Cricut EasyPress 2 Review: All Your Burning Questions Answered

About a year after releasing the original EasyPress, the Cricut EasyPress 2 hit the market in three sizes.

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own

Cricut touts it as bigger (and smaller) and better than the original iron-heat press hybrid given an improved heating element and larger temperature range. But....it also comes with a higher price tag (even higher than the $149 for the original). So is the Cricut EasyPress 2 worth adding to your craft room when you can get a full size heat press for the same price - or less?

Let me start off my saying, to be completely honest I literally only bought the original EasyPress to review it on the blog and figured it would be stored away given I have multiple other heat presses.  But a year later, I am actually surprised at how often I use the 9x9" EasyPress....and in ways that I never expected. 

The under 3 minute warm up, ease of portability, and ability to actually provide a good stick for HTV have me pulling it out of the cabinet more often than I thought despite my traditional 15x15 heat press sitting on top of that same cabinet.

In using the EasyPress one of the things I have found to be a huge benefit is applying HTV to 3 dimensional surfaces such as canvases and wood.  (More on that below).

You might remember in my original review of the EasyPress I pointed to the high price tag, smaller than a heat press surface area, 350 max temperature and required pressure from the user as the biggest cons.

But when the Cricut released the EasyPress 2 in fall 2018 in three sizes with price tags now equal to or higher than a good quality traditional heat press would cost - I took pause. When Cricut reached out to me about it, I provided that same feedback - much like I did in a Silhouette School Facebook Live the day the 6 x 7, 9 x 9, and 10 x 12 hand-held EasyPresses were announced.

In fact, as an owner of a original EasyPress, when Cricut released the EasyPress 2 I saw no reason to buy another. Granted, the temperature now maxes out at 400 degrees - allowing the application of more materials (like sublimation and printable heat transfer), the heating element has been re-engineered to provide for more consistent heat, and the base has been altered slightly. But with those changes comes a pretty dramatic price increase.

The smallest EasyPress 2 at 6 x 7" is $139.99 with the largest size (12 x 10) a whopping $249.99. I have a good quality entry level 15 x 15" heat press with the same price tag.

Then Cricut approached me a second time and said we'd really like to send you the Cricut EasyPress 2 for your review what do you think? I said...I am still hung up on the price, I think it's way too high. I've always done 100% completely honest and transparent reviews and that won't be changing now even in a sponsored post like this where the item is provided and a paid review is requested.
I have to hand it to them they are so confident in their product they sent all three sizes of the new EasyPress 2 over and said we want your honest opinion. That's all I ever give so cheers to that.

The first thing I noticed is that I was able to carry all three of the EasyPress 2 boxes up to my office by myself and in one trip. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but have you ever tried to maneuver a 60 to 90 pound heat press box (tagged with "Team Lift") up a flight of steps to your craft room? 

The small size of the EasyPress 2 box and light weight is just one small benefit, but it leads to what I consider the biggest benefit of the EasyPress over a heat press: it's portability and ability to be easily stored. 

There are a lot of what I call "Dining Room Table Crafters" out there. Those are crafters who don't have a designated craft space or who don't have room in their craft room to store a full size heat press.  All three sizes of the EasyPress 2 are compact enough that they can easily be stored in a cabinet, drawer or shelf.

The light weight of the EasyPress 2 makes it ideal to move around or take with you to personalize at craft shows, crops, workshops, or a vacation home or camper.

However, because it's lightweight, it doesn't offer the huge benefit of a heat press and that is pressure. The pressure needed for the Cricut EasyPress 2 to successfully apply heat transfer vinyl and other heat-applied materials comes from a combination of the user and the EasyPress mat.

Like the original EasyPress the mat does not come with the press which tacks on an additional $17.99-$49.99 depending on the size you need to match your EasyPress 2. 

If you're doing the math here the 12 x 10" EasyPress 2 with the 20 x 16" mat has now set you back about $300. You could probably get away with the 12 x 12" EasyPress mat for $25 rather than the larger one which is double the price.

Cricut EasyPress 2 Set Up and Use

It's pretty much a plug and play machine. Plug it in, set the temperature and timer using the included guide and wait for just about three minutes for the press to come to full temperature.  It took almost 5 minutes for the 12x10 EasyPress to reach 400 degrees. But it only took about 2 minutes for the 6x7" to hit 400 degrees. Both warm up significantly faster than my regular size heat presses.

Keep in mind the EasyPress 2 will shut off after 10 minutes of inactivity which I do find to be a really nice safety feature since I may have left my heat press on all day one time. Yikes!

When the temperature has been reached follow these steps to press HTV:

• Place the fabric on top of the EasyPress mat
• Pre-press the fabric for up to to remove wrinkles and moisture 
• Place the HTV or Printable heat transfer on your surface 
• Cover the HTV directly with the EasyPress 2 to apply heat and pressure for the recommended time
• Press the button with the Cricut icon to start the countdown timer. Do not move the EasyPress around like an iron..just apply direct and firm pressure
• When the time ends remove the EasyPress from the HTV and peel off the carrier sheet
• Flip the shirt over and press from the back side for an additional 15 seconds. The user guide that's included with the EasyPress recommends this step to "...ensure the design sticks wash after wash."
• Wait at least 24 to wash

Circut EasyPress 2 vs original Cricut EasyPress

One thing that's really nice about the different sizes of the EasyPress 2 vs the original is that you can better match the size of the EasyPress to the projects you most often work on.

