Sublimation Printer: 5 Genius Picks to Boost Creativity in 2025?

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Sublimation Printer

Are you seeking the perfect sublimation printer to bring your creative ideas to life? In 2025, having the right printer isn’t just about convenience; it’s essential for achieving high-quality prints with accurate colours and efficient performance. But with so many options available, choosing the wrong one could lead to wasted money, dull prints, and technical issues. That’s where we come in.

After studying industry trends, we’ve selected five top sublimation printers that combine advanced technology, ease of use, and great value. Whether you’re designing custom apparel, home décor, or promotional items, these choices will help you achieve impressive results.

What is Sublimation Printing?

Sublimation transfers dye through heat onto plastics, fabrics, or ceramics as a base material. Prints made this way feature a dye that eventually sees deeper absorption into the material instead of merely resting on the top surface. Such prints have an appearance of rich colour depths and have been excellent at not peeling or breaking into pieces over the years.

Sublimation helps produce trending items such as T-shirts, hats, and mugs. Its outstanding prints, made with rich, intricate, and vivid materials, are its main advantage and are likely to attract attention. Therefore, it is excellent for business use in producing captivating and lasting designs.

Main Types of Sublimation Printer

  1. Desktop Sublimation Printers: Desktop sublimation printers are ideal for tracing T-shirts, among others, as well as small-to-medium-sized items such as custom mugs and advertising materials. Because of its straightforward interfaces, they can be employed for small businesses and personal interests. Famous models in this category are the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 and SG1000, which are devoted to sublimation and generate prints of exceptional quality.
  2. Converted Inkjet Printers: Users modify Converted Inkjet Printers like the Epson EcoTank series with Piezo printheads to work with sublimation ink instead of the original ink. However, the user must carefully extract the printer’s full potential, as this conversion will also automatically void the warranty.
  3. Wide-format sublimation Printers: These project-based printers can handle large materials, including advertisements, banners, and textiles. Therefore, any business requiring large-scale, high-volume printing must obtain them. The HP Stitch S500 and the Epson SureColor F170 are among the best, with efficient operations and broad print capabilities.

DFT vs Sublimation Printers: What’s the Difference?

Direct-to-film (DFT) printers print images directly onto film, which can be heated and compressed to affix them to the fabric. Sublimation, however, prints ink into the gas phase; then, it binds to the fabric, directly printing onto polyester, among other materials. Hence, DFT will work well for various fabrics, whereas sublimation works best with polyester and similar polymer-coated materials.

A Quick Comparison

FeatureSublimation PrinterDFT Printer
Printing MethodUses heat to transfer dye onto materialsPrints directly onto a film, which is then transferred to the fabric
Materials UsedPrimarily used for polyester fabrics, mugs, and hard surfacesWorks on a variety of materials, including cotton, polyester, and blends
VersatilityLimited to specific materialCompatible with more fabric types
Durability of PrintHighly durableDurable but may crack over time
Best forApparel (polyester), mugs, banners, and metalApparel (cotton, blends), bags, home decor
Cost Generally, higher upfront costs for printersLower initial cost compared to sublimation printers

5 Best Sublimation Printers of 2025

Here are the 2025 best sublimation printers with excellent print quality, efficiency, and ease of use:

1. Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 Sublimation Printer

This handy, customized sublimation printer would benefit small-to-medium projects and novice users. It can handle media sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches and prints with exceptional resolution. Moreover, available connectivity options include Ethernet, USB, and built-in Wi-Fi. The printer also offers additional features, such as compatibility with Mac and Windows operating systems, a 150-sheet auto feed tray, genuine dye sublimation ink with the Sawgrass brand, and thorough online support.

2. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Sublimation Printer

It is the best multipurpose printer for any print job since it has a wide format to print up to 13″ x 19″. Using Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB connectivity, this multipurpose printer can print, scan, copy, and fax documents. Although it can create high-quality sublimation prints, it typically needs some conversion, which will void the warranty and require some upkeep.

3. Epson SureColor F170 Sublimation Printer

The Epson SureColor F170 is a simple dye-sublimation printer for small to medium-sized projects. It employs Epson’s original dye-sublimation inks, has USB, Ethernet, or built-in wireless connectivity, and prints at a good to high resolution on 8.5″ x 14″ medium. Additionally, it includes software for Windows and Mac, a 150-sheet auto-feed tray, and complete online support. 

4. Mimaki TS30-1300

The 54-inch wide-format dye-sublimation printer, Mimaki TS30-1300, best suits low to mid-volume production. Accordingly, it can be used for product individualization, advertisements, and clothing sampling. Some of its major features include Mimaki Sb54 inks that produce vibrant colours, higher media up to 53.6 inches, and dedicated transfer printing. It also supports easy handling using Mimaki RasterLink6 software and offers quick print speeds of up to 211 square feet per hour.

5. Ricoh SG 7100DN

The Ricoh SG 7100DN is a colour inkjet printer for small and medium-sized businesses. It is also a sublimation A3 colour printer featuring speedy and quality output, which has proven effective for sublimation printing. Its print speed is 29 pages per minute with a resolution of 3600 x 1200 dpi, providing excellent presentation of images. In addition to that, it can handle different paper formats and has a 250-sheet capacity tray. Furthermore, the printer also offers USB and Ethernet connectivity options for seamless integration.  However, installing sublimation inks like Sawgrass SubliJet-R Standard Capacity Ink Cartridges is necessary if you use them for sublimation.

