Heat Press Introduction

What is a heat press?

A heat press is a machine that can transfer a design onto t-shirts, caps, mugs, and more. As the name of the machine suggests, it uses heat and pressure to apply the design onto a substrate. Ricoma’s signature heat presses allow you to set the time and temperature using a built-in LCD touchscreen panel or with an easy-to-use control panel on Ricoma’s iKonix line of machines. The pressure can be adjusted with a pressure adjustment knob on the top of the machine.

Heat presses are must-have items for any business that specializes in custom apparel and promotional products. Heat presses are used together with different transfer materials to create beautiful custom apparel and products. For example, you can use a heat press with digitally printed heat transfer paper, heat transfer vinyl, sublimation prints, embroidered patches, and much more!

Brands & Types

Brands & Types

Ricoma offers five main styles of heat presses: flat, cap, mug, plate, and a 4-in-1 multi-function heat press. Having this kind of variety is excellent for those wanting to start printing on a variety of products.

In addition to the styles of heat presses, we also offer two brands of heat presses: Ricoma and iKonix. Both brands have a variety of heat presses to choose from, but there are a few key differences. iKonix brand heat presses are more of a standard heat press and are more budget-friendly. Ricoma heat presses offer auto-open functionality and have more advanced touch screen features.

What to look for

If you’re thinking of buying a heat press for your business or for personal use, here are seven of the most important things to consider when shopping around for a new machine:

1. Even Heat Distribution

You want to make sure the heat press can provide even heat distribution across the platen. This will help to avoid cold spots, which can lead to misapplied transfers. Every Ricoma and iKonix heat press is capable of providing an adequate amount of heat across their platens, ensuring even heat distribution and a perfect application no matter which substrate you’re transferring onto.

2. Temperature Control

A heat press should allow you to control the temperature to ensure you’re using the right amount of heat for a job. Too little heat, and the adhesives needed to hold the graphic may not be activated. Too much heat, and the adhesives of a transfer may be pushed out from the edges of the image, leading to undesired results. Ricoma heat presses allow you to easily set the temperature by utilizing its built-in digital touch screen or the temperature control panel found on the iKonix heat presses. All heat presses even come equipped with a timer control to ensure you don’t underheat or overheat the transfer.

3. Even Pressure

Make sure the heat press allows you to adjust the pressure with ease in order to get an even application across the transfer. Every heat press from Ricoma and iKonix has an adjustable pressure knob that allows you to manually set the right amount of pressure depending on the thickness of the substrate. Also, their powerful clamp mechanism ensures complete end-to-end pressure and heating with minimal effort.

4. Safe & Effortless Garment Positioning

No one wants to burn their arms or hands trying to slide garments on and off a heat press, let alone damage the garments. So, a heat press should give you the ability to easily place and remove any substrate on its platen. Ricoma and iKonix heat presses are all designed with your safety in mind. Not only are they safe to use, but they are also manufactured with the user in mind, meaning you can position your substrates with almost no effort. Ricoma brand flat heat presses also offer a slide-out platen that allows you to place your garment outside of the heating element and then slide the garment back in place.

5. Easy to Open & Close

It’s no fun working with a heat press that requires a little elbow grease to get it to open and close. And the more you use it, the more relevant this feature becomes. You don’t have to worry about that with Ricoma heat presses as they have a convenient auto-open feature, which not only adds to the safety but also allows you to save time on high-volume printing tasks.

With all these factors in mind, let’s go over one of the most important features of all Ricoma and iKonix heat presses—the display panel.

The Display Panel

Every Ricoma and iKonix heat press either has a built-in digital display panel or an LCD display panel, which allows you to make adjustments with just a few taps for more accurate results. The iKonix display panel allows you to adjust the timer and temperature, whereas Ricoma’s advanced 5-inch digital touch screen offers even more functionalities. For example, with the panel, you can use the parameter settings option to preset temperatures and times for specific garments or materials for future projects. This means you can simply load your garment and start your project with the touch of a button, saving you time.

