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The best printers for graphic designers need to do a lot of things right.
Graphic designers put loads of time into their work. The last thing they want is to have their work poorly represented on paper because of poor print.
The printers need have to check a lot of boxes. They need to be high quality, easy to use and maintain, capable of handling larger workloads, and more (we’ll look at some of these in a bit).
The printer needs to match the design work. There are countless options out there on the market – but not all printers are equal.
Without knowing exactly what to look for, it’s like searching for a lost smartphone at a Jonas Brothers concert – not going to happen!
The good news is that I’m here to help you through this process. I’ve taken the time to find the 11 printers I think have the best balance between performance, speed, price, ease-of-use, longevity, and more.
I’ve taken all these into account to bring you the 11 options I think will best enhance your craft. Once you have the right printer for your needs and goals, you’ll be better equipped to satisfy them.
You’ll learn about what’s unique about each of the printers, how they perform in the real world, some things you should know, and what we liked and disliked about each of them.
By the end of the guide and review, I expect you’ll have a full understanding of what it takes to make a printer suited to graphic designers.
You’ll be ready to make a choice that can hugely impact your work and career – and get you the results you deserve!
Here’s a Comparison Table to Help You Out
Feel free to use this table to directly compare the printers by their main features to see which ones suit you best. This is what I’d do if I already had a good idea of what I’m looking for.
If you don’t, I’d suggest you go through all the reviews. You’ll build a good baseline for what should be getting at the different price points.
Our Picks for the Best Printers for Graphic Designers
This section is where we’ll take a more in-depth look at each of the 10 best printers for graphic designers.
We’ll cover their key features, real-world performance, some things to think about and more. Each one will be summed up with what we did and didn’t like about them.
1 Canon TS-8120 All-in-One Wireless Printer
- Individual Ink Systems: 6
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: Yes
- Display: 4.3” touch
- Photo Printing: Yes (even 5×5 square)
This is a fantastically convenient printer for graphic designers. You’re getting 6 individual ink tanks that have a dedicated color. This leads to deeper and fuller blacks and better overall colored print quality.
It’s a top choice for the best inkjet printer for graphic designers.
These printers are superior to ones with fewer ink tanks in terms of print quality.
You have full Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatibility along with AirPrint and CloudPrint. You’ll be able to print from all your devices with just a couple of taps.
I loved this because I often print from my iPad where I touch up some designs. The photo printing, duplex printing, and memory card support make this printer very hard to ignore.
It is one of those graphic design printers that get it right – it hits the nail right on the head!
- 6 individual ink systems for superior print quality
- Broad compatibility and connectivity
- Duplex and photo printing are seamless
- Borderless prints are stunning
- Uses quite a bit of ink and this can get expensive quickly
- Can’t print without the output tray cover (40 sheet capacity) which I found a little ridiculous
2 Epson TM-T2011 Direct Thermal Printer – Best Laser Printer for Graphic Design
- Individual Ink Systems: Thermal
- Borderless Printing: No
- Duplex Printing: No
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: No display
- Photo Printing: No – only greyscale
Here’s a great low-cost thermal printer. It’s excellent for putting out larger quantities of prints with ease.
It’s perfect for the graphic designer who does lots of monochrome sketches and designs.
It’s a little specialized but very good at what it does! The maintenance cost is low and print speeds are exceptionally fast.
You’ll get through huge printing batches in no time.
If you’re a graphic designer that does any kind of monochrome design, you’ll struggle hard to find a better printer. It’s a choice for the best laser printer for graphic designer monochrome printing.
- Very easy to use, maintain, and clean
- Exceptionally good at its specialty
- Can handle huge print qualities
- Very high-resolution prints and relatively short print times
- It’s only monochrome – it won’t appeal to most graphic designers
- Not a broad range of printer and copying settings, so it’s a tad limited
3 Canon G7020 High Yield SuperTank Printer – Editor’s Choice Best Printers for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: Integrated
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: Small non-touch LCD
- Photo Printing: Yes
Here’s a tempting printer that leans closer to the productivity side than the high-quality print side. It’s one of the best printers for graphic designers in terms of cost-savings and ink-economy.
