Best Sublimation Printers: Top Picks for Shirts, Tumblers, and More

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Print-size class is the first specification to consider when choosing a sublimation printer. It determines whether you can produce small logos, mug and tumbler wraps, full-shirt graphics, signs, and other products without splitting one design across several sheets.

Most printers in this guide create transfers that must be applied with heat and pressure. The HPRT CP4100 is different because it produces finished 4-by-6-inch photographs directly inside the printer. The Epson WorkForce and EcoTank models are standard inkjet printers that require unsupported third-party conversion, while the Sawgrass systems are purpose-built for transfer production.

Top Picks

1. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 — Best Low-Cost 13-by-19-Inch Conversion Project

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 is a cartridge-based wide-format office printer that supports sheets up to 13 by 19 inches. Its large output size makes it attractive to experienced users who want to experiment with bigger apparel transfers without immediately purchasing a purpose-built business sublimation printer. It also offers two large paper trays, wireless connectivity, and automatic two-sided office printing on supported sizes.

The WF-7310 is not sold or supported by Epson as a sublimation printer. Conversion requires compatible refillable cartridges or another third-party ink system, and the printer should not be filled with its original office ink first. Cartridge-chip compatibility, color profiles, maintenance, warranty concerns, and troubleshooting are the owner’s responsibility.

Pros

• Prints on sheets up to 13 by 19 inches
• Lower entry cost than many purpose-built large-format systems
• Large paper capacity
• Wireless and mobile printing support

Cons

• Not designed or supported for sublimation
• Cartridge conversion is more complicated than filling an EcoTank
• Third-party ink and chips can create maintenance problems
• Requires manual color-management work

Who should buy it: Experienced crafters who want an inexpensive route to 13-by-19-inch transfers and are comfortable managing an unsupported cartridge conversion.

2. HPRT CP4100 — Best Direct Photo Dye-Sub Printer

The HPRT CP4100 uses thermal dye-sublimation technology to create finished 4-by-6-inch photographs directly from a phone or computer. The selected bundle includes photo media and ribbons, while Wi-Fi connectivity supports convenient home printing without liquid ink, transfer paper, or a heat press.

This is useful for family photos, event prints, scrapbooking, and small photography businesses, but it belongs to a different category from craft-transfer sublimation printers. It cannot print transfers for shirts, mugs, tumblers, or coated blanks.

Pros

• Produces finished 4-by-6-inch photographs
• No liquid ink or printhead conversion
• Wi-Fi printing from mobile devices
• Media and ribbons included

Cons

• Cannot create heat-press transfers
• Limited to its supported photo format
• Requires model-specific ribbon and paper supplies

Who should buy it: Families, scrapbookers, event hosts, and photographers who want direct photo prints rather than heat-transfer designs.

3. Sawgrass SG500 Starter Bundle — Best for Small-Business Gifts

The Sawgrass SG500 is a purpose-built desktop sublimation printer aimed at small and medium personalized products. It supports common desktop transfer sizes and is well suited to repeat orders involving mugs, coasters, ornaments, small signs, and compact apparel graphics.

The included SubliJet ink, transfer paper, wireless connectivity, and Sawgrass software ecosystem make it easier to create a repeatable workflow than with a converted office printer. Its main limitation is width, which can require tiling for larger apparel graphics.

Pros

• Purpose-built sublimation platform
• Suitable for repeatable small-product production
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• Ink and transfer paper included

Cons

• Limited width for large apparel designs
• Proprietary consumables increase ongoing cost

Who should buy it: Small businesses that repeatedly produce gifts, drinkware, and other compact sublimated products.

4. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 — Best Tank-Based Option for Larger Sheets

The Epson EcoTank ET-15000 can print on sheets up to 13 by 19 inches through its rear feed, giving it substantially more design space than desktop letter-width printers. Its refillable tanks are generally simpler to fill with third-party sublimation ink than the cartridge system used by the WF-7310.

