Walking into the craft store after buying your first Cricut can be overwhelming. There are entire aisles of vinyl, tools, mats, and gadgets, and it feels like you need all of it. You don't! I've been crafting with Cricut machines for years, and I can tell you that you only need 6 things to make your first dozen projects. This list covers exactly what to buy, what can wait, and what to skip completely.
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Quick Answer
To get started with your Cricut, you need: adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl (if you want to make shirts), a StandardGrip mat, a weeding tool, transfer tape, and an iron or small heat press. Everything else is a nice-to-have.
Quick Links
- The 6 Must-Have Cricut Supplies
- Nice-to-Have Upgrades
- What to Skip (For Now)
- How Much Does It Cost to Get Started?
- FAQ
The 6 Must-Have Cricut Supplies
1. Adhesive Vinyl
This is the material for decals, labels, signs, and wine glasses. Start with Oracal 651 in black and white. It's permanent, forgiving to work with, and the brand I still reach for first. One roll of each color will last through many projects.
Not sure about the difference between adhesive and iron-on? My guide to adhesive vinyl vs heat transfer vinyl breaks it down.
2. Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV)
If custom shirts are on your list (they will be), grab Siser EasyWeed in black and white. EasyWeed is the easiest HTV to cut, weed, and press, which is exactly what you want while you're learning. Just remember it cuts shiny side down; here's my full guide on which side of iron-on vinyl goes down.
3. Cutting Mats
Your machine may come with one mat, but mats wear out and different materials need different grips. The Cricut mat variety pack gives you 2 StandardGrip, 1 LightGrip, and 1 StrongGrip, which covers vinyl, cardstock, and thicker materials. Read my Cricut cutting mats explained guide to know which one to grab for each project.
4. Weeding Tools
Weeding is removing the extra vinyl around your design, and doing it with your fingernails gets old fast. The Cricut Basic Tool Set covers weeding, scraping, and burnishing in one kit. My personal favorite upgrade is a weeding pin pen, which grabs tiny letters and centers of loops like magic.
5. Transfer Tape
Transfer tape moves your adhesive vinyl design from its backing onto your project. The TeckWrap medium tack transfer tape with alignment grid is my pick for beginners because the red grid keeps your placement straight.
6. A Heat Source for HTV
You do not need a big heat press on day one. A household iron works for your first shirts, and when you're ready to upgrade, the Cricut EasyPress Mini handles shirts, hats, and small blanks, or step up to the EasyPress 3 for consistent full-size pressing.
Nice-to-Have Upgrades
Once you've made a few projects, these make crafting smoother:
- A brayer to smooth vinyl and stick materials firmly to your mat
- Printable sticker paper if you want to try Print Then Cut stickers (see my best printable sticker paper comparison)
- A universal pen adapter set so you can write and draw with pens you already own
- Creative Fabrica for fonts and SVG designs when you outgrow the free options
- And if you like having a complete reference next to your machine, my book Cricut For Dummies walks through every one of these supplies and your first projects step by step
What to Skip (For Now)
Save your money on these until you actually need them:
- Giant vinyl bundles from unknown brands. 60 rolls of mystery vinyl sounds like a deal until half of them won't weed cleanly. Buy quality brands in the colors you'll actually use.
- Every mat and blade accessory. You don't need a fabric mat or a deep-point blade until you have a project that calls for them.
- A mug press or hat press. Fun machines, but wait until you know you love this hobby.
- Cricut Access on day one. Try the free images and fonts first. Here's everything you need to know about Cricut Access before you subscribe.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Started?
Beyond the machine, expect to spend roughly the cost of a nice dinner out on the 6 essentials: two rolls of adhesive vinyl, two rolls of HTV, a mat pack, a tool set, and transfer tape. Start small. You can always buy more vinyl once you know what you love making.
FAQ
What supplies come with a Cricut machine?
Most machines include a mat and a fine-point blade, plus a small sample of material for a test cut. Bundles add tools, vinyl, and sometimes an EasyPress, which can be a good value if you were buying those anyway.
Do I need a heat press for Cricut projects?
Not at first. A household iron works for your first HTV shirts. A small press like the EasyPress Mini gives more consistent results once you're making shirts regularly.
What's the best vinyl brand for beginners?
I recommend Oracal 651 for adhesive vinyl and Siser EasyWeed for iron-on. Both are beginner-friendly, widely available, and consistent roll to roll.
How much vinyl should I buy to start?
Two rolls of adhesive vinyl (black and white) and two rolls of HTV (black and white) will carry you through at least your first 10 projects. Resist the giant rainbow bundles until you know your style.
Your Turn!
Grab the essentials, then pick your first project from my 10 easy Cricut projects for beginners. You've got this!
Watch this if you just got your machine:
