Looking for reviews of low end heat presses

[WildWestDesigns]

I see all the time that businesses will invest in the best products and equipment and when it is time to get the heat press, the most critical element in the garment process, they go cheap! Go with a reputable press from a dealer that will back it up and you will not be sorry.

Well, I can see the economics of that decision for some. While I certainly wouldn't do it as the mainstay of my business is apparel decoration, but also I do other products that require presses as well.

If you aren't going to do a lot then I would try to find a mid range one new or a good deal on a used brand name one, if I was trying to bargain hunt. I wouldn't do the low end one unless part of what you are looking for is that it's a throw away.

 

[houseofgrafix]

I'd like to pick up a heat press, but can't currently justify the $1300-$2500 expense. Does anyone have any positive reviews of the $300-$600 "ebay" heat presses? Thanks in advance!

Nate

Please --- Whatever you do, DONT BUY a cheap heat press.
I bought one of those 400 black ebay heat presses and they are JUNK.
I thought to myself... really.. a heat press is a heat press, right?? NOPE


One of the biggest reason why you should not buy one is the fact how much difference there is in temp on the heating pad.
My press from the center to the outside was up to 80degs off. This cause the vinyl to not stick on the outside and TRUST me it will peel off later.

Lucky i found a great deal on a
http://www.instagraph.com/heat-press-machines/products/model-158

This solved EVERY problem i have had with doing shirts.


Dont half *** the heat press. Buy a name brand and spend the money NOW instead of later

 

[OlsonSigns601]

I got my heat press off a job of putting a few stickers on a truck.

The guy had one of these:
http://www.airwavesstore.com/AW3000D-110-16-X-20-Manual-T-Shirt-Press-110V-p/aw3000d-110.htm

Never thought about looking up to see how much it cost. Turns out it's pretty expensive.

However the thing has made me so much money. I would gladly pay the money for it if I didn't get the deal I got. Heats up Quick, never had a problem with it.

Started off doing screen printing and not taking any order under 20. Now I don't do less than 5 and its either vinyl or heat transfer. With the cost and quality of the heat transfers, I have no reason to get dirty and deal with the headache of a press anymore.

Actually sold the press and now I sub the larger jobs to him to do. But a little tip, heat pressing screen prints give it that smooth feel. Definitely the way to go.

 

[natedawg9640]

Just won an auction for a Stahls 16x20. Used but looks to be in good shape. last minute bidder put my bid a bit higher than i hoped for, but what can ya do. lol

 

[jhanson]

I'm not too sure about all the Hotronix love here. The Hotronix 16x20 presses I've seen in high production environments haven't held up too well; the electronic controls are too overly sophisticated (Touchscreen? On a heat press? REALLY?) and tend to flake out.

I'd go with a workhorse Insta any day, although they're pretty pricey. You can find used ones floating around from time to time.

Geo Knight presses are good, as is their support. The swingers are much better than the clamshells.

As far as the low end presses, you generally get what you pay for. Some of the models coming out of China now are starting to look better, but the bargain basement ones are still as worthless as they were 5 years ago.

 

[apscofield]

I've used Hix N800 pneumatic presses, the cheap-o black ebay press and now a George Knight DK20S. Hix is a workhorse for sure...but I don't like the clamshell style. The GeoKnight is the way to go. Well worth the money.

A~

 

[MakeMyGraphic]

Just felt I should jump in and also point out Craigslist as a good source for used equipment half the time people don't know what they are selling. I was able to score myself 2 heat HIX heat presses VH-250 (hat press) and HT-400 (15 x 15) they are old school but at $50 ea they work like a charm been checking the temp gauge and they have been within 1 degree each and every time.

What I do is I have the Craigslist APP on my smart phone and I enter keywords such as "heat press" or "plotter" or whatever I am looking for and have craigslist search automatically in the nearest 3 cities (or as far as you are willing to drive) and then when a listing comes up, I can be sure to be the first to snag the deal. When you are looking for a good deal it sometimes is worth draining your phone's battery in your search until you find what you are looking for.

I lucked out with the above mentioned heat presses because the guy did NOT mention "Heat press" on his listing and I just so happened to type in "Hat Press" and his listing came up which was up on CL for a good 48 hours before I saw it... otherwise I am 100% certain it would have been gone because every time I saw a good heat press on CL for under 500 bucks it was snagged immediately.

 

[amw]

+1 on the GK DK20S
We love ours.

Marsha

 

[Scott Reynolds]

I just found a DK 20S on CL for $500 this morning. Looks brand new.

 

[royster13]

On Craigslist, I got a Hix HT600D and a Geo Knight DK20, 500 heat transfers and 6,500.00 (wholesale) of t-shirts for 1,500.00 as part of an estate sale....The presses were less than 3 years old and I figure I got them for about 11 cents on the dollar.....

 

[rnjgraphics]

"What I do is I have the Craigslist APP on m phone"

Thanks for the tip. I love to search craigslist, but feel I always miss the deals.

"half the time people don't know what they are selling."

I bought my heatpress from craigslist from a woman who tried the t-shirt business but couldn't make it work. When buying it, it would not stay in the closed position, so I aksed her about it, and she said it was a manual press and you had to hold it down. Thought it was crazy, but the deal was done and I am a whimp so I drove off with my new heat press. Two minutes of research on Proworld website taught me how to adjust the pressure so it worked properly. It blew me away that she didn't even have a clue on how to operate the thing. (neither did I, but I learned)

It is a proworld, and works well, only complaint is the temp guage is a little thermometer that I can't read cause my eyes are getting old!