So you want to start doing Sublimation. If you ask yourself, “what is Sublimation”? You might want to check out my Blog on Sublimation Why You Should Try It!! In that Blog, I will give you a full overview of Sublimation. Today I want to spend some time telling you what I am looking for in a new sublimation printer. I, unfortunately, had a fire at my house recently and I am going through the process of replacing lots of my equipment. So with that being said, I thought I would share with you what I am looking for in a Sublimation Printer.
My original printer was the Epson WF 7720, so while searching, I made a lot of comparisons. There are printers designed for Sublimation, or you can convert an existing inkjet printer to support Sublimation. That is what I did with my Epson WF 7720. Much like everything else, printers are not all created equally, and not all printers are capable of processing sublimation ink. Thus, it would be best to do some research before you jump on the cheapest unit you can find.
There are so many things that you can look for in a Sublimation Printer, but I have determined a few key factors that I think are very important. Today I want to share those with you and most importantly, tell you why they are so important! When I started looking, I thought I knew what I wanted until I did more research and put together a spreadsheet that compared the top leading sublimation printers!
Printer Max Paper Size
I knew that I liked what my Epson 7720 had to offer with paper size options. The Epson WF 7720 could print multiple sizes of paper and had two paper trays so I could have Letter and Legal loaded at all times. It also printed ledger size paper, which was great for larger print jobs. The possibilities for different sizes of paper was my number one factor when looking for a new printer.
Size does matter when choosing a printer. The key here is to identify the types of jobs you anticipate doing on a routine basis. For me, I wanted the ability to load paper as large as 13 “x19”.
Printer Ink Storage
When I started looking for a new printer, I thought this would be my number one consideration. Do I want an EcoTank or do I want to keep refilling cartridges with ink? I converted my Epson 7720 to Sublimation last year and purchased replacement cartridges and Sublimation Ink. The process takes a little time, and you need to run printer checks each time you load ink. I thought the EcoTank would be a good upgrade this time. I had purchased an Epson ET-4700 for standard printing, and I loved the EcoTank and how easy it is to fill with ink. As I furthered my research, my options for the paper size I wanted and the EcoTank limited my options to the different printers.
Printer Resolution
I love to print photographs for Sublimation, and the quality of the print makes the sublimation color and quality pop! So, this moved resolution up the list of items to consider.
Printer Price
Price is always an essential factor, but I would not put it at the top of this list if your budget supports it. Performance is necessary, but the printer should be within your budget. Price is one of the reasons why I looked at all types of options in a printer. When you have to replace all of your tools and equipment in your craft room, budget is essential.
Printer Functionality
Functionality is another factor that I thought was more important when I first started sublimating. I just needed a printer to PRINT! I have another printer for standard printing that can copy and scan, so I did not need a sublimation printer that could PRINT, COPY and SCAN!
When I compiled all of my comparison factors, I also looked at a few other items. I have each of them listed on my Sublimation Review List.
- Printer Output
- Print Speed
- Two Sided Printing
- Document Feeder
- Input/Output Capacity
- Operating System
- Wireless
- Amazon Customer Rating
Checkout my Buyers Guide to Sublimation Printers to see what fits your needs and budget! I hope my list of sublimation printers will help you find one that meets your needs. I also have a downloadable version the you might like. Click HERE for it!
I think that my choice is going to be the Epson Workforce 7210. It checks the boxes on all the essential items on my list. Your first step is to determine what things are important to you when it comes to a Sublimation Printer.
My next step is to purchase my new Sublimation Printer! Wish me luck.
If this post inspired you, then check out some of my other projects for more inspiration!
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