A Breakdown of Epson, Brother, Ricoh, Kornit and OmniPrint
One of the most important factors when choosing what is the best direct-to-garment (DTG) machine for you should be the warranty. Different DTG manufacturers offer varying warranties. All the major manufacturers (Epson, Brother and Kornit) have their DTG warranties published online for you to review. Some DTG printer brands (Ricoh and OmniPrint), do not publish their full warranty information.*
While there are many different aspects of what to look for in a DTG warranty, the four (4) more important categories are: 1. The length of the initial warranty and can you extend it 2. Whether the printhead is covered under the warranty 3. Whether parts are covered under warranty, and 4. Whether free labor/repair is part of the warranty
As you would expect, different DTG printers stack up differently. Below is a chart outlining the major DTG options and comparing their different warranties.
| Epson SC F-2100 | Brother GTX | Ricoh Ri 6000 | Kornit Breeze | FreeJet 330TX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty Length | 1 Year Unlimited Standard with an additional 2 years optional (3 years total) | 1 Year Limited Warranty that is not extendable | 1 Year Limited Warranty | 6 Month Limited Warranty | 1 Year Limited Warranty |
| Printhead Warranty | 1 Year unlimited warranty | 1 Year or 15,000 prints, whichever comes first | Printhead not under warranty | Printhead not under warranty | Manufacturing defects only, subject to manufacturer’s |
| Parts Warranty | Totally free parts warranty | Limited. You must pay to ship back the defective part(s) for inspection | Limited parts warranty | Limited. You must pay to ship the defective part(s) back for inspection | Non-wear and tear parts only. What qualifies as wear & tear is at manufacturer’s discretion |
| Labor Warranty | Totally free labor at your location within 48 hours, guaranteed | Limited to the first 90 days and does not include travel expenses | No free labor. You must pay to ship the printer back for repair work | Limited to the first 90 days and does not include travel expenses | No free labor |
A couple of things immediately jump out. First, Epson is the only major DTG printer manufacturer that offers a completely free warranty that includes parts and labor. The other manufacturers like Brother, Kornit and OmniPrint all offer limited parts warranty and none of them offer totally free labor. This is a big deal because the last thing you want to do is have to start mechanically fixing your own DTG printer or have to pay a technician to come fix it.
The single most important part of a direct-to-garment (DTG) printer is the print head and the Epson SureColor F-2100 is the only one on the market that has an unlimited print head warranty. To buy a DTG printer without a full printhead warranty is a big risk that you should be fully aware of. The average cost of replacing a DTG printhead starts around $2,000, plus installation costs.
Being able to openly evaluate the different warranties on the most popular DTG machines is important. Hopefully you use this DTG printer warranty comparison chart to get the best DTG printer for you.
*As of April 9, 2020.
