Cricut Easy Press Mini Review – Your Small-Scale Creative Assistant

The Best Customizing Innovation

Hello there, passionate hobbyists!

Yesterday, I was thinking about the number of projects that I’ve created. Does that ever cross your mind?

It must have been thousands if we count all the reduplicated ones. As for the original projects and novelties, I don’t know, somewhere around two hundred?

Anyhow, it’s a lot, but it wouldn’t be possible without the adequate machines that were a sort of my creative catalyst.

You will also need a machine to accompany you in your crafting journey – and today, I’m presenting to you one of the best choices on the marketplace – Cricut Easy Press Mini.

Whether you’re creating gifts, selling products, o r creating for yourself, you definitely need a machine that will enable all your creative endeavors. Shop now at Cricut.com too!

The heat press machines, in general, do bring up a lot of possibilities for your DIY projects, as they enable you to place your applications, vinyl stickers, and images onto different surfaces.

Generally, this hobby used to be reserved for the textile customization, but with the advancement of technology, you can transfer your design on any material that takes heat and pressure that you apply to it.

Meanwhile, I’m sure that Cricut company doesn’t require a special introduction, as they have always met the highest expectations of satisfied customers in the spheres of die-cutting and printmaking.

What is more, their Easy Press Series products have earned the sympathies for their quality build completed with versatile features. And the youngest member, Cricut Easy Press Mini, does not fail to deliver the exact same quality as the rest of the family.

In the following sections of my Cricut Easy Press Mini review, you will get to meet our focus of today, and you will see how this good-looking machine performed.

My Round-Up of Cricut Easy Press Mini

I made a grade table so you can see what to expect before you get to the detailed review and how satisfied I was overall.

Now that you know that this machine promises excellent performance, check out how it got there and what you can accomplish with it.

Performance

Just a short preface before I begin with the presentation of my findings, so that you can know how I got to them.

I first looked at the characteristics of Cricut Easy Press Mini on paper to see what I can expect, then I decided on what I wanted to make (a custom-made mug, a T-shirt, and sneakers), prepared all the necessary materials, and started.

From there, I tested out each and every function and came to some conclusions; I even made sure to leave you some tips.

Keep scrolling for all of that!

Cricut Easy Press Mini at First Glance: Design & Physical Attributes

I would say that the strongest feature of this machine is its physical appearance.

Not only that it is extremely lightweight (approximately 0.8 lbs/0.36 kg) but it also delivers the performance you would never expect to get from something that weighs 360 g.

Its dimensions are also minimal: 4 x 3.4 x 2.1 (10 x 8.6 x 5.3 cm).

I’ll be honest with you – when I heard about the incredibly small stature, I thought it was going to be somewhat like a usual iron. Luckily, I was so wrong!

Albeit its weight and size, it contains all the features you would normally find in a machine designed for printmaking.

Therefore, as long as your project fits into the size of the heat plate (1.9 x 3.25 inches/4.8 x 82 cm), you can do anything that you can imagine with this machine.

The above criteria also make Cricut Easy Press Mini super-portable, as you can fit it pretty much anywhere, so you can take part in your creations even when you’re on vacation!

Another feature that comes in handy here is the handle that I absolutely adore. Almost the whole upper part is reserved for this handle, and it is there not only to make this device easy to transport but also enables easy operating and full control of the machine.

Additionally, it lives up to Cricut’s reputation of making beautifully-designed devices.

While it is currently available only in a Raspberry variant, its smart and sleek looks with burgundy highlights is sure to amaze you (and anyone who sees this tool on your table).

If you want to learn more about (and visualize) the physical features of Cricut Easy Press Mini, take a look at this video:

Advice and Suggestions

Although you can iron-on anything larger than the plate, with Infusible Ink technology, I suggest going for projects that are at least a bit smaller than twice the plate (I’d say not larger than 3 x 5).

The reason for this is that repeating this delicate process more than twice could get a little bit complicated.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Infusible Ink system, check out a video on that:

Many users wonder how fast they should move the press while working.

While I can’t tell you the exact speed, I would describe it somewhat like what would you do with a regular iron: once you feel that the area has been heated up enough, move to the next part, and the sticker will certainly adhere.

Another tip that I have: you can use this mini-sized variant to fix anything that you may have missed out with the larger press, or re-adhere a part of your application.

Which Features Make Cricut Easy Press Mini a Valuable Purchase?

If you’re wondering what the amazing features that Cricut Easy Press Mini offers are, I made sure to note a couple of my favorite ones.

Not only I liked them in theory, but they also showed great performance-wise.

