Regardless of innovation and technology advancement, some things stay the same and one of them is the popular method used to apply the print to T-Shirts and other items. For the large part will you see that most people continue to use the old-fashioned method to transfer ink and that is by using a heat press machine?
An undeniable fact though is that with innovation came changes to the traditional heat presses too. The heat press machines on the market today are much more sophisticated compared to a decade ago.
Home users and small business owners find that buying a heat press machine for personal use and businesses is possible. You need to know the purpose of the heat press so that you have a better idea of what to look for.
You get different types, different sizes, and others that operate differently than the rest, while others allow you to transfer ink to more than one material type.
We personally reviewed each one of the heat press machined listed here and the machines listed are great for home use as well as small businesses.
We narrowed the choice for you with machines that we think would be the best option for home use as well as small business use. Whatever your needs, we look at the best heat press for small business below:
Top 5 Best Heat Press Machine For Small Business in 2023
1. Cricut EasyPress Heat press 2 Machine
The Cricut EasyPress 2 is one of the most convenient and smallest heat press machines available and when you consider that it irons print to fabric, it would be easy to say it is only a bit larger than iron. Compared to industrial machines and most of the other best heat press machines listed here, it is much more compact and thus offering a smaller pressing area too.
Key Features of the Cricut EasyPress 2 Machine
- 9 x 9-inch surface
- Works like an iron
- Lightweight, compact and portable
- Highly recommended for beginners
- Heats up to temperatures of 350 degrees
- Ceramic heat plate
- Clear LCD display
- Twin button control; temperature and heat
- Heat resistant safety base
- Auto-shut-off after ten minutes of inactivity
The pressing area is one of the smallest available on the market with a 9 x 9-inch heating area. It certainly is one of our best recommended for beginners, due to its simplicity and ease of use. It has great features though, for example, an auto shut-off after ten minutes, has a heat resistance safety base and has a digital display too. Due to its lightweight, portability, and compact footprint, it is the perfect heat press for home use as well as small businesses.
Its portability and weight allow you to store it away in a cabinet and take it out when needed. It is very attractive too and does not look like a typical heat transfer device. It is one of the only heat press machines we would easily recommend for kids and total beginners too. The Cricut is like a combination or in-between an iron and a heat press and excellent for small projects.
2. FancierStudio 15 x 15 Sublimation Heat Press Machine
Next up we show you the Fancierstudio Digital 15 x 15 Sublimation Heat Press which offers you an upward-opening and a compact design. It is a real space saver that will be suitable for small spaces like a corner of a small home office.
Key Features of the Fancierstudio Digital Power Heat Press Machine
- Pressure adjustable
- Silicon base
- Electronic heat and time control
- 110 Volts and 1800 watts power
- Temperature range 0- 699 Fahrenheit
- Time range of 0 to 999 s
- 15 x 15-inch heat press
- Budget-friendly
- Compact clamshell design
It is an excellent heat press that allows you to transfer basically anything from letters to larger items. The transfer performance is exceptional as it has electronic heat and time control integrated which allows you to control the transfer time accurately.
The Fancierstudio Digital offers you pressure adjustability that gives you the chance to set the desired amount of pressure depending on the type of item you work on. This is an important feature to have as you will not be able to burn anything or end up with undesired printing results.
At the machine’s base, you have a silicone gel base that adds to the machine’s stability and safety while in use. You have more than enough working space with the 15 x 15-inch surface where you can transfer various dimensions and sizes easily.
It also has an integrated beeping stopwatch that alerts you when the transfer time is up. It is excellent when you like rhinestone pressing or would love to do it in your business, due to its hot temperature capability. You will find that it works perfectly on various types of items with a flat surface including HTV and vinyl transfers onto fabric garments like T-Shirts, tote bags, etc.
3. FancierStudio Heat Press Swing Away
The Fancierstudio Heat Press is uniquely designed featuring a swing-away action. It is an ideal feature to have in keeping you safe as the top heat plate has a 360-degree rotation action. For easy material transferring a base plate is added. The Fancierstudio swing-away has an added safety feature too with an excellent heating element that moves aside to prevent any accidental burning when you go into contact with the element during heat distribution.
Key Features of the FancierStudio Heat Press Swing Away
- Silicone gel base
- Digital temperature and time control
- Precise time set-up
- Adjustable pressure knobs
- Temperature ranges between 0- and 500-degrees Fahrenheit
- 110v: 1800 W power voltage
- Compact design
- Teflon coated heat platen
- 0- 999 seconds timer range
- 9 x 12-inches printing capability
- Intuitive to use
- No assembly required
The Fancierstudio Heat Press is uniquely designed featuring a swing-away action. It is an ideal feature to have in keeping you safe as the top heat plate has a 360-degree rotation action. For easy material transferring a base plate is added. The Fancierstudio swing-away has an added safety feature too with an excellent heating element that moves aside to prevent any accidental burning when you go into contact with the element during heat distribution.
