You may want to customize your clothing and other items such as backpacks, luggage, etc., but you have no idea how to do it— that is where an iron press comes in mind. With their ability to recreate designs onto shorts, bags, and other personal items, they do make your job easier and more appealing.
Here are seven reviews of the best on the market today.
Table of Contents
Weeds Easily White Heat Transfer Vinyl roll—Our Pick, Best in Flexibility of Use
This offers you the chance to create designs of professional quality, as they do not come off when you wash. It has excellent compatibility with the machines by Silhouette Cameo and Cricut Expression, as well as other heat press tools, so this makes the lines easy to see as you cut.
The machine is flexible and has strong build quality, thanks to the sublimation paper made from HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) Angel Crafts paper, which combines strength and thinness to make it more flexible as you apply it. Its durability makes it withstand cracks, peeling, and fading, as long as you apply it correctly.
The roll is large, which means you save money and have less waste, and it allows you to customize almost anything the way you want without compromising on the quality.
Pros
- Great quality
- Easy to weed
- The roll is a great size and easily adjustable.
- Great value for your money
Cons
- It can be difficult to adhere designs unless you use very high temperatures.
3G Jet Opaque Heat Transfer —Best for Dark-Color Fabrics
This is the best option if you are working with synthetics, cotton, and cotton blend fabrics. Using a commercial grade transfer paper, the 3G can create iron-on transferring even when you use an ink-jet printer and works with most software.
You use the press at a minimum temperature of 350 degrees, and the result comes out very well and clean.
Pros
- Works very well on dark fabrics
- Prints out images very well without the need to refill ink
- Easy to use
Cons
- None noted so far
Firefly Craft Glitter Heat Transfer vinyl —Best for Hobbyist Users
This product gives a quality experience using premium materials that have high levels of durability. Every sheet of vinyl paper is ready to cut immediately after receiving it, and designs will adhere well to textiles, regardless of whether you use a heat press or household flat iron.
The glitter transfer vinyl proves to be an excellent choice for any DIY project that you set out to do, and it comes in various colors for extra glamor. The adhesive layer maintains all the cut pieces of the heat transfer paper securely as you apply heat to the fabric, so that makes it easy to weed out smaller letters as well.
Pros
- Peels and weeds designs easily
- Easy to use
- Good quality
- Comes in different designs
- Durable
Cons
- Continues to curl after the first use, and fails to stay flat
- Does not hold up well to multiple uses
Cricut Iron-OnLite— Best for Customization
You can use the Cricut iron-On-Lite to make customizations for fashion accessories, home décor, apparel, and many other items. It also allows you to layer inside the same design.
This iron press works best with Cricut machines, but you need to follow the instructions in the packaging carefully. In addition, the kit includes a weeding tool that makes it easier for you to remove negative Cricut film.
Pro tip: Use a thin cloth between the iron and vinyl to prevent the burning of the cloth and make the design last longer.
Pros
- Good quality
- Works well with cutting machines
- Easy to use
Cons
- The length of the roll is short.
- Costly
Avery Transfer Paper—Best for Light Color Fabrics
If you are thinking of adding some personalization to jackets, bags, t-shirts, and so on, this is a good choice for you; in fact, you can even make designs for both dark and light color fabrics.
The selection of tools is wide, as you can get a variety of premium finishes, such as textured linen, chalkboard, glossy, Kraft Brown, and so on, which allows you to duplicate your designs over various items to create a coordinated theme. For easier working, it is best to use a table of waist-high height to get the best results.
Pros
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Quality of work is good
- Transfers designs very well
Cons
- You cannot use it on darker colored fabrics.
- You need to avoid using it on synthetic fabrics.
Koala Iron-On Transfer Paper (3.5)—Best Budget Buy
This is paper has a special coating, which means you can use it to print your unique designs on t-shirts. Just make sure to use it on 100% cotton fabric that is light-colored.
The material is environmentally friendly and dries easily. In addition, the color is long lasting and waterproof, meaning there is little to no cracking—and that assures you that it will serve you well for a long time. The paper comes in various colors and is compatible with all inkjet printers.High permeability will give your work a nice finish.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Good transfer results
- Good quality paper and durable
Cons
- The instructions are a little vague.
- The paper takes a very long time to cool down after it heats up.
PPD Iron-On Transfers Paper, 8.5 x 11—Good Quality & Easy-to-Use
This paper allows you to print out a block of images or text directly, and transfer it to dark-colored fabrics. It is compatible with all Inkjet printers, and inks.
However, note that the instructions for printing to light-colored fabrics and dark-colored fabrics are different, so make sure to read the directions carefully.
Pros
- Easy to use, as long as you follow the directions
- Quality of work is good.
Cons
- Images are hard to transfer.