Unveiling and Setting Up the Cricut Explore 3: A Comprehensive Guide ⋆ The Quiet Grove

(This article is sponsored by Cricut. However, The thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own. You can read my full disclosure here)

Are you eager to dive into the exciting realm of Cricut Crafting and considering the purchase of the impressive Explore 3?

Whether you’re a novice crafter embarking on your creative journey with the Cricut Explore 3 as your inaugural crafting machine or contemplating an upgrade from a different model, this machine is sure to captivate you.

Reflecting on my own experience 15 years ago when I first acquired a Cricut machine, the crafting landscape was simpler, relying on cartridges pre-loaded with specific designs. Despite the simplicity, it opened up new horizons for my crafting endeavors. Fast forward to today, Cricut has evolved significantly, offering a diverse range of crafting machines tailored to various sizes and abilities, catering to your specific crafting needs.

The Cricut Explore 3 stands out as one of Cricut’s premium crafting machines. It boasts compatibility with hundreds of materials, both on cutting mats and, in certain cases, matless with smart materials. Unleash your creativity by using pens and markers to have the Cricut draw on materials, score materials with a scoring stylus, and seamlessly connect your Cricut wirelessly to your inkjet printers for printing and cutting materials.

What do I need to buy in addition to the machine to get started crafting?

I get asked a lot about what you need to buy in addition to the Cricut Explore 3 to get started. Honestly not a lot. Your machine will come with a few sample materials so you can get crafting right away.

For additional purchases, while these aren’t required I would Highly recommend investing in the following items:

Cricut Mats- The Explore 3 does not come with any mats. Even though your machine can cut smart materials matless, you will need mats to cut everything else. Cricut mats come in a variety of adhesive strengths that you use for different materials. I recommend getting at least one of each of the main 3 types of mats (light grip, standard grip, and strong grip). You can get a multi-pack with all 3 mats to get you started.

The Essential Tool Kit – I recommend getting the essential tool kit which includes the Cricut Paper Cutter, sharp crafting scissors, a weeding tool, a scoring tool, tweezers, and a scraper tool. I use the various tools in the Essential Tool Kit every time I craft with my Cricut. While I have gotten other tools along my crafting journey (I like the Brayer and the True control Knife) I recommend getting the Essential Tool Kit when you first start. You won’t regret it.

Extra Blades – There are 2 main blades You will use a lot (depending on your project) with your Explore 3. For most materials, you will use a Finepoint Blade, and for a few, you will use the Deep Point Blade. It’s a Good Idea to get a couple extra blades (especially if you are planning on doing a lot of crafting). I always try to have at least a Backup Fine Point and Deep point blade on hand in case I am doing a large project and my current blade gets dull and needs to be replaced. Blades aren’t expensive and do last quite a while (depending on how heavily you are using them and what materials you are working with.)

Crafting Materials – You will want to get some materials to work with. If you know what type of projects you are especially wanting to start with make sure to get materials for them. If you want to make custom clothes, bags, hats etc then get Iron-on (HTV) and Infusible Ink products. If you want to make labels and signs consider getting Vinyl and Transfer Tape. If you want to make stickers look at getting Waterproof Sticker sets, and Printable Vinyl. If you want to make Cards, and Gift Tags then get some Cardstock, Iron-on, and Foil Kit. You get the idea.

If you aren’t sure what kind of projects you are most interested in making then I would advise getting your machine in a start-up Bundle pack with a variety of materials and some key tools like what I recommended above so you can play around and decide what you like making the most.

What does it cost to use the Cricut Explore 3?

Lots of people wonder if there are any extra hidden costs involved in Cricut crafting. I am so happy to say there really isn’t.

I mean you have the option of getting Cricut Access which is pretty cool and gives you access to thousands of premade project designs, design elements, and fonts to use but Cricut Access isn’t required for Cricut Crafting.

When Cricut originally came out with their first crafting machines they were cartridge-based. Each cartridge contained specific designs and design elements. However, they listened to their customers who wanted not only a wider base of crafting assets to use but also the ability to create or upload their own designs to use.

Now within Cricut’s design software called Cricut Design Space you can create your own designs for free (using basic shapes), upload your own designs that you create using other software, or designs you get online from crafty bloggers like me (I have several Cricut tutorials and free cut files available here at The Quiet Grove.

