HTVRONT Auto Heat Press Review + Setup

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Learn how to use the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine, and get our honest review of this innovative automatic heat press! Everything you need to know about the HTVRONT Auto Press!

HTV Auto Heat Press on counter in front of colorful pegboard of craft supplies

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from these sales at no additional cost to you! I was provided with an Auto Heat Press from HTVRONT for this review, however, all opinions and ideas are my own.

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press Review

There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the new HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine, so we were super excited to have had the opportunity to try it out recently. We have quite a few heat press machines in our studio, so we were eager to see what makes the HTVRONT heat press machine stand out from the rest…and I have to say, we were impressed!

The Auto Heat Press is a smart heat press machine, with automatic functions for pressing, memory features, and an advanced pressure system that adjusts according to your project. The heat press has a large heat plate, a small machine footprint, and is EXTREMELY easy to use, making it perfect for small businesses or home use!

Keep reading to find out all of the things we loved about the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press along with a couple of small things that we didn’t love quite as much.


automatic heat press with features highlighted

Note: Specs and features information from the manufacturer’s website. The photo above is courtesy of HTVRONT.

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press Specs & Features

The 110V HTVRONT Auto Heat Press is equipped with premium components, such as FCC & UL certificated wires, plugs, and power cord, advanced pressure transducers, a high-tech resin display screen, an auto-adjust system for projects, and an automatic lifting structure, a three-section buffer slider, dual-zone heating engine, and a portable, ergonomic design.

Size & Weight

The heat plate of the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press measures 15″ x 15″, and the machine can press items up to 2.5 cm or 1 inch thick. The Auto Heat Press’s footprint measures approximately 17″ x 20″ x 10″ and weighs 38 pounds.

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine next to a ruler showing measurements

Temperature Settings

The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press can reach a maximum temperature of 210°C or 410°F (you can switch between Celcius and Fahrenheit settings), so it’s perfect for a wide variety of applications including heat transfer vinyl projects and sublimation projects. The machine’s large heating plate heats up very quickly, reaching 320°F in under 4 minutes, which is twice as fast as my regular heat press!

The heat press is also equipped with an auto-off feature that will automatically turn the machine off after 10 minutes of inactivity – a great fire-safety feature!

hands placing parchment paper over project on HTV heat press

Pullout Drawer Design

The pullout drawer design allows you to position your project elements and work on the mat while keeping your hands safely away from the heating plate. The pullout drawer opens and closes very smoothly, and the handle of the drawer does not get hot (comparatively, my traditional drawer heat press gets uncomfortably hot ALL over!), which is great news!

Materials Compatibility

The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press is compatible with a wide variety of different materials and applications including heat transfer vinyl and sublimation projects. The press is ideal for creating projects measuring less than 1″ thick.

Note: Materials that require considerable heavy pressure may not work well with this press. See additional information below.

Hands closing the pullout drawer on the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press

Automatic Pressing & Pressure

The coolest feature of the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press is its auto-adjust system. The machine’s automatic lifting structure combined with advanced pressure transducers allows the heat press to close with the push of a button and to automatically open once the timer has expired. (If you want to stop the machine from pressing at any time during the countdown, simply press ANY of the buttons)

These mechanisms also allow the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press to automatically adjust the machine’s pressure for optimal pressure settings depending on the thickness of your materials.

Uniform Heat

The HTVRONT Auto Press’s NTC thermistor technology and dual-zone heating engine provide smooth, even, and reliable heating across the entire surface of the 15″ x 15″ heat plate. This helps to ensure that all of your designs are vibrant and evenly colored and transferred!

Close up of HTVRONT Auto Heat Press buttons and control panel

Multiple Settings Modes

One of my favorite features of the HTVRONT Auto Press is the multiple settings modes. There are 4 pre-programmed “fast modes” for common temperature/time combinations, as well as two user-defined modes so that you can save your favorite settings. These preset temperature and time settings will save you time and help you remember your commonly used settings!

All of the machine’s settings functions are intuitive and easy to set.

Warranty

The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press comes with a 1-year warranty and top-quality customer service.


HTVRONT Auto Heat Press on craft room counter

How Much Does the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press Cost?

The current list price on the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press is $299, however, they frequently go on sale for as low as $250, particularly if you purchase directly from HTVRONT.


blue Color-Shift HTV design with rose and stars on white t-shirt on blue background

Testing the HTVRONT Auto Press: First Projects

I tested the HTVRONT Auto Press with several different materials, substrates, and applications to fully put it to the test. Check out my results!

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press with Shirt and Chameleon Color Shift HTV Iron On Vinyl

HTVRont Heat Press + Heat Transfer Vinyl

For my very first project, I couldn’t wait to test out this super cool Chameleon color-shift HTV from HTVRONT! First, I cut and weeded the vinyl, and then I opened up the pull-out mat and positioned the design onto my shirt.

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press with Teflon Sheet Over Shirt

Cover everything with a Teflon sheet, slide the drawer in, and press the green button to begin the pressing process.

