The Best Sublimation Printer for Cricut Crafters
Your cutting machine places no constraint on this at all — which is good news, and not what most pages on this topic imply.
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Any sublimation printer works with any Cricut, because they are unrelated machines. A Cricut cuts; a sublimation printer prints a transfer you press. Nothing about owning one narrows your choice of the other — so buy on the same criteria as anyone else: converted and cheap, or dedicated and supported.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Epson EcoTank ET-2800The printer most people convert — cheap, refillable, and widely documented. Read the warranty section befor... | Adding sublimation to an existing Cricut setup | $189.99 · View on Amazon Price as of November 13, 2026 #ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify |
| 2 |  Sawgrass SG500A real sublimation printer sold as one — you pay more up front and in ink, and in exchange nothing about it... | Skipping the conversion entirely | $599.95 · View on Amazon Price as of November 13, 2026 #ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify |
| 3 |  A-SUB Sublimation PaperThe paper most beginners land on, and a sensible default: high transfer rate, dries fast enough to handle, ... | The transfer paper either way | $19.99 · View on Amazon Price as of November 13, 2026 #ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify |
| 4 |  Sublimation Tumbler BlanksPolymer-coated tumblers are the most forgiving sublimation blank there is — the coating does the work, so a... | The easiest first project | $33.99 · View on Amazon Price as of November 13, 2026 #ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify |
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. Prices come from Amazon on the date stamped on each button and can change after that — check the listing before you buy.
What the combination actually adds
The reason to add sublimation to a Cricut setup is that it does the things vinyl cannot, and it uses equipment you mostly already own.
| Cricut + vinyl | Cricut + sublimation | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-color photographic designs | No — layered solid colors | Yes, easily |
| Works on cotton | Yes | No |
| Works on dark garments | Yes | No |
| Hand feel on fabric | A thin layer you can feel | None — it is in the fabric |
| Can crack or peel | Possible over time | Never |
| Weeding required | Yes | No |
| Extra equipment needed | None beyond the machine | Printer, ink, paper, coated blanks |
Read that table as complementary rather than competitive. Most people who own both choose per project: cotton tee or dark hoodie means vinyl, white polyester or a coated tumbler means sublimation. The full comparison.
How we picked
We ranked on the same criteria as any sublimation printer purchase — supported versus converted, running cost, and print width — because the Cricut in the room genuinely does not change them. Product availability and specifications were read from each manufacturer's published pages. Our methodology.
Our picks in full
1. Best for adding sublimation to an existing cricut setup
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
Epson · Currently sold · Verified 2026-09-27
For someone who already owns a cutting machine and a press, this is the cheapest way to add a genuinely different capability. A converted refillable-tank printer costs a fraction of a dedicated machine and the running cost per page is low. Since you already have the heat source, the printer and its consumables are the only new spend. Read the warranty position before you pour anything in: Epson's coverage excludes damage from non-genuine ink, and the conversion cannot be undone.
What works
- By far the cheapest way to start sublimating
- Refillable tanks mean low running cost once converted
- Very widely documented by the crafting community
What does not
- Converting it with third-party sublimation ink voids Epson's coverage for ink-related damage
- A converted printer cannot go back to regular ink
- 8.5 in width limits you to letter-size transfers
Not for you if
You want a supported, warrantied sublimation setup you can call for help on. Buy a dedicated sublimation printer instead.
Key specs
- Type
- Refillable-tank inkjet — sold as a regular printer
- Sublimation
- Not a sublimation printer as sold; people convert it
- Max print width
- 8.5 in (letter)
- Ink system
- Four refillable tanks
- Warranty note
- Epson's warranty covers damage from genuine ink, not third-party ink
Price as of November 13, 2026
#ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify
2. Best for skipping the conversion entirely
Sawgrass SG500
Sawgrass · Currently sold · Verified 2026-09-27
If the one-way conversion or the warranty question puts you off, this is the supported alternative — sold as a sublimation printer, with color profiles provided and a support line. It costs considerably more to buy and to run. Worth it if you would rather the thing simply worked than spend an evening troubleshooting a clog with a forum thread open.
What works
- No conversion, no warranty question, no community workaround
- Color profiles supplied and supported by the manufacturer
- Manufacturer support when something goes wrong
What does not
- Much higher purchase price than a converted EcoTank
- Cartridge ink costs considerably more per page than tank ink
- Same 8.5 in width limit as the cheap option
Not for you if
You are experimenting to see whether you like sublimation at all. That is a lot of money to spend on a maybe.
