The cheapest sublimation printer and the cheapest way to start sublimation are two different things, and the gap between them is where most beginner budgets go wrong.
A printer is one line in the budget. The press, paper and blanks are the rest of it.
Find something to sublimateFree community designs, sized and ready to print.Browse designsKey Takeaways
- $399.00 Epson SureColor F170 is the cheapest purpose-built machine; $199.99 converts an EcoTank instead.
- Converting voids the warranty and cannot be undone.
- A heat press from $159 is required, not optional.
- Budget $600 to $900 all in for a working setup, not just the printer.
Sublimation Printer Cost for Beginners
Start here rather than with printers, because the printer is not the only thing you have to buy before the first finished item exists.
| What you need | Cheapest | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Printer | $199.99 converted EcoTank | $399.00 Epson F170 |
| Sublimation ink | Third-party, sold separately | Included in a bundle |
| Heat press | From $159 | From $159 |
| Paper | From $8.99 a pack | $29.99 a large pack |
| Tape, gloves, blanks | $30 to $60 | $60 to $120 |
Roughly $600 at the low end and around $900 done properly. The printer is about two thirds of it, which is why picking the cheapest one does not save as much as it looks like it will.
Sublimation paper is the one genuinely cheap consumable: packs run $8.99 to $29.99 depending on sheet count and size.
5 Best Sublimation Printers for Beginners
Five machines worth starting on, from the cheapest conversion to the easiest one-purchase bundle. Each is introduced below with its price, what it includes and who it suits.
| Printer | Price | Includes ink | Max width | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epson SureColor F170 | $399.00 | No | Letter | Most beginners |
| Sawgrass SG500 bundle | $699.95 | Yes | Letter | One purchase, colour managed |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 | $199.99 | No, converted | Letter | Cheapest test |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2850 | $349.99 | No, converted | Letter | A converted machine you also use |
| Epson EcoTank ET-15000 | $599.99 | No, converted | 13 inches | Bigger transfers, cheaply |
1. Epson SureColor F170
Best all-round beginner printer
Sold direct by Epson.
The cheapest printer actually designed for sublimation. Nothing to convert, nothing voided, and no third-party ink to source. Desktop width means mugs, coasters, tumblers, name plates and left-chest designs rather than full shirt fronts.
Pros
- Purpose-built, so no warranty question
- Cheapest dedicated machine here
- Small footprint
Cons
- Ink is a separate purchase from day one
- Letter width limits transfer size
- No bundled colour-management software
Verdict: the default recommendation. Buy this unless the budget forces a conversion or you specifically want a bundle.
2. Sawgrass SG500 Bundle
Easiest to get right
Sold direct by Sawgrass.
One purchase that arrives ready to print. The premium over an F170 plus ink is smaller than the sticker gap suggests, and what it buys is colour management — software that already knows what the ink and the press will do to a colour.
Pros
- Ink and software included
- Colour handled for you
- Nothing to assemble or research
Cons
- Highest price of the five
- Locks you into Sawgrass ink
- Same letter-width limit as the F170
Verdict: worth the extra if you would rather pay than learn colour management by wasting blanks.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (converted)
Cheapest way in
Sold direct by Epson.
A normal home printer filled with third-party sublimation ink instead of Epson ink. It works, and it is the cheapest possible entry. The conversion is permanent: once sublimation ink is in the lines the printer can never go back.
Pros
- Lowest outlay of any route
- Refillable tanks keep ink cheap
- Widely documented conversion
Cons
- Warranty gone immediately and permanently
- No colour profile or support
- Cannot be used as a normal printer afterwards
Verdict: right if you are testing whether you enjoy this and would rather risk $199.99 than $399.00.
4. Epson EcoTank ET-2850 (converted)
Converted, with a document feeder
Sold direct by Epson.
The same conversion idea one step up: an EcoTank with an automatic document feeder and a better panel. Buy it only if the extra hardware is useful to you for something else, because for sublimation alone it prints the same size as the ET-2800.
Pros
- Better build and panel than the ET-2800
- Refillable tanks
- Useful hardware if you also scan
Cons
- $150 more than the ET-2800 for no sublimation benefit
- Warranty still voided
- Same letter width
Verdict: skip it for sublimation alone. At $349.99 the purpose-built F170 is only $49 away.
5. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 (converted)
Cheapest wide transfers
Sold direct by Epson.
Thirteen inches wide, which is the width that unlocks full-front garment transfers. As a conversion it is by far the cheapest way to get there — the purpose-built alternative is several times the price.
Pros
- 13-inch width for a fraction of a dedicated wide machine
- Nests several small transfers per sheet
- Refillable tanks
Cons
- Warranty voided
- No colour management
- Large footprint for a desk
Verdict: the value pick if you already know you want full-front prints and can accept a conversion.
How to Choose a Sublimation Printer for Beginners
Start from the product, not the printer. If you are making mugs, coasters and left-chest designs, letter width is enough and the choice is only F170 versus SG500 versus a conversion.
Decide how you feel about the warranty. A conversion saves $200 and costs you any support if the head clogs. That is the actual trade, not print quality.
Then ask who handles colour. Sublimation prints look dull and shift under heat. Either the software knows that, or you learn it by wasting blanks.
Only then consider width. It is the most expensive variable, so do not pay for 13 inches until a product you actually sell needs it.
You Also Need a Heat Press
A sublimation printer makes a transfer, not a product. A press starts at $159, and the category is explained in what a heat press is.
An iron is not a substitute. Sublimation needs an even, held temperature across the whole area, which is exactly what an iron cannot do.
Mugs and tumblers need either a mug attachment or a mug press. If drinkware is the plan, check that before you buy the press rather than after.
Sublimation Mistakes Beginners Make
Sublimating cotton. The dye bonds to polyester. A cotton shirt comes out faded or blank. Both processes are compared in what sublimation is.
Not mirroring the image. The transfer goes face down, so the print has to be reversed. This one costs a blank every time.
Judging colour on screen. Sublimation ink prints dull and only reaches its real colour under heat. Judge a print after pressing, never before.
Buying cheap blanks. Uncoated or lightly coated blanks take the dye badly. The blank matters as much as the printer.
Which Sublimation Printer Should You Buy?
Buy the converted EcoTank if
You want the smallest possible outlay to find out whether you enjoy this, and losing the warranty on a $199.99 printer does not bother you.
Buy the F170 if
You are fairly sure you will keep going, your products are small, and you would rather own a machine built for the job than a converted one.
Buy the SG500 bundle if
You want one purchase that arrives ready, and you would rather pay for colour management than learn it by wasting blanks.
For the wider field and the brand-by-brand view, see the best sublimation printers, and if volume is already the question, the small-business guide starts where this one stops.
Conclusion
The cheapest start is a $199.99 converted EcoTank and a lost warranty. The sensible start is the $399.00 F170. The easiest start is the $699.95 SG500 bundle.
Whichever you pick, budget for the press at $159 and the consumables around it, because $600 to $900 is the honest figure for a working setup.
And remember what sublimation cannot do before you buy anything: cotton is not on the list.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beginner Sublimation Printers
What is the cheapest sublimation printer?
Converting an Epson EcoTank is the cheapest route — the ET-2800 is $199.99 — but it voids the warranty. The cheapest printer built for the job is the Epson SureColor F170 at $399.00, with ink bought separately.
Which sublimation printer is best for beginners?
The Sawgrass SG500 bundle at $699.95, if the budget allows it. It arrives with ink and colour-managed software, which removes the part beginners actually struggle with. The F170 at $399.00 is the answer when the budget is firm.
Can I use a regular printer for sublimation?
Only by converting it. An EcoTank filled with third-party sublimation ink works, but the conversion is one-way — the printer can never go back to normal ink — and it voids the warranty.
Do I need a heat press to start sublimation?
Yes, and it is not optional. The printer only makes a transfer; heat and pressure move the dye into the item. A press starts around $159, which makes it the second-largest line in a starter budget.
What does a sublimation starter setup cost in total?
Around $600 done cheaply and about $900 done properly, once you add a press at $159, paper from $8.99 a pack, heat tape and a first batch of blanks to the printer price. The printer alone is roughly two-thirds of it.
Can beginners sublimate cotton shirts?
No, and this catches almost everyone. Sublimation dye bonds to polyester. A cotton shirt comes out of the press faded or blank, so cotton needs a different method entirely.
Find something to sublimate
Free community designs to print and press, or generate your own artwork first.
