Sublimation printing is a relatively new technique that is used for printing different designs on different objects.
It is a very popular technique and is widely used in many different applications areas Sublimation printing is a very popular form of printing because it’s a way of printing on more than just paper.
It’s a great way of printing on a variety of different materials such as cups, shirts, mugs, phone cases, mousepads, and more.
Sublimation printing is a great way of printing something memorable to give out as a gift, as a souvenir, or even just something that people can have around the home.
There are a lot of different types of printers that you can use to print your T-shirts, but you should be aware of the right kind of printer for your business. Here we are going to discuss the best sublimation printer for beginners.
Image | Product | Feature | Price |
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Sublimation Printer
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Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer
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Simple controls Backlit LCD High print resolution |
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Sublimation Printer
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Epson WorkForce WF-7720 printer
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Consume less power 500-sheet capacity Dual trays |
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Sublimation Printer
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WorkForce WF-7210
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Dual side printing Dual trays Wifi connectivity |
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Sublimation Printer
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Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Wireless Printer
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Zero cartridge waste 250-sheet paper capacity Low-cost replacement bottles |
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Sublimation Printer
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Epson SureColor T3170 24” Wireless Desktop Printer
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LCD color screen Prints in 34 seconds Compact design |
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Sublimation Printer
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Brother MFC-J995DW All-in-One Printer
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Mobile device printing Inkvestment tank system Versatile paper handling |
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Sublimation Printer
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Canon 36-Inch Large-Format Inkjet Printer
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Comes with a status monitor High-speed printing Sub-ink tank system |
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Reviews on Best Sublimation Printer
Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer
Best For its Good Setup
The Sawgrass series of digital ink and dyes is an easy way to moonlight as a side business or turn your passion into a profession.
This is an American brand known for its cutting-edge techniques. Its printers are patented and its products come with an industry-best warranty.
The SG500 is one of Sawgrass’ most popular sublimation printers, which makes it ideal for passionate people who want to set up their own large or small-scale sublimation printing businesses.
It comes with free subscriptions to creative software such as Color management and Design Studio Online to design your own prints and make sure they look the best they can on the colored fabrics.
The Virtuoso SG500 will guarantee you awesome-looking products before you send them off to have them made because we tested it out on a Polyester T-shirt first: it not only matched the original digital design but also stuck around individual thread strands of the fabric, resulting in one fit for kings.
What’s a big difference between this printer as compared to other conventional inkjets is that it has an exceptional print resolution, and efficient energy system, and a built-in auto-cutter.
The best part about the auto-cutter is that it can be used for rolling out seamless prints on substrates at different widths – even those as wide as 18”.
So, if you own a graphic design firm or if you happen to run a small business where designing and printing comes across your workload frequently, then this printer can automatically carve out all your printing jobs with incredible speed.
Features
- Simple controls
- Backlit LCD
- High print resolution
- Print surfaces up to 51-inches long
- 2-Year Product Warranty
Pros
Comes with color management
With low startup and running costs, you’ll get your business up and running without blowing your budget. You’ll be making customized products with vibrant HD images – easily, quickly, and efficiently.
WiFi connectivity
The SG500 is backwards-compatible, which means that all peripherals with an SG400 tray can be used in the SG500.
Set up is easy
The setup of this printer is hassle-free. You can easily install your printer by just reading the guide.
Comes with warranty
2-Year Product Warranty with In-House Support. This printer is a product of technology so advanced it will take your breath away
Cons
Does not work best on fabrics
There is a disadvantage while buying this printer that it does not perform printing on fabrics.
Tester says About This Product
Love this printer
“I love my SG 500. It was easy to set up and use straight from unpacking! The print quality is as expected and the support from Sawgrass is outstanding.”
Epson WorkForce WF-7720 printer
Best For its High Volume Printing
The Epson WorkForce WF-7720 is a wireless all-in-one directly printable (cassette) inkjet sublimation printer, letting you print on gloss, semi-gloss, or matte cardstocks and papers.
The WorkForce WF-7720 features direct and wirelessly print with NFC smartphones and tablets, Google Cloud Print and Apple AirPrint compatibility with mobile devices, the ability to scan, copy and fax.
Send projects onto the Epson WorkForce WF-7720 with easy steps that are similar to following commands through your smartphone or tablet.
