Cricut Unveils Joy 2 and Explore 5 with Smarter Simpler Design Space

Cricut, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRCT) unveiled two new cutting machines in a press announcement dated Feb. 26, 2026, with retail availability beginning Feb. 27, 2026 in the U.S. and Canada. The company framed the launch as the "start of a new era for Cricut users," pairing a smaller, modern machine design with a "significantly enhanced Design Space™ experience" and bundles that include materials and tools to start crafting immediately.

The smaller model, Cricut Joy™ 2, is positioned as the "next iteration of Cricut’s most compact cutting machine" and carries the tagline "Big Creativity, Small Footprint." Joy 2 introduces an all-new Print Then Cut sensor that enables full-color stickers on the Joy line for the first time, and the product pages describe the form factor as "fitting in the palms of your hands" for "portability without compromise." Cricut is selling Joy 2 in Blue and Coral, with a Jade Green color exclusive to Michaels, and the company says new bundles will include popular materials and essential tools sufficient to make "up to 150 projects right out of the box." The announcement did not include MSRP or SKU details.

Cricut Explore® 5 is described as a redesigned machine for larger projects with broader tool compatibility and "enhanced writing and drawing capabilities." One republished account from Quiverquant explicitly states that Explore 5 is "30% more compact," a numeric claim not present across all republishers; readers should note that the compactness percentage appears in that republished summary. Explore 5 is marketed with a simplified interface meant to speed setup and support multiple tools for more ambitious craft work. As with Joy 2, Cricut lists availability beginning Feb. 27, 2026 at Cricut.com and partner resellers.

Software changes are central to the launch. Cricut described a "smarter, simpler Design Space™" with a "dramatically simplified, guided software experience" intended to "take the guesswork out of making." Some republished materials, including Quiverquant and Cricut’s own marketing pages, name a new feature called Create AI for generating custom designs; that feature is highlighted in some accounts but omitted in others. The announcement also notes a media asset labeled as a media snippet accompanying the release.

Retail and legal details are specific. Both machines will be sold on Cricut.com and through partner resellers, with Michaels named as a retail partner carrying the Joy 2 Jade Green exclusive. The announcement includes standard product safety and warranty language: "Neither Cricut Explore™ 5 nor Cricut Joy™2 are intended for use by children 12 years and younger," and "All Machines: Limited Warranty. See cricut.com/warranty" for full terms and conditions. The press release was distributed via GlobeNewswire and republished by outlets including Yahoo Finance, which labeled the item a paid press release.

For givers shopping Gifts for Her, Joy 2 reads as a ready-to-wrap present for someone who values portability and quick, everyday projects such as custom cards, labels, decals and now full-color stickers; Explore 5 is aimed at someone who regularly tackles larger, tool-rich projects and values enhanced writing and drawing. Important buying details remain absent from the announcement: MSRP, full technical specifications, exact bundle contents, and the official basis for the "30% more compact" claim; those items will be decisive in choosing which new Cricut makes the most thoughtful present this season.