Cricut Mug Press for Beginners: How to Set Up and Make a Cricut Mug!

All about the Cricut mug press! This Cricut mug press how to tutorial shows you how to make customized DIY dishwasher-safe mugs that last the life of the mug!

This is a sponsored post by Cricut. However, all of the opinions and projects are my own.

Have you seen the newest addition to the Cricut family?? I actually have been hoping for this for a while. I always wanted a mug heat press but never pulled the plug and got one, and I’m so glad I waited!

When Cricut held a training on their newest product to hit the shelves, I couldn’t be more excited when they announced that it was a mug press that used Cricut Infusible Ink and is super easy to use!

The Cricut mug press takes personalized gift giving to another level. You all know I love giving sentimental and custom gifts, but some people (especially men) are a bit harder to think of gifts for. But everyone uses mugs!

Those hard to shop for people on your list use mugs for coffee, tea, hot cocoa, ice cream, soup, you name it… everyone uses mugs. And adding a favorite quote, monogram, animal, or image creates a truly unique and cherished gift.

I’ve been playing with my Cricut mug press over the past month and have made way too many mugs so I wanted to share with some tips and tricks of using the machine and some Cricut mugs I have already made.

Here is what we will go over in this post (it’s long and detailed so stay with me!) There is a video and printable instructions at the bottom.

Let’s first talk about this amazing machine and the materials you can use.

How is the Cricut Mug Press different from other mug presses?

Most mug presses are either additions to huge and heavy heat presses or are huge and bulky themselves. The Cricut mug press is small, portable, and doesn’t get hot on the sides.

The Cricut mug press also takes out the guess work of heat settings and times! There are no time, pressure, or temperature adjustments to make. There is only one button to push – the ON button – and the machine does the rest.

This one touch setting applies the optimal amount of pressure and heat to each mug and the time will slightly adjust depending on the ambient temperature.

So now, no need to worry about crafting when it’s super hot or cold in my house. The mechanism in the Cricut mug press figures all that out for me!

Cricut’s patent pending heat plate ensures even pressure all the way around different sized mugs just by pressing down on the large handle.

And the Cricut mug press is pretty and uses my favorite color, teal!

What mugs can you use in the Cricut Mug Press?

As with other mug presses, the Cricut mug presses uses sublimation mugs. Sublimation mugs contain a poly coating that react with ink and heat. Not all sublimation mugs are created equal when it comes to having a very evenly applied poly coating.

So, Cricut has come out with its own line of Cricut mugs specifically for the mug press. These mugs have been thoroughly tested to make sure they offer the best results with Infusible Ink. And I think they are pretty affordable and come in different sizes.

What size are Cricut mugs?

You can find two different sizes of Cricut mugs – 12 oz and 15 oz. Both sizes come in packages of 2, 6, or 36. You can find the 2 and 6 packs at stores, however, the 36 packs will only be available online. 2 pack blanks start at $6.99 for the 12 oz.

You can also find an inside colored 15 oz blank for $5.99. The 15 oz mugs also come with a gift box that you can personalize for the recipient! No extra shopping needed!

The Cricut mugs will also be easy to find at crafting stores and online.

Can you use other mugs in the Cricut mug press?

Yes, you can use other sublimation mugs in the mug press. Again, I haven’t tried any other mugs so I can’t give you any advice on ones that work well.

But again, they need to be sublimation mugs. You can’t just pick up a plain white mug at Dollar Tree or Walmart and expect that it will work. Sublimation mugs are relativity hard to find in stores.

I have a full tutorial on making sublimation mugs with the mug press!

Advantages of Using the Cricut Mug Press

I have posted quite a few tutorials on making sharpie mugs, adding vinyl to mugs, and also using waterslide decals on mugs. The one drawback with all of those mugs is that they are not dishwasher safe.

For some that it is fine, they don’t use dishwashers very often. But I know for the majority of people (because I get a ton of questions on whether the mugs are dishwasher safe) they want to be able to put mugs in the microwave and dishwasher and for the decals to not fall off.

Besides the ease of using the Cricut mug press, another huge advantage is that the colors and images will last the life of the mug. No peeled off or cracked vinyl on these babies!

Throw them in the dishwasher everyday and the colors will not fade… woo hoo, right?

