Best Sublimation Printers for Shirts, Mugs and Tumblers (2026)

Sawgrass makes printers only for sublimation, and the SG500 is its desktop model. Sawgrass's page lists Legal-size printing in the main tray (A4 on the EU model), up to 8.5 x 51 inches through the rear bypass tray, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB, printer drivers for both Windows and Mac, and free print management software. Two ink systems run in it: SubliJet UHD for polyester and coated items, and VersiFlex for cotton and other natural materials (see the pick below).

The warranty is the standout. For printers bought on or after October 1, 2025, Sawgrass covers 3 years or 100,000 prints from the date of purchase, for the original purchaser; earlier purchases have 2 years. This starter bundle includes SubliJet UHD ink and TruPix paper.

The F170 is Epson's entry-level dye-sublimation printer, built for sublimation rather than converted. Epson lists a maximum paper width of 8.5 inches with sheets up to 47.2 inches long, a 150-sheet input tray, 1200 x 600 dpi, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet and USB, and Epson T49M ink in 140 mL bottles of cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The MSRP is $399, and the warranty is a 1-year unit exchange with phone support.

Epson is clear that the printer is designed for Epson ink bottles only, not third-party ink. On Amazon it is sold by authorized dealers such as Johnson Plastics Plus rather than by Epson itself. See our Sawgrass vs Epson comparison for how it stacks up against the SG500.

Brother's SP1 is built around its Artspira app: you design or edit on a phone or tablet and send the print over Wi-Fi. Brother lists four 47 mL CMYK cartridges, 10 sheets of paper and a 2-year limited warranty with replacement service in the box, and its manual supports Letter, A4 and Legal paper, with custom sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches. This Amazon listing, sold by Amazon itself, adds 100 sheets of sublimation paper.

It suits makers who already design on a tablet and want a simple wireless setup. Brother's manual warns that sublimation ink is not for ordinary office paper; use sublimation paper, such as Brother's own, which it lists as tested with the SP1.

An 8.5 inch wide print covers a mug, a tumbler wrap and a small shirt design, but not a full adult shirt front or a large pillow panel. Sawgrass says the SG1000's main tray handles A3 and Tabloid paper, against the SG500's A4 and Legal. Everything else carries over: the SubliJet UHD and VersiFlex ink options, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB, and the same warranty terms. Buy it if large polyester prints are a product line, not an occasional order.

Classic sublimation only works on polyester and polymer-coated blanks. Sawgrass's VersiFlex is its answer for crafters who also want to decorate cotton shirts: Sawgrass says VersiFlex lets you include cotton and other natural fabrics, uncoated wood and unglazed ceramics, while still doing traditional sublimation on coated mugs and tumblers. For non-coated items it prints on VersiFlex Light paper and presses that onto the product.

Sawgrass's own advice is simple: choose VersiFlex if most of your work is fabric, especially cotton shirts, and SubliJet UHD if you focus on poly-coated products. If cotton is your main market, also compare DTF printers, which print full color on cotton and dark garments.