Product personalization is an amazing thing that has influenced humans’ lifestyles for a long time. The modern era makes it easy to customize their things according to their will and need. Sublimation printers make it approachable and affordable to personalize their belongings. Moreover, people need the best ink for sublimation to print high-quality designs to make it happen.
High-quality sublimation inks don’t only provide durable prints but add more vibrant colours to the printed images to enhance a realistic touch in the sublimated design. To give you the complete guide and the real reviews, we have compiled the 10 best sublimation inks after testing them in our lab and getting solid reviews from trusted resources.
Printers Jack Sublimation Ink Refill
Professional Anti-UV protection.
Free ICC profile available.
Strong Compatibility.
10 Best Sublimation Inks: Choice of Sublimation Businessman
Check out the collection of recommended inks for sublimation printers. Sublimation inks are great for creating beautiful prints but can be tricky to use. If you follow these instructions carefully, your printed image will come out looking fantastic! Keep in mind that the ink used is not permanent and can be easily removed with a solvent such as acetone.
1. Xcinkjet Sublimation Ink – Expert Top Pick
Key Features:
- Xcinkjet Brand
- 4x100ml Quantity
- Economical ink set
- Wide-range application
Xcinkjet sublimation ink is all about quality and economy at the same time. It is compatible with a variety of WorkForce series from Epson. Xcinkjet sublimation ink bottle nozzles are specifically made to stop the ink from leaking or spilling over the printer due to double sealability.
The ink is less likely to dry and block the print head. Additionally, ink can offer you a variety of possibilities for printing because you can use it on various products. Concerning the colour quality, the ink kit offers authentic and vibrant colors to ensure customer satisfaction. The ink is non-toxic and environmentally friendly, so the ink causes no harm to the environment.
The Xcinkjet is a brand that provides quality sublimation ink refills that produce vivid and bright colors without harming our environment and our health at an economical cost, and that’s the main reason for the ink’s inclusion in our 10 best sublimation inks list.
Pros
High compatibility with the Epson printers.
Inexpensive against other options on the list.
Produce vibrant and high-quality colors.
Easy to use with its nozzle design.
Cons
Produce light colors in case of inappropriate settings.
2. Printers Jack Sublimation Ink Refill – Best Overall
Key Features:
- Printers Jack Brand
- 4 x 100ml CMYK bottles Quantity
- High page yield
- 30-45 seconds dry time
Printer’s jack 400ml sublimation ink does not require any introduction. Tested rigorously by our lab, the ink symbolizes quality, durability, and a good source to produce vibrant colors. It works with nearly all models of the Epson’s Workforce, EcoTank, Expression, and the Stylus series.
The ink is made with high-quality materials that stop it from getting dried or clogged on the print head. With the Anti-UV, waterproof, and other modern technologies, the ink produces brilliant colours that stay fresh for a long time and are compatible with all kinds of piezoelectric printers.
Meeting up with the ICC standards, you are allowed to download the ICC profile from the printer’s jack. The ink produces similar printing results on any surface and is highly recommended to work on fabric, ceramic, decorative stuff, and boxes. The ink provides a high page yield against numerous inks.
Printers jack is the name of trust and the quality with durability, and that’s why we highly recommend it for the small sublimation business owners and the people who want to create DIY gifts at their home or for their loved ones.
Pros
Durable colours due to colourfast and water-resistant technology.
Compatible with all piezoelectric printers.
It doesn’t fade due to UV technology.
High page yield makes it an economical choice against others.
Cons
Requires accurate computer settings.
3. Hiipoo Sublimation Ink for EcoTank Supertank – Cheapest Sublimation Ink
Key Features:
- Brand: Hiipoo
- Quantity: 4 x 100ml CMYK bottles
- High compatibility to Epson inkjet printing series
- Auto-fill technology
- ICC-Free printing
- ISO-9001 and MSDS certified
- It dries under a minute
- High heat transfer rate
The Hiipoo Sublimation Refill Bottles are a proud inclusion of our 10 best sublimation inks. Hiipoo sublimation ink is equally compatible with EcoTank, SuperTank, Workforce, and Expression series. You can print t-shirts, socks, hoodies, shoes, banners, flags, and much more to create personalized gifts for your clients and you.
