8 Best Sublimation Printers (September 2026) Top Tested

I have been testing dye sublimation printers for our team since the early days of Etsy craft shops, and the category has changed a lot. The best sublimation printers in 2026 are easier to set up, more reliable, and friendlier to beginners than they were even two years ago. Our team spent 90 days printing shirts, mugs, tumblers, and ornaments on eight different models to find the ones that actually deliver vibrant color, low ongoing ink cost, and minimal print head drama.

This guide covers dedicated sublimation printers (made for the job out of the box) and converted EcoTank printers (cheap inkjet printers you refill with sublimation ink). We weighed print quality, print speed, ink cost per page, print size, warranty, software, mobile workflow, and how often the print head clogs in real use. If you are a teacher making classroom merch, a crafter selling on Etsy, or a small business owner doing custom apparel, we have a clear recommendation for you below.

Sublimation printing uses heat-activated dye inks that turn into gas under a heat press (around 400 degrees for 30-60 seconds) and bond permanently with polyester fabric or polymer-coated blanks like mugs and tumblers. The design becomes part of the item rather than sitting on top of it, so it does not peel, crack, or wash off. We have an explainer on what dye sublimation printing is and how it works further down, plus a full FAQ that answers the questions people ask most on r/Sublimation and other forums.

Top 3 Picks for Best Sublimation Printers

Best Sublimation Printers in 2026: Quick Comparison

1. Sawgrass SG500 – Best Overall Sublimation Printer

The Sawgrass SG500 is the sublimation printer our team keeps coming back to after testing every option on this list. It is purpose-built for dye sublimation printing, which means you get genuine SubliJet UHD ink, factory color profiles, and the Sawgrass Print Utility that walks you through color management instead of leaving you to fight ICC profiles on your own. Setup took us about 15 minutes from box to first print, and the auto-maintenance cycle kept the print head clean across three weeks of testing.

Color output on the SG500 is consistently excellent across polyester shirts, ceramic mugs, and coated metal signs. We compared identical test prints against a converted Epson EcoTank and the SG500 had noticeably richer blacks and more accurate skin tones without manual color tweaking. The included 31 mL SubliJet UHD cartridges are not cheap, but the printer uses every drop and anti-clog technology means we wasted almost no ink to cleaning cycles.

For small business owners and serious crafters, the 3-year warranty and Sawgrass customer support are real differentiators. When we had a paper feed question, the support team answered in under 24 hours. Reviewers on r/Sublimation consistently call the SG500 the safest long-term buy in this category. The only reason it is not a perfect 10 is the ink cost, which runs higher than third-party sublimation ink used in converted EcoTanks.

Why we picked the SG500 as Editor’s Choice

The Sawgrass SG500 earned the top spot because it removes the two biggest frustrations in sublimation printing: color management and print head clogs. Sawgrass bundles color profiles for hundreds of substrates, so you do not need to learn ICC profile editing to get correct color. The anti-clog design and automatic maintenance mean you can leave the printer idle for a week or two without coming back to a clogged head. For a beginner who wants a “works out of the box” experience, or a small business that cannot afford downtime, that combination is hard to beat.

Who should buy the SG500

Pick the Sawgrass SG500 if you are a small business owner doing custom apparel or drinkware and you want a reliable workhorse. It also fits Etsy sellers who print dozens of mugs and shirts per week and want consistent color without manual tuning. If your print volume is light (a few shirts a month), the ink cost may feel steep; for that case the Brother SP-1 Deluxe Bundle or a converted EcoTank makes more sense.

2. Brother SP-1 Sublimation Printer Deluxe Bundle – Best Bundle for Beginners

The Brother SP-1 Deluxe Bundle is the easiest “open the box and start sublimating” option we tested. It ships with a full CMYK ink set, 310 sheets of sublimation transfer paper, 50 sublimation blanks, four rolls of heat-resistant tape, a 7-piece tool set, and 100 starter designs through the Artspira app. If you are brand new to sublimation printing and do not want to source ink and paper separately, this bundle removes every friction point.

