Procolored F8 Panda review
Product photos: Procolored.
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.
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.
- Print width
- 8.2 in · A4
- Print head
- Epson L800
- Stated speed
- 5.2 sq ft/h
- White ink care
- 2 automatic
- Computers
- Windows
- Head warranty
- 6 months
Verdict in 3 lines
The F8 Panda is the cheapest printer in our comparison: $1,599 on sale when we checked, $1,799 with an oven.
It is a real DTF printer in small: roll feed, cutter, two white channels, ink circulation and self-cleaning, in 22 lb.
It prints 8.2 inches wide. That is the whole decision: logos, sleeves and kids' sizes yes, a full adult front no.
Who the F8 Panda is for, and who should skip it
Buy it if
- You sell left-chest logos, sleeve prints, kids' tees, hats or tote bags.
- Your workspace is a shelf or half a desk.
- You want to learn DTF with the least money at risk.
- You are on Windows.
Skip it if
- You want full-front adult designs: you need 13 inches.
- You expect to grow fast: you will outgrow A4 before the printer wears out.
- You are on a Mac.
Not the target? The closest printer on price is the Procolored K13 Lite at $1,999: A first DTF printer for a home shop printing up to a few dozen shirts a week.
How much is the Procolored F8 Panda? Price and kits
Procolored sells it 3 ways. The price we use for the score is the F8 (printer only) at $1,599, read on November 15, 2026, against a list price of $1,899. Sale price during Procolored's Black Friday early deals: check the date on the store before you order.
Where to buy: Procolored's own US store, which had it in stock on November 15, 2026. Check price at Procolored
What else do you need to buy with the F8 Panda?
A DTF printer prints the film. To get a shirt out of it you also need adhesive powder, a way to cure it, a heat press and a stock of film and ink. Here is where the Procolored F8 Panda stands:
- Curing: the cheapest kit with an oven is $1,799 (F8 + Oven), so $200 on top of the printer.
- Heat press: the kit with a press is $1,999 (F8 + Oven + Heat Press).
- Supplies: the box includes a starter stock (see below); after that you buy Procolored ink, as the warranty requires.
- Computer: Windows.
Our DTF printer cost guide adds up a full starter budget for six printers, with every price dated.
Print width and speed: how many shirts an hour?
Procolored states a full A4 sheet in 7 minutes, 8 letter-size prints an hour, at 1440 x 1440 dpi in 8 passes. Small designs go much faster on its chart: 24 an hour at 5.5 inches, 52 for cap logos. The head is an Epson L800 with CMYK+WW inks. The roll is 8.2 inches (210 mm) wide and there is a cutter.
Does the white ink clog? Circulation, cleaning and idle days
Procolored describes a built-in "mini siphon" ink circulation system and an automatic head cleaning every 10 hours when the printer is left on, about 1 ml of ink a day. It even says the printer will clean itself twice a day while you are out of the studio. A photoelectric sensor guards the head against bent film.
Which RIP software, and does it work on a Mac?
Pro RIP, and the product page is explicit: Windows system only. It supports standard ICC profiles. Procolored backs it with step-by-step video tutorials.
How much room, and what about ventilation?
This is the F8's party trick: 21.3 x 11 x 6.7 inches and 22 lb. It fits where a home inkjet would. The oven still needs its ventilated corner, and you still need room for a heat press, which is usually bigger than the printer.
What is in the box, and how hard is the setup?
- F8 printer
- DTF ink, 5 x 250 ml (CMYK + white)
- Nozzle protection fluid, 250 ml
- 500 g adhesive powder
- 8.2 in x 328 ft PET film roll
The box contains the printer, 5 x 250 ml of ink, nozzle protection fluid, 500 g of powder and an 8.2-inch by 328-foot roll. Procolored's own setup and first-print tutorial is embedded below: watch it before you order.
Maintenance and known problems
Daily shake of the white ink, nozzle check, wipe; weekly rollers and capping station. Procolored suggests moisture-retaining cartridges for long absences. Nothing about being small makes the F8 less thirsty for attention.
For the daily and weekly routine that applies to every printer here, see our DTF printer maintenance guide.
What does the F8 Panda warranty cover? Read closely
The F8 falls under Procolored's policy for single-head printers: one free print head replacement and one free motherboard replacement within 6 months of shipment, and 12 months on parts that do not touch ink. Pumps, dampers and other ink-contact parts are not covered. Registration and genuine ink are conditions.
Source: Procolored warranty terms, read November 15, 2026.
What do owners say about the F8 Panda?
We did not read a review count for the F8 on the day of our check. Brand-wide, procolored.com showed 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 743 reviews. The video below is Procolored's own tutorial, so take it as a demonstration.