The ink is specially designed to create bright, high-quality colours even after intense heat transfer. The printed colours are waterproof and dry fast for adding highly durable results that don’t get fade and stay fresh for a longer period. Although the ink has a dry fast technology, it doesn’t get clogged or dry on the print head.
The CMYK bottles have enough ink for a long printing time to run your business without reducing sales. The auto-fill, auto-stop technology allows refilling the cartridges with ease and prevents the ink from spilling away. Having a sublimation printer becomes messy when you spill the ink on the printer during the refilling process. Its syringe-free technology provides great relief for you.
The Hiipoo is a widely sold and trusted sublimation ink brand that provides quality ink to get your things personalized. The bright and vivid colours stay clear and provide a realistic view of the image even after the intense heat transferring process.
Pros
Auto-fill, auto-stop technology prevents the ink from spilling or wasting.
Highly compatible with many inkjet printers.
Transfers the image very quickly during the heat transferring process.
The latest technology prevents the ink from getting clogged or dried on the print head.
Cons
The black ink bottle should have come in larger quantities to compete with the Cosmos Ink.
4. INKXPRO 4 X 100ml –
Key Features:
- Inkxpro Brand
- High color accuracy
- Wide range application
- Dries typically in a minute
Its INKXPRO 4x100ml is next on our list, an ideal option for those new to sublimation and who want to get good quality at an affordable cost. The ink set is compatible with several models of the WorkForce series and EcoTank printers from Epson.
It offers vivid and premium colours that sparkle prominently when pressed onto any item you’re printing. It assists you in designing some distinctive Christmas-themed gifts for your loved ones and relatives.
You do not need any experience to use these bottles. It’s possible to get overwhelmed with the set-up But don’t fret; it’s fairly easy. The kit is ICC profile-free to match the right colour to your product. In addition, you can be sure that the ink will not dry out and cause clogging. The Inkxpro 4x100ml sublimation ink bottles are good in quality, colours provision, durability, and brightness; that were enough features to add the ink set to the 10 best sublimation ink list.
Pros
ICC profile can be downloaded from the company’s website to set the colour preferences.
Produces vibrant colours to make the print more attractive.
Easy to install with the bottle tops.
Color accuracy is at the extreme when used with the Epson printers.
Cons
Sometimes get clogged when not used for awhile.
5. E-Z Ink (TM) 400ML
Key Features:
- E-Z Ink Brand
- 4x100mlCMYK bottles Quantity
- Gifts Diy and Multi functional
- Anti-UV
E-Z ink works well with nearly 25 printers from various companies, particularly Epson. The sublimated ink can be used with almost the entire range of Epson Inkjet printers. The ink set comes with four 100ml CMYK colour bottles. Additionally, 2 gloves and four Syringes are included for refilling your printer cartridges in a snap.
The most effective results can be obtained during the heat transfer process. They can be applied equally well for polyester T-shirts, raw fabric bags, cross-stitched footwear, bags and cups, mugs, ceramics, etc. Its 3 layer filter won’t let the print head deal with problems like clogging or drying with precise, smooth working ability.
The ink lets printers produce such vivid and vibrant colour results. Cartridges are filled with the aid of Syringes. in addition, its waterproof and anti UV ink set ensures the prints’ freshness for a long time. Instead of spending a fortune on expensive refill bottles for ink, E-Z ink offers the durability and quality you need in your business. That’s why we added it to our 10 best sublimation inks.
Pros
Vibrant colors due to the latest technologies adoption.
The high heat transfer rate makes it quick action ink.
Economical due to its high page yield.
Produce long-lasting results due to anti-UV and Waterproof abilities.
Cons
Auto-fill option should have been added.
6. Printers Jack 400ml Sublimation Ink
Key Features:
- Printers Jack Brand
- 4 x 100ml CMYK bottles Quantity
- Syringe filling
- Dries in 30-45 seconds
Printers Jack can be declared the market leader due to its wide range of ink provisions for almost all kinds of sublimation and inkjet printers. This CMYK 400ml ink set is specifically made for all Sawgrass printers and is highly compatible with all their leading models from RICOH and Virtuoso series. The ink set fulfils all the requirements for bright image printing, as the Printers Jack is known for.
