Can You Cut Fabric With the Cricut Explore Air 2

The Cricut Explore Air ii is an older automobile made past Cricut that is still wildly popular with crafters. It might not have the same capabilities as the newer Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo 4 just it still packs a serious punch when it comes to cutting out your crafting projects and is much more than affordable.

I'thousand going to swoop into the detailed specifications of this motorcar and help you determine if this old dog can learn new tricks. Yous tin also head over to my commodity comparison the Explore Air 2 with the Maker.

Cricut has several lines that appeal to DIY lovers, but the Explore line is all about versatility and speed. If yous're currently looking for a new vinyl cutting machine, it makes sense to explore the Explore Air 2 and see what it'due south all near.

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The Cricut Explore Air 2 Overview

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is ane of the most user-friendly machines on the marketplace. It's dandy for beginners but also has everything a more than advanced user would need in a die cutting machine. It's really my top pick in my commodity Best Cut Machine for Beginners. It has a sleek design and tons of fun colors. But information technology'southward what's underneath that shiny outside that we are interested in.

This machine uses smart technology and offers two operational speeds; normal and fast. Information technology's designed to work ii times faster than previous models to aid yous, whether you're working on a small or big scale. As well, this automobile allows you to cut more than 100 dissimilar materials with excellent precision, putting no limit to your creativity regardless of the project you're working on, check out the Explore Air 2 cut list.

Switching between the two speed modes is extremely easy, giving you total control over how fast your project volition become. Information technology's an excellent choice for avid likewise as DIY kickoff-timers because you tin can easily customize information technology.

Information technology also has a dual-carriage so information technology can use a bract and a tool, like a pen, at the same time. I'll dig into this more later on.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 comes with several features to provide y'all with flexibility, speed, and convenience. It's a reliable machine that allows y'all to cut, write, and score.

You lot can use information technology to make décor for diverse celebrations, write in multiple fonts, and create folds for 3D paper crafts and customized cards. This motorcar is fantabulous value for money because it won't disappoint yous regardless of what you lot need to do.

What's in the Box

The Cricut Explore Air two is sold on its own and is available in various bundles. Information technology's available in at to the lowest degree 10 colors including: mint, candy apple, peach osculation, periwinkle, raspberry, boysenberry, blush, sunflower, periwinkle, rose.

Here are the things that you lot will receive with your incredible machine.

Welcome Volume
Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing
Fine Point Pen, Black
LightGrip Mat, 12 Ten 12 inches
USB Cable
Power Adapter
Free trial membership to Cricut Access™
Several material samples
50 set up to go projects

Yous'll demand to download the Cricut Design Infinite software, which is free to use and can be downloaded whether you own a auto or not.

The machine is compatible with the scoring stylus, pens, bonded-fabric blade, and deep-point blade, these are sold separately. The bones box is enough to help yous starting time working on your first DIY projection.

If yous're like me and y'all desire to most blindside for your buck you lot should look at the bundles. Cricut offers two types of bundles the Essential Package, which includes a petty fabric and some central tools and the Everything Bundle, which includes a ton of materials and some essential tools

I personally picked the Everything Bundle when I bought my machine since it gave me a ton of different materials to try out. I've listed below what the bundles include merely Cricut changes them upward from time to time and then come across for yourself what goodies they include.

The Essential Packet includes:

The Portable Trimmer.
A Bones Tools Ready.
Standard Grip Cutting Mat 12 x 24 inches, three Pack.
Transfer Tape.
Premium Vinyl Sampler Removable, Everyday Iron-On Sampler, and Express Fe-On Sampler.

The Everything Bundle includes:

Multi-Pen Set up, Golden
Weeder Tool
Scraper & Spatula Set up
Cut Mat, Lightgrip
Vinyl Transfer Record
Stencil Vinyl
Glitter Vinyl, Aureate
Premium Vinyl Sampler, Nuts – Permanent
Premium Vinyl Sampler, Summer – Permanent
Shimmer Vinyl Sampler, Royalty
Everyday Iron-On Sampler, Neutrals
Everyday Iron-On Sampler, Nautical
Everyday Iron-On Sampler, Metallics
Everyday Fe-On Sampler, Sunset
Everyday Mesh Fe-On Sampler, Classics
Glitter Iron-On Sampler, Jubilee

These extra tools will allow you to explore the machine'southward potential to the maximum, and they provide excellent value for coin. Yous can also buy just the machine on its own and pick upward the tools and supplies yous need as yous get. I have a great list of essential tools for your Cricut Explore Air ii.

