DuoForge is an automatic cap heat press with independently heated top and bottom platens, built for pressing leather, leatherette and PVC patches onto structured trucker caps like the Richardson 112, 115 and 168. It closes and opens on its own, warms the patch glue from behind through the cap fabric, and uses a top platen that spans the full front of the cap — so thick patches bond edge to edge, without the side lines and creases common on single-heat presses.
The silicone base is one of five changes. It works together with the larger platen, the matched curves and the bottom heat.
Just load, set, and let it work.
The DuoForge closes and opens automatically at the pre-set time, transforming speed and workflow efficiency — no manual effort, no mistiming, no fatigue.
The DuoForge is engineered for portability without compromising performance. At about 18 lb (8.3 kg), it is light and compact enough to transport, set up, and store with ease.
Designed specifically for mobility, the DuoForge is an ideal solution for hat bars, pop-up shops, craft fairs, live events, and on-site customization. Its small footprint allows it to fit comfortably on limited workspaces while still delivering consistent dual-heat performance.
One recipe for every patch: 300°F top / 320°F bottom. Pre-heat the cap for 25 seconds without the patch, then position the patch and press for another 25 seconds.
Because this machine is offered at a special introductory rate, other promotions, coupon codes, or discounts do not apply.
Additionally, this product is not eligible for free shipping due to its size and weight.
The DuoForge isn’t your average press, and its purchase process isn’t either. Occasionally, a storewide discount or shipping promo might try to slip through. If that happens, we’ll contact you directly to make sure your order reflects the correct total. Transparency is part of our craftsmanship.
DuoForge is covered by a 1-year warranty.
Please keep the original box and protective packaging — they’re required for any warranty service or return shipping.
If a replacement box is needed later, a $60 repackaging fee will apply.
Keeping your original materials ensures the machine’s safety and full warranty coverage.
Born in the spirit of the forge, DuoForge brings the same principles to modern hat pressing: Controlled heat, engineered alignment, and results built to last.
100% Automatic
Just load, set, and let it work.
Dual Heat
Independent top and bottom platen temperature control delivers heat exactly where you need it.
Lightweight
Built for hat bars, pop-ups, and mobile creators.
We hear it a lot — and it’s a fair question. The short answer is no. From across the room, DuoForge looks like other automatic cap presses on the market. Up close, every part that touches your hat was re-engineered for one job: pressing thick leather, leatherette and PVC patches onto structured trucker caps, cleanly, every single time.
Similar pressesThe hot plate is narrower than a structured cap’s front, so its edges press into the front panels and can leave visible lines where the heat stops.
DuoForgeA top platen with 35% more heated area reaches across the full width of the front, so its edges land past the side seams — even heat across the front, no edge lines.
Similar pressesA generic, one-size-fits-most curve presses hard in the center and floats at the sides — uneven pressure, lifted edges, creases.
DuoForgeTop and bottom were reshaped as a matched pair around the tall, structured crown of trucker caps like the Richardson 112, 115 and 168. A bigger plate only works if the curve matches — so we changed both.
Similar pressesTop heat only. Leather, leatherette and PVC insulate, so heat has to push through the whole patch to reach the glue — a hotter plate or a longer press, and more risk of scorching, shine or warping the face.
DuoForgeA heated lower platen with its own temperature control warms the glue from behind, through the thin cap fabric. Our standard recipe runs 320°F underneath and 300°F on top — the most heat goes to the glue, not the patch face.
Similar pressesBuilt around thin transfers like HTV and sublimation. A 3 mm patch is about 8× stiffer than a 1.5 mm one — with light pressure its edges don’t bond, and they lift later.
DuoForgeWe improved the pressure for thick American-style patches — leather, leatherette, PVC — so the whole patch, edges included, bonds in one cycle.
Similar pressesA thin foam pad on a rigid form that curves side to side only. The cap front curves both ways, so the structured front folds over the form’s edge — the classic crease people fight with socks and towels.
DuoForgeA rounded, cushioned silicone dome fills the crown and supports it like a head would, so the cap keeps its shape. The base also slides front to back, so the plate never catches the brim.
Dedicated dual-heat cap presses typically sell for $770–$2,050.*
DuoForge brings automatic open-and-close, heat from both sides and curves built for trucker caps to a small-shop price.
