123RF (Andriy Popov)
We’re going to gather the best t-shirt press machines and break down all the specs to make it easier for you to discover the ideal heat press for you, whether you need something compact for home use or something more commercial for your business. A mug press can also expand your printing options.
Anytime you’re dealing with heat transfer vinyl or sublimation transfers, a smart die cutting machine will give you that professional edge.
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $219.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $135.98 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $436.98 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $1,700.00 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $69.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $169.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $109.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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1. Best for Commercial Use: Bettersub Professional T-Shirt Machine
Pros:- Top pick for commercial use
- Durable and built to last
- 15-by-by-inch plate surface
- Heats up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit
- Digital thermostat and timer
- Adjustable pressure
- Teflon plate and thick silicone mat
- Solid state relays
Cons:- Too big for some
- Difficult to store
- Needs some arm strength
For those who need a press to crank out volume with consistency, go with the Bettersub Professional T-Shirt Machine. It’s a commercial-sized press at 15-by-15 inches and is built to run with a life of 26,280 hours–that’s three full years if you’re running it 24/7.
This model brings the heat and can be programmed to heat up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. One part of the description says it can reach up to 750 degrees but definitely ignore that. Something went wrong there. The digital timer and thermostat give you great control. Simply input the recommended temperature and length of time given by your materials so you can remove all the guesswork from your printing process.
A crank knob on the back adjusts the level of pressure but the machine doesn’t include a PSI meter. The plate itself is Teflon-coated and it comes with a thick silicone mat for the base plate that’s suitable for use up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its only real issue is that the handle sticks a little when new and can be hard to open the plate the first few times. Stick with it and it will loosen up and then you’ll find you can really crank out the shirts.
Find more Bettersub Professional T-Shirt Machine information and reviews here.
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2. Best for Home Crafters: Cricut EasyPress 2
Pros:- Choice of sizes up to 10-by-12 inches
- Top pick for home crafters
- Heats up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Includes rest
- Digital timer and thermostat
- Trusted brand
- Choice of colors
- Heat indicator light
Cons:- Needs to be lifted for use
- Not big enough for some
- Pressure is all manual
If you need a heat press for home crafting, just get the Cricut EasyPress 2 right now and save yourself some reading. It comes in three sizes: six-by-seven, nine-by-nine, and 10-by-12 inches so there’s a size for every level of home crafting.
It’s not a clamshell press like many commercial models. The EasyPress 2 is more like a large surface iron specifically designed to work with heat transfers and sublimation printing. It provides a wide surface with even heating and it’s heavy enough to apply decent pressure on its own before you press down. The plate is coated in ceramic to prevent any sticking.
There’s a digital thermostat with temperature control up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and a timer. This makes it easy to look at the instructions on your materials an set the EasyPress 2 to the ideal temperature and heating time for your project for great results every time. There’s a heat indicator light that turns red when pre-heating and green when your EasyPress 2 has hit your desired temperature.
It comes with a heat-resistant rest but you’ll need your own heat-resistant mat for your working surface. A couple of layers of towels will work or Cricut has relatively cheap heat-resistant protective mats in several sizes.
The nice big handle makes it easy to work with but it is rather heavy so if you have serious grip or hand mobility issues, a stationary model might be more your speed.
I like that it has a safety auto-shutoff feature and comes in five different colors. I got a media sample of this press back in 2019 (with no promise I’d do a review) and it’s the press I use today. It’s sleek, compact, user-friendly, and easy to store.
I recently featured this press in my best gifts for crafters article.
Find more Cricut EasyPress 2 information and reviews here.
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3. Best Accessories: CO-Z 8-in-1 Rotating Heat Press Kit
Pros:- 12-by-10-inch press surface
- Includes flat, mug, hat, and two small press surfaces
- Digital timer and temperature control
- Can rotate 360 degrees
- Adjustable even pressure
Cons:- No PSI gauge
- Only one mug press attachement
- Too big for some
For those looking for a press with the tools you need to print on a wide range of materials, check out this 8-in-1 Set from CO-Z. With this, you’re not limited to printing on flat fabric.