Details of the Cricut Explore Air two

Now I'one thousand going to run through the near important details and features of the Explore Air 2 like size, cutting force, blades, and tools amongst other awesome features that make this machine stand out from the competition, in spite of its age.

Size and Weight

The Explore Air ii is not a lightweight motorcar, merely it's fairly compact, given what it tin practice. You should take a dedicated workspace where you tin can go along it and all the necessary accessories to help keep you organized. It is a peachy size for a desktop machine.

The control panel is on the right side of the auto. It has the power push, the Smart Fix Dial, in improver to the get and break buttons. On the left side, you lot'll find the cartridge port, the open push button, and a small storage cup.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 actually has a surprising amount of storage space. The most obvious is the storage cup on the side of the machine. This storage cup is perfect for storing tools that yous utilize most often and piece of cake storage when the motorcar is in use.

Other storage compartments are under the lesser flap keeps everything organized that y'all might not employ every bit oft, such as other tools and blades. There'southward even a magnetic strip to shop extra blades and prevent them from moving around.

Specifications

Size: 22.17″ ten 7″ x 6″ (source)
Weight: 21 pounds
Cut Size: 11.5 X 23.v inches
Cut Force: 350 grams
Maximum Thickness: 2 mm
Compatible Software: Design Infinite
Adhesive Cutting Mat: Yes
Built-In Images: Yes (In Blueprint Space)
Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity: Yeah

Cutting Force & Cut Width

The Explore Air 2 has a cutting forcefulness of 350 grams, then it can fifty-fifty cutting the most challenging materials like wood, aluminum sheets, and heavy leather. About cutting machines will only offering a cutting strength of 210 grams. This will be plenty to work on diverse materials, but not all of them.

Only the Cricut Maker and Silhouette Cameo 4 accept higher cutting forces. The Maker with 4000 grams and the Cameo 4 with 5000 grams. So if you want to cut heavy duty fabrics or other tougher materials the Explore Air 2 won't cut information technology. Literally.

The Explore Air 2 still boasts an extensive list of over 100 different materials you tin cut with your machine. Meet the consummate list of what the Cricut Explore Air 2 can cut in my article.

Equally long as you stick with the materials Cricut recommends using the results volition always be precise and accurate, regardless of how challenging the material is. Fabrics and woven materials should be bonded or have some sort of a stabilizer that would agree the cloth in identify. The Cricut Explore Air 2 also suggests the best textile for your chosen design.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 can cutting materials upwardly to 12 inches broad by 24 inches long. This size is limited past the largest cutting mats available from Cricut. Cutting mats come in 2 sizes 12″x12″ or 12″x24″. While your fabric can be a little bigger the maximum sized cut yous can only cut designs that are a maximum of 11.5″x11.5″ or 11.five″x23.v″

Most cutting machines available can cut up to a 12 inch width with the exception of the Silhouette Cameo 4 which has three widths available regular at 12″, Plus at 15″ and Pro at 20″ (coming presently). 12 inches is enough for nigh crafters out there since scrapbooking card stock it typically 12″ in width and other materials have been designed to piece of work with most standard size machines.

Cut Blades

The Cricut Explore Air 2 features high-quality blades that are made of German language carbide. This ultra-resistant steel tin can withstand heavy-duty apply, and then this machine's blades won't disappoint you, even if yous're working with challenging materials.

The maximum textile depth is 2mm, which is thicker than what other machines tin offer. As a result, the machine can cut more than 100 materials, giving you lots of options when y'all're working on your scrapbook, cards, and decorations with world-course simplicity. The blades are said to last up to 3 times longer than standard steel blades.

