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The Best Sublimation Printers: Reviews and Best Deals

sublimation printer

The Best Sublimation Printers: Reviews and Best Deals

As one of the best sublimation printer options, the Epson Surecolor F170 stands out. Easily holding its own against other brands like Canon and Sawgrass, this printer features a compact design similar to printers in Epson’s EcoTank line. One thing to bear in mind is that this model features a small display, making you dependent on your computer’s display to see details.

sublimation printer
Sublimation printers are able to bring ink and fabric together using heat.

Best Deal Today

Sublimation Printer Overview

Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch Printer,Black
$829.00
  • Outstanding image quality and color — all-new UltraChrome PRO10 Ink with Violet produces a wide color gamut for vibrant and rich colors
  • No Photo and Matte Black ink switching — dedicated nozzles for both black ink types — no switching needed
  • New 10-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead — consistently delivers prints with outstanding speed, consistency and accuracy
  • Easy printing from smart devices — print color-managed files directly from your iOS device (1) using an easy-to-use interface
  • New Carbon Black Driver Technology — all-new Carbon Black Driver mode dramatically increases Dmax for best-in-class black density on glossy papers
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/10/2024 11:16 pm GMT

Release Date and Price

The Epson Surecolor F170 was released on November 12, 2020, with an MSRP of $399.

Quick Facts

Release Date
12/11/2020
Original price
$399
Units Sold
N/A

Different Models

The Epson Surecolor F170 is among some of the most popular sublimation printer options using an ink supply system. Examples of similar printers include:

Sawgrass UHD SG500 Sublimation Printer Starter Bundle with Easysubli Ink Set, Sublimation Paper, Tape, Blanks, Designs and Access to Exclusive Content
$639.99
  • Sawgrass SG500 Dye-Sublimation Printer with Easysubli Starter Ink Set - 20ml Per Ink Color
  • 100 Sheets of Premium Sublimation Paper specifically designed by Sawgrass for their printers, 5 - Design Access Cards for Sublimation Designs - SVGs, JPGs, Commercial Use (Each card is good for up to...
  • Sublimation Blanks Sample Pack, 4 Rolls ProSub Heat Resistant Transfer Tape 1/8in, 1/4in, 1/2in , 1in, CreativeStudio Online Designer Software, Printer Recommended with Windows 10 or newer, Mac OS...
  • 2 Year Manufacturer Warranty, Premium Manufacturer 1-on-1 Onboarding, Lifetime Support
  • IMPORTANT: Please note that Sawgrass includes starter inks with their printers. A large percentage of the ink is used to fill the lines. Even though you may get a low ink warning the starter inks...
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03/11/2024 11:07 am GMT
Canon MAXIFY GX5020 Wireless Single Function Printer
$298.00
  • Easy to view and refill clear integrated ink tanks
  • Compact footprint to fit workspaces
  • Versatile Media Support
  • 4 Pigment-Based Inks for Crisp Documents
  • Low cost per print of less than 2 cents per page
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/10/2024 09:07 pm GMT

Features

Sublimation printers, often used for T-shirts and other non-paper items, have been on the market for home users since around 2013. Accessories used with these printers often include a heat press bundle and accessories for Cricut.

Cricut Maker 3 - Smart Cutting Machine, 2X Faster & 10X Cutting Force, Matless Cutting with Smart Materials, Cuts 300+ Materials, Bluetooth Connectivity, Compatible with iOS, Android, Windows &...
$399.00
  • LET’S MAKE - Make more than you ever dreamed possible with Cricut Maker 3, the ultimate smart cutting machine. With the ability to cut more than 300 materials, and compatible with more than 13 tools...
  • ACCESS TO BEGINNER’S GUIDES, EXPERT-LED COURSES & WORKSHOPS – Build the skills to create w/ confidence w/ the Learning Plan built into Design Space upon registering your machine. We’ll walk you...
  • EXTRA LONG, PRECISE CUTTING FOR LARGER PROJECTS – Cricut Smart Materials allow you to go bigger than ever before - cut a single image up to 12 ft (3.6 m), or repeated cuts up to 75 ft all without a...
  • DESIGN APP WITH ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES – Use with Cricut Design Space, our free app to kickstart & customize your projects. Design Space assists you through selecting your materials & utilizing the...
  • EXTENSIVE CONTENT LIBRARY – Includes 50 free project templates once you register your machine. Subscribe to Cricut Access for unlimited use of 300,000+ images, 7,000+ ready-to-make projects, 700+...
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/10/2024 09:37 pm GMT

Specifications

Size:14.8″ x 19.8″ x 7.4″
Weight:10.2 pounds
Warranty:Two-year manufacturer’s

Sublimation Printer Review

We used the Epson Surecolor F170 for T-shirts over a few weeks and were generally pleased with the results. The number of uses for this printer more than made up for the larger screen size its competition, Sawgrass and Canon, offered.

