“Sawgrass or Epson” sounds like a simple either-or question. It isn’t.
Sawgrass makes one kind of printer: sublimation only, nothing else. Epson makes several, and only some of them are actually built for sublimation out of the box.
That difference matters more than brand loyalty ever will. Buy the wrong type and you’ll spend your first month fighting color settings instead of printing shirts and mugs.
This guide compares the two brands model by model, using official specs from Sawgrass and Epson directly. No brand loyalty, no guesswork, just what each printer actually does and who it actually fits.
Sawgrass vs Epson at a Glance
| Printer | Dedicated or Converted | Print Size | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawgrass SG500 | Dedicated | 8.5″ x 14″ (up to 8.5″ x 51″ with bypass tray) | Most beginners and small shops |
| Sawgrass SG1000 | Dedicated | 11″ x 17″ (up to 13″ x 19″ with bypass tray) | Bigger prints, higher volume |
| Epson SureColor F170 | Dedicated | 8.5″ x 14″ | Budget-conscious dedicated buyers |
| Epson SureColor F570 | Dedicated | 24″ wide format | Growing businesses scaling up |
| Epson EcoTank (converted) | Converted | Varies by model | Testing sublimation on the cheap |
What’s the Real Difference Between Sawgrass and Epson Sublimation Printers?
Sawgrass only makes sublimation printers. Every model, from the SG500 up, ships pre-loaded with sublimation ink and calibrated for it at the factory. Epson takes a split approach: the SureColor F-series is Epson’s own dedicated sublimation line, while the EcoTank series is a general-purpose printer that crafters convert themselves.
That split is the real decision hiding inside “Sawgrass vs Epson.” You’re not just comparing two brands. You’re comparing dedicated sublimation hardware against a DIY conversion project that happens to carry the Epson name.
Sawgrass built its whole business around this one job. The SG500 and SG1000 both use the same core hardware, just at different paper sizes, and both work with either SubliJet UHD ink for mugs and hard goods or VersiFlex ink for cotton apparel, without needing a different printer for each.
Epson’s SureColor F170 and F570 work the same way Sawgrass does: dedicated, no conversion, ready to print sublimation ink from the box. The EcoTank line is a different animal entirely. It’s built for regular home and office printing, and turning it into a sublimation printer means draining the factory ink and refilling the tanks with sublimation ink instead, a step Epson never designed the printer to handle.
Sawgrass vs Epson at a Glance: Which Gives You Better Print Quality and Color Accuracy?
Sawgrass and Epson’s dedicated printers both deliver reliable color out of the box. A converted EcoTank asks you to build that reliability yourself.
Sawgrass printers come with factory color profiles built specifically for SubliJet UHD ink, so the colors you see on screen are close to what comes out on the transfer. Epson’s F170 and F570 do the same thing on the Epson side. Both run PrecisionCore printhead technology built for sublimation ink specifically, so you’re not fighting settings meant for a different kind of ink.
A converted EcoTank is where quality gets unpredictable. Since Epson never designed the printer for sublimation ink, there’s no factory color profile waiting for you. You’re building your own color settings from scratch, and results vary depending on the ink brand you chose and how much time you spend dialing it in.
If consistent, predictable color matters more to you than saving money, buy dedicated. Either Sawgrass’s SG line or Epson’s SureColor F-series gets you there without the guesswork. For a closer look at what that actually looks like day to day, our full SG500 review walks through it in detail.
Cost to Buy vs. Cost to Run
The printer’s price tag is only half the cost story. Ink is the part that adds up over months and years, and it’s where Sawgrass and Epson genuinely diverge.
Sawgrass costs more upfront because you’re paying for a specialized machine with proprietary ink and built-in support. That ink comes in cartridges, and cartridges cost more per print than a bottle-fed system.
Epson’s dedicated F-series uses ink bottles instead of cartridges, which typically brings the cost per print down over time, especially if you’re printing in real volume. A converted EcoTank goes even further using third-party sublimation ink, which usually runs cheaper than genuine Epson or Sawgrass ink, but you lose the warranty protection and factory support that comes with it.
There’s no universal right answer here. If you print occasionally, the cartridge premium on a Sawgrass barely matters. If you’re running a shop and printing daily, the per-print savings on an Epson bottle system compounds fast. Check current pricing on the official Sawgrass and Epson sites before you decide, since ink and printer costs shift often.
How Do Sawgrass and Epson Compare on Print Size?
Print size splits into three tiers: compact desktop, mid-size desktop, and wide format. Where you land depends on what you’re actually printing.
The Sawgrass SG500 and Epson SureColor F170 sit in the same compact tier, both maxing out at 8.5″ x 14″ on their standard tray. That’s plenty for mugs, small shirt designs, phone cases, and most gift items, but it won’t cover a full adult chest print without cropping the design down.
