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US prices read on official stores on US prices read November 15, 2026 · One published formula for every score · How we score
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DTF printer for beginners: the ones that forgive a week off

Your first DTF printer should protect its own white ink and cost under $3,500. The InkSonic Spark F13 leads at $2,099.

Procolored K13 DTF printerAll DTF printers rankedxTool Apparel Printer Plus DTF printerSmall businessProcolored F8 Panda DTF printerBudgetHTVRONT D2 DTF printerKits with oven or shakerHow to choose: 3 questions
9 printers · prices read November 15, 2026
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1

InkSonic Spark F138.5/10No. 1 of this ranking

Best for: the cheapest way to get an oven: printer plus oven for $2,199.

  • Adding the oven costs $100, the smallest kit premium in the comparison
  • White ink is stirred, filtered and circulated, and the head self-cleans every 12 hours
  • Free shipping to the US mainland, per InkSonic

The catch: The warranty is the shortest of the direct-sale brands (6 months on everything), and the warranty page does not list the F13 by name.

13 in wide · A3Epson L18005 to 8 min per A3 printWindows
$2,099$2,599Read Nov 15, 2026 at InkSonic. Black Friday price (list price $2,599)In stock at InkSonicCheck price at InkSonicRead the Spark F13 review
2

HTVRONT D28.6/10

Best for: crafters moving up from a heat press who want a kit that arrives complete.

  • Every kit ships with 3 liters of ink, film and powder
  • 16 sq ft an hour: three to four times the entry Procolored models
  • Keeps maintaining itself with the computer switched off

The catch: The $2,549 price is a Black Friday deal that ends November 30; the list price is $3,499.99. And the D2 only takes HTVRONT's own D2 ink.

13 in wide · A3Epson F1080 (original, per HTVRONT)Up to 16 sq ft per hourWindows
$2,549$3,499.99Read Nov 15, 2026 at HTVRONT. Black Friday deal, November 10 to 30 (list price $3,499.99)In stock at HTVRONTCheck price at HTVRONTRead the D2 review
3

Procolored F8 Panda8.3/10

Best for: the smallest desk and the smallest budget: left-chest logos, kids' tees, hats, tote bags.

  • Lowest price in the comparison: $1,599, or $1,799 with an oven
  • 22 lb and 21 inches wide: it fits on a shelf
  • Same roll feed, cutter and auto-cleaning as its bigger siblings

The catch: The 8.2-inch print width caps you at A4: a full adult front (11 to 12 inches wide) will not fit in one piece.

8.2 in wide · A4Epson L800Letter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hourWindows
$1,599$1,899Read Nov 15, 2026 at Procolored. Sale price during Procolored's Black Friday early dealsIn stock at ProcoloredCheck price at ProcoloredRead the F8 Panda review
4

Procolored K13 Lite8.2/10

Best for: A first DTF printer for a home shop printing up to a few dozen shirts a week.

  • 13-inch roll printer for $1,999, with phone and chat support six days a week
  • White ink circulates every 30 minutes and the head self-cleans every 10 hours
  • One free print head replacement in the first 6 months

The catch: It is the slowest printer in the comparison (5 letter-size prints an hour, per Procolored) and the software runs on Windows only.

13 in wide · A3LH-500 (Procolored LiteHead)Letter/A4 print in 12.5 min, 5 prints per hourWindows
$1,999Read Nov 15, 2026 at ProcoloredIn stock at ProcoloredCheck price at ProcoloredRead the K13 Lite review
5

InkSonic R1390 C138.4/10

Best for: the lowest price for a 13-inch printer in this comparison.

  • $1,899 for a 13-inch printer, $100 less than the K13 Lite
  • Its model code is named on InkSonic's warranty page
  • Oven kit at $2,099

The catch: InkSonic does not state a self-cleaning schedule or a weight for it on the page we read, and the warranty stops at 6 months.

13 in wide · A3Epson R13905 to 8 min per A3 print (InkSonic comparison table)Windows
$1,899$2,599Read Nov 15, 2026 at InkSonic. Black Friday price (list price $2,599)In stock at InkSonicCheck price at InkSonicSee the R1390 C13 on our InkSonic page
6

Procolored F13 Panda8.0/10

Best for: buyers who want Procolored's long-running L1800 model, with a second white channel for dark garments.

