Set is a toss-up. I know crafters who swear by this set. It includes a spatula, a scraper, scissors, a weeder, and tweezers. Here are what each of these items do:

• Tweezers to lift and secure delicate material
• Weeder to remove tiny negative cuts
• Micro-tip scissors with protective blade cover
• Spatula to lift cuts from the mat
• Scraper to burnish material and clean all cutting mats

I have one of these sets and use something from it every time that I craft with my Cricut.

That being said, I went without one for three years. I used an old credit card as a scraper and beauty tweezers in lieu of crafting tweezers (and other household items for the scraper and weeder). Now that I have the Cricut Basic Tools set, I see the need for it and recommend it to crafters. However, I also know that it can be daunting to spend any extra after throwing down so much for a Cricut machine, so that is why I call the Cricut Tools Basic Set optional.

Cost: $24.99, though it is often on sale

And that’s the Bare Bones, No Frills Accessory List. Yep, there’s only three, and one of them is optional.