Sublimation printing is a new trend popping around. They are becoming famous because of the beautiful prints they create on various surfaces and because it lasts long without getting faded or peeled off. I have recently started printing on tumblers, and it has become my favorite hobby for now. It helps me create customized tumblers for myself, and I have also gifted them to my friends and family.
Do many people inquire if they can use any tumbler for sublimation printing? Unfortunately, the answer is ‘No.’ You can only use those tumblers compatible with sublimation printing. The dye is infused on the surface when heat is applied to it. The tumbler should contain a poly coating that infuses the ink on its surface to make a permanent impression. Due to the high demand for customized things, specifically the customized tumblers, I have enlisted the six best sublimation printers for tumblers printing for your business start-up.
Contents
6 Best Sublimation Printers for Tumblers Comparison Table:
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MOST ECONOMICAL
 |
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Printer |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
ECO-FRIENDLY  |
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
BEST HEAT TRANSFER  |
Epson Stylus C88+ Inkjet |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
BEST FOR TUMBLERS
 |
Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16650 |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
BEST FOR OFFICES  |
WorkForce WF-7210 |
|
Check on Amazon |
|
BEST ALL IN ONE
 |
Epson Artisan 1430 |
|
Check on Amazon |
Top 6 Best Sublimation Printers for Tumblers: Reviews & Guide 2022
Our team has researched and tested the various best sublimation printers for tumblers. We found the 6 best sublimation printers for tumblers for you that provide exceptional results.
1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Printer
Epson is a well-known name in the printing industry for producing high-quality printers. But did you know it can also be used to print sublimation on cylindrical items like tumblers? Yes, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is one of the best sublimation printers for tumblers, and it’s ideal for small enterprises looking to print at home.
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 can produce borderless photos for sublimation printing up to 9600 x 2400 dpi. It has a very easy way of filling the tank, and its ink bottles also lie in an affordable range. Its high-quality inks ensure photo durability and produce top-notch results in printing on transfer paper, which is then heat pressed on the surface of the tumbler to print onto it. Its ink tanks have a lot of capacity, and once filled, they can last for two years even with a lot of printing.
The good thing about this printer is that it offers cartridge-free printing, which means zero cartridge waste. It has a built-in copier and scanner with modern connectivity options. It is designed for reliability, and it never disappoints its user.
Specifications:- It has a low running cost
- Ink can last up to two years
- Offers cartridge-free printing
- Provides Great prints and vibrant photos
- The capacity of 150 papers
- High-resolution scanner
- It can print borderless photos
- No automatic document feeder
Nobody wants to waste their money for nothing. If you are looking for a high-quality tumbler printing machine in an affordable range, give this EcoTank ET-2800.
2. Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500
Epson EcoTank RT-8500 offers eco-friendly printing by avoiding cartridges and providing ink bottles. I used it for sublimation printing and immediately found it one of the best sublimation printers for tumblers. It produces lab-quality photos and amazing graphics to be printed on tumblers.
It produces borderless printing, and it can print on various page sizes and types. It can also print on thick materials and pages efficiently. It can save a lot of costs because it can provide two-sided printing and its replacement ink bottles are way cheaper than cartridges. Once poured into the printer, the ink can last two years.
It comes with 4.3 inches touch screen that can be tilted for convenience. This screen also makes it easy to browse which image you want to pick for printing on your tumbler. This printer supports android and iOS, and it can be easily operated with the help of a mobile phone. It also has a wireless connection, and it provides great printing speed.
This printer provides high-quality prints for tumblers, and I was completely satisfied with its sublimation printing. The prints it provides are long-lasting, smooth, and scratch-free. Its connectivity options provide a variety of ways to connect to the printer and make it very easy to get the required results in seconds.
Specifications:- It has a low running cost
- It has an LED touch screen that can be tilted
- Its ink can run for up to two years
- It can print on a lot of sizes and thicknesses of paper
- Wifi connection available
- It offers Super-fast printing
- It has a relatively cheap replacement for inks
- Its initial price is high
3- Epson Stylus C88+ Inkjet Sublimation Printer
Epson Stylus C88+ makes a good sublimation printer for tumblers due to its one of the best heat transfer properties. This printer has a very simple setup, making it easy to operate. It has a beautiful compact design, and it can easily fit your desktop. It is far more lightweight than other printers.
It provides good quality ink and thus good quality images on tumblers. The ink it uses is affordable, easily refillable, and lasts for a long time. When sublimated on the surface of the tumbler, this high-quality ink gets infused into it, and it stays water and smudge-proof, making it durable printing.
The print resolution it provides is up to 5760 x 1440 dpi, and the photos printed are of such good standard that they can last for about 100 years. It comes with four inks for printing. The connectivity option it provides is USB, and it has multiple ports to connect to more than one device at a time. Its speed is average, but we are more interested in photo quality, so in that matter, it performs amazingly.
Specifications:- Its running cost is low
- Compact sized printer
- Prints Smudge and waterproof graphics
- Multiple ports for USB connectivity
- Affordable and refillable ink
- Good quality images with fine details
- Advanced features missing
This printer gives some very satisfying results for tumbler printing. Its good resolution and smudge and water-resistant properties make it a decent purchase for the best sublimation printer for tumbler printing. It has easy operation, and you will find it great if you are just about to start a business for tumbler printing.
4- Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16650 sublimation printer
Epson EcoTank ET-16650 is among the best sublimation printers for tumblers with a two-year warranty. Like other inkjet models of EcoTank printers, it also provides good quality image print with an unlimited supply of ink for the first two years of purchase. It thus saves 80 percent of the cost of the ink even after the first two years. It is powered by precision core technology that provides crisp and vibrant images.
