I’ve been looking at sublimation printers and I’m ready to start. As a beginner what’s the best sublimation printer?
Let’s explore the sublimation printing business and what you want to do first. Here’s some questions to consider:
Hobby, Business, Commercial Business
Is this going to be a hobby where you will design, print, and create every now and then? Or, will this be a business? Small business or commercial scale?
Budget
What is the budget for getting started? How much does everything cost? What can you afford?
Cost
Costs can be an after-thought and issue for many people. Why does buying inexpensive vs higher price cost people more? Cost can be time, money, and aggravation dealing with inferior products and results.
Many times people will find that they didn’t buy the best product for their needs trying to save money.
Sometimes this is ok if you are wanting to explore a new hobby to see if you like it or not.
But, if you intend on creating a successful business cutting-costs instead of just price comparison is a smarter approach.
#buywhatyoureallyneedfirst
Quality
Quality comparison and quality satisfaction can be subjective but also detrimental to a businesses success.
Products
What products are you thinking about making?
Apparel
Home & Décor
Art
Signage
Sportwear
Personalized Fashion
Custom Merchandise
Size
What size are these products?
Beginner’s List
List Of Basic Equipment To Start:
Printer
On the top of the list of equipment you need to start is a sublimation printer. This is actually optional because you can also buy ready to press sublimation transfer papers too. But if you want to print your own transfers, then you need to get a printer.
These are specialized printers that use sublimation inks to print your designs onto the paper. There are printers that are already made for sublimation and there are some printers that you can convert to sublimation printers. True sublimation printers start at less than $500 (prices can vary and fluctuate) and printers that you can convert start at $200 (prices can vary and fluctuate).
Sublimation printers can either print the regular sized papers, 8.5 “x 11″, 8.5″x14″ or wide format that can print 13″ x 19″ and 24”.
First, learn What Is The Worst Sublimation Printer and then read What Is The Best Sublimation Printer.
How To Choose The Right One For Your Needs?
Read our guide for beginners and think about your products and projects you want to make.
If your goal is to make larger items such as garden flags, shirts in sizes larger than XL, or doormats, then you need a large format printer. The Epson F570 is a good wide format option.
For fast output, wide format, and professional commercial work, one of these Wide Format Sublimation Printers by Roland would be a perfect choice.
What type of printers can be used for sublimation printing?
In order for a printer to be used for sublimation, it has to have a specific type of print head. The printers with the Piezo print heads work for sublimation and those with the Thermal print heads won’t work.
Thermal Print heads – Not For Sublimation Printing
Thermal print heads use heat to boil the ink and create an air bubble of ink vapor. This bubble is forced through the print head nozzle where it explodes and comes out of the chamber. It is quickly cooled at the end of the process as the ink gets deposited onto the paper. Thermal print heads use water-based inks to help with this heating process. Printers such as Canon and HP use this type of print head.
Piezo Print Heads
Piezo print heads have a thin film on its head that is exposed to an electric charge and in turn, causes it to vibrate. This vibration is a signal for the film to bend and flex, build up the pressure which forces the ink from the nozzle onto the paper. The quick vibration and flexion of the film gives it a more precise control of how fast the ink gets pushed out. This type of print heads are compatible with water-based, oil-based, eco-solvent, solvent, and gel-based inks. Printers such as Epson, Sawgrass, and Roland have this type of print head and can be used for sublimation. Just to note, there are other printer brands that have this Piezo Print Head but there are no sublimation inks for them.
Should you convert an Epson printer to a sublimation printer?
There are printers that are sublimation ready. Why are people choosing to convert an Epson printer? Price is simply the answer. When someone is trying a new hobby or starting a small business, price and cost is always important to consider.
Sublimation Printers That Do Not Need To Be Converted
Both Sawgrass and Epson offer sublimation printers that do not need to be converted.
They start under $500 and can print 8.5×14”. Sounds like a great price right? But you also have to figure in the cost of ink replacements and printer availability.
Sawgrass ink can cost around $80 (2022 price and can change without notice) for each color cartridge and that can be a lot for someone who is just starting out on their home-based business or personal hobby.
A brief moment of foreshadowing…Sawgrass ink costs $319.99 for refills.
The major advantage of using a printer that is made for sublimation is it comes with a manufacturer warranty and technical support. If you have a problem, the manufacturer and in some instances, the authorized vendors, have a dedicated tech support team to help you solve your problem. If they are not able to fix it, a replacement printer can be sent.
- Find an authorized Sawgrass Dealer here.
- Find an authorized Epson F570 printer dealer here
Epson Printers That Need To Be Converted For Sublimation Printing
One of the main reasons why some decide to convert Epson printers to use for sublimation is because they are readily available at major retailers like Amazon, eBay, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, Adorama, and more. Printers can start at $250 so this low cost is another major factor for their decision.
The disadvantage to keep in mind is that these printers do not come with tech support if you use it as a sublimation printer. And adding sublimation ink to it voids the manufacturer warranty too. So if you have any problems, you would have to figure out how to fix it on your own. But don’t fret because there are tons of social media and public forum groups where you can try to get help.
How Easy Is It To Convert An Epson Printer To A Sublimation Printer?
You may be surprised at how easy it is to convert a regular Epson printer to sublimation.
