Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press Machine Review

When it comes to choosing a heat transfer press, it’s always a question of quality, ease of use, and then price.

There’s no point in a cheap machine that’s poor quality, and a high quality machine that’s difficult to use can be a massive burden, especially to beginners.

The Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press is a lot of power coming from a little machine.

Given its size, you’d expect it to have limited abilities in the materials you can use for the heat transfer. Instead, with this machine, you’ve got variety and efficiency all blended into a clever design.

It’s a little difficult on the arms and a little slow for a professional, but it balances out with a range of assets.

When it comes to deciding if this is the most appropriate machine for your needs, it may impress or it may disappoint depending on the specifics you’re after.

Here we break down all you need to know, so you can make the best buying decision.

Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press Machine: The Details

In a Nutshell

• Product Dimensions (in inches): 16” x 15” x 10”
• Weight (in pounds): 31 lbs
• Plate size (in inches): 12” x 10”
• Manual or Automatic: Manual
• Stand-Out Feature: Swing-Away design that makes application of heat easy to control.

Features

Extremely Powerful but Small

With a plate size of 10” x 12” inches, the Promo Press is a compact way to pack a lot of power.

Its 550 watt energy supply lets it heat up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than enough for nearly any project.

In addition, the top panel of the press pushes straight down onto whatever surface you’re printing on, applying even pressure for the most uniform transfer.

When you’re finished with the top panel, just swing it away!

Works on Many Materials

When you invest in a machine, having it limit your crafting abilities is frustrating. However, the Promo Press is very versatile in its uses; the materials it can work on vary in a great number.

The plate itself is adjustable, and the pressure can be altered depending on the material type you’re working with.

From the popular choice of t-shirts to metal like license plates, or even planks of wood and tiles of ceramic or glass, the sky is the limit.

Digital Timer, Readout, and Shut-Off

The type of material you’re using will determine the temperature and the length of time to leave the pressure applied, but with this Promo Heat Swing-Away Press’s digital timer, it will let you know when it’s time to remove the heat from whatever you’re working with.

The manual operation of the heat press means a hands-on approach is still necessary for the best results, but the digital timer and built-in alarm is excellent at alerting you. This helps to avoid scorching or any heat-related damage.

Additionally, the digital readout on the Sublimation Heat Transfer Press makes it easy to monitor its temperature, and when it gets to the set number, it stops itself.

Even if you forget about this machine, there’s no danger of it burning your house down.

Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press Machine Review

The Positives

Durable

When you’re new to a craft, or are experienced but demand a lot out of your machine, ensuring it’s of a durable build is very important.

After all, there must be room for beginner’s mistakes. And as a seasoned expert, you need a machine that’ll keep up with you.

This heat press is made with heavy duty, high-quality, commercial grade materials so it can stand up to the test of time.

The way the plate element of this heat transfer machine is coated with a protective Teflon layer eliminates the need to purchase a separate protective silicone layer along with it.

It’s secure and it’s durable.

Straightforward and Understandable to Use

Since this press has manual controls, it’s very much hands-on. Nonetheless, it’s designed to be easy to understand and use right from the beginning.

It arrives already assembled so you don’t have to fuss around with getting your machine up and running. Just plug and go.

Included are comprehensive directions and a short guide to start you on your first project.

Once you have the general idea of its abilities, intuition can take you from there, albeit with a little guidance on how certain materials react differently than others.

Variety of Materials

When it comes to how many materials will suit this machine, there are very few limits.

As long as an object can stand high temperatures and is flat enough to press between the two plates, it’ll work just fine.

From t-shirts to mousepads, from metal to ceramic, the Promo Heat Press can handle it all.

Great for a Hobbyist’s Limited Space

Each project can be worked on with care, and though the swing-away takes more room than a clamshell, the machine is still small enough that it won’t require a great deal of space.

If you’re a beginner who only has a minimal amount of space to work with, this machine is a convenient way to get started without being too intimidating for your skills or your crafting room.

