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Choosing the best sublimation printer can be something of a chore especially if you are on a limited budget.
A sublimation printer is different from a normal printer as it requires special inks and paper and although there are ordinary printers on the market that can use sublimation inks they are not ideal and will in, the long run, cause more problems than they are worth.
It is better to start with a printer that is specifically designed for sublimation from the start. Several of the top brand names have models that are sublimation only but two of the most popular are Ricoh and Epson.
Ricoh is a highly recommended brand if you can afford it but Epson supply very good alternatives for the lower-end price range.
My personal favourite is Ricoh, I have been using the Aficio SG 3110DN for quite a while now and have never had any problems, I have been more than satisfied with the results obtained.
Now, of course, that is only my own, personal preference and others may disagree but Ricoh is something of the industry-standard printer when it comes to sublimation and if your finances will allow it then I would suggest you follow suit.
If however you have limited finances then Epson has several models that will suffice and will allow you to get started and hopefully help you get to a position where you can upgrade to a better brand of printer, if you choose.
One of the better ways of purchasing a sublimation printer, and which is the route I chose is to go for a sublimation printer bundle. I would definitely recommend this, especially for those who are just starting up.
A bundle consists of printer, inks, paper and software/drivers for (usually) both Windows and Mac PC’s, this method helps to avoid any confusion that may occur through making separate purchases as all components that are supplied in a bundle are compatible.
Below you will see a list of sublimation printers that you can consider, I have not singled out any particular model as better than others as all of them are worthy printers and capable of producing good results.
Epson ET2650 Sublimation Printer
This Epson ET2650 sublimation printer bundle is perfect for the beginner, easy to use and ready to go with the correct inks and paper
The Epson ET2650 is a good printer for sublimating onto mugs, t-shirts and ceramics.
Sturdy and with the reliability of the Epson name you can be assured that this printer is capable of high quality output.
The ET2650 is fitted with an Ecotank by Epson which in turn means that there is no need for to purchase and fit a separate CISS system.
Offering excellent value for money the ET2650 is very easy to use even though it has some really great functions that are not included on most other printers.
The images produced from this printer are rich in colour with no loss of detail, the outstanding print quality means that the Epson ET2650 should definitely be one of the printers given serious consideration for your mug sublimation needs.
Epson WF2630 Sublimation Bundle
Simple to use and with great ink management make this Epson WF2630 an ideal sublimation printer.
The Epson WF2630 is another great sublimation printer that would be perfect for your mug printing requirements.
Supplied with refillable ink cartridges that make it easy to top up as needed so that you do not run out at a crucial moment.
The WF2630 is from the harder wearing and longer lasting range of Epson printers known as the WorkForce model, so you can be sure of getting value for money with this machine.
As with all Epson printers the supplied drivers disc contains both Windows and Mac drivers as well as ICC Profiles.
Included with this bundle are 100 pages of good quality sublimation paper
Epson ET14000 A3 Sublimation Printer
This ultra-high-capacity ink tank system Epson ET-14000 is the ideal A3 sublimation printer.
The Epson ET-14000 is a dedicated A3 printer, which means that it is solely a printer as opposed to most other Epson machines that incorporate scanner and copying facilities.
This 5 colour machine offers outstanding print quality without any loss of detail.
Although this machine is at the high end price for a simple home sublimation printer it is in the long run very economical due to the easy fill Ecotank system it employs.
With Epson estimating an output of 7,500 black and 6,500 colour page print this machine would seem to be perfect for mug sublimation printing.
This machine is billed as one of the most reliable and stable printers for sublimation that is manufactured by Epson.
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