If you need a vinyl cutter on a personal or commercial level, finding the best vinyl cutter under $300 can help you take on your simple or complex projects, designs, and signs with perfection and attention to detail. Whether you need a commercial model for handling large numbers of projects or a personalized machine for smaller jobs, finding an affordable, yet high-quality vinyl cutter can help you tackle your project like a pro.
To be able to bring you the best guide here today, we’ve reviewed five of the top vinyl cutters on the market. Our Editor’s Choice, the Cricut Explore Air 2, is a 16-pound model with compatibility for Design Space software for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, as well as having the ability to cut over 100 different types of materials.
With each review, we’ve considered various factors and features essential to give some thought to when buying the best vinyl cutter under $300. We’ve looked at the cutter’s weight, type, compatibility to software, dimension, and warranty information to help you pick out what’s most vital for you to think about before you make a purchasing decision. As you navigate through our review, you’ll notice our side-by-side comparison table with all our top products, in-detail reviews of each product, and a buying guide to help you make that final pick.
More features: cuts over 100+ different types of materials; wireless; multiple tools available
The Cricut Explore Air 2 is our Editor’s Choice for the best vinyl cutter on the market. Rated high on our guide and also by others through reviews, the Cricut Explore Air 2 is a great pick if you’re looking for a personal vinyl cutter for smaller projects. Not only does it out-cut and write its last edition when it comes to speed, but it also is extremely precise while cutting.
The Cricut Explore Air 2 also features various factors that set it apart from the competition, like Bluetooth wireless capability and software that is the perfect learning tool for any beginner or someone looking to get better. Adaptable with over 100 different materials, the Cricut Explore Air 2 comes with over 80 pre-installed settings. If you’re a fan of the fast mode, you’ll be able to work with vinyl, cardstock, and iron-on materials at that high speed. The Cricut Explore Air 2 works with a Design Space Software, which can be used with iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. Although the warranty isn’t specified, this vinyl cutter is a great option for the long haul.
More features: 50 exclusive digital designs; cuts a variety of materials
The Silhouette Portrait 2 Electronic Cutting Tool is also the latest edition of Silhouette technology. Rated as our Best Value Pick, this affordable choice is a great product if you’re looking for a cutter that still has everything you need, regardless of the low price. The Silhouette Portrait 2 Electronic Cutting Tool is not only Bluetooth and Pixscan compatible, but it also features the connection with the Autoblade—making it possible to cut deeper than any prior edition.
If you’re looking for a portable vinyl cutter to take with you wherever your projects may lead, this 18 x 8 x 9-inch, the electric cutting tool makes space and budget a priority. It also awakens your creativity, with the possibility of choosing from and executing 50 exclusive digital designs. It’s also advertised as being about to cut through a variety of materials, which allows you to get versatile with your projects. You can also easily connect it with your Mac or PC since the software comes with the original purchase of the product.
More features: 8 feet maximum cut length; 2 fully adjustable pinch rollers; adjustable pinch and pressure; free cut software
The USCutter Craft Vinyl Cutter is a great deal if you’re looking for a budget option that still does it all. Perfectly designed for beginners and hobbyists, this smaller electric vinyl cutter comes along with a kit that can help you tackle any project for your everyday task. Although this software isn’t compatible with Apple or Mac computers—and isn’t capable of performing contour cuts, the manufacturer makes up for this by offering not only a 1-year warranty but also free lifetime phone support!
The USCutter Craft Vinyl Cutter is ideal if you’re looking for everything under one roof. With a kit that helps get you going, this vinyl cutter comes capable of printing out any project you may come to find, from decals to banners to signs of all kinds. With the starter kit, you’ll find a hobby knife, a squeegee, three vinyl cutting blades, a 14-inch USCutter MH Series Vinyl Cutter Plotter, VinylMaster Cut Software, a 1 x 3 feet TransferRite 31GL Clear Medium Tack Application tape with liner, and two different color types of vinyl.
More features: vinyl starter kit included; deep cut blade; USB cable included
The Silhouette America Curio Crafting Machine is our best home vinyl cutter since it comes with everything you need for any project you may have. As a lighter weight cutter, the Silhouette America Curio Crafting Machine is not only a higher-quality electronic cutting machine; it is a great middle-ground budget pick that does it all. Outlined with the capacity to work with most common materials, the Silhouette America Curio Crafting Machine can be your go-to machine for various tasks and projects as you get better and better—it’s capable of welding, drawing, piercing, embossing, engraving, and debossing.
The purchase also comes along with a great starter kit, with a USB cable included for ease of use. Even if you aren’t a beginner, you can definitely benefit from such an inclusive package—especially for replacing material that you might be running low on! Although it works perfectly as a standalone machine for a wide variety of projects, it also can be a companion machine to other cutters, since it is so versatile. The Silhouette America Curio Crafting Machine also comes with a starter software, the Silhouette Studio.
