HTVRONT sent me this press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you’ve been crafting with a heat press for any length of time, you know the part that actually wears you out is the working of the handle—up down, up down. It’s even worse if you need higher pressure for a project, or if you’re doing many presses in a row. For example, sometimes we press up to 40 DTF transfers on tote bags at a time—that’s 120 presses with our regular press. A few times…fine. 120 times? Too many!

That’s the main problem that is solved with any automatic press. You load it, tap a button, and walk away — the machine closes itself, times the press, and opens back up when the timer goes off. No heavy lever, no rushing back to the press when the timer goes off, and the added bonus of being able to set specific pressure instead of using a hand crank.

We’ve had the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 in my studio for a while now and it’s replaced our traditional heat press. Honestly, we didn’t think anything would replace our trusty old traditional press, but this has made making tote bags for our small business, in particular, so much easier.

Use the code Cori10 to save $52 on the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2!

What is the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2

The Auto Heat Press 2 is a 15″ x 15″ fully automatic heat press. “Fully automatic” means what it sounds like! You set your time, temperature, and pressure, load your blank into a slide-out drawer, push the drawer in, and press a button. The machine lowers the plate, holds it for your set time, and lifts it back up on its own.

What’s in the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 box?

HTVRONT sells this in several kit configurations, so what you get depends on which one you bought. The Standard Kit, which we have, includes:

• Auto Heat Press 2 machine
• Heat press mat
• A PTFE (Teflon) pressing sheet
• The power cord attached to the machine
• A QR code to get to the set-up guide

Unboxing the machine was very easy. It weighs about 43lbs, which isn’t light, but one of us could manage it alone. It’s fully assembled so all we had to do was remove the packaging plastic and styrofoam and plug it in!

The press comes in three colors: Lavender Purple, Daisy White, and Bubble Blue. Ours is lavender and it’s honestly so sleek and pretty.

We have it set on one of our IKEA worktops and it fits nicely—you don’t need an oversized workspace for this heat press. You’ll probably want a permanent spot for this in your craft room. Unlike a machine like the original Cricut AutoPress, this can’t be set on its side for storage and it’s a bit big to have to store in a closet.

The buttons on the machine were just a little confusing to start (a circle of arrows? a gear?) but really easy to use once we figured everything out.

You’ll set the time, temperature, and pressure using the three buttons in the first set, along with the arrow button to cycle through HTVRONT’s presets (see below).

On the other side, there are the plus and minus buttons for adjusting the time, temperature, and pressure, as well as a gear button for custom settings, and our favorite button, the A with the arrows, for turning on the Auto Press feature. When Auto Press is activated, you do not need to press the glowing green button to start the press, it does it automatically when the drawer is pressed in. It’s a small thing but really does speed up our process.

What are the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 Specs?

If you want the technical details, here they are! Make sure to look at the physical dimensions of the machine to make sure it will fit in your space.

What makes the Auto Heat Press 2 different?

Let’s look at a few things that this press might have that yours doesn’t.

Adjustable Pressure

Most presses in this price bracket give you two of the three pressing variables. You set time and temperature, and pressure is whatever the machine does: fixed or determined by a hand crank. The Auto Heat Press 2 gives you all three: seven different levels of pressure from 50 to 170 lb, which you set on the screen. The pressure is measured in pounds, not PSI like some other high-end heat presses might use. And it is set in increments of 20: 50, 70, 90, 110, 130, 150, and 170 lb.

That’s genuinely useful, because different materials need different pressure. Most projects use medium pressure, but sublimating on slate, for example, is more successful with heavy pressure. We use heavy pressure on all the tote bags we make because we’ve found our DTF transfers just work better on canvas with a higher pressure.

Slide Out Drawer

We love a slide out drawer. Our traditional heat press had this and so does this one. Instead of reaching under a hot plate to position your project, you pull a drawer out toward you, lay everything down where you can actually see it, and slide it back in.

This is a pretty smooth drawer that sort of snaps into place when it’s fully inside the machine. On our old heat press, the drawer was really smooth and we were able to bump it with a hip most of the way (the things we get used to, right?) and this one definitely requires a hand push. A small change to our process, but worth it for the other benefits of this machine.