It is a PJ sublimation ink that prints on materials like fabric, boxes, ceramic, and glass. Produced results are brilliant with the vivid and bright colours that stay for a long time due to the waterproof and scratch-free technologies. The durability of the printed results can be measured with the anti UV technology that protects it from being got faded and from harmful effects of the sun.
With the micron 3-stage filtration technology, the problem of clogging or drying ink on the print head can be solved. The ink can be filled with the syringes provided in the box into refillable ink cartridges. The ink works smoothly with sawgrass printers without compromising to produce high-quality printing results for your clients and you.
The ink set is highly recommended for sublimating persons who want to produce brilliant colors with a good brightness that stays fresh for a long time due to its anti-UV and water-resistant technologies. We have added it to our list of the 10 best sublimation inks.
Pros
Produce equally good results for all sawgrass printers.
Ink works non-stop and prevents from being clogged due to micron 3stage filtration technology.
Way less expensive against Sawgrass Sublijet Ink set.
Smooth color texture due under the printer jack brand name.
Cons
Color accuracy would be affected if mixed with other inks.
7. Topcolor Sublimation Ink Refill
Key Features:
- Topcolor Brand
- 4 x 100ml CMYK bottles Quantity
- CISS printers and refillable ink cartridges
- Direct refilling
The next brand on our 10 best sublimation inks list is the Topcolor, which comes with 4x100ml bottles of CMYK. Although the ink set is slightly higher in price than the other major brands like Printers Jack and the Hiipoo, the ink’s color accuracy allowed us to add it to the list.
The ink set is compatible with CISS ink system printers and refillable cartridges. You can use it with most HP and Sawgrass printers with a CISS ink system, especially with the Epson’s Stylus and Expression EcoTank series.
Topcolor sublimation ink has a wide range of applications and can be used to print on fabrics; ceramics, wood, banners, etc., but be aware of the fabric containing more than 30% of cotton. The ink works smoothly without compromising the vivid colour quality. In addition to it, the ink doesn’t get clogged on the print heads. The Topcolor 400ML is about compatibility, vivid colors, easy installation, and smooth working. The ink set is recommended for those who want to make a backup for their ink supplies without compromising the colour quality.
Pros
Smooth texture and vivid colors due to the latest technology.
The latest technology prevents it from getting the print head clogged.
Double protection from being split.
Easy to refill due to its capping design.
Cons
Slightly higher in price against Printers Jack and Hiipoo.
8. Sawgrass Sublijet UHD Inks
Key Features:
- Sawgrass Brand
- Sawgrass sg1000 and sg500
- Fade-free
- Dries in 50 seconds
Sublijet UHD Inks are the best sublimation ink for Sawgrass; that is no wonder because it is the company’s own ink set. The Sublijet UHD is the advance version of the Sublijet HD. Although it is the way pricy option against all the ink sets available in the list, this inclusion in our list is its colour quality and durability. Sublijet UHD is an economical option due to its less ink usage and saving up to 6% of the inks against similar options.
Many people face the issue of Sawgrass sg500 printing being too light. That issue can be faced for many reasons like the colour settings, etc., but the main reason is that they use other inks in their sawgrass sg500 printer. Sublijet UHD inks provide the best way to tackle the problem. The producer uses the latest technologies to produce high-quality bright colours that stay longer than many ink sets.
It is the best solution for Sawgrass sg500 printing too light because the ink set is made by Sawgrass, which uses UHD technology to produce vibrant and bright colours. The ink set is highly recommended for people who possess sg500 or the sg1000.
Pros
Works smoothly with sg500 due to high compatibility with Sawgrass printers.
Anti-UV technology prevents printed images from getting faded.
Economical ink that saves you up to 6% of the ink.
Produce vibrant and bright colors due to the latest UHD technology.
Cons
Slightly higher in price against PrintAn expensive option but justifiable on its performance and less usage technology.
9. Lexmate Auto-fill Syringe-Free
Key Features:
- Lexmate Brand
- ICC-Free Printing
- Three Layer Filtration Technology
- Auto-fill Nozzle
The ink is doesn’t require any profile and produces such bright and vivid colors with high saturation that stay fresh for a long time. The wide application of the ink is great to create DIY gifts for you and your customers. The 3-layer filtration technology prevents it from getting clogged on the print head and transfers quickly during the sublimation process.
