The Epson ET 2820 is an affordable home printer that can produce reasonable color accuracy for documents and photos. It is essentially the same as the ET-2800/ ET-2803 and hails from the EcoTank family. This features a .5-inch display, an 8.5″ x 11″ flatbed scanner with no automatic feeder or fax functionality, and a 100-sheet input tray. It has Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, and is compatible with Epson’s Smart Panel mobile app.
The ET-28XX series printers are very easy to convert and a go-to for many sublimation beginners on a budget. I have been testing the ET-2820 as a sublimation printer against the more expensive ET-15000 recently and found it to be the more cost-effective solution, however, it lacks 13×19 capabilities.
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― High-capacity ink tanks mean no more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; Epson’s exclusive EcoFit ink bottles make filling easy and worry-free.Operating Temperature : 50 to 95 °F (10 to 35 °C)
- Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges (1) – that’s enough to print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 color (2), equivalent to about 90 individual ink cartridges (3)
- Stress-Free Printing — Up to 2 years of ink in the box (4) – and with every replacement ink set – for fewer out of ink frustrations
- Zero Cartridge Waste – By using an EcoTank printer, you can help reduce the amount of cartridge waste ending up in landfills
- Impressive Print Quality ― Unique Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology produces sharp text – plus impressive color photos and graphics – on virtually any paper type
Pros
- Great resolution, capable of vibrant prints
- Easy to use and setup
- Cost-effective (ink tank)
- Benefits from multifunctional features such as a scanner
- Affordable model for beginners to sublimation
Cons
- Conversion to sublimation can void the warranty on ink-related issues
- Not suitable for wide-format printing
- No touch screen – less convenient for setup
Sublimation project results
In short, the results from the ET-2820 were superb. I have to say, at the default out-of-the-box settings, the prints turned out less vibrant compared to the SureColor F170, however, for considerably less money this is excellent. With a max print resolution of 5,760 x 1,440 dpi, you have everything you need to produce quality results, no matter the substrate. Of course, this is in part down to quality sublimation ink and ideal heat press settings.
The ET-2820 performed exceptionally during all my tests and it was incredibly easy to convert and set up. My only qualm with affordable printers is the lack of a touchscreen display – navigation-style buttons as we see with these are slightly less convenient for setup and general use.
The Epson ET-2820 happens to be an excellent home office printer
An added benefit for some when converting an Epson to sublimation is the multifunctional aspect. You can still utilize the scanner and if desperate print out documents, although we wouldn’t recommend the latter. The overall quality of this printer is well known for the price, which when you add in its cost-effectiveness you get al all together quality unit.
Ink recommendations for Epson EcoTank ET-2820
For the ET-2820 I decided to use the A-Sub ink set but any of our usual recommendations will work well in this printer. I have tested Hiipoo and Epson’s own DS ink but Cosmos and Printer Jacks will work wonders too. The end results were comparable and I was very happy with how my projects turned out.
How to convert Epson EcoTank ET-2820 to sublimation
Converting an Epson Ecotank printer is very straightforward but it is worth mentioning that when you add sublimation ink into the tank it voids the warranty. This process takes no time at all, you just need to ensure you have purchased sublimation ink and sublimation paper! sublimation ink tends to come with syringes or specialized refill bottles so you can negate the Epson ink key system. Before you begin it is important to keep your printer unplugged until step two.
- Step 1: When purchasing sublimation ink you will notice some sets come with syringes or refill bottles. Using these, carefully fill your individual ink tanks with the corresponding color.
- Step 2: Now your tanks are full you can plug in, switch on, and fill the printer’s paper tray. You need to run the default setup, which includes connecting the printer to your local network, setting the date and time, and ensuring the printer head is aligned correctly. Make sure you use the included manual for a stress-free setup and follow any maintenance checks for flawless results. While your printer is in the process of setting up it is worth heading to Epson’s website and installing the appropriate drivers and software.
- Step 3: Now it is time to rinse out your syringes/ fill bottles. It is also worthwhile labeling them for future use – happy printing!
In summary
Whatever ET-28XX series printer you can get your hands on is an excellent choice for sublimation. My time with the ET-2820 led to some vibrant results on my blank t-shirts, mugs, and coasters. Aside from being relatively affordable and cheap to run, this is very straightforward to convert and an ideal starter for anyone looking to begin sublimation.