More features: maximum cutting width 24.8 inches; LCD display
The VEVOR Vinyl Cutter not only meets its competition on a value basis, but it’s also our Premium Pick if you’re looking for an upgrade to our original Editor’s Choice. Although weighing around 41 lb, the VEVOR Vinyl Cutter has a maximum width of 24.8 inches, which makes it extremely easy to cut most kinds of vinyl—and other materials, as well. The operation is also quite durable, which means that you can rely on this machine for various projects—no matter if you’re a beginner or an expert.
This flexible machine work can be controlled using an LCD backlight display, which can help you easily handle the various settings during the working process of cutting. You can also rely heavily on the emergency stop/start function, which is a reassuring thought for a final project or for a beginner. Although it isn’t necessarily compatible with a Mac, the VEVOR Vinyl Cutter can run with any Pentium processor-based PC or compatible computer, like Windows, Windows XP, or Vista 7, 8, and 10.
Whether you’re going commercial or you’re thinking of investing in a vinyl cutter for personal products, you’ll need to be in-the-know before you finalize your purchase.
Since there are so many different features to look out for when buying the best vinyl cutter, you’ll definitely need to be aware of them all to help decide which ones are more important for you. The smallest of details can make a huge difference when it comes to your experience with the vinyl cutter.
Depending on whether you need one that’s Bluetooth enabled or manually operated, these factors and features can dictate which products from above are going to be in your range—as well as your price range.
If you’re planning on taking a project with a variety of different materials, then investing in a vinyl cutter might be in your best interest. These projects, including creating signs or complex designs that involve cutting material, can be done on a quicker basis if you invest in a vinyl cutter.
If you find yourself in the professional business of larger numbers, you might want to look for more of a commercial model—however, if you just need one for personal projects, we would recommend any of the cutters from up above, which are more of a personalized machine. These cutters, like the Silhouette Portrait 2 Electronic Cutting Tool, are generally quite small—even weighing as little as three pounds, like the one here!
If you consider yourself a beginner in crafting, this tool is easy to learn, use, and implement into your best projects. This can help if you’re looking for an initial investment but aren’t exactly too sure about the commitment to the hobby—and spending a ton of money upfront if you don’t even enjoy doing it!
Before you commit to a certain brand or product—even if it’s featured here on our guide, you’ll want to inform yourself about the various features that should be considered in relation to the type of cutter you’re going to be buying! If you’re going to be investing in a commercial vinyl cutter, consider these features:
If you’re thinking of investing in a personal vinyl cutter, make sure that it is:
Some other additional features that might spark your interest are:
All the vinyl cutters on our guide today are going to be electric cutters, which make them very simple to use and can help lessen that learning curve if you’re just getting started. However, if you do like the traditional design, you can go with a manual cutter, which might be a bit more difficult to learn how to use but can be an interesting investment if you like to stick with the original way to do things.
Unless you’re planning on having a commercial cutter and don’t mind the 41 pounds of weight of the VEVOR Vinyl Cutter, the compatibility and transportability of the vinyl cutter can be compromised by the weight if you don’t pay attention. The lightest vinyl cutter we have on this guide is the Silhouette Portrait 2 Electronic Cutting Tool, which weighs only 3.5 pounds.
If you plan on using your vinyl cutter on a specific table or storing it in closet space, you’ll need to make sure you know the dimension range of the cutter to see if it fits or not.
We would recommend measuring your working space before buying and committing.
Electric vinyl cutters usually come with their own software and, while some of them, like the Silhouette Portrait 2 Electronic Cutting Tool, is compatible with all popular computer operating systems, some may not work with Mac OS. Though it’s not relevant for manual cutters, because they don’t need a computer to work.
When you plan to purchase an electric vinyl cutter, don’t forget to check if it’s compatible with your computer’s operating system, because otherwise, it won’t work.
Since these machines can be prone to malfunctioning, you’ll want the longest warranty available, which is generally going to be around a year but can be checked with the manufacturer.
Before you finalize your decision about which vinyl cutter to invest in, we would like to narrow down our picks to our fave three. The Cricut Explore Air 2 is our Editor’s Choice with its high speed, middle-range weight, and that it also cuts over one hundred different types of materials, which is one of the most on the market. The Silhouette Portrait 2 Electronic Cutting Tool is our Best Value pick if you’re looking for an affordable, high-quality vinyl cutter. The lightweight, 3.53-pound cutter is compatible with both Mac and PC as well as uses 50 exclusive digital designs. The USCutter Craft Vinyl Cutter is an electric cutter designed for working with vinyl. It can cut up to 8 feet and comes with two fully adjustable pinch rollers and free cut software – perfect for someone with a design hobby. We hope our guide and picks have helped you choose the best vinyl cutter under $300 to meet your budget and your project needs!
