Ever struggled to find the perfect piece of apparel to sum up how you feel about, say, a band, a TV show, or a political situation? Sick of being stuck with saccharine sentiments stamped on stuff like “Live, Laugh, Love”, or stomach-churning motivational quotes such as “If you can dream it, you can do it”? Of course you are. So why not fight back against the corporate fist of banality by making your own?
That’s right, my creatively unoutletted friends, if you have a head for slogans or an eye for art, then with the right kind of kit you can have it emblazoned on anything from a T-shirt to a cap - all you need is the assistance of imagination (either your own or someone else’s), a blank material canvas, and some form of damnably cunning heat press machine.
There are four types of heat press machines, starting with the classic Clamshell where the platen (the oppress bit) simply clamps down, the Swing Away where the platen literally ‘swings away’ to allow for easier loading, the Slide-Out Drawer where the platen slides in and out, and the Multi-function which combines the functions of other heat presses and also allows the use of various attachments.
Naturally, as with everything in life, some types are more expensive than others, but as you’ll see, depending on whether you want to start some home-based, sell-online, side-hustle to supplement your income, or simply want to print up some unique stuff for you and yours, for a fistful of fivers you could be up and churning out anything you can design and print.
Pressing matters
So, how does it work? Well, you can, if you wish, buy ready-made transfer designs online and heat press them onto your varying bits and bobs or, if you’re more of an out-and-out innovator, design your own images, logos and slogans using graphic design software. Once you’ve assembled and saved your image, open it in your transfer paper software, play with the size and angle, remembering to mirror the design as it will flip when you transfer, and prep it to print from your transfer-paper-type-compatible inkjet or laser printer. After that, your design will print as normal, so leave to dry, then slap it in your heat press machine ready to roll.
And that’s basically it. Different materials and transfers will require different timings, but you can just refer to the manufacturer’s guide for that. So, the only question now is: what are you going to make? A philosophy-bending T-shirt with “Is it solipsistic in here or is it me?” hilariously emblazoned on it? Or a cap that parodies both Spider-man and the fat cats of the energy industry with “With great power comes great leccy bill”? Or perhaps a reusable tote bag that says: “add slogan here”! Or… okay, okay, I’m sure you have your own, much better, actually funny ideas.
To which end, if all this talk has left you fancying having a fling at getting your own gear hot off the press right now, here are my five favourites for heat printing perfection…
Best heat presses at a glance:
- Best overall: Press Nuts 12" x 10" Heat Press - £60, Amazon
- Best for making light work: Calogy Mini Heat Press - £29, Amazon
- Best for business building brilliance: HTVRONT Autopress - £300, Amazon
- Best for pro performance, low price: UK Press HPC480 - £205, Amazon
- Best for money no object: Hotronix Air Fusion IQ - £4,150, Stahl
Press Nuts 12" x 10" Heat Press
Best: overall
Bigger than the Calogy, smaller than the HTVRONT, if you like your heat press machines to fall somewhere within the Goldilocks Zone, then this might well just be the perfect porridge for you, the Press Nuts Heat Press.
Now, first and foremost, a warning: despite what the name says, do not press your nuts! Whether, in a moment of weakness, you were thinking of transferring some cool “tatts” to a cluster of walnuts or a bag of Brazils, back down now. What we do, however, recommend you turn your attention to is transfers to the likes of T-shirts, pillows, tote bags and all forms of wearable/bearable fabrics.
Despite its portability, the Press Nuts has a decent-sized work area, at 12 x 10 inches, and lest you set time and temperature as per each project, heating up rapidly and topping out at 179°C. Operation comes via touch screen instrument panel, making it a hot breeze to run, and a very handy overheat cut-off function shuts the whole show down if you ‘press’ too long, thus preventing your artsy project from catching fire and laying devastating waste to all that you own. Which is nice.
Available finished in white with handle highlights in either black, grey, green, red or blue, the Press Nuts is a neat, stylish and talented heat tool for perfect press production both home and away.
Buy now £60.00, Amazon
Calogy Mini Heat Press
Best for: Making light work
Extremely small, extremely portable and extremely affordable. The Mini Heat Press from Calogy is all the beginner needs to get started. Costing under £30 and weighing just 0.5kg, the Calogy has three temperature levels for different jobs, an LED display or real-time temp, a single button for all settings, and also has an automatic turn-off mode after 10 minutes of inactivity, thus ensuring you don’t accidentally burn your house down after getting too excited with your latest creation.
