15 Must-Have Cricut Maker Accessories (for the Original, Maker 3 & Maker 4!)

So, you got a Cricut Maker and you aren’t sure what to do next. Don’t worry, I can help!

This list of the best must-have Cricut Maker accessories and tools will unlock loads of creative possibilities and make crafting a lot more fun!

Good news if you have a Cricut Maker 3 or Maker 4: almost all of the accessories and blades in this list are compatible across all three Cricut Maker models: the original, Maker 3, and Maker 4.

I’ll note any exceptions as we go! Plus, there is at least one accessory that’s exclusive to the newer models. (Lucky you!)

Want to remember this? Post this list of must have Cricut Maker accessories to your favorite DIY Pinterest board!

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The Cricut Maker has so many amazing possibilities, but most of them require some additional accessories to unlock.

You can cut so many materials and do other amazing things like engraving, embossing, and perforating with the click of your mouse.

Honestly, it’s one of those tools that just keeps revealing new tricks the longer you have it – and the right accessories are what unlock most of them.

But which add-ons do you really need, and which ones should you maybe wait on?

What’s in the box varies by model, so here’s a quick breakdown:

Original Cricut Maker:

• Rotary Blade + Drive Housing
• Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing
• Fine-Point Pen
• 12″ x 12″ FabricGrip Mat
• 12″ x 12″ LightGrip Mat
• USB cable
• Power adapter
• Welcome book
• Sample materials

Cricut Maker 3 & 4:

• Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing (pre-installed)
• USB cable
• Power adapter
• Welcome book
• Smart Material samples (Smart Vinyl, Smart Iron-On, and Smart Cardstock)

No mats or Rotary Blade in the box for the newer models – since they’re built around matless cutting with Smart Materials, Cricut left those out.

If you plan to cut fabric or use standard vinyl on a mat, you’ll want to grab those separately.

So… that’s a pretty good start, but what if you want to try cutting balsa wood? Or give foil transfer a go? Or do the hundreds of other things your Cricut Maker can do?

It’s time to grab some extra tools and accessories!

Before we dive in, Cricut usually has some awesome bundle deals going on with loads of materials – great for stocking up while you’re at it!

So if you still need Cricut supplies, those are great, especially as a beginner when you aren’t sure what to buy.

Let’s take a look at the best Cricut accessories and tools to make the most of your amazing new machine!

#1. Knife Blade & Housing

The Knife Blade is a must-have if you want to cut thicker materials like leather, chipboard, or basswood – and it doesn’t come with any model (bummer), so this is one you’ll definitely want to add to your cart.

The blades are long-lasting and you can extend the life of them with the aluminum foil ball trick.

(Aluminum Foil Ball Trick: Just crumple up a ball of aluminum foil and stab the blade into it several times to clean and sharpen it. Pretty satisfying on a bad day, be careful with your fingers, though!)

Just in case, it’s not a bad idea to pick up a replacement knife blade.

There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and realizing you have a dull blade that needs to be replaced. (Ask me how I know…)

#2. Rotary Blade

The Rotary Blade is one of the coolest things about the Cricut Maker lineup.

You can use it to cut all kinds of fabrics (without stabilizer on the back!), felt, and even quilt batting.

It came included with the original Cricut Maker, but if you have a Maker 3 or 4 (or if you picked up an older model secondhand without the original accessories) you’ll need to grab the Rotary Blade separately.

#3. Quick Swap Housing & Tips

The QuickSwap Housing is how you use all the must-have blades for the Cricut Maker, and it opens up a whole new world of possibilities! 

With the press of a button, you can swap out any of the compatible QuickSwap tips to use with your Maker.

The great thing about the QuickSwap housing is you just need to buy one and you can use it with all the tips! It makes buying new tools much more affordable.

Here’s a rundown of all the tips you can choose from:

Engraving Tip

With the Engraving tip, you can engrave intricate designs on paper, wood, acrylic, leather, and many other materials.  

