I am putting together some fun retirement themed projects for my mother’s upcoming retirement. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to see just how well Cricut vinyl is compared to other brands. I wanted to find out is Cricut permanent vinyl the best?
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For this side by side comparison, I will be doing three different projects: Cricut vinyl with a Cricut brand mug, Generic brand vinyl on a Cricut brand mug, and finally Cricut vinyl on a generic brand wine tumbler.
I know that Cricut branded items are a little bit more expensive than other brands you may find in the craft store or on Amazon. I wanted to see if they really are worth the extra expense. I did a previous side by side comparison of Cricut brand Vs. Generic Iron on vinyl and you can see the results for that. I noticed a big difference in that post so I figured I would try the same thing with permanent vinyl.
Is Cricut Permanent Vinyl the Best?
Cricut Brand Permanent Vinyl
For all of the projects in this post, I created them using Cricut Design Space. I then cut them out using the Vinyl setting on my Cricut Explore Air 2 machine.
For my first project I used Cricut vinyl with a Cricut mug. I figured this would be the best outcome because Cricut materials are made to go on Cricut blanks for the best finished project. I used the Vinyl Everything Sampler because it comes with a wide variety of colors to choose from. It’s priced around $1 per sheet which is a great price for quality vinyl.
I made the Officially Retired 2023 mug with these materials. It was very easy to weed using my Cricut Brightpad. I did use Cricut brand transfer tape on all of the projects to apply the vinyl to the blanks. Creating this mug was very easy to do. I didn’t have any problems cutting or applying the vinyl.
The vinyl seems to have adhered very strongly to the mug. I tried picking at the edges and it didn’t move at all!
Generic Brand Permanent Vinyl
For the Under New Management mug, I used IModeur permanent vinyl. I have never heard of this brand before but it was only $7 for 12 sheets of vinyl so I thought I would give it a try. I used a Cricut brand mug for this project as well.
The first thing I noticed by doing a side by side comparison of the two different vinyls, is that the Cricut brand is a lot more vibrant in color and has a shinier look. The IModeur vinyl is more matte. There is a big difference in the backing paper as well. The IModeur brand is a lot thicker compared to the Cricut brand. I found that this made it more difficult to lay flat on the cutting mats. The IModeur vinyl kept popping up in the corners as it was going through the Explore Air 2 to be cut.
Once the vinyl was cut, it was similar to weed and apply the vinyl just as it was with the first project. It did turn out well but just by feeling the vinyl on the mug, I don’t think it has a very strong grip. Time will tell if this will start peeling off.
Cricut Vinyl with Generic Tumbler
For my final project I used a couple of sheets from the Cricut vinyl sampler and a Lifecapido Stainless Steel Wine Tumbler. Again, I used Cricut Design Space to make the 5 0’clock design. I had no problems cutting or weeding the design or applying it to the tumbler.
The only problem is that the vinyl doesn’t seem to have as strong of a grip as it did on the coffee mug. It is still on there well but I am worried that it may come off in the future. Hopefully, it won’t but we will see. I wish Cricut made tumblers instead of just mugs to go with their vinyl.
Why is Cricut Vinyl the Best?
If I am going to be making any more DIY projects in the future with permanent vinyl, I will be using Cricut materials and blanks. It is just so much easier to work with and you know that the project is going to last so much longer than using generic branded materials.
Cricut materials go through a rigorous testing process to ensure lasting results. They also are stress tested for performance and durability so they will last.
If you are using a Cricut machine, you will want to use Cricut materials so you will get consistent results. Every Cricut material is carefully designed to work flawlessly with your Cricut machine. They are pre-calibrated for compatibility. Plus, if you are using Smart Materials they are specially designed for easier making and continuous or extra-long cuts up to 12 feet long.
You can rest assured that Cricut materials are safe for their intended use and compliant with all applicable regulations for manufacturing operations.
Considering the cost difference between the two types of vinyls I used was less than 50 cents per sheet. I will go with Cricut every time. It will save me money in the long run since I won’t have to remake any projects. That is why Cricut vinyl is the best.
