Best Hat Heat Press

Last Updated: May 10, 2023 @ 11:23 am.

Best For Beginners: VEVOR Heat Press 6×3.7Inch Curved Element Hat Press

When it comes to heat press machines for hats (ball caps, specifically), you have two main options: larger machines that can do larger designs to fill up the entire crown, or smaller heat press machines that are best for smaller logos.

If you are a beginner and want a press that can do larger designs, we’d recommend one of our reader favorites: VEVOR’s Heat Press. With a curved plate that is nearly six inches wide, this heat press can cover an entire hat crown with a design—and is super easy to use for those just starting out.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Easy to set up.

• Lage plate area (5.5″ by 3.5″).

• Great for beginners.

• LCD digital controller.

• Aluminium heating plate has longer life than others we researched.

• Auto time setting that sounds alarm and stops heating at preset time and temp.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

• May need to be bolted down so it doesn’t tip when in use.

Best For Smaller Logos: DODODUM EasyPress Mini Heat Press Machine for T Shirts Shoes Hats

Large clamshell-design hat heat presses are nice, but may be overkill if you all you want is to press a small logo (think the side of a woman’s fist) on a hat. In that case, a mini heat press may do just fine . . . at a price that is much easier on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Great for small, one-off projects.

• Works fantastic on hats with small design logos (that is, not the entire crown).

• Heats fast.

• Affordable.

• Auto turn-off after 10 minutes.

What Needs Work

• Not ideal for large designs.

• Limited heat (top temperature is 374 degrees) may be too low for some designs.

• Not as easy to do multiple hats.

Best Tried & True Brand: Cricut Hat Press

Cricut is a brand with a legion of fans for a good reason: the company’s products offer consistent quality and ease of use. 

We liked this mini heat press’ quick heat-up time and overall design, with auto-shut off and three heat settings. Also nice: Cricut sells a raft of compatible supplies, like their Infusible Ink. So that makes this a good choice for beginners who want to try a heat press for a hat or two.

What We Liked

• Great for small logs on at hats.

• Also good for t-shirts or other heat press projects.,

• Quickly heats up.

• Easy to use with three heat settings.

• Design software lets you unleash your own creativity.

• Compatible with Cricut supplies (inks, etc).

What Needs Work

• No ability to dial specific temperatures.

• Not ideal for large quantities of hats.

Best For Small Businesses: SHZOND Hat Heat Press

If you run a small business and need to churn out hats with logos, this heat press is a good bet. We liked how easy it was to use, with digital LCD time and temperature controls. The only downside: it is so popular it’s sometimes hard to find in stock!

What We Liked

• Quickly heats up.

• Easy to use.

• Sturdy.

• Great for DIY crafters or a side hustle.

What Needs Work

• May need to place unit on a non-slip mat to keep it from sliding around.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

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