Plus you get to design everything with an easy-to-use mug template in Cricut Design Space and cut with any of the Cricut machines.

What ink to use for Cricut mugs?

The Cricut mug press is designed to work with the Cricut Infusible Ink line of products. So, Infusible Ink transfer sheets, markers, and pens are optimized for the best results.

Cricut Infusible Ink now also comes in small sizes just for the mug press. No more wasted material!

If you have other sublimation inks, they probably will still work, but again the press is not optimized for those.

Also, do not use iron-on vinyl or adhesive vinyl with the press. You can ruin the heat plate.

You can purchase the Cricut mug press at Cricut.com (or if for some reason they sell out, you can find them at Target, Walmart, Amazon, Michaels, Joann, Hobby Lobby, and HSN).

The cost of the Cricut Mug Press is $199 for the regular price. There will be some bundles available at Cricut.com that will make the price a little lower. I’m not sure when it will go on sale or how much a sale price will be!

Ok, so now that you know all about the Cricut mug press, let’s use it!

Setting Up the Cricut Mug Press for the First Time

The first thing you’ll need to do when you get the Cricut Mug Press is to set it up. You will need a laptop or desktop computer for this step!

The Mug Press needs to be able to connect to your computer with a USB port. The Mug Press will come with a USB cable and a connector cable for set up.

The majority of laptops and computers have a USB port, but if you have a Mac sometimes they don’t have one, so you’ll need an adapter. I have this adapter from Amazon and it works well to use with one of my C port.

When you open the Cricut mug press box there will be a step by step pamplet on how to set it up.

Open up Cricut Design Space on a computer and click on the three white lines in the upper left hand corner. You’ll get your settings drop down.

Click on New Machine Setup.

Click on Cricut EasyPress and then on the next screen click on the picture of the mug press.

Then you’ll get a screen that says to plug in the Cricut Mug Press and to turn it on.

The next screen then tells us to connect the Mug Press to the computer. For me, I had to plug the supplied USB cord into my laptop first.

Then I plugged the other end of the cord into the Cricut Mug Press on the backside.

Note: At first I tried to hook the cord into the press first and then my laptop and it wouldn’t work. Not sure if that’s just me or for everyone, but if you are having problems unplug the cord from both the computer and mug press and make sure you first plug the cord into your computer.

Once it reads the machine, click on Continue and you’ll get some screens about updates.

And then one that says “That’s It!” and that’s it, the Cricut mug press is ready to use.

Materials Needed for Cricut Mug Press Project

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links from Shareasale, Cricut, Awin, CreativeFabrica, and Amazon.com. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my links (purple text). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, or the Cricut Joy
• Cricut Infusible Ink for mugs
• Cricut Mug Press
• Cricut Mug – I’m using the 12oz mugs
• lint roller
• EasyPress mat or towel
• heat resistant tape

If you are still deciding on a Cricut machine, check out my post on which Cricut is right for you (compares the Cricut Maker, Cricut Explore family, and the Cricut Joy).

Designing a Mug in Cricut Design Space

Cricut has made it really easy to design the mug within Cricut Design Space with an all in one mug template.

Also, if you are new to CDS, make sure to check out my series of Cricut Design Space 101 tutorials to get started.

Within projects you can find the Mug Design Setup.

Designing a Mug with a White Background

Another mug option, is to cut out images in the color you want them to be and to leave the background of the mug plain (or white).

I like to still use the mug template so I can tell how to size the images I picked. For this mug, I chose a monogram for one side and then a coffee saying for the other.

The mug press plate will press images up to 1/2 inch away from the mug handle so you want to make sure the images aren’t too big and get put too close to the handle.

I placed them over the template so I could make sure the size would fit well.

These images will be cut out like normal, so no need to attach anything.

Save your design and then click on Make It. As with all Cricut Infusible Ink, you’ll want to cut it out in a mirror setting. Click the toggle so the Mirror setting is on.

Select Infusible Ink transfer sheet as your material in the drop down settings and make sure your fine point blade is nice and sharp!

I would like to say this project went off without a hitch from beginning to end, but things were not going in my favor! I forgot to mirror one of the mats and my blade was not sharp enough and didn’t cut through some of the material. It happens to all of us!

