The Best Budget Heat Press in 2024
What is the Best Budget Heat Press in 2024?
If you're thinking of starting a heat press business or a clothing line in 2024, you've come to the right place!
In this blog, we're going to explore the best budget heat presses on the market right now.
So what should you look for in a heat press when starting your t-shirt business?
The ability to control your time, temperature and pressure when applying your t-shirt transfers.
Unfortunately, this immediately rules out any hand-held press like a Cricut EasyPress or a Cricut Mini Press. Why? because you cannot control your pressure with a handheld press. These presses give you a timer and temperature readout (though they are known for offering an inaccurate spread of heat and cold spots) but they do not give you pressure control. You can only press these machines into the garment as hard as your arm will allow. You might be thinking, I can definitely shove a handheld press in hard enough? You really shouldn't have to. Heat printing should not be hard work. Do you really want constant arm strain when you're working on a batch of 20 or 50 t-shirts? Also, can you actually guarantee you're pressing the Cricut into the t-shirt at an accurate measure of 50psi?
Nope, didn't think so...
Why is pressure control so important, anyway? Because all heat transfers and heat transfer vinyl designs are created to be pressed into the garment at a very specific pressure. Not adhering to this recipe could mean your design will peel off the garment and leave your customer extremely unhappy. It's certainly not a way to start a business or ensure repeat customers.
So where does this leave us?
In need of a professional heat press from the very beginning. And let me stop you right there... Typing 'Professional heat press' into Amazon or Ebay is not going to do it. An import press from Amazon or Ebay is not a professional heat press. The allure of the £300 price tag might seem appealing in the beginning, especially when you don't know if your heat press business will take off. But cheap import presses will give you more hassle than they're worth. To run a successful business with confidence you need to look at your equipment every day and know it is going to perform without fail so that you're not wasting money on rubbish transfer applications and ruined garments.
So, what is the Best Budget Heat Press for starting a clothing business?
We've got two options for you depending on your budget.
The Hotronix Maxx Clam Heat Press
Available in 3 sizes with prices starting from £740, this heat press is the entry-level Hotronix Heat Press. Because of its affordable price point, this Hotronix Maxx Heat Press is a popular choice for start-up businesses.
The Digital Readout device allows you to set the heat press temperature and set a single timer. Because Hotronix heat presses are accurate within the degree, you can rest assured your heat transfer is getting the correct temperature application for an accurate amount of time.
The Over Centre Pressure adjustment means you can adjust your pressure to match whichever garment you're heat printing. This press does not have a pressure readout, so you must spend a little time learning how to feel the correct pressure. Hotronix presses should be used at a pressure reading of 4-6. But how do you know if you've achieved the correct pressure without the readout? The two-finger test.
If you can pull the press handle down and lock it into place with two fingers and just a little resistance, you've likely achieved the correct pressure.
The best thing about the Hotronix Maxx Clam Heat Press is that even though it's the beginner Hotronix model, it still offers Interchangeable Platens. This means that you can swap out the lower platen for any of the Hotronix platen range (as long as it fits within your upper platen size). This is so that you can isolate any print area.
You might be thinking, I just want to print t-shirts, I won't need these fancy accessories, but even t-shirts come in wildly different sizes. If you choose to expand your adult t-shirt range to include children's sizes, you'll need to swap your platen to smaller one so you're able to isolate the print area without the neck or the sleeve disrupting your pressure.
The Hotronix Auto Open Heat Press
This is the World's most user-friendly heat press which is what makes it such a popular choice for heat printers starting their businesses.
The Auto Open heat press pops open when the timer is up meaning that you avoid any over-application if you get distracted. This feature gives you the freedom to focus on more than one job at once.
The Digital Readout on this model gives you access to TWO timers, rather than the single timer that the Maxx Clam Heat Press offers. This means you can set a pre-press timer to remove any moisture and creases from your garment, and also set the main press timer without having to pull it open early or go back in and change the timer every time.
The Digital Readout also offers a pressure readout so that you can be certain of your exact pressure reading when fusing your garments. Just twist the over centre pressure adjustment dial a quarter turn either way and clamp it down to assess your pressure reading.
Again, the Hotronix Auto Open is also Interchangeable Platen compatible, giving you access to the enormous range of 15 different platen sizes from Hotronix. Did you know there's even a platen to print Cap Bills? You might be shopping for a heat press with a specific business idea in mind but the ability to change your lower heat press platen can open up lots of future business avenues for you.
The Hotronix Maxx Clam costs just £3.43 a day to own!
Available in 3 sizes with prices starting from £740, this heat press is the entry level Hotronix Heat Press. Because of it's affordable price point, this Hotronix Maxx Heat Press is a popular choice for start-up businesses.
This heat press offers a 1 year warranty on the framework which means that even the largest heat press size of 40x50cm at £1250 will cost you just £3.43 a day to own. Plus, the upper platen is guaranteed for 30 years!
Bargain right?
The Hotronix Auto Open Clam costs just £0.94 a day to own!
Available in 3 sizes with prices starting from £1130, this heat press is the next step up in Hotronix machines.
You might be thinking, £1720 for the largest size of this heat press sounds like a lot of money. But when spread over the 5 year warranty that comes with the framework, it costs just £0.94p per day to own this heat press. And bonus, your upper heating platen comes with a LIFETIME GUARANTEE.
So really it comes down to budget and what you deem worthy of spending at this early stage in your heat press career. I have absolutely no doubt that you're going to smash it and become the next heat printing sensation, so maybe it's time to think about the bigger picture and where you want your business to go.
A low price point when purchasing the press might seem like a priority but when you work out the cost of owning the press per day, because of the longer warrantee, even the largest Auto Open Heat Press comes out as the cheaper press to own.
Check out our limited Heat Press offer below:
Get FREE Heat Transfer credit when purchasing a Hotronix Heat Press! Use one of the corresponding promo codes at checkout!
