I love my eco tank. I emptied the ink bottles that came with it, washed them out, air dried. I put my sublimation ink in the auto fill bottles. I have not had any issues with my ink drying. I’ve had 6 month gaps between printing. My sublimation prints are very detailed, and everyone comes out great. My biggest suggestion is to turn off the bleed in cricut design space when you print.
I love my eco tank as well! Mine has been sitting for an actual year as I was so overwhelmed on what I wanted to do lol, I just did a test print in may/June and the ink was still extremely vibrant, has not dried out as well and no smudges or odd markings. I’m using the Hiipoo ink just love this ink
Awesome video, Jennifer! I’m the person that spends days/weeks researching before making a purchase -- to the point of exhaustion - always weighing pros and cons. You’ve certainly covered all the bases.Thank you!
I have been in sublimation for 8 yrs the Eco Tank 15500 is the best one that I have used so far. I make about 100 shirts a week and I have had no issues with this machine. I will never go back to my WorkForce although that's what I started with
I've finally come to the time where I can start sublimation! Oh, Jennifer...YOU know how much I've been waiting to begin this..Thank you! I trust your judgements, all your projects are gorgeous!
I loved this video, and all the comments. Thank you Jennifer for all of your time and effort into your wonderful and informative videos. And thank you everyone in the comments for your feedback, so much info and so helpful.
Thank you for being such a phenomenal teacher! I was so confused about a few sublimation process details and you fully educated me. Thank you so much for your dedication and style... I adore your style! From the beginning to the end you just KNOW what (and most importantly how) to present all the crafty methods and tools in the most fun and effective way. You darlin' are the cream of the crop. Sooo much gratitude. 💞
I went with a converted Eco tank printer for the low costs for the printer and ink. I'm junking it and buying a Sawgrass. I got great results - at first, but multiple issues came up - some due to maintenance, and some due to the fact it was a low-end printer. I came to the realization that ruined blanks are way more costly in time and money than expensive ink. As an aside, here we are a year-ish after you posted this video, and the Epson F170 is STILL hard to find. I love your videos - they are always well thought out, logically presented, and informative. Thank you for what you do!
Over a year ago after much research I got the Epson F170. It was easy to find. I went to Epson's website, put in where I lived and they gave me the info on a local dealer. When I need ink, I call him and pick it up. The ink that comes with it, isn't starter ink, like others, its the full size large bottle. I've just started on my 2nd bottle of black and all of the other colors are still going strong. I also loved that I didn't have to give up my warranty. It was supper easy to set up as well. By downloading the recommended drivers and software it printed out great from the beginning. I didn't even know about ICM then. And this also allows me to print from PDF, Word, etc. I don't have to have other software unless I want to do a lot of editing. Most I do in Word. I go for months without printing anything. Not one time have I had any problems. It has never clogged or printed out wrong. So I don't know why it was said you have to print every week or so, not so. I've also printed designs up to 47 in long as well. If I decide to get a larger printer in the future, it will be the Epson 540. I'm an HP lover and just bought a new one for regular print but Epson does good for sublimation. And I'm not spending more than the cost of printer in ink each year. Thanks for the video, its good to see the comparison. I think a little more research on the F170 would help though. Just my opinion.
There's only 1 place in my State that sells it and without going in eBay I can't get thr specialty shops online to ship it. For me, it's going to be a 250-mile drive to get the machine and potentially any ink refills. The other information was super helpful, though!
@@OGimouse1 If you are talking about the Epson F series, Conte sells them on line and has a better warranty than Epson. If I ever go up in size, I'm ordering through them.
