Learning the Ropes: A Review of the Cricut Easy Press

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why can’t I have an iron and a heat press all in one device?” Apparently, the people at Cricut have wondered the same thing. They introduced the Cricut Easy Press, a combination of everything you’ve wanted to use in heat transfer vinyl and iron-on vinyl crafting.

How does the compromise between an expensive heat press and a convenient iron turn out? Meeting in the middle works out surprisingly well, and if you want something that will do a bit of everything, you’ll like the Easy Press.

cricut easy press product

NAME

Easy Press

Manufacturer

Cricut

Dimensions

9 X 9 in.

Weight

11.5 lbs.

Price 

$130-$150

Maximum heat

350 F

What Is the Cricut Easy Press?

The Easy Press by Cricut is meant to be a go-between when deciding on a heat press and an iron. If you’re working with iron-on vinyl or the typical heat transfer vinyl, you will be interested in finding out what this machine is capable of doing.

The first thing you might notice is the price of the Easy Press. It’s a steal compared to what you might be used to shelling out for a typical heat press. Even if the price lures you in, you’ll be happy to know that the Cricut machine doesn’t slack when it comes to performance. Thanks to the designers at Cricut, they’ve created something you won’t have to haul out of the closet with too much effort.

Much like an iron, the Cricut device is compact and able to be stored with plenty of convenience. The main draw of this is the ability to iron on something in 60 seconds or less, which is a main selling point for the Easy Press. There are incredibly precise heating controls and a plate that regulates the temperature evenly.

Unlike a heat press, even those who don’t have a lot of experience can feel safe when using the Easy Press. You can risk serious injury if you don’t know what you’re doing with a typical heat press machine, but Cricut has engineered this device so that you won’t risk anything. There will be no more worries about burning yourself or anyone around you.

How Is the Cricut Easy Press Used?

After using the Easy Press, you’ll be utterly amazed at how simple it is to operate. If you have never opened a heat press machine in your life, this could be the one to get you started with ironing and transferring. Compare this to a normal heat press, which can sometimes feel like it needs a college course to operate.

cricut easy press on top of tshirt

One of the most complicated things in the Cricut Easy Press is just turning the machine on. This doesn’t mean it’s a chore to find the switch, but it’s merely a compliment on how simple this thing is to operate. Cricut provides a reference chart to figure out what kind of material you’ll be using for the transfer.

When you have determined which material you are working with, you’ll adjust the temperature on the heat press, as well as the timer so you don’t spend too much on the material. Much like an oven, you’ll need to wait until the Easy Press reaches the temperature you’ve selected. The higher the setting, the more time you’ll need to kill until it’s ready.

After the machine is completely warmed up, you’re ready to start. Remove the Easy Press from the included safety base and press it down on the fabric you’ll be using. This way, you regulate the temperature of the material and are ready to work. Warming it up helps you work more easily and efficiently when using an iron or heat press.

Once you have completed the warm up, you can set the Easy Press back into its hub. This means you are ready to put your vinyl on the fabric that you’ve already warmed up. Grab the Easy Press out of the safety base, and gently press down the vinyl on to the fabric. Don’t go overboard with pressure, as you don’t want to smother the fabric and ruin the application.

You’ll know you are finished when you hear the beep of the timer. At this point, you can put the Easy Press back into the base. That’s all there is to it, and you can start to see where the Easy Press got its name.

What Are Some Features of the Cricut Easy Press?

The Cricut Easy Press is loaded with features that amateurs and professionals alike can appreciate. If you’ve been using heat presses for 20 years, or if this is your first purchase, you’ll find something to love.

Adjust the Heating Level

Have you ever used an iron and hated the fact that you can’t quite tell what temperature it’s going to reach? That won’t be a problem with the Cricut device. You will know, at any given time, exactly what the temperature is when you’re applying something to a piece of fabric.

You can fully adjust the level of the temperature, all the way up to a scorching 350 degrees Fahrenheit. With this feature, you don’t have to worry about missing spots on your fabric or focusing too much on one spot.

Portability

The fact that you can lug the Easy Press around wherever you go is amazing. There are few things worse than wanting to take a heat press with you before realizing that it’s horribly clunky and weights a ton. This prevents you from doing any crafting projects away from home.

That won’t be the case if you pick up the Easy Press. There’s a grip on the top of the device, conveniently letting you lift it in and out of the safety base whenever you’re ready to apply. Even at a very compact 9 X 9 inches, you won’t have any trouble sliding the heating end across your project.

Another advantage of such a small design is that it keeps your hands away from the hot end of the Easy Press. How many times have you walked away from a project with a slight burn? Maybe you’re still recovering some nerve endings from your years as a professional with a heat press? You can say goodbye to those days with the Easy Press.

Timer

Okay, maybe your first thought is, “What’s so great about a timer? I have a phone that can time everything for me.” That’s a fair point, but do you really want to keep looking at your phone every 60 seconds while using the Easy Press? You can set this timer for anything up to a full minute. When the countdown is finished, an audible beep will tell you that your time is up.

Any time you’re working with heat transfer, especially if it’s a typical iron, you’re going to be doing some guesswork with the timing. Having exact time measured with the Easy Press, not another device, cuts down on the multitasking and estimating you have to do.

Thanks to the included reference guide, you won’t have to worry about knowing how long to keep vinyl applied to any specific type of fabric. The manual can easily be opened up and set on a safe spot, so you always know when to set the timer.

