Nowadays, lots of brands try to entice customers with ads. But, what to do in case of the limited number of companies that specialize in manufacturing certain equipment? In particular, how to find the best printers for graphic designers? This article is dedicated to the research of the most appropriate models that took about 50 hours to find and analyze their functions.
So if are you really interested in them, then have fun!
Top 10 Printer Models for Graphic Design
| Rank | Review | Name | Weight | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Brother MFC-J995DW | 19.2 lbs | 9.9 |
| 2 | | Brother HL-L3290CDW | 47.8 lbs | 9.8 |
| 3 | | Canon Pixma Pro-100 (6228B002) | 43.2 lbs | 9.6 |
| 4 | | Epson EcoTank ET-2760 | 13.2 lbs | 9.5 |
| 5 | | Brother MFC9340CDW | 51.8 lbs | 9.3 |
| 6 | | HP Envy 5534 | 12.26 lbs | 9.2 |
| 7 | | Canon PIXMA MG5520 | 14 lbs | 9.1 |
| 8 | | Canon PIXMA MG6320 | 18.4 lbs | 9.0 |
| 9 | | Epson ET-2750 | 13.2 lbs | 8.9 |
| 10 | | Lexmark MC3224DWE | 40.2 lbs | 8.8 |
Brother MFC-J995DW Inkjet All-in-One Printer
The Brother brand stands for the quality of its products. Thus, there shouldn’t be any doubts about how the printer works. In fact, All-in-One means that the device comprises 3 functions: printing, scanning, and copying. Moreover, it’s capable of reading the information from the hard drives such as an SD card connecting through Wi-Fi and the mobile phone storage through NFC. In addition, it can also connect to the Internet and process the data that is in cloud services such as DropBox or Google Drive.
However, the printing ability is the most valuable in any printer. In particular, this device is an inkjet, which means that it uses ink to produce any project. By the way, in terms of the quality of color printing, inkjet printers are considered to be the best.
So if you are looking for a device that combines a few basic features and can produce colorful projects, then the Brother all-in-one printer is worth being a home helper.
- There are refillable ink tanks
- It’s fast
- The operation is smooth
- There may be some issues with connection to Mac
Brother HL-L3290CDW Compact Digital Laser Printer
There is another Brother’s machine that also comprises 3 devices in one. However, comparing it to the previous model, there is one obvious difference. In particular, due to its size, this appliance is more suitable for bigger spaces than for small ones. Thus, it’s safe to say that it is perfect for business.
However, there is one more hidden feature. It’s about the way of color application. In order to maximize productivity, this appliance is equipped with the laser system. Besides, it still has all the necessary functions such as connection to the Internet and to the mobile device through the Wi-Fi network.
- The installation process is pretty easy
- It’s fast
- The quality of color rendering is not good
Canon Pixma Pro-100 (6228B002) Inkjet Printer
In case one of your requirements concerns the high resolution of printing or achievement of stunning results of color rendering, then you should pay attention to Canon Pixma Pro-100. Indeed, while other printers have 3 compartments for color rendering and 1 for gray, this device has 8 cartridges, where 5 of them are for color ink and 3 for gray ink. Doesn’t it inspire confidence?
Another outstanding detail is that it has a higher resolution: 4800*2400 dots per inch. It’s almost twice more than in regular printers.
However, there is one more thing that makes this desktop device more attractive for any professional. It is capable of wide format printing, particularly you can print on up to A3 paper size. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the tabloid oversize scanner that could be a wonderful feature.
- The installation process is quite fast and easy
- The color rendering is stunning
- It’s capable of printing on the large format with high precision
- It requires a particular type of paper
Epson ET-2760 EcoTank Wireless Color Printer
One of the leading brands of printing appliances is Epson, so it has lots of worthy devices. However, you should know more about ER-2760 EcoTank. For starters, why is it called EcoTank? The answer is that it’s eco-friendly thanks to built-in ink tanks that can accommodate relatively more liquid than the regular cartridge. As a result, there will be less contaminating waste and buys, which also influence your budget positively.
Besides, there is one more detail that also makes this device attractive to a potential user. In particular, it is able to print on both sides of the paper without flipping it. In addition, what modern appliances can’t get data from online resources? In fact, all the devices can connect to each other, so this printer is no exception. You can print directly from the mobile device or from the inserted SD card.
- The cartridge refilling process is easy and doesn’t cause any mess
- The control panel is adjustable
- It is loud
Brother MFC9340CDW Wireless LED All-in-One Printer
It’s quite common that any student has lots of printed information. But they can reduce the speed of producing it and save it for studying. To that end, there exists the Brother wireless LED All-in-One printer. The distinguishing thing is that it is equipped with a special slot that grabs a piece of paper and can scan and copy the information from both sides without any user’s help. Moreover, the same procedure is available with the printing compartment. It is also capable of printing on both sides.
The Wi-Fi connection is another useful feature that allows printing directly from the cloud drive or mobile device.
As for the performance, it’s ideal for all types of documents, whether they are just black and white or color. Anyway, the device is decent to be used at home or in the office.
- All the functions are available for both sides of the paper sheet
- The color rendering is nice
- There may be some issues with connection to a particular OS
HP Envy 5534 Printer: Special Edition All-in-One Printer
The pain of any printing device is that it’s highly likely that it will produce a nice project but with wide margins. In fact, not all printers are capable of avoiding them. Luckily, there is a great solution from HP that does make the margins disappear and shows good printing results.
Besides, it is an All-in-One appliance that can scan and copy the papers even without connecting to the computer. Another pleasant detail is that the document can be printed on both sides without human interference in the process.
As for connecting to drives, the device can go to the Internet through Wi-Fi or connect directly to the phone. Moreover, the SD card can also be used for getting the information for printing.