Hands down🎉 this is a well done video. You are articulate, knowledgeable, and precise on your delivery. The video is easy to watch and loaded with important information no fluffs, no dust.. thank you
As always, the best video on sublimation printers and comparison. I have a epson 2760 and my colors seemed dark but nothing to compare. I printed off your sunflower from my Epson 4760 and printed one from my sublimation printer. My sublimation was too dark as it normally is so I used your flower and started adjusting the colors and WOW, I finally got a good color. Now I am excited to do more sublimation. Thank you so so much. You ARE the BEST!!!🤩
Wow!! Jennifer this was fantastic and so thorough! What an amazing product review and the amout of work you detailed in each catagory in how each printer rated in such category. You have saved me like a couple of nights of pulling my hair out and screaming at my final contestents for purchasing a sub printer! oThank you so much for making my life migraine headache free!!
Thank you so much for such a brilliant video! I’ve been thinking of buying a sublimation printer for a while but was unsure which way to go. In the UK the Sawgrass inks really aren’t they expensive so all in all I agreed with all your points raised and just ordered the SG500 with paper and full sized inks for £400!!! I thought that was a great price. You’ve helped me so much, thank you!
I appreciate the time and effort you put into this video. I watch a lot of maker videos on a variety of topics and this was the first time I saw one of yours. Very well produced with a perfect amount of details. Never got into the weeds, never got boring or slow,, and watched the entire video without skipping ahead. Subscribed.
Thank you for your excellent review. My husband bought me the Epson eco tank for Christmas last year. I used the Cosmos sublimation ink I was able to do a few projects and then two months ago I went to make a shirt for my granddaughter and it had lines through it. I tried cleaning the heads as per the Epson inst., but after a few times of trying this it still didn't clear up the problem so then I tried using a head cleaner that was recommended, well it made a mess, and then my printer kept giving me an error code and wouldn't work. Costco said they would take it back and refund it, but I felt that since I had converted it, it wouldn't be honest to return it. I was bummed this morning about the whole thing, my wonderful husband gave me an early Christmas gift, the SG500 Sawgrass! He had it wrapped in the guest room closet, and he decided to give it to me early because he saw that I was so bummed about it. Again Thank you so much! Have a very Wonderful Christmas!!
Thank you Jennifer Maker! I wish I had waited until you did this before I bought mine! I have the ecotank and it’s no longer working well because I don’t use it very often - lines in the colors - I’ve tried all the maintenance tricks over and over and still having issues. This was soooo helpful!
Great Video. One thing about Sawgrass printers you should be aware of is that they burn through ink like crazy. My SG400 would go through about 4 minutes of cleaning cycles on every power up. I would watch the ink level indicators drop as it is only 24 ml of ink. They are pretty reliable but mine has seen the quality go down after 2 years of light use. Looking for some other solution for making mugs.
I have a Sawgrass 500 and think that potential buyers should also be made aware that there are two different types of ink that you must choose from - one for soft substrates and another for hard substrates. You are obliged to choose one or the other when you set up your printer for use forever more as you are told that you cannot change the ink type once you set up your machine. If you so wish to be able to sublimate on the other type, you are advised by Sawgrass to buy a second SG500 ☹️
I have not heard that. When you are in Creative Studio for Sawgrass, you are able to pick different substrates and you use the same ink. I have used the same ink for shirts as well as harder substrates.
I have had a sawgrass SG500 for over a year now, I sublimate on fabric, mugs, coasters etc using the Subli-jet ink, the other ink, Chromablast, is used to sublimate on cotton rather than polyester. but you cannot interchange between both of these in the same printer.
@@debbiemain4061 thank you Debbie - that makes me so happy 😀 I Honestly thought that there was a special soft substrate Ink only My apologies to Jennifer and anyone else who may have been confused old am I
I love my SawGrass sg1000. I also have the bypass. I bought after having issues with a converted Epson… I had heard that SawGrass inks are gel based unlike the others. And that the pressed design will last longer, is more permanent. But since they are gel based ink, they need more adequate pressure. I also was told the SawGrass print heads are HD, higher quality etc… You addressed price, availability, print etc, but did you see a difference in the overall quality of the finished product over time? Which prints look good after use, wear, wash etc?
Thank you! It's always a pleasure to watch your videos. They are very informative and the tone of your voice makes it even better....keep up the great work!!