Fine-Bespeak Blade

The fine-point blades are originally designed to work on sparse and medium-weight materials like affiche boards, fe-on, vinyl, and cardstock. It comes standard with your Explore Air ii and is the that blade volition work for most projects.

When your bract starts getting dull and non cutting well yous get replacement blades in a multi-pack of 5 or 10.

Bonded-Fabric Blade

If you lot know annihilation near cutting cloth yous know yous want specific fabric scissors and your machine blades are no different. The bonded-fabric bract is designed to work exclusively with textile materials with backing on them. Information technology allows you to create amazing appliques and embellishments to customize your clothes and quilts.

The bonded-material blade is pink to match the pinkish FabricGrip mat and both should but be used with bonded fabric for a longer lifespan. Both the bonded-fabric blade and FabricGrip mat are sold separately.

Deep-Point Blade

The deep-point blade is used for thicker materials like leather or even magnet. Information technology has a steep angle of sixty degrees instead of the standard 45 degrees of the fine-point bract, and so yous tin cut through thicker materials with no issues.

It is made of harder and more durable steel and also must be used with the deep-point bract housing. It is also sold separately from the machine simply can be found on Cricut.com.

Double Tool Holder

Pretty standard nowadays with electronic cutting machines is having the ability to use ii tools at once. Cricut was one of the first companies to come out with this feature.

With the double tool holder, you tin can now cut and write or cutting and score in a single step. You won't have to pause the project to swap out tools like yous previously would. This tool saves time and attempt because you can practice two things at the same fourth dimension.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 comes with the housings pre-installed in the clamps. Remembering which tool goes in which holder is piece of cake:

Clamp A – For Accessories
Clench B – For Blade

Tools and Accessories

The Cricut Explore Air 2 has a few accessories and tools availble. The principal 2 are pens and the scoring stylus. Cricut makes pens specifically compatible with its Clench A and they come up in tons of different colors and types. Everything from gel pens to glitter pens and to just basic black

The basic black pen is included with your machine purchase and then yous can get a feel for how to use the pens before investing in some of the fancier, more expensive ones. The pens are crawly for custom labels and custom mitt-written cards.

You aren't simply limited to Cricut pens. Yous can buy tertiary political party pen adapters from Amazon that will let you lot use merely almost any pen on the marketplace. The Ranger Embossing pen is one of my favorites since it lets you moisture emboss with your Explore auto.

The scoring stylus allows you to create perfect fold lines. This is ideal for creating cards, envelopes, 3D paper crafts, party boxes, and pinwheels. It'southward similar to a pen but with a metallic tip. But yous can't employ the stylus and a pen at the same time, they both utilize the Clamp A.

The Cricut Maker comes with additional tools such as the Knife Bract, Rotary Blade, and Scoring Wheels. These tools are exclusive to the Cricut Maker and are not compatible with the Cricut Explore machines.

Smart Set Punch

The Smart Set Dial is a large punch on the side of the machine that makes cutting so much easier. All you lot take to do is plough the dial to the material you desire to cut, and the Cricut Explore takes care of all the settings for yous. No more guesswork!

The punch features the most commonly used materials including paper, vinyl, iron-on, light cardstock, cardstock, textile, and poster board. Just if you wanted additional settings, select 'Custom' and select the material you lot want to cut in the software. You can e'er enter your own settings and save them to exist reused later.

If you use any of these common materials the Smart Prepare Dial is extremely handy since you lot don't need to chase around in the software for your fabric.

Double Speed

As an avid crafter, the Explore Air 2'due south double speed characteristic is life-changing. Although DIY projects are all almost patience and customizability, the fast speed allows you to attain a lot more. This is particularly true if you lot run a home crafting business and volition be making multiple of the aforementioned pattern.

Fast mode lets you cut and write up to 2x faster than normal mode. The speed doesn't affect the accurateness, but you can just end double the piece of work in a given period. I thing to keep in mind is not all materials can exist used with double speed fortunately your most common thinner materials like vinyl and iron-on are perfect for fast mode.