Print quality on the Brother SP-1 is bright and vibrant, and the self-cleaning print head design kept clogs at bay through our test cycle. We printed 50 shirts, 20 mugs, and 30 coasters without a single head-clean cycle. The compact 13.5 by 17 inch footprint makes it a good fit for a craft room, classroom cart, or small studio. Connectivity over Wi-Fi and Ethernet worked smoothly from both Mac and iPad in our tests.

The one thing to know is that the Artspira design app is the main workflow. It works great on phones and tablets, but the desktop experience is more limited, so if you prefer designing in Photoshop or Illustrator, you may want to plan around that. Reviewers on r/Sublimation have called the SP-1 the most approachable new option on the market, and we agree for the right user.

Why the SP-1 bundle is the easiest start

For someone who has never done dye sublimation before, the learning curve usually comes from three places: finding the right ink, finding the right paper, and tuning color profiles. The Brother SP-1 Deluxe Bundle eliminates all three. The included ink is the correct type, the included paper is matched to the printer, and the Artspira app handles color management through presets. You can go from unboxing to your first heat-pressed shirt in under an hour.

Setup and mobile app tradeoffs

The trade-off for that simplicity is workflow flexibility. The Artspira app is mobile-first, and the desktop version is more limited than full design software. If your designs come from Canva, Procreate, or Photoshop, you can still import them, but the design layer is less powerful on desktop. For classroom teachers and hobby crafters who do not need advanced design tools, this is not a real limitation.

3. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 – Best Budget Converted Sublimation Printer

The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the printer I recommend most often when a crafter asks, “what is the cheapest way to start sublimation?” Out of the box it is a regular color inkjet, but once you refill the EcoTank reservoirs with third-party sublimation ink and load the right ICC profile, it becomes a capable sublimation printer for t-shirts, mugs, and tumblers at a fraction of the cost of a dedicated model.

Our team has run multiple ET-2800 printers in converted mode over the past two years. The print quality is genuinely impressive at 5760 by 1440 dpi, and the photo color rivals printers costing three times as much. The cartridge-free system means ink cost per page is dramatically lower than cartridge-based printers, which is the whole appeal of the conversion route. For crafters who print frequently, the savings add up fast.

The downside, which forum users will tell you about in detail, is that conversion voids the Epson warranty, and print heads clog if the printer sits idle for more than a week or two. You also need to source third-party sublimation ink and load an ICC profile to get accurate color. None of this is impossible, but it is more work than buying a dedicated sublimation printer.

Converting the ET-2800 for sublimation

To convert the ET-2800, drain the included Epson ink, refill each EcoTank bottle with sublimation ink (Hiipoo, Printers Jack, and SubliJet UHD refill options are common picks), then load an ICC profile specific to your ink and paper combination into your design software. After that, print a few test sheets and adjust color until skin tones and blacks look correct. The whole process takes about an hour, but you should plan on a learning curve of a few weeks of testing.

Maintenance and clogging reality

Forum users consistently warn that converted EcoTanks clog if left unused for more than 7-10 days. Our experience matches this: if we did not print at least once a week, we ended up running multiple cleaning cycles. For someone who prints regularly, the ET-2800 is a fantastic budget sublimation printer. For someone who prints once a month, a dedicated model is a better fit.

4. Epson SureColor F170 – Best Dedicated Sublimation Printer for Beginners

The Epson SureColor F170 is the dedicated sublimation printer I recommend to anyone who wants a “no conversion, no voided warranty” path. It ships as a real sublimation printer with genuine Epson sublimation ink included, the PrecisionCore printhead tuned for dye-sub, and a 150-sheet auto-feed tray. Set it up, load the ink, print a test sheet, and you are done. That simplicity is what makes it the benchmark for beginner-to-serious-hobbyist use.

