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Hi 👋 and welcome to this in-depth Epson F170 review!
I'm Sam from MakerFlo Crafts, and I'm excited to show you how the Epson F170 works, who should buy it, and how it performs on 8 different types of sublimation blanks!
By the end of this review, you'll know whether or not this is the right printer for you. You'll also know how to set it up and start printing your own items right away.
Let's do it 💁♀️🖨️✨
What's inside:
- Our Epson F170 Review - What You Should Know
- Unboxing & Setting Up the Printer
- Testing the Printer on 8 Different Items!
- Pros & Cons
- Epson F170 Product Specs
- Who Should Buy the Epson F170?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our Epson F170 Review - What You Should Know
We love this printer and think it's best for serious sublimation hobbyists and craft business owners who don't want to pay an arm and a leg for ink, but still want great-quality sublimation prints and a reliable printer backed by a manufacturer's warranty.
It's got a compact size and is easy to set up.
It does have a smaller print size than a wide-format printer, and the resolution is lower than Sawgrass, Brother, and Ecotank printers, but we don't notice a difference after pressing the design.
You can purchase this printer right now at MakerFlo Crafts. ✨
[product=epson-r-f170-sublimation-printer]Our best-selling sublimation printer![/product]
Unboxing & Setting Up the Printer
First, let's unbox the Epson SureColor F170 sublimation printer (this is how it comes when you buy it from MakerFlo Crafts).
Pro Tip: When you open the box, make sure to cut away with your knife, not towards yourself.
What's Inside the Box
Inside the box, you'll find:
- A pack of MakerFlo sublimation paper. This one comes with our standard letter size (8.5" x 11"). It does come in other sizes if you'd like to purchase more.
- Instructions and setup manual. Be sure to put that to the side.
- Sublimation ink. Cut the little piece of tape off the box to open it. You'll find yellow, magenta, cyan, and black each in individual packaging.
- The power cord. Don't plug it in just yet.
- The printer. Gently remove the plastic packaging and tape from the printer. Make sure to check all sides so you can remove all of it.
Adding the Ink
Now, it's time to add the ink.
First, lift up the ink covers to find the slot for each color. You can see which color goes in which slot. (Each bottle will only fit in its designated spot.)
Start with the black one first. You'll see on the label that they ask you to shake each one 15 times before use. So give it a good shake for 15 seconds or more. Then, remove the top and put it into the slot for black ink.
Let the ink fill up the tank without squeezing the bottle. This takes a little bit of time!
You can see the little fill lines on the front of the ink tanks.
Repeat this process with the yellow, magenta, and cyan inks. Now you're ready to plug in the printer and get it ready to print!
Initializing the Printer
Now that the inks are filled, close the ink tank and the top cover of the printer.
Connect the power cord to the back of the printer.
Note: You don't need to connect it to your printer because it prints wirelessly over a Wi-Fi connection, but if you can't get a strong or consistent Wi-Fi signal, you can use a USB 2.0 or Ethernet cord to connect it to your computer.
Now, turn on the printer by holding down the power button for several seconds.
Once it's on, select your language using the up and down arrows. Press OK.
The printer will take a few moments to initialize. Then, it'll ask you to look at the "Start Here" sheet that comes with the printer. Press OK.
Hold the question mark button down for several seconds, then press OK to begin charging the ink. (This process takes about 14 minutes.)
While the ink is charging, do not unplug the printer, open the cover, or interrupt the process in any way. Once that's completed, you can press OK to go to the next step.
You will notice that the ink levels will be lower than what you filled! Don't worry, the inks are just in the printer lines and have not been used yet.
Loading the Sublimation Paper
Now it's time to add paper. At this step, you'll see a screen that lets you adjust the settings for best quality. Press OK to continue with the recommended settings.
Next, open the paper tray and move the blue paper width guide so it fits a letter-sized piece of paper (8.5" x 11").
Put your MakerFlo Sublimation Paper into the tray, making sure the printable side is face down, and the MakerFlo watermark side is face up. Close the tray and press OK.
Running Test Prints
Your first print will be a nozzle check pattern to verify the print head is working correctly.
Examine the pattern and lines. They should be completely solid and match the image you see on the printer's screen. If they don't look right, run a cleaning cycle. If they look like they should, press OK.
Next, the printer will print a vertical line pattern.
Pick the most even-looking square, making sure it's filled in.
Use the printer's plus and minus buttons to choose the number of that square, then press OK.
Next, the printer will print out a horizontal line pattern. Find the one that shows two matching gray lines with no white space or overlap.
Again, use the plus and minus buttons to choose the number of that pattern and press OK.
Once you finish this, your printer will be initialized and ready to print.
But there's one last step you do not want to miss, and that's installing the Epson driver to make sure your colors print out correctly. We will do that in the next section.
