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7 Sublimation Printers With Amazing Print Quality and Ink Efficiency

Create vibrant, bespoke clothing and crockery with the best sublimation printer! The best sublimation printer has proven itself a life-changing gadget for ambitious entrepreneurs and artists alike.
Best Sublimation Printers

Many entrepreneurs use the best sublimation printer to mass-produce printed t-shirts and decorative ceramics, allowing them to kickstart a lucrative at-home business they can easily manage.

Those with an eye for fashion submit their vibrant designs and garments to the fashion world and often become trend-setters overnight. People’s desire to use something tailor-made for them allow these creators to find monetary success in what initially started as a hobby.

The Best Sublimation Printer

As with other manufacturing businesses, having the best equipment at your side is a critical factor behind success. The best sublimation printer will streamline the entire creation process and allow you to create unique designs that people desperately need in their lives.

For clothing, you’ll want to use a mix of white 100% or high-count polyester, spandex, or nylon to get the best results. For other items such as crockery, mousepads, coasters, and more, you’ll want to use a specialist polymer coating to ensure your designs remain durable and vibrant for a long time.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at the best sublimation printers the market has to offer. We’ve hand-picked each of these models from leading brands, considering overall print quality, ease of use, and long-term profit potential.

Best Epson Ecotank Printer for Sublimation

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This best-selling Epson sublimation printer is our top choice for this year.

The ET-15000 is, without question, the best Epson Ecotank printer for sublimation. This model comes with the renowned Ecotank technology, allowing you to print all your sublimations with its easy-to-fill supersized ink tank. Many business owners specifically look for EcoTank models because of their unrivaled ink efficiency, which saves considerable money throughout the years.

This model is also known as the best Epson Ecotank printer for sublimation because of its performance-oriented design. The patented PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology and its auto 2-sided printing design provide more output than most laser models.

Ink Yield Information:

  • Maximum Print Resolution: 4800 x 1200 optimized dpiISO Print Speed:
  • Black: 17 ISO ppm
  • Color: 9 ISO ppm
  • 2-Sided ISO Print Speed:
  • Black: 7 ISO ppm
  • Color: 5 ISO ppm
  • Minimum Ink Droplet Size: 3 ink droplet sizes, as small as 3.8 picoliters
  • 502 Black ink bottle (127 mL)3 yield: 7,500 pages
  • 502 Color (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) ink bottles (70 mL)3 yield: 6,000 pages

The best Epson Ecotank printer for sublimation also features a 250-sheet front tray paper capacity and rear specialty-paper feed, plus a 2. 7″ color touchscreen and hands-free, voice-activated printing. The model has excellent connectivity options, with network-free printing options you can use from your iPad, iPhone, or Android device.

The ET-15000 is the best Epson Ecotank printer for sublimation because it requires no third-party tampering that would otherwise void your 2-year warranty. It’s, without question, an excellent option for small and large businesses that wish to create flawless sublimations.

Dimensions

  • Printing: 19.6″ x 29.6″ x 14.3″
  • Storage: 19.6″ x 14.1″ x 9.6″
  • Weight: 26.46 lb

Best Sublimation Printers: SureColor F170

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This tank-based Epson model specializes in sublimation printing.

The SureColor F170 is one of the best sublimation printers that Epson has ever released. It comes with the brand’s patented dye-sublimation ink technology, making it the first desktop inkjet printer designed for sublimation printing.

The PrecisionCore printing technology guarantees high-fidelity, detailed designs with each print. Coupled with the Precision Droplet Control system, your prints’ color will stay vibrant once they’re sublimated to your high-count polyester surfaces. Here’s a closer look at this 8.5″ x 14″ printer’s specifications:

  • Printing Technology: PrecisionCore microTFP® printhead
  • Maximum Print Resolution: 1200 x 600 dpi
  • Minimum Ink Droplet Size: Variable-Sized Droplet Technology
  • Nozzle Configuration: 784 nozzles; 400 nozzles Black, 128 nozzles x Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow

This Epson model is also one of the best sublimation printers regarding media support and ease of use. The software and hardware setups feel intuitive and can be connected through USB, Ethernet, or integrated wireless.

This sublimation printer also comes with its own Epson Dye Sublimation Ink, widely known for its next-level efficiency and long-lasting properties. An optimal ink yield is a fundamental property for business owners that wish to save money on ink replacements.

The compact design and 150-sheet auto-feed tray also make it one of the best sublimation printers for small workshops and at-home businesses with limited spaces.

