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Last Updated on June 25, 2018 by Chris Butler
Are you looking at getting a heat press? Today I’m doing a full on Cricut Easy Press review. I’ll talk about the good, the bad and the ugly so you can decide if this is the best home heat press for you and your needs.
I’m going to cover what’s in the box (and a big thing that’s missing). Plus we are going to test things like ease of use, heat times and durability. We’re gonna see if the Easy Press holds up to Cricut’s claims.
And I’ll show it all to you as I make my first few projects with the Easy Press.
This post is NOT sponsored by Cricut. I bought the Easy Press myself in order to test its capabilities. And let’s face it, I wanted to make a few things too 😉
So let’s get to it!
Quick Links to Information in This Post
Cricut Easy Press Price
I bought my Easy Press off of Amazon. (check here for current pricing). And while the price has dropped since it’s first release, I did notice it was more expensive than some standard heat presses.
At the time I wrote this post the heat press pictured below was $15 cheaper than the Cricut Easy Press. And you don’t have to buy anything additional to use it.
However, one pro is the Easy Press is eligible for free Prime shipping, where the cheaper heat presses are not. (though some still offered free shipping) Some heat presses are Prime eligible but they have a higher price tag than the Easy Press.
So is the price worth it?
First let’s look at what an Easy Press is and what does it do.
What is a Cricut Easy Press
The Easy Press is Cricut’s version of a heat press machine. It is used to adhere heat transfer vinyl (HTV or iron on) to fabric. So you can personalize your own t-shirts, tote bags, pillowcases, just about anything fabric that you can imagine.
Here is a multi-layer logo I put on a shirt using the easy press.
It’s kind of like an oversized iron only better. The design makes it compact and portable.
You can easily store this on a shelf and pull it out when you need it. Where as a standard heat press will need a permanent home on a table, or at least a much bigger shelf.
Here is the list of the Easy Press features that Cricut claims and I will be testing.
- Pro level performance, home-friendly design.
- Big handle, safety base, and auto shut off keep things safe.
- The evenly heated plate adheres your iron on in 60 seconds or less.
- Light-weight, portable and easy to store.
- Ceramic Coated 9×9″ plate delivers the exact temperature you need.
- Great for large or layered iron on projects
- Adjustable heat up to 350 degrees.
What Comes in the Easy Press Box
So in the box, there is the Easy Press itself. It comes with a safety base to set on. Plus you get a beginner project to try out the Easy Press for the first time.
There are also quick start cards that give instructions for the sample project. And a template that gives recommended heat settings for different types of heat transfer vinyl and fabrics. And of course the owners manual.
The big thing I think it’s missing is either a silicone pad or Teflon Sheets.
You need one or the other (silicone pads are recommended) to even use the Easy Press. It’s kind of like buying a Cricut and not getting a cutting mat with it.
So if you get the Easy Press, plan on ordering a silicone pad at the same time.
Cricut Easy Press Set Up
Setting up your Easy Press for use is pretty straight forward. It’s ready to go out of the box. But there are a few things you want to be aware of.
It’s recommended you use a firm and sturdy heat resistant surface about waist high. Ironing boards are not recommended.
Again you need heat resistant surface, so don’t forget a silicone mat.
I have an old beat up dining room table I use for my craft table, so I used Teflon sheets for my heat resistance. They worked fine, but as I said my table is already old and beat up.
You also want to be aware of the cord and where you are going to plug in. You obviously don’t want a tripping hazard, but you don’t want the cord to end up under the Easy Press while you are using it either.
Unlike a standard heat press, the easy press cord could get in your way as you move it from its base to your project and back again. Just something to be aware of when you are picking a location and an outlet.
After you have your location all set plug in the easy press and place it on its base.
So now that we’re all set up, let’s try it out.
Is the Cricut Easy Press Easy to Use?
I did find the Easy Press mostly easy to use. The controls are self-explanatory. Press the power button on top to turn it on. That will light up the display.
You click on temperature and use the plus or minus sign to set your desired temp.
And then you can click on time and use the plus or minus signs to set your timer.
I set the temperature at 340 degrees and it took just over two minutes to get heated up. A beep will sound when it’s ready to use.
Easy enough. But it does get a bit clunky when you are pressing the vinyl.
For one, you have to press the green button to start the timer. So there is probably a second or two where the easy press is on the vinyl, but the time is not ticking down.
Overall it didn’t affect the vinyl and you can adjust the timer down a few seconds if this concerns you. But it is kind of a pain to not have an automatic timer.
My biggest problem was I forgot to hit the button the first several times I used it. And then it’s a guessing game for the time.
Also I learned the hard way about the placement of the cord and it kept getting in my way. But after I switched outlets it became easier.
The First Project
First thing is to turn on the Easy Press. Use the included chart to find the time and temperature you need to set for your project. Use the plus and minus buttons to set both of these.
