Cricut Joy 2 and Explore 5 Have Been Launched in Australia
CRICUT 26 EXPLORE5 JOY2 Lifestyle 3
Cricut has been launched into 2026 with two new machines, and this time it has not just tweaked a button and called it progress. The Cricut Joy 2 and Cricut Explore 5 have officially landed in Australia and New Zealand, and they are clearly aimed at people who want to make things without first completing a degree in engineering.
Available from 6 March at major retailers, these machines promise something radical in the crafting world, simplicity.
And frankly, it is about time.
Cricut Joy 2, Small, Clever, and Finally Doing Full Colour
The Cricut Joy 2 has been launched as the cute one. Two toned blue, compact enough to live on your desk without dominating it, and weighing just 1.2kg. You can move it from the kitchen bench to the study without needing a forklift.
But here is the important bit. It now has a Print Then Cut sensor. That means full colour stickers. Proper ones. Not the kind that look like they were made during a power outage.
It precision cuts over 75 materials including vinyl, iron on, cardstock and printables. It writes. It draws. It scores. It even foils if you are feeling ambitious.
On a mat, it handles projects up to 10.6cm by 29.7cm. With Smart Materials, you can go up to 1.2 metres long. So yes, you can finally label every container in your pantry and still have time left to make a birthday card.
Cricut Explore 5, Slimmer, Faster, and Less of a Bench Hog
Now we move to the serious machine. The Cricut Explore 5 has been launched with a neutral taupe finish and a body that is 30 per cent more compact than the previous model.
Thirty per cent. That is not a rounding error. That is the difference between it fitting neatly into your home and it looking like it has annexed your dining table.
It still delivers full 12 inch cutting performance and now precision cuts over 100 materials. Vinyl, iron on, cardstock, printables, even thicker materials for custom magnets if you add the Deep Cutting Tool.
It works with six tools and introduces snap in pen loading, which means you no longer have to wrestle with tiny parts like you are diffusing a bomb.
With Smart Materials, it can produce projects up to 3.6 metres long. So yes, wedding signage, party decor, custom clothing, the lot.
Essential Bundles That Actually Mean Essential
Both machines are being sold as Essential Bundles in Australia and New Zealand, and this is where Cricut has clearly listened to its users.
Instead of handing you a machine and wishing you luck, they have included Smart Vinyl, Smart Iron On, cardstock, printable vinyl, transfer tape, mats, tools, markers and enough supplies to make up to 35 projects with the Joy 2 or 65 with the Explore 5.
You open the box. You make something. Revolutionary.
Design Space, Now With Less Guesswork
Cricut has also reworked its Design Space software. Guided Flows now ask what you want to make and then walk you through it step by step. No clutter. No endless menus. Just what you need at that moment.
The Canvas automatically resizes based on your chosen project, and Project Preview lets you see your design on a T shirt, mug or phone case before you commit.
There is also Create AI for paid subscribers. Type something mildly unhinged like a dinosaur with a unicorn horn riding a skateboard, and it generates a cut ready design in seconds. You do not need to be an illustrator. You just need imagination and perhaps a sense of humour.
Cricut CEO Ashish Arora says the goal was to simplify the entire experience end to end. Judging by what is included in the box and how the software now behaves, that appears to be more than marketing spin.
Pricing and Availability in Australia and New Zealand
The Cricut Joy 2 and Cricut Explore 5 have been launched and will be available from Friday 6 March.
Cricut Joy 2 Essential Bundle
Australia, RRP $249 at Spotlight, Officeworks and BIG W
New Zealand, RRP $349 exclusively at Spotlight
Cricut Explore 5 Essential Bundle
Australia, RRP $449 at Spotlight, Harvey Norman and Officeworks
New Zealand, RRP $599 at Spotlight and Harvey Norman
In short, Cricut has not just released two new machines. It has decided that creativity should be faster, simpler and less intimidating.
And if that means fewer abandoned craft projects gathering dust in the corner, that can only be a good thing.
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