Larger Clearance

The Auto Heat Press 2 gives you 1.77 inches of opening height, which is great for most projects, including many hoodies. Their original Auto Press had a much lower clearance, which was fine for tees and totes, but you had a fight on your hands for anything thicker.

For hoodies, we were able to press but we wouldn’t say it was super easy. We sort of had to “scootch” the hood or pocket under the plate but we were able to close it all the way. However, if you do a lot of hoodies, it might be a little finicky for this particular application and honestly, we would probably prefer a full clamshell press that opens and allows us to place our hoodie more easily.

However, if you just make hoodies sometimes, then you should be able to make them with this heat press!

The tilt screen

The LED screen adjusts through seven angles, flat to 75°. We like it at a 45° angle—it’s really easy to read. If you are shorter or taller, however, you may want to adjust it for your height.

Presets

There are two types of pre-sets on the Auto Heat Press 2.

Mode Settings

There are four that are pre-set by HTVRONT for common materials. These are cycled through using the button that is a circle of arrows. These cannot be changed.

We truly don’t know why these are all set to the highest pressure. We don’t think it’s necessary for many materials and we would hesitate to use the presets as is without doing a test project at that heavy pressure.

Custom Settings

There are also custom slots. If you’re batching the same project over and over, saved settings genuinely speed things up!

Setting the presets is easy. Click on the button that looks like a gear. You’ll see an A with the gear shape around it on the screen. From there, set the time, temperature, and pressure. Let it sit for a few seconds and it will beep, saving your custom settings to A. Press the gear button multiple times to get to B, C, and D for custom settings.

Auto Heat Press 2 vs. the original Auto Heat Press

If you already own the first-generation HTVRONT Auto Heat Press, or you’re looking at both, here’s what actually changed:

The platen didn’t get bigger, so if you’re upgrading purely for size, don’t. The reasons to upgrade are pressure control, added time, and extra clearance.

How do you use the Auto Heat Press 2?

Let’s make a hoodie using a DTF transfer! You can make any project using this method, you just need to have your time, temperature, and pressure set correctly for your material and your transfer type.

Power On and Set

Turn on the heat press and wait for it to heat up. Set your heat press to the proper time, temperature and pressure. For this hoodie and our DTF print, we went with 20 seconds, 320°, and 170 lbs (heavy) pressure. Your heat press will beep when it’s to temperature and the light will turn green.

Prepare Your Blank

Pull out the drawer and lay your blank down as flat as possible, keeping seams out of the press where you can.

Lint roll your blank to remove any dust, debris, hair, etc.

Position your transfer on the blank, and cover with your PTFE (teflon) sheet. If you are using a sublimation transfer, we recommend using butcher paper instead. See our video on which protective paper you should be using with your heat press for more information.

Press Your Project

Slide the drawer in. If you have the Auto Start set, it will automatically press for you! If not, press the green button to start the press.

When it’s done, it will beep and auto lift. It’s a gentle lift and shouldn’t scare you—if you’ve worked with a larger magnetized auto-open press, those are very abrupt and loud!

Let it cool and peel back your transfer!

Finally, flip over your project and press from the back to seal in your DTF transfer to the fabric.

It really is so easy to use!

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 Pros

Let’s talk about what I loved with this heat press! There was a lot to like, and when I say it has replaced my traditional clamshell heat press, I mean I REALLY loved it.

• Our favorite was the set it and forget it. Using that Auto button meant that we could load a project and walk away. It pressed, timed, and lifted all without us having to be near the machine. We try and use that 20 second pressing time we keep talking about, and not having to rush back over to the heat press right away was a game changer for us.
• The slide out drawer is awesome (and necessary!) with this machine. We like that it pulls all the way out to make getting projects onto the mat much easier.
• The large 15″ x 15″ platen makes it easy to do all of the projects we regularly do in our craft studio—we haven’t had to double-press anything.
• It’s relatively quiet. The sound of the pressing is more of a whirr and it’s still easy to listen to an audiobook while it presses. The opening and closing of our traditional heat press was loud and mechanical and we always missed a few words during those parts of the process.
• Overall it really looks good in our craft room. We love a cute color and a sleek design and this machine has both!

HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 Cons

There wasn’t much that we didn’t like about this heat press. Overall we are really happy with it and we don’t hesitate to recommend it for your craft room.