  • Double white channel (CMYK+WW) on a 13-inch roll-fed printer
  • Procolored's long-running model: its page speaks of more than 10,000 businesses equipped
  • Heated platen and white ink circulation as standard

The catch: Six letter-size prints an hour is slow for the price, and the product page still advertises a one-year print head promotion that ended on June 30: the policy in force gives 6 months.

13 in wide · A3Epson L1800Letter/A4 print in 10 min, 6 prints per hourWindows
$2,299$2,999Read Nov 15, 2026 at Procolored. Sale price during Procolored's Black Friday early dealsIn stock at ProcoloredCheck price at ProcoloredRead the F13 Panda review
7

Procolored K137.9/10

Best for: K13 Lite buyers who want the second white channel and one more print an hour.

  • Second white channel (CMYK+WW) and the LH-600 head: 6 prints an hour instead of 5
  • Same touchscreen, circulation and self-cleaning as the K13 Lite
  • One free print head replacement in the first 6 months

The catch: It costs $500 more than the K13 Lite for one extra letter-size print an hour.

13 in wide · A3LH-600 (Procolored LiteHead)Letter/A4 print in 10 min, 6 prints per hourWindows
$2,499$3,499Read Nov 15, 2026 at Procolored. Sale price during Procolored's Black Friday early dealsIn stock at ProcoloredCheck price at ProcoloredSee the K13 on our Procolored page
8

Procolored P137.7/10

Best for: A home shop that wants Procolored's fastest single-head printer and the only Procolored kit here with a powder shaker.

  • 8 letter-size prints an hour, the quickest single-head Procolored
  • Sold with a shaker oven kit ($4,599), so powder and curing are automated
  • Laser film check and waste ink alarm protect the head and the desk

The catch: At $3,199 before any oven it costs $1,200 more than the K13 Lite for three more prints an hour.

13 in wide · A3Epson XP600Letter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hourWindows
$3,199$3,899Read Nov 15, 2026 at Procolored. Sale price during Procolored's Black Friday early dealsIn stock at ProcoloredCheck price at ProcoloredRead the P13 review
9

Lancelot M1630 Pro7.8/10

Best for: buyers who want the laptop and software set up before the box arrives.

  • Every bundle includes a laptop with the RIP already installed
  • About 6 minutes per A3 print, per Lancelot
  • An official US store with a written warranty page, free US shipping and returns within a month if no ink went in

The catch: The print head is covered for 3 months only, half of what Procolored, HTVRONT and InkSonic write, and the exact printable width is not stated on the store pages we read.

11.7 in wide · A3Epson XP600 (F1080), per LancelotAbout 6 min per A3 printBundled laptop (system not stated)
$2,599$2,999Read Nov 15, 2026 at Lancelot. Printer and laptop bundle on Lancelot's US store (list price $2,999)In stock at LancelotCheck price at LancelotRead the M1630 Pro review

How to read this ranking

Nobody tells you this at the start: a DTF printer is a pet. White ink is heavy pigment in water, it settles, and a head that sits dry for two weeks can clog. The K13 Lite manual says it plainly: not printing for more than two weeks can dry the ink in the head.

So for a first machine, we put the automatic protections ahead of speed. Does the white ink circulate on its own? Does the head clean itself while you are at your day job? Does the software install without a fight? A beginner printer that does those three things will still be printing in month six.

Price comes next, and we mean the kit price. A printer alone prints film; you still need an oven to cure the powder and a heat press to put the transfer on a shirt. Several kits below add the oven for $100 to $500. That is the number to compare, and each card shows it.

This list only keeps printers at $3,500 or less. It is ordered for a first machine: white ink care counts for 30% of the order, price 20%, software and warranty 15% each, weight on the desk 10%, width and speed 5% each. The score shown is each printer's one overall score. The full method is public.

What sets the order of this list

  • White ink care30%
  • Price20%
  • Software and computers15%
  • Warranty15%
  • Weight on the desk10%
  • Print speed5%
  • Print width5%

The score on each card is the printer's one overall score. This list only changes the order.