Even though it weighs in at over 30lbs, its small size makes it less awkward to maneuver should you need to move it in and out of your crafting area.

All the power it has comes in a rather small and space-saving kind of package, making this machine perfect for someone who wants strength without professional size.

Produces Quality Prints

Not only is the machine itself durable, but the prints it produces stand up to wear and tear as well.

Once your designs are created, you won’t have to worry about putting your t-shirts or clothing into the wash on laundry day.

When pressed correctly, the prints made with the Promo Heat Press holds up against a number of washes and dry cycles without falling apart.

For small business owners, this is especially important in producing quality products.

Price

The Promo Heat Press shows that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get a quality machine.

Beginners and those on a budget will be happy with the price tag of this heat press, as they won’t have to shell out too much cash to have a machine that performs.

The fact that it’s built to last means you’ll be getting more bang for your buck without upping your budget.

Efficient 

No need to wait forever while your press takes its time to heat up. The Promo Heat Press rises to the programmed temperature quickly so you can get to crafting right away.

Once you have your materials in order, it’ll be ready to go when you are.

The shipping of this product is also super quick. So if you’re itching to get going, or lack in patience, this machine won’t cause any unnecessary waiting.

The Negatives

Not Very Streamlined

There are a lot of positive aspects to the manual nature of the Promo Press Machine, but it doesn’t necessarily make for a speedy process.

If you’re deep in the business of printing through heat transfer and have a lot of orders to fill or projects to complete in a hurry, the time it takes to go through, line up, and manually press each individual item can be a bit tedious.

If you don’t expect to be inundated with an overwhelming amount of projects, then the time and patience it takes shouldn’t be a problem.

Though those looking to grow their small business with this machine, might need something a little more geared to bigger projects.

Requires Some Strength

The swing-away, straight down press of the heated plate is great for getting an even application across the entire item, but keeping the handle pressed down hard enough for the correct amount of time can be a strain on your arm muscles.

If you’re looking for a solid upper-body workout, then this could be considered an asset. However, if you’re not particularly fit or don’t care to exhaust yourself with each project, this is definitely a con.

Warranty Issues

While the Promo Heat Press is advertised to come with a one-year limited warranty, some customers found out this isn’t the case.

When deciding to use their warranty after coming across a problem, different answers have been given to how long the warranty actually lasts. Some customers quoted getting a 60-day warranty instead, or a 30-day warranty.

While their customer service is friendly enough to help, this can be confusing and frustrating.

Occasionally Loose Cord

Depending on the outlets you’re working with, the cord connecting the machine to AC power can be a little finicky about staying plugged in.

For the most part, it isn’t an issue at all, but can spoil a project last minute should it get bumped.

It’s best if the machine is plugged into an area where it won’t be moved or bumped.

Overall Verdict

The Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press is perfect for anyone just getting into the craft.

It’s a wonderful tool to learn the process and practice skills, is a compact and cost-effective option, and is especially simple to master.

For more casual crafters or for the startup of a small business, this machine is an appropriate fit.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to fill a large number of orders in a hurry, you should look for something bigger and more automatic to help with the process.

For someone looking for a classic kind of heat press that packs a lot of commercial-grade and heavy duty power for its size – which is small – the Promo Press is an excellent choice at a reasonable price.

Where to Buy the Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press Machine

The Promo Heat Swing-Away Press is a solid machine, especially for the price. Promo Heat is dedicated to creating affordable high-quality presses that are efficient and easy-to-use.

This heat press definitely encompasses their goal, making it a popular choice among crafters.

While it’s always best to check speciality shops to find this in-store, it may prove easier to find this press online.

To start, check out the following online retailers.

• WalMart (from $118)
• Elm Bay (from $118)

And of course, this heat press can also be found on Amazon.

That’s all for our Promo Heat Swing-Away Sublimation Heat Transfer Press review. Curious to give it a try?