• Fitting a hoodie is possible, but it’s still a bit finicky. If you do occasional hoodies, this press will work. If you make them a lot for a small business, we think you’d want something that opens a bit more.
• When the press automatically turns off, it beeps like ten times. It feels like way too many times and each time we’re like “wait, is it going to stop beeping?” and then it finally does.

And that’s it? Literally we really loved this heat press and we can’t see ourselves going back to the traditional heat press we’ve manually worked for years.

Is the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 worth it?

Absolutely. As you can tell, we’re really happy with my HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2. If you are a maker and you’re currently using a handheld press like the Cricut EasyPress or if you’re using a large traditional press where you have to use a handle to press manually, this machine will make your life so much easier.

Have other questions about the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2? We’re happy to answer them in the comments!

Use the code Cori10 to save $52 on the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2!

The post HTVront Auto Heat Press 2 Review appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

A quick note before we dive in: When I made this “sped squad” design, I was designing for the special education teachers who use that shorthand affectionately, and it’s still a popular design on Etsy right now. But I’ve heard from folks that “sped” can land very differently, especially coming from someone outside that community, and can even be used as a slur by kids themselves. I don’t want to erase that. So please use your own judgment here: if this doesn’t feel right for your classroom or your kids, skip it, no hard feelings. I’m leaving the design up because some of you specifically asked for it, but I wanted to name the concern up front rather than pretend it wasn’t raised!

Back-to-school season always feels like a fresh start. New school supplies, freshly sharpened pencils, and teachers everywhere getting their classrooms ready for another year. It’s an exciting time—and also a crazy busy time, for parents, students, and teachers!

That’s why I wanted to create something just for the incredible special education teachers out there. This SPED Squad SVG is a fun way to celebrate the educators, paraeducators, therapists, and support staff who work so hard to help every student succeed. They bring so much patience, creativity, flexibility, and heart to what they do, and I hope this design makes them feel just a little celebrated!

Whether you’re heading back to the classroom yourself or making a gift for someone who is, this special education SVG is a fun way to kick off the new school year!

What You Can Make With This File

• Classroom t-shirts
• Tote bags for lesson plans and supplies
• Tumblers and water bottles
• Lanyards and badge reels
• Classroom signs and décor
• Thoughtful gifts for special education teachers and staff

This free special education teacher SVG is a great way to celebrate the amazing people who help students learn, grow, and thrive!

Don’t Miss the Full Bundle

If you love this design, I’ve also created a full bundle of special education teacher SVGs with even more fun sayings and designs. They’re perfect for mixing and matching throughout the school year or creating gifts for your favorite SPED team.

Whether you’re crafting for yourself or someone else, there’s something in the bundle that’s sure to make everyone on the SPED squad smile!

Machine Compatibility

This free teacher SVG includes formats for all major cutting machines and crafting software:

• SVG for Cricut, Silhouette (Designer Edition), and more
• DXF for Silhouette Studio Basic Edition
• PNG for sublimation or digital projects
• JPG for quick prints or framed art

Get the Free File

Want access to this free file? Join my FREE craft library! All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below. The file number is: C546.

Get Even More Cut Files Inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club

If you love teacher projects, personalized gifts, and seasonal crafting, there’s so much more waiting inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club! With more than 2,500+ crafting files, including SVGs, sublimation prints, laser files, and printables, you’ll always have something fun to make.

Every file is designed by a real person (hi, it’s me!) who understands crafting files and created every design—not AI—so they actually work when you go to cut them.

As a member, you’ll get:

• Brand new crafting files every month
• Early access to seasonal and holiday files
• A commercial license for up to 500 handmade items per design

Join today for just $10/month or $100/year and fill your craft room with projects you’ll actually love to make!

The post Free Special Education SVG appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

If you have ever sat in front of Cricut Design Space wondering what half the tools even do, we want you to know something: you are so not alone! We hear it from makers all the time. Design Space is powerful, but it can also feel like a lot, especially when you just want to get to the fun part and start creating.

That is exactly why we originally created our Cricut Cheat Sheets, and why we just gave them a big update for 2026!

What Are the Cricut Cheat Sheets?

Think of these as your Cricut cheat codes. It is a printable set of 5 reference pages covering everything from Design Space tools to blade selection, so you always have the answers right at your fingertips instead of digging through old tutorials or scrolling through Facebook groups at 11pm.

