Best Sublimation Printers for Beginners 2023: Start Creating!

Are you looking for a way to create stunning custom designs on t-shirts, mugs, pillows, and more? Do you want to start your own sublimation printing business but don’t know which printer to buy? If so, you’re not alone. Many beginners struggle with choosing the right sublimation printer for their needs.

Heat and pressure are used in sublimation printing to transfer ink from a particular paper to a substrate. It allows you to create vibrant, durable, and fade-resistant prints on various materials. But not every sublimation printer is made the same. Some are too expensive, too complicated, or too low-quality for beginners. This is why we put together this in-depth analysis of the top 7 best sublimation printers for beginners. We’ve tested and reviewed dozens of models based on their features, performance, ease of use, price, and customer reviews. We also asked experts and users for their honest, unbiased opinions.

Comparison Table

The Top 7 Best Sublimation Printers for Beginners

After extensive testing, we compiled the top-rated sublimation printers for beginners below. To make it easier for you to pick the right one, we’ve classified them by specialty. Our list of the seven best beginner sublimation printers will save you time.

Let’s get to work and review these sublimation printers without further wandering.

1. Epson ET-2720: Editor’s Choice

Epson is a popular brand in the market, and the Epson EcoTank 2720 is the best among them as it encompasses the most advanced features making it worth the Editor’s Choice nod. It’s my favorite among the Epson Ecotank printers for its price, ease of conversion, and consistent quality results. It also has 3-in-1 capabilities which remain intact after conversion.

This printer is very efficient and has great print quality. Its design is very professional looking with less waste. You don’t need to buy expensive cartridges for sublimation printing. You can buy bottles of ink and refill them without producing plastic waste.

The results of sublimated products were the best. Epson ET 2720 has many features that will make your printing work easy, and, with great design prints, it will be good for your startup business or personal passion usage.

Highlighted Features

• The EcoTank ET-2720 is a cartridge-free printer designed for basic home use.
• High-capacity ink tanks allow for worry-free printing without needing tiny and expensive ink cartridges.
• The printer uses Epson’s EcoFit ink bottles, which are easily refillable.
• Reduced cartridge waste.
• Print beautiful color images and graphics with clear text on almost any paper.
• High-resolution color display and scanner.

2. Epson WF-7210: Best Affordable

Epson WF 7210 is the most affordable option on our list, with great media handling capabilities and borderless printing. The WorkForce WF-7210, just like Espon WF-7710, can handle paper up to 13×19 inches but is half the price of the Espon WF-7710. So if you want an affordable option for large prints, the Workforce 7210 is best.

The WorkForce WF-7210 is perfect for small and medium-sized businesses. This is a great choice for anyone who needs a reliable, affordable printer for personal and business use.

I used the WF-7210 to sublimate several substrates, and the results were incredible and much above my expectations. The crisp text and vivid colors in the graphics say it all, adding extra value to the material of your choice.

Highlighted Features

• The Workforce WF 7210 is a printer powered by Precision Core that delivers performance beyond laser printers.
• High-quality color visuals and crisp black text.
• Borderless prints and marketing materials up to 13″ x 19″ can be easily printed.
• The printer is more economical than color laser printers and uses up to 80% less power.

3. Epson ET-15000: Best for Small Business

The Epson ET 1500 has many unique features and will give you the best result to flourish your business. The printer is quite simple to set up and has amazing speed. I know it is a little expensive, but with additional features, this Epson EcoTank ET 15000 printer is a perfect option for you. It will provide you with the quality and efficiency for your small business.

This was a reliable and best-quality product to work with. It has numerous awesome features, like high-density print chips and high-speed printing. 

The input tray capacity was the best feature because I didn’t need to refill another stack of paper; at least half was ready.

Furthermore, with the wireless connectivity option, the printer can easily connect and take your prints quickly. It has adequate speed to fulfill the needs of your small business. The printer handles great media and can easily print up to 13″ x 19″ inches of paper.

Highlighted Features

• It uses low-cost replacement bottles for ink, allowing users to save up to 90%.
• Handles various paper sizes, including 13″ x 19″ through rear feed and 8.5″ x 11″ via scan bed.
• Cartridge-free with high-yield ink bottles, resulting in zero cartridge waste.
• Ultimate wireless solution with Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, and compatibility with various devices.

4. Epson ET-4760: Best for Heat Transfer

It’s one of the best printers for money and pleasure. Epson is a renowned brand, and the ET-4760, equipped with versatile features, is their latest effort to take over the market. The printer is most efficient for heat transfer with high resolution and exceptional quality prints that can be easily transferred under heat.

This printer uses high-capacity ink tanks, so there’s no need to worry about running out of sublimation ink. You can easily refill the EcoTank, and the cost of replacement ink is significantly less than what you would pay for cartridges.

You can replace the tank without hassle if you run out of ink. Remove the ink container, pop in the new one, and replace the lid.

The ET-4760 has a built-in flatbed scanner, so you won’t have to buy another scanner for your desk. The scanner is a bit lower quality than other scanners, but it’s still good for scanning documents. The built-in copier is decent, and you can also copy documents wirelessly.

