Typically, people feel they have no choice, or literally have no choice, they just go for what is most affordable, and that is fine.
Many of us have little choice but simply to go with the best, most affordable thing.
You can get great results using a low cost Epson. The ET-2720 is also good when you want to save on power as well as it uses 80% less power than laser printers do!
How awesome is that?
But, we won’t hang around, let’s look at this in detail. It is time to discuss the sublimation printer we are here for, the ET-2720, the cheaper option for everyone.
But, is it the best in the market for beginners and for veterans of their craft?
It’s time to find out!
Epson Sublimation Printer: What Is It?
Let's start off with the basics shall we? What is it?
Well, it is an eco tank printer which you can easily turn into a sublimation printer. All you need to do is replace the traditional ink with sublimation ink! It really is that simple.
Ecotank printers mean that this is a printer which uses ink tanks, not cartridges.
Its ink tanks are reusable, so when your ink tank is empty, just pour an ink bottle you have bought into it and refill the tank.
These are not like cartridges that need to be replaced in order to keep your printer doing what it is supposed to. These printers are not expensive in the long run because of this.
You might even call them ‘eco-friendly’ (or as eco-friendly as a sublimation printer can get these days) or even sustainable.
It stops you from disposing of any cartridges that pile up in landfills and just add to the garbage problem earth is already facing.
What Are The Most Noted Issues About This?
There are many noted issues, and things that anyone who has an ET-2720 or has thought about getting an ET-2720 has been thinking about.
We will save you the trouble of a painstaking google, and sifting through page after page of facts you just don’t need.
We will give it to you straight.
1. Converting Epson ET-2720 To Be A Sublimation Printer
At first, the ET-2720 was just a standard inkjet printer. You convert it into a sublimation printer yourself by filling the tanks with sublimation ink instead of the pigment inks you get by Epson.
While you are able to convert any inkjet printer (in theory) into a sublimation printer, you will also need to install the cartridges which might not be Epson made.
Or you might also have to install a continuous ink supplying system to be able to get properly started.
Epson does use ink tanks, so these just need topping up with sublimation ink instead. It's actually just that simple. It almost seems too good to be true, but it is true!
2. There Are Lines In The Sublimation Prints After You Cleaned The Head
It is entirely possible that even after you have cleaned the head one, two, three, even four times you may still get that dark line, or even white lines on your sublimation prints.
The best thing to do is to run a power cleaning, if this does not resolve it, take a deep breath, turn it off and do the power cleaning process again 12 hours later.
It is a bit painstaking that you should have to turn it off for so long just to fix the issue, and if you need this for your business, this may be a big problem, but sadly this is the only real way to get it to ‘wake up.
You should only power clean if totally necessary though, it does consume a lot of ink to do this, and as you know, ink is not cheap!
So, first ensure that the ink tank is topped up with at least ⅓ of ink before you power clean, and be aware that running this process could damage our ink pads if they are getting a bit close to their service life’s end.
If this is the case you might need to give Epson’s customer support line a quick call.
3. What If You Spilled Sublimation Ink
Did you make the mistake of spilling out the sublimation ink? Do not worry. Just immediately wipe it up with a dry cloth to prevent the ink from spreading.
Once you have cleaned up the ink with your dry cloth, lash a damp cloth on there to wipe away any remaining traces of the ink.
No matter if the ink is pigment or sublimation if they are left for even a moment they can dry fast and become hard on surfaces.
Do not delay cleaning it up, get straight on it, other things can wait!
4. Prints With Gaps
Let's say that you have fully refilled your tanks, but for some strange reason the nozzle patterns are printing gaps.
Why is this? Well, it is because of the ink tubes, and these may not be totally filled with ink.
Now, you can perform two power cleans at 12 hours intervals. Do not you will have to keep the printer off during the 12 hours between cleans, however.
Firstly, turn off the printer as you perform the first power clean. Before you do this, check ink levels, and make sure that they are a good ⅓ full.