Dimensions: 

  • Printing: 14.8″ x 19.8″ x 7.4″
  • Storage: 13.7″ x 13.7″ x 7.4″
  • Weight: 10.2 lb

The Sawgrass Best Printers for Sublimation

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The SG500 remains one of the top-performing printers out there.

Sawgrass has always been known for creating the best printers for sublimation. Back in the day, Sawgrass was the only company with desktop printers designed explicitly for sublimation, which earned their models quite a reputation amongst artists and business owners.

Today, the SG500 is still one of their best-selling models, mainly because of its fantastic, high-definition prints. This Sawgrass model is also one of the best printers for sublimation in terms of precision and quality due to its maximum printing resolution of 4880 x 1200 dpi and 687,754 color catalog.

Here are some of its specifications:

  • Resolution: 4880 x 1200 optimized dpi
  • Output capacity: 200 Sheets
  • Duplex: Automatic
  • Print Size: 8.5 x 14″
  • Connectivity:  WiFi / USB 2.0 High Speed

The SG500 also comes with a 2-year guarantee and lifetime tech support, which makes it one of the best printers for sublimation when it comes to specialized support. According to users, the Sawgrass Print Manager and CreativeStudio Online Designer software suite is practical and easy to use.

The only downside is that its SubliJet UHD Sublimation Inks cartridges are not as efficient as its Epson counterparts. Many consider that Sawgrass models offer higher-quality prints but at a higher individual cost (since their inks are more expensive and consumed at a higher rate).

Lastly, here are the SG500 dimensions.

  • Unit Dimension: 399(w) x 437(d) x 213(h)mm
  • Unit Weight: 14Kg

Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners

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This Epson model is known for its affordable price tag and ease of use.

The Epson ET-2720 is, without question, the best sublimation printer for beginners. It offers the perfect mix of value and convenience, making it an ideal choice for entrepreneurs that want to start their own sublimation businesses.

This Epson sublimation printer comes with an innovative cartridge-free design that will save you considerable money over the years. These high-capacity ink tanks are also easy to refill, allowing you to intuitively replace your ink when it eventually runs out.

The print quality is surprisingly good, thanks to its unique Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology and impressive 9600x2400dpi printing resolution. Here are some of its detailed specs and ink yield:

  • Printing Technology: 4-color (CMYK) drop-on-demand MicroPiezo® inkjet technology
  • Maximum Print Resolution: 5760 x 1440 optimized
  • dpiISO Print Speed:
  • Black: 10.5 ISO ppm
  • Color: 5.0 ISO ppm
  • Minimum Ink Droplet Size: 3 droplet sizes as small as 3 picoliters

Ink Yield Information:

  • 522 Black Ink Yield: 4,500 pages
  • 522 Color (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) Ink Yield: 7,500 pages

The ET-2720 is also one of the best sublimation printers for beginners due to its ease of use and affordable price tag. Entrepreneurs new to sublimation printing might not want to invest too heavily into equipment because they’re still learning the ropes or currently work on a limited budget. This Epson model fits that profile perfectly because it offers high-quality artistic renditions at a fantastic price.

Dimensions:

  • Printing: 14.8″ x 22.8″ x 10.0″ (W x D x H)
  • Storage: 14.8″ x 13.7″ x 7.0″ (W x D x H)
  • Weight: 8.8 lb

Best Epson Printer for Sublimation

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The F570 offers unmatched image quality and ink efficiency.

The F570 is the best Epson printer for sublimation for many reasons: its sublimation-specialized design, professional-quality prints, and unmatched ink efficiency.

Compared to its ET-2720 sibling, the SureColor F570 comes with a specialized approach to sublimation printing. The high-transfer paper for soft and rigid media, 50-sheet auto-feed tray, and a built-in cutter allow you to take your sublimation printing workflow efficiency to another level.

The F570 also delivers stellar print quality. The MicroTFP printhead technology and Precision Droplet Control guarantee that your real-life designs stay true to their digital version.

Check out some of its printing properties:

  •  Printing Technology: PrecisionCore MicroTFP 4-channel, drop-on-demand printhead
  • Maximum Print Resolution: 2400 x 1200 dpi
  • Minimum Ink Droplet Size: Variable Droplet Technology can produce up to three different sizes per line
  • Nozzle Configuration: Color and monochrome heads; 800 nozzles x 4 channels

The F570 is also considered the best Epson printer for sublimation because of its printing right-out-of-the-box design. It comes with the brand’s official dye-sublimation software, a large 4.3″ LCD touchscreen that instantly simplifies tasks, and complete freedom in connectivity choice.

