Sublimation printing opens a whole new world of possibilities for digital artists and personalization enthusiasts. Whether you are starting sublimation printing as a hobby or want to open a tiny sublimation shop, you will need a high-quality sublimation printer.
Sublimation printers are easy to use and offer printing on various applications like ceramic and low cotton-based fabrics. But if you are a newbie, selecting a good sublimation printer can leave you scratching your head in confusion because of unlimited choices. Worry no more to save your time and effort; we bring you the list of the top 9 best sublimation printer for beginners. Most of the printers are tested and we conducted a survey from experts in sublimation printing to compile a list of the most efficient printers.
Top 9 Best Sublimation Printer For Beginners
1-Epson EcoTank ET-2720
Switching from a standard printer to an Epson EcoTank ET-2720 will be one of the wisest decisions you will ever make. The Epson EcoTank ET-2720 is the cheapest printer for sublimation and is user-friendly. Its cartridge-free printing uses refillable ink tanks and saves the user a lot of money on ink replacement. In addition, a print on the ET-2720 will only cost you less than 1 cent making it one of the cheapest running cost printers on the market.
This printer is number one because of its high cost-efficient ink consumption, which saves 90% of the replacement cost with its ink replacement bottles compared with a standard ink cartridge. Also, this ink is enough to print up to 4000 black or 7000 colors, equal to the printing capacity of 90 standard cartridges. Furthermore, it comes with two years of ink bottles in the box, so you don’t have to worry about refills.
When I used it with sublimation ink, its Unique Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology gives vivid and sharp sublimation prints to print mugs, t-shirts, and other fabrics. It can print on any sublimation paper with ease and provide you with high-quality graphics and photos. Moreover, you can use this printer with voice control thanks to its Wi-Fi connectivity options and compatibility with Alexa. Also, its user-friendly color display lets you navigate and copy your printing documents without using a computer.
- Low printing cost with least ink consumption
- Easy ink replacement
- Compact and user-friendly design
- Voice control compatible
- Vivid and sharp color printing
- Need Maintenance
Specifications:
The Epson EcoTank ET-2720 will be a lifesaver and a perfect addition to your sublimation business. Because of its running cost of less than 1 cent per page will be cost-efficient in the long run. Also, it comes with two years of ink inside the box, so you are free from refilling and buying ink for a couple of years.
2- Sawgrass SG500
If you are a sublimation enthusiast, you would have defiantly heard about Sawgrass. Sawgrass has been producing top-of-the-line high-end printers since 1980- The sawgrass SG500 from their bestselling Virtuoso line is well known for its low running cost with vibrant HD sublimation prints. Its 4880 x 1200 dpi high-resolution print will let you see the true colors of your photos and designs. Also, with its efficient power consumption, it can minimize the use of INK and power while keeping the quality at its peak.
The Sawgrass SG500 comes completely packed with a one year of subscription for online designer the creative studio, UHD sublimation inks starter pack kit, two years limited warranty, and Sawgrass color/print manager, which allows you to edit, customize your designs, make tweaks, and play with different color schemes. Furthermore, its single roll bar design will enable it to print with more efficiency and higher resolution. Also, this printer is relatively compact and easy to move around.
You can easily do sublimation print on materials like polyester, low-based cotton fabrics, ceramics (mugs, plates), glass, and many others. SG500 has backward compatibility with its predecessors like SG400, so if you got a bypass tray, you can use it with this model and print up to 51 inches of media. Moreover, this printer got a user-friendly screen that allows you to interact with its different customization options. Also, it has a variety of connectivity options like WIFI, Ethernet, and USB.
- Creative studio 1-year subscription
- Backward compatibility
- Backlit user-friendly LCD
- Sharp output with its Subli jet UHD sublimation inks
- High printing resolution
- Inks are a bit costly
Specifications:
It is easy to set up, and for all beginners, this printer got an easy-to-use control panel. The Sawgrass SG500 offers flexibility, and its sublime jet UHD sublimation ink makes it super easy to print on hard materials like aluminum, ceramic, and fiberglass.
3- Epson Et-16600
Next on our list is another sublimation printing masterpiece from Epson. The Epson Et-16600 uses Epson DURABrite inks to ensure cartridge-free printing, enhancing printing color and making them vibrant, sharp, and vivid. Also, these inks are equivalent to 100 of the standard cartridges and are spill proofs that ensure zero ink waste and save you a lot of money. Furthermore, with an included ink bottle set, you can print for up to 2 years which usually depends on your work.
