Best Mug Press Machine Reviews

Are you an avid DIYer with a desire to take your artsy-craftsy to the next level? Or perhaps you are a clever business owner looking for new opportunities? Anyway, if you search for the best mug presses, you’ve lent on the right page.

Indeed, getting a mug press will significantly enhance your talent or business. You will be able to create custom designs and sell them to the customers’ demand. Also, this device will let you print branded logos on the mugs for corporate use within the company. Even if you believe that you are not made for creative projects, you can use mug printing technology to gladden your mother, second half, kid, teacher, friend, and more.

But it is not always easy to find a quality product. Luckily, you’ve found this review. I’ve rounded up five machines and would gladly share my critical assessment of every entry with you.

Our pick

Cricut Mug Press

Best mug press machine

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The innovative Infusible Ink system delivers seamlessly smooth, pro-quality transfers that become one with the mug – and last a lifetime.

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Best mug press machine reviews

Cricut Mug Press – best overall

The Cricut company has simplified the process of creating mug masterpieces with their product. This device enables you to adorn mugs with your own vibrant, fun, and personalized images.

The first thing that impresses the user is the design. Compared to the Super Deal machine which is somewhat clumsy and cumbersome, this one looks like a candy. But the discrete design also serves a safety mission – the machine’s body stays cool when the heating element warms the cup.

Speaking of the heat this mug press machine can produce, it goes as high as 400℉. Be careful when the printing is done, the mug will be really hot, and it is better to let it cool down for around 15 minutes.

The mug press by Cricut enables you to add some zest to 11 – 16 oz mugs by embellishing them with intrinsic motifs.

The press pack includes the heat press and a USB cord. The company has developed compatible infusible ink materials to ensure better results. But if you already have some experience in mug printing, you can get adjusted to using common sublimation stuff.

This device is pretty easy to use. You create the design, attach it to a compatible mug blank, wrap the cup, put it in the machine, and hit the button. That’s it. There is no way to regulate the temperature or time, which mug printing professionals may find disturbing. Anyway, the designs look vibrant, and the images are clear.

The Cricut is the best mug press machine for DIY enthusiasts or those making their first steps in the mug printing business due to its ease of use and flawless performance.

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Super Deal – budget choice

If you are looking for more control when printing fancy images on mugs, consider the Super Deal mug press machine.

This device enables you to control the temperature and time using a digital controller. You can set the optimal temperature from the available range (from 0 to 430℉) or define the desired pressing time (from 0 to 999 seconds). Unlike the Cricut mug presser, you gain full control over the settings. The digital display depicts the selected temp and time parameters.

Besides, this product has two mug attachments: standard 11 oz cups and cone latte 12 oz cups, making it more versatile than the Cricut product. However, as you see, there is no variety in cup sizes.

The Super Deal heat press is easy to use. I set the 400℉ and held the mug in the presser for around 75 seconds. The press heats mugs evenly, so the printed images look bright and accurate.

What I find slightly annoying about this device is the repeating beeping sound when you do not use it for more than 30 seconds. If you do not plan to work on multiple projects in a row, this might be out of your concern. But when you have to sublimate several cups, you’d better get everything at hand right away.

PYD Life – premium

For those businesses looking for a professional mug heat press for sublimating tumblers and ceramic cups, the PYD Life machine is a bargain.

Unlike the Cricut mug press designed for home use due to limited options, the PYD Life mug printing machine would enable you to work on a variety of projects. For example, you can print on 20 oz and 30 oz tumblers. A great feature of this device is that you can sublimate designs on two 11 oz and 15 oz ceramic mugs at a time.

There are two versions of the PYD Life device. The newer one has an in-built sensor and display for regulating the temperature and time (the older version has a separate unit attached to the machine with a cord). You can set the max temperature to 464℉ and the max time to 999 seconds. Both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature control metrics are available. The instructions that also come in the pack are informative. But be very careful. There might be issues with the timer (mine didn’t work).

What I love about this machine is that it allows sublimating the entire 20 oz tumbler in one go without turning it from side to side. However, I wish there were an audible alert notifying that sublimation is over. This is not a deal-breaker as the printing results are flawless – there are no straps, and the colors are adequate.

CREWORKS 5-in-1 – multifunction press machine

If you are serious about upgrading your printing business, you should pay attention to the CREWORKS 5-in-1 machine.