The Epson printer is great for anyone who doesn’t want to worry about ink. This printer’s high-capacity ink system keeps it working efficiently throughout its lifetime, making only occasional stops to refill the ink.
It can scan surfaces up to 11.7 x 17 and print images up to 13 x 19 with a resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi quality using its four individual inks: yellow, cyan, magenta, and black.
While Epson does make a point about its ink most people are confused about how much it goes for or how much ink it uses in each print.
Features
- Consume less power
- 500-sheet capacity
- Dual trays
- Compatible with window 10
Pros
High volume printing
The Brother MFC-8840PRW offers 500 sheet paper capacity. It also has a dual tray in the front for normal printing, plus a special tray for your specialist A4 or letterhead printing. Additionally, there is a 125-sheet output tray which can be printed from either the front or back of this printer.
Economical
This is budget friendly. If you have less budget you don’t have to worry, go for this printer and you will never regret.
Wireless printing
This multifunction printer comes equipped with a suite of connectivity options – including Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, and NFC.
Auto document feeder
This printer easily scans 11″ x 17″ sheets with the 2-sided Auto Document Feeder.
Cons
Heavy
This printer is heavy and you can’t carry it yourself. You need someone else to help you in carrying this printer
Taster Says About This Product:
Bought for sublimation, works great!!!!
“Top tray fits 13×19 when you remove bracket screws so it hold my 100 sheets of sublimation paper just fine with out having to feed through the top feed behind scanner. Ciss modded sublimation ink tanks mounted fine 🙂 Love and would recomend. Other bad reviews are older and individuals seem weird with what you get for the price!!! I can say this is newer model with slightly differnt design, especially where they redesigned the closure, nothing bad at all!!! Love and would recommend for sublimation, i cannot speak for regular ink jet ink.”
Top tray fits 13×19 when you remove bracket screws so it hold my 100 sheets of sublimation paper just fine with out having to feed through the top feed behind scanner. Ciss modded sublimation ink tanks mounted fine 🙂 Love and would recomend. Other bad reviews are older and individuals seem weird with what you get for the price!!! I can say this is newer model with slightly differnt design, especially where they redesigned the closure, nothing bad at all!!! Love and would recommend for sublimation, i cannot speak for regular ink jet ink.”Top tray fits 13×19 when you remove bracket screws so it hold my 100 sheets of sublimation paper just fine with out having to feed through the top feed behind scanner. Ciss modded sublimation ink tanks mounted fine 🙂 Love and would recomend. Other bad reviews are older and individuals seem weird with what you get for the price!!! I can say this is newer model with slightly differnt design, especially where they redesigned the closure, nothing bad at all!!! Love and would recommend for sublimation, i cannot speak for regular ink jet ink.
WorkForce WF-7210
Best for Its Advanced Performance
The Epson WF-7210 is very similar to the Epson Stylus Photo 1400. Though the printer does not do copying, scanning, or faxing.
It is still able to complete the tasks needed for sublimation printing like print documents and photo prints at a high resolution with vivid color accuracy.
Like the Epson Stylus Photo 1400, you can connect to it using a smartphone or a wirelessly connected laptop.
In addition to these details, one of the features that set this printer apart from others in its class is its ability to switch paper types without hassle so you can use normal paper as well simply by flipping over the rollers at the top of the unit; as mentioned above in our review for this device there are already dedicated manuals with information about how to configure every specific part of this Epson WF-7210 printer.
The controls are streamlined and easy to use and it’s both plug-and-play and fast to install. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, the main reason why this scanner is so popular is its low power consumption, which Epson claims is 80% less than its competitors.
In fact, we tend to agree on this because there’s strong evidence of low heat dissipation, low noise, and very smooth operation overall.
Features
- Dual side printing
- Dual trays
- Wifi connectivity
- Compatible with many devices
Pros
Setup is easy
Setup of this printer is hassle free. You can easily install your printer by just reading the guide. One touch operation is enough for you to take less time
Budget friendly
This printer is cost friendly. You can easily buy this because of less price.
Best ink Cartridge
This printer features a built-in chip or electronic ink cartridge which is replenished automatically when it gets low.
User friendly
As its cost is less and budget friendly and it works best on different surfaces so it is considered as user friendly
Cons
Small LCD
LCD of this printer is small due to this when you click on one option it may open the others options features.
