which cricut?
 

I have the small cricut with smaller mat. I want to start using it for different things. Can you make all the things on the cartridges or you limited with the smaller mat? Is it better to have the one with the bigger mat to have more options?

You can make everything on the cartridges - but only as big as your mat will allow.

Agree with OP. I originally bought a Create but soon found that I should have bought the Expression. I made a box but it was too small to be of any use except for 1 truffle or Ferrero candy. The smaller Cricut machines can only cut images up to 5.5 unless the image can be cut in the landscape mode and not be out of proportion-long and skinny. (I know the Create has this option.)