When you purchase your Epson printer, make sure to buy sublimation ink. This sublimation ink could be from Epson or likely from a third party ink vendor.
Here’s the simple part about printer conversion. When setting up your printer, make sure to install the sublimation ink first, instead of the regular inkjet that comes with the Epson.
Printer conversion with Epson Ecotanks is that easy. You now have a converted sublimation printer. This simple conversion only works for the EcoTank series.
Why?
Ecotanks have the ink tank already installed. Just make sure to fill the ink tank with sublimation ink first.
Converting a used inkjet printer will have residue in the tubes and printer head that are chemically incompatible and will create poor quality prints.
The WorkForce series needs a little more work to convert. You will have to buy the ink and cartridge from your sublimation ink supplier. These cartridges need to be filled with the ink using a syringe. Then install these cartridges instead of the regular inkjet ink.
One problem that most converted WorkForces have is when Epson updates their firmware. When that happens, the chip in your third-party cartridge will not be recognized and your printer will not print. Because of this, most people do not update their Epson WorkForce printers.
Disclaimer: Once you use a sublimation ink in your Epson printer, it is no longer under warranty by Epson. This is because those EcoTanks and WorkForce printers are not designed for sublimation and using them for that voids the warranty. One way to avoid this loss of warranty is to purchase a printer that is made for sublimation and does not require a conversion.
For a list of Epson printers to convert click here.
Additional steps for conversion
Before you start printing sublimation transfers, you may need to download and install the sublimation ink’s ICC profile to your computer. These are available from the vendor that you purchased your sublimation ink from. There are also some ink that do not require these ICC profiles too which makes things a little easier.
What is an ICC profile and is it needed?
ICC stands for International Color Consortium and it is a set of standard data that manages the color output of your printer. The color profile’s main goal is to get the printed output as close as possible to your design software’s color instructions. Remember that what you see on your screen may not be printed exactly because other factors such as screen calibration and design software play roles in the final printed output of your newly converted Epson printer.
To find out more about sublimation designs and how ICC profiles play a role on how vibrant your images print out, our easy to understand guide, Sublimation Designs And Color Basics, will be helpful.
Epson Workforce or Epson Ecotank
Now, you have the option of choosing between Epson WorkForce and EcoTank printers to convert to sublimation. The main difference between the Epson WorkForce vs the EcoTank is the type of ink cartridge it requires.
The WorkForce printers require an entire ink cartridge with a sublimation ink to be inserted into the printer whereas the EcoTanks have a built-in ink tanks that you just fill with the sublimation ink.
Since the WorkForce printers require ink cartridges, problems such as cartridge chip errors can occur. So with the EcoTanks only requiring an ink refill into their already built-in tanks, it is the easiest type of Epson printer to convert to sublimation.
List Of Epson Printers That Can Be Converted To Sublimation Printers
Epson Workforce
- Epson WF 7210
- Epson WF 7820
- Epson WF 7840
Epson EcoTank
- Epson ET 2800
- Epson ET 2803
- Epson ET 2850
- Epson ET 3830
- Epson ET 3850
- Epson ET 4800
- Epson ET 4850
- Epson ET 5150
- Epson ET 5170
- Epson ET 5180
- Epson ET 5800
- Epson ET 5850
- Epson ET 5880
- Epson ET 8500
- Epson ET 8550
- Epson ET 15000
- Epson ET 16600
- Epson ET 16650
Review Your Printing Needs – Compare Printer Specs and Narrow Your Options
Recommended Beginner & Intermediate Sublimation Printer
Epson ET 2850
Some Epson printers are designed specifically for sublimation. Other models are easily converted to sublimation printers and are the lowest startup costs of any product decorating technology.
The Epson ET 2850 is one of the most affordable options to get started in sublimation printing. The Epson ET 2850 is not a dedicated sublimation printer. But, we can easily remedy this with a sublimation ink conversion from a 3rd part ink supplier. Could we consider the Epson 2850 the best sublimation printer? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
Review of: Epson ET 2850
Use: Sublimation Printer | Beginner & Intermediate
Pretty Darn Good Quality Prints
Best at $299
Quality prints with very little to learn how to set-up.
Additional instructions and social media support if needed.
We Like
The Epson ET 2850 printer is the perfect start to creating personalized products at home. With low start up and running costs, you’ll soon be creating customized products with vibrant HD images – quickly, easily and profitably.
Why do we say Best Sublimation Printer for Beginner & Intermediate?
The combination of quality prints, quality ink (3rd party like Printer’s Jack can be used), and a price point at $299 makes the Epson ET 2850 an easy choice to get started.
Yes, you read that correctly, $299!
3rd Party Sublimation ink can be used with the Epson ET 2850. Best sublimation inks available are Printers Jack, Aopane, and InkXPro. Read the best sublimation ink review here.
The print size is very accommodating for most people wanting to get started and continue sublimation printing. Prints up 8.5″ x 14″ (22cm x 36cm).
We Don’t Like
Limited Print Size up to 8.5″ x 14″
Summary
Can the Epson ET 2850 be the best sublimation printer for beginners and intermediate users? Purchase price, 3rd party ink conversion, affordable 3rd party ink available for refills, quality prints, and large enough print size to satisfy most sublimation printer enthusiasts.