Watch Us Unbox & Set Up The Printer With This Video Tutorial
If you want to see this entire process in action, watch us walk you through each step, from unboxing to setting up the printer, in the video below 👇
Installing the Printer Driver
Now, let's install the printer driver for your Epson F170.
A quick note before we begin: The Epson F170 works with computers only. It does not work with a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet.
To install, click the link below to open the install page in a new tab:
>> Download the Epson SureColor F170 Printer Driver <<
The website should automatically detect your operating system, but if it doesn't, select your operating system from the drop-down list and click "Go."
Next, click on "Drivers" and download the Drivers and Utility Combo Package.
Open that file and follow the instructions on your screen to install it.
Once it's been installed, a window will pop up asking you to select your language. Choose one and click "Next."
Then, read through the terms and agree to them.
After this, you will have the option to install a link to the user's guide. Let the installer finish downloading all the drivers and utilities.
Now, make sure your printer is turned on and click "Next" to proceed.
Make sure your ink tanks are filled and that you've charged the ink (as we explained in our printer initialization section above). If everything is ready, check the box and click "Next."
Now you should see your new printer on the screen. Select it and click "Next."
This part takes a little bit of time.
Once it's done, you have the choice to register your product.
If you do, make sure to select "Distributor/Reseller" for your place of purchase if you bought your printer from MakerFlo Crafts.
Congratulations! Your printer is now set up and ready to use.
You can go to "Printers and Scanners" to double-check that your computer recognizes your new Epson printer. It should be labeled as SC-F100.
Watch How to Install the Printer Driver With This Video Tutorial
If you want to see how we installed the printer driver on our test printer, watch this video tutorial to see the entire process in action 📹✨
Testing the Printer on 8 Different Items!
Now that we've got our printer up and running, let's see how it performs with some of our top-selling sublimation blanks.
We'll be testing how the Epson F170 prints perform on 8 different sublimation blanks that we sell.
For each one of these crafts we'll be showing you today, we made prints using the Epson F170, the included Epson sublimation ink, and MakerFlo sublimation paper.
We'll show you how the prints look on our best-selling sublimation tumblers, our glitter pouch, bottle opener, luggage tag, ornament, square coaster, keychain, and mechanical pencil. You can find all of these flat items (besides the sublimation tumblers) in our Sublimation Mini Starter Kit.
[product=sublimation-mini-starter-kit]Try out all of our best-selling flat blanks with the Sublimation Mini Starter Kit![/product]
#1 - Sublimation Tumblers
First up, here's how the Epson F170 prints look on some of our sublimation tumblers (check out the full livestream here!)
What we used:
- 20oz Skinny Sublimation Tumbler in Glitter Shimmer
- 40oz Sublimation Tumbler in Sublimatable Stainless Steel
- Heat Tape
- MakerFlo Sublimation Oven
How we made them:
We wrapped them with the transfer paper then baked them in our sublimation oven at 375 degrees for 6 minutes.
And this was the result!
It looks exactly like the image we printed, a full-color photorealistic photo of an elephant! 🐘
And here’s the second one, made on our 40oz skinny tumbler in sublimatable stainless steel!
By the way, our guide to sublimating a tumbler teaches you how to make your own sublimation tumblers and provides templates for every size we sell.
#2 - Glitter Pouch
Next, we'll show you how these prints performed on some of our flat blanks (which you can find in our Sublimation Mini Starter Kit)!
What we used:
How we made it:
We cut and taped the design, then pressed it with the mini press for 60 seconds at 365 degrees.
Here's what it looks like!
The image is nice and crisp, and the red ink really pops!
Watch the full video here 👇
#3 - Bottle Opener
Next, we sublimated our flat sublimation bottle opener.
What we used:
How we made it:
We cut and taped the design onto the bottle opener, then pressed it for 100 seconds at 385 degrees.
This one is double-sided, so you can add a design to the opposite side, too!
And here's the result:
See how to make it yourself in the video below! ✨
#4 - Luggage Tag
Next up is our sublimatable luggage tag! This is a great project for a summer getaway 🌴
What we used:
How we made it:
We taped down the design and pressed it for 50 seconds at 365 degrees.
This was the final result!
The colors look really beautiful on this one.
Watch the full tutorial in the video below 👇
#5 - Ornament
Next, we'll try out an ornament, which is an awesome holiday gift idea.
What we used:
How we made it:
We cut and taped down the transfer paper, then pressed it with the portable heat press for 40 seconds at 365 degrees.
Here's what it looks like!
Watch the full video here:
As a quick reminder, you can get all of these blanks and sample designs ready for you to press with our Sublimation Mini Starter Kit!
