On a hunt to find the best heat press machine for small business? Read this guide.
Whether you are planning to start a printing business or want to upgrade your existing machine; it is important to select a high quality heat press that does the job perfectly.
To help you select the best heat press system, I have handpicked and reviewed 10 of the best options.
Things to consider when selecting a heat press machine
Before we jump in, here’s a quick list for a few things that you’d want to take into account
- Heating element – The shape of heating element affects the heating of a top platen. Make sure that your heat press machine offers even heating and doesn’t have wide gaps between heating elements to avoid cold spots.
- Heat press mechanism – The most common heat press mechanisms are: swing away and clamshell.
- Brand reputation – Check if the brand you select offers good customer service and clear usage instructions. My favorite brands are Hotronix, Siser, Geo Knight, Fancier studio and PowerPress.
- Heat retention and even pressure – In general, a platen with thickness ¾ thick retains and transfers the heat perfectly. A good heat retention system will help you waste less time fixing temperature drops. The same thing goes with pressure, the heat machine need to be able to evenly distribute the pressure.
- Product Attachments – Though it goes without saying, check out the attachments offered by the machine and make sure it heat presses the products you are selling.
5 Best Heat Press Machine for Small Business
1. PowerPress HPM-1515-BK
- Top feature – LCD control for accurate
- Heating surface size – 15×15 Inches
- Printing products – T-shirt, sweatshirts, mouse pads, ceramic tiles, coasters and more
- Sublimation – ✅
- Temperature range – 30 – 455 ℉
- Time – 0 – 999 seconds
The first one on my list is an industrial quality digital sublimation heat press machine with a great buying price.
PowerPress is a great machine that offers precise, good quality transfers on t-shirts, mouse pad and other products. The silicon gel base board and heating plate does a pretty good job. The PTFE coating on the heating plate provides a higher dielectric strength to the plate and removes the need of using a coated sheet.
Talking about the heating system works fine and easily transfers clean, high quality design to the cloth. The LCD control board shows accurate digital temperature and time control options.
The replaceable fuse is located near the switch section to avoid overheating and protect the machine from electric short.
Overall, it’s a pretty solid heat press machine that transfers heat-transfer nicely and effectively, making it a good option for those who sell products with high quality graphics. It works well with all types of fabrics and you can print the biggest XXL size tees without breaking a sweat.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Solid machine design and anti slip handle | Portability of this print machine is limited |
| Full digital control on temperature and time | |
| In-depth getting started manual for beginners | |
| Pressure adjustment knob |
2. TUSY Heat Press 15×15
- Top feature – Overheating Protection
- Heating surface size – 15 x 15 Inches
- Printing products – T-shirt, pillow, bags, mouse, mat and more
- Sublimation – ✅
- Temperature range – 0 – 482 ℉
- Time – 0 – 999 seconds
With over 2,000+ positive reviews on platforms like Amazon, TUSY Heat Press Machine is a my second pick
The TUSY heat press machine 15×15 is known for the awesome design elements7 and solid structure making it perfect for both the industrial as well as home use.
To start with the heating coil is uniformly spread for properly heating the entire plate and transferring better graphics. The clamshell design has a shorter, stronger and anti-slip pressure handle along with double arms for easier usability.
Another great feature I liked about this heat transfer machine is safe anti-overheating. The heating plate could greatly dissipate heat and automatically shut off on overheating.
So you just need to adjust the pressure knob, set time & temperature and transfer the design. Simply lift up the handle when the alarm buzzes and your custom DIY T-shirt is done. However, if you want to print mugs or plates, TUSY Heat Press Machine Pro 5 in 1 is a better option.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Heat transfer onto multiple fabrics | Not as swift as swing away TUSY 12×15 version |
| Easily create professional T shirts | |
| Solid clamshell design with 45 to 50 degrees opening |
3. Nouva Pro 5 in 1
- Top feature – Multifunctional heat press machine
- Heating surface size – 12 x 15 Inches
- Printing products – T-shirts, plats, jigsaw puzzles, coasters, misc fabrics, mugs, caps and more
- Sublimation – ✅
- Temperature range – 200 – 450 ℉
- Time – 0 – 999 seconds
Nouva is one of the best sublimation heat press machines that comes in a 5 in 1 attachments. You can use these attachments to effectively transfer patterns on caps, plates, mugs and t-shirts.