Compare 3rd Party Sublimation Ink Options
Finding the best sublimation ink for your needs can be a difficult task. After all, how do you compare different inks? In this guide, we’ll be going over some of the most popular options for sublimation ink. We’ll be looking at the best sublimation inks for your Epson WF 7710, Epson ET 2850, or any other sublimation printer.
Table of contents
- Sublimation Ink Buyer’s Guide – Best Sublimation Ink for Epson WF 7710, Epson ET 2850, Sawgrass SG500, Sawgrass SG1000, & More
- Before we get started
- What we’re looking at
- Who is this guide is for
- What are ICC Color Profiles?
- How does this impact my print?
- How can I easily use my printer (without going through a complicated color profile)?
- Sawgrass SG500 and SG1000 Ink
- Printers Jack 400ML Sublimation Ink
- What comes in the box?
- Compatible Printer Models
- Quick conclusion
- AOPANE Anti-UV Sublimation Ink
- What comes in the box?
- Compatible Printer Models
- Quick conclusion
- INKXPRO Professional True Color Sublimation Ink
- What comes in the box?
- Compatible Printer Models
- Quick conclusion
- Infusible Ink
- Picking the best sublimation ink for you
- Our honest recommendation
Before we get started
Before we get started, let’s look at how we’ll be reviewing and making suggestions for the following sublimation inks. Rather, let’s look at how we WON’T be reviewing these inks.
We haven’t performed extensive tests on the performance of all of these inks. We have tested a number of them, and I have my own personal preferences on the inks I’ve used. However, we haven’t tested every single ink. If you’d like a more technical and thorough analysis, I’d highly suggest this post by Sublimation Studies. She provides a deep look into how all of these inks perform, and her tests are more than comprehensive in my point of view. Even if you aren’t super interested in detailed results, her analysis is still valuable.
What we’re looking at
In this dye-sublimation ink buyer’s guide, we’ll be looking at these inks from a high level. I’ll be focusing on the availability of these inks, the cost, their performance, as well as their popularity within the dye-sublimation industry.
Who is this guide is for
This guide is intended for anyone looking for recommendations on sublimation ink for their printer. This applies primarily to printers that require sublimation ink, like the Epson WF 7710, the Epson ET 2850, or the Epson WF 7720. Printers such as the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 come with their own manufacturer’s recommended inks. While you can substitute these inks for other inks that we’ll be reviewing, this is not recommended by Sawgrass.
You will also need to look into conversion methods for your sublimation printer if you need to. We will not be going over sublimation conversion kits in this guide. While you don’t necessarily need a conversion kit for the EcoTank Epson printers, you will need one for other printers such as the Epson WF 7710. We are leaving it to you to properly install and setup your printer with your preferred ink. This guide intends to recommend the best sublimation inks for you, not walk you through a detailed installation and setup for your specific printer.
ICC Color Profiles
Whenever you click print on one of your designs, a number of things happen to the colors you see on your screen. Let’s go over this a little bit before we hop into the guide.
For starters, every monitor has its own color profile, typically shipped with default manufacturer settings. If you’ve worked in design before, you probably are already familiar with this. But for everyone else, the color profiles are very important.
Basically, color profiles are a way of mapping computer color values (which are represented as RGB colors) onto your display. The International Color Consortium (ICC) just establishes guidelines for these color profiles. When you adjust your saturation or color values on your monitor or PC, you are effectively changing this mapping. It’s impossible to perfectly map all of the colors we can see between a display and a computer, so you have lots of wiggle room for these color profiles.
But how does this impact my print?
Well, when you make your design on your computer, you’ll be using the color profile that comes with your monitor (usually, this won’t be the case if you’ve messed with your settings). There are guides out there that explain how you can dial in your monitor’s color profiles to best represent the colors you should expect to see, but we won’t be going over that in this article.
Once you hit print on your computer, you send over the image to your printer. You don’t, however, send over the color profile. Rather your printer will use it’s own color profile to map the image values it receives from your computer into colors it prints onto a page. This can lead to differences between the colors you see on your monitor, and the colors you see on your printed page.
This gets further complicated when you start working with dye-sublimation. The heat and pressure from your pressing will further change these colors that you see.
In order to consistently get the best results with whatever printer and ink combination you choose, it is highly recommended to work through building your own color profile. This will be specific to YOUR printer, and YOUR ink, as well as the specific conditions you use to store and use this ink. We won’t be going over how to do this in this article, however there are more than enough guides online to figure this stuff out.
How can I easily use my printer (without going through a complicated color profile)?
If you want to get up and running with your printer as soon as possible, there’s hope.
First, you’ll want to make sure your printer isn’t using a color profile. You can easily set this up in your print preferences on your PC. Just set-up a printer preference that does NOT use any color profiles.
Secondly, you’ll want to use a manufacturer recommended ICC Color Profile. Most major ink distributors provide color profiles for the most common printers, and you’ll want to use this instead. Wouldn’t you know it, but we already have a guide on how to setup and use the color profiles on a Windows 10 machine with Photoshop.
Not only do we have a guide for installing and using ICC Color Profiles, but we even have a resource for you to use to help you find your sublimation ink color profile. We are only able to provide some of the most common profiles, however take a look to see if your setup is available for download.