And, finally, the touch-screen of the control panel is a pleasant detail that makes your user experience better.
- It’s compact
- The installation process is easy
- The printing speed is too slow
Canon PIXMA MG5520 with Duplex Printing
In terms of simplicity of usage without connection to the PC, Canon PIXMA is a leader. There is a special application for your mobile device, including Apple products, that allows you to spend less time printing, just connecting to the gadget directly. However, it can get the data from the cloud drives, too.
The printing resolution is enough to deal with photos and arts that require a high density of dots per inch. In addition, you can save paper by using the function of duplex printing.
- The photos are of nice quality
- There is a large amount of ink in a cartridge
- It may stop working if one of the color ink cartridges is low
Canon PIXMA MG6320 Printer (AirPrint Enabled)
Believe it or not, but there can be a much higher resolution of printing. In particular, Canon PIXMA MG6320 produces 9600*2400 dots per inch. This feature allows getting the best results of printing photos. Besides, thanks to the special pre-installed software that recognizes faces and refines particular modules of your project, the result exceeds all expectations.
The operation of this multi-purpose device is intuitively simple thanks to the 3.5-inch touchscreen. However, it is much simpler to have AirPrint installed on your Apple gadget. In this case, the printer connects to the mobile device directly, and all the functions are launched significantly faster.
- Outstanding quality of printing
- The installation is really simple
- It may become useless in a while after not using it
Epson Expression ET-2750 Wireless EcoTank Printer
Epson tries to hold its position as a leading company of printing equipment. Thus, there are several options for a potential user who searches for a decent quality of printing. In particular, compared to the younger version ET-2760, this model has a higher resolution. To be precise, it’s 5760*1440 dots per inch.
Besides, the tanks for inks have extended volume, so it will be enough to print about 5 thousand copies. In addition, the refilling procedure is pretty simple and mess-free, so you won’t be stressed once you run out of ink.
- The ink tanks are refillable
- The setup is easy
- The quality of print is gorgeous
- The paper feed is inconvenient
Lexmark MC3224DWE: Full-Spectrum Capabilities
The only representative of Lexmark is MC3224 with the full-spectrum security. This is a multi-function station that can copy, scan, and print. While the majority of similar devices have a standard tray where you place the paper sheets, this item has an additional feeder for one piece. Believe it or not, but this function can be a life-saver in some cases.
Moreover, it connects to the Internet where you can find the document you need and print it. The same concerns any mobile devices that can also be used as a temporary control panel.
There is great news for those who care about nature. The toner that is used in this appliance is environmentally-friendly since it is absolutely recyclable.
- It’s compact
- The print quality is nice
- The amount of ink in cartridges is very low
How to Choose Best Printer for Graphic Designers?
Printers for graphic designers should have advanced features and lots of adjustments that can improve the quality of printing. But how to understand what type of printer you need, for example, if you are working freelance and need to make only one sticker? Is it worth your money?
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to know answers to the questions like “What is the difference between an inkjet and a laser printer?” and “What type of them is best for me?”, then this section is written specially for you. Here you will find all the necessary information.
What Is a Graphic Design Printer?
A graphic design printer is a device that can produce any type of printed media of high resolution and saturation of colors ?. Usually, it is achieved by the improved pre-installed software. However, there can be some additional features such as printing without margins and/or on both sides.
What Functions Does a Printer for Graphic Design Have?
In fact, features vary from device to device. However, there are some common functions that are present almost in all modern appliances:
- USB connection (usually high-speed 2.0)
- Wireless connection
- Ethernet connection
- Connection to a mobile device ? (through NFC, a special app, etc.)
This is not the limit of available options. For example, connecting to the Internet allows getting the data from the cloud drive and then sending it to the print queue.
What Is the Difference ? Between Inkjet and Laser Printer?
The main difference between these two types is a method of color application on paper. In particular, an inkjet spreads inks over the paper surface through the tiny droplets that come from the cartridge. Usually, the ink tends to smudge right after the cycle, so the user should wait a minute to let liquid pigments dry. However, it does provide a distinguishing result of color rendering.
The laser device has another way of application: it spreads colored powder that is then baked. As a result, the project has fewer errors and remains unchanged. This advantage is important for producing a large number of printings, and it’s perfect for grayscale media.
How to Clean and Handle It?
Lots of users want their gadgets to work for a long time. However, the majority don’t know how to clean them, which results in the reduction of the lifetime ⏳ of devices. In fact, you should pay attention to the nozzles of cartridges that tend to clog. So for an inkjet, you should remove the cartridges and wipe the nozzles with the cotton ball wetted in rubbing alcohol. Make sure that ink residue is fully removed.
The laser printer also requires some basic maintenance procedures. In particular, you should clean the toner cartridge. However, before you get it out, you should unplug it and leave for a while to let it cool down. Once it’s ready, take a toner and blow the dust away. Then take a cotton ball moistened in rubbing alcohol and wipe the corona wire with it.
Where Can You Buy ? Printer for Graphic Design?
There are lots of online as well as brick-and-mortar shops that have nice offers for potential users. Speaking about the printers, you should pay attention to well-known stores such as Amazon, Best Buy, etc. Besides, before you place an order, learn all the recommendations carefully in order not to make a mistake.
Summing Up
You may spend lots of time searching for an ideal device according to your requirements. However, it doesn’t mean that you will find the best one in a short time. Instead, it may take much longer than you expect. Thus, WoWPencils has prepared a special article for you that will make your investigation process less labor-consuming. Hopefully, it will help you find exactly what you need and be happy with the purchase.
References
- What Are the Best Inkjet Printers for Graphic Designers? – https://www.quora.com/
- Looking for a Printer for Our Small Graphic Design Business – https://www.reddit.com/