Best Printers for Crafts (2026): Sublimation, Iron-On, and Photo Printing
Sawgrass SG500 ($800) is the professional standard for sublimation. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 ($180) is best for high-volume sticker and iron-on printing at the lowest cost per print. HP Envy Photo 7975 ($210) leads for greeting card and scrapbook photo quality.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
Printers for Crafts (2026) Buying Guide
Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki / PexelsCraft printing is a broader category than most buyers realize. It includes iron-on transfers for T-shirts, sublimation printing for mugs and hard goods, high-quality photo prints for scrapbooking and cards, and sticker paper printing for Cricut and Silhouette projects. Each use case has a different ideal printer—the same machine that makes gorgeous card prints fails completely at sublimation.
Sublimation vs. Inkjet for Crafts
Sublimation printing (Sawgrass SG500) produces vibrant, permanent color on polyester fabric, mugs, phone cases, and hard-surface blanks by converting solid dye to gas under heat. The output is part of the material itself—it won't peel, crack, or fade like iron-on transfers. However, sublimation requires sublimation-compatible blanks (must be polyester or polymer-coated), a heat press, and sublimation-specific ink. For craft businesses selling custom merchandise, sublimation is the professional standard. For casual crafters wanting to print on any fabric, a standard inkjet with iron-on transfer paper is simpler.
EcoTank for High-Volume Craft Printing
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 uses refillable ink tanks instead of cartridges, eliminating the $30-60 cartridge replacement cycle that plagues standard inkjet crafters. One set of ink bottles costs ~$40 and prints 4,500+ black pages or 7,500+ color pages. For crafters printing hundreds of sticker sheets, photo cards, or iron-on designs, EcoTank dramatically reduces per-print cost. The ET-2800 doesn't produce commercial-grade photo quality, but for iron-on transfers, greeting cards, and craft paper printing, quality is adequate.
Photo Quality for Scrapbooking and Cards
HP Envy Photo 7975 uses six-color inkjet printing (adding photo black and light cyan/magenta) for better photo gradients than standard four-color printers. It produces borderless 4x6 and 5x7 prints that work well for scrapbooking, photo cards, and decoupage projects. Brother MFC-J1205W INKvestment uses high-yield ink cartridges and handles a wide range of paper types including glossy photo and cardstock up to 28 lb. For crafters whose primary use is photo-quality printing on specialty paper, the HP Envy Photo 7975 and Brother INKvestment outperform EcoTank in output quality at the cost of higher per-page ink expense.
Paper Type Compatibility
Craft printers need to handle non-standard paper: glossy photo paper, iron-on transfer sheets, sticker paper, vinyl, cardstock, and sometimes printable fabric sheets. The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 handles paper weights up to 68 lb—adequate for most craft papers but not thick cardstock. HP Envy Photo 7975 handles up to 80 lb glossy. Brother MFC-J1205W handles specialty media well for an inkjet in its price range. The Sawgrass SG500 is limited to sublimation paper specifically—it doesn't print on standard paper. Confirm paper compatibility before purchasing based on your specific craft projects.
How We Compared
We evaluated these printers on output quality for craft-specific use cases (iron-on transfers, sticker printing, sublimation, photo cards), cost per print on craft media, paper type compatibility, and ease of setup for non-technical crafters. Printers with verified craft community testing ranked above general-use reviews.
“Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer—purpose-built for sublimation printing on mugs, shirts, and hard goods. Vibrant permanent color output. Requires sublimation blanks and a heat press. The professiona”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Factory-configured for sublimation — no conversion required
- Sawgrass SubliJet ink is optimized for vibrant, accurate color output
- Includes Sawgrass Creative Studio design software
- 8.5-inch print width handles mugs, shirts, and most common substrates
- Consistent professional results without the variability of converted printers
Watch out for
- $600+ is the highest upfront cost of any sublimation option
- Sawgrass ink cartridges cost more than converted EcoTank ink per print
- 8.5-inch width cannot print 11-inch or wider formats without the SG1000
“Epson EcoTank ET-2800—refillable supertank, ~$0.009/page, handles iron-on transfer paper, sticker sheets, and craft cardstock. Best for crafters printing hundreds of sheets monthly who want the lowest”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Ink tank system holds enough ink for thousands of pages before refilling
- Included ink in the box covers the first two years of average home printing
- Wireless printing from phone, tablet, and computer without setup complexity
- All-in-one scan and copy capability for full home office use
- Epson ink is pigment-based for water-resistant documents
Watch out for
- Slower print speed (10 ppm black) vs laser printers
- Ink tanks must be filled occasionally — slightly messier than cartridge change
“HP Envy Photo 7975—six-color inkjet with dedicated photo black and light magenta cartridges. Produces borderless 4x6 and 5x7 prints. Best for scrapbookers, greeting card makers, and photo-based craft ”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Reliable performance for everyday computing and productivity tasks
- Compact design saves desk space without sacrificing core functionality
- Compatible with major operating systems and common peripherals
Watch out for
- Advanced configuration may require technical knowledge to fully optimize
- Performance may lag behind premium models for intensive workloads
“Brother MFC-J1205W INKvestment—high-yield ink cartridges, handles glossy photo, sticker paper, and cardstock. Scan + copy + ADF included. Best for crafters who want a versatile AIO that handles multip”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- 1205W output delivers substantial power for demanding tasks
- Reliable performance for everyday computing and productivity tasks
- Compact design saves desk space without sacrificing core functionality
Watch out for
- Advanced configuration may require technical knowledge to fully optimize
- Performance may lag behind premium models for intensive workloads
How We Analyze Products
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Each product earned its placement through data: total review volume, average rating, and the specific praise and complaints that repeat most often across buyers. No manufacturer paid for placement on this page. Products appear here because buyers endorsed them at scale, not because a company asked us to feature them.
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