An inkjet sublimation publisher is a type of computer printer that transfers dye onto various equipment like plastic and fabric with the help of heat.
As a result, sublimation is a thermal printing process that uses heat to create images. Photographic printing, t-shirt design, a mug, to name a few applications, are performed on a large number of these printing devices.
If you’re looking to purchase a dye sublimation printer for your business, home, or studio, there are a few fundamental considerations to make before settling on the most appropriate model for your needs; these considerations will be covered in greater detail later in this guide.
For example, if you own a label or sticker printing business, you should think about investing in a vinyl sticker printer instead of a laser printer. Explore our in-depth guide on how to purchase the best printer for vinyl sticker printing to assist you in making your decision.
Our Top Picks for the Best Sublimation Printers
Here is a list of the best printers you can use for sublimation printing on t-shirts or mugs, in no particular order:- Epson Artisan 1430 – Best Overall
- Epson Workforce 7710 – Best Multi-Functional Printers on the Market Today
- The Epson Stylus C88+ Inkjet Printer – Best budget printer available today
- Mitsubishi CP-K60DW-S – Dye-Sublimation Photo Printer with High Eco-Value
- Brother MFC-J995DW – Best printer for printing on fabric.
- Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 – Best Printing on a large scale
- The Mitsubishi CP- D70DW – Best printer for large-scale photo printing
- Canon Selphy CP 1300 (Wireless) – The Best Choice!
- Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 – Best high-resolution camera available.
- Sawgrass Virtuoso SG800 – Best Inkjet Printer
Below is a in-depth review of the best dye-sublimation printers for 2021
Keeping these essential considerations in mind, please investigate the best dye sublimation printers available for purchase currently in 2021, which are not only the best in their respective classes but also the best performers in the industry. Whether you’re looking to purchase a sublimation printer for personal or commercial use, we’ve included a list of features with each review to help you make an informed decision about which printer is best for you.Epson Artisan 1430 Wireless Inkjet Printer- Editor’s Choice
The Epson Artisan 1430 is a wireless wide-format color inkjet printer that prints in full color. This Epson Artisan 1430 dye-sublimation printer is ideal for printing on t-shirts, mugs, and other items. The EPSON Artisan 1430 take photographs printing to a new level of excellence, producing brilliant prints, ultra-high-definition, and exceptional quality. This printer is capable of printing documents up to 13′′ x 19′′ without the use of a border. Wireless networking is a fantastic feature that makes it easy to share your Sublimated prints with others. According to the manufacturer, the Claria Hi-Definition Ink used by the EPSON 1430 lasts up to four times as long as regular photo lab prints. Smudge, scratch, and fade resistance feature this sublimation printer, making it an excellent choice for creating photos that will last a long time. Now you can quickly and easily produce high-quality, professional-looking large-scale gallery-worthy prints, allowing you to take your printing to entirely new levels. It is the best choice among professional photographers and t-shirt and mug printers because of its high quality and low cost.Epson Workforce WF-7710 Inkjet Printer – Best multi-functional printer available
The Epson WorkForce WF-7710 wireless and WiFi direct, wide-format color inkjet printer (2-sided auto duplex) can print from a type of devices, including smartphones and tablets, and it is also compatible with Apple’s AirPrint. (C11CC99201) First and foremost, the Epson manufacturers created the WF-7710 to expand small and innovative businesses to increase productivity. PrecisionCore powers this large-capacity inkjet heat-transfer color printer, which boasts “performance beyond laser” and “performance beyond inkjet.” PrecisionCore refers to employing new printing technology and a high-density print chip to achieve its results. This new high-tech print chip generates as many as 40 million pinpoint dots per second, allowing it to grade at an incredible rate while maintaining astounding accuracy! This EPSON gadget has a maximum print size of 13′′ x 19′′ and can produce laser-sharp black and color text. It has a freightage of up to 500 sheets in the front, which is incredible, and it also has a rear tray for printing on envelopes and special paper, which is also fantastic. The automatic two-sided preprint mechanism will leave a lasting impression on you.Features:
- ISO print speed: black: 18 ISO pages per minute plus color: 10 ISO pages per minute plus
- PrecisionCore print technology is a type of 3D printing that produces precise results.