You can print different wide formate pictures 13 x 19 inches on various sublimation papers, CDs and DVDs, and any material with less than 1.2 mm thickness. The Epson Et-16600 has a simple design with its front-loading tray with 500 paper capacity and a straight-through feeder for thick sublimation papers and fine art papers. Also, this printer has a built-in 13 x 17 inches high-quality scanner.
The Epson EcoTank 16600 uses Pigment ink only, which works well on hard surfaces like ceramic, metal, and low-cotton fabrics. Also, if you are a beginner, you will find it easy to use due to the ET-16600 full-color touch screen display. Using this screen, you can do Computer free printing, editing, Customization, and change color presets for your prints.
Moreover, this printer is packed with connectivity options, including WIFI, Ethernet, USB, and SD card. In addition, its smart app lets you use your printer using IOS and android devices anywhere you are.
- 2 cent per print
- 2 years of ink included
- 13 x 17-inch scanner
- Versatile sublimation applications
- 80% less ink consumption
- A little on the expensive side of the market
Specifications:
If you are thinking about opening a sublimation business and don’t want to pay the hefty amount on ink replacement, we would recommend The Epson EcoTank 16600. It has ideal Epson DURABrite Inks bottles, which save up to 80% of the ink replacement cost plus it does sublimation printing for beginners pretty well.
4- Epson EcoTank ET-2760
The sublimation art fanatics love the Epson eco tank series is when it comes to low-cost printing and that is the reason Epson is dominating our list. The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 offers an auto-duplex feature that allows 2-sided printing, so you do not have to manually flip the paper after printing one side.
Like other EcoTank-like printers, it doesn’t use cartridges which makes it cost-efficient and leaves you the hassle of constantly replacing cartridges.
Eco-fit ink bottles are easy to fill and save up to 90% of the replacement cost vs. a standard cartridge that allows you to print 7500 pages in black and 6000 in color. Furthermore, two years of ink is already included with the printer.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 is 2 in 1, which means it can do scanning, digital printing, and sublimation printing pretty easily. Also, this printer prints up to 10.5 monochrome pages per minute, which is enough for a small sublimation business.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2760 uses fast-drying dyes combined with a high-Quality sublimation paper, giving you fast and sharp results. Moreover, its Claria ET pigment black ink ensures extremely high-quality and high contrast text. Also, peso heat-free ink technology makes your color presets strong and vibrant.
This printer has various connectivity options. You can use anything with a Wi-Fi connection like Computer, laptop, or mobile phone to do printing from anywhere in the house.
- 3-in 1 printer
- Auto-duplexing
- High-capacity ink tanks
- Flexible connectivity options
- Low ink wastage and economical
- Bit heavy and not much portable
Specifications:
If you do versatile printing like sublimation, digital and occasional scanning, you should definitely invest in the Epson EcoTank ET-2760. It provides paper-saving auto 2-side printing and the auto start/stop ink filling, saving you time and money in the long run making it one of the best starter sublimation printers.
5- Brother MFC-J995DW
Brother is producing top-of-the-line sewing machines and other electric equipment. The Brother MFC-J995DW printer is one of them. This printer comes with one year of ink bottles in the box, so you save a lot of cash on buying ink, and it can be ready to use straight out of the box.
This model uses ink investment tanks, which have more ink storage capacity when compared to cartridges. Also, the INK tank, with its open ink supply, ensures uninterrupted and smooth printing at all times.
The Brother MFC-J995DW is 3-in-1 which means it can do OCR scanning, printing, and sublimation printing. Brother intelligent Page Gauge system will monitor and check the amount of ink you use and let you know when it is about to end.
Furthermore, it displays a number of pages you can print with the reaming ink. This model offers automatic duplex printing to save the user time, so you don’t have to flip the paper manually.
The features that make this machine a convenient masterpiece are its versatile paper handling, which means you can use different types of paper simultaneously. Its automatic document feeder ensures smooth and effortless printing.
Moreover, if you feel a little lazy, you can send your documents using your phone or anything with a Wi-Fi connection. But keep in mind that for sublimation, you need to replace its ink cartridges with sublimation ink.
- Automatic Duplex printing
- Versatile paper handling
- Easy to use control panel
- Long-lasting inks
- Flexible connectivity options
- A little bulky
Specifications:
I would recommend the Brother MFC-J995DW printer if you often do digital printing and scanning or want to buy a printer for your office that can occasionally handle sublimation tasks, just go for it.