Used in conjunction with a standard ironing board or any solid surface, simply place your design on your product of choice and heat until the transfer is complete; it really couldn’t be any easier. Soon the agonising expense of birthdays and Christmas will be a thing of the past, as you bestow bespoke gifts upon one and all, the mere minutes taken to make the transfer the only true cost.
Dinky enough to tote around in your own uniquely created tote bag, the Calogy can convert caps, T-shirts, pillows, socks, coasters and all manner of craft materials from the boring to the brilliant and also comes in six different colours to match your art-making mood.
Buy now £29.00, Amazon
HTVRONT Autopress
Best for: Business building brilliance
Heading upwards in price quite sharply after the entry-level Calogy, if your heat-pressing ambitions lean unashamedly into the commercial sphere, you’re going to want to invest your hard-earned in an iron that can deal with decidedly more of your design ideas and offer far more flexibility. Enter the fray, the Autopress from HTVRONT.
With a top temp of a toasty 210°C, this surprisingly cool-looking desk/worktop model has a nicely sized 15 x 15-inch heat plate, giving plenty of space for larger projects, and boasts no fewer than 4x preset, 2x custom and 1x auto modes to ink just about anything you could reasonably ask for.
With a slide-out platform for ease of use, the Autopress is operable using a neat resin display screen, features an automatic lifting structure, and a dual zone heating mechanism that can go from 0 to 160°C in just four minutes. Simplicity itself to use and safe too thanks to a 15-minute auto-off function, the HTVRONT is designed to, ahem, im-press.
And what’s more, right now, the Autopress comes with a FREE Mini Heat Press similar to the Calogy above. So, if you want to home heat press and take your new burgeoning business out and about with you, then this is the hot ink 2-for-1 you’ve been searching for.
Buy now £300.00, Amazon
UK Press HPC480
Best for: Pro performance, low price
Heading firmly down the more classic clamshell route now with a heavy-duty heat press that’s good to go on most materials, the HPC480 from UK Press is a no-nonsense, steel-built, high-pressure solution aimed primarily at those who want to go pro.
Is it the most expensive option around? By no means! But at a Lady Godiva over two tons, it’s certainly not the cheapest either. However, for your outlay you’ll receive a chunk of very serious-looking, industrial-esque, boldly blue kit that ramps your temperature range from 0°C to 250°C, delivers a print area of an expansive 38 x 38cm (roughly 15 x 15-inches) on a pull-out shelf, and can work its magic on all manner of materials and fabrics, such as T-shirts, tote bags, cushion covers, coasters, hats, ceramics, metals, and more. The world is metaphorically your oyster… or, at least, clamshell.
Control comes courtesy of a panel with an LED temp display and buttons for temperature selection, entry and start, which keeps things basic. So, a professional press solution at a reasonable price for such, the HPC480 more than suits the small business startup or, indeed, the obsessive hobbyist who is only in it for the thrills, either way, this is a machine that will deliver perfectly heat-pressed goods, consistently, with every stamp of its big steel foot.
Holding a bit of heft at 32kg, you’re going to need a designated spot on your workbench for the HPC480, but if you’re as serious about pressing for pay as it is, then make that spot prime.
Buy now £205.00, Amazon
Hotronix Air Fusion IQ
Best for: Money no object
There’s a lot to unpack in the name of the Hotronix Air Fusion IQ - so, let’s begin.
Hotronix – ‘Hot’ refers to the fact that it’s a heat press. Then, ‘Air Fusion IQ’ – which is where it gets both clever and factual, as this directs us towards the machine’s combined unerringly accurate air-pressure technology which closes and raises the heated upper platen automatically according to your commands, and the touch screen Wi-Fi technology that lets you relay those commands.
Available in tabletop or adjustable-height pedestal stand models, priced at £4150 or £4450 respectively, the Air Fusion IQ is actually a remarkably cost-efficient way to run a more expansive garment printing business, as it can run and run and run, while the auto swing design and foot pedal helps to reduce fatigue, letting you and any additional members of your press gang keep going for far longer to really bolster your business.
Is the initial outlay a lot? Well, obviously. But with a well-determined pricing policy, a decent website for sales and some savvy product placement, you could make that money back and see yourself soar into profit in next to no time. All you need is a dream! Oh, and that £4150 I mentioned.
Buy now £4150.00, Stahl
Verdict
There’s fun to be had with a heat press – printing bespoke goods for yourself and friends and family, with the possibility of turning that fun into financial gain if you’re inventive and ambitious enough. As with all new hobbies, I’d recommend starting small and affordable to see if it’s really for you, rather than chucking around money like it’s legal to start printing more.
To which end I think the Press Nuts is the best entry-level option for those harbouring future aspirations, thanks to its work area size, portability and fool-proof operation.
