5 Best Sublimation Printers For Small Business in 2024!

There are many solopreneurs who are finding monetary success by selling tailor made t-shirts, visiting card, mugs, wall clock etc. If you have also got an eye for fashion then you can also create trends of your own and become successful overnight by starting a small business in sublimation printing. Great news is that there is no need to go to some professional to have your design printed because there are many sublimation printers that are designed especially for small business. Also, they are affordable which makes them best suited for your small business. Sublimation printing is a trending and lucrative business if you really put your efforts into it. I am here to help you pick one of best sublimation printers for small business, but for being creative you are on your own.

5 Best Sublimation Printers For Small Business

Your designs which were started as a hobby can become a successful business rather small may it be by choosing one of best sublimation printers for small business which are listed below.

1.     Epson EcoTank ET-8550

User Level: Amateur

Top on my list of best sublimation printers for small business is Epson EcoTank ET-8550. Reason for its inclusion is its high efficiency, affordability, and cartridge free ink. Also, it is best suited for printing high quality photos. Epson claims that this printer can save up to 80% on ink, and after spending time on its research I found this happening. It is a modern and sleek-looking printer that comes with ink bottles. I can see the support of various paper sizes including upto 1.3 mm thicker fine arts paper. With a 4.3 full-colored touch display, I can say that setting up and operating this device will be a breeze. Also, after finding out its dimensions, I can see ET-8550 fitting on a small desk. I discovered its 4,800 dpi scanner reviewed very well. Also, many users have also appraised its wireless connectivity and integration with Apple Airprint, Amazon Alexa, and Android printing. In my research, I saw photographs with almost smooth tonal transitions and pretty accurate and vibrant colors that can be printed with ET-8550. Even projector films without any added tape are found to be used during my research of this printer. Print Accurate Grey, Black, And White 8550 uses grey ink which is pretty helpful in printing almost accurate black, white and different shades of grey.

2.     Epson Eco Tank ET-15000

User Level: Hobbyist, Professional

ET-15000 is a printer that is really easy to install and use. 15000 is a wireless printer that can smoothly perform prints remotely. After further study, it became apparaent that it prints larger pages easily which are upto 13”×19”. Although, refilling ink is quicker but I found it took longer than expected to add and charge inks. But, it can be neglected as Epson ET-15000 can print quite precisely and clearly. No problem can be seen with instructions being displayed unclearly on a perfectly working touchscreen. Many users who use this sublimation printer for printing photos have reported using satin finish or heavier gloss sheets in order to have smooth large darker areas. Not only I came across it doing large paper jobs easily, but it can also print smaller than A4 sizes pretty well. I also undercovered that printing mugs with ET-15000 is a fun experience. Affordable When it comes to the cost of ink then I found this printer pretty affordable. As the inks last longer than expected even when printing full-bleed four-color tabloid-size images.

3.     Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500

User Level: Hobbyist, Professional, Beginners

If you are to take my words seriously then there is no better alternative than Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500, only if you want to grow your small business. Sawgrass printers are the printers that are actually made for sublimation, unlike other printers that need to be converted for sublimation. SG500 is a compact desktop printer that is able to print that ranges upto 8.5”×14” with a lot lesser ink than other competitors. Genuine Sawgrass ink with its Print Manager and maintenance software is in use then you will be using your printer with a lot lesser ink. Another thing about this printer that really pleases me is its backlit LCD which will really help to use it at night without any difficulty. Prints at their highest quality were observed with its Ultra Fine Photo features which really help in delivering images with such crispness that captures everyone’s attention. Since, Sawgrass makes printers especially for sublimation therefore with SG500 you can create designs for nearly anything, be it visiting cards, mugs, t-shirts, pen and so on. Automatic Nozzle Maintenance All printers need to print something otherwise you will get a clogged nozzle or low-quality results. One thing that I like most about Sawgrass SG500 is its automatic nozzle cleaning with a lot less ink.

4.     Epson EcoTank ET-2800

User Level: Beginners, Professional

Second last on my list of best sublimation printers for small business is Epson ET-2800, which is a cartridge-free and wireless printer. Installation of this printer is found to be quick and easy with help of Epson Smart Panel. It is able to give insanely high page yield due to its supetannk ink. When I examined its prints then I could see details with higher contrast between highlighted and dark areas, which makes it suitable for orinting high quality photos. A printer that can be easily converted into a sublimation printer, comes with enough ink that can print 4500 black and 7500 colored outputs, all with help of MicroPiezo inkjet technology with resolution upto 5760×1440. Two downsides that I uncovered in this printer are that it needs to be cleaned more often than expected and speed that is slower than expected. But these can be ignored due to its crisp and vivid outputs all in lesser ink.

Greatest Print Resolution

2800 guarantees flawless outputs with help of MicroPiezo Inkjet technology. Its optimum print resolution of 5760×1440 plays an important role in transferring artwork to a substrate with great quality.

5.     Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840

User Level: Professional

Have you ever wanted to customize your printer to get the right textures and tones then WF-7840 is here for you. It is a wide format printer that can handle high-volume printing easily with 4800×2400 dpi resolution. Setting up 7840 was also found to be easier and quicker than expected. Epson WF-7840 is a heavy-duty printer as reported by many users. One of the reviews that came across my study mentioned that it can handle upto 5000 prints without any trouble. Read Also: Best Wide Format Sublimation Printers Due to a 4.3” color touch screen, navigating around the printer is easier and quicker. It can also print photo papers and heavy stock papers above the average. Epson WF-7840 also prints at a good speed if not faster. Only downside that I encounter is that it continuously prompts for updates. But that can be neglected given many useful features at our disposal which include high quality sublimatoon printing for many things like wooden things, ceramics, mugs, t-shirts etc. Save Multiple Trips To The Printer Without a doubt, this printer will at least save you multiple trips to printer as you can insert papers of various sizes in their respective trays.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a small sublimation business?

To start a small sublimation business, you must have an image that is at least 2MB or more, a sublimation printer, sublimation ink, sublimation paper, a heat press, and finally, the object to be sublimated up on.

How much does it cost to start a sublimation business?

If you want to start a sublimation business then keep in mind that only a sublimation printer will cost you roughly $500. Then there will be costs of sublimation ink, heat press, sublimation paper, and substrate. Therefore, it is safe to say that it will cost you around $1500 to start a sublimation business.

How much do sublimation mugs sell for?

An 11oz sublimation mug will be sold for $13 to $15 whereas a 15oz sublimation mug will be sold for $15 to $18. The selling price hugely depends on the printed images and the area of the mug that is covered by print.

Conclusion

Key to success in this cutthroat industry is ensuring both long-term success and high quality for your customers. The greatest sublimation printer for your small business can handle these two crucial areas. While it is totally up to you to come up with eye-catching designs that will captivate your audience, but at least it is reassuring to know that you have one of the best sublimation printers for small business.

Top 3 Picks: Best sublimation printers for small business

Above-mentioned printers are best sublimation printers for small business which are based on my extensive research. But if I have to choose best three out of these five, then these would be: Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500: due to its water-resistant nature and self-maintenance capability. It is a professional sublimation printer that can do rpinting for almost any substrate. Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840: due to its picture-perfect output at a reasonable price. Epson EcoTank ET-8550: due to its 4.3″ touchscreen color display that makes this printer very easy to use. And, also due to smooth tonal output in printing photos. But my top choice would be Sawgrass SG500 because it is jam-packed with many features with ease of use. On other hand, it is a printer that is made for sublimation, whereas, all of the other mentioned printers need to be converted into sublimation printer. Read Also: Best Epson Sublimation Printers Best Sublimation Printers