If you want to use vinyl, then I’d definitely go for either the Explore or the Maker. The Joy limits you in width which isn’t a problem for labels but will be a bugger if you decide to try Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV). The maker comes with a couple of mats, a black pen, a knife blade and a rotary blade for fabric (often mistaken for one of the card blades)
I did a bit of research on the Maker and decided it wasn’t worth the cost of upgrading from my Maker, but there are loads of comparison videos for all of the different machines on You Tube. Costco had deals on all last year but they’re a bit random. Hobby Craft have some good deals on. MDP and Hexis do some bundles for a good price. Just be aware of scammers because they do target Cricut. I’d suggest you join one of the FB groups and ask the members whether something seems legit before you buy it. They know what sites are legit and which aren’t.
If you decide on a bundle, you’ll need to see if it’s worth it. I don’t mind Cricut vinyl but loads of people think it’s utterly useless and have no use for it, so bear that in mind. Definitely avoid Hobby Craft vinyl though, it is shocking! I like Oracle 651 and Teckwrap. I get most of my vinyl from MDP but be aware that VAT isn’t added until the end and postage isn’t cheap, but if you bulk buy, it’s definitely one of the cheapest. Without a doubt you will definitely need a weeder, a pair of scissors, a scraper (can’t remember the proper name for it but it helps you apply the transfer tape to the vinyl) and a brayer (like a small decorator’s roller). You’ll need a green mat for vinyl (you can use blue but that’s designed for card so not quite as sticky as you’ll need) and some transfer tape. You can get all of this from Cricut but you can buy cheaper, non branded stuff on Amazon. The strong grip Cricut transfer tape is only really any good for glitter vinyl. I use the Cricut standard grip (it’s re-usable), book cover I got from Tesco for 50p a roll and masking tape. If you want to use HTV, you won’t need transfer tape (it comes already attached) and some kind of heat source. It’s possible to use an iron but not really recommended. I’ve got an easy press, a mini and a heatproof mat (you can use a folded towel). Some people prefer heat presses but you’ll need a bit of space for that.
You can download the free Cricut App (Design Space) now and have a play about with it. I don’t know if they still do, but when you add your machine to it, it used to give you a months free trial, then £7 something a month to subscribe. You must have Design Space but you absolutely do not have to subscribe. I do, but I largely work from my DH’s phone so don’t download svgs, so it’s worth it for me. There’s a mixture of designs that are free for everyone, free to subscribers only and chargeable to everyone, subscriber or not. Also, they have some Disney/Harry Potter designs on there that aren’t available to the European market.
If you’ve got any questions, feel free to shout 🙂