Your automobile won't let y'all select fast mode on materials that won't work well with it saving yous a lot hassle. If you lot notice your cuts aren't as good in fast way so you might desire to go back to normal style and see if that helps but there are many things that can touch on the quality of your cut aside from speed.

Noise Level

Everything comes with a price, and and then does the high speed of the Cricut Explore Air 2. When using the normal speed, the noise level when cutting isn't too bad and is actually i of the quieter machines available.

However, things alter a bit when y'all activate fast speed. The loftier-speed way saves a lot of fourth dimension and allows you to finish multiple projects in limited time, which tin can be a corking choice if you're preparing decorations for a party or need to complete an urgent social club for your crafts business. But, yous should proceed in heed that the higher speed means that the machine will be a lot noisier.

The noise level won't disturb the neighbors or wake up your family members if yous're using the machine at home. Just it's something that y'all should take into consideration. If you're non in a bustle, the normal speed will deliver the same quality, and the machine will be a lot quieter.

Impress Then Cut

The "Print So Cutting" characteristic is another feature that comes standard with almost electronic cut machines. What this feature allows you to do is print your favorite designs off your domicile printer and cutting them out using your Cricut car.

At present, keep in mind the Cricut Explore Air 2 is not a printer itself, then it won't be able to print on paper equally a regular printer would. It is a fun feature that lets y'all create custom stickers using both your Cricut and home print. Find out what the Best Vinyl Sticker Printer is to pair with your Explore Air 2.

There are some limitations to the "Print Then Cutting characteristic". It can merely cut images upwards to nine.25″ 10 6.75″. The Explore Air ii is besides limited to using white materials whereas the Maker can utilise light or medium colored material.

Wireless BlueTooth Connectedness

The Cricut Explore Air ii allows y'all to piece of work anywhere you like thanks to the wireless BlueTooth connection. You don't have to piece of work with your machine tangled in multiple wires, as it wirelessly connects to your laptop, tablet or phone.

This is an excellent feature if you lot're using this motorcar at school or domicile with your enthusiastic kids. The machine is not lightweight, but you'll be able to motion it around hands since yous won't accept to worry about any wires.

You can nevertheless connect via a wired USB connection also if you prefer your machine to be hardwired to your computer.

Cartridges

Originally Cricut used cartridges for crafters to buy and use designs. Fortunately, they have been retired but tin nonetheless exist used if you take some around. The Explore Air 2 is the last machine model to come up with a cartridge slot, the Cricut Maker, and Joy do not have these.

Yous tin can link your cartridges in Design Infinite with your machine and then never have to worry near using your cartridges again. Larn how to do this in my article How to Link Cartirdges with the Explore Air two.

Cricut Software

Cricut uses its own software called Design Space to connect seamlessly with your machine. The same software is used beyond all Cricut digital cutting machines. It is available as a downloadable plan for Mac and PC likewise every bit an app for iOS and Android. Unfortunately, the Andorid App is seriously defective in features and most users deem information technology useless.

Pattern Space is free to utilise and y'all don't even need a Cricut machine to employ it. There is likewise another membership offered by Cricut chosen Cricut Access and you'll get a costless trial membership when you purchase your new Explore Air ii auto. I'll dig into the details below.

Cricut Design Space Software

Cricut Design Infinite used to be a cloud-based software but it has been updated to a downloadable plan for your Mac or PC. Sorry Chromebook users Design Infinite is NOT compatible. Unfortunately, fifty-fifty though information technology's a downloadable program you still need internet access when you kickoff the program.

This because Design Space needs to connect with your Cricut Account in order to access whatsoever projects or images yous accept stored in the cloud. One time you've fabricated your initial connection you lot can download your projects, disconnect from the internet, and work offline.

The software is convenient, and in no time, you will exist able to learn how to explore and use information technology, fifty-fifty if you're non that tech-savvy. You will quickly learn how to relieve your customized SVG files, or any other format like JPG or PNG. The software allows you to upload your own images for complimentary and to protect your individual designs if you change the device, then no one else will have access to them. Other compatible file types for Design Space are are .svg, .png, .dxf, .gif, .bmp and .jpg.

