7 Things to Know Before You Buy a Sublimation Printer

Are you thinking about jumping into sublimation printing? Before you hit that "buy now" button, there are some super important things you need to know.

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In all the years I've been using a sublimation printing myself and offering sublimation help and troubleshooting support, I've realized there are a 7 critical things most people should know (but often don't) before investing in an Epson, Brother, or Sawgrass sublimation printer.

Read on so you're not one of those who says..."well I wish I'd known that..."

Many crafters get so excited about the benefits of sublimation (no cutting, no weeding, bright vibrant colors, print and press)...they stop their research there.

Take it from someone who has at least five different sublimation printers...in order to make an informed decision it's important to know these 7 facts about sublimation printing..before you buy!

1. Converted Printers = Voided Warranty

This is a big one! If you're looking at saving some money by converting a regular inkjet printer to sublimation by putting sublimation ink into it, be aware that this immediately voids your warranty.

No printer manufacturer is going to help you troubleshoot or replace the printer when they know you've put sublimation ink into a printer that wasn't designed for it.

In addition, your print head may wear down sooner and the colors and quality of your prints may be off due to the inability to use or access the correct color profiles and sublimation print utilities.

2. Cotton is a No-Go for Sublimation

One of the most common questions I get from newbies is: "Why didn't my sublimation transfer work on this t-shirt?" Here's the truth you need to know before you buy: You can not sublimate directly onto cotton regardless of the color.

When sublimating on shirts, the garment must be at least a 65% polyester blend to sublimate directly onto it. Yes there are (time-consuming) workarounds like printing onto white glitter HTV or using sublimation spray, but you can not sublimate on cotton t shirts.

I should also point out - because sublimation printers don't have white ink, you can't sublimate directly onto any dark surfaces and anything other than white surfaces will impact the colors of the image.

3. Not All Blanks Are Sublimation-Ready

This is another big misconception. You can't just go to the store and buy any old mug, tumbler, or other blank and successfully sublimate onto it.

Sublimation blanks need to have a special poly coating on them. This coating is essentially what absorbs the ink (that turns to a gas) during the high-temperature, high-pressure process of sublimation. Regular blanks without this coating simply won't work.

And here's something else to consider - sublimation blanks aren't necessarily cheap. Because there's a learning curve (more on that next), you need to factor in the cost of test blanks and mistakes and it's not easy (or really possible) to re-use a sublimation blank.

4. Expect a Learning Curve

Don't expect perfect results right away. There are really two main areas where you'll need to invest time in learning.

First is the print manager - whether you're using an Epson or a Sawgrass printer, you'll have to learn how to use the print manager software to get the best results.

You cannot just go "File > Print" and expect to get good, high-quality, vibrant colors when printing on a sublimation printer regardless of it's a Sawgrass SG500 or 1000 or an Epson F570 or F170. You need to learn how to use your print manager correctly.

I have blog posts and videos about this, and there are lots of exclusive sublimation tutorials on Silhouette U that aren't available on YouTube. If you need one-on-one help with sublimation, Silhouette U is a great resource for that as well. But the important thing is to factor this learning time into your budget and plans when getting into sublimation.

5. Your Sublimation Printer Needs to Stay On... All the Time!

This is something many new people new to sublimation don't realize - you need to keep your sublimation printer on at all times so it can self cycle and clean. This helps prevent the lines from clogging.

Be aware that, during this process, some of the ink will go into the waste tank. This means you're not going to get 100% use out of your ink, whether you have a Sawgrass or an Epson sublimation printer.

The maintenance isn't a one size fits all either! I find the easiest sublimation printer to maintain to be the EpsonF570 - even more so than the 170.

If you're still trying to decide which printer is best for you, make sure to check out my sublimation printer comparison video that goes over the different sublimation printer options in detail.

6. Ink Costs Can Vary Dramatically

Speaking of ink, this is a HUGE factor to consider. Sublimation ink can be expensive depending on which printer you choose.

If you go with a Sawgrass sublimation printer, you are hands-down going to be paying a lot more for ink. When you compare the per-milliliter price, Sawgrass ink costs over $2 per milliliter, while Epson ink costs about 0.35 cents per milliliter.

It's also important to know you can not use third party inks in a Sawgrass sublimation printer.

TIP: My free sublimation calculator is intended to help price sublimation products, but because the formula is based on Sawgrass ink prices and Epson ink prices, you can also use it before you buy a sublimation printer to see how much it could cost you in ink and materials to make the same project on each printer.

7. You Need Special Equipment for Heat Application

Last but definitely not least - you cannot do sublimation with just an iron. Sublimation requires both high temperature and high pressure applied for a relatively long time.

For flat items like shirts, luggage tags, panels or bags, you'll need a heat press.

For mugs and tumblers, you'll need either a convection oven or a mug or tumbler press. These could be standalone units or part of an 8-in-1 heat press which will save you space.

So... Should You Buy a Sublimation Printer?

Now that you know these 7 things, hopefully you can make an even more informed decision about whether a sublimation printer is right for you. Sublimation is an amazing way to create vibrant, personalized products, but it does come with some limitations and cost.

Ready to check out my full sublimation buying guide? Head over now for a side by side comparison of the sublimation printers I use including the Sawgrass and Epson sublimation printers.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

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