Best Printers for Heat Transfers in 2022 (Top Models Reviewed)

Best Printers for Heat Transfers in 2022 (Top Models Reviewed)

Getting the right printer can sometimes be a hassle; the good news is, we’re always armed with the right information to make your search for a printer a walk in the park.

There are different types of printers —all of which are specially configured to accomplish a specific task. In this article, we shed light on the best Heat Transfer Printers.

Heat Transfer printers are similar to most common printers. However, they come with the technical capacity to print on t-shirts and heat transfer papers. This type of printer is recommended for those printing on materials.

The fact is, making the right choice can be a daunting task, especially if you’re doing this for the first time. However, reading through this piece can dramatically turn things around and help you make the most of your choice.

How does a heat transfer printer work?

Heat transfer, as the name implies, transfers images created in wax directly on the material. Generally, the printing process is achieved with the use of a printer. An image is created on the material; then, the printer applies enough heat to press the wax-based inks and ribbon it together on the piece of fabric like a t-shirt. The heat press is placed on the opposite side till the ink comes off the ribbon to create the desired image on the t-shirt.

Quick Comparison of Best Heat Transfer Printers

Model Product Warranty Item Weight Product Dimension Function

Epson Stylus C88+ Inkjet Printer

One Year
10.14 Pounds
18.1 x 9.5 x 7.610 inches
Print

HP LaserJet Pro M452dw Wireless

One Year
41.7 Pounds
18.5 x 16.2 x 11.6 inches
Print

Brother HL-L2320D Mono Laser Printer

One Year
15 Pounds
14.2 x 7.2 x 14 inches
Print

Workforce WF-7710 Wireless

One Year
40.8 Pounds
32.2 x 22.3 x 13.4 inches
Print, Scan, Copy, Fax

Canon TS6120 Wireless

One Year
2 Pounds
14.2 x 14.75 x 5.5 inches
Print, Scan, Copy, Fax

5 Best Printer For Heat Transfers

We cherry peaked and reviewed some Best Heat Transfer Printers uniquely designed with the right degree of versatility and flexibility to promotes efficiency and quality prints.

1. Epson Stylus C88+ Inkjet Printer – Stunning Photo Prints

The Epson stylus C88+ inkjet printer is a durable device suitable for small and bulky projects and will deliver prints in stunning colors. The sturdy and innovative DURAbrite Ultra ink pigment will knock off most competitors.

This device can print up to 23 pages per minute; this feature makes it perfect for anyone working on a bulky project. The print ink dries off quickly and decreases the possibility of fading and wetness.

The machine is optimized with 5760 x 1440 dpi with ink drops, as little as three Pico per liters. With the Epson stylus, you’re sure of durable prints that will last long. It comes in a contemporary design to fit the current demand for borderless pictures.

What’s more? It is built with a high-capacity input tray to work on large volumes of projects. The results are outstandingly clear and color-rich. Unlike most printers, this allows you to conveniently control the number of inks you want to use by refilling it with the preferred color.

It is stylistically compatible with modern Windows and Macintosh computers; it has multiple connectivities like the USB option and parallel connections to switch through ports automatically.

The package comes with a black ink cartridge, cyan ink cartridge, a yellow ink cartridge, the printer’s documentation, a CD-ROM, and software.

Product Specifications

  • Product Dimension

    18.1 x 9.5 x 7.6 inches

  • Item Weight

    10.14 Pounds

  • Product Warranty

    One year limited warranty from the date of original purchase

  • Customers Reviews

    4.2 of 5 stars

  • Style

    Photo Printer

Pros

  • 120 sheet input tray —high paper retainer capacity
  • Smudge, fade, and water-resistant
  • Extreme color ink
  • Remarkable photos
  • Conveniently replaceable ink cartridges
  • Provide Borderless photo
  • Compatible with Mac and Windows PC
  • Rapid printing

Cons

  • Its needs recalibration once dormant
  • Borderless printing is not user-friendly
  • Mediocre support

Bottom Line

The Epson Stylus C88+ is a sturdy device built with the capacity to help you accomplish your tasks in no time. This will offer lifelong value and color-rich prints; it is durable enough to withstand wares that are likely to occur with time. 

