A coffee mug is the most prominent and demanded in the entire mug printing industry.

How To Print Directly On Coffee Mugs?

• Coated mugs are the most popular option for custom printing because they’re durable, easy to find, and relatively inexpensive. They’re also dishwasher safe, so you can get them clean quickly.
• Uncoated mugs are a great choice if you want something that looks more like ceramic or stoneware than plastic. These mugs are heavier than coated ones, so they feel better in your hand when filled with hot liquid.
• Cylindrical and conical shapes work well for people with big hands or who prefer holding their beverage further from their bodies (think about how tall people keep their drinks when they go out). Odd-shaped mugs can be promotional items by businesses looking for something different from standard coffee cups or glasses. You’ll also find them at concerts and sporting events where people need a drink but don’t necessarily want one-handed over by someone else—it’s much easier to grab what you need yourself!

Coated Coffee Mugs

If you’re looking for the most common type of mug, a coated mug is your best bet.

Coated cups are made from ceramic and come in a variety of colors. They are dishwasher safe and can be washed in the microwave, too.

If dropped on hard surfaces, these mugs will break like all ceramic pieces, so it’s essential to handle them with care!

Coated mugs typically range from $2-$20 depending on the design or company you get them from (the more popular ones tend to be more expensive).

Their price is usually determined by how much detail was put into the design process and whether or not there was any custom printing done (like our logo).

Uncoated Coffee Mugs

Uncoated mugs are an excellent option for printing, especially if you’re a fan of coffee. They’re made from ceramic, stoneware, or porcelain and are dishwasher safe. You can even put them in the microwave or oven!

Cylindrical & Conical Coffee Mugs

Cylindrical mugs are the most common style of the coffee mug.

They have a cylindrical shape with a handle attached to them, and they are usually available in two sizes: 6 oz. and 12 oz. Conical mugs have a similar form to cylindrical mugs, but their sides gradually become smaller as they approach the top of the mug so that it resembles an inverted cone shape when viewed from above.

Cylindrical and conical coffee mugs are pretty straightforward for printing because you can easily use any regular heat transfer vinyl (HTV) printer or plotter from home or office to print directly onto them without any special tools or equipment required.

Odd Shaped Coffee Mugs

If your desire is to put digital photos, logos, and other color images on mugs, you will not want to have an odd-shaped mug.

• Mug press

You can use a mug press, a machine that will heat your mugs and then transfer the design to them. This is the easiest printing method on coffee mugs, but it’s also the most expensive option. You’ll need to buy the machine and then pay for each print, so this method isn’t ideal if you want to print only 1-2 mugs at a time.

• Mug wrap

This is another excellent way to make your own custom printed coffee mugs at home! Wrap transfer paper around your coffee mug surface and place it in an oven heated to 300°F for 10-15 minutes. When you take out your cup, carefully peel off all of the excess layers of transfer paper until all that remains is your printed design! 

Odd-shaped mugs should be your last choice for printing.

How do you personalize coffee mugs with digital prints?

You can personalize mugs with digital prints of simple designs using a white toner printer, dye-sublimation print method, heat press, or mug wrap/press.

Custom printed mugs can be used as corporate gifts. You don’t have to choose from generic designs and patterns.

• A white toner printer is used to print on mugs using a thermal transfer process. The ink is embedded in the paper of your mug, which makes it waterproof and scratch-resistant. This type of print technology is ideal for printing small text or logos onto coffee mugs and other products such as plastic cups and ceramic plates because it produces high-quality images without compromising the integrity of your design. Suppose you want to create custom artwork like paintings or photographs on coffee mugs. In that case, this is probably the most suitable method for you because you’ll need good quality equipment that can accurately reproduce fine details without causing any damage to your original artwork (which could happen if you try screen printing).
• A dye-sublimation printer transfers heat-sensitive dyes from a ribbon onto an object such as glassware or pottery items such as vases or bowls. Similar in principle to how an inkjet printer works, except instead of spraying droplets onto paper. These machines emit heated gas which changes liquid ink into gas before being applied directly onto surfaces.*

Dye Sublimation Printing

Dye-sublimation printing mugs are the most popular.

In this method, your mug is placed on a heat press, and then the dye-filled ribbon is passed over it.