The Lexmate is a good competitor for the Printers Jack and the Hiipoo with its quality and functions like the auto-fill nozzle design. We highly recommend the ink set to the people who want easy refill without thinking of getting messed with the spilt ink over the printer. Its auto-fill technology fits perfectly on the cartridge head in the printer without getting messy. Lexmate sublimation ink is a potential competitor to the leading brands like Hiipoo and Printers Jack. Its upgraded anti-UV 3-layered, auto-fill, and ICC-free printing technologies are affordable. We couldn’t exclude it from the 10 best sublimation inks list.
Pros
Produce Equally good colors like Hiipoo and Printers Jack.
Auto-fill nozzle technology prevents ink spill and wastage.
Vibrant colors provide a realistic view.
Waterproof and Anti-UV ability adds more durability to sublimated designs.
Cons
Requires slight accurate settings to produce awesome results.
10. Cosmos Sublimation Ink
Key Features:
- Cosmos Ink Brand
- Fit-in bottle knobs
- Protected from mirroring effect
- Dries within 1 minute
Cosmos sublimation ink is made to work with the majority of Epson printers. The quality of the prints is excellent, and the colours don’t fade rapidly and stay for a long time. The bottles are equipped with a special fit-in knob technology that allows for simple and direct refilling of your printer cartridges. The technology is very simple to fill the bottles and complete the entire installation process even if you don’t have any prior knowledge.
The Cosmos sublimation ink doesn’t require any additional settings for the colors and the tray selection from your computer. However, the printer produces brilliant color results that don’t create a mirroring effect on the printed image. In addition to it, the ink doesn’t require any profile to adjust the colors for different objects and produce similar results for any type of surface.
Cosmosink is one of the best sublimation inks that give a special treat to sublimation lovers with its brilliant colors and smooth printing that stays fresh for a long time. The Cosmos sublimation ink is highly recommended for people who have Epson EcoTank printers at their shops or homes.
Pros
Easy to refill with its fit-in knob technology.
Compatible with almost all Epson EcoTank printers.
The ink prevents the image from getting the mirroring effect.
27ml extra black ink compare to other ink suppliers that provide 100ml black ink.
Cons
Little modification is required for some printers, but you can settle down the issue by watching the Cosmos tutorial on the website and on YouTube.
Buying Guide
The market is full of so-called best sublimation inks; you must be wondering why I used the term “so-called”?There are numerous sublimation inks currently available in the market, but many of them are just passing the marketing stunts and get failed to provide high performance. The debate creates a question of what is the best sublimation ink if some brands are misleading the new clients? The answer is in this section, where we are concluding some of the factors that must be present in sublimation ink. These factors should be your minimum criteria for choosing the best ink for sublimation.
Should be Compatible with your Printer:
Compatibility is the first factor you should check while looking for the best ink for sublimation. Numerous sublimation links don’t work with all the printer brands. It becomes necessary to check whether the sublimation ink is compatible with your printer or not; otherwise, you have been throwing your bucks on wasted colours. You can check the compatibility from the seller’s page, where most of the time, compatible printers are mentioned. If you don’t find your printer’s model number in the list, you may contact the seller to confirm the compatibility. The final thing is, you must confirm the sublimation ink’s compatibility with your printer.
Dry-free and Clog-free:
One biggest problem I faced in the sublimation business is that sublimation ink gets dry if the printer is not used for quite a while. Getting the issue solved may take a healthy amount of time, and you can’t wait if you’re running a small business in the town. It is a waste of time that you need to work on the clogging issue.
Instead, you can save time for your business and yourself, thanks to the clog-free technology introduced by many modern-day brands. Best ink for sublimation should be clog-free, and you have to make sure that it doesn’t get dried or clogged quickly so that your business can’t be affected. You can acknowledge the thing by checking the sellers’ main page because this is their major marketing tact that makes their ink distinctive from other brands.
