Topic
Heat presses and transfers
Iron-on needs the right temperature, time, pressure and peel for that exact product. The numbers differ by brand, by product line and even by press model, so read them from the maker's guide.
- Siser EasyWeed
- 305 F, 10 to 15 s, medium pressure, hot or cold peel
- Cricut Everyday Iron-On on cotton
- 315 F, 30 s, firm pressure, cool peel (EasyPress 2)
Heat transfer vinyl has a heat-activated adhesive. Too little heat or time and it lifts in the wash; too much and it can shrink, scorch or bond badly. Pressure matters as much as temperature, which is why a handheld press asks for a firm, even push and a clamshell or swing-away press has a pressure knob.
Read the peel instruction on the product. Hot peel means remove the carrier right away, warm peel after a short wait, and cool peel only once it is cool to the touch. Peeling at the wrong moment is the most common reason a design lifts.
Settings depend on the press as well as the material. Cricut's Heat Guide lists different numbers for different EasyPress models, and Siser asks EasyPress users to add about 30 degrees to its heat press values. The heat press settings tool lists the values we confirmed in the makers' published instructions.
Common mistakes
- Using one time and temperature for every brand of iron-on.
- Peeling a cool peel material while it is still hot.
- Skipping the short pre-press that removes moisture and wrinkles from the blank.
Tools for this topic
Pages on this topic
- What is Cricut Infusible Ink?Cricut Infusible Ink explained: how heat turns the ink into a gas that bonds with polyester, which blanks work, how to cut and press it, and how it differs from HTV.Explainer
- Shirt decal size chart for Cricut projectsCommon iron-on decal widths for infant, toddler, youth and adult shirts, plus pocket, sleeve and back sizes, and how to place a design so it sits right.Explainer
- HTV vs sublimation vs Infusible InkHTV vs sublimation vs Cricut Infusible Ink: how each bonds, which blanks it needs, how it feels and washes, and which press works for each method.Comparison
- How to use the Cricut Mug PressActivate the Cricut Mug Press, choose a compatible mug, apply an Infusible Ink design, press it and cool the mug safely, with fixes for faded or blurry results.How-to
- How to apply iron-on vinyl to a shirtCut, weed and press iron-on vinyl on a shirt: mirroring, pre-pressing, time, temperature and peel for Cricut Everyday Iron-On and Siser EasyWeed, plus lifting fixes.How-to
- EasyPress vs clamshell heat pressCricut EasyPress vs a clamshell heat press compared on pressure, even heat, speed and storage, for T-shirts, tote bags, pillows and small shop orders.Comparison
- Do you need a heat press for Cricut projects?Do you need a heat press for Cricut iron-on? When a household iron works, when it fails, and which press type and size to start with for shirts and bags.Explainer
- Heat press temperature and time guide for iron-onHeat press and EasyPress temperature, time, pressure and peel for Cricut Everyday Iron-On, Infusible Ink, Siser EasyWeed and Glitter, from the makers' guides.Explainer
- Cricut AutoPress vs EasyPress 3Cricut AutoPress vs EasyPress 3: automatic pressure and hands-free pressing against a handheld press, weighed against how many shirts you make each month.Comparison
Gear for this topic
- Best mug and tumbler presses for sublimationHTVRONT auto tumbler presses, PYD Life press and oven, and VEVOR combo presses compared by cup sizes, max temp, timer, pressure and auto shutoff.Gear guide
- Best heat presses for T-shirts at homeAuto, clamshell, swing-away and slide-out shirt presses from Cricut, HTVRONT, Fancierstudio, PowerPress and VEVOR compared by plate, temp, timer and pressure.Gear guide
- Best auto-open heat presses, from Cricut AutoPress to 16x24 shop modelsAuto-open heat presses from Cricut, HTVRONT, VEVOR, Ricoma and others compared on plate size, max temp, timer range, pressure and how the press releases.Gear guide