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Need a handy Cricut EasyPress chart for heat settings that you can print and hang in your craft room? I’ve got you covered! Grab a free printable PDF for heat and time settings for your EasyPress projects.
Call me old school, but sometimes I prefer to have things printed out so that I can easily get to the information I use a lot without having to go to the interwebs. And if it’s something I can laminate, too? BONUS!
Cricut’s online heat guide is a pretty handy tool. But visiting the site to get the settings I need for my iron-on projects is sometimes a hassle.
I created a Cricut EasyPress Chart that I laminated and hung up near my Cricut Maker so I can just grab it and find what I need without having to look it up on my laptop. Since I find it so handy, I thought others might too so I’m making it available for download for free!
The online heat guide gives you different options depending on your machine and whether you’re using a towel or an EasyPress mat. I created different versions of the chart so you can grab whichever one you need.
Cricut EasyPress Chart for Heat and Time Settings
You don’t need the EasyPress mat if you’re using an EasyPress or EasyPress 2! Using a towel is totally acceptable so don’t feel you need to run out and spend the extra money for a mat. Cricut provides the heat settings if you’re using a towel so I created a separate chart that includes the settings for that.
Cricut doesn’t recommend using the Cricut EasyPress Mini without an EasyPress mat. If you don’t have a mat and are using a towel, I would start with the recommended settings provided for the mat. If the vinyl doesn’t seem to be adhering, adjust the time and/or heat settings up a little until you find something that works.
For all machines and materials, it’s a good idea to preheat your materials for 5 seconds before you add the vinyl. This gets your base material a little warmed up and ready for the heat transfer vinyl.
Click the image below to download the zip file for the Cricut EasyPress chart that you need.
Cricut EasyPress Mini Chart Downloads
There are 2 charts available for the Cricut EasyPress Mini.
Cricut EasyPress Mini Iron-On Materials
Cricut EasyPress Mini Smart Vinyl
Cricut EasyPress and EasyPress 2 Chart Downloads
There are 4 charts available for EasyPress and EasyPress 2. The Cricut EasyPress and the EasyPress 2 have the same settings for each of the heat transfer and base materials.
Cricut EasyPress & EasyPress 2 Iron-On Materials For EasyPress Mat
Cricut EasyPress & EasyPress 2 Iron-On Materials For Towel
Cricut EasyPress & EasyPress 2 Smart Vinyl For EasyPress Mat
Cricut EasyPress & EasyPress 2 Smart Vinyl For Towel
The Difference Between a Warm Peel and a Cool Peel
For the vast majority of heat transfer materials in these charts, it’s recommended to use a cool peel vs a warm peel. All this means is that you will wait a few minutes until the carrier sheet isn’t hot to the touch before you remove it. A warm peel means you remove the carrier sheet immediately while it’s still a little warm.
Cricut’s heat guide recommendations are based on Cricut-branded vinyl products. However, different brands of heat transfer material may have more specific recommendations for their products. If you’re having an issue with bubbling or your design is not sticking to the base material, it could be related to how long you’re waiting to remove the carrier sheet. Make sure you read the directions for the brand of vinyl you’re using or check out their website for more information.
Using an Iron Instead of an EasyPress
All of these charts assume that you have an EasyPress Mini, EasyPress, or EasyPress 2.
If you’re using a household iron instead, these settings might not work for you. Here are a few general guidelines for using an iron with heat transfer vinyl:
- Use the highest possible setting on your iron – usually the linen setting.
- DO NOT USE STEAM. EVER. LIKE EVER. Steam will ruin your design and it will keep the adhesive from sticking to your base material.
- Use a lot of pressure. Even though some of the settings above say to use light pressure, it’s different when you’re using an iron. For one, the heat doesn’t distribute evenly across the surface. Using more pressure will help the adhesive to activate and stick to your base material.
- Apply the heat for a longer period of time.
Ideas for Storing or Hanging Your Cricut EasyPress Chart
I laminated my charts and used a hole punch in one corner so that I can hang them up near my Maker. Here’s the laminator I bought from Amazon. And I will never get tired of saying the word “laminator”.
It’s very simple to use. Place your paper in between the sheets of the laminating pages and run it through the machine. The heat from the machine will fuse the sheets together so you’ll end up with a completely enclosed paper.
Granted, not everyone is laminate-crazy so if that’s not your thing, you could use a hole punch and thread a pretty piece of ribbon to hang on a thumbtack or a Command Hook. I’m OBSESSED with Command Hooks and use them for all kinds of storage solutions around the craft room.