The Cricut Joy

I am really on the fence about buying this. Even more so after reading the comments on this site. I The pros are that it is small and portable (and apparently quieter). It would be great to have available to use with my grandkids. Finding a place large enough to set up my Cricut Explore makes it not something I can just leave “set up”. That means I use it less than I would if it was easier to find a place to plug it in and leave it.

Can the “smart” sheets that have vinyl on them be reused as another cutting mat for other materials?

Comments and advice would be welcome.

Hello all….I ordered my cricut joy bundle off HSN but mine is still in packaging, is anybody else’s taking this long?

Well im on the fence. I impulsively ordered it. My order has been in packaging since I ordered it. Time on my hand to reconsider the $200 purchase including shipping and tax. Gonna cancel.

I have the Explore Air II…….do I really need a machine just to make vinyl signs which seems to be it’s hottest feature upon reflection. The vinyl was not a cheap trick. As a matter of fact after I really looked at the price+shipping on each roll….. it almost doubled in price vs what I could purchase in the store or Amazon. I cancelled all 5 rolls. The shipping was obscene.

Think HSN rolled the dice on the effect of $5 Craft Day shipping and the customer lost! Canceling. I can buy a lot of Cricut supplies for $200 for my Explore Air.

Cynthialbbw, Yes! I’ve thought craft days were infomercials for whatever machine was the value of the day. This one was a teensy bit better.

If this “Smart” materials catches on, I bet that somewhere in the future, a new Cricut machine like the Maker or Explore Air will be made and cost even more than what they are now. There will always be some New toy.

Was it my imagination or was HSN cramming the Cricut Joy down our throats. Everytime I tuned it it was on air. Way overpriced.

I bought the original Explore on HSN when it first came out. I linked all of cartridges to my account. I only subscribed to Access last year because they were adding so much to it. For me it’s worth it. I used to buy physical cartridges because I liked only a couple of images on it. With Access I don’t do that anymore. If I decide I don’t want to pay for it anymore I can stop. I still have all of the cartridges I bought and linked. Tons of svgs. Cricut always has a lot of free images to use.

Customer service can help you link physical cartridges to your account so you can use them in Design Space with the Joy, Explore, Maker etc.

Which materials can the Joy cut?

Joy can only cut the most common craft materials – paper, card, iron-on, vinyl and sticker paper. It’s also the only machine that can cut without a mat, thanks to the new Smart Vinyl and Smart Iron On technology (another feature that makes it quicker and simpler to use).

Joy also has the additional option of the Card Mat. This allows you to slot a folded card blank into the mat, before cutting it out. (Other machines have to cut the card flat, not folded, which takes a little longer to set up and align correctly).

It cannot cut heavy materials like chipboard and balsa wood, nor can it cut any fabric.

Joy is also the only one of the three machines that cannot do “print and cut”, a process where you print an image, then the Cricut scans it and cuts out very specific sections.

Who is the Joy for?

Unlike the others, Joy not aimed specifically at crafters. It’s more suited to everyday family use – whether that’s last minute birthday cards, or making custom storage labels for the kitchen or office.

The Cricut Joy explains: What is the Cricut Joy?

Joy is the newest Cricut cutting machine, announced in February 2020. It’s the smallest of them all, just over 8″ wide and weighing only 1.75 kg (3.85 lbs). This makes it really portable – perfect for quick makes around the home. Its tiny size means it can easily be tucked away on a shelf or in a cupboard between uses.

The whole reason behind the Cricut Joy is ease of use. It has a simplified interface and tool port, and is operated completely from the Design Space app (no buttons on the machine itself). This takes away several steps in the making process, making it that little bit quicker and simpler to use. However, it can still cut to the same incredible level of accuracy as all other Cricut machines.

It can also cut much longer designs than the other Cricut models: up to 4 foot continuous designs, or up to 20 foot repeated designs. Perfect for simple banners, party decorations and wall decals.

However, just note that because it’s smaller than the others, it has a maximum cutting width of 4.25″. (The others can cut up to 11.5″ in width).
Which materials can the Joy cut?

Joy can only cut the most common craft materials – paper, card, iron-on, vinyl and sticker paper. It’s also the only machine that can cut without a mat, thanks to the new Smart Vinyl and Smart Iron On technology (another feature that makes it quicker and simpler to use).

Joy also has the additional option of the Card Mat. This allows you to slot a folded card blank into the mat, before cutting it out. (Other machines have to cut the card flat, not folded, which takes a little longer to set up and align correctly).

It cannot cut heavy materials like chipboard and balsa wood, nor can it cut any fabric.

Joy is also the only one of the three machines that cannot do “print and cut”, a process where you print an image, then the Cricut scans it and cuts out very specific sections.

Who is the Joy for?

Unlike the others, Joy not aimed specifically at crafters. It’s more suited to everyday family use – whether that’s last minute birthday cards, or making custom storage labels for the kitchen or office.

Just a heads up……Amazon and Amazon Prime have a lot of the Cricut Joy things in stock. Check it out…….FREE SHIPPING TOO.

Cricut Design Space is free. Many designs are free. You can buy digital cartridges, or one design at a time, if you want one.
A subscription gives you full access. I don’t have a subscription, and I occasionally buy a certain design if I really need it.
You can upload designs off the internet for free. You can upload free fonts into Design Space, use the free fonts, or buy a font. So, yes, you can use the machine forever without spending a dime if you wish. I am assuming using the Joy is the same. But the card cuts that come with the Joy are free for 30 days, and then I think you have to buy that card cartridge if you want to keep using it. I have an explore, and I seldom spend any money. But I don’t use my Cricut a ton. I am trying to use it more.

So… after the 30 days trial, if you don’t pay the subscription you can’t use the machine???

After all, you did pay for all the cartridges, so download them on someone else’s machine that allows you to do so.

I don’t pay for Cricut Design Space. Isn’t that only if you have a subscription? Do you have to have a subscription for the Joy? Do you have to buy the card cartridge after one month? I think if you had a friend with an Explore, you could possibly sign in at her house and download your cartridges on her machine to your account. Not sure but worth a try.

It seems like if you hqve q cricut machine you have to keep paying to be able to use it. That’s one reason why I’d never buy one.