Alright, let’s get on with the review
Okay, that was a lengthy but filled with good information forward on our buyers guide for sublimation inks. Remember, this guide will help you find the best sublimation ink for your Epson WF-7710, Epson ET-2850, or similar inkjet printer.
Without further ado, let’s get on with the guide and review sublimation inks.
Review of: Sawgrass SubliJet UHD Ink
Use: Sawgrass SG500, Sawgrass SG1000
Quality prints. Gets the job done.
Sawgrass SubliJet UHD Ink refills are $300.
Manufacturer chips prevent 3rd party inks from being used.
Plenty of manufacturer and social customer support if needed.
Sawgrass is a first class printer manufacturer, but they really shine with their ink products. It is strongly recommended that you use only genuine Sawgrass inks in SG500. The SG1000 uses the same ink cartridges as the SG500, and that recommendation holds true for it as well.
Happily, genuine Sawgrass inks are available for all of these printers.
Sawgrass Sublijet UHD Inks for SG500 and SG1000 Printers…
- SUBLIJET UHD – Sublimation ink cartridges for the new Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 and SG1000 printer (COMPLETE SET). BUNDLE DEAL:…
- COMPLETE SET. Standard capacity ink cartridges: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black (31ml each). *****ATTENTION*****: These inks are for…
- SUBLIMAX sublimation paper – TESTED & CERTIFIED BY SAWGRASS – sheet size 8.5×11″ and 117gsm (PACK OF 110 SHEETS). Premium Quality…
Review of: Printers Jack Sublimation Ink
Use: Sublimation Printers and Converted Epson ET Printers
Quality Prints.
4ooML around $25
No complaints.
Plenty of manufacturer and social support if needed.
Right off the bat, this is my go-to ink for sublimation ink, and is the one I use the most. It gives you great results, comes with an ICC Color Profile, and does exactly what it advertises. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, especially anyone using an Epson WF-7710 (this is what I personally have used for the longest time).
On Amazon, it has a 4.3 star rating with over 11,000 reviews! Those that do give it negative reviews seem to be having other issues that may be more inherent with issues on their printer or with their print settings. All the positive reviews praise accurate and vibrant colors, and great results.
Note that you will need to perform some setup to get started with your printer, but this will be required for virtually every type of sublimation ink.
What comes in the box?
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Black Sublimation ink
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Cyan Sublimation ink
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Magenta Sublimation ink
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Yellow Sublimation ink
- One pair of disposable gloves
Compatible Printer Models
- Epson Stylus C68, Epson Stylus C88, Epson Stylus C88+, Epson Stylus C288
- Epson WF-7610, Epson WF-3640, Epson WF-3620, Epson WF-3540, Epson WF-3520
- Epson WF-7110, Epson WF-7010, Epson WF-7710, Epson WF-7720, Epson WF-7620
- Epson WF-2750, Epson WF-2630,
- Epson ET 2850, Epson ET-2750, Epson ET-2650, Epson ET-3750
- Epson ET-4750, Epson ET-3700, Epson XP-434, Epson XP-440, Epson XP-320
- Epson NX-515, Epson NX-420, Epson NX-330
The Printers Jack sublimation ink works best when stored and used with the manufacturer’s recommendations. For starters, you’ll want to make sure your ink is stored within a temperature range of 65-80 °F. This won’t be an issue for most rooms, but it can be an issue if it’s left in a garage, or outside.
You’ll want to limit the time the ink spends in more extreme temperatures. You’ll also want to aim for a pressing temperature of at least 392 °F. You’ll likely need to dial in your exact settings with some tests, but this may serve as a good starting point. You can use these recommended transfer temperatures from Printers Jack as a starting point for dialing in your preferred settings.
You’ll also want to make sure you are pressing with at least 25 PSI for 45 seconds. The timer setting is no problem for most heat presses. However, unless you are using a fancy heat press, it’s unlikely that your heat press can measure pressure this accurately. While you may want to aim for a pressure around 25 PSI, I’d at the very least recommend performing some tests to see what pressure works best for your substrates.
Note that these recommended operational temperatures and pressures are just that, recommendations. Ultimately you’ll want to test your exact settings with your substrate.
Conclusion
So the Printers Jack sublimation ink works on a wide range of materials, is favorably reviewed by the public, and performs exactly as you’d expect, with vibrant image transfers (albeit with some setup involved). Did I mention that it’s about $26 and eligible for Amazon Prime?
Yup. This Printers Jack sublimation ink definitely scores well with me. It’s readily available and reasonably priced, meaning that in any given emergency you’ll be able to quickly replenish your ink. Given its popularity, it’s unlikely that you’ll have to switch out for another brand anytime soon, meaning you’ll have continued use from it.
It supports a wide range of printers, including some of the most common sublimation printers like the w and the Epson ET-2850, making it one of the best sublimation inks available for these printers.
It gives consistent and vibrant results, and is relatively easy to get started with (we also provide the ICC color profile for this ink).
If you are looking for my personal recommendation, especially if you are using the Epson WF-7710, this is it. I would argue that this is one of, if not the best sublimation inks for the Epson WF-7710.
