Today we are going to talk about the Cricut Mug Press ™ This super nifty heat transfer
But after having a little time to play with the Cricut Mug Press™ I can tell you it’s not hype! The Mug Press™ is fabulous and delivers consistently great results. And even better mugs made with the heat press offer consistent results and are microwave and dishwasher-safe.
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Cricut Mug Press™ Review And Start Up Guide
What Is The Cricut Mug Press And How Does It work?
The Cricut Mug Press is a specialized device designed to help you create custom mugs quickly and easily. It’s a small, compact machine that uses heat and pressure from a special patent-pending heating plate that ensures even heat distribution when transferring your design onto compatible mug blanks. The Mug Press is specifically designed to work with Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, Infusible Ink Pens which are specially formulated to transfer vivid, high-quality designs onto your straight wall mugs.
To use the Mug Press, you’ll need to create your design using Cricut Design Space software and transfer it onto an Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet. Then, you’ll wrap the sheet around your mug, securing it with heat-resistant tape, and place it inside the Mug Press. The Mug Press will then heat up to the correct temperature and apply the design to the mug, resulting in a vibrant, long-lasting transfer that won’t peel, crack, or fade over time.
The Mug Press is a great tool for creating personalized gifts, promotional items, or just for adding a personal touch to your own mug collection. It’s easy to use, compact, and produces professional-quality results every time.
Can I Buy A Cricut Mug Press™ In The UK?
Yes, the Cricut Mug press™ will be available to buy from Cricut, Hobbycraft, Very, Currys, Ryman and John Lewis from the 1st October.
Can I Buy A Cricut Mug Press™ In The UK?
Yes, you can buy a Cricut Mug Press™ in the UK. Cricut has an official UK website where you can purchase the Mug Press, as well as other Cricut products and accessories. Additionally, several UK-based retailers, such as Amazon UK, Hobbycraft, and The Range, also sell the Mug Press. It’s always a good idea to compare prices and options from different retailers before making a purchase to ensure you get the best deal.
How Much Is The Cricut Mug Press™ ?
The Cricut Mug Press™ is £179.99 although check out the Cricut website, they have some great bundles from £199.99. The 12oz mugs cost £6.99 for a pack of 2 or £19.99 for 6.
What Cricut Machines Does It Work With?
This is the great thing, the Cricut Mug Press™ is compatible to use with all Cricut Machines. This is wonderful news if you own a Cricut Maker, Cricut Explore or Cricut Joy and want to make you own custom mugs.
Do I Need A Sublimations Printer For The Mug Press™?
No, the Mug Press™ is designed to work with infusible ink transfer sheets and pens. The great thing is, you can use it with existing infusible ink 12×12 sheets as well as the new pre cut Infusible Ink™ sheets. These are designed specifically to use with the Mug Press™.
Setting Up Your Cricut Mug Press™
Set up takes minutes it really is so simple. Unpack your Mug Press: Take your Mug Press out of the box and remove all packaging materials. Make sure you have all the components, including the power cord, USB cable, and Quick Start Guide.
Start by plugging in your Mug Press™ and connecting it to you computer using the usb lead provided. If you have a Mac you will need a lightning to usb convertor, you can get these from Amazon for a couple of pounds if you don’t have one.
Install Design Space: If you haven’t already done so, download and install the latest version of Cricut Design Space on your computer or laptop. You can download Design Space from the Cricut website.
Set up your Mug Press in Design Space: Open Design Space and select “New Project.” Click on “Mug Press” under “New Machine Setup” and follow the on-screen prompts to set up your Mug Press in Design Space.
Turn on the Mug Press: Press the power button on the Mug Press to turn it on. The display will show “Cricut” and then “Mug Press.”.
Using Your Mug Press™
You Will Need
- Cricut Cutting Machine
- Infusible Ink™ Transfer Sheets
- Cricut Mug Blank
- Lint roller
- Heat-resistant tape, optional
The wonderful thing is that you can use existing Infusible Ink™ sheets for the Joy and Maker. As well as the new custom Mug Press™sheets and pens. The Mug press is designed to work with Cricut mugs, but can be used with straight-walled Infusible Ink compatible mugs ranging from 11 oz – 16 oz.
There is also no adjusting or messing about, you just pop the mug in, close the lid and it does its magic. Because of this the pressure is perfectly even and the results are fabulous.
But do remember, before you handle infusible ink wash and dry your hands, grease and moisture can affect results. This isn’t an issue I have ever had, however, that is maybe because I have always washed my hands before using.
Choose A Design
Start by choosing a design in Cricut Design Space. Type mug into the image search bar, then click project type on the side bar and choose Cricut Mug. You will see you have 2 sizes depending on what size mug you are making.
I tried 2 seperate projects, an easy project and one that I could personalise. But please note all projects are personalise-able, its just a matter of slicing, seriously its that easy.
When you load a design into design space it’s sized and ready to personalise or cut. I chose the drips image and the splat paint design.
To personalise the splat design simple choose a letter, or saying from Design Space images. I opted for this coffee and chill image.
