Best sticker makers
If you're familiar with the Cricut Design Space already and know your way around the digital grid, you'll enjoy the extra-fast cut speed, sleek design and larger range of compatible materials.
If you're looking to save money on greeting cards and place cards, it may not be the savviest investment for you. This is because, unless you're willing to take the time to make your own original designs, the vast majority of templates are only available via the Design Space Access+ subscription. If it's label-making, stickers, simple vinyl decaling and speedy cutting that you're after, opt for the compact and value-for-money Cricut Joy instead.
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Evening Standard
29-04-2025
- Evening Standard
Best sticker makers
Despite its streamlined exterior, the Cricut Explore 4 isn't for everyone. It requires patience, dexterity, and a willingness to frequently repurchase the relevant materials for your chosen crafts, so it's one for older teens and adults. If you're familiar with the Cricut Design Space already and know your way around the digital grid, you'll enjoy the extra-fast cut speed, sleek design and larger range of compatible materials. If you're looking to save money on greeting cards and place cards, it may not be the savviest investment for you. This is because, unless you're willing to take the time to make your own original designs, the vast majority of templates are only available via the Design Space Access+ subscription. If it's label-making, stickers, simple vinyl decaling and speedy cutting that you're after, opt for the compact and value-for-money Cricut Joy instead.
NBC News
02-12-2024
- NBC News
Our favorite holiday gifts that are on sale for Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday is here and if you want to finish all your holiday shopping in one fell swoop, retailers are still offering deep discounts on great brands across every major category. Sourced from our editors' favorite items and brands, we rounded up the best functional tech finds, luxe beauty products and gifts for kids that are on sale right now. As a freelance reporter for NBC Select, I've covered shopping events for over two years. I combed through hundreds of discounted items to find the best Cyber Monday gift deals actually worth shopping. Each gift I recommend below is highly rated and at least 20% off — and several of them are NBC Select Award winners. When possible, I ran deals through price trackers to make sure they were at their lowest price in at least three months. To ensure fresh, worthwhile savings, I'll frequently update this list throughout Cyber Monday. Best Cyber Monday gift deals I found, vetted and wrote about every on-sale holiday gift I recommend below. I worked with NBC Select reporters to finalize the live list, which I'm frequently updating throughout Cyber Monday to reflect the most up-to-date prices. 4.7-star average rating from 3022 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever Bose makes some of our favorite headphones and smart speakers, and the SoundLink Flex is one of the brand's most portable options. It weighs less than 2 pounds and fits in the palm of your hand or you can easily clip it onto a bag with its built-in loop. Still, it's loud, clear, waterproof and dust-resistant with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 12 hours, according to Bose. 4.6-star average rating from 6,277 reviews on Amazon This is one of the best massage guns for muscle relief because it's 70% quieter than prior Theragun models and has a two-hour battery life that powers its percussion motor, according to the brand. Since it's cordless and Bluetooth-enabled with five massager speeds and four interchangeable attachments, your giftee can use it to massage their neck, back, arms and legs. 4.5-star average rating from 580 reviews on Amazon NBC Select commerce editor Cory Fernandez says the Cricut Joy Xtra is 'perfect for teachers, DIY pros and small-business owners,' since you can use a Bluetooth connection and a desktop app called Cricut Design Space to cuts custom designs into vinyl, iron-on and cardstock. That way your giftee can make stickers, greeting cards, T-shirts, flyers and decals. It weighs about 6 pounds and it's roughly the size of a shoebox, says Fernandez. Dyson Airstrait 4.3-star average rating from 874 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever One of the best flat irons, the Dyson Airstrait dries and straightens hair at the same time using hot air, which minimizes frizz while causing less heat damage, according to the brand. It can automatically sense when hair is between the plates and otherwise lowers its airflow. It also has an LCD screen that displays temperature and heat settings on it. This set includes a non-slip heat mat and storage case. 4.4-star average rating from 967 reviews on Amazon For the beauty lover, these Topicals masks are one of the best under-eye patches because they brighten the skin with niacinamide and de-puff it with caffeine. The non-slip adhesive helps it resists sliding around the face and they're safe for sensitive skin, according to Topicals. This order includes six pairs. 