Getting a new Cricut and wondering what Cricut accessories you truly need to get started? I show you the exact must-have Cricut accessories and supplies you need to start making fabulous things right away!
Did you get a new Cricut Explore or Cricut Makercutting machine, or planning to get one, and wondering WHAT ELSE you need? I get so many questions about this from the members of my Cricut Crafters & Makers Facebook group that I decided it was time for a list! So let me tell you exactly what Cricut accessories I consider to be must-haves and nice-to-haves so you can get crafting with your machine immediately!
If you have a Cricut Joy, I have a guide to help you figure out what accessories and supplies you need to start using it. Read my Cricut Joy Accessories Guide here.
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First, you really don’t need ALL THE THINGS. Your Cricut will come with a lot of the REALLY essential things. Here’s a list of what your Cricut comes with:
Cricut Explore Included-in-Box Accessories and Supplies:
- German Carbide Premium Fine-Point Blade and Housing
- 12″ x 12″ LightGrip Cutting Mat
- Fine-Point Cricut Pen — not included with the Cricut Explore One
- Accessory adapter (for a scoring stylus or Cricut pen) — not included with the Cricut Explore One
- Material sample (for the first project)
- USB cord and power adapter
Cricut Maker Included-in-Box Accessories and Supplies:
- German Carbide Premium Fine-Point Blade and Housing
- Rotary Blade and Housing
- 12″ x 12″ LightGrip Cutting Mat
- 12″ x 12″ FabricGrip Cutting Mat
- Fine-Point Cricut Pen
- Cardstock and fabric sample (for the first project)
- Accessory adapter (for a scoring stylus or Cricut pen)
- USB cord and power adapter
Beyond what comes in the box, all I had when I first started out with my Cricut Explore Air 2 was some cardstock. But there are a number of things that are really useful to have in the beginning, and that’s what we’ll focus on!
So What Cricut Accessories are Must-Haves?
Must-Have Accessory: Cricut Tools (Especially Weeding Tool and Scraper Tool)
WHAT TO GET: Some basic tools are really useful, especially a weeding tool and a scraper.
WHY GET IT: If you cut vinyl, you’re almost certainly going to need a weeding tool to remove all the bits of vinyl you do not want to transfer to your project. And a scraper is SO useful when cutting paper, as it takes a while to get all of those little bits of paper up off your mat.
WHERE TO GET IT: You can get just the Cricut weeding tool here and just the Cricut scraper tool here, but it’s a better deal to get a Cricut Basic Tool Set here on Amazon. You’ll also find these tools stocked at the major craft stores.
Tip: Learn how to make this nifty and portable Cricut tool holder here.
Must Have Accessory: Cricut Deep-Cut Blade (Maker and Explore) or Cricut Knife Blade (Maker Only)
WHAT TO GET: The Deep-Cut Blade (Explore and Maker) and the Knife Blade (Maker only) let you cut thicker materials. Neither of these will come with your Cricut unless you purchased a special bundle that included it.
WHY GET IT: If you want to cut thicker materials, you’ll need one or both of these blades, depending on your machine. It will open up a lot more opportunities for cutting! Several of the free projects on my blog call for one of these blades, such as the Puzzle and the Cricut Tool Bench.
WHERE TO GET IT: You can get the Deep-Cut Blade and Housing here (yes, you need both) and the Knife Blade and Housing here on Amazon. You’ll also find them stocked at the major craft stores.
Tip: Learn more about Cricut Blades here.
Must-Have Accessory: Cricut Scoring Stylus/Scoring Tool
WHAT TO GET: One of the best accessories Ithink a new Cricut owner needs is either a scoring stylus (for Cricut Explore) or a scoring tool (for Cricut Maker owners). Note that Cricut Maker owners can also use the scoring stylus if they wish, but the scoring tool will give you a deeper score. I use both the scoring stylus and tool all the time, and many of my papercraft projects utilize it.
WHY GET IT: With a scoring tool, you can make a wider variety of papercrafts. Most of the papercrafts on my blog have some sort of scoring involved. It’s a simple tool that makes a big difference for papercrafting. Note that if you don’t plan to do papercrafting, you don’t need this accessory.
WHERE TO GET IT: You can get the scoring stylus here and a scoring tool here on Amazon! You’ll also find them stocked at the major craft stores.
Tip: Learn more about both the scoring stylus and the scoring wheel in my Cricut Scoring Guide.
Must-Have Accessory: Aluminum Foil Ball
WHAT TO GET: A sheet of regular household aluminum foil, balled up tightly.
WHY GET IT: A ball of aluminum foil will help you keep your fine-point blades clean, and likely will mean you do not need to buy replacement blades for a long, long time (I haven’t bought a replacement blade in over a year now). Learn how to use the aluminum foil ball over in my .