It has excellent durability that enables you prolonged use as it is an industrial-strength power press. To prevent wear and tear it was designed with an additional coat that protects the heat platen. Your safety remains number one when you consider the glued-down Silicone rubber base. It is space-efficient too as it has a very compact design. With the size and capabilities, you will be able to use it for ceramic tiles, id badges, jigsaw puzzles, mouse mats, bags, T-shirts, and more.
4. VEVOR Digital Multifunctional Sublimation Auto Countdown Heat Press Machine
The Vevor is another one of the best heat press machine that features a 15 x 15-inch surface and 8-in-1 design. It is a Digital Multifunctional Sublimation Heat Press Machine specially designed for T-Shirts.it is an excellent model that would be a tremendous benefit to your small business or home-based industry. As an 8-in-1 model, the lower platform is detachable making it simple and easy to attach different attachments depending on the items you want to print.
Key Features of the VEVOR Digital Multifunctional Sublimation Heat Press Machine
- 15 x 15-inches heating board
- Digital LED time and temperature controller
- Removable silicone pad and cotton pad
- Full-range pressure adjustment
- Swing-away design
- 8-in-1 heat pressing
- Costlier than most heat press machines
- 1050 watts power
- Temperatures between 32 and 480-degrees Fahrenheit
- 360-degree rotation swing arm
- Suitable for any industry
These attachments come with the machine and it includes a hat size, four for mug press, two for plates and one for T-Shirts. It has temperature ranges between 32 and up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit and powerful 1050 watts.
The other notable feature is the swing-away design that minimizes anyone accidentally touching the heating element as it moves away from you. Another great feature of this design is the full-range pressure adjustment knob.
You can choose the temperature depending on the item you print according to thickness. With the integrated time and temperature controller, you can set the temperatures needed as accurate as possible. Something else that is notable is the 4/5-inch thickness of the heating board that provides even heat distribution. The great factors continue with the easy handling factor with a 2 4/4 length of the handle.
5. ZENY Swing Away 10×12 Digital Heat Press Machine
When you operate on a tight budget this is an excellent choice with top safety capabilities even though it is budget-friendly. A big improvement on clamp-shell designs is the swing-away design of the ZENY.
You get even heat distribution while it swings away from you in case you touch it by accident while in operation. The down-pressure improves with the swing-away models too, delivering professional and uniform-looking results.
Key Features of the ZENY Swing Away Digital Heat Press Machine
- Comprehensive user manual ready to use
- Fully assembled heat press machine
- Digital LCD temperature and timer controller
- Swing-away design
- Adequate 10 x 12-inch heat platen
The digital control temperate and time control which is integrated into the heat transfer machine delivers accurate settings. In addition, is it capable of stopping the transfer when it reaches the pre-set pressure and time, which effectively prevents overexposure of the item being transferred to safeguard print quality?
When you buy the ZENY it is pre-assembled thus allowing you to plug in and use it. The heat platen is enough with measurements of 10 x 12-inches that give you a wide range of printing capabilities. It comes with an amazing user manual that clearly indicates how to use it too.
A heat press machine comes in two design types and here we listed the best heat press machines featuring Clamshell Design and Swing-Away. We look at the differences and their pros and cons too:
Swing-Away.
The swing-away has its name or description because it swings away to and from the lower plate. You place your garment or item on the lower plate with the top of the press rotated away and when you are ready it swings back into place.
Pros:
- A great option for experienced users
- Swing-away gives more pressure on garments
- Lowered risk of possible injury as you do not work directly underneath the heating element
- More precision as you can see your whole item or garment on the lower platen
Cons:
- Not as easy for beginners to use
- You need more counter space
- Slower printing time as you use more steps to print a garment
Clamshell Design
The clamshell opens and closes like a shell and is hinged on one side.
Pros:
- Great for beginners as it is easy to use
- If you want to print large volumes and spend more, you can choose an auto-open model
- Fewer steps to operate, thus time-saving
- Compared to Swing-Away models it takes up less space
- Excellent for live demonstrations as it is portable and lighter in weight than a swing-away
Cons:
- If you have hundreds of items to do, you will tire as it takes a bit of effort to open and close it
- If you are not careful the pressure against the garment can be uneven
- Difficult to see the entire work area
- You could burn yourself if you do not take care as you are working underneath the heat source when you lay out the garment
Factors to consider when choosing the best heat press machine for small business
When you are looking for the best heat press machine for small business you cannot buy the first one you like, especially when you are not familiar with them and have never operated one before. You need to weigh your options and ensure that the chosen one is the best for your specific uses. Look at some of our top factors you need to consider when you look at a heat press.
