Last month, Cricut expanded its line of EasyPress heat presses with EasyPress 3, Hat Press, and Autopress. I’ve spent the last few weeks with EasyPress 3 and Hat Press, using them to complete various projects ranging from custom coasters to hats, t-shirts, and more. There are several improvements for the EasyPress 3 and Hat Press, all of which come from a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone or tablet. Sound intriguing? Keep reading for our full review of the Cricut EasyPress 3 and Hat Press.
First impressions
the EasyPress 3 and Hat Press are designed to fit Cricut’s existing Manufacturer 3 and Explore 3 lineup we worked with last year. The unit coloring matches Maker 3 and Explore 3 perfectly, so if you already have one, EasyPress 3 and Hat Press will fit right in.
Unboxing both units was simple and everything you need to get started is in the box. Starting with the EasyPress 3 in our review, you’ll find the press itself, a base to rest it on (and not burn your carpet or other areas), a swatch bag, a pre-cut Cricut logo, and a few other accessories. elements. The bag and logo are designed to give you a starting point for using the EasyPress 3 without having to buy other products and are a nice inclusion.
The Hat Press, on the other hand, doesn’t have a sample project included, but that’s understandable as many don’t necessarily want a Cricut-branded hat, while the bag would be useful for storing your accessories. Similar to the EasyPress 3the Hat Press comes with a resting plate he can sit on while heating or cooling. It also includes the shape that you will wrap a hat on before pressing, which is nice and sturdy to hold for a while.
Setup is a snap
Both units are configured in a whole new way in the EasyPress range. Simply download the Cricut Heat app to your iPhone, iPador Android smart phone, plug in EasyPress 3 or Hat Press and turn on the device. The app will instantly find your press and the setup process itself is quite simple. All you have to do is agree to link it to your account, accept the terms and conditions, and it’s ready to use. Those with the EasyPress 3 You’ll be prompted to browse the sample project to get familiar with the device, although there’s a jump button at the top if you want to dive straight into your own projects.
That’s it – your EasyPress 3 or Hat Press is now installed, configured and ready to use! Whenever you want to use it in the future, just turn on the device and connect through the app, and it will be ready to go.
He does the hard work for you
Now let’s get to the interesting, fun and unique part of our review on what makes the Cricut Easy Press 3 and Hat Press stand out from both previous generations and competitors: automation. Yes, you read that right: automation. Once you have a device connected to the Cricut Heat app, it does all the work for you.
You’ll start by choosing the EasyPress you’re using so the app knows what it’s trying to set up. From there, you will select the material used. It can be anything from traditional heat transfer vinyl to Cricut Infusible ink. If your product is not listed in the predefined list, there is an option for manual settings, but that negates most of the automation, so we won’t delve into that area too much. Generally, most everything you will need or use is in the predefined list.
After selecting a material (I used Infusible Ink), the Cricut Heat app will then ask you what material you are applying for. This is crucial because it lets the app know what settings to use, including temperature, whether or not to preheat the item, how long to preheat, and how long to leave the press applied for the app. It’s all automated within the app, so you won’t have to guess Google or try to remember which settings belong to which item.
Why is this important? Well, everything has its own time requirements to keep things running smoothly. For example, a T-shirt may need to be set to 375F and require a 15 second warm-up and 45 second transfer heat, while a ceramic coaster requires 400F and no preheating but 240 seconds of heat transfer. See the difference there? The application remembers all this and not only shows you what is required, but also transfers the settings to the EasyPress 3 or Hat Press so you don’t have to configure the units yourself. It really is an automated setup and extremely simple to use.
Step-by-step instructions for each scenario
Once you’ve configured all the settings in the app, it gives you step-by-step instructions for every scenario you can imagine. Whatever item you apply the vinyl to, a quick video along with detailed step-by-step instructions will appear on screen. The instructions not only tell you how long each step takes, but also provide a detailed diagram of where it all happens. It’s important and something you shouldn’t ignore, even if you’re a seasoned crafter.
When my wife and I were making plans with the EasyPress 3 and Hat Press, the instructions were nice enough to have always visible no matter where we were in the process. It showed us exactly what order to put things in, whether to use tape, and really, exactly what to do. It made the creation process so easy and fun. Plus, it takes the guesswork out of what to do and when to do it, because you won’t have to wonder “where is this going” because it just tells you.
Compatible with more than just infusible ink
You might think that because Cricut does the EasyPress 3 and Hat Press, it is only compatible with their shirts, vinyls, hats or other products. This is simply not the case. At the heart of each product is a ceramic heating plate that ensures even heat distribution. This means that you can use either product for anything you desire.
You can choose to use Cricut’s vinyl… or not. You can pick up hat blanks from Cricut…or use your own. You can grab one of Cricut’s official shirts…or one from your closet. Truly, the possibilities are endless.
However, if you want to use Cricut’s infusible ink, there are a few things you need to keep in mind: Stick to Cricut’s product line. While Infusible Ink can be used on almost any material, there’s a reason Cricut sells its own items. Infusible Ink literally infuses the ink into the material, which provides much greater adhesion than just ironing on vinyl. It requires a specific mix of fabrics to work properly.
So if you want the best experience with Infusible Ink, use Cricut products. However, feel free to try it on other items around the home to see how it works – just be aware that it might not be as durable or rich in color…and it might not even be work at all.
Everything you need to get started
To start with Cricut EasyPress 3 and Hat Pressyou need a few key things, some of which I didn’t expect.
To start, having a Cricut will be very useful, but is not necessarily mandatory. You can choose to use Infusible Ink markers and paper to avoid having an expensive machine. However, your best experience will be with a Cricut machine like the Manufacturer 3.
Then you will need some type of material to cut or design. These can be the Infusible Ink Markers and the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet mentioned above, or a variety of heat transfer vinyl pieces.
After that there is the product itself on which you want to place the design. Cricut has a a wealth of official articles to browse, but really, the options are endless. You can use heat transfer vinyl on wood, fabric, cloth or anything else. Just make sure whatever you are transferring can withstand exposure to high heat of around 400F for a few minutes.
Some other items to have on hand that are not 100% necessary but absolutely recommended are butcher paper, heat resistant tapeand the EasyPress mat. Butcher paper helps ensure that your design does not transfer to the ceramic heating plate on the EasyPress 3 or Hat Press. The heat resistant tape is something I didn’t think we would need, but it came in handy as it ensures the design doesn’t shift when pressed. And then there is the EasyPress mat. It’s basically a heat-resistant mat that you do most of your pressing on. Think of it as a compact ironing board to protect the surface underneath wherever you design. If you have an ironing board it is possible to use that, but it can also leave burn marks due to the length of some pressings, so using Cricut’s official solution is absolutely recommended here too.
Taken from 9to5Toys
Overall, I’m pretty impressed with the EasyPress 3 and Hat Press in our review of Cricut’s latest products. Although I knew most of the settings would be automated, it wasn’t until I used them that I realized how simple it was. I completed four different projects with EasyPress 3 and Hat Press in less than an hour (once the designs were cut and weeded, that is.) It’s super easy to click on a material, indicate to the device on which you place this material. , and go through the instructions. I’m sure someone with no knowledge of crafting could pick up an EasyPress 3 or a Hat Press and complete a project from start to finish – it’s that simple.
So if you’re looking for a simple and easy to use heat transfer vinyl solution for custom projects, we think the Cricut Easy Press 3 and Hat Press are fantastic for the job. They are versatile, easy to use and deliver exceptional results.
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