Professional Heat Press Review

DK20S: The Best Professional Heat Press for Sublimation?

A closer look at the build, controls, warranty, and sublimation performance of Geo Knight's popular 16 x 20 swing-away press.

Built to Last

A Popular 16 x 20 Professional Heat Press

I have a 50-year-old Sears Craftsman 5-horsepower, 12-inch table saw that I purchased years ago at an industrial sale. After decades in a high-volume cabinet shop, it ended up in mine for $400. It is a beast of a machine and still cuts raw wood beams like butter.

I love tools built that way—just as I love my Geo Knight DK20S heat press, which sits across the shop from that old saw. I suspect that in another 30 or 40 years someone else may have my DK20S in their shop, and it may still work just as it does now.

That is because DK20S presses are built like the old saw: built to last.

DK20S Professional Heat Press

The Digital Knight DK20S is Geo Knight & Co.'s flagship 16 x 20 swing-away heat transfer press. Established in 1885, Geo Knight has manufactured industrial press machinery and die-cutting equipment for more than a century and has specialized in heat-transfer press equipment for commercial, private, and industrial use for over four decades.

The DK20S combines a heavy-duty, solid-steel industrial pressing frame with accurate, easy-to-use electronics. It gives operators the controls and equipment needed for a broad range of modern heat-transfer applications.

This is one of the most popular 16 x 20 machines in the industry and is known as a high-end workhorse among swing-away presses. A 20 x 25 version is available as the DK25S, and an air-operated automatic version is offered as the DK20SP.

Geo Knight DK20S Features

All-Thread™ table-loading design
Digital temperature control from 32° to 600°F
Automatic timer and dual pre-press timer
Digital pressure bar graph
70 programmable presets
Solid-steel welded framework
Interchangeable and rotatable tables
SuperCoil-Microwinding™ heater technology
Accommodates materials up to 2 inches thick
Temperature accuracy of approximately ±2°F
Selectable Fahrenheit or Celsius display
User-selectable end-of-cycle alarms
Pressing-cycle counter
Teflon-coated, 3/4-inch-thick heat platen

DK20S Warranty and Specifications

Warranty

Free lifetime technical support
Lifetime warranty on the heat platen
Five-year warranty on the frame
Three-year warranty on the controller
One-year warranty on parts

Specifications

Weight: 200 pounds
Electrical: 1800W / 15A / 120V
Shipping dimensions: 40" D x 18" W x 16" H
Add $35 for 220V international configuration

Is the DK20S a Sublimation Heat Press?

Yes. The swing-away design gives the operator full access to the pressing table with a turn of the handle, making it well suited for arranging sublimation substrates and transfers.

The heat platen uses SuperCoil-Microwinding heater technology. Embedded heater windings are placed tightly throughout the platen to promote even heat, fast recovery, and quick warmup.

Swing-Away Access

The top moves away for unobstructed loading.

Even Pressure

Consistent contact across all four corners.

Even Heat

Stable temperature across the platen.

Digital Controls

Repeatable time and temperature settings.

Steel Construction

Designed for demanding production use.

Made in USA Heat Press

Geo Knight heat presses have supported thousands of sublimation and heat-transfer businesses over the past four decades. They are built as dependable production tools that stand up to the demands of an imprinting business.

Proudly made in the USA and used by professionals worldwide, the DK20S swing-away press is built to serve a business for many years.

After all this talk about it, I may head to the shop and press a few shirts. I know I will get consistent results on every one—and the DK20S is not nearly as loud or dusty as my old table saw.

View the Geo Knight DK20S