Have you ever wondered about the lineage of the Circuit machines? I have collected information and images for a variety of machines that have been made. Cricut machines are manufactured by Provo Craft & Novelty, Inc. Provo Craft is located in Utah. The company is 15 years old and was created on December 21, 2003. I don’t have the manufacture dates for each machine. If you have this information, I would love to be able to add it to this article.
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Current Models:
The models are listed in reverse order of their manufacturing years. If you want to see Cricut models by year, then start at the bottom of the current models and work your way back to the top.
release date: September 2023
Cricut Joy Xtra™ cuts, writes, draws, and foils. Works with the free Design Space app. Works with 50+ materials.
release date: July 2023
A wide-format professional cutting machine. It precision-cuts 100+ materials up to 75 ft (22.8 m) and works at commercial speeds.
release date: June 2021
The Maker 3 cuts over 300 materials and is compatible with 13 tools. It is up to 2x faster than its predecessor and 10x the cutting force. The Maker 3 is compatible with smart materials for cuts up to 12ft in one go.
release date: June 2021
The Explore 3 cuts over 100 materials and is compatible with 6 tools that are sold separately. It is up to 2x faster than its predecessor. It is also compatible with Smart Materials for cuts up to 12 ft in one go.
release: Feb. 12, 2020 – available March 2020
The Cricut Joy is a smaller, more light-weight version at 5″ x 8″ and less than 4 lb. The Joy introduces two new features not elsewhere available in the Cricut product portfolio. With specialty accessories and materials (labeled Smart Materials™), the Joy is able to cut single designs up to four feet long and repeated cuts up to 20 feet.
Cricut Maker
released: August 20, 2017
The Cricut Maker machine is used with Design Space, which is a cloud-based, online software. It does not function stand-alone. When using Design Space on a desktop or laptop computer, an internet connection is required. When using the machine with the Design Space app on an iOS device (iPad/iPhone), you can use the offline feature in that app to use your machine and Design Space without an internet connection. The Cricut Maker is an adaptable machine with interchangeable cutting and scoring heads.
release: October 5, 2016
A slight update from the Air, it cuts two times faster. Comes in a variety of colors and works with the current Circuit Design Space application.
Cricut Explore Air
release: NA
This is a wireless machine that can cut paper to fabric and more. It works with the current Circuit Design Space application.
Cricut Explore One
release: May 6, 2015
Similar in look to the other Explore machines but only has a single tool holder. You can cut and write but you have to do so in two steps.
Cricut Explore
release: 2014
The Cricut Explore, ExploreAir, and Explore Air 2 each have a double tool holder so that you can cut & write (or cut & score) in 1 step. The Explore One has a single tool holder, so it can cut & write (or cut & score) in 2 steps.
The Explore Air and Explore Air 2 have built-in Bluetooth, but for Explore One and Explore, you will need a Cricut Wireless Bluetooth Adapter in order to use it with your iOS or Android mobile device or to cut wirelessly from your computer.
Legacy Machines:
The rest of this post is not in chronological order, but dates are listed if available.
Cricut Expression 2
released: September 26, 2011
The Cricut Expression 2 was designed as a standalone machine. The LCD touch screen and Cricut® cartridges allowed you to create projects without being connected to a computer. A computer was required to update the machine’s firmware, however.
Cricut Expression
release: February 28, 2010
The Cricut Expression machine had several fantastic features available. A few favorites are the AutoFill and Quantity features. They allowed you to cut multiples of the same image so you could quickly create a batch of invitations, place settings, party favors, or other projects. There was a scoring tip that could be used.
Cricut Mini
release: approx 2012
The Cricut Mini relied exclusively on using Cricut Craft Room, a computer program that no longer functions. The Circuit Mini is obsolete.
Cricut Imagine
release: Summer 2010
The Cricut Imagine machines use a special cutting mat with a white border and black registration marks that the machine will read prior to cutting your printed images with precision and accuracy. The Imagine machine was unable to read any other mats.
