T-Shirt Heat Presses
A T-shirt press, also referred to as a flat press, heat press, or heat press sublimation machine, functions as a precision heat transfer device. It applies consistent heat at a designated temperature and pressure, within a defined timeframe. This controlled process enables the transfer of your unique design onto a wide range of substrates—from T-shirts and tote bags to ceramic tiles and mousepads. We have heat presses available with a variety of differently shaped elements to grow your business.
With over 80% of all transfer-printable items being flat, a reliable heat transfer machine—especially a digital T-shirt heat press—is the cornerstone of any successful printing business. Whether you're starting out or scaling up, choosing the best T-shirt printing machine is critical to your long-term success.
We only supply machines that meet our strict performance and safety standards in South Africa—like the versatile Muggit 8-in-1 Heat Press Combo, designed for T-shirts, mugs, caps, and more. Our presses come with English instructions and have passed all required SOUTH AFRICAN safety tests. We've seen cheap imitations fail these tests—and fail our customers. That’s why we offer not just quality equipment, but also local repair support and expert guidance on how to use a heat press machine.
When you partner with JG Electronics, you're investing in a heat transfer machine that’s practical, cost-effective, and backed by real support—making it a true asset to your business.
The term “sublimation press” is often used as a marketing tactic, but in reality, it’s the same machine as a T-shirt press—a flatbed heat press designed to transfer images onto garments and other substrates.
The two types of manually operated heat presses are:
- Clamshell
The press hinges upwards like a sandwich toaster – These are perfect for 90% of applications and generally cost less to manufacture. They come in 2 varieties – standard and high pressure. The high pressure is an absolute requirement for laser printed transfers. High pressure presses are a little more expensive, but a much better buy. - Swing Away
The press lifts up and the heat plate swings to the side – These can press thicker items than the clamshell variety and they have more even pressure (critical for some niche laser transfers).
Muggit™ Craft Express Press
- Touch screen display: Set the temperature, pressing time, pressure.
- Size: 30.48cm x 25.4cm / 12” x 10”inches.
- Power rating: 1000W
- Maximum Temperature: 200C
- Maximum Timer (timer): 999 seconds (16.5 minutes)
- User-friendly, portable, and compact taking up very little space on a desk or workspace
- Warranty: 1 Year
- Press pad: The press comes with an insulated base pad & resting tray which offers superior protection and performance, reducing heat loss, to ensure even heat distribution to the decorated product while also preventing scorching, sticking, ink bleeds, surface scratches and more. Less heat lost saves you energy (and thus money on your electricity bill).
- It has adjustable vibration modes, the vibrations in the press provides you with pressure assistance
- Pressure: Where most presses lack pressure assistance the Craft Express ™ Press has two vibration pressure modes, make pressing easier and less physically demanding on the hands. Especially useful when working with thicker substrates such as stone, tiles, and more that require heavier pressure.
- Support: When you buy your press from JG Electronics, you also get free training and local repair support to minimise downtime meaning less waiting and more productivity for your business or hobby coupled with free telephonic and online technical assistance.
- Works offline: Unlike some presses that rely on internet apps to set up, the Craft Express ™ is simple and ready to work right out of the box — just plug in and press— making it ideal for busy workspaces and offline environments.
- Optional elements: Add a cap or mug attachment for more versatility to allow for the decoration of mugs and caps. For mugs you need a sublimation printer and sublimation coated mugs. For Caps a home inkjet or laser printer with transfer paper will also work.
Muggit™ Craft Express Auto Drawer
- Large touch screen display
- Modes (providing different preset times and temperatures): 4 preset modes, 2 users define modes and 1 batch production mode to make large volume production effortless it’s a “step and repeat” (just one touch to repeat the process effortlessly)
- Auto-Open Function: Prevents overburning your transfers – no more ruined blanks!
- reducing risk of burns and improving workflow
- 38x38cm Platen Size: A generous work surface ideal for most garments and flat blanks, offering versatility for small, medium & larger production volume
- Thicken Heating Plates & Even Pressure: Delivers consistent heat all around the item you are pressing
- Automatically adjust pressure to the thickness of the substrate
- Even Pressure: Provides stable and even pressure for professional results with every press – no cold spots!
- Digital Control Panel: Set precise temperature and time settings with ease, making it beginner-friendly and efficient
T-Shirt or Flat Clamshell Heat Presses
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All the Clamshell presses below share the following characteristics:
- Digital controller with time and temperature settings
- Fully adjustable pressure
- Manufactured to our specifications for local conditions
- Fully licenced and compliant with South African NRCS safety regulations
- Spares available locally and repaired by ourselves
- Instruction manual in English written by South Africans for South Africans
- 2 year warranty
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Muggit™ 50cm x 40cm High Pressure Pro Clamshell Press
- 50cm x 40cm high pressure press for those larger prints like DTF
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Muggit™ 38cm x 38cm High Pressure Pro Clamshell Press
- This press generates much higher pressure – excellent for use with laser transfers
- Heavier than usual mechanical construction manufactured to our specifications
Swing Away Presses: 8 in 1
- A strong, reliable, easy to use and yet also affordable multi-function press
- Our most popular press
- Digital timer and advanced temperature controller
- Adjustable pressure
- Comes standard with the flat (T-shirt) attachment, mug attachment & 4 different mug elements, 2 plate attachments (dinner & side), and cap attachment
- Manufactured to our specifications for local conditions
- Fully licensed and compliant with South African NRCS safety regulations
- Spares available locally and repaired by ourselves
- Instruction manual in English written by South Africans for South Africans
- 2 year warranty
Swing Away Presses: A4
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Muggit™ A4 Lime Swing Away Press
- The most affordable press in our range taking up the least amount of valuable space
- Perfect for use with transfer vinyl, sublimation printing, and inkjet transfers
- Lowest power consumption
- Digital timer and advanced temperature controller
- Adjustable pressure
- Manufactured to our specifications for local conditions
- Fully licensed and compliant with South African NRCS safety regulations
- Spares available locally and repaired by ourselves
- Instruction manual in English written by South Africans for South Africans
- 2 year warranty
GEO Knight Press
- Provides complete access to load and unload materials and layout transfers
- The heat platen is always face down. Regardless of the height of the product being pressed, it is always pressed evenly and level
- Combines a heavy-duty solid steel industrial grade pressing framework with accurate and easy to use electronics
- Utilizing a state-of-the-art control system and heavy-duty solid steel welded framework
- These machines boasts a lifetime warranty on the heat platen, and an unprecedented 3-year warranty on the heat-control electronics
Other Presses We Sell
Apart from our T-shirt presses we stock a wide range of heat presses that can be used to apply transfers onto other items, such as Mugs, glass and sports bottles | Caps | Pens | Buttons | Plates | Balls and more. Not only do we stock presses that can press all the items mentioned here, but we will also make recommendations to you after proper consultation to ensure you have the correct press for your needs, be it for crafting, a small business, or an industrial setup. Book your consultation here. We also stock a large variety of printable sublimation blanks for inkjet, laser, DTF and even etching. For more information browse our Consumable Catalogue.