You must get the best brother printer for sublimation to succeed in a sublimation business. There are numerous sublimation printers on the market, and a final choice isn’t always straightforward.
You need tips to help you cross off some printers to remain with the best one. This final choice will ensure you have a sublimation printer that does amazing printing. Let us crack this jar open and see what you need to look for;
What Is The Best Brother Printer For Sublimation?
The best brother printer for sublimation is the Brother MFC-L2710DW Monochrome laser printer.
This printer has features that ensure you get the best sublimation prints with the least effort. Its 250-sheet tray holding capacity gives fluidity to printing.
The printer’s head blends the colors perfectly to give you the best sublimation prints. It is a wide format printer with a manual feed slot that can take several paper sizes. It can scan, copy and print, making it an all-in-one printer.
Regarding connectivity, this printer allows virtually all devices since it has Wi-Fi capabilities. You can use a laptop, computer, smartphone, or tablet. The best part is that it offers you all these features at a relatively affordable price.
Why You Need To Get A Brother Sublimation Printer
The market is full of other brands of printers like hp printers, Canon printers, and many other desktop printer options.
Most printers offer good performance, so why should you pick a brother printer over them? Let us look at some advantages of a brother printer;
1. They don’t have malicious firmware updates.
Sublimation printers are growing more popular, and the demand is increasing pricing. Most companies compete by keeping their printers cheap. This would cause them a loss, but they recover the costs by selling expensive inks.
Third-party companies create compatible sublimation ink cartridges to reduce the running cost for printers. These cartridges are a threat to the large profit printer companies would make.
As such most companies roll out firmware updates that ensure their printers don’t work with other cartridges.
Brother is more transparent with its firmware updates. The updates won’t control how you use the printer; they only improve its functionality. Additionally, you can turn off the updates if you don’t want changes to your printer.
2. Quality Printing
Brother printers will not fail you when it comes to print quality. The final quality of your prints will depend on the paper and sublimation ink you use. Assuming you use Brother sublimation ink, you will get higher quality than most printers of the same price range.
Their sublimation ink cartridges might be expensive, but they will be worth it. Brother has received a lot of certifications and accolades that prove their quality. When running a sublimation printing business, you need a printer that provides the best art.
This ink quality is even more important in sublimation since it is mostly art. You can’t have ink that comes off your customer’s t-shirt after one wash. Brother printers and sublimation ink cartridges have a fan base to assure you of their quality standards.
3. General affordability
Brother printers offer their customers a chance to get high-quality performance without spending a fortune.
Brother printers are not cheap; they are more affordable than other brands like hp printers and Canon printers.
Brother printers usually sell the ink cartridges separate from the drum for laser printers. This might not make sense, but it is cheaper for a printing business. You can buy one unit separately from the other and save some money for better profits.
If the units were combined, it would be wasteful since one drum can work with about 4 ink cartridges before you need to replace it. These features and the low purchasing cost make it an amazing yet cheap sublimation printer choice.
4. User-friendliness
Brother will often program their printers with the best settings as defaults. This means you can use a brother printer with its default settings for a long time. The printers are easy to use, and you can change the settings without technical skills.
You won’t have time to read a user manual and learn if you have a small business without employees.
This makes brother printers a good choice that will help save time and increase your speed. Faster service will attract more customers.
A great part of brother printers is how you can still use them if you miss some ink cartridges. You can use bland and white mode if you only have black sublimation ink. This is not a feature most printers offer, and it will save you some money.
The Best Brother Printers for Sublimation Money Can Buy
1. Brother MFC-L2710DW Monochrome Laser Printer
(Suitable for home and office use)
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The printer has features that ensure fast printing. This printer has engineering aspects that make it more efficient and faster than other printers. You can print more and wait less with the 32-page per minute speed.
It has a high paper capacity. You can feed this printer with 250 pages at once to increase efficiency.
This helps you work faster and reduces refills that could confuse you. The flexibility in the type of paper it uses is also a great addition for this printer.
Since this printer has wireless connectivity, you can go mobile if needed. This helps you connect more devices and work more freely. The printer heads for this model work seamlessly with sublimation ink.
Once you get the right ink cartridges, you should be able to enjoy all the features this printer offers.
