I pressed 40 buttons with a cheap $18 press and then borrowed a $200 one, and now I can't tell if the upgrade is real | Button Makers Lounge

Sage Hall · 2026-10-16T16:05:05.108253+00:00

For the past 6 months I've been using a basic 1 inch button press I got on sale for $18 at a craft store in Reno, and I was pretty happy with it. Then a friend lent me her $200 American-made press and I ran the same 40 designs through both, and I swear the backing shells clicked in tighter and the edges looked cleaner on the expensive one. But here's the thing, is that worth 10x the price for someone like me who just makes pins for friends and a couple local shows? Or is it all in my head because I knew the second press cost more? Would love to hear from folks who upgraded or stayed cheap and why.

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I pressed 40 buttons with a cheap $18 press and then borrowed a $200 one, and now I can't tell if the upgrade is real | Button Makers Lounge - The Design Community Hub