Highlighted Features

• Cartridge-free printer designed for less waste.
• High-capacity ink tanks make refilling easy.
• When using new ink bottles rather than ink cartridges, the printer can save up to 90%.
• Fax capabilities, productive paper handling.
• Convenient 2.4″ color touchscreen for ease of use.

5. Epson WF-7710: Best for Large-Format

The Epson WF-7710 is a multi-purpose printer with greater capability to handle large format media sizes. The printer allows you to produce borderless prints up to 13″ x 19″ inches. It is the perfect choice if you work with large prints for your projects.

Along with exceptional media handling, the printer is also excellent in speed. It can churn out 10 prints per minute in color, higher than other printers with standard media handling. With the features combined, the printer enables you to be productive and efficient.

I also could connect it through any medium, whether Mobile, Wifi, USB, and Ethernet, which made me love this device more. There was just a screeching noise in the printer when I used it for longer. Also, the setup and installation of software for the printer took me some time to install, so in the beginning, it was a little frustrating, but it was fine because the machine worked as intended.

Highlighted Features

• Multi-purpose printer.
• Borderless prints up to 13″ x 19″ in size.
• The printer has a 4.3″ color touch screen for ease of use.
• The printer offers wireless printing and networking for easy, convenient usage.

6. Sawgrass SG500: Best for T-Shirt

This Sawgrass 500 printer is best for quality output with its high-resolution prints. If you are looking for a reliable sublimation printer for your worthy t-shirt projects, this is great and also best if you are new to all this sublimation printing technology.

There is no need for conversion, unlike the Epson Inkjet Printers, which is, I guess, the best thing about this sublimation printer. It leaves you worry-free as the printer is great with sublimation ink and renders high-quality true color prints.

With all the high-quality design prints, a good bypass tray for large format printing, self-maintaining capability, and many other features, this sublimation printer is the best for anyone prioritizing quality prints.

Highlighted Features

• The start-up and operating costs are minimal.
• 2-Year Product Warranty and In-house Support.
• Minimizes ink and power consumption.
• WiFi connectivity, higher-resolution printouts, and energy-efficient.
• Ease to operate.

7. Epson WF-7720: Best For Tumblers

Lastly, the Epson Workforce 7720 sublimation printer is great for those who want to learn and profit from their Tumbler business. The printer is easy to convert for sublimation and has great printing speed to help you finish long tasks in a limited time.

The print quality was amazing, all colors were sharp, and the detailed design prints on the sublimated products made me praise the device.

The printer is a bit expensive, but this will be a great fit for a startup and a small business to earn major profits. I could make sublimation prints on larger items because of this wide-format printer. Also, it was a four-in-one like a scan, print, copy, and fax, and with a high resolution and fast printing speed, it is clear why the price is more compared to other Epson models.

Highlighted Features

• Borderless prints up to 13″ x 19″.
• Uses up to 80% less power resulting in low printing costs overall.
• Auto 2-sided print, copy, scan, and fax, plus a 35-page auto document feeder for convenience.
• Easy navigation and control with a touchscreen
• Wireless printing and networking capabilities.
• The printer can easily scan up to 11″ x 17″ with a 2-sided auto document feeder.

Buying Guide

Down below are listed the qualities/properties you should consider while buying a good sublimation printer for beginners:

Speed of Printing

Check if the printer can print fast, as a business would need a high production of sublimation prints. But if you are looking for a printer for personal or home use without strict time, you can also opt for a low-speed printer.

Print Resolution

Verify if the printer has a high-quality print resolution because a higher resolution will improve the quality of the design printed on the product. The higher-resolution printers render more detailed and accurate prints without cracks or blurriness. Afterward, the top-notch prints can be successfully transferred to your chosen substrate.

Connectivity Options

The more connectivity options, the easier it gets to connect a device to the printer, like Wifi, USB, Ethernet, etc. When looking for printer connectivity options, a printer with wired and wireless connectivity options is the best. They are easily connected whether or not the internet is available.

Affordability

Any beginner would want the sublimation printer to be budget-friendly enough to work with and generate profits, so check the affordability according to your needs. Normally actual sublimation printer is a bit expensive, but they render quality prints. While inkjet printers that need to be converted are fairly affordable. If you are a beginner, you can choose a budget-friendly business option and convert an inkjet printer for sublimation.

Print Sizes

Try buying a sublimation printer, which gives different print sizes the required capability according to your needs. For larger prints, a wide-format printer will be a great choice. You can check the media handling of paper and choose the one that compliments your needs.

Conclusion

After thorough research and analysis, we have determined the top 7 best sublimation printers for beginners. The Epson ET-2720 is the overall best option, offering a great balance of quality, affordability, and versatility. The Epson WF-7210 is the best affordable option, while the Epson ET-15000 is the best for small businesses. The Epson ET-4760 is the top choice for heat transfer, the Epson WF-7710 is the best bet for large-format printing, and the Epson WF-7710 is the best option. The Sawgrass SG500 is best for T-shirt printing, and the Epson WF-7720 is best for tumbler printing. We hope this guide has helped you search for the best sublimation printer for beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)