Taster Says About This Product:
“Works great as a sublimation printer”
Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Wireless Printer
Best For its Good Print Quality
The ET-15000 is the world’s first printer that uses EcoTank ink bottles. With the ET-15000, you can refill your printer when the ink runs out without having to buy a full new set of inks each and every time you do.
The ET-15000 is also designed to prevent overfilling mistakes from happening saving you from poorly printed items making use of EcoTank bottle technology which features possible leaks prevented thanks to an automatic locking system on the cartridge which is easy to fill and even easier to use.
The ET-15000 features a digital indicator as well as a physical one in the form of an ink cartridge (which you can see right before your eyes).
Because this printer has these manually operated controls, it’s meant for creative entrepreneurs and small business owners who run a startup and haven’t been in business too long.
This is because you need to be able to use the printer on occasion if you want to really enjoy the benefits it provides.
The cost is relatively higher than other models which may only be justified if you plan on using this particular model regularly.
Although Epson does not advertise it as a sublimation printer, the EcoTank ET-15000 is in fact able to create excellent quality prints on shirts.
When foreign brand sublimation ink is added into the tanks, you can start producing shirts.
There is no need to tweak any of the settings because the WF-7210’s additional space for ink already contains everything you need in order to produce perfect prints on fabric.
This makes it a great choice for an office environment or an office where high volumes of prints are required because of how cost-effective and easy it is to maintain.
Features
- Zero cartridge waste
- 250-sheet paper capacity
- Low-cost replacement bottles
- Front tray
- Rear feed
Pros
High yield ink bottles
EcoTank’s big tanks of ink make the process of replacing ink cartridges, a thing of the past; now saving you both time and money.
Good print quality
This printer delivers the world’s highest-density print head delivering up to 40 million precise dots per second
Product protection
Reliability of protection for your product— get 2-years of warranty upon registration.
Voice printing
Easily print documents without getting your hands dirty! Just say “print” to upload and print your files.
Cons
High cost
High cost is the main disadvantage of this printer and thats why people who has less budget doesn’t prefer this.
Taster Says About This Product:
“Purchased this printer for sublimation. I can’t tell you how much I LOVE this printer! The extra size capacity is a wonderful option, however I’m unlikely to use the full 13×19 sheet. I print mainly 11×17. Print is flawless and feeds perfectly into the machine.”
Epson SureColor T3170 24” Wireless Desktop Printer
Best For its Easy Operation
On a very regular basis, large-format printing can get quite tedious. This is especially true if you’re the type who tends to work in the engineering sector.
But hold your horses, because the T3170 offers a solution for those documenting their work on AutoCAD documents, by allowing them to print directly onto A1 or A3 sized paper from sizeable image formats such as TIFF and BMP, amongst several others.
Not only is this all done at very high speeds of up to 4″ per second, but it also provides stunning 24″ x 400″ direct print capability with superb clarity.
According to Epson, their model can print an A1-sized paper in just 34 seconds. In our tests, which involved printing a plot that took more time than expected, we found the results to be accurate.
We have to commend this brand because ultimately they are catering to people working in different fields of design, architecture, and engineering specifically by downplaying the speed of their machine in order to give us what really matters – high-quality outputs with consistent coloring thanks to the bigger ink cartridges and so on.
Features
- LCD color screen
- Prints in 34 seconds
- Compact design
- Replacement option for ink
- Easy to operate
Pros
Compact design
The sleek, compact design of this printer is a wonderful alternative to bulky ones. The ultra-small footprint of this machine makes it easy to display on any desktop or wall (wall mount sold separately).
Easy operation
Easy to Operate – a 4.5” high definition LCD color touchscreen made for simple usage and gives you the ability to quickly locate any desired print job.
High-capacity cartridges
These ink cartridges can print up to 80 mL black, and 50mL of color. (remember you have to add a period at the end).
Affordable
This printer is Budget friendly. If you have a less budget and proper knowledge of the product then you must buy this printer for easy working.
Cons
Cannot print properly on fabrics
There is a disadvantage while buying this printer that it does not perform printing on fabrics.
Taster Says About This Product:
“I use to print large posters; charts and photos”
Brother MFC-J995DW All-in-One Printer
Best For Its One Touch Connection
Another leading Japanese brand on this list, Brother is best known for its wide range of electronics and electrical equipment.