2. Brother MFC-J1010DW Inkjet Printer
(For home or small office space use)
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It delivers the best performance without taking up too much space. You don’t have to sacrifice features if you have a small office. This printer is small but has connectivity, speed, and high performance.
It is an all-in-one printer that guarantees high speed and convenience. You can use the Brother Mobile Connect app to operate the printer. The app will have simple navigation for printing, copying, scanning, and other settings, making it easy to use.
This cheap sublimation printer has a considerable paper capacity of 150 pages. This will be enough paper for most small offices and reduce refills.
The 20-page automatic document feeder will increase convenience and make printing practically effortless.
This brother printer has a page gauge feature. It helps you accurately predict how much ink you have.
This saves money, and it will help you plan on replacements. For sublimation ink, use genuine brother ink to get the best quality prints.
3. Brother MFC-J1205W Inkjet Printer
(Ideal for home and office use)
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You don’t have to replace the ink for up to a year. With four cartridges, you can use this printer for a whole year. Print and create a reputation for your business without interrupting customer service for ink refills.
It features the Brother mobile connect app. This app will have navigation on your mobile device to make printing, scanning, copying, and other stings easy.
This is the best entry level model as it is friendly to users. For the best performance, use genuine brother sublimation ink.
It uses the innovative InKvestment system that allows your printer to hold more ink. This ensures a continuous supply that guarantees user satisfaction. The page gauge helps you know how much ink you have to plan your refills.
The printer heads for this line support sublimation ink, so you can use them for a business. You will need an external heat press to finish the process.
4. Brother MFC-J1170DW Wireless Inkjet Printer
(For home, office, and commercial use)
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It delivers full functionality in a compact size. Most printers will have you trade a small size for some features, but not this one. It offers fast printing, scanning, and excellent paper handling without taking too much space.
The printer heads support sublimation printing; therefore, you can use sublimation paper with this printer.
It is compatible with the Brother mobile connect app for easier navigation, making it one of the best sublimation printers.
It has a 2.7-inch touch screen. Even if you don’t have your phone or a computer, you can use this printer to scan, for printing, or to copy files. You can access the cloud with this device to access your photos and designs.
It has a page gauge feature that makes sure you know how much ink you have. Unlike most printers, this helps you plan so you don’t go without ink. Get genuine brother ink for this printer to get its best print quality.
5. Brother Compact Monochrome HL-L2350DW Laser Printer
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This brother MFC printer can do virtually everything you need from a desktop printer. It can copy, scan and print at high quality. The printer heads support sublimation ink; therefore, it is a good choice for sublimation printing.
It has high efficiency and printing speed. The creative engineering in this printer allows it to print faster. It prints 32 ppm, making it an excellent choice for business purposes.
You can add Alexa if you need voice control, which isn’t a feature you find in most Epson printers. Its Wi-Fi capabilities allow you to print from computers or other remote devices.
This is a wide format printer, but it can adjust to work with many paper and image sizes. You can use special paper and sublimation ink for sublimation printing.
6. Brother Business HL-L8360CDW Laser Printer
(Ideal for large-scale printing projects)
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It is a high-quality color printer. This printer can combine colors to give you high-quality prints on paper and other materials. It is one of the best and fastest industrial printers and can attain speeds of up to 33 pages per minute.
It has many easy connectivity options. You can connect your phone to the printer via Wi-Fi or use the Ethernet cable for your Desktop.
You can uphold images to the cloud and print them directly without an external device. This makes remote printing much easier.
It has an automatic duplex printing feature. This feature automatically allows the printer to print on two sides of the paper. This will save you money and time, which can be great for a regular printing business.
The Dash replenishment feature makes this one of the best printers for sublimation. This feature will measure your ink level and automatically order more ink when running low. The printer comes with a standard memory of 512 Mb.
7. Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer
(Ideal for home and office use)
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This printer has a fast printing capability that allows it to generate 27 pages per minute. This is an automatic duplex when it prints on both sides of the paper. Such high speeds will be a great boost if you have a sublimation printing business.
It has a paper tray capacity of 250 sheets. This large volume allows you to print without constantly refilling the tray.
It is compatible with Windows 10, but some features might not work for Windows 8 and 7. This might be a problem if you upgrade to Windows 10 from 8 or 7.