Here is what is inside:

• Cricut Design Space Functions (2 pages): A simple, colorful visual guide to the most popular tools in Design Space. No more guessing what a button does before you click it.
• Cricut Design Space Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts that help you fly through your projects instead of hunting through menus.
• Cricut Mat Cheat Sheet: Never grab the wrong mat again. This page also covers how to remove materials safely and how to keep your mats sticky and ready to go.
• Cricut Blade and Tool Cheat Sheet: A clear breakdown of every blade and tip for your Cricut Explore, Maker, or Joy, plus what each one is actually meant to do.

Who These Cheat Sheets Are For

Honestly, we think every Cricut owner can use these, but they are especially handy if:

• You are brand new to your Cricut and Design Space still feels like a foreign language
• You have been crafting for a while but always second guess which blade to use
• You want a quick answer instead of pausing a video to figure something out
• You are a visual learner who does better with pictures than paragraphs of instructions

Why We Updated Them

Cricut has added new features over the years, and the combine tools are a great example. Unite, Subtract, Intersect, and Exclude open up so many creative possibilities once you understand how they work together, but they can also be confusing if nobody walks you through them. We wanted our cheat sheets to reflect what Cricut owners are actually using in 2026, not just what Design Space looked like a few years ago!

How to Use Your Cricut Cheat Sheets

Once you download your PDF, you can print all 5 pages and keep them near your workspace, slide them into a binder or folder with your other craft references, or even laminate them so they hold up to glitter, glue, and everyday crafting life!

Grab Your Copy!

These cheat sheets are one of our favorite resources because they take something that feels overwhelming and turn it into something simple. Whether you are cutting your first project or your five hundredth, having quick answers on hand just makes crafting more fun.

The post Cricut Cheat Sheets: Updated for 2026! appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

When the weather warms up, there’s only one place most of us want to be: on the water! Around here, we’re more of a lake family than a river family. Give us a sunny afternoon, a dock to jump off of, and a picnic by the shore, and we’re happy campers!

That said, I totally understand the appeal of river life. There’s something about grabbing a tube, floating with friends, stopping for snacks on the riverbank, and spending the whole day outside that just screams summer. It feels slower, simpler, and like exactly how summer is supposed to be.

That’s what inspired this River Rat SVG! Whether you’re a seasoned river floater, spend every weekend on the boat, or just love any excuse to get outside near the water, this design is a fun way to celebrate your favorite season!

Perfect for Summer Adventures

This SVG is made for long summer days and all the adventures that come with them. Use it for:

• T-shirts for river floats
• Boat or lake day tote bags
• Coolers and drink tumblers
• Waterproof gear boxes
• Camping and picnic supplies
• Matching shirts for your river crew

This free River Rat SVG is perfect for anyone who counts down the days until it’s warm enough to get back on the water!

Machine Compatibility

This free summer SVG includes formats for all major cutting machines and crafting software:

• SVG for Cricut, Silhouette (Designer Edition), and more
• DXF for Silhouette Studio Basic Edition
• PNG for sublimation or digital projects
• JPG for quick prints or framed art

Upload, cut, and get ready to spend the day outside!

Get the Free File

Want access to this free file? Join my FREE craft library! All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below. The file number is: C544.

Get Even More Cut Files Inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club

If you love summer projects, vacation crafts, and funny everyday designs, there’s so much more waiting inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club! With more than 2,500+ crafting files, including SVGs, sublimation prints, laser files, and printables, you’ll always have something fun to make!

Every file is designed by a real person (hi, it’s me!) who understands crafting files—not AI—so they actually work when you go to cut them.

As a member, you’ll get:

• Brand new crafting files every month
• Early access to seasonal and holiday files
• A commercial license for up to 500 handmade items per design

Join today for just $10/month or $100/year and keep your crafting ready for every adventure, from the river to the lake and everywhere in between!

The post Free River SVG: River Rat appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

Around our house, the grill gets a workout all year long. We barbecue on our deck even when it’s chilly outside, but there’s something extra fun about grilling in the summer. The days are longer, dinner somehow tastes better outside, and if we’re lucky, we can eat on the deck while the sun goes down. It’s one of my favorite parts of the season!

