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A cardstock printer can handle thicker and heavier paper better than other regular printers, which experience a lot of breaks and jams with cardstock papers. So, if you’re planning to purchase the best printer for cardstock, read on to identify the features you should look for and the best products to buy.
Let’s dive into the best printers for cardstock and their features so that you can find your pick.
1. HP OfficeJet Pro – Best Overall
The HP OfficeJet Pro has a smart home office design for your convenience. To illustrate, the printer has a smart tasks feature to help you organize all your documents appropriately and process them faster, all on your HP smart app. Not to mention, it has an instant ink delivery service so that you don’t have to stop working to go out and get ink.
Furthermore, the printer’s USB drive and ethernet ports are convenient for importing documents manually. Besides, the printer’s advanced features like a dual-pass, easy-to-slide-off glass, and 2-sided automatic document feeder enhance your productivity while using it.
In addition, this printer has a high print speed of 22 pages every minute and a 35-page automatic paper feeder. Its cartridges, too, are high-yield. In addition, the printer’s Wi-Fi automatically troubleshoots any issues to keep your connection stable and reliable.
Unfortunately, you can only use one paper type at a time due to the printer’s single paper unit. Therefore, you may not be able to print both colored and back/white graphics simultaneously with this printer.
Pros:
Easy to store
Saves paper
Saves time
Has a low print cost per page and allows for borderless printing
Cons:
Has only one paper input unit, so you can only print colored or black/white documents at a time.
Final Verdict
This HP OfficeJet Pro might be the best cardstock printer if you’re looking for low printing costs, a high sheet capacity, duplex printing, high-quality output, and multi-functionality.
2. Brother MFC-J497DW Printer – Most Mobile
This Brother MFC-J497DW Printer is an all-in-one cardstock printer that’s mobile, compact, and easy to connect. In addition, it has excellent features that make it suitable for use at home or in the office.
Additionally, its output is of high quality. You can use it to copy, scan, fax, and print your cardstock content. And it offers duplex printing. Furthermore, the printer has a wireless connectivity feature to enable you to print documents directly from your smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
In addition, this printer allows you to quickly scan and share documents making use of Brother Cloud apps. However, its high ppm limits its use of commercial printing services.
Pros:
Ideal for heavy use
Offers borderless printing
Saves paper
Easy to store
Cons:
High printing cost per page
Final Verdict
This Brother MFC-J497DW printer is your best bet if you’re looking for versatility, wireless connectivity, and paper optimization.
3. Epson Expression Photo HD XP – Best Borderless Printer
This Epson Expression Photo HD XP accommodates various borderless sizes of printouts and different paper finishes. So, you can print borderless prints of between 13 and 19 inches.
Also, the printer gives you professional ultra-HD image quality. In addition, it has an individual six-color (C, M, Y, K, GY, R) Claria photo ink for your gray, white, black, and red printouts. Moreover, the printer has a unique pressure level of 49dB(A), a 50-sheet rear tray for cardstock, and other specialty media printing papers.
This printer also allows you to automatically print on both sides of your paper with its 200 sheets front tray. Furthermore, it has a dash replenishment feature that helps you track your ink usage and asks for ink addition when it’s running low.
The main downside of this Epson Expression printer is its incompatibility with third-party cartridges, which limits your cartridge replacement options.
Pros:
Easy to store
Saves paper
Has a high print resolution of 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi
Epson Expression Photo HD XP is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a cardstock printer that’s paper-saving, compact, and allows you to print borderless graphics.
4. HP Laserjet Pro – Best Touchscreen
This HP Laserjet Pro’s touch screen allows you to turn it on and off effortlessly. Moreover, it enhances your printing performance. It has a robust security system to help you keep your documents safe.
The printer also has an ethernet port for your convenience when your Wi-Fi is unstable and a USB drive port for manual document sharing. Additionally, you can operate your printer remotely using the smart HP app.
Not to mention, it’s multifunctional, allowing you to scan, copy and print your documents. Additionally, it has a fast duplex speed to help you save time and paper.
Furthermore, the printer has a function speed display and a dimensional paper tray capacity to ease your paper feeding. Unfortunately, its bulkiness makes the printer’s storage in tight spaces difficult.
Pros:
Saves time
Saves paper
Has robust security features
Has a high-quality output for graphics
Cons:
Pretty bulky for a desk or home office setup
Final Verdict
Consider purchasing this HP Laserjet Pro if you’re looking for a fast print speed, high-quality output, touch screen, and a great security system for your printer.
5. Brother HL-L2320D – Best for Small Spaces
The Brother HLL2320D printer is small enough for your desk or small home office. With this printer, you can use a USB drive to connect to a computer.
Moreover, the printer is fast and yields high-quality printouts of 30 ppm. It uses an electrophotographic laser to give you these high-resolution printouts.
At the same time, the printer has an automatic duplex system to help you save paper. Its 2,600-page toner makes it cheaper for you to print your documents. Furthermore, the printer’s 250-sheet capacity tray is adjustable to legal or letter so that you can get a perfect printout format and size. The printer also has a manual feed slot for your envelope printing.
On the flip side, the printer’s uni-colored system and lack of wireless connectivity make it unsuitable for colored printouts and cloud storage.