AOPANE Anti-UV Sublimation Ink
This is another super high quality sublimation ink that meets and exceeds a lot of the guidelines I laid out earlier. The AOPANE Ink works well with a wide range of materials, providing you with vibrant and fade-resistant transfers. Not only does it provide you with the vibrant images you are looking for, but it also comes with a 1-year manufacturer guarantee.
Like most of the inks we will be going over in this guide, this ink will require some setup. It works best with either a set of refillable cartridges or a continuous ink supply system (CISS). But once you get it setup, you shouldn’t have any issues dialing in your prints!
This ink also boasts a 4.6 star rating on over 40 reviews on Amazon! The majority of the negative reviews on the AOPANE sublimation ink seem to be issues with the vibrancy of the image. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as a bad batch or printer issues. However, if you run with a high quality sublimation profile, you shouldn’t experience too many issues with printing out true colors.
This ink is a great option for a wide range of printers, and can definitely meet your needs for your sublimation ink.
What comes in the box?
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Black Anti-UV Sublimation ink
- 1 Bottle x100ml Cyan Anti-UV Sublimation ink
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Magenta Anti-UV Sublimation ink
- 1 Bottle x 100ml Yellow Anti-UV Sublimation ink
- One pair of PVC sanitary gloves
Compatible Printer Models
- Epson Stylus C68, Epson Stylus C88, Epson Stylus C88+, Epson Stylus C288
- Epson XP-434, Epson XP-440, Epson XP-320
- Epson WF7610, Epson WF3640, Epson WF3620, Epson WF3540, Epson WF3520
- Epson WF7110, Epson WF7010, Epson WF7710, Epson WF7620
- Epson WF2750, Epson WF2630
- Epson ET 2750, Epson ET 2650, Epson ET4750, Epson ET3700
Like most inks, the AOPANE Anti-UV Sublimation Ink needs to be stored in relatively dry and normal temperatures. The manufacturer doesn’t provide a specific recommended storage range, however it is safe to assume that it should be stored in a room temperature environment, in a relatively dry location. This will be true of most inks.
The manufacturer does provide recommendations for your press settings. AOPANE recommends a temperature range of 180-195 °C transfer temperature with a transfer time of between 30-45 seconds. These are pretty typical ranges, and are not hard rules that must be followed. Use these recommended settings as starting points when you dial in your exact settings.
Conclusion
The AOPANE Anti-UV Sublimation Ink is a great option for anyone looking for sublimation inks for their Epson WF-7710, their Epson ET-2850, or any other typical sublimation printer.
The AOPANE Sublimation Ink is also readily available through Amazon at just about $20, making it very affordable and easily accessible. You won’t have to worry about suddenly running out of ink, since you’ll be able to quickly replenish your stock when you get low.
This ink comes with great recommendations, and is a great option if it’ll work with your printer. Unfortunately, we do not provide the specific ICC Color Profile recommended by this manufacturer. However, we do generally recommend that you work on developing your own ICC Color Profile for your specific print conditions. If you aren’t able to develop a custom profile, you can always try a profile from another manufacturer, or run no profile at all. This may not necessarily give you the absolute highest quality results, however it may provide results at a high enough quality for your needs without significantly increasing your time commitment to getting setup.
INKXPRO Professional True Color Sublimation Ink
This is another one of my go-to sublimation inks. It has worked well for me in the past when using this sublimation ink with my Epson WF-7710, and I’ve been able to have consistently high quality results from INKXPRO.
The INKXPRO Sublimation Ink is compatible with a huge range of printers and gives you vibrant transfers onto a ton of different substrates. The INKXPRO also comes with a manufacturer made ICC Color Profile (which we provide in our downloads section), that has given me consistently vibrant results.
With a 4.3 star rating on over 50 reviews from Amazon, it seems as if this sublimation ink performs comparably with the other inks we’ve reviewed so far. Those that have given this ink a negative rating seem to have had issues with their order coming in poorly or with vibrancy issues on their prints.
What comes in the box?
- 4 X 100ml Sublimation ink refills
Compatible Printer Models
- Epson C68, Epson C88, Epson C88+
- Epson WF-3520, Epson WF-3540, Epson WF-3620, Epson WF-3640
- Epson WF-7010, Epson WF-7510, Epson WF-7520, Epson WF-7110, Epson WF-7610, Epson WF-7620
- Epson WF-7710, Epson WF-7720, Epson WF-7210
- 4 color Epson EcoTank printers
The INKXPRO, like all other sublimation inks, needs to be stored in pretty standard conditions. So long as its stored in a relatively normal temperature range, you shouldn’t have too many issues with this ink going bad on you.
The manufacturer doesn’t provide any recommended temperature and press ranges on this sublimation ink. You can, however, use typical ranges to get started and dial in your specific settings
Conclusion
INKXPRO Sublimation Ink provides great results for a wide range of printers and substrates, and is a great sublimation ink for your Epson WF-7710 or Epson ET-2850, or any other sublimation printer.
The INKXPRO has comparable reviews to the other sublimation inks we’ve reviewed, however it does come at a slightly higher price of $30. This does come with the added benefit of increased support, particularly through their website and their ICC Color Profiles.
