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The printer and the press are the two purchases that decide everything else in sublimation, and the biggest mistake beginners make is buying them separately without checking that they match. An 8.5-inch printer next to a 16 x 20 press wastes money; a 13 x 19 printer next to a 12 x 10 handheld can't press the shirts it prints.
So this guide pairs them for you. Each sublimation printer and heat press bundle below matches on print size, skill level and workload, using real models sold in the US. Ready-made printer-plus-press bundles exist, mostly from dealers, but their contents change often. Building your own pair is usually the more flexible way to get the right combination, and we explain what to check if you do buy a packaged kit.
Quick picks
- Epson F170 + HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 15 x 15 – Best starter bundle. Factory sublimation ink and a press that sets its own pressure.
- Brother SP-1 + Cricut EasyPress 3 – Best phone-first bundle. App-led printing and app-guided pressing.
- Sawgrass SG500 + HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 - Digit – Best small-business bundle. Longest printer warranty, numeric pressure control.
- Sawgrass SG1000 + Geo Knight DK20S – Best adult-shirt bundle. 13 x 19 printing and a 16 x 20 swing-away.
- Epson EcoTank ET-2400 (converted) + Cricut EasyPress SE 12 x 10 – Best budget bundle. Lowest entry cost, with real trade-offs.
Comparison table
| Bundle | Biggest print | Press size | Press style | Printer warranty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epson F170 + HTVRONT Auto 15 x 15 | 8.5 x 47.2 in | 15 x 15 | Automatic, drawer | 1 year | Most beginners |
| Brother SP-1 + Cricut EasyPress 3 | 8.5 x 14 in | 12 x 10 | Handheld | 2 years | Phone and app users |
| Sawgrass SG500 + HTVRONT Auto 2 - Digit | 8.5 x 14 in | 15 x 15 | Automatic, 20–80 kg | 3 yr / 100K prints* | Side business |
| Sawgrass SG1000 + Geo Knight DK20S | 13 x 19 in (bypass) | 16 x 20 | Manual swing-away | 3 yr / 100K prints* | Adult shirts, totes |
| Epson ET-2400 + Cricut EasyPress SE | Letter size | 12 x 10 | Handheld | None for ink damage after conversion | Testing the hobby |
*Sawgrass warranty for printers bought on or after October 1, 2025.
The best sublimation printer and heat press bundles
1. Epson F170 + HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 15 x 15: Best Starter Bundle
Who it's for: beginners who want mugs, coasters, kids' shirts and chest logos without learning ink conversion or pressure by feel.
The Epson SureColor F170 ships with Epson's own dye-sublimation ink and refills from 140 mL T49M bottles, so there's no conversion and no hunting for color profiles. It prints up to 8.5 inches wide (8.5 x 47.2-inch maximum sheet) from a 150-sheet tray and connects by USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct or Ethernet. The trade-off is width: it won't print a full adult shirt front on one sheet.
The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press closes, presses and releases on its own, which takes pressure guesswork off your plate for the first months. Its 15 x 15 platen is bigger than anything the F170 prints, which is exactly what you want, and leaves room to press bought adult-size transfers later. HTVRONT lists a 410°F (210°C) maximum, 1500W, a pull-out drawer and a 36 lb weight.
Pros
- Factory ink and drivers, the shortest learning curve
- Auto press removes pressure guesswork
- Press has room to grow beyond the printer
Cons
- No adult shirt fronts from the printer
- Epson's 1-year warranty is the shortest here
- Auto press has no published pressure range
Epson SureColor F170 Dye-Sublimation Printer
by Epson
HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 15 x 15 Inch
by HTVRONT
2. Brother SP-1 + Cricut EasyPress 3: Best Phone-First Bundle
Who it's for: crafters who design on a phone or tablet and press a few soft goods at a time.
Brother's SP-1 is built around the free Artspira app, which includes 100+ sublimation designs, AR previews and wireless printing. It prints up to 8.5 x 14 inches at up to 1200 x 2400 dpi, and Brother backs it with a 2-year limited warranty and replacement service. Brother includes four 47 mL ink cartridges and 10 sheets of sublimation paper, but no USB cable.
The EasyPress 3 is the natural partner for an app-first workflow. Cricut lists it at up to 400°F (205°C) in 9 x 9 and 12 x 10-inch sizes, and it pairs over Bluetooth with the Cricut Heat app for settings and firmware updates. Note that it must be activated in the app before first use. The 12 x 10 plate covers everything the SP-1 prints across its width. Our Brother SP-1 vs Epson F170 comparison covers the printer choice in detail.
