Maybe you're on a budget and need family reunion shirts or maybe you saw a super cute children's shirt and thought, "I could make that.", whatever the reason for jumping into the wild world of vinyl crafting the first tool you'll need other than a heat press machine is a cutter! You may think that Cricut is the only one out there but in this blog we'd like to offer you a great comparison on some of the best cutters on the market today.
Brother ScanNCut
First up and maybe the least well known is the Brother ScanNCut SDX125e. This is the only home and hobby cutter that has a built-in scanner! Read on to learn more about this cutter and what it has to offer.
Brother ScanNCut SDX125e
LCD Touch Screen
- The display is a 5” LCD touch screen.
- Built-in features to edit or create your artwork.
- 682 built-in designs.
- You can weld, rotate and resize your images on screen.
Auto-Blade
- Automatically detects material thickness. No need to select a material type nor adjust the blade depth before cutting.
- Can cut up to 0.1” (3mm) in thickness.
- Cuts a variety of materials such as foam and felt.
- Test cuts are easy with the test cut option.
- The Brother ScanNCut SDX125e has a half cut feature and is easy to tweak the settings with the built-in adjustable pressure and cut speed options.
High-Resolution Scanner
- The Brother ScanNCut line is the only home and hobby cutting machine with built-in scanning.
- Scan up to 11.7 inches in width and up to 600 DPI resolution.
- Scan,view and adjust the scanned image on the 5” touch screen.
- The file formats supported include FCM and SVG.
- Scanning feature identifies shapes to cut without the need of registration marks.
Wireless Connectivity
- Brother ScanNCut SDX125 features complete wireless connectivity.
- Connect wirelessly to your PC, tablet, phone to send cut files back and forth on the same wireless network.
- FREE access to Brother’s CanvasWorkspace design application.
Warranty
- Warranty = 1 Year Limited Parts & Labor, 2 Year Limited Electronic Components and Printed Circuit Boards
Silhouette Cameo 4
Next up a more well known cutter, the Silhouette Cameo 4. This 12" cutter is a great option for anyone looking for a small but mighty cutter!
Silhouette Cameo 4
Sleek Design
- Larger Tool Carriage Housing
- Retractable cover
- 3 different colors, pink, black, and the original white
- Built in roll feeder
- Back-lit touch panel
Speed & Force
- About 3x faster than it's predecessor the Cameo 3
- Up to 5 kg of force
- Can cut materials up to 0.1” (3mm) in thickness.
Tools
- Backwards compatible with Cameo 3 tools.
- Gear Driven Tool Carriage to work with the Rotary Blade, Kraft Blade, and new Auto Blade
- Crosscutter
- Built-in Roll Feeder
AutoBlade
- Single tap reset to decrease the amount of time it takes for the AutoBlade to adjust
Auto Tool Detection
- Allows for the software and machine to detect if the tool in the carriage is a sketch pen, blade, auto blade, or other options
Roll Feeder
- Roll widths 9" or 12"
- Maximum roll diameter: 3"
Bluetooth Connectivity
- Allows cord free activity
Materials*
- Adhesive vinyl
- Heat transfer vinyl
- Cotton fabrics that do not have a backing
- Denim
- Felt
- Wool
- Leather
- Acetate
- Max media thickness: 3mm
*results will vary depending on the density and thickness of materials
Warranty
- 1-year limited warranty from the date of purchase
Cricut Maker
Everyone knows Cricut is synonymous with crafting so let's see what it has to offer and how it will stack up against the Silhouette Cameo 4 and the Brother ScanNCut.
Cricut Maker
Sleek Design
- The Cricut Maker is available in white plus 5 other colors
- Tool storage in the lid
Speed & Force
- Can cut materials up to 2.4mm thick with Knife Blade
- Offers Fast Mode for up to 2X faster cutting or writing
Tools
- Tools included with the Cricut Maker:
- Rotary Blade + drive housing
- Fine-Point Blade + housing
- Fine Point Pen in Black
- Fabric Mat 12"x12"
- LightGrip Mat 12"x12"
Bluetooth Connectivity
- Great for cord free creating
QuickSwap Compatible
- Quickly swap between tools for engraving, debossing, and more with a easy release button at the top of the housing
Materials
- Can cut over 300 different materials including:
- Vinyl
- Heat Transfer Materials
- Fabric
- Leather
- Paper
- Balsa Wood
Warranty
- 1-year limited warranty from the date of purchase
All of these cutters can accommodate a maximum of 12" wide material. For a list of 12" material that we offer, check out our blogs Heat Transfer Vinyl for Cricut Maker and Adhesive Vinyl for Cricut Maker.