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The best sublimation printer for tumblers is the one whose paper fits your wrap. A tumbler wrap is a rectangle: its length is the cup's circumference, and its height is the straight section you want to cover. If either number is bigger than the sheets your printer can take, no amount of color quality will save the design.
For 20 oz skinny tumblers and mugs, any 8.5-inch sublimation printer works. For 30 oz cups, longer wraps can need legal paper. For 40 oz handled tumblers and tall cups, you often need 11 x 17. Below are six real printers sold in the US, matched to those wrap sizes.
Quick picks
- Epson SureColor F170 – Best overall for tumblers. Prints up to 8.5 x 47.2 inches, with Epson ink and warranty.
- Sawgrass SG500 – Best for tumbler businesses. Legal-size prints and a 3-year warranty.
- Brother SP-1 – Best app-based. Design and print from a phone in Artspira.
- Sawgrass SG1000 – Best for 40 oz and tall wraps. 11 x 17 in the main tray.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2400 – Best budget conversion. Letter-size wraps for the lowest cost.
- Epson EcoTank ET-15000 – Best budget for tall wraps. 13 x 19 sheets as a conversion.
Comparison table
| Printer | Largest sheet | Wraps it covers | Ink | Sublimation warranty | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epson SureColor F170 | 8.5 x 47.2 in | 20 oz skinny, mugs, long wraps up to 8.5 in tall | Epson T49M bottles, 140 mL | Yes, 1 year | Check price |
| Sawgrass SG500 | 8.5 x 14 in | 20–30 oz wraps up to about 13.5 in long | SubliJet UHD or VersiFlex | Yes, 3 yr / 100K prints* | Check price |
| Brother SP-1 | 8.5 x 14 in | 20–30 oz wraps up to about 13.5 in long | Brother SP01 cartridges, 47 mL | Yes | Check price |
| Sawgrass SG1000 | 11 x 17 in (13 x 19 bypass) | 40 oz handled, tall cups | SubliJet UHD or VersiFlex, up to 70 mL | Yes, 3 yr / 100K prints* | Check price |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2400 | Letter size | 20 oz skinny, mugs | Third-party sublimation ink | No | Check price |
| Epson EcoTank ET-15000 | 13 x 19 in (rear feed) | 40 oz handled, tall cups | Third-party sublimation ink | No | Check price |
*For Sawgrass printers bought on or after October 1, 2025.
Tumbler wrap sizes and the paper they need
| Wrap size | Paper | Printers that handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Length up to about 10.5 in, height up to about 8.3 in | Letter (8.5 x 11) | Any 8.5-inch sublimation printer |
| Length up to about 13.5 in, height up to about 8.3 in | Legal (8.5 x 14) | Sawgrass SG500, Brother SP-1, Epson F170 |
| Height above 8.5 in (and length above 8.5 in) | 11 x 17 or 13 x 19 | Sawgrass SG1000, converted Epson ET-15000 |
HTVRONT lists its 20 oz skinny at 2.92 inches wide by 8.04 inches tall, so its wrap is about 9.2 x 8 inches, an easy fit on letter paper. Our sublimation tumbler size guide shows how to measure any cup.
The best sublimation printers for tumblers, reviewed
1. Epson SureColor F170: Best Overall for Tumblers
Who it's for: sellers who make 20 oz skinnies, mugs and glass cans most weeks and want factory color.
The F170 is Epson's 8.5-inch dye-sublimation printer, and its maximum print size is 8.5 x 47.2 inches. Width caps the wrap's height at 8.5 inches, but length is barely limited, which matters for tumblers: you can print a 9–10-inch skinny wrap on letter or legal paper, or a longer wrap on custom-length sheets. It prints at up to 1200 x 600 dpi from a 150-sheet tray.
It uses Epson's own T49M ink in 140 mL bottles, the largest ink supply of any desktop printer here, so a tumbler-heavy shop runs a long time between refills. Epson's sublimation driver handles color, and the 1-year warranty covers sublimation use. Connectivity includes USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Ethernet.
Pros
- 47.2-inch maximum print length for long wraps
- Large 140 mL bottles keep ink cost down
- Factory sublimation warranty
Cons
- 8.5-inch width limits wrap height
- Not for tall 40 oz handled cups
- 1-year warranty
Epson SureColor F170 Dye-Sublimation Printer
by Epson
2. Sawgrass SG500: Best for Tumbler Businesses
Who it's for: sellers who want Sawgrass's color software, support and long warranty.