I’d definitely recommend the INKXPRO sublimation ink for any printer, especially if you’re looking for an easy to use sublimation ink for your Epson WF-7710 or Epson ET-2850. If you are intending to recreate your own ICC Color Profile, then I would probably go with a different, cheaper ink. But, if you are wanting an ink that comes ready-to-go with a sublimation profile, then this is your best bet.
Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets
Infusible ink was created by Cricut, a company known best for its cutting tools. Infusible ink is available in pre-printed patterned transfer sheets or as markers or pens.
Our recommendation
If you are just getting started in dye-sublimation, and you are using a printer such as the Epson WF 7710 or the Epson ET 2850, then I’d recommend the Printers Jack sublimation ink above all else. I personally use this ink, and in my experience it has been the best sublimation ink for my Epson WF 7710. It gives great performance for a great value, and is definitely an ink you can’t go wrong with.
AOPANE and INKXPRO both make great sublimation inks too. You really can’t go wrong with either of these inks.
Heat Press Machine
A heat press is used to apply heat and pressure to transfer an image to products. This is part of the sublimation printing process.
When starting your sublimation printing business, you will need to invest in a heat press to transfer designs into fabrics.
If you want to print the design onto a ceramic mug, you can purchase a mug clamp and press. It is important to think about the materials that you want to use for your sublimation printing as not all materials are suitable. You will also need sublimation paper and can also invest in Raster Image Processor (RIP) software that will help with color correction.
How To Choose The Best Heat Press
There are a range of heat presses available on the market, from inexpensive, budget-friendly to heat presses that are an investment for commercial purposes. The size of the heat press you purchase will, of course, depends on what you are using it for. Some sublimation heat presses are capable of a range of functions. Others are made simply for t-shirt designs.
As with sublimation printers, it is important to read reviews online before you purchase. And…read reviews we have!
Price vs Cost
Let’s talk about price vs cost. Sometimes opting for the least expensive item of what is seemingly the same version of a product is a big mistake. Buying cheap tends to cost people and start up businesses more money.
When you’re in the middle of a big order that needs to be completed and shipped out this week, you can’t have your heat press handle break. You can’t have the heat press machine cutting off in the middle of a press. You can’t have the heat press blow a circuit and start a fire!
All of these examples are real cost examples from Amazon Reviews about seemingly similar versions of heat presses.
Here’s How They Look Similar
Don’t Be Duped With Seemingly Similar
These cheap products are seemingly similar to the Star Craft 15″ x 15″ Heat Press and seemingly similar to the Swing Design 15″ x 15″ Heat Press.
Real Quality
Star Craft and Swing Design heat presses are made from quality materials. There aren’t bad reviews about these heat press machines. They are built strong and do what they are supposed to do for a long time.
We highly recommend purchasing a quality, reputable heat press machine for your sublimation printing needs from Swing Design. Don’t cost yourself more money buying cheap. Make smarter choices with your money and invest in good equipment.
Here’s a list of entry level to intermediate heat presses that will best suit your needs.
If you are doing it at home for fun, then you probably just need one that will work and function for your specific products like t-shirts or mugs. But, if you intend on building your business, then investing in one that offers multifunctions is the best option.
The Real Ones To Get
Swing Design 15″ x 15″ Craft Heat Press – Turquoise
Swing Design 15″ x 15″ Swing Away 8-in-1 Heat Press – Turquoise
Price: $479
StarCraft 15″ x 15″ Swing Away 8-in-1 Heat Press – Teal
Price: $619
Sublimation Blanks
What are sublimation blanks?
Bare products with a specialized formulated coating are called sublimation blanks and you sublimate any image into them.
If you’ve never heard of sublimation, here’s something you may not know: getting started with sublimation printing is easy!
All you need is a computer, a printer with sublimation inks, transfer paper, a heat press and sublimation blanks.
If you want to start a business, then sublimation printing is perfect choice. Perfect for small retail shops, online shops, tourist shops, promotional gifts, trade show vendors, apparel sellers, and more.
There are a variety of hard substrates including aluminum, MDF, hardboard and more. Sublimation blanks listed on Swing Design are produced by an ISO 9001:2008 certified manufacturer, and inspected to ensure the highest quality sublimation products in the industry.
Learn how to sublimate blanks from one of our step by step guides like Glow In The Dark Tumbler Sublimation. Instruction includes a list of materials, sublimation times and temperatures. Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) can also be applied to these sublimation blanks.
Where To Get Sublimation Blanks?
