Diving into the Cricut Maker 4: From Zero to DIY Hero

Diving into the world of electronic cutting machines can feel daunting, especially for a complete beginner. As a first-time Cricut user, I set out to test the Maker 4 with three popular mediums – iron-on vinyl/smart vinyl, cardstock, and sticker vinyl/smart vinyl – to see how it fares for novices and makers alike. I’ll be honest with you – I’d heard from friends with Cricuts that they’d had difficulty in the machine set up, getting it to talk to their laptop and how frustrating they found it. So, I wasn’t holding high hopes for my experience being an easy one, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised!

 

Unboxing & Setup

• Packaging & Contents: The Maker 4 arrives well packaged in a sturdy box, and surprisingly heavy. Included are the machine itself, power cord, USB cable, LightGrip cutting mat, weeding tool, and a welcome guide. It also came with a blade already in place and materials for testing (smart iron-on, smart vinyl and card stock) which I found helpful as I wouldn’t have known where to start or what to buy.
• Initial Impressions: The machine’s gorgeous sage coloured exterior looks modern and clean. It’s substantial in size, but still portable enough to move around a craft room.
• Setup Process: the set up guide included with the machine is super helpful.
  1. Power & Wi-Fi: Plug-in and power on; the front display guides you to connect via Bluetooth or USB. I connected over Wi-Fi easily, but our internet has been unstable recently, so in the end I opted to connect to my laptop with the USB C cable provided. This was really simple to do and allowed uninterrupted, constant communication between the machine and my device.
  2. Design Space Installation: Cricut’s web-based Design Space software requires account creation. (Thank you Cricut for setting me up with an account for this review! Much appreciated!) The interface prompted an update to the firmware automatically, but this was painless and fast.
  3. First Cut Calibration: Running the test cut for blade calibration was seamless, just follow on-screen prompts, insert the calibration sheet, and the machine handles the rest.

Verdict: Setup took about 15 minutes total. Clear instructions and automated calibration make the Maker 4 highly accessible for beginners.

 

 

 

Software Experience: Design Space

Think of Design Space as Cricut’s online playground – it’s where all the magic happens before you start cutting. Hop into Design Space (on your computer or phone – I used my laptop), pick one of their tons of pre-made project templates, anything from vinyl decals to custom tee designs, and then tweak it however you like. Want to play with fonts, change colours, resize something? Easy peasy lemon squeezy. You can even upload your own images (SVGs, PNGs, JPGs, you name it). Once you’re happy, hit “Make It” and watch your Cricut bring your creation to life. It’s super beginner-friendly, yet powerful enough for pros who want to layer designs or integrate with tools like Canva. Being the beginner that I am, I have yet to explore that far, but I was certainly satisfied with the pre-made templates.

• Design Space Interface:
  • Learning Curve: Though jam-packed with features, if Design Space seems overwhelming at first glance, that’s because it is! While helpful tooltips and tutorial prompts softened the learning curve, I had to go watch hours of YouTube and TikTok videos to learn the basics. Although this was time consuming, I feel it is necessary if you are new to Cricut’s Design Space like I am. You’ll never be short of help, education or project ideas given the size of the online Cricut community.
  • Designing: Adding text, images, and shapes is fairly straightforward. I have yet to create my own design from scratch, but I have availed myself of the thousands of designs available in Design Space.
• Material Settings: Pre-loaded material profiles include “Iron-On Vinyl,” “Medium Cardstock,” and “Premium Vinyl.” Adjustments for pressure and multi-cut are available, but I have found them to be unnecessary for my beginner projects. I can see how a more seasoned user of the Cricut would find these adjustments useful.
• Cut Previews & Prompts: Before each cut, Design Space shows a “Cut Preview” and highlights recommended blade and mat. A countdown “Get Ready” helps ensure you’re prepared before the blade moves. The Cricut Maker 4 really does spoon feed you through the process. Being the absolute beginner that I am, I really appreciated this functionality.

Verdict: Design Space is robust, though novices may need an afternoon of tinkering to feel fully confident.

 

 Testing with Iron-On Vinyl/smart vinyl

Materials & Preparation

• Vinyl Type: Heat Transfer Vinyl.
• Mat: LightGrip mat cleaned with a lint roller to maximize adhesion.
• Blade: Fine-point blade (default/already installed).

Cutting Performance

• Cut Settings: Selected “Iron-On Vinyl” profile.
• Results:
  • Precision: Clean cuts on intricate script fonts down to 0.2″ height. No jagged edges.
  • Weeding: Backing peeled away smoothly; thin sections held firm without lifting. I was nervous to ‘weed’ my design, afraid I’d break the image or stretch it, but I needn’t have worried. The material is robust, and the weeding tool makes the task easy.
• Speed: I’m told the Cricut Maker 4 cuts significantly faster than previous models, achieving speeds of up to 35.8 cm per second/14.1 inches per second, which is up to two times faster when using smart materials. This increased speed applies to both smart materials on a mat and matless cutting. I went down a rabbit hole and watched a TikTok video comparing the Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Maker 4 cutting speed. It certainly seems to be the case that the Maker 4 is faster than its predecessor. You can watch a comparison here https://www.tiktok.com/@cricut_sa/video/7478607055016824065 or go find one on YouTube if you’re not a TikTok fan.

