A heat transfer printer is any printer that prints a design onto a carrier (paper or film) that you then press onto a garment. The four common types are inkjet with iron-on paper, sublimation, DTF and white toner laser. The right one depends on your fabrics, your shirt colors and how much upkeep you'll put up with.
- Easiest start
- Inkjet + transfer paper
- Polyester only
- Sublimation
- Any color, most fabrics
- DTF
- No printer at all
- Order transfers
The main types at a glance
| Prints on | Dark shirts | Upkeep | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inkjet + transfer paper | Cotton, blends | Dark paper only | Low |
| Sublimation | White or light polyester | No | Low to moderate |
| DTF | Cotton, poly, blends | Yes | High |
| White toner laser | Cotton, poly, blends | Yes, two-sheet paper | Moderate |
| DTG (direct, no transfer) | Mostly cotton | Yes, with pretreat | High |
Inkjet printer with iron-on paper
This is the home version. A regular inkjet prints onto transfer paper, you trim it, and you press or iron it on. Light paper goes on white and light shirts and needs a mirrored image. Dark paper has an opaque white layer, so it works on dark shirts but feels thicker.
It's cheap to start and fine for one-off gifts and craft projects. The tradeoff is feel and durability: the print sits on top like a film and tends to crack or fade sooner than other methods. Our guide on how to use transfer paper walks through the steps.
Sublimation printer
A sublimation printer uses special dye ink. Under heat, the dye turns to gas and bonds into polyester fibers, so there's no layer on top and no feel at all. Prints hold up very well.
The catch: it only works on polyester (or poly-coated hard goods like mugs), and only on white or light colors. Sublimation inks have no white, so they can't cover a dark shirt. Cotton won't hold the dye. If you mostly do white performance shirts, it's a strong choice. See DTF vs sublimation for a side by side.
DTF printer
A DTF (direct to film) printer prints color plus a white ink layer onto PET film. The wet print gets a powder adhesive, then it's cured. The result is a transfer that presses onto cotton, polyester, blends and fleece in any shirt color.
It's the most flexible option, and also the most work to run. A DTF setup usually includes the printer, a powder step, a curing step, film, ink and a heat press. White ink needs regular circulation and maintenance, and printers that sit unused tend to clog. We cover the full process in how to make DTF transfers.
White toner laser printer
These are laser printers that can print white toner along with color. For dark garments, most use a two-sheet paper system: print onto a transfer sheet, press it to an adhesive sheet so the glue grabs only the toner, then press the transfer onto the shirt. It works on cotton, polyester and blends.
No liquid ink means less clogging than inkjet-based systems. The tradeoffs are paper cost per transfer, extra steps, and sheet sizes limited by the printer.
DTG, for contrast
Direct to garment isn't a transfer printer. It prints water-based ink straight onto the shirt. It gives a soft feel on cotton, but dark shirts need a pretreatment step first, and the machines need frequent cleaning. It's a different workflow from pressing transfers.
So which is the best printer for heat transfer t-shirts?
- A few shirts for fun. Inkjet and transfer paper.
- White polyester, mugs and hard goods. Sublimation.
- Any shirt color, mixed fabrics, regular volume. DTF, if you're ready to maintain it daily.
- Dark shirts without liquid ink upkeep. White toner, if the paper cost per print works for you.
Or skip the printer
A lot of shops don't own a transfer printer at all. They own a heat press and order printed DTF transfers. You get DTF quality on any color shirt, with no ink, film, powder or printer maintenance on your side.
That's what we do. We print DTF in-house in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, for as low as $0.03 per square inch with no minimums. Orders placed before 1PM PT ship the same business day, and shipping is free on orders over $75.
FAQ
Can I use a regular printer for heat transfers?
An inkjet can print on iron-on transfer paper. You can't use a regular printer for sublimation or DTF, since those need special inks.
What printer works on dark shirts?
DTF and white toner printers both print white, so they work on dark shirts. Inkjet works only with dark transfer paper. Sublimation doesn't work on dark shirts.
Do I need a heat press?
For anything beyond craft projects, yes. An iron works for transfer paper and even DTF, but a heat press gives more even heat and pressure and a more durable result.
Press transfers without the printer
Upload your art, and we'll print and ship ready to press DTF transfers.