Owning a Cricut Explore Air 2 and Expore 3, I believed I didn't need a third Cricut machine until I saw the JOANN's sale and delicious price of $199 (later it dropped to $179) plus taxes and free shipping for a new Cricut Maker 1. How could I resist celebrating the New Year 2025 with this crafting machine in a beautiful champagne color? So, here comes my Cricut Maker review.
Firstly, while some crafters do refer to the original Maker as Cricut Maker 1, it is known simply as "Maker" (although there is no Maker 2 since the next version is called Maker 3). Secondly, this crafting machine is not a brand-new release, but I got it in brand-new condition at a fantastic sale, which is a win-win deal.
Read also: Comparing Maker vs Maker 3.
Cricut Maker Champagne
Cricut Maker comes in various lid colors. The body top is an elegant glossy white, and the bottom is dark grey with a thin mirror-like ribbon between the two. My lid is of champagne shade, so the machine is known as "Cricut Maker Champagne." You can also find Cricut Maker Pink, Mint, Lilac, etc.
I read multiple Cricut Maker reviews before purchasing this crafting machine to justify another addition to my crafts room. Depending on the lid color and the store, the extras packed in the box might vary.
Let's unbox the Champagne Cricut Maker and see what projects it is designed for and what comes with it. Then, of course, we can make our test cut.
Cricut Maker Review
As noted above, I got my Cricut Maker in champagne color from JOANN at the end of 2024. It was one of my Christmas gifts, and I am super excited to create new paper-cutting templates for you to enjoy!
This Cricut Maker review is not affected by any third parties. It reflects my impressions after unboxing and setting up my new Cricut machine. It also shows a test cut to ensure it runs.
What is a Cricut Maker?
A Maker is a member of the Cricut ultimate smart cutting machine family. It is manufactured to "make" projects from 300+ materials, including cardstock, all types of vinyl, Infusible Ink transfer sheets, fabric, felt, printable sticker paper, foil, acetate sheets, basswood, chipboard, aluminum sheets, faux leather, faux suede, thin natural wood, stencil, and much more.
Unlike Explore Air 2, which works with 100+ materials, the Maker supports more material types and allows you to craft more projects.
Read also: Cricut Explore Air 2 Unboxing and Review.
What Can a Cricut Maker Do?
Every Circut Maker comparison to the Explore family will be a win-win for Maker because this original Cricut machine can do much more than Air 2 or Explore 3. While it doesn't support Smart Materials like Explore 3, it can do everything else both Explores can do, plus extras:
- It cuts paper;
- It draws;
- It writes;
- It scores;
- It engraves;
- It cuts all types of fabric;
- It debosses;
- It cuts light wood;
- It perforates;
- It helps you make your every crafting dream come true!
What the Cricut Maker can do will amaze you. Forget about the scissors, as you can design everything yourself or find high-quality SVG files and turn them into beautiful pieces with all kinds of materials supported by your new Cricut machine. It's much easier than it sounds and undoubtedly an incredible adventure!
JOANN's Cricut
When writing this Cricut Maker review, JOANN stores still offer the best sale price on this machine. At just $179, it's a great deal! JOANN's Cricut has a champagne lid color. It is a brand new, not used, or refurbished crafting machine. It arrives fast, although the store tends to cancel your order and ship it a couple of days later (which was a total surprise to me!) by fulfilling it.
You can check your local stores for this Cricut Maker 1, but most JOANN stores don't have them in stock. Online orders might be a bit frustrating, but many hobbyists are now happy owners of this adorable Champagne version.
What Comes with the Cricut Maker?
The new Cricut machine arrives sealed in clear plastic inside the manufacturer's box and is additionally packed in a shipping box. The box has a comfortable handle designed to carry it like a suitcase (I lack this feature in both my Explore Air 2 and Explore 3).
