Button Maker Kit Comparison

We sell button and pin maker machines, so read this knowing that. We have also bought and run the import machines ourselves, and we take the phone calls from people who bought one first. Everything here is what we have seen.

Import vs. Professional Button Maker

Where the Cheap Machines Actually Fail

What the Cheap Machine Does Well

It is fair to say: if you want 50 buttons for one event, an import machine will probably get you there for under $100 including parts, and that is less than a quarter of what our kit costs. The supplies that come in the box are cheap, and if you never need to reorder, the sizing problem never bites you. Before buying anything for a one-time project, it is also worth calling your local library: many public libraries keep a button maker in their makerspace for patrons to use.

The math changes the moment you are making buttons for other people, on a deadline, or more than once. A fundraiser that loses one button in ten to bad crimps has lost a tenth of its margin. A library program that cannot get matching supplies mid-summer is stuck. A machine that cracks in year two means buying twice.

What Makes a Button Maker Worth Buying

Not all button machines are built the same way. Here is what to look for, and how ABM machines are built on each point.

• All-steel construction. Our machines are made from steel, not plastic or composite parts, yet stay light enough to carry to events and classrooms.
• A patented two-step press process. Make a button in under 5 seconds, several hundred buttons an hour once you find your rhythm.
• Cam-on-roller design. Minimal physical force to operate, which is why our machines run in schools and libraries: kids can press buttons safely.
• No compression rings on the dies. Our center-pivot design uses metal dies with no compression rings to wear out, fall off, or misalign, a common failure point on other machines.
• Stable, mountable base. A low center of gravity keeps the machine from tipping, and built-in mounting holes let you secure it to a table for high-volume runs.
• A lifetime warranty against defects. Machines built to be repaired and kept, not replaced.

Watch the Difference

The clearest way to compare button makers is to watch them work. The first video shows a typical imported 3-in-1 button machine. Around the 2:40 mark, note how long it takes to seat the photo and mylar in the die properly, and how much force the press takes. The back of the machine lifts off the table.

Now watch an American Button Machines press in use: supplies load directly in front of the operator, the dies swivel on a center axis, and the press completes with an easy pull.

Design: Where the Speed Comes From

American Button Machines press:

Typical imported button machine:

On an ABM press, button supplies load directly in front of the operator. The two hardened steel, nickel-plated lower dies swivel on a center axis: load the parts, rotate each die under the upper die, pull the handle, and the button is pressed. No sliding back and forth, no re-aligning between presses. That center-pivot design is how the machine produces a button in as little as five seconds.

Slide-style machines work differently: the dies must be pushed from left to right to load supplies, then slid back again to remove the finished button and reload. Every button means extra movements, and on a long run, those movements add up. Our lower dies are securely fastened to the rotating plate so they cannot drift; the dies land aligned under the upper die every single press.

What We Found Inside an Imported 3-in-1

We purchased a typical imported 3-in-1 button machine and took it apart. Here is what we documented.

Dies Resting in Soft Aluminum

The sliding dies on the machine we examined were not fastened down. They sat in shallow holes in a light aluminum plate, held in place by gravity, with two screws acting as end stops. In the photo above you can see the result: the heavy steel dies had already worn the round alignment hole into an oblong one. Those holes are all that keep the dies aligned with the upper die, and once alignment goes, so does every button you press.

A Cast Handle Mount

Most of the pressing force in any button machine transfers where the handle meets the body. On the machine we opened up, the handle threaded into a cast aluminum fitting rather than solid steel. Castings are made by pouring liquid metal into a mold, an inexpensive process that is not as strong as machined steel, and the soft threads can strip if the handle is ever screwed in at an angle. When that part fails on an imported machine, finding a replacement is the next problem.

A Frame That Is Not What It Looks Like

The machine appeared to be all steel. It was not: an internal metal frame was covered in thick molded plastic, then painted. The tall tower shape also put the weight up high. The base plate was plastic, and pulling the handle lifted the back of the machine off the table. A press should not need to be wrestled.

