Discuss the different brands and sizes of heat presses available on the market, including Hix, GeoKnight, Hotronix, and other smaller manufacturers. Topics include maintenance, selection, styles and more.
i am new to this forum, but i had a question. I am looking into some vinyl and a plotter, but also heat transfer presses. Can someone let me know what to look for in a press?
what brands are good? what brands should i stay away from?
I would stick with a name brand press...GeoKnight, Mighty Press (Stahls), or Hix.
I have a GeoKnight t-shirt press, and a Mighty Press cap press. Both are solid, reliable presses. GeoKnight offers excellent customer service. As for the Mighty Press....well, I've never had an issue with it, so I haven't had to call customer service.
If you purchase a quality, name brand press, you won't have the uneven heating and pressure problems that some of the cheaper presses have.
Try to purchase the largest press you can afford. 16x20 being the ideal size. This allows you to take on xxl with no issues placing the graphics. Distributors, such as Stahls Hotronix, offer interchangable lower platens. You can always step down in size for the lower, but you cannot add size to a smaller press.
I don really stick with brand name heat press, ha ha...ignore me...
But i like some multifunctional heat press. I think heat pressing is more like a leisure entertainment than a business.
If you wanted to stay withing a certain price range and that price range was between 4 and 5 hundred dollars and you wanted a name brand press then which would you go after and why. I need versatility also. I want to press shirts but i also want to have some custom platens made to press my products that are made of wood. If the wood effects the decision in any way then i would love to hear some peoples input on that as well. As they are several pieces of wood put together with glue so if that plays into it in any way i would like to hear your thoughts on that as well. As far as presses i am looking at hotronix and mighty presses. Just because i hear a lot about them on this forum.
I agree with deChez and Ib4E with choices. Stick with a quality name, price-compare between them, and buy the largest you can afford. Trust me, stay from the Chinese brands offered on Ebay, they will cause more trouble because they are not of the best quality. Talking from experience.
Heat Press... what brands to buy? 