[product=sublimation-mini-starter-kit]Try out all of our best-selling flat blanks with the Sublimation Mini Starter Kit![/product]
#6 - Leatherette Coaster
Next up is our leatherette coaster!
What we used:
How we made it:
We cut down the design to size, taped it to the coaster, then pressed it for 50 seconds at 365 degrees.
Here's how it turned out:
This has some beautiful bright reds and blues--it's really eye-catching.
Watch me make this in the full tutorial video below!
#7 - Keychain
Next, I sublimated one of our flat keychains--they're super easy to make!
What we used:
How we made it:
We taped the design to the keychain blank, then pressed it for 80 seconds at 380 degrees. We recommend using a heat glove when handling the keychain, because it gets hot!
Here's how it looks!
Watch the full video below 👇
#8 - Mechanical Pencil
Finally, I sublimated our Crafter's Mechanical Pencil blank! This makes a great teacher appreciation gift. 🍎We also have a Crafter's Gel Pen if that's more your style, and both are included in our Sublimation Mini Starter Kit.
What we used:
How we made it:
This is the only craft in our mini kit that can't be made with a heat press! For this one, we preheated the sublimation oven to 375 degrees and baked the pencil barrel for 6 minutes. (Make sure to wear the heat glove when you remove it!)
Here's the final result!
This looks so good! The colors are super bright and blend together so well.
See how it's made with our full video tutorial:
So how does the Epson F170 perform?
All of these items came out with bright colors and stayed true to our on- screen design.
Bottom line? You'll be able to get beautiful colors and create professional- looking products and gifts with this printer.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- You can get this printer for an affordable price--it's comparable to other true sublimation printers
- It's super easy to start and set up
- Epson's printer driver makes it easy to get your colors printing as they should
- The ink comes in bottles, not cartridges, which makes it a lot cheaper than Brother and Sawgrass ink
Cons:
- You won't be able to print in wide format for larger t-shirts or a full 40oz tumbler wrap. Instead, you'll need the Epson F570 for wider paper sizes
- You can't print from a mobile device, only a computer (the Brother Sublimation Printer is the only one we know of that prints from a mobile device)
- You do get a lower print resolution than the Sawgrass sublimation printers, but we don't see a noticeable loss in quality after pressing
Want to see how this printer compares with others? See more details in our review of the best sublimation printers for every business.
Also, see why we recommend buying a true sublimation printer instead of converting an inkjet printer (especially if you're running a business).
Epson F170 Product Specs
This printer measures 19.8" x 14.8" x 7.4". It weighs 10.2 pounds. It's easy to fit on a desktop or home workspace and its light weight makes it easy to move around, too.
You can print pages up to 8.5" by 47.2" in size and load up to 150 sheets at a time. The print resolution goes up to 1200 x 600 dpi. And when you buy directly from us, you get a pack of our best-selling sublimation paper in 8.5" x 11" letter size.
This is NOT a wide-format printer.
Each ink bottle holds 140ml of ink, and you load the ink directly into the ink tanks. This is not an ink cartridge, so you do need to load it into the printer. That said, you get a lot more ink for the price, which makes the ink cheaper than cartridge-based printers.
One user on Reddit said they printed more than 425 prints over a year without having to replace the ink. Of course, that will depend on how much you print and what kind of designs you're printing. Keep in mind that cleaning print heads and other maintenance functions will use up ink.
When you get this printer, it comes with a standard 1-year warranty from Epson.
See more specs and details on our Epson F170 product page.
Who Should Buy the Epson F170?
As you can see, we love this printer. It has more affordable ink than Sawgrass or Brother printers, yet it is super reliable and produces great-looking prints.
This is a great printer for serious sublimation crafters and business owners who want an affordable yet reliable printer that won't get clogged or break down, which is the risk of converting one yourself.
You can buy this printer right now for a great price at MakerFlo Crafts!
Grab it here below:
[product=epson-r-f170-sublimation-printer]Our best-selling sublimation printer![/product]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is sublimation?
Sublimation is an awesome printing technique that uses a special ink called sublimation ink and sublimation paper. When you press these sublimation transfers with high heat, the ink instantly vaporizes (in a process called "sublimation") and sinks into the surface of your substrate. This only works with polyester or polyester-coated and polyester-blended materials, but it creates this amazing true-to-life print that's literally one with your material.
Learn more in our beginner's guide to sublimation.
What can you make with a sublimation printer?
As long as you have a sublimation-friendly blank, you can make anything as long as you apply the transfer paper and press it with high enough heat! For example, you can make shirts, hoodies, bags, and all kinds of garments made of polyester or polyester blends, tumblers, mugs, cups, pens, keychains, luggage tags, wind spinners, pouches, tea towels, and more! See our full line-up of sublimation blanks here.