The User
You might think we would have mentioned price or other features first, however considering the intended user is one of the first aspects to consider. Why? Keep in mind that it is a potentially dangerous machine where accidental burning etc.
Can happen. Is the user a professional or layman? Would he know how to operate the press? Answer these questions and look for a machine that comes with good after-sales support and an excellent instruction manual.
Budget
This is your second consideration since you need to consider how much capital you have. With the massive list of available heat presses, you will be able to find more than one that is within your price range.
Quality and Durability
Another vital factor to consider is the durability and quality of the heat press as you need it to work for as long as possible. The quality is vital and when you buy a lightweight, flimsy machine you should expect it to last a flimsy period too. Look at its weight and construction first as this could indicate quality.
Warranty
The warranty is another aspect that is important regardless of the machine you choose. Any reputable manufacturer that trusts its own design and manufacturing have faith that and trust in their product. They would be prepared to vouch for the heat press and take responsibility for unforeseen breakdowns etc.
Heat Press Size
You have a varied choice of sizes, for example, 9 x 12 inches, 15 x 15 inches and 16 x 20 inches. Consider your printing needs and decide accordingly and also consider the space requirement for using and storing the heat press.
It is obvious that the larger the heat press’s surface, the bigger print designs you can make. Keep in mind though that it does have its positives and negatives too when considering size as you will need the space when looking at bigger ones. Small business owners obviously have space to store the larger press machines.
Temperature
When looking at the best heat presses available to keep in mind that you know all about the various temperature ranges too. Preferably you want a machine that can handle any type of materials thus should it offer a controllable temperature.
Time Range and Digital Timer
The time range needs to be controllable in order to choose which is better for your material type as well as having a digital timer. This is an important factor to consider, to avoid having burnt items due to overexposure to heat.
The Heat Plate
The heating element is another essential factor to keep in consideration when choosing the best heat press. The heat plate’s consistency in distributing heat and how well it retains its heat is important. You will be able to check this by moving your hand across the heated plate which will indicate the heat distribution.
What Benefits do you get from these Best Heat pres Machine?
Safety First
One of the most important aspects of a heat press and all other electric alliances and machines is its safety. You will definitely be looking at a heat press that offers safety features like the action it uses, and we prefer the swing action. You should still be careful though and obviously, keep children away from it when in operation.
Portability
Would you need to move the heat press around or will I have a permanent spot? Bigger is not always the best, however, when you shop for a heat press you prefer a heavier machine that could offer more pressure and stability. A compact design might be space-saving, however, make sure it is a stable machine.
Temperature
What is the purpose behind your heat-press, are you looking towards standing out from competitors with specialties like transferring on vinyl?
The ease of ink is what most people or small business owners look for when shopping around for a heat press as there is still a load of items that you can transfer to.
Consider the heat control capability with seriousness as it would result in high-quality prints and zero wastage as you will not burn items. The temperature that is too low on the other hand, will have a messy appearance and the print quality will be low.
Versatility
What do you need the heat press for, are you a small business owner or do you want t as a hobby? Answer these questions as you might decide that you want the heat press to have multiple media capabilities.
Durability
If you buy a small heat press machine for home use, you would not go wrong with the Cricut EasyPress. For home use, you obviously would not use it daily and continuously, but as a small business owner regardless of whether you work from home or have official work premises, your aim would be to pick the cheap heat press machine that can churn out high volumes daily. Thus, do you look for a machine that remains reliable even when handling hard use?
Size
The larger the heat press, the better for obvious reasons. You can print on a small item or garment using the larger surface, however, you cannot print a larger T-Shirt or transfer when your surface is small.
Keeping your budget in mind, try to buy the largest surface you can find by still using our guide. A 15 x 15-inch machine like the VEVO is one of the best options depending on the volumes you would print since it is still portable while able to print larger items like oversized T-Shirts.
Action
You need to check our reviews and read about the types of action, the clamshell, and swing-away. We listed the differences and you should keep the action in mind too when deciding.
Versatility
You look for a heat press that is versatile as you might want to print more than just T-Shirts. A good heat press machine allows you to print any flat surface to transfer what you want.
Aside from T-Shirts, you should be able to print on mouse pads, make your own jigsaw puzzles, create your own unique bathroom, kitchen or any other tile by transferring your favorite abstract images or photos to ceramic tiles.
Final Verdict
It is very difficult to have a definite favorite between these five best heat press machine for small business. After thoroughly testing each one we do have a top choice though when you look for a heat press that has multiple uses and a large printing area too.
The VEVOR Heat Press Machine is the one we would have chosen for large-scale transfers. Once you completed reading our review, use our pointers and compare them to your individual needs and choose accordingly as each one reviewed here is an excellent choice depending on budget.
