Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners 2026

Last updated: October 2026

For most beginners in 2026, the best sublimation printer is the Epson SureColor F170 (about $399, October 2026): it is built for dye-sublimation from the factory, ships with Epson sublimation ink, and keeps Epson’s warranty in place. The Sawgrass SG500 is the other purpose-built desktop choice with a longer warranty, and a converted Epson EcoTank costs less up front but, by Epson’s own published wording, puts damage from non-Epson ink outside the printer’s limited warranty.

How we picked: compiled from manufacturer specifications, published prices and owner feedback patterns. We have not tested these machines ourselves. Our method.

Quick picks

Best overall for beginners: Epson SureColor F170. Factory dye-sublimation printer with low-cost 140 mL ink bottles.
Best warranty: Sawgrass SG500. Sawgrass advertises a printer warranty of 3 years or 100K prints.
Best for larger prints (shirts, totes): Sawgrass SG1000. Takes up to 11 x 17 inch paper in the main tray.
Lowest upfront cost, highest risk: converted Epson EcoTank. Cheap printer, but you give up warranty coverage for ink damage.
No printer at all: Cricut Infusible Ink with a cutting machine you already own.

Comparison table

Printer	Price (Oct 2026)	Max paper width	Ink	Warranty	Best for
Epson SureColor F170	about $399 (epson.com)	8.5 in. (sheets up to 8.5 x 47.2 in.)	Epson T49M dye-sub, 140 mL bottles, about $24.95 each	1-year unit exchange	Beginners who want a factory sublimation printer at the lowest price
Sawgrass SG500	Sold through dealers; Sawgrass’s shop page shows a bundle discount, not a total	8.5 in. (up to 8.5 x 14 in. legal)	SubliJet UHD or VersiFlex cartridges, 31 mL	3 years or 100K prints	Mugs, tumblers, coasters, small items
Sawgrass SG1000	Bypass tray bundle about $3,199.95 on sawgrassink.com	11 x 17 in. main tray; 13 in. wide, up to 51 in. long with bypass tray	SubliJet UHD or VersiFlex	3 years or 100K prints	Shirts, totes, full-wrap tumblers
Epson SureColor F570	about $2,495 (out of stock on epson.com)	24 in.	Epson T49M dye-sub	See Epson	Small businesses needing wide prints
Converted Epson EcoTank (ET-2800 as an example)	about $189.99 on sale (epson.com)	Letter size	Third-party sublimation ink	Epson: damage from non-genuine ink may not be covered	Tight budgets accepting the risk

What makes a sublimation printer different

Sublimation prints a design onto special paper with dye ink. A heat press then turns that ink into a gas that bonds with polyester or a polymer coating. Cricut’s own sublimation guide says materials with high polyester content or special polymer coatings work best, and that anything below 65% polyester gives a dull result.

That means three costs on top of the printer:

Sublimation ink (in the printer)
Sublimation paper
A heat press, plus heat-resistant tape to hold the transfer in place

For temperature and time guidance by blank type, see our sublimation time and temperature chart.

Epson SureColor F170: best overall for beginners

Epson lists the SureColor F170 at about $399 (October 2026). Epson’s product page gives:

Maximum sheet size of 8.5 x 47.2 inches
Four 140 mL ink bottles (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)
Hi-Speed USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Ethernet
A 150-sheet auto-feed tray
Genuine Epson dye-sublimation ink in the box, plus Mac and Windows print software
A standard 1-year unit exchange warranty with toll-free phone support

Replacement T49M ink bottles are listed on epson.com at about $24.95 for 140 mL (October 2026). Epson’s ink page lists the T49M bottles as compatible with the SureColor F170, F370 and F570 dye-sublimation printers.

Why it suits beginners: it is a purpose-built sublimation printer from the same company that makes the EcoTank, at a price not far above a converted setup, and the ink is made for it. What to know: the warranty is 1 year, shorter than Sawgrass’s.

Sawgrass SG500: best warranty for small items

Sawgrass’s own printer guide says the SG500 takes a maximum width of 8.5 inches, with an expandable tray for paper up to 8.5 x 14 inches (legal size). An optional bypass tray is available, but Sawgrass notes the maximum width is still 8.5 inches. Sawgrass describes the SG500 as a good fit for mugs, tumblers, coasters and small items like key chains and magnets.

Sawgrass’s shop page advertises a “Best-In-Class Printer Warranty: 3 years or 100K prints.” It lists two SG500 bundles:

SG500 SubliJet bundle: the printer, a 31 mL SubliJet ink kit, sublimation paper and access to the MySawgrass platform.
SG500 VersiFlex bundle: the printer, a 31 mL VersiFlex ink kit and VersiFlex Light paper.