The SG500 prints up to 8.5 x 14 inches from the main tray, with a bypass tray for longer media, which covers wraps for most 20 and 30 oz cups. Sawgrass Print Utility and the MySawgrass Design Tool handle color management, so you skip the ICC profile hunt that converted printers need.
For printers bought on or after October 1, 2025, Sawgrass covers the SG500 for 3 years or 100,000 prints, the longest warranty on a letter- or legal-size printer here. The trade-off is ink: cartridges are 20 mL (starter) or 31 mL (standard), so cost per milliliter is higher than Epson's bottles.
Pros
- Legal-size wraps for 30 oz cups
- Sawgrass color software and support
- 3-year/100,000-print warranty
Cons
- Small, pricier cartridges
- 8.5-inch width limits wrap height
- Ink system choice at setup is permanent
Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer
by Sawgrass
3. Brother SP-1: Best App-Based
Who it's for: crafters who design on a phone or tablet and press tumblers in small batches.
The SP-1 is built around Brother's Artspira app, which includes 100+ sublimation designs and sends jobs wirelessly. It prints up to 8.5 x 14 inches at up to 1200 x 2400 dpi from a 100-sheet tray, with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet and USB, and a 2.7-inch touchscreen. Legal-size paper handles most 20 and 30 oz wraps.
Its weak point is running cost. The SP01 cartridges hold 47 mL each, a third of Epson's 140 mL bottles. For a few dozen tumblers a month that's fine; for production, the F170 is cheaper to run.
Pros
- Phone-first workflow with Artspira
- Legal-size prints
- High listed resolution
Cons
- Small 47 mL cartridges
- No USB cable in the box
- 8.5-inch width
Brother SP-1 Sublimation Printer
by Brother
4. Sawgrass SG1000: Best for 40 oz and Tall Wraps
Who it's for: sellers whose best sellers are 40 oz handled tumblers, tall cups and full-wrap designs.
The SG1000 takes 11 x 17-inch paper in its main tray and 13 x 19 inches with the bypass tray. That extra width is what tall wraps need: a design taller than 8.5 inches simply won't fit an 8.5-inch printer. It also lets you gang two or three skinny wraps on one sheet. It's the only Sawgrass desktop that takes 70 mL extended cartridges.
It shares the SG500's software and 3-year/100,000-print warranty, and it doubles as a shirt printer for adult fronts. It's a large desktop (21 x 14.25 inches) and priced at the top of the desktop tier, so buy it if tall cups or shirts are part of the plan.
Pros
- 11 x 17 handles tall and handled-cup wraps
- Gang several skinny wraps per sheet
- Also prints adult shirt fronts
Cons
- Premium price
- Big footprint
- Cartridge ink costs more than bottles
Sawgrass SG1000 Sublimation Printer
by Sawgrass
5. Epson EcoTank ET-2400: Best Budget Conversion
Who it's for: hobbyists testing whether tumblers sell before spending on a factory printer.
The ET-2400 is a small EcoTank that Epson currently sells and a common conversion candidate. Bought new and filled with sublimation ink from day one, it prints letter-size transfers, enough for 20 oz skinny wraps and mugs. Hiipoo lists the ET-2400 by name for its sublimation ink.
You give up warranty protection: Epson states that non-genuine ink damage isn't covered, and sublimation ink can't be flushed out to go back. You also manage ICC profiles yourself. Our Epson EcoTank sublimation printer guide walks through the conversion.
Pros
- Lowest entry cost
- Refillable tanks for cheap ink
- Letter size covers 20 oz skinnies
Cons
- No warranty protection for ink damage
- One-way conversion
- Letter size only
Epson EcoTank ET-2400
by Epson
6. Epson EcoTank ET-15000: Best Budget for Tall Wraps
Who it's for: budget sellers who want 40 oz wraps without a Sawgrass price.
The ET-15000 takes 13 x 19-inch sheets through its rear specialty feed and has a 250-sheet front tray. Converted to sublimation, it's the cheapest way to print wraps taller than 8.5 inches or several wraps per sheet. Cosmos Ink, Hiipoo and A-SUB list it as compatible.
