GoKawiilIf you’re looking for a way to add a personal touch to Father’s Day or graduation gifts, the Cricut Joy 2 can help you customize everything from water bottles and bookmarks to greeting cards and gift cards. The Cricut Joy 2 Rainbow Essential Bundle includes enough vinyl, cardstock, iron-on materials, and other supplies to create up to 75 projects, and it’s currently down to a new low of $119.99 ($50 off) at Amazon.
As somebody who had never used a cutting machine before, I found the Cricut Joy 2 relatively easy to get started with. The bundle includes a 30-day Cricut Access trial that helps by giving you access to hundreds of additional templates, images, and fonts while you’re figuring things out. Setup is simple, and while the Design Space software takes some getting used to, I found it much easier to navigate after a few days of tinkering around with different projects and watching tutorials from Cricut’s community.
What’s especially cool about the Joy 2 is that it brings Cricut’s Print Then Cut feature to the company’s entry-level machine, allowing you to print full-color designs on your home printer and then have the Joy 2 cut them out for you. While it’s great for creating personalized gifts, I’ve also used it to make bullet journal templates and cabinet labels, making it feel just as practical as it is fun. The bundle also includes iron-on materials for customizing T-shirts, tote bags, and other fabric items. Unlike the Ultimate Bundle I tested, though, the Rainbow Essential Bundle doesn’t include a heat press, so you’ll need to buy your own. It’s also small enough to leave on a desk or tuck away when you’re not using it, which is a nice perk if you’re already as short on storage as I am.