Sublimation has always been the most popular technique of transferring designs to garments and other materials using heat and ink. It has established itself as the game-changer in the world of apparel. Clothing businesses and customizing companies now have cutting-edge technology that enables them to decorate garments and hard materials. Sublimation printers have always stood as the first choice.
If you are new to this and are not sure if you understand sublimation Vs other printing methods, the best way to start is by following this post. We have covered sublimation and other transferring technologies in great detail.
Now, if you have made the decision and are ready to buy your sublimation printer, don't worry. You don't have to dive into the pool of companies and models of printers to find the best one worthy of your investment. SawGrass and Epson are already leading the market. The question isn't which company has the best sublimation printer in the market and what model.
The best sublimation printers: SawGrass or Epson?
As of now, SawGrass has SG00 and SG1000 printers competing in the market. Epson's sure color f570, WF-7720, Ecotank 3670, EcoTank 2720 sublimation printers have been updated with the most up-to-date sublimation technology and print resolution.
This review will assist you in selecting the best printer for your needs, whether you're a beginner printing your first t-shirt or a business printing mug, glassware, or one of an infinite number of very good blank spaces for sublimation printing.
In this post, you can find:
- Epson WF-7710 Vs WF-7720
- Epson EcoTank ET-2720 Black and White
- Epson Sure Color f570
- SawGrass SG500 & SG1000
Before we move to model specifics of each model we have to briefly discuss which company out of two will be the best fit for you.
Epson Sublimation Printers Pros And Cons
PROS:
-Cheapest entry-level option
-Common inkjet printers, which are frequently on sale
-Once converted, it can function as a scanner and copy (though it will print with sublimation ink).
-EcoTank models do not require cartridges for conversion, only sublimation ink.
CONS:
-Changing to sublimation printing voids the warranty, removing access to Epson customer service.
-The possibility of ink heads drying out if used less than once every 1-3 days.
SawGrass Sublimation Printers Pros and Cons
PROS:
-Specifically designed for sublimation
-Self-maintenance mode maintains the printer even in the most rarely used form
-2-year guarantee and 30 minutes of unlimited technological support 1-on-1 to get you to work
-Free Sawgrass CreativeStudio Design Access
CONS:
-Expensive Initial Cost
Take away:
Choose Epson if you're budget-conscious and are planning to use your sublimation printer every few days and are willing to DIY the conversion, voiding the warranty.
Choose a Sawgrass model if you have the budget and want the ability to print high-volume projects but don't want the hassle of maintaining the machine regularly.
Now heading on to printer models. If you have chosen the company, you can head straight to model comparisons and specifications of the company.
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Epson WF-7710 Vs WF-7720
Both printers are excellent all-in-one choices. They have a nice touchscreen display and can AirPrint wirelessly, via an ethernet cable, via NFC, or from a memory card. The WF7710 has a single feed print tray, whereas the WF7720 has two feed trays. They both print at the same size, have the same output levels and can be used wirelessly.
Converting the printer to sublimation will void the warranty, and you will no longer be able to receive customer support from Epson.
Once sublimation ink has been installed in an inkjet printer, it cannot be switched back to standard inkjet ink. Because these Epson printers were not designed to use sublimation paper and ink, there will be some issues with them over time which is one of the downsides of using Epson Printers.
Specifications
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Epson WF 7710
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Epson WF 7720
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Epson WF 7710 Price: $ 149.99
Epson WF 7720 Price: $199.99
Our Pick: Epson WF 7720
2. Epson EcoTank ET-2720 Black and ET 2720 White
- Exclusive EcoFit bottle design — uniquely keyed for easy filling of each color
- Compact, space-saving design — integrated front-facing ink tanks; premium white finish
- Easy setup and navigation — 1.44" color display
- Borderless photo printing — easily print borderless 4" x 6" photos; also features a 100-sheet paper capacity
- Hands-free voice-activated printing — ask Alexa to print a variety of creative projects and everyday documents, including your to-do and shopping lists
Price: $199
3. Epson Sure Color F570
This dye-sub printer is perfect for customizing sublimations, such as photo gifts, cups, tumblers, signs, clothes, and more. The Epson F570 is an efficient printer that provides high-performance prints with powerful PrecisionCore® technology. A fantastic 2.400x1.200 dpi image resolution at incredible speeds is one of the quickest sublimation printing systems in its class.
STANDARD WARRANTY: After purchasing the F570, you will receive a 90-day warranty until it is registered.
The warranty is converted to a one-year warranty upon registration.
EXTENDED WARRANTY: One-year Epson Preferred Plus Service and Support Plan.
Purchase an additional year of machine warranty (maximum of two years)
A one-year extended warranty costs $399.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Temperature range: 50 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 35 C)
Operating temperatures should be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 C)
Temperature range: -4 to 104 F (-20 to 40 C)
Operating Humidity: 20% to 80% (no condensation)
Operating Recommendation Humidity: 45-60% (no condensation)
5–85 percent storage (no condensation)
EPSON F570 PRINTER BENEFITS & ADVANTAGES:
- Astounding print quality, powered by PrecisionCore
- Epson ink delivers bright, brilliant images
- 50 cut sheet auto-feed tray
- 24" wide roll media support
- Built-in cutter for added efficiency
- Replace ink less often with high-capacity ink bottles
- Auto-stop ink bottles for easy, mess-free filling
- Optimized for printing on soft and rigid materials
- World-class service & support
- Compact, clean design easily fits on a desktop
- Optional stand with paper catcher available
- Dye-sub printing software included
- 4.3" LCD color touchscreen simplifies print tasks
- Wireless connectivity
- Flat top printer surface
Price: $2,495.00
Only buy this if you are getting the printer for your business and it falls under your budget.