Perhaps you are aware of this company’s sewing machines and sergers. The MFC-J995DW is a sublimation printer for home use.
It works as a general multifunction device that boasts OCR scanning, faxing, and copying support too!
If you have your own small business to run or if you happen to be working as an admin worker who needs to get things done quickly, making the most out of one device makes much more sense while saving time on setup especially when sublimating.
As if the above weren’t enough, Brother includes a starter set of four ink cartridges with this machine.
The model we tested had black and colored ink, along with the three remaining gray inks (light gray, medium gray, and dark gray).
Features
- Mobile device printing
- Inkvestment tank system
- Versatile paper handling
- Automatic duplex printing
- Document feeder
Pros
Compatible with devices
An exciting development is that you can easily print your photos wirelessly using your mobile devices. Apple mobile devices work with printer brands like Brother and Wi Fi Direct while Google Cloud Print works with printers from many different brands including those from Brother, HP, Canon, Xerox, and Epson.
Easy set up
Setup of this printer is very easy and you don’t have to spend a lot of time for installation.
Automatic document feeder
It comes with automatic document feeder which makes this printer unique.
User friendly
As its cost is less and budget friendly and it works best on different surfaces so it is considered as user friendly
Cons
Unable to do fabric printing
There is a disadvantage while buying this printer that it does not perform printing on fabrics.
Taster Says About This Product:
“There have been many complaints regarding the Brother MFC-J985 in this review section. However, this section is for reviewing the Brother MFC-J995DW, a much improved printer. The only concern I have is about using the NFC feature for printing from my mobile phone. It’s not necessary. When I get to the print screen on my phone I have the option of pressing a button to print. There’s no need to hold the phone up against the NFC point on the front of the printer. I have tested the rest of the features on this printer and each has worked perfectly. I highly recommend it for home office use.”
Canon 36-Inch Large-Format Inkjet Printer
Best For its High Speed Printing
The iPF770 is Canon’s latest model in its popular Pixma series of printers. The company has made a tradition out of making reliable home devices and this one looks to continue that trend with style.
The target audience for this model is those who seek to harness its superior design, excellent output quality, and generous build specifications.
It is therefore an attempt to play catch-up with other similarly-priced products from competitors; the Epson SureColor T3170 we reviewed above is a prime example of how it plans on doing so.
There is also a good option to send print commands via Canon’s cloud portal system, which can come in handy when you have an always-on printer at your office.
If you need to send something to be printed from somewhere else, it can help people stay organized and on time.
But there are professional color printers that have their own remote printing capabilities that can do the same job with greater versatility and flexibility using remote mobile apps.
Those printers may not be able to produce fabrics like the TF-S60342CX, but they make more effective use of their other features by giving users the ability to print from any part of the world–so long as they can connect to Wi-Fi.
It’s even possible for tech professionals to most straightforwardly manage large fleets of small businesses from wherever they are.
Related Post: How to Connect Printer to WIFI?
Features
- Comes with status monitor
- High-speed printing
- Sub-ink tank system
- Economy print mode
- Precision printing
Pros
Affordable
This printer is Budget friendly. If you have a less budget and proper knowledge of the product then you must buy this printer for easy working.
Give best images
The optimal combination of tailor-made color profiles and the latest magenta ink will create the lasting image you need.
User friendly
As a standalone printer or a networked printer, Canon is user-friendly and provides you with the flexibility you need to get things done. With the free Direct Print & Share software, you can upload files from almost anywhere in the world and print documents straight from your iOS device, such as an iPad.
Ink tank system
To maximize versatility, the iPF770 printer has a Media Configuration Tool that can give you optimal usage of your Canon-branded media when creating your desired output. It also allows you to choose between what type of ink tank system will best benefit you depending on how you plan to use your print outs. Additionally, the economy print mode will allow for high-speed printing in case deadlines are a concern.
Cons
Cannot print on thick boards
A huge disadvantage is that it does not works on thick boards. If you want to print on wooden boxes, it will not help you
Taster Says About This Product:
“Once we got the right roll of paper, the printer worked wonderfully!! We are so happy with it, but we’re even happier with the company that sold it to us. They have been a blessing from the start! We definitely recommend the printer!”