- high-speed printing, wireless connectivity, wired ethernet connectivity, and WiFi direct
- Four ink cartridges from the DURABrite Ultra 252-series
Several environmentally friendly characteristics, such as:
- It is recyclable and compliant with RoHS regulations.
- It consumes 70 percent less energy than radiation printers, for instance.
- With automated two-sided printing, you can save up to 50% on paper consumption.
Epson Stylus C88+ Inkjet Printer – Best Sublimation Printer for Small Business
In the market, there is another Epson commodity, the Stylus 88+ Color Inkjet Printer, which is intended for home use and is available at an attractively reasonable price of less than $100. It delivers outstanding results while operating at peak efficiency and effectiveness. Your eyes will be astonished by the quality and grade of the preprints, and the durability appears to be promising. It makes use of the ground-breaking DURABrite Ultra Pigment ink, which dries in seconds. This ink is known for its resistance to water, scratches, fade, and smudges. It is typically the type of texture that you should look through. The handling of paper is automated and reliable, and it does not cause any inconvenience. With an average printing speed of 19 pages per minute, it provides borderless printing within the available frame-ready sizes. In an article published by PCWorld, it was stated that the Epson Stylus 88+ version is the only product available so far that is capable of printing banners as wide as 8.5 inches and as long as 44 inches. It also performs admirably in photo printing, though you will need to use a computer to accomplish this task. The product’s creators have also provided software that can be used to create calendars, photo books, and various other things.Fujifilm CP-K60DW-S Dye-Sublimation Photo Printer
The Mitsubishi CP-K60DW-S, Sublimation Image printer is a small and capable color printer that uses thermal transfer to produce stunning prints. It is available in black and white or color. This printer’s sturdy construction and energy-saving features are particularly noteworthy. This printer is capable of printing high-quality, vibrant colors at a resolution of 300 x 300 DPI. It is also capable of printing Instagram images with an aspect ratio of 1:1 with relative ease. The digital image processing feature produces prints with a smooth and glossy laminated finish due to digital image processing. Printing speeds of up to 11.2 seconds for a 4 x 6-inch photo are achieved using the Mitsubishi CP-K60DW-S laser printer. It also has the capability of printing in broad formats, depending on your preferences. It is also worth mentioning that the Mitsubishi CP-K60DW-S has a rewind function, which is quite interesting. It is possible to use the ink rewind and rollback functions to optimize prints by resetting the ink ribbon in this manner. It assists in making full use of the printing surface to get the most out of the available consumables. The front tray, which holds paper rolls and ink ribbons up to 5 or 6 inches in diameter, facilitates loading. The printer also features an internal storage memory capacity of 32 MB for storing your print designs.Brother MFC-J995DW – High-Quality Fabric Printing with Brother MFC-J995DW
It is a good value all-in-one inkjet printer for home or small business users, and it comes with a lot of features. It means that it is equipped with a printer, fax machine, a scanner, and all at the same time. For small businesses, the printer provides an excellent combination of productivity and convenience features, which are particularly appealing when printing thermal and heat press images. The Brother MFC-J995DW is a low-cost printing solution that uses high-capacity ink cartridges to produce high-quality results. One of the printer’s most notable features is automatically printing on both sides of the page. The printer can print wirelessly and via Ethernet or NFC connections, among other options. It also features a large 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD that makes it simple to control your vinyl, sublimation, or photo printing projects. It also offers you the chance to select the fabric or material you wish to print. In just 4 minutes, you can print large glossy prints of your photos with vibrant colors and fine details, as well as attractive textures and backgrounds.Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000
