Best Hot Foil Stamping Machines for a Variety of Mediums

Hot foil stamping machines not might be a necessity to many, but once you get your hands on one, you’re likely going to want to lay your mark on everything. Though most machines can accommodate surfaces that range in material from wood to plastic, leather, and even food, not all machines are created equal, and you might gravitate more toward one than another. Some are handheld, while others are immobile and stick to their sturdy tabletop bases. Many are specifically targeted, like those for PVC credit cards and others for metal dog tags, while more still have the ability to pivot toward oddly shaped or obtusely sized objects. Ahead, find a hot foil stamping machine for your every need—all ARTNews recommended.

This hot foil stamping machine is handheld, which means that it can be maneuvered a little bit better for awkward spaces or less-solid surfaces than standing machines. As such, it weighs less than 3.3 pounds and measures only 13 inches tall. The maximum stamping area is five by seven cm, and the machine heats up to 400°C. It’s the perfect hot foil stamping machine for those quick and easy jobs. With this stamping machine, you can (quite literally) make a mark on nearly everything—from leather and plastic to actual, edible cake!

This embosser is larger scale than many other at-home machines, with a plate that measures up to 8 by 5.3 inches. It’s most widely used for thin embossed surfaces, like dog tags made of aluminum, copper, stainless steel, plastic, and more. The character wheel includes all letters of the alphabet (in uppercase), plus numbers, a slash, and dash. It will produce clean lines with even spacing each and every time.

This stamping machine is an extremely sturdy tabletop model, made of stainless steel, that is ideal for surfaces like leather, PVC, wood, and the like. The maximum surface area on the hot press board is five by seven cm (but the adjustable max height is 22 cm). The machine heats up to 350°C, though the handy machine guide advises that not many surfaces require a temperature much higher than about half that, at 180°C. The machine is safe to stamp on organic, synthetic, and even edible surfaces, with any design of your choosing.

This embossing machine is engineered specifically for PVC cards. Gift cards, credit cards, membership cards, you name it. While there is a 72-character maximum, this embosser can be set up with a handy grid to make sure that you’re placing your words or name accurately. When you’re ready to go, it’s operated by a manual handle, which allows for the utmost control. This machine is so simple, even a child could use it (though, we’re not sure their secret elementary school clubs require embossed cards for entry!). Simply turn the dial to the character you’re looking to stamp, and the lever will do the rest of the work.

This machine heats up super quickly, as it’s designed with two heating tubes, to ensure that the heating time is shortened and the temperature remains most consistent. It boasts a base plate that accommodates surfaces up to five by seven cm, like most standard foil stamping machines, but can (unlike others) print not only metallic foil stamps but also up to three colors at a time. That said, the plate can easily be replaced with ones that measure larger surface areas, if you so choose.