Buyers Guide of Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners

Print Quality
When it comes to mass-printing items for both personal and commercial use, being able to ensure that the image is high quality is one of your biggest concerns.
Image quality is important because it may lead to a disparity between what you’re looking for and what ends up being reproduced.
The higher an image’s resolution, the better the final product is going to look. Of course, there are a lot more factors that go into making sure images turn out cleanly than just pixel count.
There are other things you should take into account as well like color saturation and clarity, which will help you make sure all of your printed products come out looking vibrant.
Material Compatibility
Another thing you should make sure of is which materials the printer can work with. Most printers have very specific requirements so it’s extremely important that you match their compatibility to your needs before making a purchase.
Don’t forget! many printers require extra care when printing darker colors since the process might not be entirely perfect so if you intend to print on dark shirts, make sure to scrutinize this feature carefully before buying any.
Longevity of Ink Cartridge
When buying a printer, you should look at the ink supplies it takes. Printers come with different kinds of ink cartridges.
Look for something with a good return policy so that you can return a cartridge if it doesn’t work in your machine and make sure you find out how much each cartridge costs at the shop as well as how long they last to get an idea of what your ongoing expenses will be when it comes to printing your products.
This information is especially important if you want to complete the sublimation process cheaply and efficiently so that you can recover any profits easily.
Connectivity
When thinking about how you’ll connect your computer to your printer, there are plenty of options available to you.
But not all printers will support all options. Most printers with USB ports allow you to connect your laptop directly via USB in order to transfer designs over as quickly as possible.
But some users might prefer the convenience of being able to simply print off their designs right from their phone or tablet and that’s what makes Wi-Fi printing so incredibly user-friendly. It also helps cut down on using potential sources for tech problems like USB sticks.
Related Post: How to Add a Printer to Mac?
Ease of Use
The ideal beginner’s printer should be easy to use and set up, with straightforward menus and software that’s integrated seamlessly with your computer.
FAQs Related to the Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners
What printer can be converted to a sublimation printer?
There is a lot of easy models of Small Format Piezoelectric Thermal Transfer Printers capable of sublimation, especially Epson 3D printers with the EcoTank series.
For instance, the Epson ET2700, ET2800, and whether it’s the ET3750 or ET4700 and so on, Epson EcoTanks are good for sublimation.
Is a sublimation printer worth it?
Sublimation printing allows you to transfer a high-quality image onto a t-shirt, plastic, or paper. This is great overall for fine lines and details as well as all-over printing.
They have low setup costs which make it affordable to do small runs. The print lasts so long that it is unbeatable especially for merchandise.
Can all Epson printers be converted to sublimation?
Converting an Epson EcoTank printer to sublimation will remove the tank section of the printer. This can only be done with a new, unopened model.
All Product Features Comparison
Products | Best | Connectivity Technology | Page Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer | Good Setup | WiFi connectivity | None |
Epson WorkForce WF-7720 printer | High Volume Printing | WiFi connectivity | 500 Sheets |
WorkForce WF-7210 | Advanced Performance | Wireless, Wi-Fi | 500 Sheets |
Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Wireless Printer | Good Print Quality | Wi-Fi, Wireless | 250 sheet |
Epson SureColor T3170 24” Wireless Desktop Printer | Easy Operation | Wi-Fi, USB | None |
Brother MFC-J995DW All-in-One Printer | One Touch Connection | Wireless, USB, Ethernet | 150 sheets |
Canon 36-Inch Large-Format Inkjet Printer | High Speed Printing | USB | None |
Conclusion
Sublimation printing is a new and exciting addition to the data-printing world and is also a totally different approach to printing on-demand.
It is originated in the printing industry as a way to use latex inks to directly print images onto textiles, which require no drying time.
Sublimation printing is now the preferred method of printing on a variety of surfaces, including plastic, metal, glass, paper, fabric, and even chocolate.
Sublimation printers are the future of printing. They are the smartest and most affordable way to print your images onto T-shirts, cups, and other garments.
If you’re thinking about getting a sublimation printer, but aren’t sure which model to get, this blog is the place to learn all the information you need.
I had compiled a list of the best sublimation printers and I come to know that Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Wireless Printer is the best sublimation printer for beginners. I hope after reading this article you will understand about the best printer for beginners.