A computer controls how much heat is applied to different ribbon areas, so it can be programmed to create any design you want.

These printers are much like the copy machine printers you used decades ago. Continue this process for 2-3 min so that picture is transferred to the mug surface from sublimation paper.

Dye Sublimation Printing is one of the best methods that offers crystal-clear images with vibrant colors. It is mainly useful for putting a print on ceramic or bone china mugs.

Though slower and more labor-intensive than direct screen printing, it supports a wide range of colors.

Dye sublimation printers are expensive (starting at around $2,000) and usually aren’t ideal for small or large orders.

However, if you know your client will order between 50 and 1,000 mugs per month and want high-quality designs, this could be an option for you!

White Toner Printer

• What is a White Toner Printing?

White toner printers print on white paper. It is the latest technology for printing. Sometimes, white toner printers will print on colored paper and even light-colored coffee mugs. The main difference between these two types of printers is the color of their ink cartridges: black or white. A laser printer uses laser technology to produce sharp, high-quality images onto paper and other surfaces such as coffee mugs. Image features include image edit effects, personal image upload, and more.

• What is a Black Toner Printer?

Black toner printers use black ink to create dark text on white paper (opposite what you’d find in most office settings). They’re often used in offices because they allow employees to print professional documents without purchasing expensive ink cartridges or new paper every time they need a few copies made—saving both time and money!

How well do printed coffee mugs wash?

If you’re printing a design on a coated mug, you can wash it in the dishwasher.

If it’s not painted, hand-wash the mug with warm water and mild detergent to remove any stains or fingerprints. You can also wash uncoated mugs in the microwave for quick reheating purposes.

What are the steps of printing on a coffee mug?

No matter what you are starting, proper planning is the first and foremost requirement. Let’s take a look at each of these steps in more detail.

1. Create your art.

Now that you have your digital image, it’s time to place it on the mug.

There are several ways to do this. You can create your art on a computer or use a scanner or digital camera to print directly onto the mug.

The first two ways allow for more flexibility in design but require more equipment and know-how than some other methods. Next, you also need to decide on mug printing equipment.

For example, using a pen tablet and any software program (such as Photoshop) will allow for more creative freedom and high-quality results; however, it may require additional software and hardware purchases to accomplish this task without too much effort. 

2. Print on transfer paper.

The next step is to print on transfer paper. Print your design on the back of the transfer paper so that it will be facing up when it’s applied to your mug.

• If you have a laser printer, print directly onto a sheet of transfer paper with an image facing down toward the sheet and not up at you (this can be done by printing off-center). You may need to adjust your settings for this to work correctly—the printer needs to know what type of material is being printed onto for this process to work correctly.
• If you have an inkjet printer, print directly onto a sheet of transfer paper with an image facing up toward the sheet and not down at you (this can also be done by printing off-center). Again, make sure that your settings are correct so that this works as desired! It is also a viable printing method to use for overlapping colors and image registration.

3. Apply heat using a Mug Press or a Mug Wrap in an oven.

To apply heat to the mug, use either a Mug Press or a Mug Wrap in an oven. If you plan to use the Mug Wrap product, follow these instructions:

• Place your mugs face-down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (to protect them from the bottom of the oven). Make sure that there are no gaps between mugs that allow for proper contact with each other.
• Heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (note: this temperature may vary depending on which type of cup you’re using).
• Once it reaches that temperature and all of your cups are placed inside, leave them there for 30 minutes. Then turn off your oven and let them cool down inside before removing them from their tray!

4. Let your mug cool.

You can’t put your customized mug in the fridge to cool it down or freeze it. You also need to avoid putting it in a microwave.

The heat from these devices can cause the ink on your mug to crack or even melt, ruining all that hard work you put into making a customized coffee mug for your friend’s birthday. Instead, allow the printing process and cooling time to do their job—it may take several hours for this step in particular.

If you’re worried about leaving your personalized mugs out overnight while they’re cooling off, consider placing them next to another bowl of ice water as they sit overnight.

This should help cool them down quicker than usual!

5. Finish your mug.

The white ceramic glaze is applied to the mugs using a high-temperature kiln.

It undergoes various stages of baking to achieve the desired level of opacity, durability, and visual appeal.

It would be best if you didn’t expose them to high temperatures after they are finished.