DuoForge answers yes to all five — for $349.
★★★★★“My old press would always crease the hats… they came out flawless.”
★★★★★“I got through 75 hats in no time. No marks really.”
★★★★★“Game changer with the dual platens — must have when pressing patches.”
No. The silicone base is one of five changes. DuoForge also has a top platen with 35% more heated area that spans the full width of the cap front, curves redesigned top and bottom for structured trucker caps, a heated lower platen with independent temperature control, and pressure improved for thick leather, leatherette and PVC patches.
Bottom heat helps the glue, but it can’t fix a plate that’s too small or a curve that doesn’t match a trucker crown — the two main causes of side lines and uneven pressure. A soft pad smooths out small gaps, not the several millimeters a mismatched curve leaves at the edges, and DuoForge’s silicone base is shaped for its own curvature.
The glue sits on the back of the patch, against the cap. Leather, leatherette and PVC insulate, so top-only heat has to push through the whole patch to reach it. DuoForge’s heated lower platen warms the glue from behind, through the thin cap fabric, so the top can run gentler on the patch face.
One recipe for every patch: 300°F on top and 320°F on the bottom. Pre-heat the cap for 25 seconds without the patch, then position the patch and press for another 25 seconds.
The curves are matched to structured trucker caps like the Richardson 112, 115 and 168, and DuoForge works well with other cap styles too. It presses leather, leatherette, PVC, embroidered and other thick patches.
So you can position each cap exactly where you want it. The base moves front to back, so the top plate never catches the brim.
It plugs into a standard US 120 V outlet and draws 450 W in total. At about 18 lb (8.3 kg), it’s light enough for events, pop-ups and mobile hat bars.
Yes — a 1-year warranty. Keep the original box and protective packaging; they’re required for warranty service.
Backed by a 1-year warranty.
*Based on a November 2026 survey of 15 US listings of dedicated cap presses with a heated lower platen. “35% larger” compares the heated area of DuoForge’s top platen with the plate of a popular single-heat automatic cap press. “Similar presses” refers to popular single-heat automatic cap presses sold in the US. Results depend on cap style, patch material and settings.
Recommended Add-On
Recommended Add-On
Place the hat over the adaptive silicone base. It naturally hugs the curve, holding the hat in the perfect pressing position.
Set the top and bottom temperatures independently. Choose your press time. Lock in repeatable perfection.
Initiate the cycle and let DuoForge take over. It closes, presses with precision, and opens automatically.
Find answers to common queries about our services, pricing, and support to help you make informed decisions with confidence.
Yes — DuoForge’s engineered curvature was designed to align perfectly with popular Richardson models such as 112, 115, 168, and similar structured hats.
Independent top and bottom heating allows precise control for materials like thick leatherette patches, PVC, leather patches, embroidery, and any other thick patches - without burning or imprinting the hat.
Set your temperatures and timer, load the hat, and press start. DuoForge closes on its own, presses with consistent pressure, and opens automatically when the timer ends.
DuoForge is built to prevent them. The heated top platen spans the full front width, so there's no edge line on the side panels. The curves are matched to trucker crowns, so pressure stays even. And the round silicone base supports the crown from inside, so the front keeps its shape.
Absolutely. Its lightweight, compact build makes it ideal for hat bars, markets, pop-ups, or any creator on the move.
Overall rating: 4.8 / 5 from 305 reviews.
Arrived quickly and I immediately set it up and pressed a few hats. I’m very happy with how well it performs and how much of an improvement it is from my old hat press!
So far a great product
Package was received quickly. Everything was packaged nicely and arrived safely. Everything seemed to be improper working order and easy to read and interpret instructions. I'm excited to see what return it brings my business!
Great!! Love it, super easy to operate and adjust temps once you get the hang of it! Does a really good job
Pretty cool. I've wanted one of these that heated from top and bottom. Really gets it done.
Great machine!
Works great! Makes my little side hustle more profitable!
Duo forge works great. I'm just beginning this hobby but I'm glad already that I started with a quality hat press.
Absolutely love the machine. Well done Patch Crafters. Consistently provides quality results time after time. No more wasting time, money, and hats just to be wasted. We are very satisfied.