The Real Cost Over Time

• Repurchasing the machine itself. Plastic components, sliding dies, and replaceable dies tend to be the largest failure points on import machines, and when one of those fails, many owners end up buying a whole new machine rather than repairing the one they have.
• Finding supplies for it later. Import machine providers change frequently, and when the seller you bought from disappears, matching shells, mylar and backs to your machine gets challenging. ABM stocks the full supply lineup for every machine we sell, year after year.
• Wasted graphics and ruined art. An inconsistent press produces more failed buttons, and every failed button takes a printed graphic with it. If you are pressing one-of-a-kind artwork or photos, a misaligned press can ruin something you cannot reprint.

Upkeep on an ABM press is simple: a drop of 3-in-One oil every 1,000 to 5,000 buttons, or about every six months with light use. A press that makes every button correctly for as long as you own it is the cheaper machine by the second year for anyone making buttons in real quantity.

One Machine, Paper, Photo, or Fabric

Built for Schools, Libraries & Programs

The cam-on-roller design takes so little force that students can press their own buttons safely, which is why ABM machines run in school art rooms, library maker spaces and summer reading programs across the country. The low center of gravity and mounting holes matter here too: a machine bolted to a program table with a line of kids behind it should not tip, wobble or wander. We accept purchase orders and tax exemptions from schools, libraries and government agencies. See our guide to the best button maker for schools, browse our school kits and library kits, or see our professional mounted button maker systems for a permanently mounted setup.

Which ABM Machine to Start With

Every machine we sell also makes more than pinback buttons: magnets, keychains, mirrors and more, depending on the size. See what you can make for the full list by machine, or compare every button making kit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best button maker machine?

The best button maker is the one built to last: all-steel construction, metal dies fastened in place, no compression rings to wear out, and a warranty that stands behind it. American Button Machines presses are built to each of those standards and carry a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

Is an affordable pin maker machine worth it?

If you need a few dozen pins one time, check your local library first: many public libraries have a button maker in their makerspace that is open to the public. An inexpensive import or a custom button shop can also do the job. If you will make pins again and again, the import's weak points tend to show up: dies that sit loose and wear out of alignment, a cast handle mount, plastic parts, and supplies labeled the same size that often do not fit unless you buy them from the original seller. An ABM press costs more up front, is made in the USA, carries a lifetime warranty against defects, and runs on supplies we have stocked since 2005.

Will your 2.25" parts work in my Vevor or 58mm machine?

Typically no. A 2.25" American Standard button is 57.15mm. Import "58mm" machines are built to a metric specification, and in button making a single millimeter is the difference between a button that crimps and one that does not. The mismatch is enough to jam the die or leave the button uncrimped. If you are not sure what you have, call us before ordering.

Is a 3-in-1 button maker a good deal?

A 3-in-1 gives you three sizes on one die press, and you swap dies to change size. It works, but it has all of the crimp and durability issues of import machines, times three. The dies are the most expensive part of any button machine, so swapping them saves less than it seems. If the press breaks, you lose all three sizes at once, and you can only run one size at a time. Separate machines let two people press buttons side by side.

What size button maker should I start with?

The 2.25" is our most popular size, large enough for photos and detailed designs, and the standard for campaigns and events. Smaller sizes like 1" and 1.25" stretch supply budgets further for schools and giveaways. Our button size guide compares every size at actual scale.

Can one machine make photo and fabric buttons?

Yes. ABM machines can be adjusted to handle different material thicknesses. Buy the paper version, and when you are ready to press photo or fabric buttons, contact us and we will outline the process for getting your machine adjusted.

Are American Button Machines presses really made in the USA?

Yes. Our button makers are made in the USA, and we have offered them since 2005. Every machine carries a lifetime warranty against defects.

What if I buy the wrong size?

You have 365 days from shipment to return it: a full refund within 30 days, store credit after that. The restocking fee is 15% or $9.99, whichever is greater, and the machine must come back in new condition in its original box. See our return policy.

Last reviewed: November 2026