However, once I got to actually using the mug press, everything went super smoothly! It was definitely the easiest part!!

Getting the Infusible Ink Ready to Press

I’m using the Infusible Ink packs specifically designed for the Cricut mugs. Lay the transfer sheet on a mat and press it down with clean hands or a brayer.

If you are unfamiliar with using and weeding this material, make sure to check out my full tutorial on using Cricut Infusible Ink, making coasters with Infusible Ink, and applying Infusible Ink onto metal.

Cut the Infusible Ink transfer sheet with any of the Cricut cutting machines.

Remove the sheet from the mat by peeling the mat off the sheet.

Fold the II so it cracks a bit and then start peeling off the excess. If you are using the full wrap, weed out the words and images and the edge. There should be a bottom layer of plastic that sticks out of both sides.

Since my Monogram mug had two colors, I trimmed the plastic as much as I could for the middle words and then just stick it right on the larger plastic backing with the top and bottom words.

You’ll want to trim the designs so there is only about 1/2 inch of plastic on the sides. This helps prevent dust or hair from getting caught under the plastic and getting infused into the mug!

Adding the Infusible Ink to the Mugs

Once the images are weeded, it’s time to apply them on to the mugs.

At this point I like to turn the mug press on since it takes about 5 minutes to heat up. Click on the On button.

The first thing you’ll want to do is lint roll the mug well! I go over mine like three times.

Taping down the single images…

A great tip Cricut gave us was to use a piece of heat resistant tape and tape it across the top of the mug in the center. That way you can center the images using the tape as a guide.

I centered the image so the middle of it was in the middle of the tape. Then I pressed it down really well. The plastic backing is sticky so it will stick to the mug.

Remember you’ll want the infusible ink at least 1/2 inch away from the handle to ensure a great pressed product.

You’ll notice I use a lot of heat resistant tape! You will come to get a feel for what you like to do.

To ensure the sides of the plastic backing are adhered well I tape all the sides.

Taping down the wrap around image…

Now for the wrap around mug. Use the plastic backing as a guide. The tabs will fold over each other under the handle.

I placed my mug upside down on the table and centered the sheet (upside down also) around it so that there were equal margins on each side of the handle.

Then I placed one side down really well and pulled the rest of the sheet as I wrapped it around so that it’s nice and tight. You can watch these steps in the video at the bottom!

Then I went a bit tape crazy and taped the full bottom edge down and the top.

You want to really make sure the bottom is taped down at least. When I first started making mugs, I didn’t tape all of it and I had a few spots that weren’t as vibrant.

How to Use the Cricut Mug Press

Once the mug press is preheated, it will beep and the light on top will turn white (from orange).

I recommend checking with the Cricutheatguide for step-by-step directions for all these parts. The process will differ if you use Infusible Ink markers.

Place the mug in the press with the handle facing out.

Push down on the lever and look at the handle to make sure the plate encloses it with an equidistant on each side.

Now just wait! A mug will take about 6 minutes to finish pressing. More white lights will light as the time progresses until all 5 are lit. Then they will start blinking and the press will beep.

Once it beeps, lift up the lever. Remove the mug by the handle! The handle will be cool to the touch but the rest of the mug is hot!!

Place the mug on an EasyPress mat or towel to let cool for 15-30 minutes.

Now comes the fun part!!! The unveiling…

Pull all the tape off and then remove the plastic backing. I’m sure oohhs and ahhs will escape your lips!

If any of the Infusible Ink stays on the mug, just wipe it away with your finger.

There you have it! Gorgeous, personalized, waterproof, and dishwasher safe DIY mugs that will never peel loose color. Ohhh, the possibilities!!

Mug Press How To Video Tutorial

If you’d like a longer detailed tutorial on how I made the Be Kind and a Mr. and Mrs. mug set, make sure to check out my YouTube mug tutorial here.

To learn more about the new Cricut heat presses, make sure to check out my post on the new Cricut hat press!

If you’d like to save this tutorial on using the Cricut mug press for later or share you can PIN It now! If you are on a desktop hover over the top left of the image below and if you are on a phone simply tap on the image and a PIN It button will pop up to click on!

Here are some printable Cricut mug press instructions.

Thanks for stopping by and have a creative day!