Debossing Tip

Use the Debossing Tip to create recessed relief images on paper, cardstock, poster board, leather, and other materials.

Scoring Wheel

The single Scoring Wheel is perfect for scoring crisp lines in crepe paper, cardstock, acetate, and other light materials.

Double Scoring Wheel

The Double Scoring Wheel creates two parallel score lines and is perfect for scoring poster board, cardboard, craft board, and other heavier materials.

Perforating Blade

With the Perforation Blade, you can perforate cardstock, poster board, craft board, and more to create projects that can be easily torn off like raffle tickets, tear out coloring pages, or gift boxes.

Wavy Blade

With the Wavy Blade, you can easily make decorative wavy edges on your projects. 

It’s perfect for paper flowers, gift tags, cards, and more! The Wavy Blade is a rotary blade, so you can use it on fabric as well.

#4. Extra Mats

Cricut mats are great, but the stickiness does wear off after a while.

Especially if you’re cutting a lot of fabric or felt on the FabricGrip mat, or leather on the StrongGrip mat without contact paper on the back (hot mess, trust me).

You can clean and re-stick them, but sometimes it’s just easier to grab a new one.

Keep an eye out for sales: Cricut runs them pretty regularly and mats are one of those things worth stocking up on when the price is right.

#5. Cricut Pens

Have you tried using Cricut Pens to write and draw with your Maker?

It’s kinda crazy, you buy the machine to cut things and then one day you realize it can also produce gorgeous hand-lettered designs without your actual handwriting being involved. And if your handwriting is as bad as mine… woot.

If you want to write words that look like handwriting, you’ll need to use single-line fonts.

With most regular fonts you’ll get bubble letters, which honestly can look pretty cool depending on the project.

But if you want that clean, handwritten look, use the filter in Design Space to find “Writing” fonts.

You can also use the pens to draw pictures, and intricate designs like mandalas come out absolutely gorgeous.

And if you really want to level up, grab some Infusible Ink markers, too.

These let your Cricut draw custom designs that get pressed permanently into compatible blanks like t-shirts, tote bags, and coasters – no peeling, no fading, and no sad crafting moments six months later.

#6. Cricut Roll Holder (Cricut Maker 3 & 4 only)

This one’s specifically for Maker 3 and 4 owners – original Maker folks can skip ahead!

One of the best things about the newer Maker models is the ability to cut Smart Materials without a mat at all.

But managing a big roll of vinyl while your machine is cutting is its own, special kind of chaos.

The Cricut Roll Holder attaches to the guides on your machine tray in seconds, keeps your roll aligned and feeding smoothly, and has a built-in trimmer so you get a clean straight edge when you’re done.

No more vinyl unrolling across your entire craft room floor. Finally.

It holds rolls up to 75 feet, works with Smart Vinyl and Smart Iron-On, and honestly if you’re doing any amount of matless cutting it’s pretty much a must.

#7. Foil Transfer Kit

The Foil Transfer Kit is Cricut’s answer to the foil quill kits you’ve probably seen in stores.

While those off-brand accessories can potentially damage your machine and void your warranty, this one is made specifically for the Cricut Maker.

So you can foil to your heart’s content without any nervous googling afterward.

The Foil Transfer Kit Includes:

• 1 Foil Transfer Tool Housing
• 3 Foil Transfer Tips – fine, medium, bold
• 12 Foil Transfer Sheets 4″ x 6″ (10.1 cm x 15.2 cm) – 4 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 White
• Tape 

With it you can add beautiful foil accents to cards, invitations, gift wrap, and pretty much anything flat, and it’s way easier than it looks.

(I have one and keep meaning to try it, so no judgment if it sits in your craft room for a while.)

#8. Brayer & Remover Tools

If you plan on cutting fabric with your Cricut Maker, the Brayer and Remover Tools will make your life way easier.

The brayer helps you smooth fabric down on the mat to remove any wrinkles or air bubbles. And it works just as well for cardstock or vinyl, too.