The prints are still high-quality, but not as good as they’d be if the ink tanks were separate.
The benefit is that this printer can handle almost any graphic designer’s printing requirements. From borderless photos to large prints, printing up to 350 pages and photo printing – this can do it all.
You’ll get massive value for money and an awesome balance between productivity and quality.
You’ll also get full compatibility across all your devices and operating systems – although there’s no memory card support.
It’s a serious ink and paper saver. Ultimately, you’re going to make your money back really quickly with this printer.
It is the best printer for graphics and designs that need large quantities printed in color. It’s hard to find something better at this price point.
- Significant ink and paper savings
- Great onboard controls that are tactile
- Easy to refill the ink
- A beast in terms of print yields and productivity
- I wouldn’t give this is the greatest longevity rating
- Difficult and complicated to clean and maintain
4 WorkForce WF-7710 – Best Wide-Format Printer for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: b
- Borderless Printing: Up to 13×19”
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: No – only USB
- Display: 4.3” color touchscreen
- Photo Printing: Yes
This can also be set up as a sublimation printer. Here’s an important read on what sublimation printing is.
Here’s a printer that gears more toward high quality than productivity. It’s capable of handling larger workloads but shines in its quality.
The PrecisionCore-powered printing is superior to almost everything else at this price. You’ll be able to print gorgeous 13×19 inch borderless prints that capture attention.
It’s perfect for the graphic designer who needs larger prints and high-quality sheets to be used to display units.
The ink doesn’t fade quickly and looks beautiful. The caveat is that it uses a lot of ink, and requires that you only stick with the original Epson ink – or risk damaging the printer.
- Stunning print quality and photo prints
- Huge borderless prints that demand attention
- Can be set up for sublimation printing
- Fantastic touch screen, controls, and menu
- Uses quite a lot of ink and can get expensive
- Not super beginner-friendly and can be tough to clean
5 Brother Compact Monochrome Laser Printer – Best Inkjet Printer for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: Laser
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: 2-line LCD
- Photo Printing: No
This printer is aimed at the graphic designer that also has other needs for the printer. It can put out 36 pages a minute, and print long-lasting prints.
It isn’t an inkjet printer – so if you’re interested in printing photos on photo paper, this printer isn’t for you.
It’s a monochrome printer, so you’ll be able to handle all your documents, envelope printing, brochures, etc.
It’s excellent for printing monochrome designs in large quantities – but it’s up to you to decide if there is enough versatility here to cover your needs.
It’s a powerhouse printer with broad compatibility and two years of toner supply in the box. The long term costs are negligible and the printer is very durable.
It’s a fantastic printer to have in the office due to its ability to handle business level printing. Overall, it’s a little specialized, but still one of the more high-quality printers for graphic designers.
- Can handle tons of other office work
- High-resolution prints in customizable sizes
- Excellent build quality and longevity
- Two-year supply of toner in the box
- It’s monochrome only and can’t do any color printing
- The LCD is hard to read and use at times
6 Canon Pixma iP110 Wireless Printer – Best Professional Printer for Graphic Design
- Individual Ink Systems: 5 tanks
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: No
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: No
- Photo Printing: No
While this may not be the powerhouse that many other printers on this list are – it’s compact.
This makes it a pretty unique printer and ideal for very small spaces and offices. You’ll be able to carry it around with relative ease – it’s perfect for the graphic designer that’s always on the move.
The high resolutions of the prints are perfect for borderless prints.
There is a lot of versatility considering the size, weight, and cost of this printer. It swings above its weight class and is more reliable than I thought it would be.
It’s a little tough to clean and it goes through ink quite fast. In my eyes, this is worthwhile as the quality is fantastic and can even be used professionally in the right hands.
The main drawback is that it doesn’t take photo paper, and you have to use the company’s official ink if you want the printer to work correctly – though this is common practice.