The Display Panel

You can also watch your project’s progress with the panel’s built-in timer and alter the timer length at any time in case of any last-minute changes.

Another great aspect of the digital display panel is the production statistics feature, which shows you the number of garments you’re able to produce in a fixed amount of time. This feature makes quoting a project for a customer more precise and gives you more control over your production timeline.

And lastly, the digital touchscreen allows you to access the settings menu in order to set your language, date, and time, change from Fahrenheit to Celsius, and view and log production statistics.

Flat Heat Press

The Ricoma and iKonix flat heat presses are an ideal choice for anyone interested in printing on t-shirts, sweatshirts, totes, mousepads, and more. Whether you specialize in heat transfers, sublimation, vinyl, or DTG, these heat presses complement all types of printing methods. You can even use them with other decoration methods like embroidery to create stunning mixed-media products for your customers.

These clamshell style heat presses are made of steel and aluminum material, which means they can handle heavy-duty applications and frequent usage. Not to mention the clamp mechanism ensures even heat dispersion and pressure across the garment. Also, unlike manual presses, the auto-release function on the Ricoma flat heat presses is designed to automatically lift the heating plate once the timer expires. This ensures that the designs aren’t pressed too long onto garments. The iKonix line of heat presses are manual, but the built-in timer on the display panel will let you know when it’s time to open the press, which you can easily do by lifting the handle.

Another amazing feature of the Ricoma flat heat press is the drawer-style lower platen, which gives you more room to lay down your garment without exposing your hands to the hot top platen. The iKonix line does not have a slide out platen, but its silicone gel baseboard can endure temperatures up to 575°F/301℃ without deforming, and you can adjust the pressure to your preference. For those wanting to start a custom apparel business, the Ricoma and iKonix flat heat presses are perfect for printing unique designs onto many different substrates.

Price Range

Recommended Use

Sizes

Type

Weight

Max Temperature

Voltage

Power Consumption

Brand

 

iKonix 15” x 15” Flat Heat Press

iKonix 15” x 15” Flat Heat Press

BUDGET

Small Business

15” x 15”

T-shirts, sweatshirts, mouse pads, license plates, magnetic material, bags, and more

55 lbs.

599˚F/315℃

110V

1.8kw

iKonix

iKonix 16” x 20” Flat Heat Press

iKonix 16” x 20” Flat Heat Press

BUDGET

Small Business

16” x 20”

Large t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, totes and more

71 lbs.

599˚F/315℃

110V

2kw

iKonix

iKonix 16” x 24” Flat Heat Press

iKonix 16” x 24” Flat Heat Press

BUDGET

Small Business

16” x 24”

Extra-large garments, jackets, totes and more

73 lbs.

599˚F/315℃

110V

2kw

iKonix

Ricoma Auto Open 15” x 15” Flat Heat Press

Ricoma 15” x 15” Flat Heat Press

MID-RANGE

Small Business

15” x 15”

T-shirts, sweatshirts, mouse pads, license plates, magnetic material, bags, and more

95 lbs.

437˚F/225˚C

110V

1.5kw

Ricoma

Ricoma Auto Open 16” x 20” Flat Heat Press

Ricoma 16” x 20” Flat Heat Press

MID-RANGE

Small Business

16” x 20”

Large t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, totes and more

155 lbs.

437˚F/225˚C

110V

1.8kw

Ricoma

Cap Heat Press

Cap heat presses are great for anyone who wants to create a variety of custom caps with unique designs, illustrations, and even high-quality images printed on them. With a cap heat press, you can easily print on trucker, fitted, snapback, strapback, flexfit, 5-panel, and visor caps. Not to mention, you can complete many heat transfer applications, including digitally printed heat transfers, screen printed transfers, heat transfer vinyl, sublimation, patches, rhinestones, and much more.

