Cricut Mug Press Reviews

Make The Mug Of Your Dreams

The Cricut Mug Press is a highly specialized heat press for customized mugs. It is very easy to use. Simply make your design in Cricut’s design space, cut it on your Cricut machine, and bake it onto your mug. the Cricut Joy is perfect for mug projects, although the Maker or Explore Air 2 will also work.

There is only one button on the Cricut Mug Press. When it’s pressed and the machine is warmed up and ready to go, you’ll hear a beep. Lift the lever, place the mug with the design sheet inside, and close the lever. Another beep tells you the cup is done. Take it out and place it on a heat-resistant surface and let it cool completely. You can then remove the sheet and your design will be permanently infused into the mug. The colors are vibrant and will not peel, crack or fade. You can also wash the mug in the dishwasher.

Please remember that in addition to the Cricut mug press, you will need a Cricut cutter and some basic Cricut accessories. The mug press is for non-fusible inks only, not for any type of vinyl.

Construction and Design

The Cricut Mug Press looks great. It’s a simple, curvy and elegant machine that fits neatly into the broader brand identity of other Cricut gadgets, like the Joy or Maker 3. Like those cutters, the Cricut Mug Press feels good to the touch, is heavy and sturdy. There’s a real sense that Cricut has gone the extra mile to build something that looks good but will last.

There’s a button and a lever, and that’s about it. Operating the Mug Press is as easy as flicking a switch, waiting for the light to come on to indicate it’s baking nicely, then adding a cup and pulling the lever to squeeze the cup into place.

The Cricut Mug Press isn’t small, but it’s not too big either. It resembles a neat filter coffee maker in size, with a simple design that hides most of its bulk. It’s a well-crafted and well-thought-out machine that would sit happily on a kitchen surface, workbench or workshop.

While the tray inside the Cricut Mug Press gets very hot, as you might expect, the machine itself remains cool. cricut recommends that you place the Mug Press on a heat resistant mat, just in case. The cups themselves can get very hot. As you might expect, this is not a machine for kids to relax on. Despite its sleek appearance, this is a professional-grade tool, not a toy.

Key Features of Cricut Mug Press

In order to learn all about the Cricut Mug Press, it is important to first understand its features.

1. Auto shutdown function

This machine has a very virtual automatic shutdown feature. A person may forget to turn off the machine, therefore, the machine may be damaged or an accident may occur, then the machine will automatically turn off after 12-13 minutes of inactivity, so that these accidents can be avoided.

2. Microwave and dishwasher safe

Many people want to make sure that customizable mugs are microwave and dishwasher safe. With this Cricut mug press, you don’t have to worry about that. In other words, customizable mugs using the mug press are not at risk in the microwave or in the dishwasher. Therefore, you can trust it without hesitation.

3. One-button function

So, the next feature we have for this machine is the one-touch function. In other words, you only need to press one button and the machine will run. In addition, this cup press is equipped with LED lights that track the transfer process. Therefore, you will receive an alert once its process is completed.

4. Even heating

Do you want to transfer your chosen design seamlessly and evenly to the cup? Then you’ll want to know that you can actually do this with the Cricut Mug press. In fact, the hot plate inside the machine heats the machine evenly from the base and sides. As a result, it is sure to deliver amazing performance.

5. Insulated Housing

This mug press is an electric device, so there is always a risk of burns and damage to the work surface with electric devices. However, it is also a fact that this machine comes with an insulated housing. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about burning your fingers or the worktop at all, as this case will solve the problem.

What materials can this heat press be used on?

The first thing you need to know is that the mug press can be used with pens, transfer paper and Cricut non-fusing ink mug blanks.

Now, you may never have used Infusible ink before, but that’s nothing to worry about because it’s so easy to use.

In short, the press is designed to be used with Cricut mug blanks because they are optimized for the same characteristics. However, you can use sublimation mug blanks because they come with a unique coating that allows the ink to transfer.

How to use the Cricut Mug Press

It’s only natural that you want to understand how the Cricut Mug Press works, but before you do, you’ll need to gather the tools you need, including heat-resistant tape, insoluble ink transfer pens or paper, and Cricut mug blanks. Once you have these, you will need to follow these steps.

Step 1

The first stage involves designing, you will need to use the Cricut Design Space software and cutter. You can use a template or create your design. Once you are happy with the design, it will be ready to be cut and you will need non-fusing ink transfer material for the process.

Step 2

Take the heat-resistant tape and place it over your cut-out design. This should protect it. At this point, you want to make sure the tape covers your entire design or you may compromise the results.

Step 3

The next stage is to attach your cutout design to the cup. What you want to do at this point is to peel off the back of the design and carefully place it where you want it to be on the mug. After that, you want to turn the mug press and insert your mug. Find the start button and press it. Once you do this, the transfer process will begin and you will hear a beep when it is complete.

Step 4

After the transfer is complete, all five lights on the mug will be flashing so you want to pull up your mug. It will be hot at that point, so be careful and let it cool completely before using it. You now have your custom mug so you can drink and wash it as much as you want without worrying about the design coming off.

Cricut Mug Press VS Traditional Mug Press

The Cricut mug press is sold as a smart product that detects your ambient temperature and automatically adjusts the optimal heat and pressure settings for your mug. This is perhaps its biggest advantage over traditional mug presses.

There is a lot of room for error with traditional mug presses. What temperature to set, what pressure setting is ideal, and what type of ink to use are some of the questions that rarely have a correct answer. Plus, you have to go through a lot of trouble to get the right settings, which may still not provide you with perfect results.

For example, when we used a traditional flip-top press, the output looked dull and faded. Everything was fine and we used the right amount of ink, but the design on the cups looked like it had been used countless times.

With a machine like this, you can never know what the best setting is. If the temperature is set at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, how long should you press? Is three minutes better or should you press for two more minutes?

In our experience, this is a challenging task. That’s where the Cricut mug machine shines, using a heating plate that continuously transfers heat over the entire surface of the mug. That’s why you’ll see gorgeous, vivid and evenly printed designs on your mugs.

Other disadvantages of vinyl mug printing are high cost, complexity of operation and fumes. Using it can be compared to using an industrial machine, while this new Cricut tool is completely different.

Final Thoughts

So is Cricut Mug Press worth it? Yes, it is, depending on several factors.

The Cricut Mug Press is a technically intelligent craft machine that does one thing – allows you to design and print professional quality mugs – but does it better than you ever thought possible.

If you are interested in purchasing a mug press, if you enjoy making mugs and want to improve your creations, or if you are selling the mugs you are making and want to make sure they are of the highest quality, then it is a worthwhile investment. With its beautiful design, it is sure to look great in your craft space and fit seamlessly into your Cricut collection.