That’s exactly what inspired this Hot Grill Summer SVG. It’s a fun play on words that’s perfect for all the women who love to fire up the grill. Because let’s be honest, barbecue designs seem to be aimed at dads about 99% of the time. Where’s the love for the women who are flipping burgers, smoking ribs, making the perfect grilled veggies, or insisting they’re “just checking” the food every five minutes?

This design is part of a larger collection of women-themed BBQ SVGs because I thought it was about time we had some fun grill designs of our own! Whether you’re the designated grill mistress or just like hanging out by the barbecue with a spatula in one hand and your favorite summer drink in the other, this one’s for you!

Perfect for Backyard BBQ Season

Whether you’re hosting the neighborhood cookout, bringing the potato salad to a family barbecue, or just making Tuesday night burgers on the deck, this SVG is a fun addition to your summer crafting.

It’s also perfect for girls’ cookouts, camping trips, tailgates, and anyone who believes grilling isn’t just a “dad thing.”

What You Can Make With This File

• BBQ t-shirts and tank tops
• Grilling aprons
• Tote bags for cookout supplies
• Tea towels for the outdoor kitchen
• Tumblers for your favorite summer drink
• Gifts for the grill-loving women in your life

Machine Compatibility

This free grilling SVG includes formats for all major cutting machines and crafting software:

• SVG for Cricut, Silhouette (Designer Edition), and more
• DXF for Silhouette Studio Basic Edition
• PNG for sublimation or digital projects
• JPG for quick prints or framed art

Get the Free File

Want access to this free file? Join my FREE craft library! All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below. The file number is: C543.

Get Even More Cut Files Inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club

If you love seasonal projects, funny designs, and personalized gifts, there’s so much more waiting inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club! With over 2,500+ crafting files, including SVGs, sublimation prints, laser files, and printables, you’ll always have something new to make.

Every file is designed by a real person (hi, it’s me!) who understands crafting files and created every design—not AI—so they actually work when you go to cut them.

As a member, you’ll get:

• Brand new crafting files every month
• Early access to seasonal and holiday files
• A commercial license for up to 500 handmade items per design

Join today for just $10/month or $100/year and keep your craft room stocked with fresh projects all year long!

The post Hot Grill Summer Barbecue SVG appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

It’s not every year that a country turns 250!

In 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, and whether you’re planning a big Fourth of July gathering or just looking forward to a summer filled with sunshine and friends, it feels like a fun excuse to commemorate the occasion. That’s exactly what inspired our The Summer America Turned 250 SVG.

Because honestly, when I think about summer celebrations, I don’t immediately think about history books. I think about backyard barbecues, popsicles melting faster than you can eat them, kids running through sprinklers, evenings that stay light forever, and gathering with friends and family whenever the weather cooperates.

This SVG is designed to capture that fun, carefree summer energy while marking a unique milestone!

What You Can Make With This File

• Fourth of July t-shirts
• Backyard barbecue décor
• Pool party signs and decorations
• Tote bags for summer outings
• Tumblers and drinkware
• Family reunion shirts
• Picnic and camping gear

The design works well on everything from matching family shirts to party décor, and it pairs perfectly with your favorite red, white, and blue color palette.

Machine Compatibility

This free patriotic SVG includes formats for all major cutting machines and crafting software:

• SVG for Cricut, Silhouette (Designer Edition), and more
• DXF for Silhouette Studio Basic Edition
• PNG for sublimation or digital projects
• JPG for quick prints or framed art

Upload, cut, and celebrate the summer America turned 250!

Get the Free File

Want access to this free file? Join my FREE craft library! All you need is the password to get in, which you can get by filling out the form below. The file number is: C542.

Get Even More Cut Files Inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club

If you love seasonal projects, holiday crafts, and fun designs that help you celebrate life’s big moments, there’s so much more waiting inside the Hey Let’s Make Stuff Club! With more than 2,500+ crafting files, including SVGs, sublimation prints, laser files, and printables, you’ll always have something fun to make.

Every file is designed by a real person (hi, it’s me!) who understands crafting files—not AI—so they actually work when you go to cut them.

As a member, you’ll get:

• Brand new crafting files every month
• Early access to seasonal and holiday files
• A commercial license for up to 500 handmade items per design

Join today for just $10/month or $100/year and keep your crafting fun, creative, and ready for every season!

The post Free America 250 SVG File appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.