4.SawGrass SG500 & SG1000
The all-new Sawgrass SG500 and SG1000, which were released in early 2020, are welcome updates to the SG400 and SG800. Ricoh sublimation printers were another name for these machines.
The main distinction between Sawgrass and Epson printers is that Sawgrass printers were specifically designed for sublimation printing. Epson inkjet printers were not supported (hence why the warranty will be void upon conversion).
Sawgrass printers are designed to print sublimation ink on sublimation paper, and they have several features and specifications that enable them to do so more efficiently than a conversion. With a SawGrass, you can expect higher-quality, more professional results.
The printing resolution of the SG500 and SG1000 is extremely high at 4800x1200dpi and has incredible picture quality. They are designed to be used with the NEW SubliJet UHD inks. With this print setup, this ink produces the highest quality sublimation transfers. With a wide color spectrum, you'll have the most vibrant transfers for both hard and soft applications.
While the SG500 has a narrower print width (at 9 inches) than some Epson printers, its length can be greatly expanded with a bypass paper tray up to 51”. The larger machine, the SG1000, has a print range of up to 13 x 19′′ with a bypass tray. Both options include a 250-sheet tray as an add-on.
Specifications
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SawGrass SG500 Maximum Media Size: 8.5" x 14"; Up to 8.5" x 51" with Optional Bypass Tray Resolutions and Full-Page Print Speeds: High Speed (600x600 dpi) - 15 seconds High Quality (600x600 dpi) - 29 seconds Advanced Photo (1200x600 dpi) - 48 seconds Ultra Fine Photo (4800x1200 dpi ) - 6 minutes 40 seconds Physical Dimensions: 15.75˝ x 17.25˝ x 8.5˝ Print Controller Specifications: Memory: 128 MB RAM Standard/Maximum Standard Interfaces: USB 1.1/2.0, Ethernet 10/100Base-TX Network Protocols: TCP/IP Supported Environments: Windows 8, 8.1, 10; Mac OS 10.13 or Later System Requirements to Run Sawgrass Print Manager Windows Operating System (a 64-bit operating system is required) Recommended: Windows 10 Minimum Required: Windows 7 Apple OSX / macOS Operating System (a 64-bit operating system is required) MacOS 10.13 and later *Compatibility with the Apple M1 ARM processor requires Sawgrass Print Manager version 10.0.0 and Rosetta 2.* Minimum RAM: 4GB Recommended RAM: 8GB Minimum Minimum CPU: Dual Core Recommended CPU: Quad Core or greater Minimum Free HDD Space: 10% Free Minimum Screen Resolution: 1024*768 pixels at 100% zoom Note: Only Windows Professional, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions have been tested and approved. Only compatible with Intel systems running Macintosh OS 10.13 or later, current with the absolute latest Apple software updates. |
SawGrass SG1000 Maximum Media Size: 11˝ x 17˝; Up to 13˝ x 19˝ with Optional Bypass Tray Resolutions and Full-Page Print Speeds: High Speed (600x600 dpi) - 15 seconds High Quality (600x600 dpi) - 29 seconds Advanced Photo (1200x600 dpi) - 48 seconds Ultra Fine Photo (4800x1200 dpi ) - 6 minutes 40 seconds Physical Dimensions: 21˝ x 14.25˝ x 8.5˝ Print Controller Specifications: Memory: 128 MB RAM Standard/Maximum Standard Interfaces: USB 1.1/2.0, Ethernet 10/100Base-TX Network Protocols: TCP/IP Supported Environments: Windows 8, 8.1, 10; Mac OS 10.13 or Later System Requirements to Run Virtuoso Print Manager Windows Operating System (a 64-bit operating system is required) Recommended: Windows 10 Minimum Required: Windows 7 Apple OSX / macOS Operating System (a 64-bit operating system is required) MacOS 10.13 and later *Compatibility with the Apple M1 ARM processor requires Sawgrass Print Manager version 10.0.0 and Rosetta 2.* Minimum RAM: 4GB Recommended RAM: 8GB Minimum Minimum CPU: Dual Core Recommended CPU: Quad Core or greater Minimum Free HDD Space: 10% Free Minimum Screen Resolution: 1024*768 pixels at 100% zoom Note: Only Windows Professional, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions have been tested and approved. Only compatible with Intel systems running Macintosh OS 10.13 or later, current with the absolute latest Apple software updates. |
SG500 Price: $549
SG1000 Price: $1499
Bottom line
Certainly, the SawGrass machines are better than the Epson sublimation printers, but it depends on your budget. But if you are just starting with the heat transfer dye sublimation, an Epson isn't a wrong choice either.
We are hopeful that we have narrowed down the list of the best sublimation printers for you.
Happy Printing folks! Share with us your sublimation printing experiences in the comment section!