Understand what desktop heat press you need to buy to sublimate small Unisub or ChromaLuxe items.
Before you buy a heat press, ask yourself the following questions.
- Size: How big are the items you want to sublimate? Get a heat press that will accommodate that size product.
- Style: How much space do you have in your craft area. Does a clamshell or swing-away heat press better suit your needs?
- Materials: What products are you wanting to sublimate? Examples of products are flat surface, mugs, shirts, hats, etc.
- Function: How advanced does the press need to be? Are you okay with a manual press or would you prefer something that is automatic?
- Volume: How many products do you plan to produce in a month or year?
Below are answers to common questions about heat presses.
What is the largest size item that you want to produce?
The size of your press will play a large part in what kind of press you should purchase. Your press needs to be slightly bigger than the largest item you want to produce.
What is the largest size transfer paper your printer can print?
Printers are limited to a certain paper size. Desktop printers can print A4 to A3, while large format printers can print up to 64 inches (162 cm).
Are you trying to mass-produce products or just looking to do one or two projects at a time?
Smaller presses heat up faster and are a quick solution if you want to press just a few items at a time. If you want to frequently produce multiple items at a time than a larger press may be better suited to your needs. The larger the press the more items you will be able to press at once.
How long will your heat press last?
Heat presses last a very long time if taken proper care of.
What is your budget?
The larger the heat press the more expensive it will be. You should take into consideration all of the items above, and of course your budget when making a purchase.