Both Ricoma and iKonix cap heat presses utilize a powerful clamp mechanism that ensures complete end-to-end pressure and heating, guaranteeing your transfers come out perfect every time. And when the timer ends, the Ricoma cap press’s auto-open feature automatically lifts the heating plate, reducing the chance of damaging the cap and providing you the freedom to multitask. When it comes to features, Ricoma’s cap heat press has a quick heating feature that allows you to start pressing caps immediately. While the iKonix cap heat press has a cap hold down device to ensure your cap will stay in place while being pressed. Both brand’s cap heat press features and durability make them a reliable investment for people interested in starting a printing business or expanding into printing on caps.

Price Range

Recommended Use

Sizes

Type

Weight

Max Temperature

Voltage

Power Consumption

Brand

 

iKonix Cap Heat Press

iKonix Cap Heat Press

BUDGET

Small Business

4″ x 8.5″ heat platen

Trucker, fitted, snapback, strapback, flexfit, 5-panel, and visor caps

26.5 lbs.

240˚F/116℃

110V

0.42kw

iKonix

Ricoma Auto Open Cap Heat Press

Ricoma Cap Heat Press

MID-RANGE

Small Business

4”x 8” heat platen

Trucker, fitted, snapback, strapback, flexfit, 5-panel, and visor caps

35 lbs.

437˚F /225˚C

110V

0.4kw

Ricoma

Plate Heat Press

A plate heat press has a circular heating plate that is perfect for printing images, illustrations, text, and more directly onto the plate’s surface. You can create custom plates for holidays and events such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, and birthdays.

Like the brand’s other heat presses, the Ricoma plate heat press has a useful auto-release function. After you’ve pressed your plate and the time is up on the machine, the auto-release function automatically lifts the heating plate. This guarantees that the plate is only pressed for the time you set, reducing the chance of damaging or discoloring the plate. In addition to the auto-release function, the parameters settings option, which is available on both Ricoma and iKonix machines, allows you to preset heating times and temperatures for future projects. Since all the settings have been saved onto the machine’s memory, you’ll spend less time setting up the machine. And while you need two different iKonix plate heat presses to press five-inch and six-inch plates, the Ricoma plate heat press can do both sizes. If you want to make beautiful plates for your customers, the Ricoma and iKonix plate heat press is the best machine for the job.

Price Range

Recommended Use

Sizes

Type

Weight

Max Temperature

Voltage

Power Consumption

Brand

 

iKonix 5” Plate Heat Press

iKonix 5” Plate Heat Press (HP-08P)

BUDGET

Home Use

Compatible with 5” plates

Plates

31 lbs.

240˚F/116℃

110V

0.38kw

iKonix

iKonix 6” Plate Heat Press

iKonix 6” Plate Heat Press (HP-10P)

BUDGET

Home Use

Compatible with 6” plates

Plates

31 lbs.

240˚F/116℃

110V

0.38kw

iKonix

Ricoma Auto Open Plate Heat Press

Ricoma Plate Heat Press

MID-RANGE

Home Use

Compatible with 5” and 6” plates

Plates

33 lbs.

437˚F/225℃

110V

0.25kw

Ricoma

Mug Heat Press

Mug heat presses are designed to heat transfer quotes, illustrations, logos and more onto mugs. Depending on the press and what heating elements it comes with, a mug heat press can also be used on cups, water bottles, and more. With this style of heat press, you can do digitally printed and screen-printed transfers, heat transfer vinyl, and sublimation. This allows you to create all sorts of novelty mugs for customers.

The Ricoma mug heat press is manufactured with high-quality parts, creating a durable, long-lasting machine. And its heating element ensures even heat dispersion and pressure across the mug. Additionally, the mug heat press boasts a statistics feature that shows you how many mugs you can produce in a certain amount of time. This means you can give clients more precise quotes for their orders while also having more control over your production timeline. Just as important as the statistics feature is the quick heating feature, which will increase your productivity and give you faster turnaround times.

iKonix has three different mug heat presses. The iKonix 4-in-1 Digital Mug Heat Press comes with four heating elements of various sizes so you can heat press different types of mugs and cups, depending on your needs. The iKonix Digital Mug Heat Press (HP-15x5M) allows you to press five mugs at the same time, while the iKonix Mug Heat Press (HP-04M) is a standard mug heat press that can only press one mug at a time. They all have digital controls, adjustable pressure, and wrap-around heating coverage.

