Heatware Heat Press Machinery Explained: Press Types, Multitalent Attachments, Controls, Rollers and Support
This page started as a short 2023 heatware.co.za post listing five benefits of Heatware heat press and heat roller machines: a comprehensive selection (clamshell, swing-away, draw-style and combo presses), precision and control, durability, affordability and customer support. It now names the actual machines behind each of those claims: which press types are in the Heatware range, how the Multitalent attachment family grows from five to ten functions, what the controls can do, which roller presses suit which width of fabric, and what warranty and support come with them. The original post is kept at the bottom.
Product facts come from the AM.CO.ZA product data behind buythis.co.za (product JSON on am.im, dump dated 2026-10-19) and AM.CO.ZA's own YouTube videos, including the two linked in the original post. Prices and stock are not shown here; check the linked buythis pages for current prices. For build quality, spare parts and blanket care in more depth, see The HEATWARE Advantage in Practice.
Quick answer
- Heatware is AM.CO.ZA's heat press brand. The range runs from small Hobby presses for home use, through single-purpose and multifunction (Multitalent) presses, to twin-station production presses and roller heat presses up to 3.2 m wide.
- Press types in the range: clamshell (H-PRESS/3838C, H-PRESS/4050 with a sliding base), swing-away (H-PRESS/3838, H-PRESS/4060), twin-station air-lifting (H-PRESS/4060D, H-PRESS/6080D), multifunction Multitalent combos (H-PRESS/MT5 to H-PRESS/MT10E), a 3D vacuum press (H-HOBBY/3D), dedicated mug, tumbler, cap and pen presses, and roller presses.
- Controls: the Multitalent and 380 mm presses list a temperature range of 93 to 232 °C held within 2 °C, and a 1 to 999 second timer that stops heating automatically. The Hobby presses list temperature held within 1 °C.
- Durability depends on how you use it. AM.CO.ZA's 2024 press tour says a Multitalent is ideal when you have time to swap attachments, while dedicated presses last longer for people who switch between shirts, caps and mugs all day.
- Warranty: every press and roller in this range lists a 1 year warranty. Hobby presses cover electronic components only, include a manual, and do not include training.
The Heatware press types, one by one
The original post names clamshell, swing-away, draw-style and combo presses. This is how those types map to current Heatware machines:
| Type | How it opens and works | Heatware models | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clamshell | The top plate hinges down onto the base like a shell; compact and quick to use | H-HOBBY/3838C (Hobby, 1,200 W, 380 by 380 mm, up to 205 °C), H-PRESS/3838C (1,400 W, 380 by 380 mm), H-PRESS/4050 (1,400 W, 400 by 500 mm) | T-shirts and flat items where space is tight |
| Clamshell with sliding (draw) base | The base pulls out towards you, so you load the shirt away from the hot plate | H-PRESS/4050 is listed with a sliding base | The closest match in the range to the "draw-style" press the original post mentions |
| Swing-away | The heated head swings to the side, leaving the whole base clear and cool to work on | H-PRESS/3838 (1,400 W, 380 by 380 mm), H-PRESS/4060 (1,800 W, 400 by 600 mm, heavy duty) | Thicker items and careful positioning; H-PRESS/3838 also accepts the Multitalent mug, plate, cap and shoe attachments |
| Twin-station air-lifting | One heated head slides between two bases and is lifted and lowered by compressed air | H-PRESS/4060D (400 by 600 mm, 3,000 W), H-PRESS/6080D (600 by 800 mm, 4,800 W) | Production: prepare one shirt while the other is pressing |
| Multifunction (combo) | One controller with interchangeable flat, mug, plate, cap, cup, shoe and pen attachments | Multitalent H-PRESS/MT5, H-PRESS/MT6, H-PRESS/MT8, H-PRESS/MT9, H-PRESS/MT10 and their E versions; Hobby H-HOBBY/M5 and H-HOBBY/P5 | Starting out, or mixed small jobs where you have time to swap attachments |
| 3D vacuum | Vacuum pulls the transfer around a shaped item between two heating plates | H-HOBBY/3D (800 W, up to 220 °C, includes a 180 by 250 mm flat press and a vacuum silicone mug clamp) | Phone cases, stone, aluminium and crystal plates |
| Dedicated shape presses | A press built for one item shape, with its own power supply and controller | Mugs H-PRESS/MUG, H-HOBBY/MUG, H-HOBBY/MUG/AUTO, five mugs at once H-PRESS/MUG5; tumblers H-PRESS/TUMBLER, H-HOBBY/TUMBLER, H-PRESS/MUG/ALL; caps H-PRESS/CAP4, H-HOBBY/CAP; pens H-PRESS/PEN (six pens at a time) | Repeat orders of one item type |
| Handheld | A portable press that you hold over the item | H-PRESS/P0 (300 W, leaf-shaped area up to 60 by 100 mm), H-PRESS/P1 (round area up to 300 by 250 mm, up to 250 °C) | Small or awkward spots, and items that cannot go in a flat press |
| Roller (calender) | Fabric and transfer paper pass around a heated drum continuously | H-ROLLER/300/E4, H-ROLLER/1600/E6, H-ROLLER/1600/E6P, H-ROLLER/1700/OIL9, H-ROLLER/1700/OIL12, H-ROLLER/3200/OIL35, H-ROLLER/3200/OIL58 | Lanyards and ribbons, and roll-to-roll sublimation of fabric |
In Heat Presses Tour of Popular Heat Presses in South Africa Market for Business and Industrial (2024-05-28), AM.CO.ZA's presenter singles out the standalone clamshell press's pull-out base and handle: you pull the base out to load the shirt, so you do not burn your hands under the hot plate. The settings and a pressure knob sit on top of the press.