6- Epson EcoTank ET-2750 black
Next on our list is The EpsonEcoTank ET-2750. Thanks to its robust paper handling features, this model is packed with convenience. It uses a smooth auto paper feeding feature which saves you the struggle of paper jamming and hand paper feeding.
Also, the ET-2750 offers automatic 2 side printing, so manual flipping of paper won’t be necessary. Furthermore, this printer can print sharp, vivid, and vibrant colors using its PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology.
Do you care about the environment? The Epson EcoTank ET-2750 uses nature-friendly ink tanks, eliminating the cartridge waste that usually ends somewhere in the ocean or landfills. Also, this printer box includes ink bottles that will last you 2 years, so no worrying about refilling and wasting money for a couple of years. It has a built-in copying machine and a scanner, which saves you, time to do all your office works in one place.
Epson EcoTank ET-2750, like other Epson models on our list, uses high-capacity inks that save you 80% less ink replacement cost than a basic cartridge, and the company claims that a single ink bottle is equivalent to 30 cartridges. This means it is ink efficient, making it ideal for a low-budget small sublimation business. Moreover, this printer’s modern connectivity options like WIFI Ethernet and USB allow you to use it with handhelds.
- Ink efficient
- 2-side printing
- 2 years of ink included
- Jam proof paper feeding
- Sharp quality prints
- Need to work on duplex printing
Specifications:
Whether you are doing DIY sublimation printing or running your sublimation shop, the Epson EcoTank ET-2750 will never let you down, thanks to its easy-to-use controls and efficient ink consumption. In addition, it will take care of your business even on its lowest days.
7- Canon PIXMA G6020
Next on our list is the first entry from Canon. With its success in digital cameras, Canon is now stepping into the production of top-of-the-line sublimation printers. The Canon PIXMA G6020 Megatank printer will save you more than 1100 $ worth of ink on the initial buy. Also, Canon claims that their Megatank ink works 30 more when compared with basic mono and color cartridges which is quite impressive.
The Canon Pixma G6020 is not limited to only doing digital printing. It can do digital printing, scanning, and sublimation printing. For cordless printing, you can connect your phone or any other Wi-Fi device with your printer and get borderless, high-quality, and vibrant color photos of 3.5 x 3.5 inches and a letter size of 8.5 x 11 inches. Furthermore, this printer got an extremely high page yield, allowing it to print 7000 color and 6500 black text pages using a single inkbottle.
You can get colorful and vibrant image prints because this printer uses pigment-based black ink and dye-based ink. The feature I love about this printer is its connection ability. This printer uses Wi-Fi to allow document directly from mobile phones like apple’s air print, android Morpia, and its canon print app will enable you to edit and makes tweaks before printing.
- Versatile connection options
- High page yield
- Canon print app
- All-in-one
- Efficient ink usage
- No ethernet connection
Specifications:
If you have a low budget to buy a sublimation printer and want to open a sublimation shop, the Canon PIXMA G6020 will be ideal for you. Because its initial cost is quite affordable, and it’s pretty cost-efficient in the long run.
8- Canon PIXMA G4210
Newbie artists who are getting into sublimation printing will love the Canon PIXMA G4210 printer. Because of its classic and straightforward design, new users can quickly get hold of its controls and get fantastic printing results. Also, its high page yielding allows you to print up to 7000 colors and 6000×3 black pages with a single ink bottle.
The Canon PIXMA G4210 allows users to print large-size borderless prints/photos. Furthermore, its automatic document feeder is a lifesaver and will save you the effort of manually feeding paper. Its APF has a capacity of 20 plain papers and 5 legal size papers. Also, this model comes with a pack of ink bottles which will last you a couple of months.
Its fully integrated ink tanks are easily refillable and have transparent covers that allow you to monitor the ink levels and enhance the printer’s appearance. Moreover, The Canon PIXMA G4210 has built-in air print support, so if you have an iOS device, you can do wireless printing by installing drivers. You can scan, fax, and print using this 3-in-1 printer, making it ideal for office use.
- Convenient auto paper feeder
- Air print connectivity
- 3-in-1 printing
- 1 year’s worth of ink included
- Fully integrated ink tank
- Difficult to setup
Specifications:
If you are looking for a sublimation printer that can provide high-quality and sharp t-shirt prints, I will Definity recommend you invest in the Canon PIXMA G4210. Plus, its basic and straightforward design makes it one of the best starter sublimation printers.
