How to Make a HOT investment
By Ben Robinson
Director of Operations, Hotronix®

Find Out How to Choose the BEST Heat Transfer Press for Your Business
Selecting the right heat press for your shop might seem simple, but there are a few variables that can affect your profitability. The right press means greater reliability and less downtime, which means more productivity and more money. A better press also means more reliable temperature, time and pressure, all of which are critical for perfectly printed apparel.

Ease of Use Makes a Difference
With the right heat press, your employees will be happier. A low-quality press is physically harder to operate and can exhaust employees. A higher-quality one has greater features and is easier to operate.

A high quality heat press, such as the Hotronix® and Phoenix™ Phire brands. also lasts longer than any other heat press on the market, because of its advanced engineering and superior construction.

When Choosing a Heat Press You Must Consider Pressing Options
Heat presses come in manual and semi-automatic models. A manual press requires the operator to use physical force to close and open the press when the timer goes off. A semi-automatic is easier to close adn opens on its own once the time is up. It is much less tiring for the operator to use than a manual. For a shop that only uses a press occasionally, a manual is sufficient.

Ideal for production environments, semi-automatic units cause significantly less fatigue than manual presses because the are air operated or incorporate electronic magnetic technology. The Hotronix® auto clam has this patented technology. Here you will witness just how easy this press is to operate. With its auto release, you can multi-task and never worry about ruining another garment. Once you lower the upper platen, you can walk away to assist a customer, answer the phone, or position another garment and the heat press will open automatically after the heat application is complete. Similarly, Hotronix® brand air presses also auto release.

Once You've Decided on Manual or Automatic, You Can Choose From the Following Types of Heat Presses:

Clam Shell Press ($695 - $1,295)
This is a popular option because it takes the least amount of space as the top rises on a vertical angle. It's also portable as it is lighter in weight than other types of heat presses. They are available in models with platen sizes from as small as 6"x6" to as large as 16"x20". Stahls' Hotronix® also manufactures a cap press for printing caps that is designed in a clam format.

Swing Away Press ($1,540 - $3,995)
The name "swing away" means the upper platen is moved to the side of the press before and after pressing. With this method , the operator is not exposed to the heated upper platen when loading and positioning heat applied materials and is the most popular type of press for heat printing team uniforms. However, it requires twice as much space as a clam shell press because you need room to swing the top to one side. Stahls' Hotronix® manufactures swingers in both a 16"x20" model and a 22"x 22" platen model.

Draw Press ($1,540 - $3,995)
This unique press, which provides a heat-free work space, has a stationary upper platen. However, it requires more isle space, as the drawer comes out, much like the drawer on a cash register.

Cap Press ($495 - $665)
Customizing caps with transfers, heat applied embroidery, die cut lettering or CAD-CUT® logos are ideal ways to increase add-on sales, and much more cost effective than screenprinting or embroidering on caps. However, there is a huge variety of cap sizes available which is why Stahls' Hotronix® offers four sizes of interchangeable platens for their cap presses. Using the wrong size cap platen can mean the difference between a properly applied transfer and a wrinkled transfer.

Mug Press ($695)
Ideal for add-on sales, the Phoenix™ mug press is made to apply transfers to mugs, often at a high profit margin. For instance, you might apply a photo transfer of a clients child to a mug that costs you $3 and charge $20.

Mug Glazer ($209)
This unit cures color laser transfers on mugs, giving it a vibrant shine and making it diswasher safe. Check with your paper manufacturer to see if this unit is required for your specific application.

Only Stahls' Hotronix® manufacturers a complete line of heat presses with digital time, temperature and pressure. Stahls' Hotronix® supports its brands of heat presses with superior engineering, construction, technical service and support. Our brands include Hotronix® Mighty Press® & the Phoenix™ Phire. Call Stahls' ID Direct™at 800.4.STAHLS, Imprintables Warehouse™ at 800.347.0068, or Transfer Express® at 800.622.2280 and our heat printing experts will help you decide which press is best for your business needs.

Features to look for...

Automatic Open
This featuer uses electronic magnetic technology to open the press automatically when the heat application is complete, allowing you to walk away from the unit and do other things - such as loading a second unit - instead of standign by idly waiting for it to finish. It does not require an air compressor.

Digital Pressure Readout
This feature is one that you definitely should look for in a heat press, as it ensures accurate, consistent pressure item after item. This technology instantly reads the pressure between both platens after you have loaded the lower platen with your garment and graphic. Platen pressure is critical in perfect print applications as the substances in which your graphics are produced require specific pressure, temperature and time. Heat applied materials require light, medium, or heavy pressure. Hotronix® and Phoenix™ Phire Auto Clams are the only manual heat presses in the world that give you a numerical pressure readout every time you close the press. This feature is known as Perfect Pressure™, for perfect application every time - whether you're printing on thin T-shirts or thick sweatshirts.

Interchangeable Platens
By changeing out platens, you can use the same heat press to easily do a wide variety of items besides T-shirts - everything from tote bags to youth garments and sleeves.