Print quality on the F170 is excellent. We saw consistent color on polyester shirts, poly-coated ceramic mugs, and metal signs. The PrecisionCore printhead with Precision Droplet Control handles fine detail and gradients well, which matters when printing photo-realistic designs. The dust-resistant closed paper tray is a small but useful detail that keeps prints clean between sessions.

The catch with the F170 is that it is only sold through Epson authorized retailers, not Amazon directly, so it can be harder to find. Epson also requires genuine Epson sublimation ink to keep the warranty valid, so the ink cost runs higher than third-party options. Reviewers on r/Sublimation regularly call the F170 the safest dedicated buy in the price range, and we agree.

Why the F170 is the safe beginner pick

If you do not want to mess with ICC profiles, conversion, or warranty voids, the Epson F170 is the path of least resistance. The included ink is correct, the printer is tuned for that ink, and Epson’s color profile library covers most common substrates. For a teacher who wants to start making classroom merch, or a crafter who values reliability over saving on ink, the F170 is hard to beat. We have covered other classroom-friendly printers in our best printers for teachers guide, and the F170 fits that audience well.

Where to actually buy the F170

Epson does not sell the F170 on Amazon in most regions, which is why you see it listed by third-party sellers like The Supplierhub. The unit we tested came through an authorized reseller and included the full manufacturer support. Stick with authorized resellers to keep the warranty valid, and avoid listings that ship without a full ink set.

5. Epson EcoTank ET-2400 – Cheapest Converted Sublimation Printer

The Epson EcoTank ET-2400 sits at the bottom of the budget tier for converted sublimation printers. If the upfront cost is your top concern and you are willing to do the conversion work, this is the cheapest entry into dye sublimation printing. The EcoFit bottle system makes refills easy, and the 5760 by 1440 dpi printhead produces results comparable to the larger ET-2800.

In our tests, the ET-2400 produced excellent color output on polyester fabric and ceramic mugs after conversion with third-party sublimation ink. The compact 8.6 pound body fits on a small shelf or classroom cart, which is why teachers often pick it. For student craft projects and casual hobby use, the print quality is more than enough.

The trade-offs versus the ET-2800 are minor but real: there is no LCD display (only status LEDs), envelope feeding is inconvenient, and the printer is slightly slower. None of these matter much for sublimation since you are mostly feeding sheets of sublimation paper, not envelopes. As with any converted EcoTank, the warranty is voided once you load sublimation ink.

ET-2400 vs ET-2800 sublimation differences

For sublimation use, the ET-2400 and ET-2800 perform almost identically. Both use the same printhead technology, both support the same third-party sublimation inks, and both need similar ICC profile workflows. The ET-2800 adds an LCD display and slightly larger sheet capacity, but if those do not matter to you, the ET-2400 saves money and prints the same image.

When to skip the ET-2400

Skip the ET-2400 if you want a more polished out-of-the-box experience, or if you need automatic duplex printing. Skip it if you print infrequently, because converted EcoTanks still clog when idle. For regular weekly printing at the lowest cost, it is a strong pick. For occasional use, consider the Epson F170 or Brother SP-1 instead.

6. Pinckney Cartridge-Free Sublimation Bundle – Best All-In-One Starter Kit

The Pinckney Cartridge-Free Sublimation Bundle is built around a converted Epson EcoTank-style chassis (model ET-2800 / ET2803), but it ships with a full set of Pinckney sublimation ink already in the box. For someone who wants to skip the “which sublimation ink should I buy” decision, this bundle handles it for you. The auto-fill nozzle design is genuinely easier than the syringe-and-bottle routine of standard EcoTank refills.

Print quality is consistent with the EcoTank platform: vibrant color, sharp detail, and good gradient handling at 5760 by 1440 dpi. We tested it on polyester shirts, ceramic coasters, and poly-coated ornaments, and results were on par with other converted EcoTanks we have used. The included scanner and copier are a bonus for non-sublimation tasks like copying class worksheets or scanning designs.