2. HP LaserJet Pro M452dw Wireless – Secured and High-Performance Printer

The HP laserjet is a high-performing, fast printer that is majorly designed for security. There are a handful of printers out there made for bulky projects. However, this incredibly high-speed machine should outperform 70% of some of the top-ranked printers used for heat transfer.

The loading time is superfast; this gives you the liberty to print while on the go. It is auto-duplex enabled; this feature positions it as one of the leading and fastest printers in the market.

Your information is secured; the HP Jet advantage private settings control/ limit access and ensures confidentiality on all your projects. The HP LaserJet Pro M452dw is an efficient and user-friendly device armed with a 3-inch touchscreen to reduce the chore of tapping and swiping.

The printer comes with high-yield color toner cartridges and Jet intelligence that helps maximizes performance and give you enough value. The innovative anti-fraud technology inspects fraudulent activities and restricts the use of counterfeit inks.

Furthermore, you have access to a seamless connection compatible with different mobile devices with no application or software required.

Product Specifications

  • Product Dimension

    18.5 x 16.2 x 11.6 inches

  • Item Weight

    41.7 Pounds

  • Product Warranty

    One year limited warranty from the date of original purchase

  • Customers Reviews

    4.2 of 5 stars

  • Style

    Photo printer

Pros

  • Efficient
  • User-friendly
  • Supports Ethernet, Wi-Fi, etc.
  • Fast Printing
  • Auto duplex printing enabled
  • High-resolution graphics

Cons

  • Mediocre text quality
  • Sub-par support
  • Customers complain about the drivers
  • Connection problems on Macintosh devices

Bottom Line

The HP color Laserjet printer is a fast and portable device suitable for casual and small offices. It enables various connectivity for easy access and multiple supports when used with smart devices.

3. Brother HL-L2320D Mono Laser Printer – Easy Start and Use

Are you in need of a seamless printer? Here comes the Brother HL-L2320D to help with all of your printing needs. This is a monochrome laser printer that works on over 30 pages per minute, giving you instant access to copies of your contracts, reports, etc., within minutes.

It comes with a 250 sheet tray to meet up with bulky projects. The unique versatility makes it compatible with a letter, executive, legal and custom-sized paper. And will also perform flawlessly when used on heat transfer paper.

The straight guided paper path ensures printed papers come out straight with zero stains. The USB 2.0 engages your computer for rapid connection;  it can also be connected to various smart devices for easy setup.

Upgrade your work efficiently with the Brother, HL-L2320D and reduce additional expenses with the Automatic duplex printing tray. What more? It comes with a toner saver to reduce the amount of ink used on less sensitive projects.

Since the printer is monochromatic by design, it has one space for one cartridge, which means you spend less time maintaining the printer or going through the hassle of swapping inks.

For more precision, it has a manual feed slot designed for stationeries and envelopes. This is a smart choice for offices and home professionals due to the simplistic design and user-friendly features. Finally, you stand the chance of high-quality prints generated by an optimized resolution of 2400 x 600 DPI.

Product Specifications

  • Product Dimension

    14.2 x 7.2 x 14 inches

  • Item Weight

    15 Pounds

  • Product Warranty

    One year limited warranty from the date of original purchase

  • Customers Reviews

    4.4 of 5 stars

  • Style

    Photo Printer

Pros

  • Fast and reliable printer
  • Cheap toners
  • It comes with a toner saving setting
  • Organized document feeder
  • Duplexer
  • Supports Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi directs to print directly from a phone

Cons

  • Prints only in black and white
  • Absence of a LAN port
  • Mediocre texts and graphics

Bottom Line

The Brother HL-L23260DW Mono laser printer provides you with enough printing speed; this feature makes it perfect for a small and bulky task.

4. WorkForce WF-7710 Wireless – All in One Heavy Machinery

The workforce WF-7710 wireless printer is an all-in-one printer capable of handling tasks efficiently. You can scan, print, fax, and copy all in a container that provides exquisite borderless photos. It is a powerful and durable inkjet printer that features a 250 sheet tray and a rear feed designed for specific papers.

