Sublimation Ink Guide 2024 – Best Sublimation Ink
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Daniela Kretchmer
- Updated: Feb 11, 2024
- Craft Supplies, Sublimation
Use this guide to choose the best ink for your printer. Learn about the different types and which will work for your printer and your needs.
Table of Contents
Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.
What is Sublimation Ink?
Sublimation ink is a type of dye-based ink that is specifically designed for sublimation printing. It’s used in a sublimation printer to print any sort of design that you’d like transferred to a fabric such as shirts or other material. The ink is heat activated and transforms from a solid to a gas when exposed to high temperatures and pressure. Then when it cools, it sinks into the material, actually dyeing it, so that you don’t feel anything on the material. Sublimation inks can be used on fabrics, wood, metals, glass, and more!
The advantage to using sublimation ink is not only that you can’t feel the print when transferred, but also you can print any design you want.
How Do You Use Sublimation Ink?
Sublimation ink is what you need for a sublimation printer. You can either buy a stand-alone printer or convert an inkjet printer into a sublimation printer by using sublimation ink. I actually have a full tutorial on how to do this with an Epson Ecotank 2800, check it out here.
Once the ink is loaded, simply mirror your design and print as you normally would. It’s best to use sublimation paper (this is the kind I have) to ensure you have the best quality print.
After that, just send the print job from your computer and let the sublimation paper and ink do their thing! Finally, when it’s done printing, use a heat press machine to transfer it onto your desired material.
How to Choose the Right Sublimation Ink
When it comes to choosing the right sublimation ink for your printer, there are thankfully only a few questions to ask:
1. Do you plan to print a lot of black?
If you plan to print a lot of black, some sublimation ink sets (such as this one) come with extra bottles of sublimation black ink. This is great if you need more coverage or darker shades when printing or you have a lot of all-black projects in mind. Having that extra bottle on hand ensures you won’t run out of ink in the middle of a project.
2. Does you printer have cartridges or can you fill the ink directly into the printer?
It’s important to consider the type of sublimation inks you need for your printer. If you have a cartridge-based sublimation printer, you’ll want to find inks that are specifically made for your printer model, such as Sawgrass printers or other stand-alone sublimation printers.
There are also printers that can be converted to sublimation printers while still using cartridges. In this case, you can still use refillable cartridges and purchase the ink separately. Just make sure to get inks that can be filled using a syringe.
If your printer allows direct ink filling, you have the option of using either syringe-type inks or autofill inks.
3. Do you want to have more control or do prefer an easy solution?
If you prefer more control over the ink-filling process, you can opt for sublimation inks that come with syringes. These sets require you to manually fill each cartridge or printer and keep an eye on the ink levels as you go. This gives you greater control over the process, allowing you to add precisely the amount you need at a time.
On the other hand, if you want a simpler approach, sublimation inks that connect directly to the printer are the way to go. With these inks, you just need to flip the ink bottles upside down, attach them to the printer, and let the ink reservoir fill automatically. No worries about ink dripping, as it should stop on its own when the reservoir is full. However, keep in mind that accidents can still happen (*cue my own mishap with black ink all over my printer).
4. Are you looking for the cheapest sublimation ink?
If your goal is to keep it as cheap as possible, some brands (such as Hiipoo) are ones you’ll want to avoid as they’re more expensive. Brands such as A-Sub and Printers Jack are more affordable.
In addition, it’s better to opt for syringes instead of autofill bottles. Although autofill bottles are more convenient, they come with a slightly higher price tag.
Autofill vs Syringe Fill Sublimation Ink
There are two main types of sublimation ink: one that requires a syringe and another that doesn’t, also known as autofill. Syringe inks can be used with any printer, while autofill inks are only compatible with printers that don’t use cartridges, like Epson Ecotanks. Here’s a quick breakdown of when to use each type and their pros and cons:
Syringe Sublimation Ink
- Can be used with any printer
- Using the syringe allows for more control of how much ink you’re adding
- These inks tend to be cheaper
- The syringes need to be cleaned
- There are more steps required
Autofill Sublimation Ink
- Can only be used with autofill printers (cannot be used with printers that require cartridges)
- The bottles easily connect to the printer and fill the ink levels automatically
- These inks tend to be more expensive
- If something goes wrong, more ink will spill than using a syringe
In summary, if you have a printer that requires a cartridge, you must use a sublimation ink that comes with a syringe. If you have an autofill printer, then you can use either type of ink so it’s more down to preference and budget.
The Best Sublimation Inks
So now that you know what sublimation ink is, how to use it, and what to look for when purchasing, let’s dive into the list! You can read more about each below, but to keep it easy, I’ve highlighted my top pick for each type of printer:
- Best Sublimation Ink for an Epson Ecotank: A-Sub Inks (this is the one I currently use)
- Best Sublimation Ink for printers that use cartridges: Hiipoo