The Maker 1 is securely packed with cardboard inside the main box. The plugs are at the very bottom of the box (both feature the iconic Cricut Cutie-style "C" with antennae). There is also a simple Cricut Maker box with your warranty, simple setting-up instructions, and cardstock samples (mine has a smaller piece of blue textured and a bigger piece of white textured cardstock).
Based on numerous Cricut Maker reviews featured online, some machines have a fabric sample to test the pink mat. My JOANN fabrics Cricut (with the Champagne lid) doesn't include a fabric piece to cut it. However, it does come with two mats (a blue LightGrip 12 x 12 inches mat and a pink FabricGrip 12 x 12 inches mat).
My Cricut Maker also features two blades. It comes with a pre-installed Premium Fine-Point Blade, a new rotary blade with a drive housing and a protective cap packed separately along with instructions and test cardstock, and a Fine-Point Pen of black color.
There is also a USB port on Cricut Maker's side. It does not transfer data from your machine to your computer, but you can charge your phone with this 5-Volt port while your Maker is cutting your projects.
When Did the Cricut Maker Come Out?
The original Cricut machine Maker 1 was first released in August 2017. Even though it's been over 7 years since it first came out, this crafting machine is still one of the most innovative die-cut machines in the market.
Every Cricut Maker review you read proves that crafters still buy the Maker in 2025 and enjoy making fantastic cardstock, fabric, and wood projects with its help.
Setting Up Cricut Maker
The Cricut ultimate smart cutting machine arrives with simple instructions. You are advised to go to design.cricut.com/setup to register your new Maker. If you don't have an account with Design Space (software used with Cricut machines), you need to sign up for one. If you already have an account like me, you can launch Design Space on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, navigate to your Profile, where you can choose to register a cutting machine. You'll be redirected to the Set Up Page in Design Space anyways.
Here is how to set up your Cricut Maker:
Step 1. Go to cricut.com/setup and select "Setup a cutting machine" - you'll be taken to your Design Space (if you have already downloaded and installed it) or asked to download one. Click the green "Continue" button to proceed.
Step 2. You will be forwarded to the next step, which lets you select your machine type from the list. Click on "Maker" and then the green "Continue" button.
Step 3. You are asked to prepare your workspace. You must ensure that there are 10 inches of space behind your Cricut Maker 1. Then connect it to the wall outlet and power it on.
To do this, you should open the top Champagne lid of your crafting machine.
You'll see the On/Off button inside.
Step 4. Select how you wish to connect your Cricut Maker to your laptop. I have chosen the USB method. However, your die-cut machine also supports Bluetooth mode.
Step 5. Connect the machine to your computer using a USB cable (it comes in the box with your Champagne Cricut Maker).
Step 6. Wait for the Design Space to find your machine, and in a couple of seconds, you will see the confetti animation on your screen, followed by a "Maker connected" message. Click the green "Continue" button to proceed.
Step 7. Ensure your email is correct (if you already have an account with Design Space and are registering a new machine), agree to the Cricut Terms of Use (checkmark it), and click the green "Activate" button.
Step 8. Follow the on-screen guides to prepare for your testing cut. Place a piece of cardstock on the blue LightGrip mat's top left corner (Cricut sends you some paper with the original Cricut Maker for testing purposes). Ensure that the Fine-Point Blade is loaded and secured into Clamp B, which is done by default to your machine as you unbox it. Place the mat under the white guides and ensure it reaches the grey rollers. Your Cricut Maker is flashing the Load/Unload button, so press it to continue.
Step 9. Press the "Go" button to begin the cut (it flashes on your Cricut Maker).
Step 10. As the cut is done, you are asked to press the Load/Unload button to release the mat (it flashes now).
Step 11. Weed the cut using a weeding tool and remove the rest of the paper from the mat.
Read also: Popular Cricut Tools for Beginners.
Hopefully, this Cricut Maker review can help you decide whether this ultimate smart cutting machine is something you need or not. Happy crafting in 2025!