Need one more tip: which heat press?

A lot of members here have recommended in the past not to get anything smaller than 15 x 15. I agree with this.

From reading the posts on here from veterans of the business, Hix seems to be the most reliable and popular brand. This lead me to purchase a Hix Presto 15.

I have read posts where people complain about electrical problems with the Geo Knight brand but also read Geo Knight owners who have never had a problem. So, consider that.

You also need to consider:

1. Your budget for a heat press.
2. How large your designs are.
3. Work load (printing constantly or taking an order or so a day?)

Answer those questions and then consider the major brands and what people here have to say about each brand. You will find most recommend Hix.

Hope this helps.

Doby said:

I like the design of the Hix Presto the best. Alot of people are saying "Swingman 15 x15" What is the difference? Does it automatically release when the time is up? Where is the best place to buy one? How do you like yours? Thanks!

Newbie Doby

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The Swingman allows you to place your shirts without fear of touching the heat platen since it "swings" away. With the Presto you simply have to be more careful; it opens 70 degrees so the platen is right above you while you are laying out the shirt. I make it sound more dangerous than it is.

Another feature some might say is useful is that the Swingman can press items up to 1-3/4" thick while the Presto can only do .25" thick. If all you plan on pressing is t-shirts than that feature is useless.

I didn't care about either of the above features so I went with the Presto. I have yet to press any shirts for customers but have done some test runs and played around with it a lot and I am very pleased. It takes up very little space, easy to adjust pressure and temperature and very user-friendly.

My press does not release automatically when the time is up. Personally I can't see how this would be that useful anyway unless you are doing volume orders. What are you going to do the 20-30 seconds it takes to press a transfer? I can't imagine walking away from the press during that time and since I'm going to be there anyway I have no problem simply pulling the handle up myself.

I shopped around for a while looking for the best price for the Presto and finally decided on bestblanks.com. I found one site that had it for $5 cheaper but because their site was very poorly designed and I had never heard of them I chose the more reliable option. There was also a retailer in FL that was offering free shipping on their heat presses but only carried one or two brands and neither was Hix. I'm all for getting a good deal on things but when it comes to the major components of your operation you should bite the bullet and get quality items.

Keep in mind that when it comes to experience in the t-shirt business I don't compare to the majority of posters here. So, if some veterans are telling you to get the Swingman 15x15, consider it. You should definitely go with what you feel comfortable purchasing and using. I simply weighed the pros and cons of each machine I was considering and went with what was best for my operation.

I hope this helps.

Hi everyone,
It's been a couple of months since I posted here last, i'm one of those who wanted to start up but after reading many many posts decided to hold off until I had enough money together to be able to afford the right heat press. I've really caught the bug even though I do not own a heat press yet. I do still have problems navigating my way around forums so please excuse me if this is in the wrong place but I certainly need some advice so thought this was the ok thread to post at.

I have a question first which I haven't been able to find an answer to, since researching and reading here I keep seeing presses advertised that "does not need an air compressor" ???? Does this mean that I may have to buy not only a heat press but an air compressor too?? Can someone explain that part please?

I just recieved the catalog from imprintables which show the mighty press which i'm sold on really, the advice I need most is on some of the differences between the ones i'm looking at. My budget was originally $800 for a heat press but i'm willing to go as high as the $1095 for the 16x16 phoenix auto open or $1050 for the mighty press digital 16x20 it just means I won't be able to afford as much stock as I originally intended to buy. Ok the advice part, I want to know if the 16x20 would really make that much difference, I want to put stock transfers onto t-shirts and sweaters/hoodies and also will probably want to do some xxl but can all this be done on a 16x16 or would I really be better off with the 16x20?? I know there is an extra 4inches of platen there but most stock transfers are within the 16x16 anyway aren't they?? I want to get the best press I can afford but don't want to waste money on an extra 4 inches if i'm not likely to use it. I want to say at this point me and the wife are committed to setting this up as a business and are going to put our heart and soul into it once we get it up and running, just want to get everything right from the start and I trust the great advice from here.
That's about it for now,definitely want to know about the air compressor thing as that's bothering me right now.
Thankyou in advance for your advice and replies, look forward to reading them so I can move forward with this. It's only taken me 4 weeks to come up with a shortlist of names for the business,lol (actually a long list).

Tony

The one thing the larger industrial presses and that 16"x20" press have in common is being auto-opening. You could achieve that with either an air compressor or electro-magnets. I believe (though bear in mind I don't sell heat presses so I'm not sure) that the air compressor is only required on auto-opening presses (and not necessarily all auto-opening presses, though I don't know). I suppose others may use it too to achieve their pressure. Sorry I can't give you a more definitive answer. Hopefully someone who can will see this thread.

If not, I'd just contact Josh at Imprintables, or a representative of another reputable company, and ask them about it. It shouldn't be hard to get cleared up.

I can tell you for sure that most (smaller) presses don't require a separate air-compressor. So the issue for you is do any of the presses I'm considering require one, rather than do they require them in general.

Hi Tony,

I would recommend the 16x20. It gives you extra room that helps with lining up the clothing before pressing. It also allows you to press larger transfers when needed as designs change or design trends change. You can also press more than one item at a time occasionally, like mouse pads as an example. That being said, there is nothing wrong with a 15x15. It is a very useful size and can accomplish almost anything you will need to do. In my opinion, never go any smaller than a 15x15. Also, the vast majority of heat presses in use, from what I've read, are the manual clamshell type press. They take up less space than swing away types, require no compressor, and in general are a proven design that will last almost forever. There are advantages to having a clamshell type press just like there are advantages for having a swing-away, or a fully automatic air assisted press. If you are starting out, or are an established company, you can't go wrong with a good quality clamshell. I prefer Hix, but there are a few other quality manufacturers as well. I think the two biggest mistakes would be buying a press that is too small, and buying a press from a company that hasn't been around long enough to prove their dependability. Also, once you have chosen your desired press, don't just shop by price alone. Buy from a dependable distributor that is willing to provide guidance and customer support and happens to have a good price.