Navigation is seamless and more engaging due to its 4.3-inch color touch screen, which gives you access to all the optimized features of this one-of-a-kind innovative printer, including; wireless and wired networking and a host of others.

One of the common features of most Epson brand products is that they are only compatible with Epson cartridges. If a third-party ink cartridge is said to be compatible, it might not operate efficiently compared to the result obtainable when using Epson Cartridge.

Security is important to Epson. To this effect, the brand provides regular firmware updates to help tackle security performance and bug issues that are likely to occur with time.

Powered by precision core, the WF-7710 has a 35-page auto document feeder with additional features to help you meet up with a wide range of tasks.

Product Specifications

  • Product Dimension

    32.2 x 22.3 x 13.4 inches

  • Item Weight

    40.8 Pounds

  • Product Warranty

    One year limited warranty from the date of original purchase

  • Customers Reviews

    4.4 of 5 stars

  • Style

    Photo printer

Pros

  • Moderately fast printer
  • All-in-one-printer
  • Auto duplexing and scanner
  • User-friendly touchscreen control panel
  • Fine print quality

Cons

  • Expensive per page printing
  • Mediocre graphic print
  • Individual paper cassette

Bottom Line

The product is an all-in-one device specialized to print or copy wide-format pages. Although, the pace is nothing compared to most of the products we reviewed on this list.

5. Canon TS6120 Wireless – Light Weight and Powerful

The Canon TS610 wireless inkjet printer is an all-in-one personal designed to suit your daily printing needs. With this wonderful device, you can freely print documents and photos at an easy and steady pace.

The canon TS6120 comes in a handy box. The device is equipped with five different ink tank systems, all working together to give your documents a crispy clear appearance and print photos in the best quality.

Additionally, you can conserve your ink by only replacing the specific colors that run out and not the entire cartridge. The integrated scanner allows for a quick scan and can copy sensitive documents directly to your mobile device.

The Canon TS6120 provides a worthwhile experience and comes in a compact box suitable for home and office use.

Product Specifications

  • Product Dimension

    14.2 x 14.75 x 5.5 inches

  • Item Weight

    2 Pounds

  • Product Warranty

    One year limited warranty from the date of original purchase

  • Customers Reviews

    4.4 of 5 stars

  • Style

    Photo Printer

Pros

  • Compact
  • Five ink cartridges to provide quality texts and pictures
  • Double input tray
  • Bluetooth connectivity(4.0)
  • Wonderful photo print quality
  • Rapid prints

Cons

  • Unequipped with the automatic document feeder
  • Does not support SD card or USB thumb drive supports
  • Prints documents relatively slow
  • Has no WI-FI direct nor NFC

Bottom Line

The Canon Pixma TS6120 is a compact device with wonderful prints; however, it is unequipped with modern innovations that would have made the device highly demanded.

Also Read

Buying Guide of Best Heat Transfer Printers

Before we proceed any further, let’s face it! How do you make a heat transfer? Heat transfer is the most assured way of transferring artwork on fabric.

It is a safe, affordable, and seamless process that can be done anywhere. If you would like to dabble in heat transfer printing, you will need the most efficient printers to make the most of your time and get the best results.

The fact is, there are tons of options when it comes to Heat Transfer Printers, and choosing the most efficient printer that gives off the best for your budget is an important task, regardless of the motive behind your purchase.

One of the cost-effective and creative steps to get the most from your purchase is to compare the difference between each specification, although this can most times be a chore. This section will make the process hassle-free by providing you with some of the most important info you need to make the right choice.

Inkjet Vs. Laser printers

Now that we have established that Laser and inkjet printers can equally and competently handle heat transfer.  We have to ease you off the dilemma of choosing between the two. They both come with their drawbacks and strong points which include:

  • Laser printers generate heat, this makes them an excellent choice for heat transfer. However, you’ve to handle this device with extra care to avoid getting hot. You have to keep this in mind when using a laser printer for heat transfer.
  • By comparison, not all inkjets can be used on heat transfer papers. There are certain processes required to carry out a heat transfer successfully. Most importantly, ensure the device that you’re going for is capable of heat transfer.
  • Heat transfer is a delicate process, and thorough handling of your tool is important; the right device ensures the right outcomes. An incompatible printer will not give you the desired outcome and can ultimately lead to buying a new device in no time.
  • The sublimation inkjet printers are unique; they don’t only print onto paper but cloth too. It is quicker, reliably, and produces better results.
  • Sublimation printers, you’re printing on fabric and paper. After printing on a transfer paper, you can add the design to objects like mugs and water bottles.

