Despite the domination of digital media, the past few years have seen an increase in the demand for physical copies of art prints.
For those who frequently or occasionally desire to have physical copies of their artworks for display or sale, it makes sense to invest in a high-quality printer. There are specific types of printers designed for such arts.
If efficiency and quality of printing is paramount to you then you should choose such printers. We have conducted in-depth and expert research into these printers, including testing some of them to have a feel of the quality and the experience of using them.
Read below to find a solid review of the best printer for art prints. This review is to help you save time when shopping for the right printer for your artwork.
Best Printer for Art Prints
The Epson WorkForce ET – 3750 All-in-One Supertank Printer promises a one-of-a-kind printing experience with superior features that will not only treat you to outstanding quality but will also save you plenty of time.
It is just as beautiful as it is functional, with features such as wireless connectivity that will bring you incredible convenience when working on your printing tasks.
If you have been printing for a while, then the idea of cartridge-free printing will appeal to you. This is one of the most outstanding features of this printer. It comes with two years’ worth of tank in a box.
Besides this, it features super-sized ink tanks. With these tanks, you not only get the capacity to work for long without worrying about a refill, and it’s very convenient to have the tanks refilled.
The inclusion of the 30-sheet auto document feeder will give you the versatility to work as efficiently as you can. It is fast, and with the two-sided auto printing, your printing tasks will be quicker without compromising the quality of the final product.
The large 2.4” LCD will make it a breeze to set up the printer and help you navigate from one task to another. It is what you need to help you stay on track and work faster.
You will be happy to know that the Epson WorkForce ET – 3750 All-in-One Supertank Printer comes with a complete wireless solution.
With this comes the power for you not to just enjoy incredible connectivity to mobile devices wirelessly, but also to print directly from them. As such, you can easily and conveniently print your art from your Android tablets, iPhone, iPad, and much more.
And in addition to allowing wireless connectivity, it can also comfortably be connected to the network through Ethernet.
Pros
- Allows for highly cost-efficient printing
- Wireless connectivity. Best for printing from mobile devices
- Versatile — has a 150-sheet paper capacity
- Allows you to save up to 80% on ink
- Cartridge-free printing
Cons
- Not great in terms of space economy
- Relatively expensive
Epson is a powerhouse in the printing industry, and it is no wonder that the Epson Expression Photo HD XP Wide Format Printer makes it to our list of the best printers for art prints.
It is spacious and comes packed with all the features you may need for a fast and efficient printing experience.
If you are looking for a printer that can handle larger formats, then this is going to be a wonderful choice for you. With it, you will get professional ultra-HD photo quality, with breathtaking borderless prints of sizes up to 13” x 19”.
The quality is further enhanced with the inclusion of the individual 6-color Claria Photo HD capabilities. These feature red and gray inks that allow for ultra-wide gamut and enhanced black and white prints.
Also, with the inclusion of a 50-sheet rear tray for specialty media, the printer comes with the versatility to handle a wide range of papers and the ability to accommodate various types of paper finishes. For instance, you can easily print cardstocks and have exquisite borderless finishes with this printer.
The Epson Expression Photo HD XP Wide Format Printer also features an intuitive 2.4” LCD. This allows for easy setup as well as navigation, while you find out your way through the various printer features.
Since wireless seems to be the norm these days, this printer comes with a versatile wireless connectivity feature.
This is what you will need so that you can print directly from mobile devices such as iPhone, Android tablets, and many others.
In addition to the wireless connectivity, the printer also comes with provisions for wired connectivity that allow for easy Ethernet networking.
The faster speeds of this printer are also worth noting. With it, you get the versatility to print in black at a speed of 9.2 ISO ppm, and 9.0 ISO ppm for colored prints.
And, you will need about 27 seconds to print a 4” x 6” borderless photo. This is pretty impressive since you won’t have to wait longer before you have your art prints in your hands.