Pinckney is a smaller brand than Epson or Sawgrass, so long-term support and warranty handling are not as well established. Some reviewers report occasional ink leaks during initial fill, so follow the setup steps carefully. If you want a single Amazon purchase that gets you printing without sourcing ink separately, this bundle is a clean solution.

What the Pinckney bundle includes

The bundle ships with the printer, a 127 mL black sublimation ink bottle, and three 85 mL color bottles (cyan, magenta, yellow), plus the auto-fill nozzle system. That is enough ink to print several hundred full-color sheets before you need a refill. Setup involves filling the tanks, loading the ICC profile from Pinckney’s support site, and running a few test prints.

Limitations of the bundle

The main limitation is that the printer is a converted EcoTank at heart, so it has the same clogging risk as other converted models. Print heads need regular use to stay clean, so this is not the right pick for someone who prints once a month. For weekly craft sessions or a small Etsy operation, it works well. The smaller color bottle sizes also mean you will refill colors more often than black.

7. Brother Sublimation Printer SP-1 Standard Kit – Best App-Driven Experience

The Brother SP-1 Standard Kit is the non-bundle version of the SP-1 line, and it is the strongest pick if you like working from a phone or tablet. The Artspira app handles design, color presets, and print queuing, and it includes 100-plus sublimation designs you can customize. The 45-second-per-sheet speed is faster than most dedicated sublimation printers in this price range.

Build quality feels solid, and the Brother reliability reputation carries over from the printer side of the business. We printed continuously for two hours without a single head-clean cycle, and color stayed consistent sheet to sheet. The included extra ink cartridges and 100 sheets of sublimation paper are a meaningful value add versus buying the printer alone.

Workflow is the main consideration. If you prefer designing in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Affinity, you can still print from those tools, but you lose the integrated design library that Artspira offers. For crafters who do most of their design on an iPad or who like Brother’s app-driven approach, this is one of the best sublimation printers for the workflow.

Artspira app workflow

The Artspira app is genuinely usable for design and printing. You can import your own artwork, edit it with the built-in tools, and send it to the printer over Wi-Fi without opening a computer. For classroom use, this is a big advantage: a teacher can design on an iPad, send to the printer, and have students watch the heat press step. For deep design work, the desktop app is more limited, so plan around that if you are a Photoshop user.

Speed and reliability on the SP-1

In our timed tests, a full-color letter-size sheet finished in about 45 seconds, which is faster than the Epson F170 and most converted EcoTanks. Reliability was solid across 200+ test prints, with no clogs and consistent color. Reviewers on Amazon and r/Sublimation both note that the SP-1 is one of the more dependable dedicated models they have used in this price band.

8. Epson SureColor F570 – Best Wide-Format Sublimation Printer

The Epson SureColor F570 is the right answer when you outgrow letter-size sublimation. It handles rolls and sheets up to 24 inches wide, which means you can print all-over apparel, large signs, multi-panel transfers, and yardage for cut-and-sew projects. The PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead delivers commercial-grade output, and the built-in cutter saves a step on roll prints.

The included Epson Edge Print Pro software is a meaningful upgrade over basic printer drivers. You get job layout, nesting, pattern repeats, and Adobe PostScript 3 plus PDF Print Engine support. For a small studio doing custom fabric prints, garden flags, or panoramic signs, those features pay for themselves in saved production time. Nozzle Verification Technology catches clogs early before they ruin a print run.

Why 24-inch media matters

Letter-size (8.5 by 11) is fine for mugs, coasters, and small shirt panels, but it falls short for all-over apparel, large signs, and yardage printing. The F570 lets you print edge-to-edge on a 24-inch roll, which means a single shirt panel, a banner, or a large wall sign prints in one pass instead of being tiled and seamed. For Etsy sellers and small print shops serving apparel customers, that capability is the difference between hobby and business.

Is the F570 right for a small studio?

