Which is the better machine? The Cricut Explore or the Silhouette Cameo?

People kept asking me which machine I thought was the best between the Silhouette Cameo and the Cricut Explore so I conducted some of my own tests cutting shrink film, acrylic, chipboard, corrugated cardboard and cork and posted a video with the results.

After those tests and after using the Explore for several months, which was after using the Cameo for nearly three years, I concluded that the Cricut Explore is the machine that can cut the broadest range of materials, the thickest materials, the densest materials and do so very accurately, quietly and easily.

A lot of people in the Silhouette community pooh-poohed my video and insisted that their trusty old Cameo was the better machine. It might HAVE BEEN the better machine for a while, but things have changed.

The new Cricut has taken the crafting community by storm.

And now, just before the new iPad app is launched and before much more exciting new is launched, the results from an independent engineering firm have been released and the results can no longer be denied or pooh-poohed.

There is a reason people are threatening to throw their Cameos out the window! I have seen so many make this very comment.

While Cameo users have to be content cutting vinyl, but not for too long or using too large designs, Cricut users are playing with just about every material under the sun.

It's kind of ironic isn't it how only about one month ago Cricut users were rejoicing about the announcement of the new iPad app while Cameo users were bitterly disappointed with the announcement of the new Cameo that really had nothing more than a few cosmetic changes.

See for yourself. The full reports are available here.

Materials Report
Precision Report