I love my Ecotank. I don't use any ICC profile. I simply adjusted the printer settings and saved it's profile. My end projects are mistaken as a Sawgrass when side by side!
Thank you for this video! It was really helpful. I was wondering something about the EcoTank. If you don't use it on a regular basis, could you take the ink cartridges out and put foil on the openings to keep them from drying out?
An excellent presentation showcasing the outstanding qualities and features of our sublimation printers, as well as providing an overview of the results from tests conducted. Love it. 😘
Thank you Jennifer for making this video. I'm just starting with sublimation and have cricut mugpress, but seeing all the fun stuff one can print and press on anything polyestery had me wanting a sublimation printer. I'm getting the sawgrass after watching this video it has everything I need and want (except the price)
All of the information is helpful and useful. My problem is I'd like the easy of the Saw Grass, but would prefer the EcoTank refill costs. :( Just not sure which way to go. I would love to make LOTS of things with the printer, but that makes me fear the more ink used, the more spent in ink. Whereas, if i just go with an EcoTank, I could over time save in ink cost to get decent enough software to use. I'm curious which software you'd recommend between the Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw?
Thank you so much for this breakdown! You answered all my questions and concerns regarding the 2 printers I was comparing. Sawgrass is the winner for me!
I watched your video! Been thinking about getting a sublimation printer and this really helped me decide which one, even though I should have went with the best one with the lower price, I went with the Sawgrass! I found a refurbished one from a reputable site! I am investing in my future career where I stay home and craft all day! 😁 I will be watching more of your video's, glad I found you and thanks for sharing!!!!!
Anne Medlin, how is your printer working so far. I was looking at a refurbished sawgrass printer and I am kinda nervous about buying a refurbished one but it is what’s in my price range.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful information. I have been trying to decide if I want to jump on the sublimation train with the rest of the crafting world or not. This video helps me not feel so nervous about the decision.
Thank you for this video. It was so informative. I bought the Surecolor. I found the support from Epson unhelpful. You do have to run a minimum of two prints a week or it will clog. I have multiple machines in the same room and the Surecolor loses connection to WiFi and they don’t. The color suggestions you gave are so helpful. I love the subli flower!
I appreciate this video because I impulsively bought a Sawgrass because I found one locally, but I already have a Epson EcoTank. I have the Sawgrass in the box and I’ve been researching to find out if I should keep it. I’ve already had the nightmare of the EcoTank leaking and needing the heads cleaned because I don’t use it often, however the more informative videos about the hazards of converting printers have been made since I purchased the EcoTank. Your perspective made me sure that I made the right call.
Thank you. I had decided on an Eco Tank, but now I know it’s what I’ll get. I just want it to print mixed media papers for crafting. Now I hope they’re still available after Black Friday. Thanks again.
This was so helpful, yet daunting at the same time. You laid out the information perfectly but I need to figure what matters most to me the home for fun crafter. 🤔
It's a very confusing rabbit hole! I think I know what I want and then I see something that changes my mind. I'm also a home crafter, I don't feel like I can justify the price of the Sawgrass but I'm worried I won't use the other ones enough and could run into issues. Good Luck!
I had to return my Sawgrass. The software requires Microsoft Pro or Bussines. I just have a Home edition. Had the opportunity to try it in my office computer and was awesome.
So the sawgrass is what I got and I wouldn't change it for the world unless I was getting a bigger one 🙈 it requires no maintenance like she said, the software is simple and the ink is expensive but I rather give my customers great prints and charge a good price than to give them something cheap and charge a good price knowing that it wasn't worth it.
This was great……I have a ecotank, but didnt realize the inks dried out. What a mess I had. I wish I had seen this before I bought it. The software was a the issue. Maybe I will look into a Sawgrass since i am not using it everyday. Thanks so much for another great video
I am trying to determine if I should get the sawgrass or the EcoTank, still so hard to decide. It seems as if they are both great lol. I would really like to order my printer this month. Decisions decisions !! awesome video though !