- Duplicate the text and line it up over the splat image
- Move the template out of the way and weld both text images together
- Then realign and slice the wording out of your splat images
- It’s now ready to cut
- Place the Infusible Ink™ on your cutting mat shiny side down
- Send to cut, but don’t forget to mirror your project
- Cut out your mug design and weed.
Once weeded place the Mug Press™ on a heat proof mat and press the power button located on the top. The Cricut Mug Press™ works by some from of Wizardry that takes room temperature into account, it flashes amber until it’s ready to go, the on button will then turn green.
Place your mug in front of you and clean it with a lint roller. Attach the mug wrap around the mug being aware of position, once you are happy smooth it over and pop into the Mug Press™and press down the lid. It will now do it’s magic adjust the automatic pressure settings and bleep when done.
What Temperature Do You Heat The Mugs?
You don’t even have to worry about heat settings, the Cricut Mug Press™ does all the thinking for you. The one-touch settings button and a lever are the only controls, thus making it super easy to operate.
The Mug Press will start to heat up, and the temperature display will show the current temperature. Wait for the Mug Press to reach the desired temperature before placing your mug inside.
How Long Does It Take To Press?
Mine took about 6 minutes, so not long at all. You need to ensure the room is well ventilated or the Mug Press™ is by a window whilst its doing its thing.
When The Mug Press™ Process Is Complete
Once the Mug Press™ has bleeped, lift the lid to release the heat pads, these are super hot so do not touch them. However you can safely touch the handle to remove it (the rest of the mug will be too hot to touch) and place it to one side on a heat proof mat to cool thoroughly before removing the wrap and revealing your creation.
Do You Have To Choose One Of The Cricut Mug Press™ Designs?
No, Cricut have made it super easy for you to set and design your own mugs with 2 easy templates.
- The Mug Design Set Up
- The Drawn Mug Design Set Up
You can find these in Cricut Design Space in the Projects sections. These enable you to set up edges and sizes then create your own designs from scratch. Slice and weld any images from Design Space into your blank, use text or draw your own images.
Drawing Your Design With The Cricut Mug Press™
Drawing your design is similar to using the Infusible Ink Markers with coasters. Simply draw your image onto copy paper, use heat resistant tape to secure the image with the design facing the mug, without covering the image. Wrap with 3 layers of butcher paper and pop into the mug press.
Stacking Order For The Mug Press™
When stacking your materials for use with the Cricut Mug Press™, it’s important to follow the recommended stacking order to ensure the best results. Here is the stacking order for the Mug Press:
- Mug: Place your mug inside the Mug Press with the design facing outward.
- Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet: Wrap the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet around the mug, aligning the design as desired. Secure the transfer sheet in place with heat-resistant tape.
- Protective sheet: Place another protective sheet on top of the transfer sheet to protect the Mug Press and your design.
It’s important to note that you should only use Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets and Pens with the Mug Press, as other materials may not transfer properly or could damage the machine. Additionally, always make sure to follow the recommended temperature and time settings for the Mug Press to ensure the best results.
Can I Use Any Mug In The Cricut Mug Press
No, the Cricut Mug Press only works with Cricut approved mugs or mugs designed for sublimation.
Can You Use The Cricut Mug Press With Sublimation Ink And Blanks?
Yes the Cricut mug press will work with sublimation ink and blanks. However you have to make sure you are using the correct of mug with a straight wall.
My Review Of The Cricut Mug Press™?
Its fabulous, I wondered how consistent it would be, however every time I have used it the results have been perfect. It’s easy to use and I love how professional the mugs look. This is perfect if you are a small business and want to make personalised projects or for making gifts for hobby crafters. It lends itself to monogram mugs, however I also love some of the quirky designs in Design Space.
#AD This post is sponsored by Cricut however all opinions are my own, and I seriously love this Mug Press™, check out the Cricut Blog to find out more.
#AD This post is sponsored by Cricut however all opinions are my own, and I seriously love this Mug Press™, check out the Cricut Blog to find out more.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Cricut Mug Press
The Cricut Mug Press is a machine designed to create custom mugs using heat transfer technology. It uses a combination of heat and pressure to transfer designs onto the surface of the mug.
The Cricut Mug Press is compatible with most ceramic, porcelain, and glass mugs that are straight-walled and have a smooth surface.
No, the Cricut Mug Press is specifically designed to transfer designs onto mugs only.
You can create designs for the Cricut Mug Press using Cricut’s Design Space software or by using compatible graphic design software such as Adobe Illustrator.
The Cricut Mug Press can create a custom mug in as little as 6 minutes.
Yes, mugs created with the Cricut Mug Press are dishwasher safe.
The Cricut Mug Press has pre-set temperature and pressure settings that are optimized for the transfer process.
No, the Cricut Mug Press is specifically designed to work with Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, Infusible Ink Pens or sublimation.
Yes, the Cricut Mug Press is easy to use for beginners. It has a simple interface and comes with easy-to-follow instructions.
No, the Cricut Mug Press can only create one mug at a time.
Great review! So looking forward to trying it out.
Great step by step review, really useful. Thank you.
Hi Rebecca thanks so much!