Picking your first sublimation printer feels harder than it should be. Search for the best sublimation printer for beginners and you’ll find a dozen opinions, half of them arguing over ink costs, the other half arguing over whether you even need a “real” sublimation printer at all.
Here’s the short version: you don’t need the most expensive machine to get good results. You need the right machine for how you’re actually going to use it.
Some beginners want a printer that just works, no conversion, no color guesswork, straight out of the box. Others want to spend as little as possible and don’t mind a bit of setup work to save money. Both are valid ways in.
This list covers five printers that fit both paths, plus everything else you’ll need before your first mug or t-shirt comes out of the heat press.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
| Printer | Type | Best For | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawgrass SG500 | Dedicated | Best overall for beginners | Pre-built color profiles, no color correction needed |
| Brother SP-1 | Dedicated | Best plug-and-play | Design and print straight from the Artspira app |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (converted) | Converted inkjet | Best budget | Cheapest way in, refillable ink tanks |
| Epson SureColor F170 | Dedicated | Best dedicated step-up | Built-in dye-sub system, no conversion needed |
| Sawgrass SG500 + Heat Press Bundle | Dedicated + starter kit | Best all-in-one kit | Printer and heat press in one box |
What Makes a Sublimation Printer Good for Beginners?
A good beginner sublimation printer is affordable, simple to set up, and doesn’t demand constant color correction. The biggest factors that separate a smooth first project from a frustrating one are whether the printer is dedicated or converted, how much the ink costs to run, and how big a print size you actually need.
Print size matters more than people expect. Most beginner projects, mugs, small shirt designs, tumblers, and ornaments, fit comfortably on an 8.5″ x 11″ or 8.5″ x 14″ page. You don’t need a wide-format machine until you’re printing full-size shirt graphics or scaling into wholesale work.
Ink cost is the other big variable. Dedicated sublimation printers use proprietary ink cartridges that cost more per bottle, but they come with pre-built color profiles so your first prints look right without fiddling. Converted printers use cheaper third-party ink, but you’re the one responsible for getting the color settings right.
Dedicated Printer or Converted Inkjet: Which Should You Start With?
If you want the least amount of stress, buy a dedicated sublimation printer like the Sawgrass SG500 or Brother SP-1. Both are built only for sublimation ink and come with color profiles already set up, so you skip the trial and error entirely.
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind a little setup work, convert a brand-new Epson EcoTank ET-2800 instead. The catch: the printer has to be unused, straight out of the box, before you fill the tanks with sublimation ink. Once you do that, the warranty is gone and you can’t switch back to regular ink. You’ll also need to correct your own color profiles, since Epson’s factory settings are built for regular printing, not sublimation.
Neither path is wrong. A dedicated printer buys you convenience. A converted one saves you money if you’re willing to trade a bit of setup time for it.
The 5 Best Sublimation Printers for Beginners
1. Sawgrass SG500 (Best Overall)
The Sawgrass SG500 is the printer most beginner guides point to first, and for good reason. It’s a dedicated sublimation printer built with WiFi connectivity, a 4880 x 1200 DPI resolution, and pre-loaded color profiles that remove the guesswork Epson conversions require.
It prints up to 8.5″ x 14″ out of the box, and up to 8.5″ x 51″ with the bypass tray if you need longer runs for banners or wide shirt graphics. Community consensus is that the SG500 is the safest first buy if you’d rather spend a bit more upfront and skip the learning curve entirely. For a closer look at what it’s like to actually run one day to day, check out our full SG500 review.
2. Brother SP-1 (Best Plug-and-Play)
The Brother SP-1 is one of the newer dedicated sublimation printers on the market, and it’s built around Brother’s Artspira app. You design on your phone, send the file over WiFi, and print, which makes it one of the easiest setups for someone who’s never touched a sublimation printer before.
It ships with a full set of starter ink and sublimation paper, so you can print same day without ordering supplies first. Reviewers note the setup process is genuinely simple, though print speed runs a bit slower than the SG500 on larger jobs.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (Converted) (Best Budget)
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the printer most beginner communities point to when budget is the top priority. It’s a regular home inkjet with refillable tanks, and converting it for sublimation just means filling those tanks with sublimation ink instead of standard inkjet ink, no syringes needed.
The tradeoff is real: the printer must be brand new before conversion, the warranty is void the moment you fill it with sublimation ink, and you’ll need to manually correct your color profiles since the printer wasn’t built for this ink in the first place. If you’re comfortable with that tradeoff, it’s the cheapest legitimate way into sublimation printing.
