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Arek Dvornechcuck
Branding Expert
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Graphic designers heavily rely on printers as they are a vital tool when it comes to showcasing their work to peers and clients.
It can help make awesome digital designs look just as good on paper.
Have you ever noticed how a design can look great on your computer but messed up when you print it?
In instances like this, the right printer can fix the problem in a snap.
That's why as a creative who considers high print quality, finding the best printer may be a bit difficult
What's the best printer for graphic design to buy in 2023?
There are a variety of printers available on the market today, at different price points and with different features to choose from.
However, I tried to make everything easier for you by listing the things to consider and my recommendations for the best ones.
But before we check them one by one, it is important to know the things to look up and consider in choosing the one that suits your needs.
How to choose the best printer for designers?
When choosing the best printer, there are a lot of things to consider, such as between laser or inkjet, ink and toner cartridges, dye-based or pigmented inks, size, and the paper it accepts.
Here are the factors that you should consider when choosing the best printer for your graphic design needs.
Now let's go through each of them to see their importance when choosing a printer.
Due to advancements in technology, choosing between laser and inkjet printers has never been this challenging.
To make it simpler for you, inkjet printers are more appealing to graphic designers with their ability to produce vivid and stark images.
However, if you're the type of designer who is leaning towards quality prints at low cost, then perhaps laser printers are best for you.
You must make sure that it has individual tanks for each color—or else, it will cause you to suffer from clogging.
As a designer, I recommend choosing an inkjet printer with no fewer than four color plots to get the best quality in your photos.
Pro tip: Knowing how pigmented inks react to paper will surely bring you nothing but convenience in the long run.
Surprisingly, people miss assessing cartridge replacement when buying a printer.
However, this is crucial since this can be a major contributor to your future expenses.
You can produce more with laser toner cartridges, making it more efficient, but with inkjet cartridges, you need to look for a compatible ink.
Graphic designers usually make use of more affordable alternative ink options.
Ideally, dye inks tend to fade faster, but since graphic designs are not usually needed in the long term, this is already a good pick.
However, if you consider this an important factor, I suggest going for pigment inks as they last longer than dye-based ones.
Depending on the type of media that you produce, considering the maximum print size of a model is necessary.
If you typically work with the most common sizes, such as paper or legal size, then going for laser printers will bring you no harm.
On the other hand, if varied and larger prints are what you need, inkjet printers are what you are looking for.
Another factor you should consider when buying a printer is the paper it accepts—it must accept both light and heavy paper, as well as double-sided pages
Moreover, you should note that inexpensive models are usually not capable of accepting heavier-grade paper, making it a bit of a problem.
With these in mind, I have gathered some of my personal favorites that will surely help you produce spectacular and high-quality photos while staying within your budget.
The Canon Pixma iP8720 is a great choice for anyone who is looking for the best overall graphic design printer in 2023.
The best overall inkjet printer for designers.
This is a budget-friendly printer that offers print-shop quality up to 13 by 19 inches.
With its well-built feed system, the Pixma iP8720 accepts up to 150 sheets of a variety of paper weights and finishes.
This printer offers versatility—from business to school-type and professional-grade—anything a designer would need.
The Pixma iP8720 lets you print with almost no head clogs and at a respectable speed, making it more suitable for serious photographers and graphic designers.
Canon printers are known for their reliable and quality printing, so it's no surprise that this is at the top of my list.
If you are looking for the best graphic design inkjet printer, the Canon Pixma iP8720 might be the perfect fit for you.
Buy Canon Pixma iP8720 on Amazon
As far as large-format printers go, the Canon Inkjet Printer - PIXMA Pro-200, is one of the best options available.
The best professional wide-format printer.
It is one of the best business printers that can produce stunningly accurate prints.
The PIXMA PRO-200 is also ideal for entrepreneurs looking for the best graphic design printer near them.
In terms of speed and quality, it's one of the greatest options out there for consumers looking for high-quality printing.
The PIXMA PRO-200 uses eight ink cartridges and is very fast for an inkjet printer.
As one of the best A3 printers and the best printer for art prints, this printer is capable of producing results at 4800 x 2400 DPI.
If you are looking for the best wide-format printers for graphic design, then look no further than the Canon PIXMA PRO-200.
Buy Canon PIXMA PRO-200 on Amazon
The Epson EcoTank ET-7750 is graphic designers' go-to printer for printing high volumes without sacrificing vibrant and professional quality.
The best printer for long-term value and art printing.
This printer produces excellent graphics, charts, and photos, making it ideal for design projects.
The Epson EcoTank ET-7750 offers a larger footprint than standard letter-size inkjet printers, allowing you to accommodate the larger paper size of wide-format AIO.
It has the ability to print borderless tabloid-size pages and photos, great buy for photo enthusiasts.
This printer has an integrated ink tank system, which means instead of buying new cartridges every time it runs out of ink, you just top up the tank.
ET-7750 also boasts an impressive 5760 x 1440 dpi resolution, meaning your prints will come out looking sharp, lively, and vibrant.
It supports anything from A4 to A3+ and even CDs/DVDs, plus banners up to 44 inches long.
It is user-friendly, showcasing a nifty LCD touchscreen and a print speed of up to 13 pages per minute for black and white and 10 for color.
Lastly, Epson EcoTank ET-7750 comes with Epson's own software with features like red-eye removal and photo restoration - A lifesaver for those quick fixes.
Buy Epson EcoTank ET-7750 on Amazon
The Epson Expression Photo HD XP 15000 is perfect for designers needing affordable large-format printing with excellent quality.
Best mid-range wide-format graphic design printer.
It is a wireless wide-format printer, that delivers brilliant, pro-quality borderless prints.
