Desktop vinyl cutters (aka hobby cutters) are an easy way to get started with digital fabrication. They’re relatively slim, versatile, and you don’t need to learn fancy CAD software to use them. They’ve brought affordable precision stencils, decals, and paper art to the masses. These days, every friend group needs someone with a cutting machine. When LokLik offered to send me their iCraft hobby cutter for review, I was thrilled at the idea of being that friend.
The LokLik iCraft cuts standard 12″×12″ sheets or rolls up to 21ft long and boasts a max cutting pressure of 5,200gf. It has a print-then-cut function for stickers, and fine point, heavy-duty, and foil transfer tips. You can cut over USB or Bluetooth, meaning only one computer can connect at a time.
- Manufacturer: LokLik
- Price as tested: $229.99
- Build area: Flat: 12″×12″, Roll: 12″×24’
- Tool pressure: 5,200gf
- Bed style: Materials fed via cutting mat or roll
- Materials: Vinyl, paper, cardstock, felt, veneer, leather (with deep-cut blade), etc.
- Blade type: Proprietary. Fine, deep-cut, foil transfer, scoring stylus available
- Pen type: Proprietary
- Operate untethered: No
- Onboard controls: Load/unload, pause/abort buttons
- Host software: IdeaStudio
- OS: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
- Optional accessories: Roll cutting tool, deep-cut blade, foil transfer tip, scoring stylus
How does this low-cost, high-power vinyl cutter perform?
Unboxing
The machine arrived well-packaged with a reassuring amount of heft, just like fancy things should have. The cutting tool snapped into place well, and setup over USB and Bluetooth went without trouble.
Software
The required IdeaStudio app is where the low cost shows, but it gets the job done. It does try to upsell you on every other feature, but LokLik isn’t alone there. The quality of their built-in design library is hit and miss, though I did find a mandala and a foldable box pattern I liked.
I found their editing and shape tools awkward. If you want to create designs beyond basic text, it’s probably easier to use another program like Inkscape, Procreate, or Graphite.rs. Importing custom designs was fine except that files consistently came in 133% bigger than intended. It was easy enough to rescale it in IdeaStudio, but it’s one of those caveats that reminded me I was using free software.
Hardware
The first cut went without a hitch. And though a bushing in the blade holder fell out on the second cut, the job went fine and hasn’t happened again.
It also came with a two-sided pen for drawing. It made a lovely mandala with the fine tip. I couldn’t figure out how to use the wide tip on the other end, and at least one other person online had a similar experience.
Documentation
The documentation is spotty. Following instructions to calibrate the machine with copy paper ended with me vigorously scrubbing off paper pulp with a stiff brush, essentially aging the cutting mat several months in one day.
It turned out the machine was well-calibrated from the start and didn’t even need the procedure in the first place.
How capable is iCraft?
Documentation aside, I found the default cutting settings worked well. The workflow felt natural after a few projects. I also threw the toughest materials I could find at it, and the iCraft sliced through the reasonable ones without a hitch. It made clean cuts in heavy paper and a fridge magnet, and only failed on aluminum flashing (which isn’t an approved material on any hobby cutter list, but there’s only one way to be sure). There’s no rotary cutter in LokLik’s shop, so I’m not sure how it would perform on fabric. But it cut vinyl crisply and quickly, and slightly quieter than a Cricut.
It can cut veneer, and there’s less kerf to worry about than a laser. There’re no scorch marks to deal with either, but the adhesive mat grabs harder than a honeycomb bed, so thin parts may be challenging to remove intact.
Can the iCraft work offline?
The machine is severely limited without a network connection. While it can cut out previous jobs, you can’t upload a new one without the internet. It isn’t the only device on the market that requires connectivity, but it’s unfortunate for anyone with spotty service or who’s worried about long-term support. If the servers go down, I hope an official update, or a Rebble-like project, comes along to save it.
Results
I don’t love that the machine fell apart a bit during use, the embiggening in IdeaStudio, or that the instructions let me reduce the mat’s tackiness. But I wanted a penguin sticker and, minutes later, I had a penguin sticker. I wanted a drawing of a mandala and, on the first try, it gave me a drawing of a mandala. Everything I’ve needed to do on it, it’s been able to do. If it scaled correctly and worked offline, I’d be enamored.
As it is, I’d give the hardware four stars, the software three, and the documentation two. They could always address software concerns in the next update.
If you’re looking for a low-cost machine and are comfortable with some quirks, then the LokLik iCraft could be a great deal.
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