There are so many good cutting machines that you can rely on and both Brother SDX125 Vs Cricut Maker are some of them. These machines are very useful when you need to work fast and work in larger batches since they are very convenient. However, just like any machine that is made by different brands and are in different price ranges, the two are not identical. If you wonder which of them to go for, let’s see what they can offer here.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- Do You Need a Vinyl Cutter
- What are Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker
- How are the Machine of Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker
- How are the Capacity of Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker
- How are the Performance of Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker
- What else Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker can offer
- Brother SDX125 Vs Cricut Maker
Vinyl Cutter for Hobbyist
The world of crafting is huge and there are machines or tools that we can use to ease the work. Humans want the best convenience and oftentimes it also results in new tools or appliances that can cut the manual work into a more automatic as well as seamless system. When it comes to crafting we can’t ever leave scissors and blades aside because they are extremely useful, especially for people who often work with a sheet of material like paper and fabric.
Vinyl cutter in general is a cutting machine or computer controlled cutting machine. It is very similar to the manual die cutter like Sizzix Big Shot but now the system is automatic. They are almost like a printer but instead of printing the machine is mostly used for cutting or embossing a sheet of material. Yes they can draw too with the proper pen or attachment but personally we only use them for cutting since drawing is faster to be printed instead.
Vinyl cutters are available for hobbyist and business of professional use but they can be the same machine as well depending on which seems to work best in your type of application. In terms of application they are useful for decal designers, signage designers, home décor business, custom apparel business, small craft hobbyist, vehicle sticker business, etc. In general anything that is thin and solid enough can be cut with the machine but not all machines will be able to work the same way.
When it comes to vinyl cutters, we highly recommend something that can cut thoroughly for the material that you will be using. The cutting force and blade use is necessary to make sure that the machine is able to perform the cutting. For business use that will work with thicker or sturdier material you may want to look for options with higher cutting force or taller clearance. The software may be necessary as well if you will be using other third-party applications to design.
Nowadays vinyl cutters are getting cheaper and it is great for commercial purposes where there is high demand for this type of machine. You can find the options below $200 from various companies but do consider what they can offer first because the more you pay the more the machine can offer and it is best to invest on something that you will be using for a long time. Personally we also like to shop in a budget range to save time and narrow the options down.
| Brother ScanNCut SDX125 | Cricut Maker | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 20.91 x 8.47 x 6.81 inches | 37 x 11 x 0.5 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 12.8 pounds | 15.02 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker
There are so many good options to consider out there and it is easy to see why. The demand of this type of machine may not be as high as smart products for example but they have their own market and it is for hobbyists or professionals who are working or have a business in the crafting segment. Based on the machine’s type and capacity we can easily set the budget or features and abilities; some are best for home use and some are ideal for business purposes.
The most common type of cutting machines for hobbyists are those that use small blades while for business the laser machines are probably more reliable. Brother and Cricut for example are famous for their vinyl cutters and we are sure most of us are familiar with these names already. They are carrying various DIY machines that can be very helpful for a wide range of users. Most of their machines are very easy to use as well but performance wise it is highly dependent on the model.
For those who want to have a convenient cutter, the Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker will be two amazing options to consider. These two are famous for being highly reliable and this is because they can handle a wide range of materials and are straightforward. They can be used with the software that comes with the purchase or downloadable from their sites. They are working in a similar manner too but side by side the machines are not the same.
What makes them different and probably also made for different types of crafters is because one comes with a scanner built in the machine and this feature, while adding some into the cost, also means better convenience. On the other hand the Maker is focusing on cutting and we do think this is one of the most powerful cutters in the market. It is simpler and can only cut but the machine carries some of the most powerful force to handle sturdier material. Read also: Brother ScanNCut SDX125EGY Vs SDX125E here.
Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker Design
Before getting into what the Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker can offer, let’s see the machine first. The two are quite different and it is easy to see that Maker will require more space because it is slightly wider. The capacity seems to be the same however but this machine has a tray and a control panel housed on both sides of the cutter which adds into the width as well. On the other hand Brother is more compact but it is slightly taller.
This is because the machine comes with an operating system already which means we can use it as a standalone equipment. There is a small display with a few buttons at the top of the machine and we will get a stylus to navigate the menu. Sadly the display is less responsive but it is to be expected. In addition, you will get the typical accessories in the box such as standard cutting mat, blade, and pen. If you get the SDX125E, we will also get several activation cards for ready to use design collection.
Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker Capacity
Now for the most important part, let’s take a look into what the Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker can offer starting from the capacity. As it has been mentioned above, they come with standard cutting mat and it is only 12 x 12 inches in size but the clearance to fit material is recommended at 3 and 2 millimeters respectively for these machines. The Maker can actually cut up to 2.4 mm but you will need the knife blade to perform this.
Another important note is that SDX125 can only hold one attachment at a time so it is either blade or pen while Maker can hold two inside the machine as it comes with two clamps thus, we can just use any attachment to match the work; it is more convenient and streamlined. For the material compatibility they can work on typical options like paper, fabric, stickers, etc. Additionally you can even cut several layers of fabric at one go.
Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker Performance
The next part is for the performance side and what we love the most from Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker is how well they work on various different materials. Typical papers are not an issue including for fabric and it seems the blade is good enough for different types of material as well. The SDX125 cutting force is significantly lower compared to Maker. But, depending on what you will cut using these machines, we do think most of them should go well with either of the two.
As for ease of use they have different software and in terms of collection Cricut has a large amount of fonts, designs, and images yet, they can only be used by Design Space while for the flexibility Brother is better. However, we also heard people complain about the interface of Brother’s software as it seems to be less intuitive.
Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker Features
Lastly on the features, this is where the price gap is justified by Brother SDX125 series. This machine comes with a built-in scanner and you can use it directly without a computer as well or through the interface. We can use printed work and feed it into the machine then let the system scan the image. It will be shown on the display and here we can slightly manipulate it. The machine can also cut directly based on this design, making it extremely convenient.
Brother SDX125 Vs Cricut Maker
The best thing about cutting machines is convenience and it is great to have a machine that we can rely on. Brother SDX125 and Cricut Maker are similarly good but they have different strengths because Maker stands out for the speed and cutting force while SDX125 is amazing for its convenience from the built-in feature. They are suitable for different concerns and sadly we can’t have both in one machine yet.
Conclusion
Depending on which seems to work better in your application, any of the two will be good options. We recommend Maker for people who often cut thin but sturdy materials and Brother for anyone who prefers to have a richer machine.