The Epson Expression Photo HD XP15000 InkJet printer raises the bar on photo printing to an entirely different level. Inkjet printer with a wireless wide-format and ultra HD resolution that produces stunning photo prints on various materials, including paper. The Epson Expression Photo HD printer is a cutting-edge and compact printer that allows users to print brilliant, professional-quality prints up to 13 x 19 inches in size with no need for bordering or cropping. Price can be found on Amazon. Not only does the Epson Expression Photo HD XP produce excellent color prints, but it also enhances black and white prints by introducing smooth gradations into the image. The image prints produced by the Epson Expression are exceptionally sharp and detailed. Because of its ultra-high HD resolution of 5760 x 1440 DPI, it is incredibly complex. The printing speed is quite impressive, with color prints being printed at a rate of 9 pages per minute and black and white images being published at 9.2 pages per minute. It comes with a 2.4-inch LCD and quick access to a USB port for printing directly from the device. The Epson Expression Photo HD printer also has a wireless setup feature that allows you to print from a mobile device or a remote computer with the touch of a push-button. The printer assists Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print,Android Print, and the Mopria Print service when printing from a mobile device or tablet. MicroPiezo technology and a six-color HD ink set are employed by the printer. It enables specialized media to be placed in the rear 50-sheet tray of the printer. The printer is environmentally friendly, compliant with RoHS regulations, and recyclable.Canon Selphy CP1300
The Selphy CP1300 cordless compact image printer is the ideal solution for printing photos on the go, regardless of where you are. The Selphy CP1300 enables you to print wirelessly from a variety of locations, including at home, at the park, or the office, using a variety of methods, comprising AirPrint, camera’s flashcard, or from your preferred media platform channels, like Instagram or Facebook with the use of the Canon Print app, which is provided at no cost from the Amazon Appstore. Printing a small collection of your favorite photos in a fun collage format with the Party Shuffle Print element or quirky booth for taking pictures style prints are also options with the Party Shuffle Print feature. You select the appropriate style and size for your photos, which may include the following sizes: Size L (3.5″” x 4.7″”), Postcard (4.0″” x 6.0″”), Card Size (2.1″” x 3.4″”), and Label Square (2.1″” x 2.1″”). You can also upload your photos. The Selphy CP1300 printer has a Party Shuffle feature that allows multiple devices to wirelessly send images to the printer from a mobile device, which can then be combined into a single collage printed and shared with friends and family. Finally, the use of the convenient 3.2′′ flip-up LCD color screen makes it easier than ever to navigate through all of these options.Features:
- Technology for dye-sublimation printing
- Print in a variety of sizes.
- Party Shuffle Print can be used to create fun collages.
- Power adapter with a small footprint
- 3.2-inch liquid crystal display
- There are a variety of wireless and physical connections available.
Mitsubishi CP-D70DW
The Mitsubishi CP-D70DW high-performance dye-sublimation photo printer is a professional, lightweight, high-capacity photo printer that prints 46′′ photo prints in just 8 seconds and produces Super Fine Matte finish output. It can print at speeds of up to 8 seconds for 46′′ photo prints and growing Super Fine Matte finish output. A variety of sizes, including 2 6″, 3.5 5, 4 6″, 5 7″, 6 6′′, and 6 8′′, as well as a choice of print modes, including Fine (high speed), Super Fine (high resolution), and an ultra-fine print mode, are available without the need to change media. In addition, the Mitsubishi CP-D70DW employs a new, advanced image processing algorithm that works to improve the sharpness of each image, resulting in high-quality photo outputs. Also included are several energy-saving features, such as a unique refrigerating system that controls the heat of the print head and internal electricity, that help reduce overall energy consumption. Two points to mention about the energy-saving mode: it allows for a reduction in power consumption.Features:
- Design that is both compact and lightweight
- It is only 26.5 pounds in weight.
