Purchased a new press yesterday.

[Mrteajunkie]

I was going to buy a genie III
but I called MDP and they had an open box press which a customer looked at in the store and didn’t purchase.
It’s a touchscreen digital mug press but pretty basic.

I got it for £114 +vat so I’m well happy with the price and the heat blankets are only £18 each!

so far it seems a solid press and very well built.
Im not sure about the instructions though??

From the instruction sheet.

power on and set heating temp and time to desired levels.
when press starts to beep insert mug and pull handle closed
Timer will start when handle in closed position
when unit beeps remove mug and submerge mug into tepid water.

Now I don’t mean to be a broken record here but is it ok to preheat without a mug in the press?
it doesn’t come with much of an instruction manual.

[mrs maggot]

It does not mean the mug you are about to print use an old misprinted mug in it at all times when it is heating up, use the same one over and over, you need to always put a mug into a press while it is heating to keep the elements longer.

[Mrteajunkie]

That's what i have always done but even in the videos for the product its preheated without a mug in
I have seen many videos now and even freesub showing its use without a mug during preheat!

Im thinking of trying it for a month without a mug inside while it preheats and see how it goes with a spare element to hand as they are only £18.

[mrs maggot]

How very odd then, but like you day if a new element is only £18 you might as well try.

[socialgiraffe]

I have never understood the idea behind keeping an old mug in the press while heating, to me it just never made any sense. I never did this and never had a problem, and still don't when I occasionally use my mug press for something.

[Mrteajunkie]

I have never understood the idea behind keeping an old mug in the press while heating, to me it just never made any sense. I never did this and never had a problem, and still don't when I occasionally use my mug press for something.

thinking about this....

it uses more energy and time heating a cold mug just to whip it out and insert another cold mug.
This surely puts more strain on the heating element when preheating.
And the thermostat would stop the element going over the 180o temp anyway.

So Im hoping this is a new way to do mugs
would save a lot of time.

Does anyone else own one of these st-120 touchscreen presses?
Freesub have them branded also and the st-130 but I don’t know the difference.