Comparing Epson DTG Printers

 

 

There are so many options for decorating garments these days. You can choose transfers, screen prints, applique, or embroidery. You also have the option of using direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. This new method is exciting and growing in popularity every day. 

Epson has some great products in this space. There are two models that are the envy of print shops and home businesses everywhere. The Epson F2100 and the the Epson F3070 ar both fantastic printers, but each printer has pros and cons. We’ve taken the time to compare both printers. 

 

Epson F2100

The Epson F2100 printer is the best selling printer for direct to garment in the world. The Epson F2100 is the perfect printer for the home based business. It’s also a helpful addition to commercial printers as well. The F2100 has increased in speed compared to its predecessor the F2000. This machine is quiet. It is built for direct to garment. It is a heavy duty production machine. You can print many different things:

• T-Shirts
• Koozies
• Towels
• Prints
• Caps
• Shoes
• Hoodies
• Jeans

Pricing:

The Epson 2100 has increased productivity. It loads fast. It is fast.  Plus, the resolution is great. It also comes with a great warranty. 

If you are looking to start your own home-based business then this may be your best choice. The F2100 can handle large and small orders. Once you have an image on a USB drive you can print it whenever you want. That’s great for repeat customers. 

• MSRP: $17,995
• Est. Street Price: $15,995

 

Epson F3070

The F3070 is a step above the F2100. This industrial strength printer is perfect for high volume print shop environments. When you are looking to save money on ink then this is the printer for you. The F3070 has a bulk ink system that gives you low cost ink pricing. High volume printers love it. This is the next generation of DTG printers.

The F3070 was built from the ground up. It features automatic garment thickness adjustment. Imagine not having to constantly adjust your printer for thickness. The maintenance is low. This is the printer for cost effective production. You’ll be abl to print hundreds of shirts a day. 

The Epson F3070 has a built-in stand with easy access covers and an interchangeable platen system. You can print very high-quality prints with the F3070. It is fast-loading and intuitive.

 Audience

One of the most important things to consider when beginning to compare these models is who will use it. Is it for a small business? Is it for a seasoned screen printing shop? 

The Epson group of printers focus on garment shops that are smaller in nature. These shops primarily focus on t-shirts. Epson has also been a favorite amongst home businesses as well. They are easy to use, but can handle demands. These printers can fit well in many regular print shops. 

The F2100 is best for home business. When you expand your home business the F3070 is the next step up for you. The F3070 is great for print shops. 

The ink has a shelf life of 2 years from the printed production date. The printer is designs for use with Epson ink packs. Third party ink systems will not work. 

Take note, this printer requires two outlets. 

Check the comparison chart for more details

The best feature of DTG is unlimited colors. Epson delivers! 

Maintenance

Maintenance is one of the most important considerations of t-shirt printing machines. Epson printers excel in this regard. The F2100 needs a small amount of daily maintenance. You can maintain this product in less than 5 minutes a day. The F3070 is more self-sufficient.  Their costs can be as low as $30/month. Considering how much these printers can produce, there is minimal maintenance demands. Daily automated cleaning proficiency will reduce the amount of time that you will need to focus on printer upkeep. 

Training

You are probably wondering how long it will take you to get up to speed on the printer. You want to be making money, not constantly training.  Epson printers have a low learning curve. You can start putting these into practice very quickly.

Service

Epson does an incredible job in regards to service. Epson has a national network. That means that they have service technicians all across the country to help. They even have a 48 hour on-site warranty. 

The Epson distributors are the first go-to when handling small issues. They work tirelessly to create great relationships with their customers and want to be available for you when you need to upgrade or purchase additional supplies and equipment. Larger issues are clearly an issue for Epson itself. 

 Materials

The amount that you pay for materials is critical to making your small business run properly. It’s an important factor when choosing to purchase a new printer. You will want to know how much it costs to print a t-shirt. Printing garments costs money and this is where the rubber meets the road. You need to know how much it costs to produce any shirt. You can be misled by some analysis. The manufacturers create this data to make their products look better. So be wary.

You need to work with your distributor to come up with your overall costs. Operating costs are specific to the store. However, you can calculate your operating costs with Epson. You can calculate the cost of your shirts. You can even calculate the maintenance costs. Plus, you need to know how long you spend working. This is important to the calculation as well.

Epson Comparison Chart

Model	F2100	F3070
Price	$17,995	$49,995
Street Price	$15,495
Machine Dimensions	39” (W) X 59” (L)  X 20” (H)	68” (W) X 72” (D) X 53” (H)
Garment Thickness	Up to 24.9 mm / 0.98 in	Up to 29.5 mm / 1.16 in
Garment Thickness Optimization	No	Yes
Ink	UltraChrome DG	UltraChrome DG
Ink Delivery	CMYK + White	CMYK + White
Ink Cost	$150/liter	$150/Liter
Replaceable Bulk Ink System	No	Yes
Ink Circulation System	Yes	No
OEKO-TEX 100 Certified	Yes	Yes
AATCC Wash Test Rating	5/5
Max Print Area	16” X 20”	16” X 20”
Max Resolution	1440 X 1440 dpi (White) 1440 X 720 dpi (Color)	1200 X 1200 dpi
Print Head	Single 1” Precision Core TFP	Dual 2.6” Precision Core Micro TFP
Integrated Print Stand		Yes
Operating System	PC/Windows or Mac	Windows 10 and 8.1, macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or later
Software	Garment Creator	Garment Creator
Warranty	Yes	Yes
Daily Maintenance	Yes	No
Pre-Treatment	Yes	Yes

 

Additional Equipment

When you are choosing equipment you need to remember that there are additional considerations that need to be considered. You may need additional equipment.

Pre-Treatment Machine

Garments may need to be pre-treated before they are printed upon. The pre-treatment is a liquid solution. This solution enables white ink to be printed and washed. It also allows full color images to be printed on colored shirts. Some printers need a machine to administrate the solution. 

Heat Press

Depending on the ink that you use in your DTG printer, you may need a heat press as well. Plus, if you have a heat press you can also add digital transfers to your repertoire. An additional source of revenue. 

 There are a lot of great features to both the F2100 and the F3070. Both printers would make great additions to any business. 

Have any additional questions we can answer? Contact Learn How To DTG. We can give you more information.