Pros
- High-speed printing
- Supports HD-quality prints on A3 size papers
- Ships with a tray that can hold up to 200 sheets
- Lightweight and economical on space
Cons
- The overall printing costs are relatively high compared to others in the same category
- Configuring the printer is quite hectic
Canon TR8520 All-in-One Printer is the printer you go for when you need a complete home office printer that can take care of all your printing needs, including your art prints.
Since it is an all-in-one printer, you will easily print, scan, fax, and copy your documents from the comfort of your home office.
It is relatively small, but full of the kinds of features you need for quality prints and ease of use.
One of the conspicuous features of this printer is the 5-color individual ink system. This is what allows you to get incredibly great-looking documents and prints because of the superiority of its color capabilities.
This compact printer also comes with enviable wireless capabilities. It allows you to easily and effortlessly print wirelessly.
This is the feature you need to print directly from your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile devices with a lot of ease.
Its versatility will also not restrict you to printing with one paper type or printing a specific set of documents.
Whether you want to print normal documents, business cards, or photos, including square borderless photos, this is just the kind of printer that you need.
In addition to letting you carry out different printing tasks, it also comes with the versatile paper support.
This features both front and rear paper support to ensure that your photos and documents are in the right place and ready to roll.
The inclusion of a built-in LCD also adds another great dimension to the experience of using this printer. With the intuitive display, you can easily input your settings, and find all that you need to grant you the quality of print you desire.
The memory capacity of this printer is also another feature worth talking about. With a speed of about 33.6kbps, and the capacity to handle about 250 pages, this is a real monster when it comes to blasting your printing tasks.
Pros
- Compact design
- User-friendly LCD
- Versatile paper support
- Wireless printing capabilities
- All-in-one printer
Cons
- Uses only cartridges by Canon
The Canon Pixma Pro-100 Wireless Printer is an inkjet printer that will make a wonderful printer option for photographers and digital artists.
It is particularly an interesting printer if you want your artworks printed in dye-ink and not pigment-based inks, as is usually the case with most printers.
It is one of the few printers you can rely on if you are interested in true monochromatic prints. It features three monochrome inks that form part of the 8-ink ChromaLife 100+ system.
The three monochromes include Light Gray, Gray, and Black. This ink color system leads to enhanced, deep black density for professional print quality.
Still, on quality, the two major color technologies incorporated in this printer are also worth pointing out.
The Optimum Image Generating System ensures the perfect blend of inks that allows for the best quality of prints depending on the printing mode and the paper type in question.
This color system considers factors such as tonal gradation, color reproduction, low graininess, and black density in the calculation to come up with the best blend for top-quality prints.
The printer features a two-way paper feeding system. With this system, you get the versatility of using a rare tray which is ideal for most of the supported media types.
You also get a dedicated manual feed at the back. This is ideal for manually loading thicker papers.
With the built-in Wi-Fi, you have the convenience of printing from your mobile devices, in addition to your usual computer. Also, these features allow you to connect to multiple users at the same time. This makes it easy for the printer to serve more than one person at the same time.
The inclusion of the hi-speed USB will help to ensure a super-fast connection for your data transfers. These are some of the subtle features that greatly enhance the usability and the efficiency of this printer.
Pros
- Quick printing of monochrome images
- Features the superior Image Generating System for accurate ink combination
- The best for printing in 4800 x 2400 resolutions
- Comes with admirable paper handling capabilities
- Allows for computer-free printing
Cons
- Works only with cartridges by Canon
- Relatively expensive
To close our list of the best printers for art prints is the HP Envy Photo 7855 All-in-One Printer. This is a stylish printer that comes with superior features that will take your printing experience to a whole new level.
At its price point, it is one of the most affordable printers you will find the ideal for art prints. Since it is an all-in-one printer, it comes with the versatility to allow you to do more than just print.
With it, you have a printer, a scanner, a copier, and a fax machine, all in one place.