However, the ET-15000 is a standard office inkjet rather than a purpose-built sublimation machine. Conversion should begin with a new printer that has never contained standard ink, and third-party ink can create color-management, support, maintenance, and warranty complications.

Pros

• Supports sheets up to 13 by 19 inches
• Reduces tiling for larger apparel graphics
• Refillable tank design
• Easier ink-filling process than cartridge conversion

Cons

• Not designed or supported for sublimation
• Conversion and color management require additional work
• Higher initial cost than the WF-7310

Who should buy it: Experienced crafters who want larger sheet output and prefer refillable tanks over a cartridge-based conversion.

5. Sawgrass SG1000 Bundle — Best 11-by-17-Inch Business Printer

The Sawgrass SG1000 provides a larger purpose-built sublimation platform for businesses that have outgrown desktop-width output. It prints up to 11 by 17 inches through its standard configuration and can accommodate larger media with the appropriate optional bypass tray.

The additional width is useful for shirt graphics, signs, panels, and products that would otherwise require tiled transfers on an SG500. Its manufacturer-supported ink and software workflow also reduces the conversion work associated with the two Epson office printers.

Pros

• Purpose-built dye-sublimation printer
• Standard output up to 11 by 17 inches
• Optional bypass support for larger media
• Better suited to larger designs and repeat production

Cons

• High initial cost
• Proprietary ink adds ongoing expense
• Requires more workspace than a compact desktop model

Who should buy it: Growing personalization businesses that need larger graphics without moving to a roll-fed industrial printer.

6. Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex — Best for Cotton and Mixed Materials

The SG500 VersiFlex bundle uses Sawgrass’s specialized transfer system rather than a conventional polyester-only sublimation workflow. It is intended for natural fabrics, cotton blends, uncoated wood, and compatible hard goods while retaining the compact footprint of the SG500 platform.

It expands the range of products a small shop can offer, but its ink, transfer media, pressing procedure, and finished results differ from ordinary SubliJet sublimation. Buyers should treat it as a separate decorating workflow rather than a direct substitute for standard dye sublimation.

Pros

• Designed for cotton and natural-fabric decoration
• Works with wood and compatible hard goods
• Compact desktop printer
• Expands beyond traditional polyester sublimation

Cons

• Uses a different process from standard sublimation
• Limited to desktop-width designs
• Specialized consumables add complexity and cost

Who should buy it: Small shops that want to decorate cotton, natural fabrics, wood, and compatible hard goods with one dedicated transfer system.

Quick Comparison

• Best low-cost 13-by-19-inch project: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310
• Best direct photo dye-sub printer: HPRT CP4100
• Best for small-business gifts: Sawgrass SG500
• Best tank-based larger-sheet option: Epson EcoTank ET-15000
• Best purpose-built 11-by-17-inch printer: Sawgrass SG1000
• Best for cotton and mixed materials: Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex

Buying Guide

Decide Whether You Need Transfers or Finished Photos

Heat-transfer printers create mirrored designs that are pressed onto polyester fabric or polymer-coated blanks. A thermal photo printer such as the HPRT CP4100 produces a finished photograph directly and cannot create transfers for apparel, mugs, tumblers, or signs.

Choose the Print-Size Class First

Letter-width printers work well for drinkware, ornaments, coasters, and smaller apparel graphics. An 11-by-17-inch or 13-by-19-inch machine provides more room for adult-shirt designs and larger products, while roll-fed equipment is more appropriate for oversized or high-volume production.

Choose Between Purpose-Built and Converted Printers

Purpose-built Sawgrass printers arrive with compatible ink, software, drivers, and supported transfer workflows. Converted Epson printers may provide larger output at a lower equipment cost, but third-party ink, color profiles, maintenance, troubleshooting, and warranty concerns become the owner’s responsibility.