Pros:
Easily accessible in case of paper jam
Its toner is long-lasting and affordable
High durability
High-quality printouts
Cons:
Lacks a wireless connection system
Uni-colored printer
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for a uni-colored cardstock printer that won’t occupy much space and will provide you with high-quality output for an affordable price.
6. WorkForce WF-7210 – Best for Connectivity
This WorkForce WF-7210’s wireless networking and printing feature makes your printing straightforward. You can print your documents directly from your smartphone or tablet using the ethernet, NFC, or Wi-Fi Direct option.
Moreover, the printer has a 500-sheet capacity, dual trays, and a rear feed for your specialty papers, cardstock, and envelopes. It has an automatic two-sided print setup so that it’s easy for you to set it up and navigate it. On the downside, the printer isn’t compatible with third-party cartridges.
Pros:
Uses 80% less power than other color laser printers
125-sheet output tray for commercial printing
Duplex printing saves time
The fast printing speed of 18 ISO ppm (black) and 10 ISO ppm (color)
Dash replenishment feature for borderless printing
Cons:
Doesn’t use third-party cartridges
Final Verdict
This Workforce-WF-7210 is your ideal printer if you’re after power saving, multiple connectivity options, a fast printing speed, and dash replenishment features.
7. Canon Pixma Pro-200 – Best Coloured
The Canon Pixma Pro-200 printer produces high-quality printouts. Besides, it has an 8-ink dye-based ChromaLife100+ system to give you lovely color gamuts. The printer also has an optimum image generation system to enhance the clarity of your printouts.
Additionally, its system automatically assesses all the print areas and selects the best ink mixture for perfectly colored printouts. And its three dedicated grayscale inks make for unique white and black prints.
In addition, the printer has a new Print Studio Pro 2 plug-in feature to enable you to print graphics from your preferred photo apps. Not to mention, it has an ethernet port, a USB drive port, and Wi-Fi connectivity for ease of printing documents.
And because the printer’s 4800 x 2400 dpi resolution gives you an incredibly detailed and more explicit printout, be prepared to spend more money on these special features.
Pros:
Easily compatible with distinct CLI 42 ink tanks
Prints professional-quality graphics
Perfect for colors and gradients
Cons:
Quite expensive
Final Verdict
This Canon PIXMA PRO-200 is a good choice if you’re looking for professional printouts, marvelous colors, wireless connectivity, and compatibility with different ink tanks.
8. Canon Ts8320 – Most Compatible
This Canon Ts8320 printer has a dual-band Wi-Fi feature to allow you to connect your devices of choice to the printer. And you have the option of connecting your printer to a 2.4 or 5 GHz wireless network for uninterrupted printing. Not to mention, it supports your memory card.
Furthermore, it’s compatible with the Canon Print app to allow you to edit, scan, or print your graphics more conveniently from your preferred cloud-based platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Also, the printer has a 4.3” LCD touchscreen, which makes it straightforward to use. It makes your copying, printing, and scanning just a few taps away and features auto-duplex printing. However, it’s time-consuming due to its manual document feeder and high print cost.
Pros:
Has an excellent print quality
Has a robust wireless connectivity
Compatible with your smart home devices
Features a two-paper input tray
Has a multipurpose tray
Cons:
Has a high print cost per page
Time-consuming
Final Verdict
The Canon Ts8320 printer is ideal for detailed, high-quality graphics. It’s also a good option if you want an all-in-one printer that’s compatible with smart home devices.
What to Look For in a Printer for Cardstock
While the above printers are arguably the best choice for your cardstock printing, this guide will help you understand some of the basic features you should look for in any cardstock printer.
Paper Thickness
Before you purchase a printer, assess the maximum thickness of paper the printer can handle. For instance, the thickness shouldn’t be under 135-200g/m2. Printers that can’t support this required thickness will always experience jams and delay your printing process.
Inkjet Vs. Laser Printer
Sadly, most laser printers aren’t suitable for cardstock printing. Inkjet printers are designed explicitly for thicker paper. While you can find a few high-end laser printers for your cardstock, they’re usually more expensive and better used for commercial purposes.
Image Quality and Resolution
For cardstock, quality is the ultimate goal. So, choose a printer with sharp prints, a high resolution, and one that creates crisps. For your fine artwork and photography, choose a minimum of 1200 dpi.
Connectivity
Before you purchase a cardstock printer, check its connectivity features. A good printer will allow you to connect it to your smart home devices. Also, opt for a printer with a USB drive port, Wi-Fi features, and an ethernet port.
Printing Speed
Why are you buying a cardstock printer? If you’re buying it for large productions, choose a printer with a fast printing speed. So, check the printer’s page per minute print speed, and consider one with a speed of 25ppm or higher.
Ink Configuration
How many cartridges does the printer have? A printer with many cartridges is more efficient and cost-effective. Likewise, the more cartridges a printer has, the more color gamuts you can enjoy with it.
Moreover, opt for printers with green and orange cartridges for a wider gamut. Light colors help smoothen your gradations and enhance white and black features as you print.
Size
The dimensions of your printer are a must-check depending on where you want to station it. A more compact printer is preferable, as it saves you space but still gives you quality results.
Final Thoughts
By now, if you haven’t made your decision yet, we recommend the HP OfficeJet Pro printer. Its security features, compatibility, fast print speed, instant ink refill feature, and multifunctionality make it irresistible. Furthermore, its connectivity options and compact design all add to its suitability.