The broad-tipped tweezers are perfect for picking out little pieces of fabric, threads, and what I can only assume is dog hair that get stuck to the mat without losing your mind over it.

#9. Essential Tool Set

The Essential Tool Set is a must for weeding vinyl and carefully removing paper or cardstock from your mats, and it comes with a bunch of handy tools.

This 7-piece set includes a 13″ portable trimmer, scissors, a weeder, a spatula, a burnisher, and a scraper – basically everything you need to weed, trim, and handle materials without losing your mind (or your fingernails).

I find myself using these tools for all sorts of stuff around my house, even when I’m not using my Cricut.

#10. XL Scraper

The XL Scraper may not seem like a big deal, but it totally is.

The smaller scraper in the basic tool kit above handles everyday tasks fine, but when you’re working with larger vinyl projects this thing is a game changer.

Transfers go smoother, mats clear faster, and you’ll wonder how you managed without it. Bigger is definitely better here.

#11. Cricut Machine Tote

If you ever need to take your Cricut on the road (craft night, a class, a friend’s house, wherever your crafting adventures take you) a good carrying case is a must.

This one fits all Cricut Maker models, has dedicated pockets for vinyl rolls, cutting mats, and tools, and comes with three carrying options so you can haul it however works best for you.

#12. The Easy Press

For projects that use iron-on vinyl, a Cricut EasyPress is SUCH a time (and sanity) saver.

It takes all the guesswork out of transferring your designs. Just set the exact temperature and time for your material type and you’re good to go.

No more hovering an iron over your project and crossing your fingers.

Cricut currently offers a few EasyPress options at different price points and sizes, so there’s something for every budget and project size.

If you plan on using Infusible Ink for any of your projects, an EasyPress is basically non-negotiable. A regular iron just won’t give you consistent enough heat.

Check out the current EasyPress lineup here.

#13. BrightPad

Speaking of sanity savers, the Cricut BrightPad makes weeding vinyl so much easier.

Especially when you’re weeding a super intricate design, the light makes cuts easy to see so you’re not squinting and cursing at tiny pieces trying to figure out what stays and what goes.

(Seriously, you would be amazed at how much easier it is. I know I was.)

You can also use it like a regular light pad for tracing designs, which is a nice bonus.

Cricut now offers two versions: the original BrightPad which plugs in, and the BrightPad Go which is cordless and rechargeable.

If you’re going to use it regularly I’d spring for the Go. Being able to move it around freely without hunting for an outlet is absolutely worth it.

#14. The TrueControl Knife Kit

Your Cricut handles most of the cutting, but there are times you need to do some detail work by hand. Trimming around a design, cutting out intricate shapes, or just cleaning things up.

The TrueControl Knife Kit is great for that.

It’s got a comfortable cushioned grip, a hands-free blade changing system so you’re not fumbling with sharp edges, and an anti-roll design so it doesn’t immediately roll off your craft table the second you set it down.

(Whoever thought of that deserves a raise.)

It comes with five replacement blades and a storage cartridge to safely dispose of used ones. (Again, brilliant.)

#15. A Seriously Fabulous Storage Cart

A good storage cart makes a huge difference when you’re working with a Cricut.

Having your machine, mats, tools, and materials all in one organized spot instead of scattered across your craft room is genuinely life changing.

This rolling storage cart has locking wheels and plenty of drawers to keep everything accessible without taking over your entire space.

In Conclusion

There you have it!

Everything you need to get the most out of your Cricut Maker, whether you just unboxed a shiny new Maker 4 or you’ve had your original Maker since the beginning (same, and it still works great, so no judgment).

The good news is you don’t have to grab everything at once. Start with the basics: blades, mats, the essential tool set, and add to your collection as you figure out what you love making most.

What’s your must-have Cricut accessory? Drop it in the comments! I’m always looking for an excuse to add something new to my craft room.

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15 Must-Have Cricut Maker Accessories (for the Original, Maker 3 & Maker 4!)