Although the initial price is high, its low energy consumption and low-cost inks make its running price quite low. Thus, the images produced by it lie in a very affordable range. It has instant dry technology, which avoids any streaks in the image. It can produce zero cartridge waste and a borderless image.
It has numerous connectivity options. You can connect it easily with your PC or smartphone using wifi, wifi Direct, and Bluetooth. Its printing speed is not that fast, but it is quite modest compared to its competitors. But its text and images are sharp and vibrant, which is far better than many other inkjets printers.
The printing on tumblers and muds can be done with high-quality results with this Epson ET-16650 inkjet printer. Its precision core technology provides crisp, vibrant, and accurate images. It has a 550-sheet capacity, far higher than many other printers. I must say that it is a very efficient tumbler printing machine.
Specifications:- Ink lasts for two years
- High input capacity
- Two years warranty
- Affordable printing cost
- It provides quality and durable prints
- No preview screens
5- WorkForce WF-7210 Sublimation Printer
Now let us come to another great printer, one of the efficient sublimation printers for tumblers. It is developed to be used for business objectives at offices. It must be used with its own Epson cartridges. The performance you can get from this printer is beyond laser printers. Its body is quite big, so you need to have some space to adjust this.
I tested this printer and made a few transfer paper prints to test it on my tumblers, and I was spellbound by the results I got. The photos obtained were detailed and realistic in color. This printer is also powered by precision core technology like many other printers of Epson and offers borderless printing for 13 x 19 inches.
It is very economical as it uses 80 percent less power than a laser printer consumes. It keeps track of its remaining ink and makes sure that you never run out of ink in the middle of your work. It has a large paper capacity as it comes with two separate trays with a space of 250 papers each. Various connectivity options are available: USB, Ethernet, wifi, wifi Direct, and Bluetooth. It has 2.2 inches black and white screen with all the necessary operations and buttons to control your printer.
To get amazing business-quality images for your tumblers, WorkForce 7210 is what you are looking for. Its variety of features and connectivity options make it a top pick for the best sublimation printers for tumbler printing. It is super easy to work with, especially if you are interested in printing papers of various sizes.
Specifications:- It has good output quality
- It contains two large drawers for papers
- Quality and durable prints
- Fast working
- 2.2 inches LCD screen
- It can produce 19 x 13 borderless photos
- Paper handling sometimes becomes difficult
- Comparatively higher cost for each page.
6- Epson Artisan 1430 Wireless Coloured Wide Format Inkjet Printer
Another Epsom printer considered good for sublimation is Artisan 1430 wireless printer. Like other printers for this company, this model also has amazing quality and produces top-class photo prints.
The inkjet technology is always the best for sublimation prints on different surfaces, especially mugs and tumblers. This model has extraordinary printing capabilities, and it is one of the best sublimation printers for tumblers. It comes with six colored inks options: cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow and black. Thus, it can provide accurate colors to the prints.
It is compatible with CD/ DVD, and it has no wifi or USB options, but with some modifications, these options can also be avail at this printer. However, the mobile connection is provided in Epson connect app. Its ink provides a high definition for tumbler printing, and the graphics produced by it are smudge-proof and waterproof.
Epson printers remain on the top for providing the best results for sublimation printing. This model also provides high-definition images with more accurate colors that can be transferred to the tumblers via sublimation.
Specifications:- Amazing photo replication
- It offers good print quality
- Sawgrass inks can also be used in it
- Wide-format printing
- Easy button controls
- It has Six colors ink system to give accurately colored photos.
- Slow printing speed
Buying Guide
If you have decided to take your creativity to the next level and enter into the tumbler sublimation printing business, then I must say that you have decided on the right for you. But before entering any business, you should know every bit of it. You will need to look for the best sublimation printers for tumblers in the market and which one suits your needs.
Sublimation heat transfer is becoming trendy these days due to its high-quality heat transfers in which inks are infused into the surface of the tumbler. It makes it long-lasting and scratch-resistant; you don’t even need to apply a top coat to it. Whether you are already working in this field or you have just decided to step into it, this review will help you choose the best one for you. However, there are a few things to consider before purchasing any sublimation printers to ensure that your investment is effective.
Replacement ink cost:The initial purchase of most printers is usually high. But what matters next is its maintenance and ink costs. Many printers are available on the market that uses ink cartridges, but they are way too expensive than their cartridge-free counterparts. So, look for the one which costs you less money per printed page.
Quality of print: :What we all are looking for in printers is undoubtedly its printing quality. Especially when you are starting a business to sell your customized tumblers, you don’t want to lose customers because of low-quality printed graphics. So, make print quality your top priority.
Compatibility: :Not all printers are compatible with all devices. It is always better to have more connectivity and compatibility options to make it easy to print whenever you want and wherever you want.
Not all printers are compatible with all devices. It is always better to have more connectivity and compatibility options to make it easy to print whenever you want and wherever you want.
Print speed: :FAQs?
Final Verdict
A few years ago, I started working with sublimation printers to heat transfer images on different surfaces, including T-shirts, ceramics, and tumblers. I am enjoying this as a business, and all printers mentioned above are among the best available in the market. However, my top picks among these are:
- Epson EcoTank ET-2800
- Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16650 sublimation printer
- WorkForce WF-7210 Sublimation Printer
These are the best sublimation printers for tumbler printing. Now you have seen that there are a few factors that you must consider before buying and I am sure that you will be able to choose the best one according to your needs and the nature of your business.