The Type of Ink Used in these Printers

There are two main types of printers; these are, inkjet and laser printers. They both have their pros and cons to balance each other out.

  • Inkjet Printers are the cheapest printing devices; they come with various dyes, pigment inks, and sublimation.
  • Out of these three options, the dye-based inks are the most affordable, though it has its share of disadvantage. Over time, the prints fade away once they are exposed to sunlight.
  • Dye-based inks are only recommended if you’re out on a tight budget.
  • The sublimation inks are more resilient to sunlight and require special skill and knowledge when used.
  • The best inks for inkjet printers are pigment-based inks which are more expensive, resilient, and are relatively user-friendly.
  • They are the generally recommended ink for heat transfers as they are durable and water-resistant.
  • On the other hand, laser printers don’t feature inks but toners. It is important to ensure the toner you’re going for is compatible with the printing device; using the wrong toner on your device might lead to damage.

Light HTP vs. Dark HTP

It is important to pay attention to the fact that some fabric transfers are labeled as either light or dark due to the process involved. Here are the major differences between these two transfers.

In dark heat transfers, the outcome is printed in blue, where you do not have to mirror your graphic image. However, the light transfers are printed in pink.

Printing on a light transfer requires that you print on the blank side, and you must flip the image before printing, or else you might have a backward print.

You can print on both papers with an old inkjet printer and with any ink. Furthermore, you can use your domestic iron or a heat press to print on your garments.

Heat Transfer vs. Sublimation Printing

Sublimation is closely similar to heat transfer. It involves making a design on a special paper and then pressing it on a garment with a heat press. The only difference is that sublimation turns into gas when ink is applied, and once it cools off, it is embedded in the fabric. The sublimation technique allows the printed design to give a blended feel between the fabric and the design; the transfer gives an additional layer of designs on the flip side. The following is a comparison of heat transfer and sublimation.

  • Sublimation is relatively expensive and less compact when compared with heat transfer print.
  • The sublimation produces a more rounded and blended result than heat transfer. Rather than adding another layer on top of the garment, the sublimation process injects the ink to become part of the fabric.
  • There is a limit to the type of materials you can decorate when using the sublimation process.

People Also Ask:

Ans. Yes, you can use most inkjet printers to heat transfer. However, you might consider reading the manual to check whether your printer is compatible with the transfer paper.

Ans. First, you need a computer to create your design. Then you need a cutter, the printer, ink, transfer paper, and heat tape to keep your fabric in place when printing.

Ans. Inkjet ink is the most used ink for heat transfer because it is accessible and affordable. Sublimation inks are used for sublimation printing, while pigment ink is used for fade resistance.

Ans. Most fabrics can be printed on; from throw pillows, T-shirts to canvas, there is a very little embargo on what you can print on using heat transfer.

Ans. The transfer paper is a light piece of paper coated with wax and colors. It is used to embed designs printed on surfaces.

Editor’s Pick

The Epson Stylus C88+ is our top pick because it’s a sturdy and easy-to-use device recommended for professionals and officials use. The innovative design and remarkable features outperform most of the gadgets we reviewed on this list.

Conclusion

It’s an awesome experience to print on fabric—whether you’re doing this leisurely or professionally. The information we shared on this will go a long way; however, if you’re at the crossroad of making a decision, feel free to make a selection from any of the top-rated devices reviewed above.

About the author

I have done masters in printing and technology from University of North Carolina and contributed to several digital media platforms for years. My extensive background in higher education has made me a flexible thinker and, therefore, a flexible writer. With my creativity and professionalism, I know I can take this affiliate blog to the next level.

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