Sawgrass sends buyers to authorized dealers and shows limited-time discounts rather than a total price on its shop page, so we have not listed a price. Check a Sawgrass dealer for the current figure. VersiFlex replacement cartridges are listed at $99.95 each for 31 mL on Sawgrass’s shop page (October 2026).

Why it suits beginners: the longest published warranty here and a printer built only for sublimation. What to know: ink cartridges are 31 mL, against 140 mL bottles for the Epson F170, so compare ink cost per job before you buy.

Sawgrass SG1000: best for larger prints

Sawgrass’s printer guide says the SG1000 takes up to 11 x 17 inch paper in the main tray. With the bypass tray, it handles paper up to 13 inches wide and up to 51 inches long. Sawgrass describes it as suited to larger items like clothing, glass cutting boards, totes and full-bleed tumblers.

Sawgrass’s shop page lists an SG1000 VersiFlex bundle with bypass tray at about $3,199.95 (October 2026), including a 70 mL VersiFlex ink kit and three paper sizes. Other SG1000 bundles are listed with discounts but no total.

Who should pick it: beginners who already know they will make adult shirts or full-wrap designs that do not fit on letter or legal paper. For most first-timers, it is more printer than needed.

Epson SureColor F570: when you outgrow desktop sizes

Epson lists the 24-inch SureColor F570 at about $2,495 (October 2026), shown as out of stock on epson.com. It uses the same T49M ink bottles as the F170. This is a business printer, included here only so you know the upgrade path stays inside Epson’s dye-sublimation line.

Converted EcoTank: cheapest start, but read Epson’s warranty wording

A common route in crafting communities is to buy a regular Epson EcoTank and filling it with third-party sublimation ink instead of Epson ink. The appeal is price. Epson lists the EcoTank ET-2800 at about $189.99 on sale (regular $239.99, October 2026).

Here is what Epson publishes on its EcoTank and ink pages:

“Epson strongly recommends the use of genuine ink to ensure optimal print quality and performance. Use of non-genuine ink could cause damage not covered under the printer’s limited warranty.”

Two things follow from Epson’s own pages:

Epson’s sublimation ink does not fit EcoTank printers. Epson’s T49M dye-sublimation ink page lists only SureColor F-series printers as compatible. A converted EcoTank always uses non-Epson ink.
Damage caused by that ink may not be covered. Epson’s wording says such damage “could” fall outside the limited warranty. It does not say the whole warranty is void, but you should treat ink-related problems as your own cost.

Who should pick it: hobbyists on a strict budget who accept the risk and want to experiment before spending on a dedicated printer. Do not use your everyday document printer, because once sublimation ink is in the tanks, it is a sublimation printer.

No printer: Cricut Infusible Ink

Cricut does not sell a sublimation printer. Its sublimation guide says you will need a separate sublimation printer for sublimation printing, and it positions Infusible Ink as a printer-free alternative. Infusible Ink comes as pre-made sheets you cut on a Cricut machine, or as markers, and Cricut says it uses heat to transfer designs the same way sublimation does. The tradeoff is design freedom: you work with the sheet designs and marker colors available, rather than printing any full-color image.

If you already own a cutting machine and only want simple designs, try Infusible Ink before buying a printer.

Total starting cost

Setup	Printer	Also needed	Notes
Epson SureColor F170	about $399	Paper, heat press, tape	Starter ink is in the box
Sawgrass SG500 bundle	Dealer price	Heat press, tape	Bundle includes ink kit and paper
Converted EcoTank	about $189.99	Third-party sublimation ink, paper, heat press, tape	Epson warranty wording applies
Cricut Infusible Ink	No printer	Cricut machine, Infusible Ink sheets, heat press	Limited to available sheets and markers

FAQ

Can I use a regular inkjet printer for sublimation? Only by filling it with sublimation ink instead of regular ink. Epson’s pages warn that damage from non-genuine ink could fall outside the printer’s limited warranty, and Epson’s own sublimation ink is listed only for SureColor F-series printers.

Which is cheaper to run, Epson F170 or Sawgrass SG500? Compare ink price per mL. Epson lists 140 mL T49M bottles at about $24.95 each. Sawgrass lists 31 mL VersiFlex cartridges at $99.95 each. SubliJet UHD prices were not shown on Sawgrass’s shop page.

Does Cricut make a sublimation printer? No. Cricut’s sublimation guide says you need a separate sublimation printer, and Cricut offers Infusible Ink as a no-printer alternative.

What shirts work with sublimation? Cricut’s guide says high-polyester or polymer-coated items work best, and below 65% polyester the result will be dull.