Cost per transfer with Procolored supplies
One letter-size transfer (8.5 x 11 in)
- Ink, 3.75 ml
- $0.29
- Powder, 3 g
- $0.17
- Film
- Roll price not published
Procolored's own table for the F13 counts $0.40 of ink, $0.45 of film and $0.06 of powder per letter-size print. Source. Ink and powder prices from Procolored's US store, read November 15, 2026. Arithmetic, not a promise of profit.
Questions to ask Procolored before you order
- Who pays shipping if the head is replaced in month four?
- Is the oven in the kit sized for A4 or A3 film?
- Can I trade up to a 13-inch model later, and on what terms?
- Is the sale price a Black Friday price?
F8 Panda alternatives: the closest rivals on price
| Criterion | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599 (list $1,899) | $1,999 | $2,099 (list $2,599) |
| Cheapest kit with an oven | $1,799 | $2,499 | $2,199 |
| Print width | 8.2 in (A4) | 13 in (A3) | 13 in (A3) |
| Print head | Epson L800 | LH-500 (Procolored LiteHead) | Epson L1800 |
| Ink channels | CMYK+WW | CMYK+W | CMYK+WW |
| Stated speed | Letter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hour | Letter/A4 print in 12.5 min, 5 prints per hour | 5 to 8 min per A3 print |
| White ink care | Circulation, scheduled self-cleaning | Circulation, scheduled self-cleaning | Circulation, stirring, scheduled self-cleaning |
| Software | Pro RIP | Procolored Studio Lite | InkSonic RIP |
| Computers | Windows | Windows | Windows |
| Weight | 22 lb | 40 lb | 42.7 lb |
| Warranty | 6 mo head · 12 mo machine | 6 mo head · 12 mo machine | 6 mo head · 6 mo machine |
| Where to buy | Check price at Procolored | Check price at Procolored | Check price at InkSonic |
The Procolored K13 Lite review covers the K13 Lite ($1,999): A first DTF printer for a home shop printing up to a few dozen shirts a week. The InkSonic Spark F13 review covers the Spark F13 ($2,099): the cheapest way to get an oven: printer plus oven for $2,199. Open the three in the comparison tool.
- Procolored K13 Lite vs Procolored F13 Panda: a head-to-head between printers in the same budget
- Procolored K13 Lite vs HTVRONT D2: a head-to-head between printers in the same budget
- Best DTF printer for small business: No. 7 of 12
- DTF printer for beginners: No. 3 of 9
- Cheap DTF printer: No. 1 of 8
- DTF printer with shaker and oven: No. 4 of 9
- Best DTF printers 2026: No. 5 of 12
Procolored F8 Panda specifications
| Price | $1,599 (F8 (printer only)), read November 15, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Print width | 8.2 in (A4) |
| Print head | Epson L800 |
| Ink channels | CMYK+WW |
| Resolution | 1440 x 1440 dpi (8 pass) |
| Stated speed | Letter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hour |
| Media feed | Roll-fed, with cutter |
| White ink care | Built-in siphon ink circulation; automatic head cleaning every 10 hours when left on (about 1 ml of ink a day, per Procolored). |
| Software | Pro RIP |
| Computers | Windows only |
| Dimensions | 21.3 x 11 x 6.7 in |
| Weight | 22 lb |
| Warranty | Procolored's warranty policy covers every single-head printer the same way: one free print head replacement and one free motherboard replacement within 6 months of shipment, and 12 months on parts that do not touch ink. Pumps, dampers and other ink-contact parts are not covered. Registration and Procolored inks required. |
| Ink and film | Warranty requires genuine Procolored inks. |
What the score is built on
The 8.3/10 comes from one published formula applied to the figures below, the same for every printer.
| Criterion | Figure used | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Print speed | 5.2 sq ft an hour (Letter/A4 print in 7 min, 8 prints per hour) | 20% |
| White ink care | Circulation, scheduled self-cleaning | 20% |
| Print width | 8.2 in (A4) | 10% |
| Software and computers | Windows | 10% |
| Weight on the desk | 22 lb | 5% |
| Warranty | 6 months head, 12 months machine | 15% |
| Price | $1,599 on Nov 15, 2026 | 20% |
Sources, read November 15, 2026: procolored.com product page · procolored.com warranty page
F8 Panda questions buyers ask
What size can the Procolored F8 print?
A4 width: 8.2 inches (210 mm) on a roll, so about 8.3 x 11.7 inches per sheet. Procolored says it suits standard designs, patches and small to medium graphics.
Is the F8 Panda big enough for adult t-shirts?
For left-chest logos and small fronts, yes. A full adult front is usually 11 to 12 inches wide and needs a 13-inch printer.
How much is the F8 with an oven?
$1,799 on the day we checked, and $1,999 with an oven and a heat press.
Does the F8 work on a Mac?
No. Procolored states its Pro RIP software runs on Windows only.