Product Comparison: Silhouette Cameo 3 vs Cricut Explore Air 2
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General Specifications
About the Product
The silhouette Cameo® is the ultimate DIY machine. It uses a small blade to cut over 100 materials, including paper, cardstock, vinyl, and fabric up to 12 in. Wide. The Cameo has the ability to register and cut printed materials and is PixScan™ compatible.
CRICUT explore air 2 is a DIY speed machine. This quick, smart cutting machine lets you make projects with over 100 different materials. Plus, save even more time with CRICUT mobile apps and redesigned projects.
Brand
Silhouette
Cricut
Model
Cameo 3
Explore Air 2
Origin
Vietnam
China
Key Specs
Compatible Media Types
Vinyl, Heat transfer material, Cardstock, Paper, Photo paper, Fabrics
Cardstock, Vinyl, Iron, Paper, Сork, Fabrics, Leather
Drive Motor Type
Servo
Servo
System Compatibility
iOS, Android, Mac OS, Windows
iOS, Android, Mac OS, Windows
What customers say about "Key Specs"
Silhouette Cameo 3 Digital Cutting Tool, White
- You can cut a variety of materials, from vinyl to cardstock, or fabrics with the right blade.
- Very responsive and perfectly connected to my computer, which simplifies working with it.
- Can cut well - I've done sticker paper, vinyl, paper and card without issues.
- Not compatible with other fonts forcing to biy the silhouette product. You tube will be your friend.
- Great little machine. It adds the bluetooth capability but be careful if you have an older mac or pc. It will be incompatible.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine, Mint
- I'm amazed at how intricate the cuts are and the huge range of materials you can work on.
- I only use a light photo-card stock (around 200gsm) but have found that this machine cuts and draws as well as I could have hoped and at a reasonable speed too.
- Very very accurate cuts, and can cut almost anything paper, fabric, card, etc. On 2x speed I cut designs in around 20 seconds. Very efficient and arrived on time.
- This would be so much easier if you could change the cutting depth/material of individual layers!!!!
- This is a really messy way to cut intricate shapes. I feel very disappointed in this product. Making things stick just the right amount is just too annoying.
Size & Weight
Height
6 in.
9.5 in.
Weight
8.94 lbs.
16 lbs.
Width
22.5 in.
24 in.
Depth
8.5 in.
9.5 in.
Cutting Parameters
Max Cutting Width
12 in.
12 in.
Max Cutting Length
12 in.
12 in.
Max Media Thickness
2 mm
2.4 mm
Maximum Cutting Force
210 gf
What customers say about "Cutting Parameters"
Silhouette Cameo 3 Digital Cutting Tool, White
- The silhouette cameo is great, easy to use,cuts much finer detail on vinyl than I expected,great for cutting paint masks for air brushing as well as all the usual stuff.
- This digital cutter has helped me cut and draw some intricate designs. Make sure you don't exceed the width specifications and you can get some great results.
- The width and length of the cut is exactly the same as the manufacturer said, this is delightful since I do not spend an extra piece of material.
- Blade holder - shaking and not sliding smoothly resulting in slow and jerky cutting. Wasted many vinyl templates.
- Cutting can be inconsistent and wastes paper/printouts.
Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine, Mint
- Functions fast and quiet. Cuts everything you want, perfect for home usage as it is very user friendly.
- This is a really good machine, cuts well, looks stylish and comes with a free downloadable software for you to use called "Design Space".
- The blade pressure is not consistent throughout the material (I use sticker paper), which means some areas of your design will be cut too deep and some too shallow.
- If you are expecting to print and cut with a high degree of accuracy then only tears and madness await you.
- The Print and Cut feature is limited to a 9.25" x 6.75" area. If I use a standard 8.5" x 11" piece of paper, this creates a lot of wasted space, material and money.
Features
Control Panel Type
Touch screen
Buttons / Rotary Knob
AutoBlade
Yes
Yes
Adjustable Pinch Rollers
Yes
Yes
Interfaces
USB 2.0
USB
Accessories Included
Power Cable, USB Cable, Cutting Blade, 12-inch Cutting Mat
Premium Fine Point Blade + Housing, Fine Point Pen, USB Cable, Power Adapter, Free trial membership to Cricut Access™ (for new subscribers), LightGrip Mat, 12" x 12", 50 Free Ready-to-Make Projects
Extras
Sleek design, Bluetooth wireless technology, 100 exclusive cutting designs, Silhouette Studio®, PixScan Technology
Bluetooth wireless technology, Fast Mode up to 2X, Compatible with Scoring Stylus and Deep-Point Blade, Double tool holder, Design Space® software
What customers say about "Features"
Silhouette Cameo 3 Digital Cutting Tool, White
- Auto-blade saves a bit of time and, with my brief experience cutting both glitter paper and card stock, the autoblade settings were accurate.
- Touchscreen menu seems fairly responsive and intuitive. Cord management built into the machine to direct the plug to either side.
- The Bluetooth is very nice, but it's had some glitches, which Silhouette seems to be working out. The Auto Blade is a nice feature.
- Autoblade isn't really all that "auto". I expected to stick material in the mat and go. Nope. You still select the material from the preloaded list in the silhouette software.
- Buggy software, sometimes cuts wrong or won't update software (I'm running Mac OS 10.12 Sierra).
Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine, Mint
- Really simple and easy to work the machine and connect it to your computer via the USB or bluetooth connection.
- I have had this machine for about two months now. When it works it is great and it is great connect via USB.
- When the machine works it is great. The bluetooth connection was easier and much faster than via USB.
- However carefully you try and load the matt it is impossible to guarantee that it will be in the same position each time.
- I had continuous issues with it not being able to 'find' my Cricut and I would have to repeatedly restart the programme in order for it to communicate with the machine.
Warranty / Certifications
Certifications
CE
CE
Manufacturer Warranty
1 year(s)
1 year(s)
Other Information
MSRP
299.99 $
227.00 $
Manufacturer