4. Epson SureColor F170 (Best Dedicated Step-Up)
The Epson SureColor F170 splits the difference between the SG500 and the EcoTank. It’s a dedicated dye-sublimation printer, built with Epson’s PrecisionCore printhead technology and a 1200 x 600 DPI resolution, so there’s no conversion process and no warranty risk.
Its footprint is compact enough for a desktop, and it prints up to 8.5″ x 14″. If the EcoTank conversion sounds too risky but a full Sawgrass setup feels like more than you want to spend right now, this is the middle ground.
5. Sawgrass SG500 + Heat Press Bundle (Best All-in-One Starter Kit)
For a true beginner who doesn’t want to research a heat press, ink, and paper separately, Sawgrass SG500 bundles pair the printer with a heat press so everything arrives compatible and ready to go. It costs more upfront than buying the printer alone, but it removes the guesswork of matching a heat press to your setup.
This is the pick for someone who wants to open one box and start their first project the same day, rather than spending a week piecing parts together.
What Else Do You Need Besides the Printer?
Besides the printer itself, you need sublimation ink (already loaded if you buy a dedicated model), sublimation paper, and a heat source. Regular printer paper and regular ink don’t work for sublimation, so this isn’t optional.
Sublimation paper matters more than beginners expect. It’s designed to hold ink on its surface instead of absorbing it the way regular copy paper does, which lets the ink release cleanly onto your blank when it’s pressed.
The heat source you need depends on what you’re making. Flat items like t-shirts and tote bags need a heat press. Round items like mugs and tumblers need a mug press or a sublimation oven instead. If you’re leaning toward apparel, our heat press buying guide covers what to look for. If mugs are your first project, see our picks in the best mug press for sublimation guide.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Started?
Expect three rough cost tiers, not one number. A converted EcoTank sits at the budget end. A dedicated printer like the SG500 or SP-1 sits in the middle. A full bundle with a heat press included costs more upfront but saves you from buying and matching pieces separately.
On top of the printer, ink, paper, and blanks (mugs, shirts, tumblers) are ongoing costs you’ll keep paying as you print. If you want everything bundled into one purchase instead of building your own kit, our sublimation starter kits and bundlesroundup covers ready-made options. Since prices shift often, check the official Sawgrass, Epson, or Brother pages for current pricing before you buy.
Sublimation or DTF: Which Should a Beginner Learn First?
Sublimation is the better starting point if you’re making mugs, tumblers, ornaments, or light-colored polyester shirts, since the dye becomes part of the material instead of sitting on top of it. DTF (direct-to-film) printing is the better fit if you want to work with cotton or dark-colored fabric, since sublimation only works on polyester and polyester-coated surfaces.
Plenty of small businesses eventually run both, since they cover different jobs. If you’re deciding between the two for your very first machine, our breakdown of sublimation vs. DTF walks through which one fits your project list, and our guide to sublimation printers built for t-shirts is worth a look if apparel is your main goal.
Bottom Line
Your first sublimation printer doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to match how you’re going to use it.
If you want the least friction, the Sawgrass SG500 or Brother SP-1 will get you printing correctly on day one.
If you’re comfortable trading a bit of setup time for a lower price, a converted Epson EcoTank ET-2800 gets you into sublimation for less.
Whichever you choose, don’t stop at the printer. Budget for sublimation ink, paper, and a heat press or mug press before you order, so you’re not waiting on a second shipment before your first project is finished.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest sublimation printer for a total beginner? The Sawgrass SG500 and Brother SP-1 are the easiest starting points because they’re dedicated sublimation printers with color profiles already built in. You skip the conversion process and the manual color correction that converted inkjets require.
Can I use a regular printer for sublimation? Not with regular ink. Some inkjet printers, like a brand-new Epson EcoTank ET-2800, can be converted by filling the tanks with sublimation ink instead, but the printer must be unused first and the warranty is void once you do it.
Is Sawgrass or Epson better for beginners? Sawgrass printers are built only for sublimation, so they’re easier to set up and come with pre-built color profiles. Epson’s EcoTank line is cheaper but requires conversion and manual color correction, while Epson’s dedicated SureColor F170 skips the conversion step entirely.
How much ink does a sublimation printer use? It depends on the printer and how often you print. Dedicated printers like the SG500 use proprietary ink cartridges, while converted EcoTank printers use refillable tanks that generally cost less to run per print, though exact usage depends on print size and frequency.
Do I need a heat press to use a sublimation printer? Yes, for most projects. Flat items like t-shirts need a heat press, while round items like mugs and tumblers need a mug press or sublimation oven instead. The printer only gets your design onto sublimation paper. The heat source is what transfers it onto the blank.