Cricut Cake
release: na
Cricut Cake was specifically designed to cut edible material, including gum paste, frosting sheets, and more. As such, it was designed with parts made of food-safe material. In fact, any part of the machine that touches food was made of food-safe material.
Cricut Create
release: December 21, 2003
The Cricut Create machine was designed to function with the Cricut® cartridges as a standalone machine.
Cricut Personal
release: January 9, 2005
The Cricut Personal/V1 machine was designed to function with the original Cricut cartridges as a standalone machine.
Additional Machines:
Cricut Mug Press
original release date: 2021
The Cricut Mug Press is for 11 – 16 oz (350 – 470 ml) Infusible Ink compatible mugs*. The press has a one-touch setting and safety features including auto-off.
Cricut Cuttlebug
original release: na
The Cricut Cuttlebug machine is compatible with most leading brands of dies and embossing folders. The B Plates – Cutting, A Plate – Spacer, and C Plate – Adapter (sold separately) are different thicknesses so that you can mix and match. The Cuttlebug is no longer being produced.
release date: 2022
Cricut Hat Press is the perfect heat press designed for hats. Its curved, ceramic-coated heat plate features 3 levels of heat up to 400ºF (205ºC) for consistent, wrinkle-free transfers.
release date: 2022
Say hello to the perfect press for heat transfer projects. Cricut EasyPress 3 brings together the speed of a heat press, the convenience of an iron, and the simplicity of the Cricut Heat app. Press without the guesswork, and get fast, easy transfers. Simply send ideal time and temperature settings through Bluetooth® connection via the Cricut Heat app. Follow on-screen, step-by-step prompts that guide you at every turn.
Auto Press
release date: 2022
the perfect professional heat press made for home use. Merging commercial power with a sleek, home-friendly design, Cricut Autopress™ harnesses state-of-the-art automated features to help you make more in less time. Zero Effort™ operation lets you close the machine with just two fingers, and the handle’s motor does the rest. Dial in precise time & temp settings on the control pod to ensure consistent results, whether you’re working on a big-business production or a one-time passion project.
EasyPress 3
release September 2023
The world’s most beloved heat press is now smarter than ever with built-in Bluetooth® wireless technology. Connect Cricut EasyPress 3 to the Cricut Heat app to send precise time & temperature settings and follow step-by-step guidance for any project.
release: August 2017
The Cricut EasyPress comes in three different sizes and is used to heat iron-on vinyl. You may find it has alternative uses similar to an iron.
Here is a printable chart for heat settings. [EasyPress chart]
Cricut Bright™ 360, Ultimate LED Floor Lamp
release date: 2022
See more, and do more with Cricut Bright 360, the ultimate LED floor lamp for every craft and every crafter. Its big, broad head evenly lights up your entire workspace and just a gentle push of your hand will pivot, rotate, and move the light exactly where you need it.
Cricut Bright™ 360, Ultimate LED Table Lamp
release date: 2022
See more, and do more with Cricut Bright 360, the ultimate LED table lamp for every craft and every crafter. Its big, broad head evenly lights up your entire workspace and just a gentle push of your hand will pivot, rotate, and move the light exactly where you need it. The large head lights 4 sq ft.
release date: 2021
See every detail here, there, and wherever you wander with 1.5+ hours of cordless, rechargeable power. Slim, lightweight, and incredibly portable, Cricut BrightPad Go illuminates hard-to-see cut lines for faster, more accurate weeding of vinyl and heat-transfer projects – without being tethered to a wall outlet!
release: approx 2017
The Cricut BrightPad comes in Mint Green and Rose Gold. It is a modern lightbox and works great for weeding, tracing, paper piecing, and jewelry making.
Cricut Gypsy
released: September 2009
The Gypsy was a portable personal design device for use with your Cricut® Personal, Create, Expression, Cake, Cake Mini, Expression 2 and Imagine machines. It allowed you to store Cricut® cartridge content, design with that content, and then connect to your Cricut® to cut.