4.5-star average rating from 3,015 reviews on Amazon Available in six color options, Toniebox is a padded, shock-resistant speaker that automatically plays traditional children's songs when you place audio characters on top of it. It's designed for independent play to inspire imagination without screens, according to the brand. This Toniebox starter set includes a charging station and the Playtime Puppy audio character. PlayStation 5 Console 4.7-star average rating from 8,612 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever While it's 15% off rather than our usual 20%, the PlayStation 5 is rarely on sale — and it's a great gift for the gamer in your life. Compared to older consoles, it's faster and supports a new generation of PlayStation games alongside 3D audio and 4K graphics for deeper immersion, according to the brand. This slim version also comes with a horizontal stand, a 1TB SSD and a wireless controller. 4.6-star average rating from 74,636 reviews on Amazon An NBC Select Wellness Award winner, Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is designed to repair damaged hair, minimize split ends, reduce breakage and boost shine for all hair types, according to the brand. Our editors use it regularly to counteract damage from heat and dyes. 'This conditioner became my saving grace after a bad styling appointment left my hair with some serious heat damage that made my coils loose and droopy,' says NBC select associate reporter Ashley Morris. 'It helped repair the areas that were affected, and after about a month of consistent use the heat damage was almost totally reversed. I also like that the formula is lightweight and slippery, because it makes it easier to detangle my hair and make sure that the conditioner is worked into every strand.' 4.0-star average rating from 51,998 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever NBC Select associate reporter Bianca Alvarez tested this espresso machine and loved its customizable drink intensity and 13 grind settings. It's compatible with both pre-ground coffee and whole beans, has one-touch drink options for ease of use and comes with a built-in milk frother to make lattes and cappuccinos. Since many of the machine's components are removable and dishwasher-safe, it's also easy to keep clean. 4.7-star average rating from 11,289 reviews on Amazon When your favorite golfer looks through the lens of this Callaway Rangefinder, they'll instantly see the slope measurement and the pin's distance in yards, so they can choose the right club and adjust their swing accordingly. It's tournament-legal with six-times magnification, a laser that automatically locks onto the pin and a measurement range of 1,000 yards, according to the brand. It also includes a clip-on carrying case. Loop Quiet 2 Ear Plugs 4.0-star rating from 3,052 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio loves Loop earplugs for falling and staying asleep — but they're also a Select Wellness Award winner and a great gift for those who prefer peace and quiet. The brand's updated Quiet 2 plugs are made from lightweight, flexible silicone to muffle distracting sounds, and they come with four ear tip sizes for a comfortable fit, says Loop. 4.7-star rating from 24,526 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever An NBC Select Bed & Bath Award winner, the Kitsch pillowcase is made from cooling satin that's gentle on hair and skin, so it's a great gift for hot sleepers or beauty lovers. NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider loves that it has a zipper, which prevents the pillow from slipping out. Get it in your choice of three sizes and dozens of colors and patterns. Amazon Echo Show 5 4.4-star rating from 36,939 reviews on Amazon I have Amazon Echo devices in almost every room in my house so I can control my smart bulbs, set automatic timers and check my calendar using only my voice. The lowest-priced model in the Show lineup, the Echo Show 5 has both a built-in speaker and a touchscreen, so your giftee can play music, make video calls, view photos, check their camera feeds and watch how-to videos. NuFace Mini Starter Kit 3.8-star average rating from 157 reviews on Amazon NBC Select editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez says she has smoother skin and less facial bloating after using the NuFace Mini. This rechargeable device uses low-level electrical currents to boost circulation and contour the jaw, neck, cheeks and brows, according to the brand. The device has three intensity levels and includes a charging cable and a hydrating conductive gel. Dagne Dover Landon Neoprene Carryall Bag 4.8-star average rating from 4,457 reviews at Dagne Dover The Dagne Dover Landon Carryall won an NBC Select 2024 Travel Award for the best overall weekender bag. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin loves its structured material that holds its shape and says its expandable design is helpful for longer trips when you need additional space. It comes in nine colors and four sizes, all made from water-resistant neoprene with a recycled polyester lining. Best Cyber Monday gift sales Here are the best Cyber Monday gift sales to know about. Keep in mind, not every item from a brand or retailer is discounted as described below. Weezie: Up to 30% off sitewide Rifle Paper Co: 30% off sitewide Great Jones: Up to 50% off sitewide Calpak: Up to 60% off sitewide Allbirds: Up to 50% off sitewide Dyson: Up to $300 off select Dyson technology Bose: Up to 40% off Bose electronics Paravel: Up to 50% off sitewide Up to 35% off sitewide How I found the best Cyber Monday gift deals All of my recommendations above are based on NBC Select's previous coverage and reporting. I also included products the NBC Select staff has previously tested, including Wellness Award and Travel Award winners. All the deals I recommend are highly rated with at least a 4.0-star average rating from hundreds of reviews. When possible, I ran deals through price trackers like CamelCamelCamel to ensure products are at their lowest price in at least three months. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a freelance writer for NBC Select who has covered deals and sales for over two years. I've also written gift guides and shopping articles for Bustle, Elite Daily, Allure, CNN and Food & Wine, and I have over eight years of experience in e-commerce.
NBC News
06-11-2024
- NBC News
Cricut Joy Xtra review: Why it's perfect for teachers, DIY pros and small-business owners
While I love writing as a hobby and for my job, art was one of my favorite subjects in school. Still today, I know my way around a pair of scissors, glue and construction paper. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to try a Cricut machine. The brand's well known in the DIY crafting world for its line of digital machines that let you create and print personalized designs on different materials like vinyl and cardstock so you can make wall decals, monogrammed coffee mugs, classroom decorations, logos and more. The brand sent me a sample of its Joy Xtra machine, its newest model, which launched last year, along with some accessories so I could get started crafting. Below, I walk through my experience using it for a month. What is the Cricut Joy Xtra? The Cricut Joy Xtra ($199) is an electric crafting machine (12.5 x 6 x 5.5 in, about the size of a small shoe box) that prints and cuts a range of shapes, photos and letters on different materials — like cardstock or iron-on fabric — that you can then use to turn your designs into decals, stickers, greeting cards, flyers or T-shirts. It operates via Bluetooth and a desktop application called Cricut Design Space, which lets you draw your own designs, purchase templates, watch video tutorials, and get design inspiration. The Joy Xtra is compatible with three main types of material: vinyl, iron-on (a type of heat-safe vinyl) and cardstock/paper. To begin, you'll download the design software on your laptop or desktop, plug in the machine to an outlet and connect it to Bluetooth. There's no on/off button on the machine, just a small white light on the top that indicates that it's on. From there you can add and edit designs, shapes, words and photos in the software and send it to the machine where it will print and cut your designs on your chosen material. Once you've laced your material on the adhesive cutting mat, and inserted it into the front of the machine under the metal roller, it does the rest of the work for you, pulling the mat in and out, cutting the material as it goes. Before cutting the material, you can choose from a range of card sizes in the app, so it's important to choose the right size so the design comes out with the accurate scale. The brand also sells additional supplies you may need like a Weeding Tool Set ($26.99), cutting mats ($35.99) and transfer tape ($11.99). The machine retails for $199, though you can also buy it in an Everything Bundle, which includes a cutting mat, tool set (scissors, tweezers, burnishing tool and a scorer), transfer tape, multiple types of vinyl and iron-on materials for $295. How I tried the Cricut Joy Xtra In addition to the Cricut Joy Xtra, the brand sent me accessories and additional supplies to help me get started. This included a tool set, a cutting mat, cardstock, multiple sheets and designs of vinyl cutting paper, sticker paper, iron-on