- System for advanced cooling
- Compatibility with PCs and Macs
- Dust-proof housing
- Creation of a dust-proof housing
- Printing with a large capacity
- Printing at high speeds
The Best Sawgrass Sublimation Printers for Your Project
Sawgrass sublimation printers are high-quality digital decorating printers that produce vibrant high-definition images for sublimation and cotton transfer printing, among other applications. Each of the three Sawgrass Virtuoso models (VJ628, SG400, and SG800) has its own unique series of objects that set them separately from the competition. Additionally to being used for photography and the arts, the virtuoso VJ628 is also used for high-volume customization and personalization. It is capable of producing high-quality prints with a width of up to 24.5 inches. It makes use of a DX7 print head, which has been proven to be an industrial-grade technology, resulting in improved performance and longer life.Sawgrass Virtuous SG400
Because it is within a reasonable price range, the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 sublimation printer is quite famous for both personal and commercial applications. It is massive, with dimensions of 22′′ x 14′′ x 22′′ and a weight of approximately 30 pounds, and has a modern and elegant appearance. It includes an inked panel with the letters C, M, Y, and K on it. In addition to USB 2.0 and Ethernet ports, this photo printer also includes a bypass tray for when something goes wrong. The SG400 photo printer can print high-resolution and vibrantly colored images with a resolution of approximately 1200 * 1200 dpi. Because of its high build quality, it can print 34 pictures per hour at high resolution and 157 photos per hour at 600 * 600 dpi resolution. It has a print speed of 34 images at high resolution and 157 pictures per hour at 600 * 600 dpi resolution. Printing on a wide range of objects, including but not limited to cotton T-shirts, tiles, glass, acrylic, polyester fabrics, and plaques, is possible with the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400. It also has self-cleaning features, which means you will never have clogged inks or any other type of jam. As a result, you can print at faster speeds and with greater productivity while maintaining high print quality standards. In contrast to the majority of dye-sublimation printers available on the market, the Sawgrass virtuoso printer comes with 100 sublimation paper sheets, a USB cable, a flash drive for placing a manual, printer drivers, and a set of ink cartridges, allowing you to get started almost immediately after purchasing it. It is up to you if you want to use Sublijet HD document or Chromablast after exhausted your paper supply. SG400 sublimation printers, in particular, are your best bet for producing high-resolution, high-quality images on a wide variety of substrates, especially vinyl.Sawgrass Virtuoso SG800 Sublimation Printer
Sawgrass Virtuoso SG800, the industry’s first and only fully integrated desktop system for sublimation, left the industry in awe with its revolutionary design. These are the only printing machines available that are exceptional and of high quality, and they have been designed specifically for digital decorating. SG800, the Sawgrass Virtuoso, is a technologically advanced and ultra-high quality printer that allows you to print brighter and better higher-definition images, bringing the art of digital, sublimation printing into the twenty-first century. Thanks to its faster throughput and slick, proficient form, this sublimation printer is acing the marketplace for its profit potential and gleaming resolution elevation. Another new feature is the Sublijet Ink, which has a higher yield than previous inks. The breathtaking coloring and accuracy leave purchasers in awe of what they have purchased. A type of products like wood plaques, glass, tiles, mugs, hardboard, polyester fabrics, aluminum panels, and polymer-coated rigid media can be decorated with Virtuoso Desktop High Definition Product Decorating Systems.Features:
- The Desktop system for sublimation is wholly integrated.
- The resolution is 1200 x 1200 pixels.
- Sublijet ink cartridges with a large storage capacity
- Unit of paper deeds with a capacity of 250 sheets
Selecting the Most Appropriate Sublimation Printer [A Buyer’s Guide]
Please keep these essential characteristics in mind when shopping for a colorful dye sublimation printer for t-shirt, mugs, and other photo print on various items such as canvas.- Price: When looking for a reasonably priced printer that is both efficient and of high quality, you will want to exercise caution.
- Ink quality: and how color is emitted from the printer onto the material are both critically important considerations.