- One of the top professional printers for graphic designers
- Very compact, sleek, and lightweight
- Beginner friendly and easy to set up
- Serious value for money
- Uses ink pretty fast
- Very hard to self-clean
7 KODAK Wireless Photo Printer
- Individual Ink Systems: Sublimation
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: No
- Photo Printing: Yes (color)
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Step into the future with KODAK’s new Wireless Mobile Mini Printer. This small little printer allows you to wirelessly print your pictures from a variety of devices, anywhere!
The Wireless Mobile Mini Printer is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, both of which can be connected through either Bluetooth or NFC.
Zink innovation eliminates the need for pricy ink cartridges, toners, or ribbons; 2″ x 3″ sticky-back paper with embedded dye crystals delivers high-quality prints.
It is designed for photo-loving influencers & crafters of all ages & skill levels; Portable, the lightweight device features a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery that prints 25 photos on a full charge.
It sets up fast & delivers gorgeous prints that you can peel & stick everywhere. So if you were wandering for a portable and sustainable printer, this would be your perfect choice.
- Portable and very easy to carry anywhere
- Amazing zero-ink technology
- Full editing suite via app
- Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery
- Not suitable for larger sizes
- Need to buy extra papers after 5 prints
8 Canon Pixma TS5320 – Best Wireless Printer for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: 4 tanks
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: No
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: 1.44” non-touch
- Photo Printing: Yes
Here’s another photo printer that can go further, and do more than the other compact printers we’ve looked at so far.
The design is very stylish and will add a classy and luxurious feel to your office or studio.
This printer prides itself on its ease of use. It’s simple to set up and start using, even for beginners. It’s relatively easy to keep clean, though deep cleans will give you more of a headache.
AirPrint works perfectly and you can print effortlessly from all Apple devices. It’s a slightly longer process via Android and Windows – although not by much.
The quality is fabulous. The prints come out crisp, clear, and in good time. You’ll be able to print a display unit for the walls and to go under glass.
It’s one of my favorite printers for graphic design professionals.
- Consistent results and reliable performance
- Sleek and classy design
- Gorgeous borderless prints
- Easy for beginners to use
- Sometimes 4-tank printers can be a little limited in contrast and color saturation
- Long term durability might be a bit of an issue
9 Brother INKvestmentTank – Best Inkjet Printer for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: 4 tanks
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: Yes
- Photo Printing: Yes
My favorite feature in this printer is the ability to see your ink levels in real-time. You can see the levels of each of the colors on the same screen, at the same time.
This takes out a lot of the guesswork that graphic designers have to go through. You can also print up to 20 pages automatically.
This might not seem like much – but it can go a long way to speed up your printing and save you a lot of time.
You’ll get up to two years of ink in the box when you buy this printer. This saves you tons of cash and gives you some serious value for your money.
It’s a high-yield printer and one of the best high-quality printers for graphic designers at this price.
- A high-yield printer that can take large printing projects
- Excellent print quality and consistency
- Easier than most other printers to open and deep clean
- Very durable body and versatile features/performance
- A little on the expensive and heavy side
- Not particularly beginner-friendly
10 Lexmark B2338dw – Best Monochrome Laser Printer for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: Monochrome
- Borderless Printing: No
- Duplex Printing: Yes
- Memory Card Support: No
- Display: 2-line LCD
- Photo Printing: No
Here’s another fantastic monochrome printer that can handle almost any office work. It’s perfect for an office that also uses its printers for monochrome graphic printing.
The print speed is fast and the different modes and features give this printer excellent versatility.
The duplex printing is fast and easy to set up and prints wirelessly. This printer is all about professionalism and productivity.
So while it may not be the best-dedicated printer for graphic designers, it ticks a lot of the boxes.
You’ll be able to pump out essential printing without much effort.
It’s probably the best laser printer for graphic design and a top choice for the best home printer for graphic design – in terms of cost-savings and productivity.