All in all, the Ricoma and iKonix mug heat presses are must-have machines for your custom apparel business if you want to create stunning mugs quickly and effectively.

Price Range

Recommended Use

Sizes

Type

Weight

Max Temperature

Voltage

Power Consumption

Brand

 

iKonix 4-in-1 Digital Mug Heat Press

iKonix 4-in-1 Digital Mug Heat Press

BUDGET

Home Use

Compatible with 9 to 11 oz, 12 to 15 oz, 12 oz conical, and 17 oz conical mugs. 16 oz cylinder available upon request

Mugs, cups, teacups, water bottles, and more

22 lbs.

599°F/315℃

110V

0.38kw

iKonix

iKonix Digital Mug Heat Press

iKonix Digital Mug Heat Press (HP-15x5M)

BUDGET

Home Use

Compatible with mugs up to 12 oz width

Mugs, cups, teacups, water bottles, and more

90 lbs.

392°F /200℃

110V

0.38kw

iKonix

iKonix Mug Heat Press

iKonix Mug Heat Press (HP-04M)

BUDGET

Home Use

Compatible with 11 oz, 15 oz, and 16 oz mugs

Mugs, cups, teacups, water bottles, and more

20 lbs.

599°F/315℃

110V

0.35kw

iKonix

Ricoma Mug Heat Press w/ Digital Touchscreen

Ricoma Mug Heat Press

MID-RANGE

Small Business

Compatible with 11 oz cylindrical mugs and 12 oz conical mugs

Mugs, cups, teacups, water bottles, and more

19.5 lbs.

437˚F/ 225˚C

110V

0.3kw

Ricoma

Multifunction Heat Press

A multifunction heat press allows you to heat press many different substrates. By purchasing one of these machines, you won’t have to buy a separate flat, cap, plate, or mug heat press. The iKonix multifunction heat press series has two heat presses. The iKonix 4-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press is constructed with a steel frame, which means it’s durable and can handle heavy-duty applications and frequent usage. This heat press comes with a coated heat platen and a mug, plate, and cap press attachment. Its adjustable timer automatically starts when the heat press is engaged, so you don’t have to start it yourself, and it emits a sound when the timer is up. Additionally, the iKonix 4-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press has a power on/off indicator switch and an extra thick heat plate that provides higher pressure and even temperature distribution.

The other multifunction heat press, the iKonix 6-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press, is the same as the other except it comes with extra mug and plate press attachments. So, if you’re looking to heat press different types of substrates, then the iKonix multifunction heat presses can do just that and more.

Price Range

Recommended Use

Sizes

Type

Weight

Max Temperature

Voltage

Power Consumption

Brand

 

iKonix 4-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press

iKonix 4-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press

BUDGET

Home Use

12" x 12" coated heat platen

Mug press attachment - used for 11 oz mugs

Plate press attachment - used for 8" plate size with up to 5" base

Cap press attachment - 3.15" x 5.5"

Plates, caps, mugs, and shirts

88 lbs.

599°F/315℃

110V

1.3kw

iKonix

iKonix 6-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press

iKonix 6-in-1 Multifunction Heat Press

BUDGET

Home Use

12" x 12" coated heat platen

Mug press attachment used for 11-ounce mug size

Mug press attachment used for 15-ounce mug size

Plate press attachment used for 8” plate size with up to 5” base

Plate press attachment used for plates with base of up to 6.1"

Cap press attachment - 3.15" x 5.5"

Plates, caps, mugs, and shirts

88 lbs.

599°F/315℃

110V

1.3kw

iKonix

Conclusion

We hope this detailed breakdown of heat presses will help you become a more confident and informed buyer. Make sure to consider what substrates you want to customize and what heat press features are essential for you to run your business.