The Epson XP-15000 offers stunning, high-definition prints with a six-color Claria Photo HD ink set, resulting in bold blacks and ultra-vivid colors.
It has the ability to print up to 13x19 inches, giving you a broad canvas to play with.
It is equipped with a large 50-sheet rear specialty tray making printing pro-quality projects easier than ever before, auto 2-sided printing, a 200-sheet front tray, and convenient wireless connectivity.
This printer has a sleek and compact design, so you don't have to worry about providing its own large space in the room.
Lastly, XP-15000 offers unbeatable value or its feature set, plus its energy-efficient feature will surely help you cut down on those pesky electricity bills.
Buy Epson Expression Photo HD XP 15000 on Amazon
The HP LaserJet Pro M479fdw is a multifunction color printer for graphic designers needing versatile and high-speed printing.
The best laser printer for all your graphic design jobs.
This printer has laser technology that keeps operating costs affordable even with high-volume design work.
HP LaserJet Pro M479fdw uses advanced color-matching technologies to ensure that what you see on your screen is what you get on paper.
This printer is a genuine multitasker, you can use it for printing, scanning, faxing, copying-you name it.
It offers swift printing with speeds of up to 28 pages per minute for both black and color documents.
This printer comes with built-in Dual-Band Wi-Fi for seamless connectivity.
With its print quality of up to 600 x 600 dpi, it ensures clear and sharp output.
It is also known for its security features and automated workflow, making. it is suitable for business environments.
Buy HP LaserJet Pro M479fdwn on Amazon
The Brother HL-L8360CDW is an excellent choice for graphic designers who are in need of a reliable, quality, and efficient laser printer.
The best laser printer for graphic designers, freelancers, and small firms.
It has an advanced triple-layer security feature that helps you ensure restricted document and device access.
The HL-L8360CDW produces both excellent color and black prints up to 2400 x 600 dpi class resolution.
With its undeniable high performance, this printer elevates your productivity through its 33 ppm printing speed.
This printer has a 50-sheet multi-purpose tray for letterhead and alternative media printing and optional multi-layer trays that can hold up to 1,050 sheets.
It also offers cost-efficient printing with the Brother Genuine high-yield replacement toner cartridges that are built to last.
So if you're looking for a single-function laser printer with a wide spectrum of features, then the Brother HL-L8360CDW is highly recommended.
Buy Brother HL-L8360CDW on Amazon
The Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw offers versatility, convenience, and outstanding quality to handle any graphic design project.
The best overall laser printer for graphic designers.
This printer is perfect for graphic design agencies that handle a high volume of printing with its reliable performance and crisp detailed prints
Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw provides excellent print quality, large paper capacity, and handy touches like auto duplexing and a color touchscreen.
Getting the color right is critical for graphic designers and with this printer's Color Imaging Technology, you are ensured that what you see on your screen is what you get on paper.
It supports resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi for color prints and 1200 x 1200 dpi for black and white, which means you're getting prints so detailed.
When it comes to its speed, you don't need a very long wait because it prints out 28 pages per minute.
This printer also features Wi-Fi direct connectivity, allowing you to print from your phone or even the cloud.
It comes with scanning, faxing, and photocopying functionalities too, so it's like getting four devices for the price of one.
Last but not the list, it is designed to be energy-efficient and uses high-capacity toner cartridges that need replacing less often, making it cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Buy Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw on Amazon
The Epson EcoTank ET-15000 is recommended for its cost-saving ink tanks, versatile paper handling, auto document feeder, and high print quality.
The best selling ALL-IN-ONE printer for both graphic design and regular printing.
This printer offers superb print quality and versatile paper handling, ideal for creative jobs that need to print a lot while keeping costs down.
When it comes to graphic design, Epson EcoTank ET-15000 is perfect for its PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology, giving you crisp prints and vivid images that pop right off the page.
It is equipped with the EcoTank, wherein holds enough ink to print thousands of pages before needing a refill-Say goodbye to those overpriced ink cartridges.
It offers versatile paper handling, which supports printing up to 13" x 19" through rear feed; copy and scan up to 8. 5" x 11" (via the scan bed) or 8.5" x 14" (via the ADF.)
Lastly, It has wireless printing options, allowing you to. send your design straight from your phone or tablet without any hassle.
Buy Epson EcoTank ET-15000 on Amazon
The HP DesignJet Z6 stands as a premiere choice for its high-quality definition prints and the capability to handle intricate files.
Best large format printer for high-impact graphics.
It prints up to 24" wide, has high speed, and has built-in security features, ideal for posters and art prints.
This printer features HP's Vivid Photo Inks, giving your prints lively and accurate hues.
If you are aiming for that jaw-dropping detail, this printer is just right for you with its capability to print up to 2400 x 1200 optimized DPI.
HP DesignJet Z6 is equipped with a multi-roll system, allowing you to switch between different types of media - whether it's glossy, matte, or even fabric, this printer can handle it with ease.
Lastly, this printer is user-friendly to boot with its intuitive touchscreen interface that's easy to navigate just like your smartphone.
The laser printers are much more expensive than inkjet ones.
But you can get the best quality out of them, providing you with vivid and sharp prints.
Which is the best graphic design printer for you?
Well, the truth is, you can get better quality and more vibrant prints if you have a bigger budget.
As a designer, you need to invest in a printer that is built to last and a printer that will give justice to your work.
Depending on your needs, you can get a printer for as little as $149 or as much as $1250.
If you can't afford to take the risk, I highly suggest you go for the most expensive printer with the most features you can afford
The Canon Pixma iP8720 Inkjet Printer remains the top option for several graphic designers with the quality prints you can get for its price.
Needless to say, versatile and high-quality printers will be your best companions in making your designs come to life.
Do you have any recommendations?—Leave a comment below.