It has a significant advantage over the BetterSub product due to its versatility. As you invest in the CREWORKS device, you will be able to sublimate fancy designs on mugs, T-shirts, caps, ceramic plates, or tiles, and even create jigsaw puzzles.

The machine has a 360-degree swivel that allows it to apply pressure straight down and distribute it evenly for accurate printing results. With 0 – 500℉ temperature range and 0 – 999 seconds timer control, you can regulate how hot you would like the press to be and how long it is meant to operate. An integrated LED screen will help you track whether the right parameters have been set.

The pack includes all essential attachments like a hap/cap pad (5.5″ x 3″ printing area), four mug presses (9, 11, 12, and 17 oz), and two plate presses (1,5″ and 2,6″). Unfortunately, the included instruction booklet is literally useless and does little to explain how to use the machine safely and effectively.

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BetterSub

Easily sublimate 11 – 17 oz mugs with custom designs using the BetterSub machine. This can be a great solution for starters or artsy-craftsy lovers looking for an affordable mug press machine for home use.

This device can hardly be compared to the CREWORKS product in terms of functionality. However, it is not worse than the competitor if we compare the ease of use.

When you set the temperature and timer, let’s say for 400℉ and 190 seconds, you will hear the beeping sound when the time is over. In this way, the sublimation process gets automated, and you will never miss the moment when you have to stop pressing.

Even though the device gets really hot, I have doubts whether the heating element reaches the set temperature. I’ve wasted several cups before I figured out what temperature and time to set.

Also, mind that the BetterSub heat press machine will have a terrible smell out of the box. It will get even stronger as you turn it on. So, it’s better to be careful to avoid smelling the vapor. But it will fade away over time.

How to use a mug press?

The first step of using a cup press machine involves the choice of the design. If you are a designer, you can use your own scatches. In case of painting is not your cup of tea, you can purchase an image for the mug from the store. As you select the design, keep the printing area in mind, which would depend on the mug.

When you’ve selected the design, print it on an inkjet printer using sublimation ink and sublimation paper. Crop the image with scissors or a guillotine.

Place the cropped design around the mug, and use thermal paper to fix the image to avoid any movement. Preheat the mug printing machine to 212℉ and wait for around 12 seconds. Put the mug inside the mug frame and adjust the pressure (it should be medium). Increase the temperature to the optimal value, and let the device do its job. The operating time might vary depending on the machine and the material you are using.

Once the time is over, bring out the mug and let it cool down for 5 minutes. Then carefully peel off the thermal tape and remove the paper.

Voila! You have a designer mug you created by yourself!

What do I need to print on a mug?

Before printing on a mug, you should get the design ready. You may need to use Photoshop, Paint, or other software for creating illustrations. If you are not a creative type, you can always purchase the painted image for cups.

The image should be printed on a piece of sublimation paper with sublimation ink. It is better to use an inkjet printer for this purpose. Also, you should get thermal paper to secure the image on the mug.

Mug press machine buying guide

Temperature range

If you are considering printing designs on mugs made of different materials, you’ve got to make sure a mug maker machine will let you set the temperature range. The accurate temperature for this or that material will ensure neat and long-lasting results.

Time range

Once you set the right temperature to obtain flawless printing results, it is also essential to pick the optimal amount of time. When you select the exact time required for this or that material, you ensure you do not overheat the image and retain its brightness.

Most mug pressers feature 240 seconds of a maximum timer setting. This time range is enough for ceramic cups. However, some machines go from 0 to 999 seconds, allowing you to prolong the pressing time. This feature can be handy for those who would like to add darker shades to the images.

Mug sizes

Mugs come in different sizes, so the heat press for cups should be able to fit them.

If you plan to use the mug press for crafting gift cups for your friends, relatives, colleagues, and other people you would like to please, you might not bother with the mug size parameter. Most likely, you will be working with a standard mug size, so you can opt for the device that supports it. Just keep in mind that versatility comes at an additional cost, so that’s where you can save your hard-earned money.

In case you are purchasing the mug presser for commercial uses, you’d better select the machine that enables you to add designs to various cup sizes. In this way, you will strengthen your offer on the market and provide your customers with what they want.

Multipurpose use

If you have a desire to start or grow your printing business, you should get a machine that does much more than just print on mugs.

Versatile heat presses for cups enable you to create a great deal of merchandise, including T-shirts, hats, and plates.

These machines might have higher price tags than ordinary mug pressers. But when it comes to investing in your business, you can expect a much higher and faster RIO with a multipurpose device.

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