Pros
- App-guided from design to press
- 2-year printer warranty
- Small footprint; stores in a closet
Cons
- Handheld pressure varies with your arm
- Cartridges cost more per print than bottles
- Not ideal for rigid blanks like tiles
Brother SP-1 Sublimation Printer
by Brother
Cricut EasyPress 3 - 12 in x 10 in
by Cricut
3. Sawgrass SG500 + HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 - Digit: Best Small-Business Bundle
Who it's for: side businesses that want support, consistent color and repeatable pressure on both shirts and hard goods.
The SG500 prints 8.5 x 14 inches from its main tray, and Sawgrass Print Utility handles color for Sawgrass ink and paper, so brand colors stay consistent from order to order. Sawgrass covers printers bought on or after October 1, 2025 for 3 years or 100,000 prints, the strongest coverage in this class. The trade-off is ink format: 20 or 31 mL cartridges cost more per print than Epson's bottles.
The HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 - Digit adds what the original auto press lacks: numeric pressure, adjustable from 20 to 80 kg, which helps when you switch between soft polyester and rigid blanks. It has a slide-out drawer, a tilting screen, a 15-minute shutdown and handles items up to 4.5 cm (about 1.8 inches) thick.
Pros
- Best printer warranty and color management here
- Numeric pressure for shirts and hard goods
- Legal-size prints suit tumbler wraps and long designs
Cons
- Highest running cost per print among the 8.5-inch printers
- Mid-range to premium total outlay
- Press specs vary between Amazon listings
Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer
by Sawgrass
HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 - Digit
by HTVRONT
4. Sawgrass SG1000 + Geo Knight DK20S: Best Adult-Shirt Bundle
Who it's for: shirt sellers who need full adult fronts, totes and pillow covers printed in-house.
The SG1000 prints 11 x 17 inches from its main tray and 13 x 19 inches through the bypass tray, and it's the only Sawgrass desktop that accepts 70 mL extended cartridges. It carries the same 3-year or 100,000-print warranty as the SG500 on recent purchases, with the same Print Utility color management.
A 13 x 19 print needs a 16 x 20 press, and the Geo Knight DK20S is a long-running pro choice. It's a digital swing-away, so the hot platen moves fully off the work for loading. Geo Knight lists a 3/4-inch-thick Teflon-coated platen that reaches 600°F, 70 programmable presets and room for materials up to 2 inches thick. It draws 1800W at 15A, so check your circuit, and swing-aways need more side clearance than clamshells, so plan the bench space before ordering.
Pros
- Full adult shirt fronts in-house
- Pro-grade swing-away built for daily use
- 70 mL cartridges lower cost per print versus small cartridges
Cons
- Premium tier on both items
- Heavy press and wide footprint
- Manual pressure; you set it once per blank
Sawgrass SG1000 Sublimation Printer
by Sawgrass
Geo Knight DK20S 16x20 Digital Swing-Away Press
by Geo Knight
5. Epson ET-2400 (Converted) + Cricut EasyPress SE: Best Budget Bundle
Who it's for: hobbyists who want to try sublimation for the lowest outlay and accept the risks of a converted printer.
An Epson EcoTank ET-2400 filled with third-party sublimation ink costs far less than any factory sublimation printer. The catch is real: you lose warranty protection for ink-related failures, you can never return the printer to regular ink, and color depends on the ink maker's profile or settings. Fill it with sublimation ink from new, and use a brand that names the ET-2400, such as Hiipoo. Our EcoTank conversion guide walks through the setup.
The Cricut EasyPress SE 12 x 10 keeps the press side cheap too. It reaches up to 400°F (205°C), and Cricut says it works with iron-on, Infusible Ink and sublimation products, with a digital control panel, auto-off and an insulated safety base.
Pros
- Lowest entry cost by a wide margin
- Cheap bottle refills
- Easy to store
Cons
- No warranty cover for ink damage after conversion
- Color tuning is up to you
- Handheld press limits rigid blanks
Epson EcoTank ET-2400
by Epson
Cricut EasyPress SE - 12 in x 10 in
by Cricut
Add a mug or tumbler press
Flat presses can't do drinkware. If mugs and tumblers are part of the plan, budget a third machine. The HTVRONT Auto Tumbler Heat Press takes 10–30 oz cups with diameters of 2.95–3.18 inches and applies pressure automatically. Our sublimation mug press guide compares the options.
