A few years ago I discovered Shortcut Sheets (no affiliation) for making lots (70) of HSTs at a time, already trimmed and ironed flat, with the dog ears removed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A91W0tUTFyg
Here are some of the things I've made this way-
I usually use my ruler to check on whether the HSTs are exact.
It takes a bit more time, but since the units are already pressed and trimmed, it's worth it. You don't need to make them all the same. By using different fabric in every other strip, you can get a scrappy look.