WHERE TO GET IT: Your local grocery store will have some or you can order aluminum foil from Amazon! But I’ll bet you already have some out in your kitchen!
What Cricut Supplies are Must-Haves
Must-Have Supply: Cardstock
If you want to begin making papercraft projects with your Cricut right away, you’ll need cardstock! I recommend 65 lb. solid core paper, like the Recollections brand.
Must-Have Supply: Vinyl
If you want to begin making vinyl projects with your Cricut right away, you’ll need vinyl! I recommend both self-adhesive vinyl and iron-on vinyl (also called HTV) for a variety of vinyl projects. For self-adhesive vinyl, I use Cricut brand and Oracal. For iron-on vinyl, I use Cricut brand and Siser.
Must-Have Supply: Transfer Tape
Vinyl projects also need at least one roll of transfer tape so you can transfer your vinyl to your project surface. Be sure to get the Cricut StandardGrip Transfer Tape, not the StrongGrip transfer tape (which is only used for glitter vinyl). I usually just use the Cricut brand of transfer tape.
Nice-to-Have Cricut Accessories
Nice-to-Have Accessory: More Cricut Mats
I go through mats pretty frequently, and usually buy a new Cricut mat every time I visit the craft store. Some projects will really need a new or newish mat that is very sticky in order to work right. Yes, you can wash them, but I find it more time consuming and it’s easier (for me) to just get new mats (time is money, friends!). I recommend you have at least one each of the Cricut mats, and maybe some of the 12″ x 24″ mats if you intend to do some larger projects.
Nice-to-Have Accessory: Cricut EasyPress
If you’re going to do iron-on vinyl projects, the Cricut EasyPress is a great accessory and makes it easier to iron-on things.
Nice-to-Have Accessory: Cricut Pens
If you think you’ll want to do any envelope addressing or writing in general, pick up a few Cricut pens — they fit right in your accessory clamp. They also work for writing on labels or card designs.
Tip: Learn more about Cricut pens in my Ultimate Cricut Pen Guide.
Nice-To-Have Cricut Supplies
Nice-to-Have Supply: Fabric and Fabric Marking Pen
If you have a Cricut Maker, you’ll find it cuts fabric really nicely. So a small supply of felt and other fabrics can be useful! You might also want to get the fabric-marking pen!
Things I DO NOT Think You Need Right Away
You really don’t need replacement fine-point blades. Use my aluminum foil ball trick to keep your blades sharp and clean!
You don’t need every color and type of cardstock or vinyl, even though you may be tempted. I recommend you buy your supplies on a project-by-project basis to avoid stockpiling too much and getting overwhelmed.
Now, What Do You Do With Your Cricut?
You’re now ready to take on the crafting world, my friend! If you need help setting up a new Cricut, I have a whole new owner’s guide and free mini-course on how to do that!
Your new Cricut cutting machine comes with a free trial of Cricut Access, which is a library of images, projects, and fonts. It’s all inside Cricut Design Space (the app you used or will use, to set up your Cricut). So I recommend you click Projects, choose “Cricut Access” from the dropdown menu at the top, and pick a project that looks like something you want. Some projects will be harder or require tools or materials you don’t have yet, so try to stick with something simple at first. Each project will tell you what materials and accessories you need, so be sure to check. When you’ve found something, click the green Make It button to get started.
Are you ready to make some of the projects I’ve designed? You can! Here is a project I made just for beginners — the Easy Layers Greeting Card Set:
Each card is a two-sheet project, so you’ll need to load another mat with another sheet of cardstockinto the machine. Design Space will show you what color will be cut next, or you can use whatever colors you want.
Once you feel comfortable with uploading SVG files for your new Cricut, you can make any of the projects on my blog or elsewhere on the web. You can find many free SVG files, or you can buy them, too. All of the SVG files in my Resource Libraryare free for you to download and use! My Pop-Up Butterfly Cardis another easy project great for beginners.
If you have any questions about Cricut accessories or supplies, please come on over to my awesome Facebook group and let us know!
Love,
P.S. Here are some great Cricut Tips and Tricks to help you get the most out of your cutting machine!
Want to remember this? Save the Cricut Accessories and Supplies List to your favorite Pinterest board!
Jennifer
Jennifer Maker is a designer, an enthusiastic crafter, a lifelong teacher, and a proud overcomer of a variety of life's challenges. In her spare time she loves to play D&D and video games, garden, sew costumes, and go to Disney. She lives a full, happy life in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan with her partner Greg, her daughter Alexa, their two dogs, Hunter and Chloe, and their sassy orange cat, Butterscotch. Jennifer is looking forward to one day moving to her new home on Maker Farm!