Buying guide: how to pair a printer and a press
Match the press to your biggest print
| Your printer | Biggest print | Pair it with |
|---|---|---|
| 8.5-inch (F170, SP-1, SG500, ET-2400) | 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 | 12 x 10 handheld or 15 x 15 flat press |
| 13 x 19 (SG1000 with bypass tray) | 13 x 19 | 16 x 20 flat press |
| 24-inch (Epson F570) | 24 in wide, roll | 16 x 20 or larger |
A press slightly bigger than the print is ideal, because the edges of a platen often run cooler than the center. Our sublimation heat press guide explains how to check a new press for even heat.
Factory printer or conversion
Purpose-built printers from Epson, Brother and Sawgrass ship with sublimation ink and a warranty that covers sublimation use. A converted EcoTank costs far less but shifts every ink and color problem onto you. For a business, the warranty is worth paying for.
Handheld, manual or automatic press
- Handheld (Cricut EasyPress): cheapest and smallest, fine for shirts and totes.
- Manual clamshell or swing-away (Geo Knight DK20S): fast and durable; you set pressure by hand.
- Automatic (HTVRONT): closes to consistent pressure and releases on time.
Our Cricut EasyPress vs heat press comparison covers when a handheld is enough.
Buying a ready-made bundle
Dealer and marketplace kits pair a printer with a press, ink and paper. Before you buy one, check:
- Exact models. Make sure the printer and press are current model numbers, not older stock.
- Press size vs print size. A small press in a big-printer kit is a common mismatch.
- Warranty. Confirm the printer warranty applies when bought through that seller.
- What "starter supplies" means. A few sheets of paper and tape won't last long; price the refills.
Sawgrass also sells printer, ink and paper bundles, and HTVRONT sells its presses in kits with tape, mats and sublimation paper. Neither replaces the press-to-printer match above.
Leave room to grow
The press usually outlives the first printer. It's common to start on an 8.5-inch printer and move up to 13 x 19 once shirts sell, so a 15 x 15 press is a safer first buy than a 12 x 10 if you think shirts will become a big part of the business. It also lets you press bought adult-size transfers in the meantime. The reverse rarely works: a small press can't grow with a bigger printer.
Budget for the supplies
Paper, heat tape, gloves, butcher paper and blanks add up in the first month. Our sublimation supplies list covers what you need on day one.
How we chose
We didn't test these printers or presses ourselves. We paired models using manufacturer specifications from Epson, Brother, Sawgrass, HTVRONT, Cricut and Geo Knight, focusing on print size, press size, pressure control and warranty, and weighed recurring owner feedback from sublimation communities. Every printer and press here is a current model sold in the US.
FAQ
Is it cheaper to buy a sublimation printer and heat press bundle?
Sometimes, but not always. Dealer bundles can save on paper and ink extras, while buying separately lets you match the press size to the printer and pick a better press. Compare the bundle against the same items bought individually, including warranty terms.
What size heat press do I need for my sublimation printer?
Match the press to your biggest print. An 8.5-inch printer pairs with a 12 x 10 or 15 x 15 press; a 13 x 19 printer needs a 16 x 20 press. A press slightly bigger than the print is ideal, because platen edges often run cooler than the center.
What do I need besides a printer and heat press for sublimation?
Sublimation paper, heat-resistant tape, heat-resistant gloves, uncoated butcher paper and polyester or sublimation-coated blanks. For mugs and tumblers, add a mug or tumbler press. A lint roller and white cardstock help with shirts.
Can I start sublimation with a Cricut EasyPress instead of a heat press?
Yes, for shirts, totes and other soft goods. Cricut lists its EasyPress models at up to 400°F and says they work with sublimation. For rigid blanks such as tiles and photo panels, a clamshell or swing-away press gives more consistent pressure.
What is the best sublimation printer and heat press for beginners?
For most beginners, an Epson SureColor F170 paired with a 15 x 15 auto press such as the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press. The printer ships with Epson's sublimation ink, and the press sets its own pressure, which removes the two biggest learning curves.
Verdict
For most people, the best sublimation printer and heat press bundle is the Epson F170 with the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 15 x 15: factory ink, automatic pressing and room to grow. Choose the Sawgrass SG500 with the HTVRONT Auto Heat Press 2 - Digit if you're starting a business, or step up to the SG1000 and a 16 x 20 Geo Knight when adult shirt fronts are your main product. Compare every printer in our best sublimation printers guide.