With so many heat press machines on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose just one.
Finding the best heat press that works well and suits your purpose is an essential step for your business or personal needs. To help you in your search, we have narrowed it down to the five best heat press machines for your convenience.
Heat press machines are great for being able to transfer your designs onto a variety of materials. They are used to transfer vinyl onto fabrics using heat and pressure.
If you are a designer or a crafter, then you might find yourself in need of a heat press so you can carry out production at home instead of having to find a third party company to deal with.
This simplifies the process and can also bring the cost down, so a heat press really can be a good investment that can save you a lot of time.
In a Hurry?
If you are in a rush to find the best heat press, don’t worry. We have singled out our top pick here to save you some time.
Our number one spot goes to the Cricut EasyPress 2, which has four color options to choose from. It also comes in three different sizes, so you can determine which would better suit your project needs.
The 6x7 inches heat press would be perfect for smaller projects, but you can also get the larger versions if you need to. The largest size is 12x10 inches, which is an ideal size for a variety of projects.
This heat press is designed for easy use, and it is easy to operate while also providing professional results. Being a Cricut branded machine, you can be sure that it works well in combination with any Cricut cutting machine.
You can cut out your designs and take them straight over to be used on your heat-press.
- Professional results in little time
- Advanced heat plate design
- Precise temperature control
- Easy to use with its simplistic design
OUR TOP PICK
This machine can be used with your Cricut design cut-outs, and Cricut themselves manufactures it.
The three different sizes available are 6x7 inches, 9x9 inches, and 12x10 inches.
The fact that they come in different sizes is great because you won’t have to buy an overly bulky machine if you don’t need it.
Instead, you can buy a heat press that is more compact and easy to use for whichever size that you need.
All of these heat press sizes can heat up in less than three minutes, and the smaller the machine, the faster it heats up. They will all provide you with professional results in under 60 seconds, which is no time at all to wait.
This heat press has an advanced heat plate design with a ceramic-coated surface and has precise temperature control that heats evenly up to 400 degrees Farenheight.
It also features two heating elements that help to provide better results.
Unlike most others, this machine is entirely mobile, and you simply pick the device up by the handle and use it like a giant stamp, pressing it down on your materials. This can help to speed up the task at hand and makes it simpler to use.
Pros
- Three sizes available to choose from
- Heats up in three minutes or less, depending on the size
- Two heating elements for evenly distributed heat
- Advanced heat plate design with ceramic coating
- Professional results in under 60 seconds
- Comes with a safety base
Cons
- No bottom plate or mat
EDITORS CHOICE
This heat press is the more standard style of a heat press with plates on the top and bottom, and your design goes in between.
The size of this machine is 15x15 inches, and the power is 1200 watts. It also comes with a Teflon sheet to make sure that nothing sticks.
This heat press works great commercially, and for domestic purposes, so there is no such thing as overusing it.
The easy to use design allows for a simple operation that isn’t too difficult to learn. When it is pressed down, it can provide an industrial strength, pressure, and even temperature. This guarantees the transfer to last on the material it is being transferred to.
This machine uses high temperatures and firm pressure to ensure that your designs will last on the materials. It opens upwards, which saves space, as other devices open sideways and take up more room.
Pros
- Large size that is compatible with most heat press needs
- Teflon sheet included for non-stick purposes
- Works great domestically and commercially
- Easy to use design allows for simple operation
- High temperatures and firm pressure to ensure transfers will last
- Opens upwards to save space
Cons
- The clamshell design may not provide even heating
BEST VALUE
This is another 15x15 inch heat press with an impressive 1800 watts of power. The temperature ranges from 0-500 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has a pressure adjustable silicone gel baseboard.
It has a clamshell design with an additional Teflon sheet that is included with the press. It is easy to operate and provides professional results.
This heat press also has an electronic time and heat control with precise time set-up. It uses high temperatures and heavy pressure to ensure a long-lasting transfer.
This is a compact machine that is pressure adjustable and distributes even heat throughout the heating plates.
It is easy to use, making it great for both beginners and professionals and is a great machine for producing excellent quality results.
Pros
- Great size (15x15 inches)
- Includes an additional Teflon sheet
- Reaches high temperatures
- Even temperatures throughout the heating plates
- Produces excellent quality results
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a user manual
RUNNER UP
This heat press machine is easy and straightforward to use and can be used for various purposes. It can quickly transfer vinyl onto different materials and fabrics.
It features an LCD control board that displays the temperature and the time, which can be set to the figures you require. The temperature ranges from 0-482 degrees Farenheight.
This machine is pressure adjustable via an adjustment knob that can easily be changed to the desired pressure, depending on how thick a material you are using. This gives you better control during the transfer process to ensure maximum quality results.
It also has an anti-overheating safety feature, and it will automatically power down if it gets too hot. This is a great safety feature that can help to give you peace of mind. This heat press opens upwards to save space at your workstation.
Pros
- Easy and straightforward to use
- LCD control board that makes adjustments simple
- Temperature and time are adjustable
- Has an overheating safety feature to prevent it from getting too hot
Cons
- Takes longer than other heat press machines to heat up
RUNNER UP
This heat press is of industrial quality and can be used for mass production and often use. This means that you can use it as much as you like without having to worry about the machine breaking down from overuse.
It also features the LCD control board, which allows you to view the temperature and time settings that the machine is set to. The temperature ranges from 0-480 degrees Farenheight, and the time can be set anywhere between 0 and 999 seconds.