It comes with five different printing surfaces: a 12-by-10-inch flat surface press, one curved hat press, one coffee mug press, three additional mug press sleeves, one six-inch diameter plate press, and one five-inch diameter plate press. The top section of the press is interchangeable with these attachments for simple changes between plates. To make changes easier, the top plate rotates 360 degrees giving you significantly more mobility. This also allows you to move the hot top plate out of the way between prints so there’s less chance that you’ll accidentally bump into it and burn yourself.
The heat press itself is controlled with a digital thermostat with temperatures up to 430 degrees Fahrenheit and a digital timer. The pressure can be adjusted with a manual crank but it doesn’t come with a way to measure PSI. You also get a thick silicone mat to be used to protect the items you’re printing and a thick cotton shim for use underneath the silicone mat when you’re printing thin items like t-shirts to ensure you get the proper pressure.
The machine is raised up on feet to protect your working surface from heat damage.
Find more CO-Z 8-in-1 Rotating Heat Press Kit information and reviews here.
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4. Biggest: Large-Format Clamshell Press
Pros:- Suited for large projects and professionals
- Extra-thick heating plate
- Heats up to 482 degrees Fahrenheit
- Simple manual pressure dials
Cons:- Designed to be installed not plugged in
- Much too big for most
- An investment
For professionals who need a sizeable printing area, there’s the Large-Format Clamshell Press. It operates much like the smaller clamshell presses with digitally controlled timer and temperature settings and a long pressing arm that applies weight to your press–except this professional version is huge.
The printing surface itself is 24 inches by 31 inches, perfect for printing large projects or printing many smaller projects at once. It weighs a whopping 240 pounds. This is not for casual home crafters.
It weighs that much in part because the heating plate is especially solid at a full 4.3 inches thick. This ensures a more even heating surface. It’s the same reason why cast iron pans will out-perform cheaper thin pans any day of the week. The thick heating surface makes for better heat distribution.
The pressure is controlled by two manual dials, that look like two giant screws, that adjust the distance between the press handle and the actual press itself.
If one of your priorities is rocket-fuel-worthy heat, this press can heat anywhere up to 482 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep in mind, this is meant for workshops and is not for casual home use. If you weren’t sure about that, just consider that it doesn’t come with a plug-in power cord because it’s designed to be wired into your electrical. Now that wiring isn’t complicated and the seller will even guide you through it if you have questions, but this is not a plug-and-play casual device.
Find more Biggest: Large-Format Clamshell Press information and reviews here.
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5. Best Budget Press for Home: Legooin 7X5 Portable Press
Pros:- Seven by 4.8-inch plate
- Meant for home crafters
- Comes with heat-proof rest and teflon sheet
- Safety shut off feature
Cons:- Not big enough for some
- All pressure is manual
- Doesn't get as hot as others
If you need a press on a budget, the Legooin Portable Press is for you. It can get the job done without breaking the bank.
The press has a digital timer and thermostat which can heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I like that it comes with heat-proof rest for the press, a storage bag, and protective transfer papers.
A downside to single plate presses is that you have to provide the all pressing power yourself. To address this, the press has a large central handle which can help you better distribute weight. You can press down on either the central handle or the heat-resistant spots on each of the four sides.
It’s a little small for some at seven by 4.8 inches but this is a great starter press for people who aren’t sure they’ll enjoy making their own shirts. (How could you not enjoy creating your own graphic tees though?) That said if you’re going to be using your heat press regularly, and certainly, if you are making shirts as part of your business, it’s worth it to spend a little more and get something that will last you longer.
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6. Highest Heat: Fancierstudio Power Heat Press
Pros:- 15-by-15-inch panel
- Electric temperature control up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Durable enough for commercial use
- Not an unreasonable size for home use
- Built-in timer
- Even adjustable pressure
- Simple to set up and use
Cons:- Too big for some
- No pressure gauge
- Will need a better silcone mat
The Power Heat Press by Fancierstudio is a nice choice for a clamshell press that’s got enough surface area and durability for commercial work but isn’t so huge that it couldn’t be kept in a home crafter’s room.