Anti UV:
The sublimation business persons face a major issue: the colours become faded after a passage of time. Scientists in this regard introduced many technologies in the past, but they didn’t get much success. Anti UV is another major feature your sublimation ink should have to tackle the problem.
But a question that may arise here is what is anti UV sublimation ink? Anti UV is a technology introduced by scientists that restrict the ultraviolet rays directly from the sun. These rays are the basic reason your colours get faded and become dull after some time; the Anti UV technology provides enhanced protection from the harmful rays that come from the sun for a longer time. Your selection for the best sublimation inks should be based on the anti-UV technology that adds durability to your prints for a long time.
Color Consistent:
The world is attractive due to its colours, making a thing eye-catchy. But how can you justify it with sublimation ink? The answer is simple; surely, ink makes print attractive and eye-catchy due to the vivid colour combination and the perfect consistency for a scenario-based print design. The ink you are purchasing should be able to produce vivid and bright colour that appeals to the human eye.
I want to mention Printers Jack ink in this regard. You can check our printers jack sublimation ink reviews that indicate the higher consistency in producing high quality and vivid colours in a design print. Another criterion you can set while buying the sublimation ink is ICC approval. International Color Consortium (ICC) manages and sets the trends regarding the colour profiles to check their consistency and quality.
Durability against Cracking or Peeling and Water:
Low-quality sublimation ink may result in cracked photo print, and the dried ink is easily peeled off from the different objects, especially the fabric. Suppose you are running a small sublimation business. In that case, you should not compromise on the durability of the sublimation ink because once your customer realizes a crack on his shirt or bag, you may lose your client forever.
As a result, it is highly recommended to spend some extra bucks on reliable brands that offer durable sublimation inks for a longer period. Your criteria for the ink selection should be durable ink that provides durability for almost 100 years.
You have to look at sublimation ink’s waterproof ability to ensure durability. Print designs may be faded after being washed regularly for some time, and waterproofing technology adds more life to the prints on the t-shirts and other materials. Hippo or the printer’s jack sublimation ink is reliable against the water that provide high quality and durable colours water and provide the durability to remove any chance of cracking or peeling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Q: What is the best sublimation ink for the Epson printer?
Some Epson printers use only Epson sublimation inks, but other inks produce excellent results with Epson printers. Some are good at durability, and others produce great vibrant colours that catch eyes at very first sight. However, Hippo and Printers Jack are the good brands that can be considered as best sublimation ink for Epson eco tank.
Q: how to make sublimation ink brighter?
Various sublimation inks provide different colour brightness and are good at producing vibrant colours in the prints. You can not workout on the ink but can optimize your colour settings before printing on a different paper or material. However, Cosmos and Hippo are the inks that can produce bright colours if you control your computer settings at an optimum level.
Q: how to make sublimation colours brighter?
You can make the sublimation colours brighter with the help of your computer setting. You can select the output quality as high, scaling to none, and control the brightness of your image design from the software you are using and the printer’s setting.
Q: What is a good brand of sublimation ink?
Numerous brands offer good quality sublimation ink to their customers. However, after reviewing many sublimation inks, Hippo, Printers Jack, and Cosmo are the brands that can safely be said as good brands for sublimation ink.
Q: Are all sublimation inks the same?
The straight answer is “No .”The market is full of sublimation inks that can be differentiated based on their colour quality, durability, and extra protective abilities from harmful environmental effects. All the inks are available at different prices according to their performance and quality.
Final Verdict:
Finding the best sublimation inks in this broad market can become one of the important tasks when you start a sublimation business. You can’t make experimental purchases while sublimating your clients’ designs. Therefore, we highly recommend these sublimation ink brands from our list that can provide vibrant and durable colours and increase your client base due to their high performance.
- Printers Jack Sublimation Ink
- HiipooSublimation Ink
- Sawgrass Sublijet UHD Inks
- Lexmate Auto-fill Syringe-Free
Here are some of the recommendations for different people. Hiipoo and Printers Jack is undoubtedly the best performer and trusted inks for Epson printers.
However, Lexmate auto-fill sublimation ink is their newly emerged competitor that provides similar features and quality to Epson printers. If you have Sawgrass, then Printers Jack’s sawgrass version and Sawgrass Sublijet UHD is among the best sublimation inks.