This machine has a Teflon surface that is easy to clean and is more durable than some other cloth-coated surfaces. It is excellent for providing professional results and will work well as a business tool. Unlike most other heat press machines, this Teflon sheet is durable and won’t need to be changed at all.
This machine provides even and well-distributed heating, which will help to ensure that your transfers will last.
Pros
- An industrial quality machine that can be used as often as you like
- LCD control board that allows you to view the settings
- Teflon surface that is durable and doesn’t need to be changed
- Well-distributed heating for even results
Cons
- The machine is quite heavy, which can be difficult to maneuver
Best Heat Press for Cricut Buying Guide
A heat press is a machine that presses a transfer onto another material. It uses a high temperature and lots of pressure to transfer the design permanently.
There are several types of heat press machines on the market that are suitable for different purposes. Four main types of heat press can be used: the swing away, clamshell, draw, and sublimation heat press machines.
The function of the swing-away heat press is given away in the name. The top platen simply just swings away from the bottom platen after you have finished with the machine.
An advantage of this type of device is that you can see exactly what you are doing when you move the top plate out of the way.
The top plate also applies even pressure throughout, and this type also allows you to press onto thicker materials as the top and bottom plates are two separate pieces that, therefore, can’t get in the way.
This type of machine also takes up a lot more space than other types, as you will require more room to use the swinging feature. They are also typically built for industrial use to be used frequently and for long periods of time.
If you did have the space for one of these in your home, it might be a great addition to your workspace.
The clamshell type has the same opening and closing mechanism as a clamshell. It has a hinge that can open upwards, to save space. This is a great heat press machine for beginners and can be fit into your space easily.
It is ideal for using thinner materials, such as t-shirts, and it is also much lighter than some other machines. There is a slight blind spot on these types due to the placement of the hinges, but it is one of the best heat presses for small businesses that are just starting out.
The draw-type heat press machine has a lower platen that can be pulled out to give you complete access to your workspace. This allows you to place your materials onto the heat press without having to maneuver around the upper heat platen.
You will need to be more cautious with this type of heat press as your designs can move out of place when setting up to transfer, which would ruin the entire process.
The final type of heat press machine is the sublimation type, enabling you to ensure that the transfer paper’s dye does not stain your materials in the heat press. Sublimation heat press machines have a big work surface that makes it easier for you to transfer your designs onto larger items.
Heat press paper and sublimation are two different processes. Heat transfer is essentially when a design or lettering is printed onto transfer paper and then heated via the heat press on to your product.
Sublimation is different from this process because it turns into a gas when heated, infusing itself into the materials you are using. This is only suitable for certain materials such as tiles and mugs.
If you only intend to use your heat press to transfer onto fabrics, you would not have any use for a sublimation machine.
It can be challenging to decide which type of machine would be better suited for you, but you should consider the space you have available to you and what materials you would be printing onto.
If you only wish to work with t-shirt designs, a clamshell-type is a great choice for beginners. However, for more complicated designs on thicker fabrics, a swing-away machine may be a better option for you.
An aspect of a heat press machine that is important to look at is the heat platens themselves. They need to distribute the heat evenly for your transfers to last for a long time. A high-quality heat press will provide you with high-quality results.
The lower platen provides even pressure on your projects, and you can also use Teflon sheets to avoid damaging the surface or product. Some machines will come with Teflon sheets, but you may need to purchase them separately for others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Cricut?
A Cricut is a machine that uses cut-smart technology to cut out designs and graphics cleanly and professionally. These machines give you professional results that you would never be able to achieve by hand as quickly.
The amount of time that the Cricut takes to cut a design will vary depending on how complicated the design is, but it will save you some time.
The Cricut works with a software called Cricut Design Space, where you can create and save projects and designs for easier access. You can use a Cricut to cut designs from various materials, depending on the available settings.
Can I Use an Iron Instead of a Heat Press?
It is possible to use an iron instead of using a heat press, but you won’t be able to get the professional results that you can with the correct machinery.
An iron doesn’t produce even heat across its surface, so it won’t be as effective. You may also have trouble with the design not transferring correctly in some places and peeling off.
What is Heat Transfer?
A heat transfer is made up of carrier paper and ink. When this transfer is heated to a specific temperature, and significant pressure is forced onto it, the transfer inks are passed over to the material.
Some inks embed into the fabric, and others lay on the surface. You can have your designs on heat transfer paper and transfer them to your preferred material.
How Do I Heat Transfer Vinyl?
The first thing that you need to do is to cut out your design using your Cricut machine.
Simply upload your creation to Cricut design space, make sure that you scale the design to fit its purpose, set the machine to the correct material settings, and cut your design.
Make sure that you mirror your design horizontally in Cricut Design space before you cut it because if you don’t, your images will be backward when you come to use the heat press.
Place your vinyl plastic side down on your cutting mat, insert the mat into the Cricut, and press go.
When you have your cut out design, remove any excess vinyl that you won’t be transferring, and you will be ready to transfer your vinyl design. This is where your heat press will come in handy. Set up your heat press and wait for it to heat up fully.
Before you transfer your design, press the material on its own for a few seconds to make sure it is flat without any creases that may mess up the design.
Next, position your vinyl design onto your preferred material, like a t-shirt, using a clear plastic carrying sheet, and once you’re in position, close the heat press to transfer your design.