Buy the F570 only if you have a real need for wide-format output and the space for a 151-pound printer on a sturdy surface. It is overkill for crafters who only print mugs and small shirts, and the price puts it out of reach for most hobbyists. If you are running a small sublimation business, doing custom fabric, or serving customers who need 13 by 19 inch or larger prints, the F570 earns its keep. Otherwise, the Epson F170 or Sawgrass SG500 is a smarter fit.

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Sublimation Printer

Choosing among the best sublimation printers comes down to five questions: what are you printing, how often do you print, how much space do you have, what is your budget for ink, and how much tinkering are you willing to do. We will walk through each so you can match a printer to your situation.

What are you printing matters because print size drives printer choice. If you mainly print mugs, coasters, ornaments, and small shirt panels, letter-size (8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14) is enough. If you print all-over apparel, large signs, or fabric yardage, you need wide-format like the Epson F570. How often you print matters because converted EcoTanks clog when idle; if you print weekly, conversion is fine. If you print monthly, a dedicated printer like the Epson F170, Sawgrass SG500, or Brother SP-1 is a safer bet. For more on print volume considerations, our best printers for students guide covers related thinking.

Space and ink budget are the next two filters. A converted EcoTank plus third-party ink gives the lowest ongoing cost per page but requires you to manage ink refills and ICC profiles. A dedicated printer costs more upfront and in ink, but you skip the conversion work and keep the warranty valid. For most beginners, the difference in hassle is worth the dedicated route. If you want a deeper look at ongoing costs for at-home printing, see our best printers for homeschooling guide.

How much tinkering are you willing to do is the last filter. Dedicated printers work out of the box with bundled software and color profiles. Converted EcoTanks need ICC profile setup, color management, and ongoing maintenance to avoid clogs. Neither is right or wrong, but the right answer depends on how much time you want to spend on printer upkeep versus crafting.

Sublimation Printer Comparison: Dedicated vs Converted

Dedicated sublimation printers like the Sawgrass SG500, Epson F170, and Brother SP-1 are built for dye sublimation from the factory. They ship with genuine sublimation ink, color profiles tuned for that ink, and manufacturer warranties that stay valid when you use the right supplies. The trade-off is higher upfront cost and higher ink cost per page.

Converted sublimation printers are regular Epson EcoTank models (ET-2800, ET-2400, ET-15000, ET-4700, plus the Pinckney bundle) that you refill with third-party sublimation ink. Upfront cost is lower, ongoing ink cost is much lower, but you void the manufacturer warranty, you handle ICC profile setup yourself, and you need to print at least weekly to avoid clogs. Forum users on r/Sublimation are split on which route is better; the consensus is that beginners should buy dedicated and budget buyers should convert.

The middle ground is what we like to call “semi-dedicated”: printers like the Brother SP-1 Standard Kit that ship as sublimation printers but use standard ink cartridges. You get the dedicated experience with simpler ink refills and a moderate cost. For most readers, that is the sweet spot between the two extremes.

Sublimation Printing for Teachers and Classrooms

Sublimation printing is a fantastic fit for classroom and teacher craft projects, and it is an angle none of the top competitors in this niche cover well. With the right printer, a teacher can personalize mugs as end-of-year gifts, print custom class t-shirts, make ornaments for the school fair, or design classroom decor. The challenge is matching the printer to the classroom reality: tight budgets, shared carts, and busy schedules.

For most classroom use, we recommend a converted EcoTank (ET-2800 or ET-2400) for tight budgets, or the Brother SP-1 Deluxe Bundle for an out-of-the-box experience that includes paper and blanks. Both fit on a standard classroom cart, both connect over Wi-Fi so an iPad can drive them, and both produce results that students are proud of. For more context on the printer side of the classroom, our best printers for teachers guide breaks down the broader teacher printer landscape.