The Multitalent family: from five to ten functions
Heatware Multifunction Heat Press Combo with 9 Attachments for Sublimation Heat Press Application (2018-07-28) builds the Multitalent up one attachment at a time:
- The core unit has a separate temperature and timer controller.
- Add the flat press (mainly for T-shirts), the mug lock stand with the big mug press, the cap press and two sizes of plate press, and you have the MT5, with five functions.
- Add a small mug press and it becomes the MT6.
- Add a small and a big cone-shaped cup press and it becomes the MT8.
- Add a shoe press and you have the MT9, the full package shown in that 2018 video.
The current product data adds a tenth function, a pen press, in H-PRESS/MT10. Every Multitalent also comes in an E version with a larger 380 by 380 mm flat press instead of the 290 by 380 mm one:
| Model | Flat press | Attachments named in the product data | E version |
|---|---|---|---|
| H-PRESS/MT5 | 290 by 380 mm | Mug press, two plate presses, cap press | H-PRESS/MT5E |
| H-PRESS/MT6 | 290 by 380 mm | Two mug presses, two plate presses, cap press | H-PRESS/MT6E |
| H-PRESS/MT8 | 290 by 380 mm | All 3D shape presses (mugs, plates, cups, cap) | H-PRESS/MT8E |
| H-PRESS/MT9 | 290 by 380 mm | Shoe press plus all 3D shape presses | H-PRESS/MT9E |
| H-PRESS/MT10 | 290 by 380 mm | Shoe press, pen press and all 3D shape presses | H-PRESS/MT10E |
All of them list single-phase 240 V household power with a maximum output of 1,400 W, a temperature range of 93 to 232 °C, precision within 2 °C, a 1 to 999 second automatic heating-stop timer, and a 1 year warranty.
The video ends by noting that AM.CO.ZA stocks individual attachments and spare parts, so you can start with a smaller Multitalent and add functions later. The attachments currently in the product data are:
| Attachment | SKU |
|---|---|
| 290 by 380 mm flat heating board | H-PRESS/FLAT |
| 380 by 380 mm flat heating board with extended arm | H-PRESS/FLAT/E |
| 320 ml cylinder mug pad (about 82 mm diameter) | H-PRESS/MUG320 |
| 240 ml cylinder mug pad (about 71 mm diameter) | H-PRESS/MUG240 |
| 350 ml and 500 ml cone-shaped cup pads | H-PRESS/CUP350, H-PRESS/CUP500 |
| Round disk pads for 200 mm and 250 mm plates | H-PRESS/DISK12, H-PRESS/DISK15 |
| Cap, hat and beanie pad (about 60 by 125 mm curved section) | H-PRESS/CAP |
| Sneaker and shoe platen | H-PRESS/SHOE |
| Six-pen silicone attachment | H-PRESS/PENS |
Check the buythis page of an attachment to confirm it fits your press before ordering. The 3D vacuum Hobby press is different: its product data says no additional or replacement attachments are available for it.
Precision and control: what the controllers actually do
| Press | Temperature | Precision | Timer | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multitalent MT5 to MT10E, H-PRESS/3838, H-PRESS/MUG | 93 to 232 °C | Within 2 °C | 1 to 999 s, heating stops automatically | 240 V household, 1,400 W maximum |
| H-PRESS/2938 (Hobby flat, 290 by 380 mm) | Up to 205 °C | Within 1 °C | 1 to 999 s | 220 V household, 930 W |
| H-HOBBY/M5 (Hobby 5 in 1) | Up to 205 °C | Within 1 °C | 1 to 999 s | 220 V household, 850 W |
| H-HOBBY/P5 (Hobby 5 in 1 portable) | Up to 200 °C | Within 1 °C | 1 to 999 s | 220 V household, 1,000 W |
| H-HOBBY/3D (3D vacuum) | Up to 220 °C | Within 1 °C | 1 to 999 s | 220 V household, 800 W |
| H-PRESS/4060D (twin-station) | Up to 400 °C, defaults to 270 °C for safety | Within 1 °C | 1 to 999 s | 220 V household, 3,000 W; pneumatic pressure set by an air regulator with water trap, 6 bar or more of compressed air |
The twin-station presses add production controls. From 6040D Twin Station Heat Press Installation and Operation (2026-10-04) and the 2024 tour:
- The control panel shows temperature, timer and a counter that counts completed jobs; the counter has its own reset button.