The heat transfer process (both the regular and the Infusible Ink) is equally efficient as it is with this machine’s predecessors – Cricut Easy Press and Cricut Easy Press 2.

While on the subject, if you want to check out how Cricut Easy Press Series ranks high compared to some other options, read my Heat Press vs Easy Press review!

There is one main difference compared to its larger family members: you choose between three pre-set temperature settings (Low, Medium, High) instead of setting the temperature up manually.

This can be seen both as a pro and a con, depending on how you look at it. Once you learn the preferred setting for the materials, you won’t need to worry about the exact temperature and numbers.

Also, the highest temperature can reach the same level (400°F) as the larger versions of this machine, so don’t worry about its capabilities.

Not only that, but Cricut has decided to make it even easier and eliminate all kinds of guesstimates, as you can enter your transfer and base materials, and their heat guide will determine the right settings for you.

Moreover, this machine is extremely versatile, and the fact that it is smaller in size does not mean you cannot do numerous projects with it.

Check out for yourself!

Here is how you can customize your T-shirts, dish towels, bows, and sneakers:

Next up is the auto-shutoff feature that automatically turns off the device if it hasn’t been used for 13 minutes. You will hear a “beep” sign that will signalize it is going to turn off and probably think to yourself something like,  “Oh man, did I really forget to do that again?”.

Jokes aside, this feature is really convenient and maximizes the safety level of your user experience.

The evenly heated plate is what mostly accounts for this gadget’s productivity and precision; the plate will heat up quite quickly, giving you instant satisfaction.

Thanks to the precision tip that this machine has, you’ll be able to get anywhere that you want, and it will do for your most intricate DIYs.

Here’s a handy tutorial on how to use Cricut Easy Press Mini with hats:

There is no need to use any software or otherwise register your Cricut Easy Press Mini – just plug it in, and it’s ready!

Is there something not to like?

As you can see, the only noticeable flaw is that you will need a machine with a larger working surface for some larger projects and applications, but otherwise, this machine is superb in every other way.

Another possible flaw may apply to you if you’re from Europe. Namely, there is still a higher voltage output version to be released – currently there is only the 120V one, which supports users from North America.

Recommended Add-Ons

Cricut Easy Press Mini comes with a safety base that is waterproof, and above all, stable and fixed, so it really provides an excellent surface for this kind of delicate work.

For your convenience, I suggest that you buy a pressing cloth, like the Cricut heating mat. You might have already bought it, as it was made for Easy Press 2, but it will come in handy here, too.

When it comes to heat-transfer materials, I can’t decide which one is my favorite, so here are a couple of options that I recommend:

• Cricut Premium Vinyl, a must for your iron-on projects
• Classic Heat Transfer Vinyl, the basic option in all colors
• Matte Heat Transfer Vinyl, the same range of colors, only matte
• Cricut Iron-On Mash Vinyl, very unique and elegant (my favorite)

When the efficient heat-transfer of this machine is enhanced by the Cricut Vinyl Transfer Tape, you will get even more pleasurable experience.

As we’ve already learned, the Infusible Ink projects are more sensitive, and I suggest that you use the Cricut Heat Resistant Infusible Ink Tape for those.

My final recommendation is not really an accessory, but a perfect companion to your Easy Press Mini in order to take command of all of your creative possibilities.

I’m talking about another Cricut product – Cricut Bright Pad.

It will enable you to correct all of your mistakes, which really kicks in with Cricut Easy Press Mini, where the applications are small, and every detail is visible. The best part is that it is equally affordable!

If I intrigued you with this, and you want to enhance your experience, check out my full Cricut Bright Pad review!

A Shortlist of Fors and Againsts

To Wind it Up: Should you buy Cricut Easy Press Mini?

Do you know how they say that good things come in small packages?

This exactly sums up my experience with Cricut Easy Press, together with their own slogan “Mini but mighty”.

It is fun and inexpensive, and I would easily call it one of the best things that debuted in Fall 2019 (along with Silhouette Cameo 4).

Thanks to its highlight features, such as a quality edge-to-edge heating plate, Infusible Ink, and the precision tip, this purchase will result in top-notch projects and crafting pursuits.

You will soon be creating dozens of your mini projects – such as custom made wallets, hats, T-shirts, shoes, wooden figures… You name it.

I was also satisfied at how this machine made me pay attention to details. I started decorating smaller stuff, cuffs, pockets, toys, etc., and I felt as if it opened up to me a whole new horizon of opportunities.

All in all, don’t hesitate to buy this baby version of Cricut Easy Press, as you will be pleased and inspired by it!