# Buying a Heat Press



## TWELVEANDTWO (Mar 22, 2014)

does buying a 16x16 or 16x24 matter when buying a heat press? what are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a larger press?


----------



## jeepers94 (Nov 25, 2011)

It depends on what you want to press! If you are doing 8x10 size transfers,just about anything will do.
If you are doing vinyl or plastisol transfers,get at least a 16x20. The cons of the larger press is the weight!
I have a smaller unit to take with me. It is only 10x12,and is about 25 lbs. A 16x20 averages about 100 lbs
and can push 200 lbs. Unless you are sure you won't go above 8x10,buy a 16x20. Like the old adage,pay a
little more now,or a whole lot more later! Also try to stay with quality presses. Stahls,Knight etc.


----------



## battman2036 (Jan 20, 2014)

jeepers94 said:


> It depends on what you want to press! If you are doing 8x10 size transfers,just about anything will do.
> If you are doing vinyl or plastisol transfers,get at least a 16x20. The cons of the larger press is the weight!
> I have a smaller unit to take with me. It is only 10x12,and is about 25 lbs. A 16x20 averages about 100 lbs
> and can push 200 lbs. Unless you are sure you won't go above 8x10,buy a 16x20. Like the old adage,pay a
> little more now,or a whole lot more later! Also try to stay with quality presses. Stahls,Knight etc.



Couldn't agree more with this statement. We started on a 15x15 cheap chinese press. Now I have a GeoKnight DK20 (16x20) I got in the classifieds here. While we made our money back for the first press, we should have bought the better press in the beginning. Now that we've worked with the bad, the good is so much nicer! Had we bought the better press to begin I would've gotten the larger printer for sublimation too. Just my $0.02.


----------



## jleampark (Sep 6, 2007)

I sound like @battman2036. I also started with a 15 x 15 SunIE press. While I was happy with it and made plenty of money using it, I wanted a bigger one. 

I upgraded to a Geo Knight DK20S. It is MUCH heavier but I can do a lot more with it.

You would be better with a bigger press.


----------



## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

Agree with the other posters. If you can afford it, go with the larger press.


----------



## duiceydoo2 (Apr 19, 2013)

yes i got a vesta press made a lot of money but it fail apart so if you can spend the money get it out the way


----------



## nwnative (May 16, 2010)

If you ever see yourself pressing larger items go for the larger press. Remember you nee an inch or two around your transfer or T shirt art to get a good image. Whether it be sublimation, DTG or transfers. We have a Stahl's Hotronix on a caddy and love it. It is the hover press. We also have a good quality 16" x 16" if we want to travel with a press. Whatever you get, get the best quality you can afford.


----------



## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

16x20 we have a geo knight for 12 years and going strong. life time warrenty on heat platen. good luck uncletee


----------



## icex (Oct 28, 2012)

We just bought a hotronix fusion press with the 16x20 platen. It works for all of our needs including toddler sizes.


----------



## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

I have a 16x20 vesta and a 16x16 stahls hotronix on the caddie with the attachable shelves. Vesta makes a good product for start ups, stahls make business solutions. I take my stahls on the road and make shirts out of a 5x5 EzUP canopy with my company info imprinted on them. Sweet!!


----------