Wait a few moments for the Easy Press to heat up. Mine took just over 2 minutes to reach 340 degrees. It will beep when it’s up to temp.
Remove the easy press from its base and press your fabric for a few seconds to remove wrinkles and moisture. And then return the easy press to the base.
Place your HTV vinyl onto your project.
Place the Easy press over your HTV design and hit the green ‘C’ to start the timer. Apply firm pressure until the timer beeps.
Place the Easy Press back on its base. Flip your project over and press the back with your Easy Press for about 10 seconds. Return the Easy Press to the base again.
After the HTV film cools, remove it from your project.
That’s it! Over all it is pretty easy.
Is the Cricut Easy Press Worth It? Pros and Cons
The Pros
- It does have a home friendly design. It’s lightweight (just over 5 pounds) and it easily fits on a shelf when not in use. I think this is the biggest pro of the Easy Press.
- Its big handle makes it easy to move the Easy Press from the base to your project and back again. It is an easy grip and I never felt like I could drop it.
- The Easy Press heats up quickly. It took just over two minutes to reach 340 degrees.
- The safety base and auto shut off does help keep things safe. After my Easy Press was on a few minutes I felt the table under the base and it was still cool to the touch. The auto shut off is set for 10 minutes.
- The controls are easy to use. Simply select temperature and use the plus and minus button to set the degrees. And then select timer and use the plus and minus buttons to set the time.
- The heat is adjustable, so you know you are getting the correct temperature for your fabric and HTV
- The plate does seem to heat evenly. I didn’t have any problems with the tops or bottoms of my design sticking to the fabric after one press.
- I would say it does deliver pro-level performance. The HTV stuck on the first press and still looks good after several washings.
The Cons
- The price. (Check current Easy Press prices here.) The price has come down some, but you can still buy standard heat presses for less money.
- It does not come with the Silicone heat mat or Teflon paper (Which you need to have!) This is the biggest disappointment, especially for the price.
- The timer does not automatically start. Maybe I’m asking to much here lol, but I kept forgetting to start the timer.
- The cord can get in the way as you move the Easy Press from its base to your project and back.
- I don’t think it’s great for large designs as they claim. 9″x9″ isn’t all that big when you are working on an adult size shirt. You can do multiple presses. However if you overlap, some HTV may get more than the recommended heat time and distort.
Overall Performance
So overall I am happy with my purchase. But I plan to use my Easy Press for personal use. I love that it’s easy to store and I can get professional looking results in a few minutes.
In the long run, I think buying the Easy Press will save me money. It is cheaper to make the shirts, hats, bags and all the things we want.
However, if you plan on using this for a business. I wouldn’t recommend it. I just can’t imagine happily making 50 t-shirts in a row with the Easy Press. I mean it could be done, but I wouldn’t want to do it.
So the Easy Press is a great purchase for home crafters that want to personalize their own things. But not for crafty entrepreneurs that want to start a business.
If you still have questions about the capabilities of the Easy Press feel free to comment down below.
And don’t forget to PIN IT!
Chris Butler has helped thousands of crafters learn how to use their Cricut machine without feeling overwhelmed. She is a best selling author and an up and coming designer. For fun Chris enjoys designing SVG Files, hanging out with her family (preferably at the lake), traveling, and volunteering at her church. She is a wife and mom of two crazy fun kids.
Jennifer says
I pondered on which to buy for a while but ultimately purchased the easy press. I don’t have a craft room and storage would be an issue with the heat press. Ultimately a large wall canvass was the deciding factor. It was much easier to layout and press with the easy press than trying to maneuver it through the the heat press. I was a little skeptical initially but followed the directions and so far, so good. I agree that if you are running a business the heat press is probably the way to go. For friends and family this a great little product.
Toni says
Hi, I am waiting for my Cricut Easy Press in the mail and I had a question. When applying heat transfer vinyl to material, should there be any other material that needs to be purchased such as transfer tape? What is the clear material you would iron/press over the vinyl pieces?
Chris says
Hi Toni! The clear material or the ‘transfer tape’ is part of the heat transfer vinyl, so no need to buy anything separate for that. However that means heat transfer vinyl has to be cut with the vinyl side up. The vinyl you purchase should have instructions telling you which side goes up to cut. I have some, I think it’s my glitter vinyl that’s very hard to tell which side is the vinyl side and which side is the transfer tape and I ruined a bunch of it cutting the wrong side!
Chris says
Hi Toni! The clear material or the ‘transfer tape’ is part of the heat transfer vinyl, so no need to buy anything separate for that. However that means heat transfer vinyl has to be cut with the vinyl side up. The vinyl you purchase should have instructions telling you which side goes up to cut. I have some, I think it’s my glitter vinyl that’s very hard to tell which side is the vinyl side and which side is the transfer tape and I ruined a bunch of it cutting the wrong side!
Toni says
Very informative. Thank you!