Now, press and hold down the printer's power button as well as the help button simultaneously until the option to power clean comes up.
Follow the instructions it gives you on the screen.
Once your first power clean is finished, check the nozzle, and if you still find that there is an issue, do the whole power clean process again after you have left the printer off for 12 hours.
Also note that there are sometimes issues with sublimation printers printing the wrong colors.
If you find your ET-2720 is printing the wrong colors then you will first need to ensure that the side of the transfer paper you are trying to print on is actually the right one.
It might sound silly, but the tiniest mistake can lead to an issue with these printers.
Make sure that the white, glossy, or no grid form is on the correct side of your transfer paper.
Do note that the print will typically look faded on transfer paper, but know that it will transfer correctly on your substrate once you have heat-pressed.
You might be a bit baffled when you do find that the transfers are so faded, and these can be other issues relative to this as well.
Such as if you have not correctly set your printers’ settings to match up the paper in the tray, this could end up resulting in prints done incorrectly.
Always check your grayscale settings as well, and make sure that you set your printer's quality settings on a standard mode if you use windows, or a normal mode if you are using Apple.
Always check to make sure that the ink levels are not low, and remember that your printed colors will never fully match the colors you are seeing on your screen.
Know that you can, however, use your color management system inside the print software to be able to print in colors that are as close to the original image as you can possibly get.
Also, you should run a nozzle check to make sure your print heads are not clogged.
Finally, if nothing else is working, and you are still stuck, then you should do a power cleaning, but only when all other options have been exhausted. It is a last resort option.
5. Comparing The Epson WorkForce WF-7710 To The EcoTank ET-2720
Some people will wonder if there is much difference between the ET-2720 and the WF-7710, and if any of the differences are significant enough.
The Epson ecotank and the workforce printers are both traditional inkjets, but both of these are very simply convertible into sublimation printers.
Is there a difference? Well, yes, but the biggest one is that the ET-2720 uses tanks, but the WF-7710 uses cartridges. This is the most significant difference between the two.
Quality Of Printing
Which has a better print quality? Well, it's kind of close. The ET-2720 gives you a max printing resolution that sits at 5760 by 1440 dpi, however, the WF-7710 will give you 4800 x 2400 dpi.
The 2720 is the clear winner here, but the 7710 is not that bad.
The Speed Of The Print
The ET-2720 will be able to deliver 10 pages in a minute, while the WF-7710 will print 18 pages in a minute.
So, when we are thinking about print speed, the WF-7710 is the definite winner here.
However, the ET-2720 will be able to give you high-resolution images, with a very high consistency over the course of printing.
The 7710 is faster, but it lacks the consistency in quality that the 2720 has.
6. Consider The EcoTank ET-2720, The Epson WorkForce WF-7710 And Also The Sawgrass SG400
Now if we bring another printer into the equation we have to think even deeper, and we know that is what many of you seek, you’re asking these questions anyway.
You see, one of the biggest cons of the 2720 is the same in the Sawgrass SG400.
Neither of these printers are wide format ones. Which means that you will not be able to print a large design, and you will not be able to transfer them either.
Both of them will allow you to reach a maximum size of 8.5 inches by 14 inches.
So, these are both suitable for when you need to print small-size prints, ideal for mouse pads and mugs, tumblers and so on.
However, the 7710, in spite of its quality lacking compared to the 2720, is a large format printer, and it will print images for you that are as big as 13 inches by 19 inches, which is much more significant.
With this scale of printing you could print designs onto photo tiles, plates, sheets of metal, or anything else within this scaling.
We are not saying that it is better of course, but for some people, this might be just what the doctor ordered.
Now, if we ignore our forementioned comparisons and think about another Epson, the 4760, alongside the 2720, we have more thinking to do.
These are both sublimation printers with the capacity to print t-shirts.
They also both give you wireless printing, so you can print on the go, and both also both have multiple features which can further enhance your productivity and the print quality.