- Applications: The sublimation printer should provide a wide range of functionalities at a high level of quality.
Printing with Sublimation vs. Printing with a Heat Press
Many people mistakenly believe that sublimation and heat press is the same technique. However, there are some minor differences, and we think it is important to point this out. For example, heat press printing is a method of applying prints to t-shirts that use both heat and pressure. Sublimation printing is a technique in which different dyes are printed on a transfer medium with the assistance of a high-quality inkjet printer. After that, the sublimation dyes are transferred to sublimation papers, which are then transferred to the desired object with the assistance of a commercial heat press.Q1. Is it possible to use any printer for sublimation printing?
Ans. The Ricoh and Sawgrass models are the most popular printers for sublimation printing because of their versatility. Since they are specifically planned to work with sublimation print heads, they are more expensive. However, they can be prohibitively expensive, making them out of reach for most of the population. Fortunately, many excellent Epson color inkjet printers are also capable of performing sublimation printing. Because you can purchase refillable ink cartridges and separate sublimation ink and place them in their respective compartments, this is not a problem. And there you find out: you now have a low-cost solution for your sublimation printing requirements in the form of an Epson inkjet printer. Keep in mind that it is preferable to use large format inkjet printers when it comes to the sublimation process.Q2. How much does a sublimation printer cost, and how does it work?
Ans. Sublimation printing for acrylic, plastic, and vinyl has become increasingly popular due to the introduction of technology into our daily lives. Sublimation printing is a very low-cost solution that can also be highly profitable, especially for small businesses and startups with a low initial investment. Inkjet printers that are sublimation compatible with sublimation ink range from $300 to $600 for 8.5 x 14-inch images to around $1,660 for 13 x 19-inch photos, depending on the size of the picture. The cost of imaging is less than $0.01 per square inch. High-quality, industrial-level heat presses and sublimation printers, on the other hand, can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 in US dollars, depending on the model.Q3. Which printer is the most suitable for sublimation printing?
Ans. We looked into all of the available sublimation printers and concluded that the Epson Workforce WF-7110 is the best sublimation printer available on the market. An inkjet printer that prints on sublimation paper sheets up to 13 x 19 inches in size. It is a high-quality, reasonably priced, wide-format inkjet printer. It also has a very high resolution of 4800 x 2410, which ensures that high-quality image printing is achieved, and it can be used for heat transfer printing and other applications. A large 250 sheet tray is also included, sufficient for large-scale printing productions of any size. As a result, the Epson Workforce WF-7110 is an excellent value at less than $200. Epson WF-7720 with INK Combo at the Lowest Price AvailableQ4. When does sublimation ink last the longest?
Ans. Amongst the most frequently asked questions is how long it lasts when it comes to sublimation ink. Sublimation inks have a shelf life because they are liquid inks. It is possible that leaving them in the printer for an extended period will cause head clogging, color shifting, and banding issues. Although most high-quality sublimation inks can be used after their expiration date, this is not always the case. It’s always a good idea to use the ink within six months of when it was installed.Q5. What types of t-shirt materials are the most suitable for sublimation print?
Ans. Is it possible to print sublimation on a shirt that is made entirely of cotton? The short answer is that it does not. T-shirt sublimation printing is mainly done on polyester materials, which is why it is so popular. When printing on a 100 percent polyester shirt, sublimation produces the best results. For printing on cotton t-shirts, heat transfer paper is by far the most effective method of printing on the fabric. In addition to keep in mind is that you must imprint 65/35 and 50/50 shirts with vibrant colors for them to be effective. The result would be drab in any other case, and the print would fade away after one or two washing sessions.A Checklist for Dye-Sublimation Printing
We’ve compiled a list of the tools and equipment required for the sublimation printing process, which includes:- sublimation design programs
- heat transfer paper
- dye sublimation inks
- media on which to apply your sublimation inks
- specifications for the heat press to use