Are you wondering how unique, creative t-shirts are made? The answer is simple – they’re all made with a heat press machine! Today, I will share with you some different types of heat press machine, their advantages and disadvantages.
What are the different types of heat press machines?
There are 3 main types of heat press machines available for purchase. Each of them is designed to be able to print on the more common items, such as t-shirts, but there are specific instances where you may want to have one over another.
1. Clamshell Heat Press
The clamshell heat press machine is the a-typical heat transfer machine. This is what most people think of when they’re searching for a new heat press machine. As a matter of fact, it’s also the easiest, most beginner friendly heat press machine for sale.
Pros:
Very, very easy to use
Very beginner friendly
Takes virtually no effort to operate
Minimalist design allows easy storage
Lightweight, which enables easy transportation to and from events
Great for printing t-shirts in mass-volumes
Automatic versions are available that can great increase t-shirt making efficiency
Cons:
Not great with thicker surfaces such as sweatshirts
Not as safe as some of the other types
Tends to be less accurate than other types
There isn’t a great viewing area to see what you’re actually doing
Pressure isn’t always applied evenly
You need to really push down on the lever in order to get it to print evenly.
2. Swinger (Swing-Away) Heat Press
The swinger machine is becoming more and more popular amongst heat transfer enthusiasts and small business owners due to it’s easy of use, precision, and safety measures.
Pros:
Very precise heat transfer capabilities
Extremely easy to setup new garments to print on
Pressure is applied evenly across the surface
You can view exactly what you’re printing
Safer due to not having to lift the top surface
Excellent for people looking for an intermediate heat press machine
Cons:
Not as efficient as a clamshell model because it requires more time to setup each garment
More cumbersome than a clamshell
Not as easy to use as a clamshell
Isn’t exactly the most time-efficient heat press machine – this can impact precision if you don’t know what you’re doing
3. Draw Heat Press
The draw heat press is becoming incredibly valuable to more and more business owners who are looking to produce high-quality, high-volume orders. It’s also the safest heat press on the market
Pros:
You have 100% view of the surface you’re printing on, which reduces mistakes!
Precision is second to none with the draw heat press
Extremely safe to operate
Lightweight so it’s easily transportable to and from events
The bottom surface is heat-free so it won’t damage your tables and counters
Cons:
Will take up more space than its clamshell counterpart
Not the greatest for thick garments as the space is limited in the drawer
Tends to cost more than the other two designs
We Nanjing Fei Yue Digital is a company specializing in thermal transfer printing equipment. We provide the best quality product in a affordable price. If you are looking for a partner and are interested in our products, please feel free to contact us.