It has a large 15-by-15-inch press surface so you can get even pressure and even heat across the entire surface. That’s not something you can do with a smaller press or hand-ironing.
You can tailor your heat to the material with its electric thermostat with a range from no heat at all to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. To keep your printing consistent it also includes a digital timer to keep track of how long the garment has been in the press.
Its size allows you to put a lot of pressure and there’s a manual knob to help increase that pressure but it doesn’t include a PSI gauge or way to have uniform pressure with each shirt until you don’t manually press down at all.
One downside is that you’ll want to pick up a silicone protection mat for your table surface and possibly a thicker silicone mat for your lower plate for an upgrade. You also get a teflon sheet for easier transfers.
Find more Fancierstudio Power Heat Press information and reviews here.
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7. Most Flashy: AONESY Even Heat Press
Pros:- Includes heat-safe rest
- Digital temp and timer
- Choice of color and sizes
- Fast-heating
Cons:- Not for professionals
- Base requires assembly
- Performance isn't as good as others
- Temperature isn't as accurate
The AONESY Press is a good budget press if you have an understandable tendency to stray into “style over substance” territory.
The bold bright orange and black color scheme stands out among other presses and has a more masculine look to it. It also comes in white and black and white and neon pink.
On top of the aesthetic, the press has an easy to operate with a digital timer and temperature control with plus and minus buttons. There is a temperature range of up to 400 degrees though some independent measuring say that the temperatures run a little low.
In side-by-side comparisons, the press didn’t have as solid results as some more expensive models but it’s not unexpected for a more adorable model to not perform at the same level as professional or more pricey options.
I like that it comes with a heat-proof rest but it requires assembly and that can be a fiddly thing going by reviews.
Find more Most Flashy: AONESY Even Heat Press information and reviews here.
What Are Some Different Types of T-Shirt Printing?
There are tons of different ways to print t-shirts and these machines are made for heat transfer and sublimation printing. In these processes, the image is printed separately and transferred to the fabric.
Heat presses are not meant for other printing methods like screen printing or Direct to Garment printing, also called DTG.
What Is Sublimation Printing and How Does it Work?
Most heat transfer printing methods apply the image (whether vinyl or ink) to the surface of the shirt. You can generally feel a texture difference with your fingers. The image is a solid that is then stuck permanently onto the shirt.
But sublimation printing makes the image become part of the shirt.
Sublimation is the process of something that is solid becoming a gas without melting first--like how solid dry ice turns into "fog" when exposed to water.
In this type of printing using specialized materials, the heat sublimates the images, forcing the gas through the fabric (or other compatible material) and deposits the image into the weave of the shirt.
Sublimated printing doesn't leave a surface texture that can flake or peel and tends to last longer.
What's a T-Shirt Heat Press Vs. Screen Printing Press?
Heat presses and screen presses can get mixed up because both commercial models are machines with levers for pressing images onto fabric.
Heat presses transfer solid images using high temperatures but screen printing presses transfer images using liquid inks, one color at a time.
Can You DIY a T-Shirt Heat Press Machine?
Probably but you really shouldn't. I'm envisioning a couple of irons attached to a metal sheet but that sounds like a makeshift torture device from a B horror movie and a recipe for burns if not fires.
Honestly, heat presses are not that expensive and are significantly safer than you trying to DYI a large heated surface. These machines were designed with safety features to avoid lawsuits from people getting hurt. That's a good thing and you should take advantage of that.
What Does the T in T-Shirt Stand for Anyway?
It's called a t-shirt because it's shaped like the letter T. Simple as that.
As for a mini-history of t-shirts: they've have been around since the early 1900s and started out as an adult's underclothes onesie that was cut in half. It took until Author F. Scott Fitzgerlad used the term for this type of shirt in one of his books in the 1920s for it to be official in the Merriam Webster Dictionary.