Using the Easy Press 2 for the First Time
Last week I wrote about my new Cricut machine and the fun I had learning how to use it to create fun things (see my review here), and now I have been given the opportunity to review the Easy Press 2, so I want to tell you all about that too!
Now you might be thinking you could just use a regular household iron to iron on vinyl decorations that you make with your Cricut machine, and you’d be right, the good old iron, although a bit clumsy, will get the job done. However, the Easy Press 2 is so much easier and works better too.
The Easy Press 2 provides even heat distribution with a precise temperature control and timer, it heats up very fast and comes with a holding tray and surface protector – everything you need for excellent results! It’s easy to hold and use and I know this shouldn’t matter, but it does, it looks great! It has a nice clean and refined look!
The Easy Press 2 is available in 3 sizes (6 x 7, 9 x 9 and 12 x 10) so you can find the perfect one for your needs. It is easy to use — just unpack it and plug it in! The surface protector pad that comes with each press is sized for that press, but you could also purchase additional pads in different sizes to assist you in crafting, for example, you could use the 9 x 9 press on the largest pad if you are working with a larger project. Or you could stack a couple of smaller pads to get the right shaping for curvy projects!
As I was becoming familiar with my Easy Press 2, I wondered how I would know what settings to use for various materials. Well I need not have worried, Cricut has a handy, interactive tool to help you out. You can see it HERE, simply choose your material and surface and the tool will tell you exactly what settings to use! How easy is that?
Ok, so how did I test the actual heat application process? Well, two ways…
First, enclosed in the box was a neat cotton, drawstring bag that can be used to store your Easy Press 2, along with a cute, green glittery iron on, already designed and cut out, ready for you to test your machine, so I did! That went so well, I wanted to design my own and test that!
Second, I designed my own cutout! Using my Cricut Maker,  Design Space and the Cricut Access Library I designed a couple of monograms that I wanted to use on small zipped cases. It was so easy to size and customize the free pictures I chose as borders and frills.
Once I had the design set up, I chose “Make It” and here I was able to mirror my design (you must do this for wording or your finished project will read backwards!) and cut it with the Cricut Maker – easy!
Then I had to “weed” the design off the sheet. My Cricut Bright Pad made this job much easier by providing back lighting so I could see where the breaks were. Take your time with this step, as you don’t want to ruin your design by rushing through and removing the wrong thing 🙂
Here you go, I now have a neat design that’s ready to be pressed on! I actually did both designs at once to save time!
I consulted the easy settings tool  and entered the recommended settings on the Easy Press 2 and waited about 2 minutes for it to heat up and then I pressed! I followed the instructions carefully, including heating up your surface first, then pressing from the right side and then the back side of the project to get solid adherence.
Here are my finished bags, aren’t they pretty?
Conclusion?
Well, my conclusion is that I loved the Easy Press 2 and highly recommend it to anyone who plans to do press on designs. It makes the job so much easier and professional looking. It’s a great accessory for the Cricut Maker or any press on project!
Don’t forget to “Pin” this post for easy reference later!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
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