The F570 can be connected via USB, Ethernet, or integrated wireless for maximum convenience around your workshop. It’s also compatible with Windows and macOS.

Dimensions

  • Dimensions: Without Stand: 38.2″ x 20.7″ x 9.6″ (970 x 505 x 230 mm)
  • Weight: Without Stand: 84 lb (38 kg)

Best Sublimation Printer for T-shirts

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The Epson 2760 is designed to maximize profit on each sublimation.

The ET-2760 by Epson is fast, affordable, and incredibly efficient, making it one of the best sublimation printers for T-shirts.

As you might know, several Epson models (like the 4850 and many of the Workforce lines) can technically be used for sublimation. But, using third-party tools to repurpose them will void your warranty with Epson. Many opt to do so anyway and get tremendous value out of this calculated gamble, but I’d personally invest in an Epson model that fully supports sublimation, like the ET-2760.

This super reliable, upgraded version of the 2720 model comes with all the features that small businesses love: stellar ink efficiency, stunning print quality, and a budget-friendly price tag.

Additionally, the ET-2760 comes with auto-duplex printing, a convenient color display, and a built-in scanner and copier. You can print your sublimations, scan important documents and copy all the t-shirt invoices you make for bookkeeping. The ET-2760 is not only the best sublimation printer for T-shirts but also one of the best overall options for startup businesses.

Take a look at some of its most notable features and dimensions:

  • Printing Technology: 4-color (CMYK), drop-on-demand MicroPiezo® inkjet technology
  • Maximum Print Resolution: 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi

Ink Yield Information:

  • 502 Black (127mL): 7,5004
  • 502 Cyan, Magenta, Yellow (70 mL): 6,0004

Dimensions:

  • Printing: 14.8″ x 22.0″ x 10.5″
  • Storage: 14.8″ x 13.7″ x 9.4″
  • Weight: 13.2 lbs

Best Sublimation Printer for T-Shirts

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The SG1000 is an excellent alternative to Epson models.

According to industry veterans, the SG1000 by Sawgrass is one of the best sublimation printers for t-shirts. It’s an upscale version of the SG500 that we covered earlier, and it’s ideal for growing businesses and ambitious entrepreneurs that prioritize quality prints above all.

This printer also comes with two pieces of software: the Sawgrass Print Manager and CreativeStudio. Print Manager is an expert color management software purely designed for sublimation, while CreativeStudio helps you create stunning designs on its exclusive online platform. Together, they help you streamline your workflow and maximize productivity over time.

Here are some of its most relevant specs:

  • Connectivity Technology: Wi-Fi
  • Maximum Print Speed (Black and White): 20
  • Maximum Media Size: 13″ x 51″
  • Manufacturer Series Number: SG1000
  • Printer Output: Color
  • Printer Technology: Dye Sublimation
  • Wireless Communication Technology: Wi-Fi

While the SG1000 is one of the best sublimation printers for t-shirts, it does have a hard time measuring up to the latest Epson Ecotank models. Sawgrass models use SubliJet UHD Sublimation ink cartridges, which are not nearly as efficient as their Epson counterparts. Ink costs tend to add up, and unless you’re charging premium rates for your creations, you might find yourself in a pickle.

The SG1000, however, does create gorgeous sublimation prints. It has outstanding color quality and detail, and the unlimited tech support that comes with each of its models does guarantee you’ll get plenty of mileage out of your investment.

Dimensions

21˝ x 14.25˝ x 8.5˝

Review

Sublimation printing is here to stay. It has expanded both clothing and pottery catalogs well beyond what retailers can offer today, offering a breath of fresh air to customers that constantly look for something new and creative. The best sublimation printer is, however, a must-have for anyone that wishes to enter the business.

Finding success in this competitive vertical is all about guaranteeing quality to your clients and long-term profits for your books. The best sublimation printer can take care of these two critical aspects for your new startup. While creating trend-setting designs that mesmerize your audience is entirely up to you, it’s comforting to know that this fantastic piece of equipment can handle the rest for you.

Dan Aveledo
Bachelor of Business Administration. Specialized in SEO, web development, and digital marketing during the last decade. Currently discovering the endless possibilities that coding offers. In my spare time, you'll find me lifting weights and creating tools that make my life easier.