Swing Design
Mug and Cup Sublimation Blanks
Skinny Tumbler Sublimation Blanks
Wine Tumbler Stemless Sublimation Blanks
License Plate Sublimation Blanks
Round Magnet Sublimation Blanks
Square Magnet Sublimation Blanks
Rectangle Magnet Sublimation Blanks
Rectangle Bag Tag Sublimation Blanks
Round Bag Tag Sublimation Blanks
Heart Keychain Sublimation Blanks
Square Keychain Sublimation Blanks
Rectangle Keychain Sublimation Blanks
Heart Pet Tag Sublimation Blanks
Heart Puzzle Sublimation Blanks
Rectangle Puzzle Sublimation Blanks
Bone Pet Tag Sublimation Blanks
Round Pet Tag Sublimation Blanks
Circle Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Benelux Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Square Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Ball Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Berlin Ornament Sublimation Blanks
London Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Circle Framed Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Benelux Framed Ornament Sublimation Blanks
Rectangle Name Tag Sublimation Blanks
Square Coaster Sublimation Blanks
Square Coaster Cork Back Sublimation Blanks
Round Coaster Sublimation Blanks
Round Coaster Cork Back Sublimation Blanks
Wall Clock Sublimation Blanks
Plaque Sublimation Blanks
Condé
Long Sleeve Shirts Sublimation Blanks
Solar Short Sleeve Shirts Sublimation Blanks
Solar Long Sleeve Shirts Sublimation Blanks
Solar Polo Shirts Sublimation Blanks
Micro Performance Polo Shirts Sublimation Blanks
Solar Hoodies Sublimation Blanks
Sweats Sublimation Blanks
Ladies Line Sublimation Blanks
Quarter Zip Pullovers Sublimation Blanks
Youth Shirts Sublimation Blanks
Toddler Tees Sublimation Blanks
Baby One Pieces Sublimation Blanks
Wearables
Aprons Sublimation Blanks
Headbands Sublimation Blanks
Smartwatch Watchbands Sublimation Blanks
Caps and Hats Sublimation Blanks
Fleece Scarf Sublimation Blanks
Neck Ties Sublimation Blanks
Flip Flops Sublimation Blanks
Vapor Socks Sublimation Blanks
Sublime Socks Sublimation Blanks
Arm Sleeves Sublimation Blanks
Eyewear Accessories Sublimation Blanks
Patches Sublimation Blanks
Ribbon Sublimation Blanks
Media Player Covers Sublimation Blanks
Children’s Gifts
Baby Bibs Sublimation Blanks
Book Marks Sublimation Blanks
Coin Banks Sublimation Blanks
Door Hanger Sublimation Blanks
Mini Basketball Goal Sublimation Blanks
Puzzles Hardboard Sublimation Blanks
Puzzles Cardboard Sublimation Blanks
Puzzles Magnetic Sublimation Blanks
ChromaLuxe Panels
ChromaLuxe EXT Sublimation Blanks
Aluminum Panels Sublimation Blanks
MDF Photo Panels Sublimation Blanks
Hardboard Panels Sublimation Blanks
Textured Panels Sublimation Blanks
Natural Wood Panels Sublimation Blanks
Creative Borders Sublimation Blanks
Aluminum 2-Sided Photo Panels Sublimation Blanks
Sheet Stock
ChromaLuxe Aluminum Sublimation Blanks
Unisub Hardboard Sublimation Blanks
Unisub FRP Sublimation Blanks
Unisub Aluminum Sublimation Blanks
Unisub MDF Sublimation Blanks
Unisub Steel Sublimation Blanks
DynaSub Aluminum Sublimation Blanks
DyeTrans Brass Sublimation Blanks
DyeTrans Aluminum Sublimation Blanks
Acrylic Sublimation Blanks
Decorative Tiles
Value Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Ceramic Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Premier Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Tumbled Stone Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Tuscan Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Hardboard Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Glass Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Drinkware and Mugs
Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Ceramic Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Luma Steel Tumblers Sublimation Blanks
Camping Cups Sublimation Blanks
Gator Specialty Mugs Sublimation Blanks
PolySub Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Morph Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Travel Mugs/Tumblers Sublimation Blanks
Deco Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Color Accent Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Steins Sublimation Blanks
Shot Glasses Sublimation Blanks
Stemless Wine Tumblers Sublimation Blanks
Water Bottles Sublimation Blanks
Specialty Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Julep Polymer Mugs Sublimation Blanks
Drink Huggers Sublimation Blanks
Neoprene Holders/Drink Huggers Sublimation Blanks
Tile Accesories
Tiles Sublimation Blanks
Designer Wood Gifts Sublimation Blanks
Easels Sublimation Blanks
Iron Trivets Sublimation Blanks
Keepsake Boxes Sublimation Blanks
Wrought Iron Gifts Sublimation Blanks
Samsung Phone Covers Sublimation Blanks
iPhone Covers Sublimation Blanks
Sleeves and Bags Sublimation Blanks
ID Products Sublimation Blanks
Pet Gifts Sublimation Blanks
Auto Accessories Sublimation Blanks
Scuba Foam Sublimation Blanks
Awards and Plaques Sublimation Blanks
Towels and Blankets Sublimation Blanks
Office and Interior Signage Sublimation Blanks
Kitchen Decor Sublimation Blanks
Home Decor Sublimation Blanks
Keepsake Gifts Sublimation Blanks
Jewelry Sublimation Blanks
Holiday Decorating Sublimation Blanks
Sublimation Designs
Now that you know what sublimation blanks are and have looked at all the different options available, you’ll need a design to start customizing and adding personalization to these products.
But where do you get designs?
Well, you can make your own. Or look for inspiration and use ready made designs.
Ready made designs are available on a lot of different stock images websites. However, a lot of them are not free.
Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll send you 5 Free Premium Designs to get your creative inspiration started.
Design Editing
Once you have the designs they aren’t quite ready for sublimation printing. Why? They need to be the proper size for your project. So how do you make an individual image the perfect size for your mug, tumbler, or t shirt?
You will need design editing software.
Canva
Again, Canva is a great starting place to get familiar with a free and simple editing tool that is easy to use with no editing background required.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop has been the industry standard for design and color editing since 1987.