- Pressure is set in bar on the air regulator: more pressure for thicker materials, less for thinner ones.
- In automatic mode, sliding the head to a station trips a sensor (micro switch), the head lowers by itself, presses for the set time and lifts again. In manual mode, you slide the head and press the green button to lower it.
- The red emergency button does not switch the machine off; it opens the side solenoid valve so compressed air lifts the head.
- Crosshair lasers project a cross onto the bed so you can place every shirt, and every logo, in exactly the same spot.
One point to confirm with sales: the 2024 tour says the twin-station press comes with an air compressor as standard, but the current product data for H-PRESS/4060D says the compressor is not included.
Durability: choosing a press that will last at your volume
The original post says Heatware machines are built to last. AM.CO.ZA's own advice in the 2024 tour adds an important practical condition:
- A Multitalent is perfect if you have time to swap attachments, for example a day of ten shirts, ten caps and ten mugs. Each attachment has to be unplugged and plugged in when you switch.
- If you switch jobs all day, dedicated presses (a mug or tumbler press, a cap press and a flat press) will last a lot longer, because you are not changing and replugging attachments each time. The tour describes the dedicated mug and tumbler presses as much more industrial.
- The dedicated cap press H-PRESS/CAP4 comes with four interchangeable pad sizes, so you can choose the pad that best fits the area of the cap you are pressing, such as the side.
- The twin-station press is presented as the production choice that saves the most time and money over its lifespan.
On the Hobby tier, the product data is frank about limits: the Hobby 5 in 1 lists a mug pad and a cap pad each with a service life of about 500 pieces, and the Hobby presses are consumer electronics for hobby use. More build details are on The HEATWARE Advantage in Practice.
Affordability: matching the tier to your budget
| Stage | Sensible starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Testing an idea at home | H-PRESS/2938, H-HOBBY/M5, H-HOBBY/P5, H-HOBBY/MUG | Hobby presses run on household power and cover the common blanks; the trade-off is no training and a warranty limited to electronic components |
| A small business doing mixed items | H-PRESS/MT5 or H-PRESS/MT5E, adding attachments later | One controller with several attachments; grow to MT6, MT8, MT9 or MT10 functions as orders demand |
| Regular orders of one item type | A dedicated press such as H-PRESS/MUG5 (five mugs per press), H-PRESS/PEN (six pens per press) or H-PRESS/CAP4 | Less switching, more items per press cycle |
| T-shirt production | H-PRESS/4060, then H-PRESS/4060D or H-PRESS/6080D | Bigger plates, and with twin stations, one shirt is prepared while the other presses |
| Fabric by the metre | A roller press (see below) | Continuous pressing of printed sublimation paper onto fabric rolls |
The savings come from avoiding the wrong machine: a press that is too small for your volume wears out, and one that is too big ties up money you could use for blanks and ink.
Heatware roller heat presses
The original post also mentions heat rollers. The product data lists these:
| Roller | Width | Heating | Notes from the product data |
|---|---|---|---|
| H-ROLLER/300/E4 | 300 mm (210 mm drum) | 4 kW electric, 220 V, up to 260 °C | For lanyard and ribbon sublimation; see its demo video |
| H-ROLLER/1600/E6 and H-ROLLER/1600/E6P | 1,620 mm, material up to 8 mm thick | 6.4 kW maximum electric, single-phase 220 V household power, 35 minute pre-heat | 220 mm roller, speed 0.3 to 3 metres per minute, work table with feeding and collecting rollers, each with tension control |
| H-ROLLER/1700/OIL9 | 1,700 mm, material up to 10 mm thick | Oil-filled open drum, single-phase 220 V, typically 9 kW (maximum 12 kW), about 50 minutes pre-heat | Speed 0.3 to 3 metres per minute; three feeding and two collecting rollers; automatic blanket deskewing; air-inflatable expanding rollers for paper feed and take-up |
| H-ROLLER/1700/OIL12 | 1,700 mm | Oil heating, 380 V, 12 kW | Work table and take-up system |
| H-ROLLER/3200/OIL35 and H-ROLLER/3200/OIL58 | 3,200 mm, 420 mm drum | Oil heating, 380 V, 35 kW or 58 kW | Need 4 to 8 bar of compressed air; the supply cable is not included (the product names suggest a 63 A plug and breaker for the 35 kW model and 125 A for the 58 kW model) |
Roller Heat Press Review and Heatware 220V 1620mm Roller Heat Press Basic Functions Walkthrough (2022-09-26) walks through the basic functions of the 1,620 mm roller, and Blanket Care and New Blanket Preparation for Roller Heat Press Machines (2025-05-01) explains how to prepare a new blanket and care for it. Sublimation Printing FAQ, Large Format Sublimation Printer and Roller Heat Press Usage Guide (2025-02-10) covers roller use with large format sublimation printers.
