5 Best Wide Format Sublimation Printers in 2024!
One of the best wide format sublimation printers is what you need if you really want to step up your game when it comes to high quality sublimation printing. Printing on larger sheets and scales is specialty of wide format sublimation printers. As a result, they are better suited for the industrial sector. They are typically used for printing banners, posters, backdrops for media sets, circuit schematics, and other bigger format signs. But which of the closed knit collections’ best wide format sublimation printers should you use? That’s a challenging aspect for which I have carefully examined and investigated sublimation printers that are designed specifically for printing in wider format.
Table of Contents
5 Best Wide Format Sublimation Printers Reviewed Below:
1. Sawgrass UHD Virtuoso SG1000
Usage Level: Bigger Scale Startups
- Detailed printing.
- More energy efficient.
- Printing upto 11”x17”.
- Versatile dimensions.
- Automatic maintenance.
- Separately purchase bypass tray.
- More on expensive side.
Produce Perfect HD Design
Sawgrass virtuoso SG1000 operates on four color ink cartridges with black ink being most dominant one, whereas most of other sublimation printers use grey ink. The use of black ink allows printer to print images that are more attractive and prominent. Also, HD designs are printed effortlessly.
2. Canon Image Prograf iPF770
Usage Level: Entry-level startup
- Easy to assemble.
- Crisp printing.
- Quite bigger in size.
- No cutting groove.
- Pricey ink.
On studying complete specification and structure of iP770, it became apparent that this printer is quite bigger than expected. But, on the other hand, it is easy to assemble and use. Canon Image Prograf iPF770 can print at a fairly fast speed. Only takes about 50 seconds to produce a 24×36 black and white print. If your main purpose is to print exclusively black and white then this is your go to printer, because it comes with 2 black ink cartridges with 1 usual for MCYB. With setup being a breeze, Image Prograf is able to produce super crisp and clean printouts. I discovered that Canon can handle batches of print because it can hold upto 500” roll of bond paper. I found its paper release lever super useful which can stop any damage when retrieving paper from feed. A perfect wide format sublimation printer for printing signage for a retail store. Also, it is best suited for construction industry, because blue printing with this printer is super clear. However, two things that I do not like that came accross my study are that Prograf does not have a cutting groove and the ink it uses is pricey.
Borderless Printing
Are you in need of borderless print on a wider scale then Canon’s capability to produce borderless print is a huge bonus for you.
3. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310
Usage Level: Small Office
- Support printing from mobile.
- Fairly decent printing speed.
- Prints upto 13×17 inches.
- Two 250-sheet drawers.
- Utilizes more ink.
- Black prints are not of great quality.
I can say that 7310 is a pretty decent and one best wide format sublimation printers in terms of size, shape, and quality. Despite, it being big in size but is certainly easy to assemble and use. Converting it into a sublimation printer is also found to be easier than most of other printers. WF-7310 especially does an outstanding job at blocking out light while using it for printing film for screen printing. Having a capability to print upto 13×19 inches, Workforce 7310 is an efficient printer that can easily do a 250-page job without creating any mess. For color printing on tabloid size, this printer works exceptionally well. It also has a manual feed for one sheet that can even print on custom sizes as long as they are under 13×47.2 inches.
Forget Reloadingg And Unloading
This printer operates on two drawers with one bypass tray which let you print on multiple sizes without need of reloading and unloading much.
4. Epson EcoTank ET-15000
Usage Level: Small Shop, Offices, Homes
- Rear input trays.
- Lower running cost.
- Super-tabloid size printing supported.
- Scanning of legal and smaller sizes not supported.
- No duplex scanning.
My careful investigation of Epson EcoTank ET-15000 led me to believe that ET-15000 is a light weight and compact printer. With low running cost, you can forget to refill its ink for a longer period of time. Both tabloid size 11×17 inches and super tabloid sized 13×19 inches are supported by ET-15000. Epson ET-15000 printing speed is pretty average but its top notch print quality with smooth gradients and vibrant colors make up for this flaw. Also, this Epson printer is compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri which further adds to its ease of use. It also features a small but helpful 2.7 color touch screen that is able to run operations smoothly.
Not A Single Drop Of Ink Is Spilled
One feature that pleased me is that it does not even spill a single drop of ink while refilling. Because it does not let the ink roll until it is tightly fixed.
5. Epson Expression Premium EcoTank ET-7750
Usage Level: Small business, Photo Enthusiasts
- Print upto 3,400 photos.
- Lower running cost.
- Outstanding output quality.
- Spill-free ink bottles.
- No touch screen display.
My investigation found Expression Et-7750 to be the least expensive all in one cartridge free printer out there. I uncovered that 7750 is best suited for photo enthusiasts because of its ability to print borderless tabloid-size photos. Its ink cost is also found to be very low as compared to other all in one wide format sublimation printers. With standard CMYK, Epson 7750 uses pigment based Black color which is really helpful in printing photos with vibrant colors and smooth tones. Read Also: Best Epson Sublimation Printers Something that did not appeal to my eyes is its non touch display which is crowded with many buttons. But when printing high quality wide format photos are in demand, then Epson Expression EcoTank is your go to printer. Together with its high print quality, more minor texts were easily readable while larger texts were consistent. If you are thinking of higher price tag then it will be easily recovered because its ink usage is minimum, which makes it a low running cost machine.
Impossible To Mismatch Inks While Refiling
Epson has redesigned refilling bottles of this best wide format sublimation in such a way that they only allow filling correct tank. Every bottle has a fixture on a top with key that will only be opened by the corresponding color.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered as a wide format printer?
If a printer can print a maximum priting width between 24 and 100 inches then it is categorized as a wide format printer. They are of different types including inkjet and toner-based etc.
Why do I need a wide format printer?
If you need high quality graphics and text as well then you will need a wide format printer. They are used for printing wide formats media, and if that’s what you are upto then you got it right! You need a wide format printer!
What can I do with a wide format printer?
With wide format printer, you can print things that would demand a trip to a print shop. With wide format printers, you can print almost anything in color or B&W or larger sized media including banners, larger photos, posters, etc.
Conclusion
Sometimes, we have to ignore high price tag of something in order to get the required quality and wide format sublimation printers are no exception. Best wide format sublimation printers, are however expensive than normal sublimation printers but they are best suited for giving you outstanding quality. No matter in which environment you use them, they will fulfill your needs whether it is a small office or home. After careful consideration and reading about many wide format sublimation printers, I can safely mention above five best wide format sublimation printers. They may have their short comings but their pros make them worth every penny.
Top 3 Picks: Best Wide Format Sublimation Printers
May be you are finalising to buy one of above mentioned printers then I can further narrow down my list to top three and these are: Epson Expression Premium EcoTank ET-7750: because of its no spill ink bottles, and ability to halt ink refilling automatically. It is best for printing high quality photos. Sawgrass UHD Virtuoso SG1000 : due to its best yield for commercial use. It is best for printing HD images. Canon Image Prograf iPF770: due to its use in construction sector. It is best suited for printing signage and blue prints professionally. Note that if I have to choose and narrow down my list to only one of best wide format sublimation printers then I would without a blink of an eye choose SG1000 because it is the printer that does not need to be converted to sublimation. Because Sawgrass produces printers that are ready for sublimation.