9- Epson EcoTank ET-3760
Want to buy a sublimation printer that is fast, affordable, easy to use, and ink efficient? If yes, then we got the thing just for you. The Epson EcoTank ET-3760 got a built-in copier and a scanner, so even in an office environment, it is present at your service, whether you need to send a PDF file or scan an important document. Also, its brilliant paper handling makes it easy to manage and store papers in its 250 pages capacity tray.
The Epson EcoTank ET-3760 doesn’t use cartridges, which reduces the 90 % cost of ink replicant. It has an innovative cartridge-free solution and uses high-capacity ink tanks, which are easy to refill. Unlike cartridges, ink bottles are Eco friendly because they are refillable, and you don’t have to throw them away. Furthermore, the Epson EcoTank line ensures stress-free printing by including 2-year use of ink inside the box.
If you have Alexa or another voice control system, this printer will work perfectly with it. You can do a variety of prints by using voice commands. Its 4800 x 1200 dpi allows users to print high-quality, sharp designs on various applications like ceramic, low cotton fabrics, polyester, aluminum, and many more.
Moreover, if you don’t want to use your PC every time you want to print, don’t worry. Its versatile connectivity option lets you Print from anything with a Wi-Fi connection like an android phone, iPhone, iPad, and tablet.
- Robust paper handling
- Easy to use
- High-resolution printing
- Two years limited warranty
- Easily refillable ink tanks
- No Fax included
Specifications:
The Epson EcoTank ET-3760 is ideal for home DIY sublimation projects, and I will definitely recommend you go for this printer if you are tight on budget and want a low-running cost-efficient option.
Buying Guide
You cannot use a standard printer for sublimation work because of the different ink usage. So, you have to look for printers that support sublimation ink.
But it might be difficult if you are a beginner and don’t know what to look for—no need to worry. There are just a few essential things to keep in mind while buying the sublimation printer.
Easy to Use
You need a printer with user-friendly controls and a straightforward menu if you are a beginner. Plus, it should have an Interactive Lcd screen with clear instructions on how to use it and where to find your desired settings. Some easy-to-use printers are on our list of best sublimation printer for beginners, like Sawgrass SG500 and Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500.
Cost Efficiency
Another important thing you should look for while buying a sublimation printer is its Cost efficiency. Most of the sublimation printers on the market have low initial buying costs, but when you use them, their ink replacement and maintenance will dry your budget in no time.
So, when looking for a sublimation printer, go for a model that uses bottle inks instead of cartridges. Bottle ink reduces 80% of the replacement cost when compared with the cartridge. You can go for Any EpsonEcoTank model because they all offer low running costs, even less than 2 cents per page.
Easy Conversion to A Sublimation Printer
Epson Ecotank line makes it easy to convert your Ecotank printer into a sublimation printer. If you are a beginner conversion process is not so difficult. You just have to fill a sublimation ink just like regular ink.
Furthermore, using a cartridge printer instead of an inkjet will be pretty costly and challenging to use as a beginner, so I will not recommend you to go for a cartridge printer if you want to do sublimation. Also, their software is not designed for sublimation work, so they work pretty badly during sublimation printing.
FAQs
- Which Eco tank printer is best for sublimation?
It depends on your preference and what rea you are looking for. For instance, if you are looking for a printer that can cover a huge area, the best printer will be different.
On the other hand, if you are going for a printer that is compatible with many devices, the answer will be different. But if you ask me which one is the best, I will hand down say that from our list of best sublimation printer for beginners the Epson EcoTank ET-2720 will provide the best value for its worth.
- How to convert a printer into a sublimation printer?
The process is pretty straightforward. You just have to buy sublimation ink with the printer, and you have to fill it inside the ink tank just like you fill the regular ink. This process can vary because not every model offers easy sublimation conversion.
- Is it challenging to use a sublimation printer as a beginner?
No, it is pretty straightforward. But it usually depends on what brand and model printer you are using. For instance, if you are going for any of the options from our list, it will be pretty easy for you to get hold of it pretty quickly. So, if you are a newbie and want to get into sublimation printing, I recommend you go for something with straightforward controls and a user-friendly interface, and you will be good to go.
Final Verdict
I hope this article made your mind clear about what you want, and if you are entirely new to sublimation printing, you can go through our buying guide that will give you an idea of what to look for while choosing a sublimation printer.
My favorite printers from the list are:
The last thing I have to add is that learning sublimation printing is a time-taking process, so if you are a newbie, first learn about the basics, then go for a sublimation printer to polish your skills further. Let us know which printer was your favorite from our list of best sublimation printer for beginners. Thank you for your precious time.