Sublimation tumblers are a popular and profitable way to create personalized tumblers. They are made by transferring a printed design onto a blank tumbler using heat and pressure.
But what is the best way to apply heat and pressure? You have two options: a convection oven or a mug press. In this post, I’ll compare the pros and cons of each method and share my experience with both.
Convection Oven Method
Omperio Convection Oven
When I first started making sublimation tumblers, I used a convection oven. It seemed like a cheaper and easier option than buying a mug press.
I bought a small oven from Amazon and set it up in my craft room. I was excited to make my first tumbler, but I soon realized that it was not as simple as I thought.
The main challenge with using an oven is to get the right temperature and pressure for each tumbler. Sublimation requires high and consistent heat and pressure to transfer the design properly.
If the heat is too low or uneven, the design will be faded or patchy, or if the pressure is too low or uneven, the design will be blurry or ghosted.
To use an oven, you need to follow these steps:
The silicone bands are supposed to create pressure around the tumbler, but they are hard to put on and take off.
They also don’t cover the whole tumbler, so there are gaps where the pressure is lower. The oven also doesn’t heat the tumbler evenly, so you have to rotate it halfway through the baking time.
I tried different methods, temperatures, and times, but none of them worked consistently.
Sometimes the tumblers came out okay, but other times they came out terrible. I wasted a lot of time and materials trying to fix the problems. I was frustrated and disappointed with the results.
Mug Press Method
Cricut Mug Press
- High Quality.
- Easy To Use
- Work with Skinny Tumblers
After struggling with the oven for a while, I decided to invest in a mug press. I did some research and found the Trans Pro Plus from Pro World.
It’s a professional-grade mug press that can handle different sizes and shapes of tumblers. It has a digital display that shows the temperature and time settings. It also has a pressure knob that lets you adjust the pressure level.
I ordered the mug press and set it up in my craft room and was eager to try it out and see if it would make a difference. I followed the instructions and made my first tumbler with the press.
The tumbler came out perfect. The design was bright, crisp, and clear. There was no ghosting, blurring, or fading. It looked like a professional product.
The mug press is awesome because it gives you precise control over the temperature and pressure. You don’t have to worry about the oven’s fluctuations or the silicone bands’ limitations.
The press heats and presses the tumbler evenly and consistently. Your tumblers will come out perfect every time.
To use a press, you need to follow these steps:
The press is faster and easier than the oven because you do not need to use paper, masking tape, or silicone bands. You don’t need to rotate the tumbler halfway through.
You just need to tape the design and press it. It takes less than a minute to make a tumbler with the press.
Conclusion
The mug press is the best way to make sublimation tumblers. It’s faster, easier, safer, cleaner, and more reliable than the oven. It will save you time, money, and frustration.
It will also help you create high-quality tumblers that your customers will love.
If you’re serious about making sublimation tumblers, I highly recommend getting a mug press. It’s worth the investment. Trust me, you won’t regret it.