This is a relatively cheap sublimation printer, and it only comes with USB connectivity. This high-performance USB 2.0 interface can run smoothly with any PC. This is a superb professional desktop printer that will be worth each penny.
8. Brother HLL2395DW Compact Monochrome Laser Printer
(Suitable for home and office use)
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This is one of the easiest brother printers for sublimation printing. The engineering of this printer is to make everything convenient for the user. It has a flatbed scan glass that simplifies scanning or getting a copy.
The mobile compatibility this printer offers is outstanding. You get compatibility with Cortado workplace, AirPrint, Mopria, etc. This gives you millions of art pieces to use for your sublimation projects.
Its printing speed is 36 pages per minute, making it ideal for big businesses. You can work with many customers and increase your profits exponentially. The 250-sheet paper tray capacity in this printer helps increase efficiency.
It can use direct cloud printing and scanning. The touch screen makes it easy to use online services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and others to get printing material. This exceptional wireless printing makes some Epson printers look inferior.
9. Brother MFC-L3770CDW Compact Laser Printer
(Suitable for home, office, and commercial use)
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It has fast printing and scanning capabilities. This is an all-in-one printer with high speed, and you can use it for sublimation printing.
Speed will attract more customers as this printer generates 25 pages per minute on sublimation paper.
The printer is easy and affordable to use. You can get special ink for sublimation and use the superior printer’s head in this product since it works with sublimation paper. The print quality is one of the best you will get, and your prints will reflect it.
It has a paper tray system that ensures a smooth transition between the pages with minimal refilling. The printer supports sublimation inks from Brother for the best quality.
It has a wide range of connectivity options that make everything easier for you. You can use your phone, computer, tablet, or laptop to print. The touch screen allows easy access to your files on the cloud to download and print.
10. Brother MFC-J805DW InKvestment Tank Inkjet Sublimation Printer
(Suitable for home and office use)
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A printing business needs a lot of ink, and this printer’s InKvestment tanks will help you. This system is common in Epson printers, but Brother Printers have taken full advantage of it. You can go a whole year without needing a refill.
It has a control panel with buttons for directions and other basic settings. It is simple and easy to use, even for beginners.
They have the revolutionary Brother Page gauge feature to monitor your ink consumption. This way, you will know for certain when you are running low.
You can enjoy mobile printing with this product. It can connect to smartphones and use AirPrint, Google cloud print, and Brother iPrint. This high connectivity makes it one of the best sublimation printers for sublimation.
For best performance with sublimation, use it in an environment of between 50, and 950 C. High temperatures aren’t good for sublimation ink.
Buying Guide: How To Choose The Best Brother Printer For Sublimation
Knowing you want a brother printer will narrow the list for you, but you need a way to find the best of the best.
When choosing between the sublimation printers, you must look into some crucial aspects. Let us look at some of these aspects and guide your decision;
1. Printing quality
The first and most important thing to look for in brother printers is the sublimation print quality. The best sublimation printers will produce high-quality, glossy images. You should be able to get clear colors and art that your clients will love.
Image quality is more than just looks; it’s also about durability. Printers use different sublimation ink types, so they differ in how they bond with clothes. You need a sublimation printer that will give permanent prints that can’t wash off.
You might want to get a cheap sublimation printer or sublimation ink. This will compromise the quality of your work. It’s better to spend a little extra for the best quality prints.
2. Printing speed
Speed is a consideration that is more important to people that need a printer for business purposes rather than hobbyists.
You can compromise on speed and get a slower, cheap sublimation printer if it is a hobby. For a business, speed means convenience.
You need a fast printing option that can keep up with orders. If it is a walk-in printing business, you don’t want to keep your customers waiting in line.
Fast printing will increase your profit margins and attract more customers, provided you have quality prints.
3. Ink and cartridge compatibility
Printer companies make a lot of money on toner and ink cartridges. Unfortunately, these high costs come at the expense of small business owners. Buying expensive sublimation ink cuts down on the profits and could cripple a business.
The best way to reduce costs is to cut ink prices by buying it from third-party ink manufacturers. Most printers will not work with third-party inks. Some all in one printers can work with regular pigment ink, special sublimation ink, and third-party inks.
