My Cricut Explore Air 2 has finally arrived! If you have been following my previous posts, you’ll know that I have been so excited to finally get my hands on it. Now that I own Silhouette Cameo 4 and Cricut Explore Air 2 and have tried them, I will compile the differences between both. So hopefully, in this post, I can help you choose between Cricut or Silhouette because both have amazing machines.
Ever since I took the first step into my crafting journey, Cricut and Silhouette are the two leading names in the industry. However, inside the scope of their own brands there are already so many versions manufactured. This confuses customers, especially for beginner crafters (I was included) who have no clue which machine they should pick.
Even though I can’t go down on every single item Cricut and Silhouette have produced, in this Cricut vs Silhouette competition I’m putting the Cricut Explore Air 2 against Silhouette Cameo 4. Let’s see how they differ in terms of price, design, software, functions, and how easy they are to operate.
| Cricut Explore Air 2 | Silhouette Cameo 4 | |
| Price | from $169.99 | $299.99 |
| Weight | 14 lbs (6.35 kg) | 13.7 lbs (6.21 kg) |
| Machine dimensions | 24 x 9.5 x 9.5 in (60.96 x 24.13 x 24.13 cm) | 24.8 x 10.3 x 8.8 in (62.99 x 23.16 x 22.35 cm) |
| Maximum cutting force | 400 gf (400 g) | 5000 gf (5 kg) |
| Maximum cutting size | 23.5 x 11.5 in ( 59.69 x 29.21 cm ) | 120 x 12 in ( 304.8 x 30.48 cm) |
| Maximum cutting depth | 1.5 mm | 3 mm |
| Materials supported | 100+ | 100+ |
| Number of blades | 3 | 5 |
| Matless cutting | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Machine color options | 20+ options including Mint, Black, Pale Blue, etc. | White, Black, and Pink. |
Cricut Explore Air 2 provides 23.5 x 11.5 inches space for cutting. On the other hand, Silhouette Cameo 4 with its matless cutting feature can process up to 10 ft x 12 inches. If even that is not enough, just attach the roll-feeder and the cutting length is increased up to 140 ft. This is perfect for those who want to work on some lengthy wall decals. You still need to pay extra attention so that it maintains correct position.
The Explore Air 2 offers three different cutting tools you can use: the Fine-Point blade, the Deep-Point blade, and the Bonded Fabric blade. But only the Fine-Point Blade is included with your purchase. With these tools, you can cut over a hundred different types of material.
As with Silhouette, Cameo 4 supports five different blades: the Autoblade 2, Rotary blade, Kraft blade, Punch tool, and Pen holder. However, the only blade included with your purchase is the Autoblade 2.
Undoubtedly, Silhouette Cameo 4’s 5000 gf cutting force beats Cricut Explore Air 2’s 400 gf. If you want to pick between the two, Cameo 4 is more dependable and won’t malfunction so easily when trying to cut thicker materials since it handles more pressure. The machine’s cutting pressure guarantees it can cut through most materials from paper to wood and even leather. However, this brings to the question, what craft will you be making? If you’re planning to indulge in cutting papers and vinyl, then getting the Explore Air 2 would suffice. If you see yourself branching out to craft more of the tougher materials, might as well get the hardy Cameo 4.
Like other Cricut machines, Cricut Design Space supports Explore Air 2. You will need internet connection in your computer/phone as the program is cloud-based, which I personally think is a downside. As a matter of fact, I was hit with a planned maintenance I wasn’t aware of in the middle of my crafting session. I had to wait an hour before I could resume my project.
From a difficulty standpoint, Cricut Design Space is fit for a broad range of users. You can use it as a beginner and advanced crafter. It is a simple and effective tool to plan and cut projects, thanks to its intuitive, streamlined interface and set of options.
Silhouette Cameo 4 is supported by Silhouette Studio. It’s the more complex software between the two with its free-hand drawing and vector tool. The design interface is customizable, which means as you start adjusting to which tools and functions are the most useful for your style of crafting, the software will match you. It has a learning curve but doesn’t hold you back like some software that’s targeted for beginners.
The downside of Silhouette Studio is that, where Cricut Design Space does for free, you will need to upgrade to Designer Edition to import SVG files. Both softwares can connect to other software though, Adobe Illustrator for example. It’s not a problem if you’re only going to use Silhouette Studio to send your file into the machine.
Both Explore Air 2 and Cameo 4 support Bluetooth connection, so you can wirelessly send your designs to be cut.
Now let me tell you what went down this week. Unboxing my Cricut Explore Air 2 made me squeal in glee! It is gorgeous! Admiring its design, I can tell that this machine was made by people who appreciate beautiful things. It really adds a nice touch to my work room. I chose mint because it’s my favorite color but if you browse the market, there are 20+ color options! I bet you’ll see one that catches your eye the most. See my Cricut Explore Air 2 unboxing video here.
Cricut Explore Air 2 is equipped with a tool holder on the left and dials on the right. It’s pretty useful for quick decluttering after you finish crafting. Just pop the tweezers back in and you’re done. And the dial lets you switch between radio stations 🙂 Just kidding! It lets you switch between materials you’ll be cutting. This machine lacks touchscreen elements. All controls are set by the dial and in your computer/phone through your cutting program.
Cameo 4 offers three colors: white, black, and pink. Shape-wise it looks less “fun” than Explore Air 2. If it were a person, I’d say they were someone who comes to the office, very determined to get things done. I’m sure you get the analogy. It is sleek, straight, and sharp. It’s missing the tool holder and in place of dial, you have a rather “futuristic” touch sensitive controls that are only visible upon turning on the device.
At pretty similar weight and dimensions, neither Cricut or Silhouette are portable. So if you’re planning to carry it around in-and-out of your home, not saying it’s impossible it’s just a bit of work. I would know from trying to snap pictures of them for this post. Both machines are ideally placed on a desk, presumably next to a computer or tablet where you create and upload the designs.
At pretty similar weight and dimensions, neither Cricut or Silhouette are portable. So, if you’re planning to carry it around in-and-out of your home, not saying it’s impossible, it’s just a bit of work. I would know from trying to snap pictures of them for this post. Both machines are ideally placed on a desk, presumably next to a computer or tablet where you create and upload the designs.
Additionally, Silhouette offers 2 other sizes of the Cameo 4. Namely Cameo Plus and Cameo Pro. Cameo Plus is a 15-inch wide alternative retailing at $399.99. At twice the length of Cameo 4, Cameo Pro’s 24-inch wide machine retails at $499.99. They’re essentially the same but enables for even bigger crafting projects. These alternatives lessen the limitations of home-industry crafting.
If you aren’t very sure on what to choose between Cricut and Silhouette, it really depends on what you want to use it for. As I said in the beginning of this article, both brands manufactured great machines. To close this post, I will give you a summary in bullet points.
Cricut Explore Air 2 is recommended if you’re looking for:
Silhouette Cameo 4 is recommended if you’re looking for:
Do you have questions? Want free designs for your crafting collection? Or if you love crafting and want to share your tips and tricks, join our community on our Facebook Group here or see our SVG for crafts page.
Thank you! Happy crafting and see you in future posts!
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