With wireless printing capabilities, you will tap into the power of your printer through your hands. This is because you can easily use your mobile devices such as your iPhone to print directly with the printer.
Compatibility with the HP Smart App will empower you to effortlessly set up the wireless printer so that you can print and scan documents from your camera, social media platforms, and also cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive.
If you buy this printer, you will also be entitled to the HP Instant Ink delivery service. With this, for only three dollars per month, you will get original HP ink delivered to you before you are out of ink.
This is an optional service, but one that will save you time and money.
The printer is also versatile enough to let you print directly from a USB or an SD. All you have to do is insert your drive in the appropriate slot, then view, edit or print directly from the drive using the color touchscreen.
Pros
- Very good print quality
- Comes with a wide range of connectivity features
- Superbly designed for graphic design applications
- Allows you to print directly from a USB and an SD card
- Relatively affordable
Cons
- Low-paper capacity
- Can be used only with regular-sized papers
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Printer for Art Prints
The above are solid examples of printers that you can rely on when you want quality art prints. Below is a brief guide with some of the factors you should consider when you go out shopping for these printers.
1. The Type of Printer
As far as the type of printer goes, you will have to choose either an inkjet or a laser printer. Laser printers are known to be quicker, and they are also less expensive to run.
However, they can be very expensive during the initial purchase. They are also ideal for heavy outputs.
Laser printers, on the other hand, are ideal if you want to print large volumes of pages per month or per day. Initially, they were known to offer low quality when working on a project such as photos.
However, with the advancement of technology, the quality of the two is nearly the same, and so the concern remains on the convenience as well as the output of each.
2. The Size of the Printer
The size of the printer will primarily depend on the type of media or size of media you wish to print.
If you are interested in the best printer for art prints, then it is possible that you could be interested in printing also flyers, huge posters, and business cards among others.
If you anticipate that you may have projects requiring paper sizes bigger than the standard 8.5”, then you will be good to go with an inkjet printer.
3. The Type of Paper
For versatility and a better printing experience, you should look for printers that can handle a variety of paperweights. Not all printers come with this versatility.
However, if you are very certain of the paper types you will be working with – alpha cellulose, cotton rag, RC photo, linen, matte, canvas, watercolor, etc, then you can choose a printer that is most suited for that.
However, be prepared to be inconvenienced in the future when you desire to work on other projects.
4. Your Budget
Printers for art prints are available at different price ranges. If you are low on funds and you need a decent printer for fine arts, then you should consider going for an inkjet printer.
However, you must think about the long-term cost implications of this. This is because they require a lot of maintenance, and they also consume a lot of ink.
If funds are not a problem, however, then you can go for any of the high-end laser printers for quality and convenience.
5. Wireless Connectivity
In this day and age, you need a printer that can offer you great connectivity. An ideal one should let you connect to your mobile devices via Bluetooth so that you can experience wireless printing among other conveniences.
Also, it should be possible for you to connect to cloud services such as Google Drive and Dropbox and social media so that you can print directly from such platforms.
FAQs
What Kind of Printer should I Buy for Art Prints?
There are various kinds of printers you may consider for art prints, with the most popular ones being: Epson WorkForce ET-3750 All-in-One printer, Epson Expression Photo HD printer, Canon TR8520 All-In-One Printer, Canon Pixma Pro-100 Wireless printer, and HP ENVY Photo 7855 All in One Photo Printer.
What kind of paper should I use for Art Prints?
The art paper should be OBA, acid, and lignin-free paper to obtain a high-quality art print.
Various other features and types depending on your requirement.
Which Printer should I use for Canvas Prints?
An ink-jet printer is the most suitable option when you require a canvas print. It ensures the print output is high-definition and high-resolution.
How many colors should my Art Printer Use?
While it depends on your printing requirement, to obtain a satisfactory quality of giclee, archival and fine art printing, the printer should at least have 8 color pigments.