Cricut Mug Press: Tried & Tested. Is it worth your cash?
The latest innovation from Cricut allows you to make professional-quality mugs with smooth transfers and long-lasting results. We asked Emma Jewell to give us a run-down of this new machine and share some projects to see what it can do.
What is so great about the Cricut Mug Press?
The joy of making things is not only in the process but also in enjoying your finished project, whether that’s gifting it to a friend or something you can use yourself. With the Cricut Mug Press the satisfaction levels are off the charts! We’ve loved the fact that we can create our own mug designs and then enjoy the warm cosy glow of maker-satisfaction every time we sip our favourite beverage! And they’re so ridiculously easy to make we just can’t stop!
How does the Cricut Mug Press work?
It couldn’t be simpler – you design, cut or draw, attach to the mug blank and press. That’s it.
There are handy templates in the Cricut Design Space™ app that help you to choose a design that fits perfectly to your chosen mug. Cricut has 12oz and 15oz mugs available, so you choose the shape of your template, and then your mug blank size, before adding other elements to your design in the canvas screen in the app. Simply attaching any images or fonts to the template mean that the machine will cut out the shapes.
What’s in the box?
- Cricut Mug Press
- Power cord
- USB cable
- Welcome envelope with starter guide and warranty information
What else is needed for the Cricut Mug Press?
The greatest possibilities come when you pair the Cricut Mug Press with one of the electronic die-cutting machines available from Cricut. The Cricut Maker, Cricut Explore or Cricut Joy – and the Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets.
Infusible Ink pens are also available, meaning your machine can draw intricate line drawings for you to apply to your mug. In the Cricut Design Space you can filter image search results by line drawing to find thousands of designs. Alternatively, you can hand-draw a design and apply it to a mug, and for that you wouldn’t need a cutting machine for your mug projects. Whether you’re machine drawing or hand drawing, you just need everyday copy paper for your pen designs.
Compatible products to use with the Cricut Mug Press
Infusible Ink transfer sheets
Think of them as ink, but in a solid, paper form. The pre-inked sheets are available in solid colours and a wealth of different patterns
Infusible ink pens
Choose from a variety of colours, tips and line weights.
Cricut Mug Blanks (12oz or 15oz)
You can use other mugs in the Cricut Mug Press, but they must be ‘sublimation’ blanks with the special coating to allow the Infusible Ink sheets and pens to infuse into the mug itself
Cricut Infusible Ink blanks
Including coasters, wine bags, totes and even T shirts available for use with Infusible Ink – the perfect canvases for your endless creative ideas!
How to use the Cricut Mug Press
Before you use your Cricut Mug Press you will need to connect it to a power source and also use the USB cable to connect the press to a laptop or computer. This will register your machine and provide the latest firmware update.
When it comes to creating a mug it’s a really simple process. You need to wrap your design – transfer sheets or pen drawing – around the mug, slot it into the machine and then press the lever and wait for all five lights to come on indicating that it’s finished. There’s a handy beep when it’s done too.
My top tip is to ensure the design is lined up with the base of the mug and pull it as tight as possible around the sides. Wrinkling or bubbles in the wrap will affect the quality of your finished design. If you’re using small shapes or copy paper with the pens, heat resistant tape is going to be essential to make sure your design stays in one place and transfers cleanly onto your mug.
When the mug is finished, you’ll need to let it cool down before removing your design. As well as it being too hot to touch, it can also lead to ‘ghosting’ of your design if you move the design too soon. This is the hardest part as at this point you just want to see your completed mug! It’s worth the wait though as once it’s done you’ll have a professional looking mug, the design will be seamlessly infused into the special ceramic coating and it is even dishwasher safe!
Our Verdict
When making personalised mugs is this easy, you’ll want to make more than your cupboards can cope with so as well as gifting them to friends and family, or starting a side hussle and selling them, we came up with some new ways to use our mugs around the home. They also make great plant pots, measuring devices for ingredients in recipes, a pet food scoop or would make a wonderful cookie baking gift filled with flour, sugar, oats, choc chips and marshmallows with a recipe on the side.
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Now give it a try! 3 FREE PROJECTS
Put your Cricut Mug Press to work with these fun projects, designed by Emma Jewell. Emma shows you three different ways to use your machine for wonderful results.
- Candle holder mug using Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets
- Monogram mug using Infusible Ink Pens
- Pen pot using scraps of Infusible Ink Sheets