Pressing the Start Button on the HTVRONT Auto Press Heat Press

The heat press will close automatically and press the shirt for the length of time on the timer – in this case, 15 seconds at 300 degrees. When the timer has expired, the press will lift up to complete the pressing process.

Chameleon HTV on a shirt in the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press

Pull out the mat drawer, allow the shirt to cool, and remove the plastic carrier sheet.

GIF of color-shift vinyl changing from light blue to dark blue to purple

How awesome is this color shift HTV?! 😍😍😍 This is the sky blue to purple color, but they have 11 different colors available!


Close up of pink sublimated mouse pad with wizard icons and motifs

HTVRONT Heat Press + Sublimation

Next, I wanted to test how well the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press works for sublimation projects, so I made this cute magic wizard-themed mousepad using a pre-printed sublimation ink sheet from Bright Star Crafters.

Hands with scissors cutting sublimation ink sheet to size

First, I used my mouse pad as a template to cut the ink sheet to size (just slightly larger than the mouse pad).

Hands taping sublimation ink sheet on to a mouse pad

Place the patterned ink sheet on top of the mouse pad, and place a sheet of butcher paper underneath. Use heat-safe tape to secure everything in place.

Hands placing a stack of papers on the mat of the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press

Cover the top with an additional sheet of butcher paper, and place everything on the pull-out mat.

Hand Pushing the Button on the HTVRONT Heat Press

Slide the pullout drawer into the press, and push the green button to begin the pressing process.

Hands peeling off sublimation paper to reveal the sublimated design on a mouse pad

Once the pressing is complete, allow the mouse pad to cool before peeling to reveal the colorful sublimation design!

heidi from happiness is homemade demonstrating a sublimation transfer sheet next to HTV
sublimated coaster with garden pattern

I also whipped up a set of sublimation coasters in a different pattern while I was at it. These sublimation projects are just SO fun to make, not to mention quick and easy! The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press did an excellent job with both of these projects – super vibrant colors, and no ghosting or white spots! 🎉


Close up of white hoodie with "Life is better at the beach" design in black

HTVRONT Heat Press + Bulky/Thick Items (Hoodie)

The question that I have gotten the most about the HTVRONT press is how well it works with bulky items since the clearance is only around 1″ high, so for my final test, I paired heat transfer vinyl with a heavy white hoodie.

White hoodie on mat of HTVRONT Auto Heat Press with "life is better at the beach" graphic

Before adjusting anything with the hood, I laid out the sweatshirt on the mat (with the hood temporarily on top of the press) and positioned my design.

gloved hands tucking hoodie in HTV press

Next, carefully place the hood inside of the press, tucking it behind the pressing plate and downwards, out of the way, in order to allow the pull-out drawer to close completely. If the drawer is not completely closed, the press will not operate.

IMPORTANT!

When working with bulkier items like this hoodie, I highly recommend wearing heat-proof gloves to avoid the risk of any accidental burns!

Pressing a hoodie in the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine

Press the green button and allow the automatic smart heat press to do its thing!

hoodie with pressed svg beach design

This hoodie turned out super cute! I have definitely heard other crafters say that they had challenges when using the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press with hoodies and thicker items, but I’ve done a few of them now, and I haven’t had any issues so far *knock on wood* – just keep those heat-safe gloves handy!


Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Adjust the Pressure of the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press?

Unfortunately, you can NOT manually adjust the pressure of the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press, and to me, that is the machine’s biggest downfall. Some projects (such as sublimating on slate tiles or using puffy HTV) require you to use heavy pressure for best results, so it may not be possible for you to create every project that your mind can conceive of with the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine.

However, I have found the auto pressure to be more than sufficient and works great when creating t-shirts, hoodies, towels, mouse pads, coasters, garden flags, and a WIDE variety of other common projects. The vast majority of heat press projects call for low to medium pressure, and the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press achieves this very well and without issue!

sunset and family photo heart shaped picture puzzles

Can You Use the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press for Sublimation Projects?

Yes! The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press can reach temperatures of 410°F, so it can handle low and medium-pressure sublimation projects with ease!

Assembled HTVRONT Auto Heat Press in Shipping Box

What Comes in the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press Box?

The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press comes pre-assembled, so there’s virtually no setup or complicated assembly involved!

The shipping box contains the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine with a 15″ x 15″ heating mat, a 16″ x 20″ Teflon Sheet, and an instruction booklet.

Light blue HTVRONT Auto Heat Press machine isolated on white background

Where Can I Buy an HTVRONT Auto Heat Press?

The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press is available at:


Final Thoughts on the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press

We were pleasantly surprised by how much we really liked the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press! This intelligent machine is highly functional with practical modes and useful auto settings, and the sleek design looks stylish in our craft room! Plus, you really can’t beat the automatic functionality at this price point!

Overall, we highly recommend the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press for home crafters as well as small businesses that produce a low-to-medium order volume.

What else do you want to know about the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions!

Image of text that says Heidi


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