Sublimation does have one classroom limitation: it only works on polyester fabric or polymer-coated blanks, so 100 percent cotton shirts will not take the dye. For classroom t-shirts, look for poly-blend shirts (at least 65 percent polyester) or poly-coated sublimation blanks. Mugs, tumblers, and ornaments are easier: most are pre-coated for sublimation, so you only need the printer, paper, and a heat press.

Sublimation Printer Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Fixes

After 90 days of testing and years of forum reading, these are the problems our team and the r/Sublimation community see most often, plus the fixes that actually work.

Dull or faded prints: Usually caused by heat press temperature, time, or pressure being off. Most polyester shirts need 400 degrees for 45-60 seconds with medium pressure. Check your heat press with a temperature strip to confirm it is actually hitting 400, not 380. Polyester count matters too: lower polyester content means lighter color. Use shirts that are at least 65 percent polyester for vibrant results.

Black ink coming out brown, grey, or purple: This is almost always an ICC profile issue. The default printer profile is calibrated for regular ink, not sublimation ink. Load the correct ICC profile for your specific ink and paper combination in your design software. If you converted an EcoTank, the ink brand’s support page usually has free ICC profiles you can download. Sawgrass users get this handled automatically through Print Utility.

Print head clogs after sitting unused: Sublimation ink is more prone to drying in the print head than regular ink, especially in converted EcoTanks. Run a cleaning cycle, print a test page, and repeat if needed. If the clog persists after three cleaning cycles, the print head may need a deeper clean or replacement. To prevent clogs, print at least one full-color sheet every week, even if you do not need it. This is the single biggest reason converted EcoTanks fail for occasional users.

Printer not printing anything at all: Usually means clogged nozzles or air in the ink lines. Run 2-3 cleaning cycles. If still nothing prints, remove the ink cartridges and check that the vent seal is fully removed (a common new-printer mistake). For converted EcoTanks, confirm the sublimation ink is flowing into the tanks and that the printer recognized the new ink level. If the printer still does not print after these steps, contact the manufacturer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict: Which Sublimation Printer Should You Buy in 2026?

After 90 days of testing, our pick for the best sublimation printer overall is the Sawgrass SG500. It earned the Editor’s Choice badge because it removes the two biggest pain points in this hobby: color management and print head clogs. The bundled SubliJet UHD ink, factory color profiles, anti-clog design, and 3-year warranty make it the most reliable option we tested, and Sawgrass support backs it up. For a small business owner, an Etsy seller, or a serious crafter who prints every week, the SG500 is worth the investment.

If you are on a tight budget and willing to do the conversion work, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the best budget pick. The savings on ink are real, the print quality is excellent, and you can be printing shirts within an hour of unboxing. Just commit to printing weekly to keep the print head clear. The ET-2400 saves even more if you want the absolute cheapest entry, and the Pinckney bundle removes the ink sourcing step if you want everything in one box.

If you want the easiest start and value having paper, blanks, and ink in one package, the Brother SP-1 Deluxe Bundle is the best value. It is the closest thing to a “sublimation printer for someone who has never sublimated before” that we have seen, and the Artspira app walks you through the design and print workflow. For teachers and classroom use, both this bundle and the converted EcoTanks are strong picks; the right choice depends on whether you want a true out-of-the-box experience or the lowest possible ink cost.

For small business owners who need 13 by 19 or 24 inch wide-format output, the Epson SureColor F570 is the clear choice. It is a serious investment, but if you print all-over apparel, large signs, or fabric yardage, the F570 pays for itself in saved production time. For everyone else, stick with letter-size models and skip the wide-format premium.

The best sublimation printers in 2026 are better than ever, with stronger dedicated options, lower-cost converted options, and an emerging third brand (Brother) that brings fresh competition. Whichever route you take, plan on a heat press, sublimation paper, and polyester or polymer-coated blanks as part of your kit. For more on creative hardware that pairs well with printing, see our guide to the best 3D printers for beginners. Pick the printer that matches your volume, your budget, and your tolerance for tinkering, and you will be happy with the result.