Application

• Transfer Process: I googled how to transfer the smart vinyl on to fabric, and got great results. I simply placed the cut vinyl where I wanted it, covered it with baking paper/wax paper, and ironed on without steam.
• Outcome: The iron-on smart vinyl was fun to use, easy to handle, and created a great final product.

 

Testing with Cardstock

Materials & Preparation

• Cardstock: textured yellow cardstock included with machine.
• Blade: Fine-point blade; “Medium Cardstock” profile.
• Mat: LightGrip.

Cutting Performance

• Complexity Test: I designed a floral greeting card with delicate edges.
• Results: Well – this was a disaster. But not because of the Cricut – it was me. I did not look a the dimensions of the image in my Design Space project page in comparison with the card I put through the machine. The image was huge – too huge for the card, and so the cut went beyond the card and rendered the final product a dud. Totally my fault. The cutting however was crisp and clean – no complaints.

 No photos – I threw the results in the bin, frustrated at my stupidity!

 

Testing with Sticker (Adhesive) Vinyl

Materials & Preparation

• Vinyl Type: smart vinyl purchased from Spotlight.
• Blade: Fine-point blade; “Sticker Vinyl” profile.
• Mat: LightGrip. Though I have read that you can change the mat to a standard grip for some materials that you cut with, to enable easier removal from the mat after cutting.

Cutting Performance

• Design Complexity: a simple images – a gift, a leaf and words
• Results:
  • Edge Sharpness: cut cleanly.
  • Mat Removal: Sticker vinyl came off effortlessly with no curling. Again the weeding tool was very useful.

Application

• Stick Quality: On paper, plastic, and metal surfaces, stickers adhered smoothly without lifting.

 

 

Overall Performance & Reliability

• Motor & Build: The Maker 4’s motor feels sturdy. Even at top speed, vibrations are minimal. It runs quietly too.
• Blade Compatibility: Auto-detect system seamlessly recognizes both Cricut and some third-party blades.
• Noise Level: Quieter than I expected, especially compared to older Cricut Explore models.
• Software Updates: Frequent firmware and Design Space updates, both bugfixes and feature additions, arrived without hiccups.

Beginner-Friendliness

• Guided Tutorials: On-screen walkthroughs for first cuts and material loading are invaluable for novices. However, I needed my hand to be held for a while longer before starting any projects. I was concerned that I’d make mistakes and waste materials. I went here for some great tutorials for the Cricut Maker 4. Once I got out of my head about ‘stuffing everything up’, I took some risks and just went for it.
• Community Resources: Cricut’s Design Space community has project templates ranging from simple vinyl decals to advanced multi layered projects.
• Support: 24/7 chat support and extensive knowledge base articles make troubleshooting painless. They have a chatbot to help you through your queries too.

 

Verdict

For a first-time Cricut user, the Maker 4 delivers a mix of trepidation and inspiration. Once I started, watched many tutorials, and just began, I could see how with time, confidence and practice the Cricut Maker 4 could be a fantastic asset to both the home crafter or someone who has a side hustle on Etsy or similar.  While Design Space’s extensive feature set can feel daunting initially, the abundance of tutorials and a supportive user community ease the learning curve. I really began to feel that the only thing limiting your use of the Cricut is your imagination … and even that problem Cricut has solved with Design Space. I cannot fault the Cricut Maker 4. It set up beautifully and works like a charm!

Who Should Buy?

• Beginners craving a one-machine-does-it-all solution.
• Hobbyists who want to explore diverse crafts – HTV, paper, vinyl – with professional results.
• Small Business Owners needing fast, reliable production of decals, apparel designs, and packaging embellishments.

Considerations:

• If you plan to cut very thick materials (100+ lb. cardstock, balsa wood, leather), you may need to invest in specialty blades.
• A range of mats would be useful for different materials.

 

Tips for First-Time Users

1. Start Simple: Begin with basic shapes to familiarise yourself with mat loading and blade settings.
2. Clean Your Mats: Use a lint roller after every few cuts to maintain proper grip.
3. Watch for Updates: Always approve firmware updates before embarking on major projects.
4. Leverage Community: Browse Design Space’s project templates for inspiration and step-by-step guidance. Then go beyond to the wealth of experience online through YouTube and TikTok.
5. Stock Consumables: Maintain a supply of extra mats, blades, and varied vinyl types to avoid project delays.

 

Final Thoughts

Stepping into the Cricut ecosystem for the first time, I found the Maker 4’s performance exceeded expectations – delivering professional-grade cuts with minimal trial and error. Its versatility across iron-on vinyl, cardstock, and sticker vinyl makes it an invaluable asset for makers of all levels. With time and patience to master Design Space, the Maker 4 will empower you to bring intricate, personalised creations to life, quickly and reliably. You can get your hands on a Cricut Maker 4 at Spotlight and Harvey Norman for $698.

Happy crafting!

 

With thanks to Cricut for the Cricut Maker 4 to review.