Customer support and warranty
| What | Detail from the product data and videos |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 1 year on every press and roller in this range. On Hobby presses it covers electronic components; accessories and consumables carry no warranty |
| Repairs | Hobby presses list repair of electronic components within the warranty period |
| Training | Hobby presses include a manual but no training |
| Do-it-yourself help | DIY spare parts point to step-by-step videos on SortIT and AM.CO.ZA's support WhatsApp line, 060 600 7000 |
| Spare parts | Replacement attachments, silicone mats (H-MAT/3838, H-MAT/4060, H-MAT/6080), the twin-station flat heating element H-PRESS/FLAT/4060D, a pen press pad set H-PRESS/PAD6, a roller temperature controller H-CONTROL/C100 and heat-resistant thermal tape H-TAPE/THERMAL/20 |
| Seeing the machines | The 2024 tour invites customers to AM.CO.ZA's demo centre to see the presses working before buying |
A project from the original post: a gold-foiled diary
The second video in the original post, Customized Diary Book with Gold Foiled Wording Cut by Vinyl Cutter and Pressed on by Heat Press (2020-11-29), shows a personalised diary: the wording is cut from gold foil on a vinyl cutter and then pressed onto the diary cover with a heat press. It is a good example of a heat press doing more than sublimation, because the same flat press also applies cut heat-transfer foil and vinyl.
FAQ
Is Heatware a separate company from AM.CO.ZA? No. The original post describes HEATWARE as a provider of heat press and heat roller machines by AM.CO.ZA, and the product names carry both the AM.CO.ZA and Heatware marks.
Which Heatware press is the "draw-style" press? The product data does not use the term. The closest match is H-PRESS/4050, a clamshell press with a sliding base that pulls out for loading.
Can I upgrade a Multitalent later? Yes. AM.CO.ZA sells the attachments individually, so an MT5 owner can add, for example, a shoe platen or cone cup pads. Confirm fit on the attachment's buythis page.
Can I add attachments to a swing-away flat press? The product data says H-PRESS/3838 is compatible with the Multitalent mug, plate, cap and shoe press attachments.
What temperature and time should I use? That depends on the transfer and the item. For a sublimated polyester T-shirt, AM.CO.ZA's T-shirt sublimation demo uses about 200 °C for 60 to 90 seconds at light to medium pressure. Follow the transfer paper's own instructions where they differ.
Does the twin-station press need compressed air? Yes. Its head is lifted and lowered by air. The product data for H-PRESS/4060D asks for 6 bar or more and says the compressor is not included, so confirm with sales what comes in the box.
Videos
- Heatware Multifunction Heat Press Combo with 9 Attachments for Sublimation Heat Press Application (2018-07-28)
- Customized Diary Book with Gold Foiled Wording Cut by Vinyl Cutter and Pressed on by Heat Press (2020-11-29)
- Heat Presses Tour of Popular Heat Presses in South Africa Market for Business and Industrial (2024-05-28)
- Heatware 1400W 400×500mm Clamshell Flat T-Shirt Heat Press with Sliding Base. (2024-10-11)
- Heatware H-PRESS/2938 Hobby Flat T-Shirt Heat Press Operations (2025-01-21)
- New Heatware Twin-Station Air-Lifting 400x600 Flat Press Heat Press Machine with Crosshair Laser (2025-10-06)
- 6040D Twin Station Heat Press Installation and Operation (2026-10-04)
- H-ROLLER/300/E4 300mm Roller Heat Press for Lanyard, Ribbon Heat Sublimation Transfer (2024-06-27)
- Roller Heat Press Review and Heatware 220V 1620mm Roller Heat Press Basic Functions Walkthrough (2022-09-26)
- Blanket Care and New Blanket Preparation for Roller Heat Press Machines (2025-05-01)
- T-Shirt Sublimation Printing by Print on Office Inkjet Printer and Press on Heatware Heat Press Demo (2018-11-09)
- Sublimation Printing FAQ, Large Format Sublimation Printer and Roller Heat Press Usage Guide (2025-02-10)
Original post (2023, heatware.co.za)
The original post is kept below as published, with buythis links marked #ai.
Source: https://heatware.co.za/heatware-heat-press-machinery
- published: 2023-10-02 16:52:32
- modified: 2023-10-02 16:56:25
- youtube:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwvA0RiYpgs
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWAYtujv05c
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