The main drawback to Design Space is if you desire to create your own designs from scratch. The software allows you to select and dispense existing designs, only if you're looking to create designs from scratch, you'll be amend off creating them in a different program like Adobe/Illustrator and importing them.

Cricut Access

Cricut Access is a membership program offered past Cricut that includes tons of fonts and images yous tin can use in your projects and designs. Many new Cricut owners become confused between Design Space and Access. Every bit I mentioned Design Space is Gratis simply Cricut Access is a membership.

When you lot purchase your machine you get a costless trial to Cricut Access but once that trial expires whatever projects you take created using Cricut Access images and fonts will no longer be available unless you sign up.

At that place are some free designs in Design Space and y'all tin certainly find plenty of free designs all over the internet. There are likewise a ton of designs and fonts available for purchase through Cricut and many other websites. Only Cricut Access provides you with a simple style to find many fonts and images for a low monthly fee.

Cricut Access gives you:

Unlimited access to over 400 cute fonts
Unlimited use of over l,000 premium Cricut images
And a lot of other perks like 10% off Cricut Purchases and Licensed images and fonts.

There are a few payment options that come up with slightly different benefits. I won't become into too much detail hither, just Cricut Admission can exist a peachy style to save on designs.

Pros and Cons of the Cricut Explore Air 2

This auto is a dream come true for craft lovers and comes with a ton of advantages that make it ane of the all-time options on the marketplace. But, equally with anything, there are a few drawbacks as well.

Pros

It offers a long listing of flexible materials that y'all can use to create the decorations of your choice.
Piece of cake cutting with fast speed will help y'all save your time and endeavour, especially when you're working on multiple projects.
The Cricut Explore Air 2 gives you lot precise and accurate cuts and designs, fifty-fifty on more challenging materials.
The Bluetooth connectivity characteristic gives you more than liberty as you explore the full potential of this machine.
The machine comes in multiple color options that appeal to every DIY lover.
Packed with functional features that appeal to every crafts lover.
Lots of useable storage infinite helping y'all, keep your workspace neat and organized.
It saves your settings. The large and user-friendly analog switch is your become-to tool if you lot're working with the same material
There are lots of free designs that you can use in Design Space. Y'all can too download endless designs from your computer, and the machine will bring them to life.
It'southward i of the about affordable total sized cutting machines available.

Cons

Cricut Design Space doesn't piece of work without an cyberspace connection unless you're using the iOS app. This might be a bit limiting if you're trying to work away from home.
If you're just planning to employ the machine every now and then, you can pay for projects when y'all need to. Projects are available for as little as $0.99 on Cricut Access. However, if you're planning to use the auto more often, then you lot should consider paying for the monthly subscription.
Activating the "Print Then Cutting" feature is extremely helpful, but you might get disappointed because the size of the image you picked is different from what you end up with. Still, you can set up that past altering the size of the chosen image before executing it.
Some thick materials can't be cut using the fast mode choice. More complicated designs are ameliorate executed using the normal speed.
Doesn't have equally extensive tool options every bit the Cricut Maker.

Where Can I Buy the Cricut Explore Air 2?

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is bachelor from many retailers. My favorite to buy online are from Amazon and the official Cricut website. I exercise tend to prefer duing directly from the manufacturer for a car like this since yous don't need to deal with a third-political party heart man.

Cricut frequently has sales on their Explore Air 2 machine and updated regularly. Keep an heart on my sidebar for currently Cricut sales.

Final Verdict

Overall the Cricut Explore Air 2 is a versatile, budget friendly, and dependable cut machine. It's an excellent selection for a DIY lover or someone who has a medium-sized business. You tin utilise it to cut, write, and score various materials for party decorations, stencils, embellishments, and other DIY creations using more 100 materials.

For the cost, information technology'south the best blindside for your buck. This machine has been effectually for awhile but it still is a top contender equally one of the best cutting machines on the market. If you lot are looking for a more versatile automobile so the Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo 4 might be the automobile for you.

Cheque out my review of the Cricut Maker and my comparing of the Explore Air 2 vs Maker. I also have an in-depth review of the Silhouette Cameo four and a comparison of the Maker vs Cameo 4.

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