HTV is a fun and exciting way for one to introduce themselves into the world of crafting. You are probably familiar with heat pressing because you have seen a few breathe taking designs done on different surfaces and garments and wondered how they were able to achieve it. Well if heat transfer vinyl and heat pressing are your cup of tea, then the Easy Press 2 is the kind of machine that you should be considering if you haven’t already. The Cricut Easy Press 2 takes over from its predecessor the original Easy press to give its users a wonderful experience crafting with HTV. The original Easy Press was a beast, but the Easy Press 2 is a much bigger and better machine as our research quickly revealed. It is equipped with new features that we shall discuss shortly together with the benefits and disbenefits that it offers you as a user so you can make an informed decision as to whether is a machine that you should purchase to meet your crafting needs.
Product Overview
Like its predecessor, the Easy Press 2 is a machine that enables users to easily and effectively transfer their HTV (heat transfer vinyl) and iron-on designs onto a surface of their choice. The HTV and iron-on are a type of materials that require heating to facilitate their successful transfer onto surfaces. The Easy Press 2 facilitates this transfer by providing the ideal temperature and time required for proper transfer onto the surface. This machine is available one color (raspberry) and in three different sizes specifically 6 x 7 inches, 9 x 9 inches and 12 x 10 inches. The varying sizes give users the flexibility to choose the size of machine that fits their craft. Unlike its predecessor, this Cricut heat press is capable of heating up to 400°F with a +/- 5°F variance that makes it more reliable and easier to use on a variety of materials.
Features of the Easy Press 2
Heating Time: the heating time of the Cricut Easy Press 2 is truly impressive given that it takes just a minute for the 6 x 6 press to heat up, two minutes for the 9 x 9 press and 3 minutes for the jumbo 12 x 10 heat press. Not a lot of heat press machines available in the market can be able to achieve such fast heating times. The heat-up time is 25% quicker than the original Easy Press.
Safety base: the Easy Press 2 provides crafters with a streamlined safety base on which they can place the machine when it is not in use. And in line matters concerning safety, the Easy Press 2 has an auto shut-off feature that automatically shuts off the press after ten minutes of inactivity. The safety base of this machine is slightly raised in comparison to other heat press machines, and this makes crafting all the more safe without taking away the fun of it.
Firmware: rarely do people talk about firmware when discussing crafting tools but I had to throw this in because I appreciated that the Easy Press 2 like with other Cricut machines updates itself when necessary to ensure that your machine is free of errors and is functioning efficiently.
Thicker heat plate: heat plates are usually there to ensure that the heat in the machine is distributed evenly. If the temperature is even the likelihood that a user is going to have a successful and professional looking outcome is quite high. The thicker heat plate on the Easy Press 2 ensures that the heat distribution is uniform and that the temperature variant is better managed. It’s this very feature that gives the Easy Press 2 a higher standing that is almost at par with traditional heat presses.
Easy Press 2 Pros & Cons
Thus far, the Easy Press 2 has proven to be a really cool crafting tool to have in your corner. But to paint a clearer picture before you make your final decision, we take a look at the machine’s pros and cons after which we believe you will be fully informed on what decision to make.
Pros
- Given the amount of time the Easy Press 2 takes to achieve results pressing with this machine helps users save on valuable time that they could be spending elsewhere.
- The machine gives users control and flexibility over their crafts as they can select the settings/ mode that works best with the material they are using.
- Cricut, in general, offers such amazing customer service such that if a user was stranded, it helps to know that they are not alone as they try to figure out the solution.
- The size of the machine makes it easily portable and ideal for people working in small craft spaces.
- While the Easy Press 2 may not be ideal for mass production, it can still work for commercial projects delivering professional results in under 3 minutes depending on the size of machine you own.
Cons
- I felt that the small Easy Press 2 was pointless as I did not really see the value it brought given its price tag.
- It still does not compare to some of the professional heat presses in the market, especially if you need to work with temperatures higher than 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Some crafters may find the Easy Press 2 to be rather expensive given that it costs more than some of the inexpensive, lower-end heat presses that are available in the market.
Final Thoughts
I am a big fan of the Easy Press 2 because it delivers value for me and my crafting. We rarely come across products that fully deliver on the promises made, and this cannot be said about the easy press given that you get professional results in under 3 minutes just as it promises. This machine is honestly the best compromise one can make if faced with the decision of choosing between heat pressing with a regular iron or a traditional heat press. Afterall what more could one want if they are getting long-lasting and effective results on a machine that’s efficient and easy to use.
