Sublimation printers are gaining immense popularity thanks to their widespread application on varied surfaces. From sublimating on a T-shirt to a glass panel to mug, it is an interesting process picking up attention.
But, the bottom line is you need to make use of the best sublimation printers to get the outcome as planned. If you are new to this process, let us tell you how to handpick such printers.
So, What Printer Can I Use for Sublimation?
Here are our picks for the best printers that you can use for sublimation.
- Epson Workforce WF-7710
- Epson Stylus C88+
- Canon SELPHY CP1300
- Kodak Dock
- Brother MFC-J995DW
In the upcoming section, we will explain how we chose them.
There are three criteria that your printer should fulfill to be used for sublimation.
Pressure transfer: Sublimation is a process that involves pressure that regular thermal printers fail to accomplish. Your printer needs to support piezo technology.
Sublimation paper support: Regular printers tend to support printing with their ink on regular paper. However, sublimation indicates a change in the type of paper. In fact, sublimation ink enters a gaseous state when it is pressed to leave a better impression.
Presence of a CISS Ink System: Ordinary printers out there can also be converted into a sublimation printer provided there is CSS ink system compatibility.
So, what does this system do? It comes as a kit and has all the necessary elements in it to convert your ordinary printer into a sublimation printer.
Best printers for sublimation
Epson Workforce WF-7710
Any workforce printer can sublimate since it contains a comprehensive all-in-one toolkit that promotes different styles of printing. Epson Workforce WF-7710 also has a 4.3” touchscreen display enabling novices to operate it easily. Print on the go with WiFi or USB or Ethernet, and it does work. It is a must-go if you are running an enterprise where sublimation printing is the need of the hour.
Epson Stylus C88+
The majority of Epson printers support sublimation printing. But, to go against the myth that “sublimation printers are expensive,” Epson has introduced an efficient model at an affordable price – Epson Stylus C88+.
With a fantastic printing speed of 14ppm, this printer is unmatchable in terms of its output quality. This is the printer to start your sublimation journey for all those beginners in sublimation.
Canon SELPHY CP1300
Oh, sublimation printers need huge space! Contrary to this statement, Canon SELPHY CP1300 is the best sublimation printer that is highly portable, has a dedicated dye to print on the go, and also prints at the rate of 47 seconds/page.
While you may have to feed the paper for printing manually, it is still worth it as you can print on the go from different input sources. Most importantly, if you are using it for your small-scale business, the output quality can instantly let your business skyrocket.
Kodak Dock
Kodak Dock is yet another tiny sublimation printer that does the job smoothly. Are you dealing with postcard printing? Kodak Dock is the one for you. Say goodbye to those messy cables wounding your printer.
Kodak Dock remains devoid of wires. You can use this printer for sublimation wherever you go.
Brother MFC-J995DW
Similar to Epson, Brother MFC-J995DW comes as a complete package with sufficient space in the sublimation paper tray.
There is also a CIS scanner included in this device, so photo scanning and coloring can happen quickly. Going one step forward, sublimation printing is now feasible with cloud connectivity as well.
Can any printer be converted into a sublimation printer?
HP and Canon printers use thermal printing technology that doesn’t support sublimation, while EPSON and some models of Brother use piezo technology, making it possible to convert.
The good news is you can still purchase a CISS ink system and connect to your existing printer online to find out if sublimation is feasible.
Conclusion
Every printer is made for a purpose. While converting an existing printer into a sublimation printer is exciting, you should be cautious of how long you would need it and what kind of printing is required.
For long-term use, it is always advisable to go with the top five printers mentioned above as these are exclusively made for sublimation and come as complete kits. As a result, you don’t have to spend a penny extra.
Get your hands wet with these sublimation printers today, and tell us how your experiences were!