When the beep has sounded, you’re ready to take off the Heat Press. If you sense any peeling, go ahead and put it back on – you won’t risk any burning if it hasn’t completely taken yet. Thankfully, you won’t spend much time with the Easy Press, as 60 seconds is all you should need to do an application.

Is the Cricut Easy Press Worth the Price?

Cricut Easy Press
  • Pro level performance and home friendly design
  • The big handle, Safety Base, and auto shutoff feature keep things safe every step of the way
  • The evenly heated plate adheres your iron?on in 60 seconds or less. Insulated Safety Base keeps the...

Rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to its ease of use, safety, and speed, the Cricut Easy Press is an easy recommendation. Doing any kind of heat transfer vinyl is not for those who aren’t fully invested in crafting. If you have never worked with a professional heat press, you might feel a bit lost at first.

Most of the time, anyone who just spends time crafting at home would use an iron and board. Unfortunately, this never works as it should. You can never be sure exactly how hot the iron is, and without an exact timer, you’re left to take a stab with setting another clock.

Thanks to the features included on the Easy Press, you can forget about the problems that come with an iron. It makes what could be seen as work a fun time and frees you to produce more art in the process.

You will also love how safe the Easy Press is. Along with the handle mentioned above, you’ll appreciate the auto-shutoff included to make sure it only stays hot for so long. If you have any young, aspiring artists around, you won’t risk their hands getting burnt either.

Are There Any Disadvantages of the Cricut Easy Press?

There’s no doubt you will appreciate the easy of use with the Easy Press. With that said, it doesn’t come without a few drawbacks that are worth noting.

If you’ve worked with an iron before, you know how little space it takes up. Even though the Easy Press is compact, it still doesn’t match the portability and storage convenience of a regular iron.

On top of that, it’s possible that you already have an iron in your home. If that’s the case, you may wonder why you would want to spend any more money. The Cricut is an incredible device, but the fact remains that an iron might already do everything you need.

As for an actual heat press, there are advantages to owning one over the Cricut Easy Press. A 9 X 9-inch area is great for small projects, but if you’re aspiring to bigger things, you’re probably looking for a larger transfer area. Most heat press machines cover 15 X 15, which will be a huge improvement over the Easy Press.

You’ll get more pressure out of using a traditional heat press than what Cricut can offer. Using a regular heat press, you’ll clamp it shut until the application is finished. The Easy Press has to be manually pushed, and you’ll need to be careful that you don’t apply too much pressure.

If you’re in a rush, a heat press works a lot faster than even 60 seconds. Many kinds of vinyl heat transfers are done in no more than 15 seconds. If you have to apply something for a sports team as a last-minute addition, you will want the quickest option available.

Finally, the price may not jump out at you as a deal. Even though $130 isn’t a bank-breaker, a regular heat press won’t run much more than this.

Cricut Easy Press

Is the Cricut Easy Press the Right Purchase?

In the end, it comes down to how much you plan to do with the Cricut Easy Press. If you run a business or you plan on mass-producing many different projects involving heat transfer vinyl, consider an upgrade. The Easy Press is a fantastic choice for anyone who enjoys doing this as a hobby and doesn’t need to think about shaving off milliseconds in the transfer process.

For anyone that is new to the world of vinyl transfers, the Easy Press is an easy recommendation. With a built-in timer and a fully adjustable temperature setting, there’s no way you can make any mistakes. You can rest easy if you’re training someone new, not having to worry about any burns or accidents. It’s much safer than a regular iron.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Cricut Easy Press worth the money?

Overall, while you can achieve the same results with a regular iron, the Easy Press makes the job, well, easy, especially if you use Cricut's temperature/timer chart, and it is worth the investment if you do a lot of iron-on projects. Similarly, if you're looking to start a business, the Cricut Easy Press will make your life all that much easier.

What is the difference between the Cricut Easy Press and the Cricut Easy Press 2?

The Cricut Easy Press 2 now remembers your heat temperature and time settings when it turns off. The original Cricut Easy Press would not remember that, which may not seem like a huge deal, but it is a convenience that makes things a little quicker. And it manages to heat up much faster than the first iteration of the Cricut Easy Press, which is always a welcomed plus as far as we're concerned.

Can you use a Cricut heat press on mugs?

In theory, you can print vinyl on mugs with just about any heat press. However, Cricut also has a line of products dedicated especially to printing stuff on mugs, so you're better off searching for one of those than using the Easy Press or Easy Press 2 on your mugs. Of course, if you can't afford another product, then you can try using your regular heat press just as well.

Does the Cricut Easy Press come with a mat?

It depends on what retailer you get it from, but the Cricut Easy Press 2 comes with an optional mat as well, which is also far more common than the first model.

Do you need parchment paper with Cricut's Easy Press?

Yes, parchment paper is recommended. Whatever you do, don't use freezer paper.

Final Thoughts

As you get more comfortable with the Easy Press, you might consider moving up to a professional heat press. If the Cricut Easy Press   has been working well for you, it might not be necessary if you know what you’re doing. The convenience and portability of the machine is hard to ignore, especially once you move away and try another product.

When you are ready to take the plunge into heat transferring, pick up the Easy Press as part of your introduction.

Last update on 2023-09-17 at 21:43 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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