- Ultra-productive, high-speed printer that ticks a lot of boxes
- Solid and durable design and build
- Low long-term costs
- Easy to take apart and deep clean
- The quality of the larger and faster prints could be better – you might want to slow the printing down to make sure the quality is perfect
- You can only print in monochrome
11 Victure Portable – Best Photo Printer for Graphic Designers
- Individual Ink Systems: Sublimation
- Borderless Printing: Yes
- Duplex Printing: No
- Memory Card Support: No (USB-C)
- Display: No
- Photo Printing: Yes
Here’s a highly portable and easy-to-use photo printer. This is one of my personal favorites!
You can carry it around with you in your car, connect directly to your phone or tablet via USB-C cable and print away.
It has a low power requirement and can print stunning 4×6 photos via dye-sublimation. The quality is very hard to beat and the photos are tear, water, and fade-resistant.
It’s the perfect choice if you’re a graphic designer who ventures into brochures, photos, smaller designs, and display prints.
It’s consistent and reliable and super-affordable. It costs half what many other sublimation printers with similar performance will cost.
You can also connect via the app (which has tons of features and editing tools). It’s a great printer to find your feet and style with and it the very beginner-friendly.
- Ultra-portable and very easy to set up
- Stunning 4×6 sublimation photo prints
- Quality is way more than you pay for
- Prints are tear, water, and fade resistant
- Can’t print larger sizes
- Difficult to connect to a PC or Mac
What’s Important in a Graphic Designer’s Printer?
There are a couple of things to think about when you’re looking to get one of the best printers for graphic designers. Some features learn more about the needs of graphic designers, so here are a couple of things to be on the lookout for.
Ink Printers vs Laser Printers
Ink printers work by shooting the ink onto the paper via tiny dots. The more these dots in the same space leads to higher quality prints – but they dry slower, use more ink, and print slower. Click here to know “how to print without black ink ”
Laser printers use things called toners to print images onto paper. It’s done via specially charged powder that is fused into the tiny fibers in the paper (through some pretty awesome and complicated science).
The printer that works better for graphic designers will depend on the quality and quantity that you’re after as a designer.
Ink printers will cost more in the long run as the ink and cartridges need to be replaced. You often will be bound to buy the official ink cartridges, and this usually costs quite a bit more than third-party inks.
Laser printers are initially more expensive, but pay back that extra cost over time.
Page Quality and Ink Tanks
High-quality printers have dedicated ink tanks for each of the colors in the printer. This stops colors from bleeding into each other and improves the overall quality of the print.
Printers that don’t use these separate cartridges tend to clog more and need more frequent cleaning.
As for the quality of the prints; if you go for dye-based ink printers, the colors will be more vibrant than with pigment-based ink printers. The trade-off is that the ink fades quicker and the prints won’t last that long.
Pigmented ink printers are more expensive and the colors are slightly less vibrant, but they last for ages! These work well for display prints, posters, etc.
You need to choose a printer with these features from the get-go. You won’t be able to change this out later on.
Size and Borderless Printing
I know quite a few graphic designers that won’t even waste their time on a small, compact printer that can’t print 11×17 prints.
This isn’t a hard and fast rule and the starting cost of these large-scale printers is significantly higher.
I prefer borderless prints as they come across as being more immersive, professional, and of higher quality. This isn’t necessarily true and it’s just my own opinion.
What you choose here will depend hugely on the niche of graphic design you’re working in – and the demands of the work itself.
You’ll need to take some time to think ahead and decide what’s most likely to become important over the coming months and years.
Printers are one of those things where “You get what you pay for”, so try not to skimp too hard. It’s better to invest a little more and get greater returns and saving over time.
It’s should be clear by now that there are quite a few aspects and features that you’ll need to balance out.
There’s a give and take that needs to be considered and bear in mind that there are no perfect printers.
It’s more important than your needs are the driving force behind the decision you make.
With all that said now, let’s get into the guide and reviews!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Final Thoughts
Now you’re ready to make an informed and educated choice.
Take a look one more time at the printers you’re interested in and make the decision.
Don’t get too bogged down at this stage – you’re almost there.
All that’s left for you to do is get your printer on order!
Once you have one of the best printers for graphic designers with you, you’ll be able to take your work to the next level – and keep growing professionally!
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