Very impressive. Heats up faster than any press I’ve ever owned. With a little finesse I was even able to pull off a dtf print on a Richardson 112 6 panel.
This is my first hat press and it was very easy to learn. I love the simplicity of it and I always get great results when using it. I love that its double heated without the price of the others I've reviewed.
Love this press! This is my first nice hat press and I’m glad I chose this model. Works great, price point was fantastic for a small business owner.
Great slim compact design! Love the dual lower and upper heat settings. Perfect for leather patches. So much more more affordable then any other dual heat products out there. Would buy again!
I do not know how else you guys can improve given the issue. I am having other than figure Ringe out why it will not hold temperature and correcting that issue other than that you guys have been great.
This thing Rips! I got through 75 hats in no time. No marks really. Looks good. Good heat and pressure. I would buy it again.
I was excited to find something both portable and with a dual plate for hat patches. I knew the trusty Richardson caps would be fine, but I have been dreaming up different designs on the performance caps that have the dry fit mesh backs and a rope which can cause issues when clamping down. I was concerned they either wouldn't stick or would burn the caps. Between the rubber mats, adjusting the heat plates and playing with the placement - we got it! These are pictures of a quick idea run and but we had an even press and the patch stuck firm and lasted through fishing, outside in the heat and sweat.
I'm loving the dual press and still playing with temps for different hats we use. @pinCgatorgear
I have fought pressing hats for the past 5 years, my old press would always crease the hats unless I added socks or other items to try and stop it from creasing. I just did a test press on a couple of my Richardson hats and they came out flawless. Super happy with the duoforge and highly recommend it. Ease of use was awesome. The dual heated platters makes placing hat patches so much easier since they stick in place before final press. Outstanding product.
First time ever using a heat press of any kind. Tested on this hat with my logo. The unit was very easy to use and works great!!
First time every using a heat press of any kind. Unit was very easy to use and worked great!!
best thing ever
Very easy to use and operate. One suggestion is don’t forget a silicone mat while pressing because I accidentally forgot a couple time already and ruined some pvc patches.
Delivered sooner than expected and filled three orders in just a few hours. Amazing machine.
Love it
Super easy to use. I am just starting out and I had a different hat press but I kept getting creases. I am sure it was used error but since I bought this press I have yet to get any creases and the patch is locked down perfectly!! Great Product!
The Hat Press is super simple to operate. Will make my life way simpler than using an Iron.
Love my duoforge. Bought it for a 80 piece cap order and also used it to press patches on koozies. Easy to operate. A 15 second press then. 30 second press perfection.
Worked good
I upgraded from the vevor 4 and 1 heat press, I was using a cricut hat pressing form to help reduce any lines when pressing. It was working great, but very time consuming. I saw that this press was on sale and greared towards the Richardson 112s, which is mostly what o have been using. I have only done 2 hats so far on this press. Still need to get some setting down to get a good press. I am having issues with the top of the leatherette patch adhering properly. And the bottom platen moves which not sure what that is for. With that all being said, I haven't had much experience with the press so far, but I chose to buy this based on the facebook advertising about it being the best for Richardson 112 hats.
Love it. Worked great right out of the box. First hat off this press, sample hat with leatherette patch with DTF lettering. Works so much better than our Amazon special.
This thing is fantastic. Makes running multiple presses at once a breeze. The fit on the plate is also spot on.
Worked perfectly
Independent heat control, and upper arm coming straight down are my favorite features, still getting my temps and timing down. Very happy with this addition to my hobby shop
Im a first time hat press user, and this went awesome! The set up, and learning curve were super easy!
Processed 50 hats in 1/4 the time as my BBB prior press
This machine is great! For the price you can’t beat it. Don’t waste your money on a vevor or anything cheap.
Game changer with the dual platens - must have when pressing patches - I also like the fact the lower platen is shaped to match Richardson 112 hats - and other stile hats -
Exceptional service by patch crafters. Shipping was quick, package arrived in good condition. Couldn’t wait to press my first hat with the DuoForge! This machine is exceptional and very well priced! Great job Patch Crafters!
First hat, fast, easy, and best of all no creases in my hat
We love the Duoforge hat press, especially the automatic opening and the dual heat platen. Sometimes I am concerned that there’s not enough pressure when it presses because I often have to press it twice.