materials, machine-compatible pens and more. The brand also sent its EasyPress, which you can use to iron certain materials onto heat-safe fabrics such as canvas and cotton. I set up the machine, which weighs about 6 pounds, on my desk against my wall (I'll explain why this is important later on). Separately, I also downloaded and set up the Cricut Design Space onto my laptop. You'll need to do so to use the machine, but it also helps make getting started easier, since there are several tutorials. This is also the place where I actually created my designs before 'sending' them to the Cricut Joy Xtra. It looks similar — though not nearly as intricate — to design programs such as Adobe Illustrator or InDesign. When using the Cricut my process was as follows: I'd add a design — whether it be shapes, words, letters — on the grid of the design space. I then click 'make' in the top right corner, which lets me tell the machine which type of material I plan on loading into it and how much pressure it should use on it (which is important if you're cutting on a thicker surface, such as cardstock). Lastly, I add my chosen material onto the machine's mat (a reusable mat with a permanent adhesive coating) and click 'go' which tells the machine to start cutting. After removing the material from the machine, I cleared my workspace and got started using the tool set and the EasyPress as needed for each project. If I was making a decal, for example, I'd follow the tutorials in the design space to properly adhere my Cricut-produced cut-outs onto whatever I was decorating, such as a mug or bottle, using transfer tape. For any clothes or apparel, once the Cricut cut and printed my logos, I then carefully placed it on what I was designing (such as a tote bag) and used the heat press to adhere it. My experience with the Cricut Joy Xtra 'Pleasantly surprised' doesn't do my experience with Cricut Joy Xtra justice. I quickly learned how versatile and interactive the machine is, and how helpful the online program is, especially for a beginner. I loved how easy it was to use the Cricut Joy Xtra to craft decals, make homemade greeting cards and accessorize plain T-shirts and tote bags. Below, I talk more about my experience with the Cricut Joy Xtra, including what I loved the most and what to know before buying. What I like Interactive, helpful directions My main worry before using the machine was that I would be overwhelmed by the learning curve. That said, my fears quickly subsided once I started following the detailed directions that came with the machine, where I was instructed to connect the device to my laptop using Bluetooth and to download the Cricut Design Space software. Once it was fully downloaded, I launched the app and was immediately met with helpful instructions on how to make sure the machine is on and working, how to add designs to my workspace and prepare them for cutting, how to cut on the mats and more. Works very fast One of the first projects that the app walks you through is how to use the machine to make a basic cut, like a logo on vinyl paper. Once I created my design in the software on my laptop and 'sent' it to the machine via the application, the Cricut immediately cut my designs on my inserted material in a matter of seconds. Easy to design almost anything You don't need a degree in graphic design or even much art experience to make something creative using the Cricut, thanks to its extensive archive of shapes, fonts, color choices, templates and settings. You can add borders to designs, change the boldness of a word and increase the spacing between letters, just to name a few options. Some of these more intricate design choices require the use of Cricut Access, which is $9.99 a month. That said, the program comes with its own basic set of templates. You can move the templates onto the grid and edit them however you want before cutting them. Space-conscious design Of all its machines, the Joy Xtra is Cricut's second smallest — it's smaller than a shoe box, though once you set it up it requires around 10-12 inches of space behind it so it can properly move its mat back and forth as it cuts. Its plug isn't bulky or awkward to use, though it makes some noise as it cuts; it's not super loud, it sounds similar to a printer. I'd also recommend getting desk storage containers and file organizers to keep all of the additional supplies in place. Easy-to-use digital heat press As mentioned above, Cricut sent me its EasyPress, a type of 'smart' iron which I used to adhere decals and prints onto canvas bags and tees. It comes in two sizes: a 12 x 10 in. model ($249.99) or a 9 x 9 in. model ($199) , both of which come with a safety base and are sold separately from its machine. You can also get the EasyPress Mini ($69.99), if you plan on only ironing on small designs. The press has a large top handle and connects to a