Newbie... Hi and which printer?

Either laser or inkjet should get you good results. Each requires its own paper. You do need pigment ink for the transfers though. If you want solid lettering try cutting vinyl and applying that. Also when printing you need to set your printer for photo to get good ink saturation. You might not have had your temperature or pressure settings up high enough. Or you may not have pressed them long enough.

The Epson pigment printers work the best, though there are others out there. An Epson work force 1100 is a good option. It has been discontinued and is being replaced by something else, so right now you can get one at a reasonable price until they're all gone.

I didn't use the photo paper print option. (you say I should ahe) Will the epson 1100 be as good as a Laser? Will the 1100 be much better than my older Epson Stylus photo 1200 ? I'd hate to buy a new printer and get same results.

I'll test my printer again in photo paper mode. The final test tshirt I did was ok, (looked better than on the paper) but on the paper wasn't solid and nice.

I did my first vinyls today on a shirt and wonderful. But limited. So would like to do both.
Just hate to buy a 1100 if it's not going to be noticably better than photo stylus 1200.

? any idea?

setting for photo... as in photo inkjet paper or photo glossy paper? the later is more saturation, but in the past requires the glossy paper to handle it.
?

Not sure what options your printer has but mine has print quality options of: draft, text, text & graphic, photo, fine photo. These are not paper settings. For paper I think you should choose the glossy paper.

I don't know about laser printers except that they are expensive if you want one that prints in color. If all you want is black and white then a laser with laser transfer paper would suit you. I don't know anything about the Epson 1200. I have a C88+, WF 1100, and a 1400.

You have to remember too that you are not going to printing on paper, but on cloth and cloth has holes or gaps in it in between the threads, so abolute perfection of a print is overkill. You just want good ink saturation. You need pigment ink. On the front of your printer it should say "Durabrite". If it says "Claria" that is dye based ink and will wash out and not hold up for a transfer.