The Top Best Heat Press Machine in 2023

Looking for the best heat press machine for crafting or your creative business? I’m here to help!

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Choosing the best heat press machine for your needs can seem overwhelming. That’s why it’s important to ask yourself what type of projects you plan to use it for, how often you plan to use it, and how much you are willing to invest. Consider the size of the press, the features it offers and what type of warranty or support is provided.

Whether you’re looking for a heat press machine for your sublimation projects, vinyl designs, heat transfers and more, there’s a heat press to fit your needs. And while you can definitely get away with using a basic home iron for simple crafts, a heat press machine is needed for more efficiency, consistency, productivity, and ease of use.

To get the most out of your heat press machine, you’ll want to pair it with a sublimation printer, cutting machine like a Cricut, Cameo, or Juliet, or you can purchase custom transfers.

Below you’ll find the answers to a few FAQs and our list for the best heat press machine for small businesses and hobbyists. When creating this list, we kept price, support, size and features in mind. We also did not consider specialty heat presses. The best mug press, hat press, and tumbler press all deserve their own list. But, whether you’re looking for a cheap, large, beginner friendly, or the best heat press machine overall, I’ve got it covered!

FAQs About The Heat Press Machines

The best heat presses are really the ones that work best for your projects, budgets and expectations. For small business owners, the best choice would be a heat press that is able to press at high temperatures. When purchasing, it is a good idea to think about the following:

PRICE: what is your budget?

SIZE:do you have space for a large heat press or do you need something portable?

PROJECTS: does your projects need high temperatures to press?

FEATURES: do you need auto-shut off, auto-pressure and support?

A heat press machine allows you to personalize custom t-shirts, puzzles, mugs, tote bags, or any material by transferring vinyl, sublimation, heat transfer paper, foil and more. This is done by applying a specific amount of heat and pressure for a certain length of time to transfer the design or material onto your item.

There are several different types of heat press machines. Swing-away, clamshell, drawer/pull out, portable, and specialty/multipurpose.

Swing Away

Swing away machines allow the top heating plate to swing away from the bottom platen. This allows you to work away from the heat and also the ability to press thicker materials, such as ceramic tiles, with more even pressure. However, keep in mind, this style needs clearance to the left and right of the machine so it can swing.

Clamshell

A clamshell style heat press machine has a hinge between its upper and lower heating plates that open like a clam. This is a popular style for hobbyists, beginners and professionals because of it’s easy of use and small footprint. It’s ideal for pressing on flat surfaces like T-shirts, tote bags, and sweatshirts.

Slide out/Drawer

On a slide out, pull-out or drawer heat-press machine, the lower platen pulls out towards the user like a drawer. This allows the user to work away from the heating element while placing material or making adjustments. It is important to note, that the slide-out style can be combined with another style such as a clam shell slide out heat press.

Portable

Portable heat-press machines are ideal for crafters and hobbyists who don’t have much space for a traditional heat press or not quite ready to make the investment. These lightweight presses are designed for smaller projects, due to size limitations, but the small size makes it easier to store. Also, it can be more difficult to apply consistent even pressure manually. For the best results, consider a traditional style heat press.

Specialty

Specialty heat-press machines allow the user to add designs to specific non-flat surfaces. For example, a mug press is designed specifically for coffee mugs, and a hat press is designed specifically for hats. For this list, however, we will not be including specialty presses, as they deserve their own list

The Best Heat Press Machine

1. HPN Signature Pro 16×20 with SurePressure

The Signature Pro comes in a portrait size 16×20 or a landscape size 16×24 (which is perfect for rugs and graduation stoles). This size is a great option for those doing larger projects.

It has an exclusive feature called SurePressure that allows you to have reference points for your pressure settings. Once you find the perfect amount of pressure for a particular material, make a note of the pressure number, and replicate the results each time, by having the right amount of pressure.

SurePressure
Auto-open
Pull-out clam shell style
1/2 inch thick material handling capabilty
Amazing customer support

click here to learn more

2. Cricut Autopress

The Cricut Autopress is a great heat press to have that is home-friendly but has commercial power and features. Safety features were kept in mind, with a cool to the touch outside surround, and auto-off feature.

The digital controls allows you to save frequently used settings. This is an ideal choice for home users needing a high quality Cricut heat press.

15×12 heating plate
Zero Effort™ ease to close & auto-release
Auto-adjusts to materials up to 2in thick

click here to learn more

3. HPN CraftPro 15×15

The CraftPro heat press is available at Heat Press Nation in this 15×15 size, but also in a smaller 13×9 size if you work with smaller substrates.

Includes a 1 year warranty with amazing technical support. Also available in multiple colors

Clam-shell slide out drawer
Auto Start Timer
Consistent Pressure
Maximum temp 400F

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

4. Cricut EasyPress 3 12×10

The Cricut EasyPress 3 is a good option for someone looking to upgrade from their home iron, to something a little more advanced, but still space saving and user friendly. Plus, it’s affordable price makes it a good reason to buy for small projects or quick t shirts.

12×10 size
Connects to Cricut Heat app
Portable and amazing support

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

5. Swing Design 15×15

The Swing Design 15×15 heat press is an affordable option for those looking to upgrade from a cricut easy press, but not quite ready to make a steep investment. This comes in different models for different sizes, various colors and there is also a swing-away heat press version.

Clam shell 15×15
Maximum Temperature 480F
Lifetime support
$200 So Fontsy Design Store credit

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

6. StarCraft 15×15 Swing Away 8-in-1

includes easy pressure adjustments, auto-off adjustable timer, and attachments for different materials.

Attachments for hats, various size mugs, shot glasses and plates, included. The temperature range for this heat press cam reach higher temperatures than others on this list

Swing Away Design
Maximum Temperature 450F
1 year warranty

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

7. HPN Black Series 15×15 Swing Away

Heat Press Nation’s Black Series 15×15 heat press is another amazing heat press machine to consider. A bonus of having a swing away design, means that it can float directly above your shirt! This makes it perfect for not only regular heat pressing, but also for curing DTG, screen prints, and DTF transfers.

Max temp 400F
4-degree accuracy range
Lifetime Technical Support

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

8. Stahls’ Hotronix Dual Air Fusion IQ 16×20 Heat Press

If money is not an option, this Hotronix Dual 16×20 heat press is the machine you need to increase productivity when pressing garments.

Using the touch-screen panel, you can program two different jobs and the heat press will automatically adjust the temperature, time and pressure as it moves from station A to B. The Hotronix Fusion IQ is great for a higher volume custom t-shirt business

Touch screen stores frequently used settings
Includes laser alignment system
Auto-Adjust Time, Temp, Pressure

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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The Top Best Heat Press Machine in 2023