Although compatibility with designs that could be used for Cricut would have been nice, the ease of use was a good trade-off. We feel that anyone who wants to get used to using one of these printers will find this model a great choice.

Sublimation printer
Sublimation printers can transfer dye onto a wide variety of materials, including paper, plastic, card stock, and fabric.

However, the ink supply system is an issue that we feel requires addressing. Although we got a lot of use out of the printer before having to change out the ink supply system, we discovered that this printer is not up to large-scale commercial needs.

Also, if you need to print something larger than 8.5” x 14” a different printer is necessary. We recommend making sure you install the drivers first, instead of opting for “plug and print” to avoid having your images coming out looking too blurry.

Sublimation Printer: Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Many uses for this type of printer
More expensive than most printers for home use
Is very useful for T-shirts and apparel items
Has limits on the size of items you can print
Economical enough to buy with a heat press bundle

Sublimation Printer: Is It a Buy?

Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch Printer,Black
$829.00
  • Outstanding image quality and color — all-new UltraChrome PRO10 Ink with Violet produces a wide color gamut for vibrant and rich colors
  • No Photo and Matte Black ink switching — dedicated nozzles for both black ink types — no switching needed
  • New 10-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead — consistently delivers prints with outstanding speed, consistency and accuracy
  • Easy printing from smart devices — print color-managed files directly from your iOS device (1) using an easy-to-use interface
  • New Carbon Black Driver Technology — all-new Carbon Black Driver mode dramatically increases Dmax for best-in-class black density on glossy papers
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
03/10/2024 11:16 pm GMT

Buy it if…

  • You want to find out what sublimation printing is about
  • A sublimation printer suitable for home use is great if you’re curious about what inspires people to buy a heat press bundle or accessories for Cricut.
  • You need to print items that require a sublimation printer occasionally
  • If your printing needs for such items are modest or you have a very small-scale printing business, this type of printer may be perfect for you.

Don’t buy it if…

  • You print a large volume of items
  • The ink supply system will require man replenishment if you print a lot of items daily. Having to replace your ink more often can get expensive pretty quickly.
  • You need to print large items
  • Any surface larger than 8.5” x 14” requires a different device. An image can only shrink to a certain level before you lose its quality.

Future Technology Advances in Sublimation Printers

Technology is constantly changing and it’s no different for sublimation printers. Here are some of the advances we can expect to see in sublimation printers in the next six to 18 months:

  • Improved image quality: While sublimation printers are already capable of producing high-quality images, we can expect to see image quality improve even more. Manufacturers are developing new dye sublimation inks and working to further improve printing technology.
  • Faster printing speeds: Development of new sublimation printer hardware and software will ultimately result in increased printing speed.
  • More affordable printers: Today, sublimation printers are relatively expensive. Their prices are likely to drop as sublimation printing becomes more popular and as manufacturing techniques evolve.
  • More versatile printers: Manufacturers are developing new printing technology that will allow future generations of sublimation printers to print on a wider variety of substrates.

Next Up…

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best sublimation printer?

The Sawgrass Virtuoso is often considered the best sublimation printer and it is in a home user price range.

What is a sublimation printer used for?

Sublimation printers use a type of ink intended to print on materials transferred to other surfaces, like mugs or shirts.

What features should I look for when choosing a sublimation printer?

Features that are helpful to look for when choosing sublimation printers include a diverse range of printing sizes, printing speed, and the number of ink colors.

Who makes the best sublimation printers?

Epson, Sawgrass, and Canon make the best sublimation printers.

What sublimation printer prints the biggest?

The Epson SureColor F6370 can print designs up to 44 inches wide.

Can a sublimation printer print on vinyl?

A sublimation printer prints at too high a temperature to print on vinyl without melting it.

How many times can you use a sublimation transfer?

Sublimation transfers are designed to be used only once.

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