Step up to the Sawgrass SG1000 and you get 11″ x 17″ standard, expanding to 13″ x 19″ with the bypass tray. That’s enough for full adult chest and back designs, larger home decor pieces, and higher-volume runs without constantly reloading paper.
The Epson SureColor F570 jumps into a different category entirely at 24″ wide format. That’s built for all-over shirt prints, large panels, and the kind of order volume a desktop printer simply can’t keep up with. If shirts specifically are your main product, our roundup of sublimation printers built for t-shirt printing breaks down print size by garment type in more depth.
Which Is Easier to Set Up and Maintain?
Sawgrass is the easier of the two to live with day to day. Both dedicated printers, Sawgrass’s SG line and Epson’s SureColor F-series, skip the setup headaches a converted EcoTank creates.
Sawgrass ships ready to print, with ink already loaded and its own software handling color management so you’re not sourcing a separate design program just to get started. Epson’s F170 and F570 work the same way on their own platform, no conversion step, no third-party ink to source, no warranty gamble.
A converted EcoTank flips that entirely. You’re loading ink Epson never approved for that printer, which means any damage the third-party ink causes isn’t covered under warranty, even though the ink itself doesn’t void the whole warranty outright. You’re also on your own for maintenance and troubleshooting, since Epson’s support wasn’t built around this use case.
If you want the least amount of setup friction, buy dedicated, either brand. If you’re comfortable trading convenience for a lower entry cost, a converted EcoTank is still a legitimate path in, just one you’re managing yourself.
Sawgrass vs Epson: Which Should You Actually Buy?
Buy the Sawgrass SG500 if you want the least friction possible and you’re just getting started. It’s the printer most beginner guides point to first, and for good reason: no conversion, no separate software to buy, and color profiles that work the moment you plug it in.
Buy the Epson SureColor F170 if you want dedicated reliability at a lower cost than Sawgrass, and you don’t mind Epson’s ink bottle system over cartridges. It’s a genuine step up from a converted printer without the Sawgrass price tag.
Buy the Sawgrass SG1000 or Epson SureColor F570 once you’ve outgrown a desktop machine and you’re running real order volume. The SG1000 makes sense if you’re staying in the Sawgrass ecosystem and need bigger prints. The F570 makes sense once you need true wide-format output for shirts and large panels.
Buy a converted Epson EcoTank only if you’re testing whether sublimation is a business you actually want to run, and you’re comfortable losing the warranty and managing your own color profiles. It’s the cheapest way in, not the easiest.
Whichever printer you land on, don’t stop there. You’ll still need a heat press that matches your setup for flat items, or a dedicated mug press if drinkware is your first product. For the full lineup of options across both brands and every budget, our sublimation printer buying guide covers the complete range.
Conclusion
Sawgrass and Epson aren’t really competing for the same buyer.
Sawgrass sells one thing, dedicated sublimation printers, and does it well across the SG500 and SG1000. Epson sells a wider range, from a true dedicated line in the SureColor F-series down to a budget conversion project with the EcoTank.
Neither is the wrong choice. The right one depends on how much setup work you want to do and how much you’re willing to spend to skip it. The dye sublimation printing market is projected to keep growing fast over the next several years, so there’s no rush to overbuy before you’ve printed your first order.
Start with what matches your actual volume today. You can always upgrade once you outgrow it, and both brands make that next step easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sawgrass or Epson better for sublimation printing?
Sawgrass is the more consistent choice for most people since every printer it makes is dedicated to sublimation with factory color profiles already set. Epson works just as well if you buy a dedicated SureColor model like the F170 or F570, but converting an EcoTank adds setup work and voids your warranty protection on ink-related damage.
Can I convert an Epson printer to sublimation instead of buying a Sawgrass?
Yes, but only certain Epson EcoTank models support conversion, and the printer needs to be unused before you start. You’ll fill the tanks with third-party sublimation ink instead of Epson’s regular ink, which voids coverage for any damage that ink causes, and you’ll need to build your own color profiles since Epson didn’t design the printer for this.
Which is cheaper to run over time?
Epson’s dedicated SureColor F-series typically costs less per print than Sawgrass, since it uses refillable ink bottles instead of proprietary cartridges. A converted EcoTank is cheaper still using third-party ink, but you’re trading that savings for lost warranty coverage and manual color calibration.
Do Sawgrass and Epson use the same sublimation ink?
No. Sawgrass printers only use genuine Sawgrass ink, either SubliJet UHD or VersiFlex depending on what you’re printing on. Epson’s dedicated SureColor printers use genuine Epson sublimation ink, while a converted EcoTank runs on third-party sublimation ink since Epson doesn’t make its own for that model.
What’s the difference between the Epson F170 and F570?
The F170 is a compact desktop printer maxing out at 8.5″ x 14″, built for smaller items like mugs and small shirt designs. The F570 is a 24″ wide-format printer built for full shirt prints, large panels, and order volume a desktop machine can’t keep up with.