If you want to take advantage of any of the thousands of designs and fonts available through Design space you can do so in two different ways. You can either individually purchase design assets within Cricut Design Space to use in your project. Or you can purchase a subscription called Cricut Access. You can pay for the standard access either monthly or yearly and the premium access yearly. Cricut Access comes with a variety of benefits in addition to access to the digital designs and fonts available in Cricut Design Space. Both access subscriptions offer a discount on Cricut purchases and a $10 coupon every 3 months to use at Cricut.com (with free shipping) and the premium access has some other fun discounts included. But again while this subscription is amazing (and I use it myself even though I am a designer.) you don’t have to use it.

The only other costs are if you buy additional tools, machines (like the heat presses), and materials for projects.

What’s Included with the Explore 3?

I have seen it happen so many times that a new to-Cricut crafter excitedly goes and buys one of their machines but then it sits in the corn of their bedroom or craft room because they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start with their new machine. If this is you, don’t worry. I’ll walk you through it. The first thing you need to do is open up that box and pull out your machine.

In addition to your Cricut Explore 3 machine inside the box you will find:

The Power Cord
A USB connection Cord (to hook up your machine to your computer)
Quick Start Guide
Safety document
Warranty document
Fine Point Blade
Materials (Smart Vinyl, Smart Iron-on, Adhesive Cardstock & transfer tape) to use in introductory projects.)
100 free predesigned projects in Cricut Design Space

How to Set up your Explore 3

Now that you have unboxed your machine it’s time to get it all set up and that includes activating the registration for your new machine, doing a test cut, and doing the 3 intro projects that correspond with the materials that come with your new Cricut.

To Activate/Register your Cricut you need to go to Cricut’s Setup Page and follow the step-by-step instructions which are as follows:

Select that you are Activating/Setting up a Smart Cutting Machine.
Select the Cricut Explore 3.
Make sure your Machine has adequate space around it to cut materials.
Plug in your device.
Power on your Cricut machine.
Select if you are connecting with the USB cord or with wifi (I like to connect with the UBS cord for the activation even if I use wifi for projects later on).
Allow your computer to connect to your machine.
Do the test cut with the rectangular piece of smart vinyl found in the start-up envelope.

I love how it talks you through each step of the set-up activation and initial test cut. Even if you have absolutely no experience with a Cricut machine you can do this.

Test Projects

Now that your Cricut Explore 3 is all set up and activated I highly suggest you take advantage of the Getting Started Tutorial projects that correspond with the materials included with your Cricut Explore 3.

You can find these Projects by:

Clicking the Home button on the top left part of your Cricut Design Space Screen.
Select the Get Started button
Choose Explore 3 as your machine.

On the Get Started page, there is a video at the top that sort of introduces you to the Explore 3 machine and what it can do. Then below that video are 3 easy projects you can make.

Project 1: The First Project has you making a simple sticker using Smart Paper (aka adhesive Cardstock)

Project 2: walks you through Editing designs in Cricut Design Space and learning to use tools like attach to make a custom decal with smart Vinyl.

Project 3: Walks you through making a custom Heat Transfer Vinyl project using Smar Iron-on.

Each of these projects has a pop-up guide that walks you through the whole process from beginning to end. I love how these projects get you to use various materials with your machine right away and help you become familiar with Cricut’s Design Space Software.

Now that you have unboxed your Explore 3, Set up and activated your machine, and gotten familiar with using both your Cricut and Cricut’s Design Software you are now ready to embark on the amazing world of Cricut Crafting!!

Once you start Cricut crafting with your Explore 3 you will find that many projects are a lot easier than you would think. This is why I advise you to get your machine out of its box right away, get it set up, and just start crafting.

If you don’t know where to go for project designs when you first start Cricut has you covered. Your Cricut Explore 3 comes with 1 free month Cricut Access Subscription. I would advise taking advantage of it to make some fun already-designed projects to get familiar with your machine and get a better idea of what kind of Cricut crafting you are most drawn to. Through Cricut Access you can take advantage of fonts, design images, and fully predesigned projects.

You can also look through my blog to find easy step-by-step tutorials for using Cricut machines. If you have any questions or need help with your new Cricut Explorer 3 then let me know I would be happy to help. I will be doing more articles soon specifically about the Air 3 so stay tuned.