I came here because I was using an EcoTank with sublimation ink from Printers Jack. After 9 months I started to get really bad banding. I ran multiple head cleanings and alignments but could not get it to clear. I even flushed the lines, cleaned the print head, and changed the ink pad. I could not get it to print without banding so I finally called Epson. Epson refused to support me because they said I voided my warranty by changing the ink and now I need to buy a new printer. Please be advised if you buy the ET because it will void the warranty once you change out the ink.
Thank you Jennifer 😊. This definitely helps narrow things down. I have no idea what the future will bring. If I start taking orders, I'll probably go with the Sawgrass 500. If I decide to try out sublimation, I'll look for the ecotank earlier models. 😊 ty.
Thanks Jennifer! You hit every key note that's so critical in purchasing a sublimation printer!!! BRAVO, VERY impressive video! I instantly know, after watching this all the way through, which is the best printer for me as I want something that is easy to use and low maintenance...the Sawgrass wins! and I know this video is older but Amazon has ink that's less than $200. Can Hiipoo sub ink be used in the Sawgrass? another question...Sawgrass has the software needed. Why is software needed to print a picture and apply via heat press or cup press? I have a couple of Cricut cutters and I'd like to download images and sublimate them on mugs, t shirts etc...so software is needed for this? ty
Use of Third Party Inks will immediately void your warranty. Since they are not made by Sawgrass, we cannot predict how they will react in the machine and what issues may arise, or how to fix them. We do not recommend switching your ink type. care.sawgrassink.com/hc/en-us/articles/10621395809435-Ink-Sets-Which-One-to-Choose#:~:text=Use%20of%20Third%20Party%20Inks,recommend%20switching%20your%20ink%20type. Software is needed to manage the settings of your sublimation printer. This includes ensuring the correct color profiles are used and that the design is printed in the right orientation (e.g., mirrored for text).
Thanks so much for this Jennifer. I've had an Epson ecotank 4700 converted to sublimation that I've had for about a year and a half. I hadn't used it s]for about 8 months and I tell you those nozzles are clogged and I've cleaned the heads 50 times and I can not get it unclogged. I'm going to throw it out and get a sawgrass.
This video was extremely helpful, I really wish I had it before I bought my Epson Workforce. The only thing I didn't find helpful was the link that was provided for the workforce. There isn't any information or further instructions provided just a quick blurb strongly discouraging viewers to buy it, and a link to the Ecotank. That doesn't help the ones that already have it, like me lol.
Of all comparison points, I have to say that price (including inks) and quality of printing are the most important to me. I was told to get a printer that accepts 13 x 19 inches paper
It makes your life easier in the long run if you decide to do bigger images. Right now I really wish I would have spent the extra 300 dollars and purchased one that does 13x19 as I'm trying to do my graduation cap and it's 9x9 so hard to do correctly with a max of 8.5x14
Jennifer. Great, informative, video. I'm at the point where I'm ready to purchase a sublimation printer. Think I'll get an Epson EcoTank 4000 series. So super helpful for me. Also reading comment has been great as well. Maureen
I love my eco tank but I also use my normal one and sub one on a daily or weekly basis. I also just changed my printer setting for the sublimation printer but I found a video on which setting to set it to
For my home and business I have a 3850 and it prints great although I haven't tried printing on foto-paper. I am trying to decide on a printer for sublimation and I was excited to pick an epsom for this as well, (until I seen on another tutorial that once putting in the sublimation ink it then voids the warranty) I have not confirmed this through the company but it really had me thinking. Do I want to spend $300 dollars and risk it or spend $500+ with piece of mind that the warranty won't immediately be voided for use it wasn't intended for. Which really burst my bubble.. Best wishes
Hi Jennifer thank you for the video. I have a question can you please tell me the correct color settings for your surecolor f170. Since I got mine I haven't been able to get the correct prints. I have a Windows 11 computer.
