Sawgrass SG1000 review

The sublimation printer that runs its own maintenance, which is the specification that matters most in this category.

The verdict: A tabloid sublimation printer that prints up to 11 by 17 inches straight out of the box and runs automatic maintenance cycles even when idle, which addresses the single biggest failure mode in sublimation. Buy it if you sell apparel, signage or panels bigger than a standard chest print. Skip it if mugs, tumblers and small transfers are your whole product line, where the SG500 does it for a third of the price.

Best sublimation for intermittent use

Sawgrass SG1000 Sublimation Printer with 31ml inks and paper bundle

~$1,700

A tabloid sublimation printer with automatic maintenance to prevent clogged heads, a full set of 31ml SubliJet UHD CMYK inks and the MySawgrass software suite.

Check price on Amazon

Specifications

Spec	Detail
Maximum print size	Up to 11 by 17 inches (tabloid) out of the box
Maintenance	Automatic maintenance cycles that run even when idle
Ink	Full set of 31ml SubliJet UHD CMYK inks included
Software	MySawgrass platform and Sawgrass Print Utility with templates and colour management
Bundle	Includes ink and paper
Positioning	A step up from the SG500 for larger prints and scalable performance

Specifications above come from Sawgrass's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

Automatic maintenance is the reason to buy Sawgrass rather than a converted desktop inkjet. A sublimation printer that sits idle for three weeks and still prints is worth real money.
Tabloid output covers most apparel graphics, small banners, panels and signage without stepping up to a 24-inch machine.
The MySawgrass software includes colour management and templates, which shortens the learning curve where most beginners lose material to bad colour.
31ml inks are a proper starter set rather than a token, and the bundle includes paper so the first job can happen immediately.
Colour management aimed specifically at sublimation, where what comes off the printer looks nothing like what comes off the heat press.

Where it falls short

Sublimation ink is expensive per millilitre, and Sawgrass ink is a closed system. That is the trade for the reliability, and it is a real ongoing cost worth modelling in our ink cost calculator before committing.
Polyester and polymer coatings only. Cotton will not work, and no amount of pressing time changes that chemistry.
You still need a heat press, transfer paper and blanks. The printer is one line in the budget.
Automatic maintenance uses ink. That is the mechanism by which it prevents clogs, and it means a lightly used printer consumes ink doing nothing visible.
11 by 17 inches is a ceiling. All-over prints and cut and sew panels need a wide format machine, and outgrowing this is a real possibility if the business grows.

What owners report

What owners consistently say about Sawgrass machines is that they start when you turn them on. In a category where clogged heads are the standard complaint, that reliability is the recurring theme and it is the thing people cite when justifying the price against a cheaper converted inkjet.

The consistent counterpoint is ink cost, and owners are candid about it: the ink is expensive, the maintenance cycles use some of it, and the trade is a printer that works. Nobody in published reports describes the print quality as a problem.

Who it suits

Sublimation businesses printing apparel graphics and signage up to tabloid.
Anyone whose printing is intermittent or seasonal, where clogging risk is highest.
Beginners who want colour management handled rather than learned the hard way.

Who should skip it

Mug and tumbler businesses, where the SG500 does the same job much more cheaply.
Anyone needing all-over prints or cut and sew panels, who needs 24 inches. Our Epson SureColor F570 review covers that step.
Cotton apparel businesses, which need a different process entirely.

Alternatives worth considering

Budget Pick

Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation Printer Starter Bundle with ink and paper

~$600

The same ecosystem and software at desktop size, with a 20ml starter ink set. For mugs, coasters, tumblers and standard chest prints it does identical work for a third of the money.

Check price on Amazon

Step-Up Alternative

Epson SureColor F570 24-inch Desktop Sublimation Printer

~$2,650

24 inches, roll feed, a built-in cutter and nesting software that cuts transfer paper waste. The machine to grow into when tabloid stops being big enough, and a bigger logistical commitment including freight delivery.

Check price on Amazon

Common questions

Why buy a Sawgrass instead of converting a cheap inkjet?

Reliability and support. Converted inkjets clog, void their warranty the moment third-party ink goes in, and offer no colour management for sublimation. A Sawgrass runs automatic maintenance, is supported for the purpose, and comes with software that gets colour right. The trade is a higher purchase price and closed-system ink.

What size can the SG1000 print?

Up to 11 by 17 inches, tabloid, out of the box. That covers most apparel chest and back graphics, small banners, signage panels and multi-up layouts of smaller items. All-over apparel prints and cut and sew panels need a wide format machine.

Does automatic maintenance use ink?

Yes, and that is the point. The cycles push ink through the nozzles to stop it drying there, which consumes a small amount of ink in exchange for a printer that works after a quiet fortnight. Weigh that against what a clogged head costs to fix.

Can I use third-party sublimation ink?

Sawgrass uses a closed system, and using anything else affects support and results. In sublimation specifically, ink chemistry and the colour profiles are matched, so substituting ink usually means colour that no longer matches the profile as well as a support problem. Our third-party ink versus OEM comparison covers where that gamble pays and where it does not.

What else do I need to start sublimating?

A heat press sized for your products, sublimation transfer paper, heat-resistant tape, protective paper, and polyester or polymer-coated blanks. The printer is typically less than half of a realistic startup budget, and buying the printer first and discovering the rest is a common way to stall.

Keep reading

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.