The same conversion risks apply as with the ET-2400. Epson has also announced a factory 13 x 19 printer, the SureColor F370, for November 2026; compare the two if you want a warranty.
Pros
- 13 x 19 sheets for tall wraps
- Low ink cost with refill bottles
- Doubles as a shirt printer
Cons
- No warranty protection after conversion
- You handle color profiles
- Larger than letter-size EcoTanks
Epson EcoTank ET-15000
by Epson
Buying guide: choosing a printer for tumbler sublimation
Measure your cups first
Wrap length is diameter x 3.14; wrap height is the straight section you want to print. Add a little bleed on the length so the seam overlaps. Compare both numbers with the paper sizes above.
Width matters more than length
An 8.5-inch printer limits wrap height to about 8.3 inches once margins are counted. Length is more flexible: legal paper and custom-length sheets on the F170 stretch it. If your cups need taller wraps, only an 11 x 17 or 13 x 19 printer will do.
Ink cost per tumbler
Tumbler wraps are mostly full-coverage designs, so they use a lot of ink. Bottle systems (Epson T49M at 140 mL, EcoTank refills) cost less per wrap than small cartridges (Brother's 47 mL, Sawgrass's 20–31 mL standard sizes).
Color management
Factory printers ship with sublimation drivers and profiles, so colors come out predictable. Converted EcoTanks need the ink maker's ICC profile, or ink formatted to skip profiles, and some trial and error.
Paper
Tumbler wraps need paper that releases evenly around a curve. Use the paper your printer maker recommends; for converted EcoTanks, start with the ink maker's recommended paper.
Press or oven
The printer is half the setup. A tumbler press gives repeatable results on straight cups, and an oven handles batches and tapered shapes; compare both in our sublimation tumblers guide and our sublimation oven picks. The full process is in how to sublimate a tumbler.
How we chose
We didn't test these printers ourselves. We compared manufacturer specifications from Epson, Sawgrass and Brother for maximum print size, ink system and warranty, matched them against tumbler dimensions published by blank makers such as HTVRONT, and checked ink makers' compatibility lists for converted EcoTanks. We also weighed recurring owner feedback from tumbler-focused sublimation communities.
FAQ
What is the best sublimation printer for tumblers?
For most sellers, the Epson SureColor F170. It prints up to 8.5 inches wide and up to 47.2 inches long, which covers 20 oz skinny wraps and mugs, and it ships with Epson sublimation ink and a warranty. For 40 oz handled tumblers or wraps taller than about 8.5 inches, step up to an 11 x 17 printer such as the Sawgrass SG1000.
Can an 8.5-inch sublimation printer do 20 oz tumblers?
Usually, yes. HTVRONT's 20 oz skinny tumbler measures 2.92 inches wide by 8.04 inches tall, so the wrap is about 9.2 inches long and under 8.5 inches tall. That fits on letter paper turned sideways in any 8.5-inch sublimation printer.
What printer do I need for 40 oz tumblers?
Measure the straight section between the handle ends. If the wrap is taller than about 8.5 inches or longer than legal paper allows, you need 11 x 17 or 13 x 19 paper, which means a printer like the Sawgrass SG1000 or a converted Epson ET-15000.
What paper size is best for tumbler sublimation?
Letter (8.5 x 11) covers most 20 oz skinny wraps. Legal (8.5 x 14) gives room for longer wraps up to about 13.5 inches, on printers like the Sawgrass SG500 and Brother SP-1. Tall or handled cups often need 11 x 17.
Do I need a special printer to sublimate tumblers?
You need a sublimation printer: a factory model such as the Epson F170, Sawgrass SG500 or Brother SP-1, or an Epson EcoTank filled with sublimation ink from new. Regular inkjet ink won't sublimate, and thermal-head printers can't use sublimation ink.
Verdict
The Epson SureColor F170 is the best sublimation printer for tumblers for most sellers: long print lengths, big ink bottles and a factory warranty cover 20 oz skinnies and mugs. Choose the Sawgrass SG500 for legal-size wraps with the best support, and the SG1000 if 40 oz handled cups are your bestseller. For more printers beyond drinkware, see our best sublimation printer roundup.