Beginners: the 9 printers side by side

Beginners: DTF printers compared
PrinterScorePriceWidthStated speedWhite ink careComputersWarrantyWhere
InkSonic Spark F13 DTF printerInkSonic Spark F13Epson L1800
8.5/10$2,099
Nov 15, 2026		13 in5 to 8 min per A3 printCirculation, stirring, scheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 6 mo machineCheck price at InkSonic
HTVRONT D2 DTF printerHTVRONT D2Epson F1080 (original, per HTVRONT)
8.6/10$2,549
Nov 15, 2026		13 inUp to 16 sq ft per hourCirculation, stirring, scheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at HTVRONT
Procolored F8 Panda DTF printerProcolored F8 PandaEpson L800
8.3/10$1,599
Nov 15, 2026		8.2 inLetter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hourCirculation, scheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at Procolored
Procolored K13 Lite DTF printerProcolored K13 LiteLH-500 (Procolored LiteHead)
8.2/10$1,999
Nov 15, 2026		13 inLetter/A4 print in 12.5 min, 5 prints per hourCirculation, scheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at Procolored
InkSonic R1390 C13 DTF printerInkSonic R1390 C13Epson R1390
8.4/10$1,899
Nov 15, 2026		13 in5 to 8 min per A3 print (InkSonic comparison table)Circulation, stirringWindows6 mo head · 6 mo machineCheck price at InkSonic
Procolored F13 Panda DTF printerProcolored F13 PandaEpson L1800
8.0/10$2,299
Nov 15, 2026		13 inLetter/A4 print in 10 min, 6 prints per hourCirculation, scheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at Procolored
Procolored K13 DTF printerProcolored K13LH-600 (Procolored LiteHead)
7.9/10$2,499
Nov 15, 2026		13 inLetter/A4 print in 10 min, 6 prints per hourCirculation, scheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at Procolored
Procolored P13 DTF printerProcolored P13Epson XP600
7.7/10$3,199
Nov 15, 2026		13 inLetter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hourScheduled self-cleaningWindows6 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at Procolored
Lancelot M1630 Pro DTF printerLancelot M1630 ProEpson XP600 (F1080), per Lancelot
7.8/10$2,599
Nov 15, 2026		11.7 inAbout 6 min per A3 printScheduled self-cleaningBundled laptop (system not stated)3 mo head · 12 mo machineCheck price at Lancelot

Speed is the maker's stated figure. Warranty: print head, then machine. Prices read November 15, 2026.

Go further

What is a DTF printer? How it works, what it prints, what you need

A DTF printer prints on film, not on the shirt. Here is the process in five steps, the equipment around the printer and what it costs to start.

Read the guide

DTF printer maintenance

Shake the white ink, print a little most days, keep the room warm and humid enough. The routine from the manuals, and what the automatic systems really do.

Read the guide

Procolored K13 Lite vs Procolored F13 Panda

$1,999 against $2,299, with a pick for each buyer.

See the head-to-head

Procolored F13 Panda vs Procolored P13

$2,299 against $3,199, with a pick for each buyer.

See the head-to-head

Procolored K13 Lite vs HTVRONT D2

$1,999 against $2,549, with a pick for each buyer.

See the head-to-head

Beginners: questions buyers ask

What is the easiest DTF printer for a beginner?

In this order, the InkSonic Spark F13 at $2,099: 3-in-1 white ink care (stirring, filtering, circulation) and a vacation mode that cleans the head every 12 hours; a head moisturizing device is in the box. The HTVRONT D2 follows.

How much should a beginner spend on a DTF printer?

Between $1,599 and about $3,000 for the printer, plus an oven ($100 to $500 in a kit), a heat press and a first stock of film, ink and powder. Our cost guide adds up a full starter budget.

Is DTF printing hard to learn?

The printing itself is not: you print the design mirrored, powder it, cure it, then press it. The habit to learn is maintenance. Shake the white ink, print a little most days, and follow the cleaning routine in the manual.

Can I run a DTF printer from a Mac?

Most desktop DTF software is Windows only. In this comparison, xTool Studio runs on macOS, and Epson Garment Creator 2 does too. For the others, plan a Windows laptop; Lancelot ships a laptop with its software already installed.

Guides

Popular head-to-heads

How this site works

We compare DTF printers from the makers' official pages, manuals and warranty terms, with US prices read on a stated date. One formula sets every score, and it is public. Read the method