For example if you do a lot of children and baby HTV projects, the smallest EasyPress 2 is great. It's sized in such a way that you can press on the HTV without covering the thick seams, snaps and layers on baby outfits. These thick areas can cause gaps in pressure when using a heat press or the original EasyPress. The 6 x 7" EasyPress 2, however fits right inside avoiding the thick areas altogether.

The largest size EasyPress, on the other hand, means you can also press adult-size t-shirt designs in a single press.  The original 9x9 doesn't fit over some of the largest designs, which means it requires pressing the design in parts - which of course adds to the time.

Aside from the different size options, the biggest benefit of the EasyPress 2 over the original EasyPress is the higher temperature range.  This puts it more in line with a heat press that can go to at least 400.  With a temperature max now of 400 degrees, that opens up the possibilities of applying printable heat transfer material (375 degrees required) and sublimation (400 degrees).

I had mixed results, however when testing the higher temperature of the presses. At a temperature of 375 needed for printable heat transfer, the large Easypress 2 left a pretty noticeable mark when pressing onto the carry bag included with the Easypress itself.

I was thinking this may be because it was the first press with this EasyPress so I repeated it. I used the exact same material, design, fabric, time and temperature. Again, I was left with what looks like a burn mark on the area where the EasyPress covered.  

Thinking maybe the 12x10 EasyPress was a dud I used the smaller 6x7 EasyPress at the same temperature, same printable heat transfer, and same fabric and got the same results.  

When the same printable heat transfer design was applied to a white fabric there was no heat mark. As you can see the heat mark results on a red fabric too at this same temperature of 375....however that mark did disappear after about an hour when the fabric cooled.  The mark on the bag included with the EasyPress 2 did not fade.  

 

The reason this is important is because one of the big selling points of the EasyPress is that it has a higher temperature range, however I found inconsistent results based on the color of the fabric where the design is applied.

Interestingly, when I dropped the temperature to 305 for glitter heat transfer vinyl, it did not result in this same type of heat mark on that same bag that Cricut supplied to store the EasyPress.

Unfortunately because of these mixed results when used at a higher temperature I am unable to say if that max temperature of 400 is really a pro or a con.

Cricut EasyPress 2 vs Heat Press  

The Cricut EasyPress 2 comes closer in comparison to a traditional heat press than the original heat press in almost every way: max temperature range, platen size, and price.  

The two things that simply can't compare to a heat press are the pressure and portability.  The heat press wins, hands down on pressure and the EasyPress wins on portability again. 

In using the EasyPress one of the things I have found to be a huge benefit is applying HTV to 3 dimensional surfaces such as canvases and wood.  A clam shell heat press can not close over the frame or edge of these items making it almost impossible to apply HTV with a heat press.

However, an EasyPress is the perfect solution since it can come straight down onto the surface and apply even pressure across the surface.

I have found myself repeatedly grabbing for my EasyPress for HTV on wood signs and canvas projects.

 

Whether a Cricut EasyPress is right for you really depends on what you see as pros and cons and that can only be determined by you and your crafting needs and the space you have available. 

Cricut EasyPress 2 Pros

• It's small and compact making it easy to store 
• It's portable
• Heats up quickly
• Produces a quality press 
• Available in various sizes
• Heats to 400 degrees

Cricut EasyPress 2 Cons

• Price is comparable or more than a standard 15 x 15 heat press (this is the heat press I have)
• Higher temperatures leave heat mark on certain materials
• Doesn't include a necessary pressing mat
• Smaller surface area than standard heat press
• Requires added pressure from user

The Bottom Line...In My Opinion

Is an EasyPress 2 worth it if I already own an EasyPress? 

As someone who already invested upwards of $170 for the original EasyPress and the silicone pressing mat needed to use it, I would certainly not buy another EasyPress 2.  I do not feel that the updates to the EasyPress 2 are worth it especially at the high price point.


Is an EasyPress 2 worth if it I own a heat press, but not an original Easy Press?

If I did not have the original EasyPress, but already owned a traditional heat press I would have to carefully consider my needs before investing in an EasyPress 2. 

• Do I do a lot of HTV on canvas or wood projects? If the answer is yes, EasyPress 2 would be worth the price 
• Do I need to travel with a heat press at times for customization on the go? If yes, the EasyPress 2 is a great option.

Is an EasyPress 2 worth it if I don't own an original EasyPress or a Heat Press?

The only way I would purchase an EasyPress as my sole iron-on tool is if I was NOT running a business AND if I simply did not have room for a full size heat press.

If you run a Silhouette-based business in which you sell HTV items, I would go with a traditional heat press for the pressure element alone.  Figure out a way to make room for it.

If I did not have room for a full size heat press and was not selling heat transfer vinyl items, an EasyPress 2 is a good option as long as you realize you're paying heat press level prices for the compact size and portability factors.


Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

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