Compare Cartridge and Tank Conversions

The WF-7310 uses cartridges, which means a conversion may require compatible refillable cartridges, chips, and additional troubleshooting. The ET-15000 uses refillable tanks, making the initial ink-filling process simpler, although the conversion is still unsupported.

Convert Only an Unused Printer

Standard office ink and sublimation ink should not be mixed. Anyone converting the WF-7310 or ET-15000 should start with a new printer whose ink-delivery system and printhead have never contained the original office ink.

Match the Printer to Your Products

Drinkware and small gifts rarely require the same print width as large apparel layouts. List the products you expect to make, measure their printable areas, and select a printer that accommodates most designs without frequent tiling.

Consider the Complete Workflow

A transfer printer is only one part of a sublimation setup. You also need compatible ink, transfer paper, suitable blanks, heat-resistant tape, protective paper, design software, and a press capable of applying the required time, temperature, and pressure.

Plan for Maintenance

Inkjet transfer printers should be used regularly and left powered as instructed so their maintenance systems can operate. Long idle periods, unsuitable ink, neglected nozzle checks, and repeated unplugging can contribute to clogs and inconsistent output.

Check What the Bundle Includes

Bundles can differ in ink volume, paper quantity, software access, ribbons, and accessories. Confirm the exact contents of the Amazon package rather than assuming every listing for the same printer includes identical supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Epson WF-7310 a Sublimation Printer?

No. Epson sells it as a standard wide-format office inkjet. Third-party users may convert new units, but Epson does not support or market the WF-7310 for sublimation.

Why Choose the WF-7310 Instead of the ET-15000?

The WF-7310 generally offers a lower-cost route to 13-by-19-inch output. The ET-15000 costs more but uses refillable tanks, which can make the conversion and refilling process easier than working with cartridges and chips.

Which Printer Is Best for a Beginner?

The Sawgrass SG500 is the most straightforward heat-transfer option in this lineup because it is purpose-built for sublimation. Both Epson options require unsupported conversion and more troubleshooting.

Is the HPRT CP4100 a Craft Sublimation Printer?

No. It uses dye-sublimation technology to produce finished photographs, but it cannot print transfers for shirts, mugs, tumblers, coasters, or other heat-pressed blanks.

Which Printer Is Best for Large Shirt Designs?

The SG1000 is the strongest purpose-built option here. The WF-7310 and ET-15000 can handle larger sheets, but both require unsupported conversion before they can be used for sublimation transfers.

Can I Use the Original Epson Ink for Sublimation?

No. Standard office ink does not become sublimation ink when printed on transfer paper. A converted printer requires compatible sublimation ink, and the original ink should not be installed first.

Can I Sublimate Directly on Cotton?

Traditional sublimation works best on polyester and polymer-coated blanks. Untreated cotton normally requires another transfer method, a compatible coating, or a specialized system such as VersiFlex.

What Is the Difference Between the SG500 and SG1000?

The primary difference is print-size class. The SG500 is intended for smaller and medium products, while the SG1000 supports wider sheets that reduce tiling for apparel graphics, signs, and larger blanks.

Is VersiFlex the Same as Standard Sublimation?

No. VersiFlex uses specialized inks, transfer media, and a different application process. It extends decorating to materials that conventional polyester sublimation normally cannot handle.

Do I Need a Heat Press?

A heat press is required for conventional transfer sublimation and VersiFlex projects. The HPRT CP4100 does not need one because it produces finished photographs inside the printer.

Final Verdict

The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 is the lowest-cost route in this lineup to 13-by-19-inch transfer projects, but it is appropriate only for experienced users who accept the risks of unsupported cartridge conversion. The HPRT CP4100 is intended for direct photo printing rather than craft transfers.

Choose the Sawgrass SG500 for the easiest conventional small-business workflow, the Epson EcoTank ET-15000 for a tank-based larger-sheet conversion, or the Sawgrass SG1000 for manufacturer-supported 11-by-17-inch production. The Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex remains the specialist choice for cotton, natural fabrics, wood, and mixed-material projects.

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