4. Connectivity options
Connectivity dictates the sources of the images you will print. By this logic, the more connectivity options you have, the more printing choices you get. You might get a desktop printer that connects only to a PC.
This will work, but you will have an easier time if you have Ethernet connectivity, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB connectivity on the same printer. Brother printers are of the best quality and often come with Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity.
5. Printer’s buying and running cost
If you want a printer for a business, you need to account for how profitable the business will be. Profits will depend on how much money you put into the business, so you must consider the costs.
If the printer is too expensive and its ink is pricey, you will have a hard time making a good profit. With brother, you can get a cheap sublimation printer without giving up on performance and printing quality.
Advantages Of Sublimation Printing
There are numerous ways of getting prints onto objects like mugs and t-shirts, but sublimation is the best.
Sublimation is also more expensive and uses special ink that is harder to find. Here are some of the benefits that make sublimation printing worth the extra cash;
1. Great print quality
Sublimation printing produces better quality than other processes for text and images. A sublimation printer will use heat to vaporize the ink onto special sublimation paper. You will use a heat press to transfer the image onto the sublimation blank.
This direct contact and high heat ensure maximum dye transfer in the final print. This gives the final picture high quality that beats inkjet printers and laser printers. The steps might be more complex, but they are worth it for quality.
2. Convenient printing
Most people that had printing businesses avoided sublimation printers because they were slow. This is not a concern anymore since modern-day sublimation printers perform at high speed. So you don’t need to worry about slowing down your printing business.
Some industrial printers can sublimate at high capacity, and they will give your printing business a massive boost. You have to get the right ink type, which will be pricey, but speed won’t be a concern.
3. The prints don’t come off.
Regular printing puts the ink on the surface of the material. This means you can wash the ink off, and it wears out easily. Sublimation printing uses heat to fuse the sublimation ink with the fabric or printing surface.
This fusing is crucial and uses a lot of heat, so you must have a heat press. The ink becomes part of the fabric, so you won’t have to worry about it washing out. It also goes in the fabric of stretchy clothes, and they look better.
Why Is It A Good Idea To Get Into Sublimation Printing?
The sublimation printing business is growing more popular, and you might be interested in trying it out.
Sublimation printing is a great hobby and way to make money, and you can turn it into a profitable business. For sublimation, you will use heat and pressure to put ink in a product rather than on it.
Each of these products takes minutes to make. All you need is a computer if you have a desktop printer or a smartphone if your printer has a wireless connection. You will also need special ink and special paper for sublimation.
A heat press and blank products to print on come at the end of the process. Some regular printers support sublimation ink, but you must ensure it doesn’t mix with regular pigment ink. Always avoid thermal printers when converting regular printers.
Thermal printers use heat in the initial printing steps, which will ruin the sublimation ink. If you want a printer for sublimation, look for laser printers or inkjet printers, or a special sublimation printer.
Most people imagine this is very expensive, which makes them shy away, but it is not. You can get a high-performing entry-level sublimation printer for a few hundred dollars. Most printers will come with ink and special paper.
An average heat press is also a few hundred dollars, and you will be ready to start a small business.
You will need art to print; for most printing businesses, customers will come to you with things they want to print.
You can go online, where numerous desktop printer companies have photos that can be used for sublimation. You will get hundreds of designs you don’t have to pay for.
If you sublimate 50 cents of ink onto a polyester t-shirt that you purchase for $6, you can sell it for $20. This is a profit of $13.50 on one t-shirt. You can return all the money you invested in no time.
Compare this to a print-on-demand shop. You will get the t-shirt ready for at least $15 and sell it for the same $20. This is a profit of $5. Eventually, starting a sublimation business is cheaper and more convenient.
Brother printers are pioneers in manufacturing desktop printers, and they will be a good place to start. A small business in the sublimation industry could be a big part of your success story.
Conclusion
Hopefully, it is clear how to get the best brother printer for sublimation. Getting a printer for sublimation printing is challenging, and many options exist. The Epson Ecotank, hp printer, canon printers, and other brands compete in this field.
You can use most printers for sublimation, but thermal printers aren’t an option. The special ink you need for sublimation does not work well with thermal printers. Most inkjet printers and laser printers will work well.