Price Range of Sublimation Printer

Sublimation printers differ in price according to their features, brand, and general market conditions. Some of the best available models fall into the following price range categories.

  • Entry-Level Sublimation Printer: These sublimation printers are used by novices or for a few small-scale printing projects. They usually cost between $200 and $500. Epson SureColor F170, an example of an entry-level printer, sells for nearly $200.
  • Mid-Range Sublimation Printer: These have a moderate to high unit quantity and generally cost between $500 and $1500. For example, the Epson EcoTank ET-15000 will cost between $600 and $1200, depending on where it’s bought from and consumer promotion.
  • High-End Professional Sublimation Printer: Printers in the high-end professional range can start at $1,500 and go to $10,000. For instance, the Epson SureColor F570 and Mimaki TS55-1800 begin from $25,000. Large enterprise companies use these types of printers.

Which Type of Sublimation Printer Should You Choose?

Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners:

  • Because of their low costs and simple designs, the Epson SureColor F170 and Sawgrass SG500 are ideal for startups and small enterprises. Their excellent print quality ensures uniform results.

Best Sublimation Printer for Shirts:

  • The best shirt sublimation printers include Epson EcoTank ET-15000 and Epson SureColor F570. These printers provide bright colours, wide format, and efficiency in the professional production of apparel. Thus, their precision and fast output are great for small and big businesses.

Dye Sublimation Printer for Small Businesses:

  • Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 prints have a superior print output and are easily compatible with design software. Therefore, they perfectly suit a small manufacturing enterprise that customizes products like T-shirts or mugs according to specifications.

Best Dye Sublimation Printer for Large Businesses:

  • The Epson SureColor F570 and Mimaki TS30-1300 are great options for large organizations. The Mimaki is ideal for high-volume manufacturing because it can print up to 51 inches in wide format. However, the Epson is the best for custom working since it has high-resolution prints and can cut roll media.

Bonus Tips to Choose the Right Sublimation Printer

When selecting a sublimation printer for your company, the following essential factors must be considered.

  • Define Your Production Needs: Decide how many and what types of products you wish to print. It will help you determine your business scale and ensure the suitability of the chosen printer.
  • Evaluate Print Quality and Resolution: The print quality and resolution must be satisfactory for the designs to look sharp and vivid.
  • Consider Printer Size and Capacity: Your business’s production volume determines the kind of printer you should choose. A desktop sublimation printer will work for small businesses, while a wide-format printer is required for large-scale operations.
  • Check Ink and Media Compatibility: Ensure the printer is sublimation ink compatible and will work with your substrates. Some printers are designed for use with specific media, so ensure compatibility for best results.
  • Ease of Use: Find a printer with user-friendly operation, controlled interfaces, and stable customer support.
  • Cost Considerations: To maintain the cost of the printer with the features, consider long-term costs in terms of ink and media.

By evaluating these factors, you can best meet your business’s needs and choose the sublimation printer to achieve your desired results.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sublimation printing has proven advantageous for businesses that create customized clothes, interior decorations, and advertising products. This post examined various sublimation printer types, from high-volume options like the Ricoh SG 7100DN to entry-level versions like the Epson SureColor F170. Additionally, we compared DFT printing and sublimation printing, highlighting notable differences in material compatibility and durability.

The ideal sublimation printer for your company will depend on its requirements and goals. Cost-effectiveness, offering, ease of use, and high-quality output are essential considerations when choosing a printer. With the right tools, businesses can achieve significant growth potential, increase customer happiness, and offer superior products.

FAQs

What is a sublimation printer?

A sublimation printer is a specifically designed heat transfer device that allows ink to be transferred to any material, such as fabric, plastic, or ceramics. It differs from ordinary inkjet printers in converting the dye paste into gas, which then sticks to the material at molecular levels. Consequently, the prints developed with this technique are generally bright, strong, and never fade.

Can I use any printer for sublimation printing?

Sublimation printing does not apply to all printers. Most users can transform inkjet printers into sublimation printers by replacing the ink; however, doing so voids the warranty. To prevent harm, it is crucial to use printers specifically made for sublimation printing or readily convertible.

Can sublimation printers print on cotton?

Sublimation ink is ideal for printing on polyester because it sticks to the fiber when pre-coated. However, it does not usually stick to cotton directly and tends to run and fade rapidly. In this case, pre-coated sheets or transfer paper can be used for sublimation printing on cotton materials.

Is sublimation printing cost-effective?

Sublimation printing costs are relatively reasonable for small and medium-sized businesses. The setup costs are low, and there is no minimum order requirement, making it easy to implement for businesses of any scale. Moreover, the output quality assures long-term benefits, although the initial costs are slightly higher.

What’s the difference between sublimation and heat transfer printing

Sublimation printing involves mixing colour using heat on polyester or polymer-coated fabrics to ensure the print remains long-lasting and rich. Heat transfer, on the other hand, transfers designs to all sorts of materials by utilizing heat, pressure, and paper for transferring designs.

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