Key specs
- Type
- Dedicated sublimation printer
- Sold as
- A sublimation printer — no conversion involved
- Max print size
- 8.5 x 14 in from the main tray; up to 8.5 x 51 in via the bypass tray
- Resolution
- Published at up to 4880 x 1200 dpi
- Ink
- Sawgrass SubliJet UHD sublimation ink cartridges (non-refillable)
- Connectivity
- Ethernet, USB and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
- Support
- 3-year or 100,000-print warranty with lifetime tech support
Price as of November 13, 2026
#ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify
3. Best for the transfer paper either way
A-SUB Sublimation Paper
A-SUB · Currently sold · Verified 2026-09-27
Needed whichever printer you choose. A high transfer-rate paper releases more of the printed ink to the blank, giving brighter results from the same press settings. Cheap enough to practice with, which matters because the first few attempts teach you what a correct transfer looks like.
What works
- Consistent results across shirts, mugs and hard blanks
- Dries quickly enough that sheets do not smudge when stacked
- Cheap enough to practice with
What does not
- Only works with sublimation ink — regular ink will not transfer
- Printing on the wrong side wastes the sheet and the ink
Not for you if
You are printing on dark fabric. Sublimation does not work on dark fabric at all, whatever paper you use.
Key specs
- Type
- Dye-sublimation transfer paper
- Weight
- Commonly 125 gsm
- Sizes
- Letter and larger sheets
- Transfer rate
- High — most of the ink releases to the blank
- Printed side
- One side only — the coated side
Price as of November 13, 2026
#ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify
4. Best for the easiest first project
Sublimation Tumbler Blanks
UIRZOTN · Currently sold · Verified 2026-09-27
Polymer-coated tumblers are the most forgiving sublimation blank there is — the coating does the work, colors come out bright, and small timing errors do not ruin the result. A better place to learn than fabric, and they pair naturally with the vinyl decal work a Cricut owner is already doing on drinkware.
What works
- The coating makes color come out bright and sharp
- Very forgiving of small timing errors
- Sold in cheap multi-packs so practice costs little
What does not
- Must be sublimation-specific — an ordinary tumbler will not take the ink
- Needs a tumbler press or an oven; a flat press cannot do it
- Not dishwasher-proof in practice, whatever the listing says
Not for you if
You only have a flat heat press. A flat plate cannot wrap a tumbler evenly.
Key specs
- Coating
- Polymer coating — required for sublimation to bond
- Common size
- 20 oz skinny tumbler
- Heat source
- Tumbler press, convection oven, or shrink wrap plus oven
- Color
- White or very light — sublimation ink is translucent
Price as of November 13, 2026
#ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify
Where your Cricut still does the work
Sublimation does not make the cutting machine redundant, and there are two jobs it keeps doing in a combined setup.
Cutting the transfer to shape. A printed sublimation transfer is a rectangle of paper. For hard blanks with an awkward shape, trimming the transfer accurately matters, and a print-then-cut capable machine can cut around a printed design precisely.
Everything sublimation cannot touch. Cotton shirts, dark garments, car decals, wall quotes, tumblers without a coating, stencils. That is most of what a Cricut owner actually makes, and none of it moves to sublimation.
What you need beyond the printer
- Sublimation ink matched to the printer, with the maker's color profile installed. The profile matters more to your results than the ink brand does.
- Sublimation paper — a coated transfer sheet, printed on the coated side only.
- Polyester or polymer-coated blanks, white or very light. An ordinary tumbler takes nothing.
- Heat. Your existing flat press handles fabric; round blanks need a tumbler press or a dedicated convection oven, because a flat platen cannot wrap a cylinder. Which presses suit sublimation.
- Heat-resistant tape, so the transfer cannot shift and ghost.
If this is your first look at sublimation, start with the beginner walkthrough rather than buying — it covers the two hard limits before you spend anything.
Common questions
What sublimation printer works with a Cricut?
Does Cricut make a sublimation printer?
Can I use Cricut Infusible Ink instead of a sublimation printer?
Do I need a different heat press for sublimation?
Should I add sublimation to my Cricut setup?
Sources
- Epson product and warranty information — EcoTank specifications and warranty position on non-genuine ink, verified 29 September 2026
- Sawgrass product information — SG500 specifications, ink system and support, verified 29 September 2026
How we picked
We verify every product is currently sold by reading the manufacturer's own catalog, compare published specifications rather than marketing copy, and rank on what a first-time buyer has to decide. We do not run lab tests and we do not claim to, and commission never affects the order.
Read this next
Sublimation vs HTV
The category-defining comparison: what each technology can and cannot do, and which to start with.
The Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners
Convert an EcoTank or buy a dedicated printer — the honest trade-off between cost and support.
Sublimation for Beginners
The complete beginner walkthrough: how it works, what it needs, and the first-transfer process.
The Best Heat Press for Sublimation
Which presses handle sublimation's higher temperatures and longer dwell, and why tumblers need a different machine.
The Best Sublimation Blanks
Which blanks genuinely take sublimation, which are most forgiving, and what to check before buying.
Infusible Ink vs Sublimation
Cricut Infusible Ink is sublimation sold by the sheet. Where that is the smarter buy, where a printer wins, and the limits both of them share.
Back to Sublimation.