Is one better though?
Resolution
We know that the 2720 will print at a maximum of 5760 by 1440, however, the 4760 will print for you at a maximum of 4800 by 1200.
So, once again, like was the case with the 7710, the 2720 wins again when it comes to resolution and quality.
Capacity
What about capacity? Well, the 4760 can hold 250 papers in its capacity, but the 2720 can only hold 100.
This might not be a big issue for everyone, but if the capacity is of significance for you, then the 4760 might be a better choice as it can produce more prints in a short time.
Printing Borderless
What if you wanted to create borderless prints? Well, the 2720 can do this.
You can have easy borderless photos in sizes 4 inches by 6 inches or more with the 2720, and if you use the 4760 you can get borderless prints in 8.5 inches by 14 inches.
Dimension Printing
The 2720 is much bigger, it has dimensions of 14.8 inches by 22.8 inches by 10 inches.
Alternatively, the 4760 is a bit smaller at 14.8 inches by 13.7 inches by 9.1.
What Are The Similarities?
The main differences between the 2720 and the 4760 is the ink, one uses cartridges and the other tanks.
Tanks do save you a lot of time on upkeep and cost. Each tank will contain 80 cartridges worth of ink, which means that they will last you plenty of time before you need to replace them.
The most modern feathers in the ecotank printers have voice activation systems and wireless printing which gives you a really laid back and hand-offs approach to printing.
Eco tanks features also contain compact and stylish looks that are visually appealing but are simultaneously functional in offices and printing shops.
However, if you want something that will allow you to easily print shirts with a wireless operation then the ET-4760 is probably the best one for you, with its low cost to keep running and its ink bottles that last longer than cartridges, you can’t really go wrong.
8. Comparing The Epson ET-2720 & The Epson Artisan 1430
Then we have the Artisan. The 1430 is typically accepted as being a sublimation printer, but it is not so accepted as being a good photo printer.
However, do not underestimate it for its sublimation printing skills, especially if you want to start custom printing t-shirts.
Let’s take a look…
Quality Of The Print
The 1430 ink jet is large format, giving high-definition prints in sizes as big as 13 inches by 19 inches.
The 2720 is smaller with 8.5 inches by 14 inches. So, both will give you good quality but the 1430 will give you good quality in bigger sizes.
Printer Resolution
The 1430 makes use of 6 ink cartridges that gives you a resolution of 5760 by 1440 dpi, but the 2720 will use 4 ink tanks that give you 4800 by 1200 dpi.
So, if you want a pro-quality print (especially if you are a photographer) then the 1430 is likely the better choice.
Cost
The 2720 uses tanks, which is cheaper in the long run, and will save you a pretty penny. The Artisan 1430 uses ink cartridges, and we already know how we all feel about these.
The 7720 is a bit of an entry-level sublimation printer, it gives you good quality at a decent price. It is ideal for small shops, small offices, or homes.
It easily becomes a sublimation printer if you replace cartridges with sublimation ink.
Format
The 2720 produced 8.5 inches by 14 inch prints, but the 7720 can give you 13 inch by 19 inch prints. So, again it gives you significant sizes.
Capacity
The 7720 can hold up to 500 papers at any given time, but the 2720 can only hold 100, which is quite the difference. The 7720 can produce very large volumes very quickly.
Speed
The 2720 is able to print a total of 10 pages in one minute, whereas the 7720 can do 18 per minute, so the 7720 also beats the 2720 in speed as well.
Ink
Both printers have 4 colored ink systems, however the 7720 uses cartridges and the 2720 uses ink tanks, which are more affordable and sustainable.
Hi, my name is Michael Moore, and I have been 3D printing for a number of years now. I have created many cool gadgets over the years, but my current passion is creating one of a kind jewelry pieces. They can be so intricate and beautiful that many people wouldn't believe they are 3D printed.
Through Love and Robots, I hope to share my knowledge with others, and provide advice about everything 3D printer related.
