Compare the actual plan
These are the closest widths across the two families in our catalog. The Cricket offers 15 inches in the reed; the Ashford Standard offers 16. If your planned warp is wider than 15 but no more than 16, that single inch is decisive. If your warp is narrower than either, it does not settle the purchase. The finished size of a towel or scarf still depends on your sample and finishing choices.
Do not double-buy the starter tools
The current Ashford Standard specification lists a 7.5-DPI reed; the Cricket lists an 8-dent reed. Both manufacturers include core warping and weaving tools. Compare the seller’s exact box contents with the current manufacturer list, particularly for used stock and bundles. An extra hook or a second reed is not automatically necessary for the first project. Choose a suitable first project around the equipment you have, or add a reed for a specific yarn and sett.
Measure the working setup
Schacht documents an overall width of 18.5 inches for the Cricket 15, including the beam handles and gears. That is already wider than its weaving width. Our source register does not currently establish the Ashford Standard 16’s complete frame footprint, so the planner asks you to verify it. For either loom, leave room for the shuttle, your arms, table clamps and the depth of the loom. Matching one width does not prove comfortable working space.
Choose the accessory family deliberately
An Ashford Standard reed belongs to the Standard family; a Cricket reed is selected through Schacht’s rigid-heddle system. Matching the printed inch size across brands is not a compatibility rule. Current Ashford Standard looms have a second-heddle support option built in. Cricket stand options are width-specific. Decide whether your next purchase is likely to be a stand or a technique-specific reed, then check that exact path instead of treating accessories as universal.