That said if you want to use this heat press machine solely for mug printing, then I’d rather recommend Cricut MugPress (best heat transfer machine for small business selling mugs).
Getting back to the review, it’s a 360 degree rotation swing away heat transfer machine along with the multi-spring press knob and adjustable height. This type of mechanism not only helps improve productivity but also makes it easy for users to move aside the heating elements safely.
Another thing that makes this machine good is the built-in structural support that helps maintain flatness and keep up the precision. The 4 foot pads increase the overall stability and avoid the tip over when the heating plate is turned to the side.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Thermal protective coating to avoid heating | Not the best heat press machine for mugs |
| One year warranty on heating plate and controller | |
| Digital LCD control and lifelong online technical guidance |
4. Hotronix Fusion IQ
- Top feature – Easily interchangeable platens
- Heating surface size – 16 x 20 Inches
- Printing products – T-shirts, bags, pants, caps and much more
- Sublimation – ✅
- Temperature range – 32 – 428 ℉
- Time – N/A
Hotronix® Fusion IQ® is a heat press for those who have deep pockets and want a high quality, advanced machine.
Unlike most of the heat press machines Hotronix Fusion offers dual functional system – both the swing as well as draw motion – creating a heat free workspace for you.
In addition to dual style heat transfer, you’d also like the threadability feature. It is basically the ability to thread garments or other items easily onto the lower platen of a heat press. You can easily thread and rotate or change garment position and decorate any area without any efforts.
Talking about the control board, it comes with twin timer settings, so you can pre-set individual time settings. The wireless technology allows you to interact with the machine from anywhere using a web based portal. The high resolution touch screen not only allows you to monitor performance but also track reports and usage details remotely.
You can also set up a password for locking the machine functioning. If you have a high volume DTG printer, you can also opt for Hotronix Air (the automated version).
My final thoughts on this machine is – if you are willing to spend one time on a US made, solid heat press machine, Hotronix Fusion Swing is the best option.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Commercial grade machine with laser cut steel framework | A bit expensive for new SMBs |
| Clean robotic welds and UL/ULC/CE/RoHS compliant | |
| Comes with a 5 years warranty |
5. Cricut EasyPress 2
- Top feature – Highly portable heat press
- Heating surface size (3 variants) – 6 X 7 inches, 9 X 9 inches and 12 x 10 inches
- Printing products – T-shirts, bags, pants, caps and much more
- Sublimation – ✅
- Temperature range – Up to 400 ℉
- Time – N/A
Cricut EasyPress 2 is one of the most budget-friendly heat press machines for micro and small sized businesses with limited orders, or the home-based sellers who are looking for an alternative to iron-based heat transfer.
The EasyPress 2 has a sleek, advanced heat plate design with a ceramic coated surface. You can adjust the temperature and time settings based on your heat transfer needs.
The highly portable heat press will also remember the temperature settings after being switched off and on again (this was a feature totally missing in EasyPress predecessor model).
EasyPress 2 comes in three different sizing so you can select the one that fits best with your product types-
- 6″ x 7″ – Heats under 60 seconds and is ideal for small projects like baby clothes, accessories, hats, and more
- 9″ x 9″ – Heats up under 2 minutes and is used for basic t-shirts, tote bags, pillows, aprons and more
- 12″ x 10″ – Heats up under 3 minutes. This variant is perfect for large t-shirts, sweatshirts, banners, blankets, and more
Whether you are someone looking to start an online store and sell custom products, or someone with a home-based business; EasyPress 2 is a great choice.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Compatible with major brands of heat transfer vinyl | The production capacity is very limited |
| More uniform heat map than household iron | |
| Professional iron-on results in 60 seconds or less |
Other best heat press machine options you might like –
- Siser Digital Clam Heat Press – A high quality heat press (UL/ULC/CE/RoHS Approved, CE/NRTLCO approved) backed by a solid framework.
- Cricut MugPress – Best portable Mug heat press that works with Cricut infusible ink.
- Geo Knight DK20S – Heavy-duty swing away machine and a great alternative to Hotrinix Fusion IQ.
Which is the best heat press machine for small business?
Selecting a heat press machine for sublimation depends on your budget and the usage of the machine. If you have limited products, then buying a Geo Knight for $1000+ won’t make sense. You need to look at the profitability factors and volume to know if you really need an expensive machine.
In general, you can easily grab a good quality heat press machine for small businesses for around $200 to $500. This also depends on the type of products you are selling.