Adobe Photoshop is a powerful graphics design and photo editing software from Adobe. It can be used for tasks such as removing blemishes or people from photos, adding text or other design elements to an image, and changing the colors or overall look of an image. Photoshop can also be used to create designs that are rich in color and detailed design elements.
Read our review on Adobe Photoshop here.
Amadine
Sublimation Paper
Ok, now you have a sublimation design. You have edited the image. Let’s print.
What paper will you need? Sublimation paper. There are a variety of sublimation paper brands. So how do you choose the best sublimation paper?
First, let’s look at what’s available and then we’ll tell you the best sublimation paper to buy and why.
Available Brands
A Sub Sublimation Paper
A Sub paper is a popular choice for the quality, price, and availability through Amazon.
Price: $19.99
TexPrintR
TexPrintR Beaver Paper is a great quality choice available through Amazon.
Price: $29.98
Printers Jack For Light Colors
Price: $16.99
Epson DS Transfer Multi-Use Paper
Price: $20.53
Koala Sublimation Paper
Price: $16.99
How To Buy The Best Sublimation Paper?
Now that you know what sublimation paper is available you can read the best sublimation paper review here.
In this review we tested all the different sublimation paper for quality results.
Quality Comparison – Best Sublimation Paper
Sublimation paper isn’t a one size fits all. What printer and ink are you using, the gel ink will work better with one paper and the other inks will work better with another paper. Also what material you are pressing onto could make a difference, polyester may work better with a high release paper and aluminum may work better with something else.
If there was one best there be only one paper out there.
Many factors.
Printer – some papers may not come in your printer size
Substrate – some papers are meant for fabric, some for hard goods, some for both
Location – some papers may not be available
Quick Review
We’ve looked at the worst sublimation printer, the best sublimation printer, and wide format printers.
Then we perused all kinds of sublimation inks. We have a really good idea of what sublimation printer and sublimation ink goes with each other.
For a lot of sublimation projects a heat press is necessary. We’ve looked at the cheap imitation brands and now know the quality heat presses to buy.
Good grief there a lot a of sublimation blanks to choose from. But that is good because we like sublimation printing designs and products.
We thought that there were a lot of sublimation blanks until we started looking at all the different design options. But that is where the fun starts. We’ve discovered how to edit these designs with on page editors and industry standard software.
The best sublimation paper was a good quality comparison that saved us time and money from ruining projects with cheap inferior products.
Now what? The little things that are necessary to make your sublimation printing a lot more enjoyable and easier process. The miscellaneous supplies.
Miscellaneous Supplies for Sublimation Printing
Butcher Paper
Uncoated butcher paper will keep your sublimation design from transferring to your heat plate on the heat press, mug press, or silicone wrap. You’ll also need an 18″ Horizontal Paper Dispenser to hold and cut this paper.
Horizontal Dispenser
Useful paper holder and dispenser for your butcher paper
Make sure to use this paper below your sublimation blank and over your sublimation transfer to protect your heat press from the sublimation ink being transferred permanently onto it. It is also a good idea to only use the butcher paper once because there will be some ink that will transfer onto it and if you reuse it, it will get transferred to your next sublimation blank.
Do not use teflon paper instead of the butcher paper! Teflon traps residual moisture and these vapors will cause “ghosting” (blurry edges and lines) on your sublimation projects.
Heat Tape
These 3″ Heat Tapes will hold your sublimation print to your blank during the heating process. These are great on the “hard substrates”.
Tape Dispenser
Something to hold your tape in place.
Prospray Adhesive Spray
These work great on the “soft substrates” and do not leave a sticky residue
Sublimation Spray For Cotton
“I did it!!!! I made my first project. 
cotton with sub spray.”
-K Geeser
Heat Resistant Gloves
Because you are using a high heat from the sublimation press or convection oven, you need to protect your hands from burns when you take them out of the press or oven.
There are a variety to choose from but this particular pair fits like a glove. A size 7 fits a woman’s medium hands.
Oven Thermometer
If you are using a convection oven, then you will need an oven thermometer. The temperature gauges on the convection ovens are very inaccurate so do not rely on it. Get yourself an oven thermometer to make sure you are using the right temperature to sublimate your tumblers and mugs.
Helps keep an eye on your convection oven’s temp when you’re sublimating tumblers and mugs.
Silicone Wrap or Shrink Wrap
In order to sublimate mugs and tumblers in a convection oven, you will need either a silicone wrap or shrink wrap to hold the sublimation transfer onto your sublimation blank. The transfer has to be on your mug or tumbler as tight as possible in order to prevent any vapors on the design that can cause ghosting during sublimation.
May The Fun Sublimation Printing Begin
Now that you’ve learned and reviewed all of these sublimation things. Get everything together, start purchasing these items, and prepare your fun station for work!
We have provided all of this great information for Free to help you make great choices, save money, time, and frustration to easily get started in sublimation printing.
Now this will help us maintain SublimationPrinter.Co and continue to add valuable information.
Bookmark this page here. Use these links when you buy your first sublimation printing equipment and supplies. Use these links when you buy your refill supplies.
Thank you and have fun with sublimation printing!
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Miscellaneous supplies, oh yeah, we’re going to need that too.
Big business, Big Print, Big Money
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