phone app so that all you have to do is input what materials you're using on the app and it will automatically heat the press to the appropriate temperature and set its timer. This way, it minimizes the changes of you making a mistake or damaging your items. I used it to iron a butterfly design onto a shirt and the letter 'C' onto a canvas tote bag. The EasyPress can reach up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's important to use it carefully. You don't need water (since it's purely electrical) or an ironing board. The brand sells an EasyPress Mat, which you can place underneath the material you're ironing to prevent it from heat damage, ensure even heat distribution and provide a flat surface. Potential drawbacks to keep in mind Some projects take practice (and patience) While I made plenty of cool designs and DIY projects, it definitely takes time to get comfortable using the machine and program — especially if you want to do more advanced projects involving homemade stickers, cake toppers, etc. Some of these call for using multiple types of materials stacked on top of one another or using a printer in addition to the Cricut. While I made some things that I'm proud of, I had some mishaps (such as accidentally cutting something backwards or using the wrong size of cardstock). There are directions and reminders for how to avoid this, but they can be easy to miss as a beginner. That said, using it to make basic shapes or decals for monograms and words are quite easy to learn. Some supplies sold separately Cricut sent me all of the supplies required for using (and getting the most out of) the machine, including tools, different cutting materials and a cutting mat, though many of these are actually sold separately from the machine. You can buy pens and markers, customizable blanks, and crafting tools on Cricut's website, either individually or in bundles. I recommend buying one of the machine bundles, which includes the Joy Xtra and some required materials including the cutting mat, weeding tools and a few materials. Printer required for some tasks Was able to make a lot of really cool things (monogrammed water bottles and totes, custom T-shirts and greeting cards), however, some projects, such as making custom stickers, require the use of an inkjet printer. The Joy Xtra has a 'Print then Cut' feature, which allows you to print your own photo on sticker paper (ie: what you'd need the inkjet print for), and run it through the Cricut machine to turn them into personalized stickers. This is something to keep in mind if this is a feature you want, but you can still make many other things without a printer. Who is the Cricut Joy Xtra best for?The best feature of the Cricut Joy Xtra is how much it can help you channel your creative side, especially if you love DIY projects, are an elementary school teacher who frequently needs to make posters or tri-fold boards or are someone trying to get their small business or Etsy shop off the ground. College students, particularly those in Greek life who need to make custom outfits or flyers for events, or resident advisors who make door decals, may also find this useful. I can also think of a plethora of reasons to use the Cricut Joy Xtra in my everyday life — it would be great to have on hand ahead of a concert, wedding or party, since you can make personalized goodies for your bridal party or loved ones. As a whole, I enjoyed using the Cricut Joy Xtra and was proud of myself for making something from scratch, even if it was with the help of the machine. I loved seeing the genuine surprise on my co-worker's faces after showing them the custom T-shirts and homemade greeting cards I made. Cricut is known as the pioneer in the electric cutting machine/DIY space, though, as mentioned, their machines require you to download and use a separate software on your laptop or desktop. If you want a slightly more straightforward option, you could try the Scan n Cut DX SDX125 Electronic Cutting Machine ($399.99) from Brother, which has a small screen on the front where you can choose designs rather than needing additional software and another device, like with the Cricut. The Cricut also requires some manual work — you need to load whatever your chosen materials are onto the machine's pad for cutting every time. If you're looking for other similar options that require a little less work on your end, you could consider the Silhouette Cameo ($199.99), which is larger than the Joy Xtra, but includes a roll feeder for materials, so you don't have to manually add them to the machine. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I write about a variety of home and kitchen topics and cleaning and home appliances. I tested the Cricut Joy Xtra for a month paying particular attention to how easy it was to install, use tools and accessories and make custom designs.
