Stickers are little pieces of paper or vinyl that have adhesive on one side and a printed image or pattern on the other. Stickers are a popular way to add a personal touch or clearly identify a product, and they can be found on everything from notebooks and water bottles to laptops and automobiles and even walls.
Stickers range from simple shapes and patterns to elaborate images and graphics in a wide range of sizes. They can be used to advertise a product or cause, showcase an artist’s work, provide useful information, or simply infuse an item with the owner’s unique style.
Stickers are a common material in DIY activities for both kids and adults. Sticker-makers, scrapbookers, and crafters who want to create their own custom options are mostly interested in finding a good sticker printer.
Those operating small businesses who wish to advertise their wares through the use of personalized stickers, can opt to do so inhouse, for both financial and security reasons.
Printing high quality stickers are a nice addition for those who are in charge of organizing events and need custom party favors or promotional gifts; or those in the nonprofit sector who are looking to raise funds and exposure through the use of stickers.
Educators and teachers who wish to make their own stickers to use as prizes for pupils or as decorations for their classroom, especially if they plan on personalizing stickers by adding their students’ names, can also benefit from purchasing a sticker printer.
In general, sticker printing as a service is a good addition for print businesses and sign makers. However, finding the best printer for stickers is another story.
Those who are interested in exploring this field of art but aren’t as well versed in the technicalities of the various machines available on the market may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of products available. We’ll cover the most important factors to consider when selecting a printer, including the type of technology used, the quality of the printed output, the speed with which it can be printed, and the media types it is compatible with. We will also go through the best options for those who are just starting out and want a small printer for home use, for businesses that need a lot of printing done every day, and for those who aim to print on specific materials, such as vinyl.
Selection Criteria for the Best Printer for Stickers 2023—Buying Guide
Inkjet or Laser Printer
Different printing methods mean that inkjet and laser printers can’t be directly compared in terms of their ability to faithfully reproduce pictures or detailed patterns.
The ink in an inkjet printer is sprayed onto the paper using tiny nozzles. Photographs and other designs that need for precise color reproduction and fine detail often benefit from their utilization. The capacity of an inkjet printer to produce a wide range of colours and tints is particularly helpful when printing photographs or graphics with gradients.
Toner, a fine powder, is used in laser printers instead of ink. Printing text and line art is where this technique really shines because of the great contrast and fine lines it produces. A laser printer’s speed is crucial for producing many copies of the same document.
The frequency with which you intend to use the printer, as well as the types of artwork you intend to produce, should inform your ultimate decision between an inkjet and laser printer. If you only need to print text and black and white line graphics but aren’t concerned with photo quality, a laser printer could save you money. If you need to print photos or graphics where the colors really need to pop, an inkjet printer is your best bet.
Print Quality
The quality of a printed graphic for stickers can be judged in several ways.
Printing resolution is proportional to the number of dots per inch that a printer is capable of producing. The bigger the number of dots per inch (dpi), the clearer and more detailed the final product will be.
Another important factor is the degree of color accuracy, as it is also crucial when printing images. A printer with good color reproduction skills is essential for printing designs that do justice to their subjects.
Print Speed
Due to the nature of sticker paper, sticker printing is typically a time-consuming process. The need for rapid printing becomes more pressing for businesses. Any printer capable of producing decent sticker printing speeds will suffice if you only plan on using stickers occasionally.
High-quality, precise prints can be achieved at the expense of time by using a slower printing speed. Quality stickers can be printed at a rate of about four to six pages per minute (ppm) using a high-end inkjet printer. It’s possible, though, that you’ll need to tweak the speed settings in light of the printer model and the sticker material you’re using.
It’s also important to note that certain printers feature dedicated sticker printing modes, such as “high-resolution” or “photo-quality,” which can produce far higher quality products. Changing to these settings may increase printing time, but produce higher quality output.
Finding the optimal speed-to-quality ratio for your printing needs requires some trial and error with your printer’s speed and settings.
Paper and Media Compatability
Some printers have size and weight restrictions that limit the types of media that can be used. Certain laser printers, for instance, cannot handle paper of a certain thickness or the slippery sheets of vinyl.
Also, knowing the distinction between dye and pigment based ink is a crucial first step in selecting the most suitable inkjet sticker printer for your needs, as it will also dictate the media range you can work with. This could have far-reaching consequences for your entire print output.
Top Product Recommendations for the Best Printer for Stickers 2023
- Overall Best Printer for Stickers: Canon IP8720
- Best Inkjet Printer for Vinyl Stickers: HP ENVY 6055e
- Best Printer for Creating Label Stickers: DYMO Labelmaker LT-100H
- Best All-in-One Printer for Printing Stickers: Brother MFC-J 895DW
- Best Printer for Small Companies that Print Stickers: EPSON Surecolor P700
- Best Budget Sticker Printer: HP Deskjet Plus 4155
1. Overall Best Printer for Stickers—Canon IP8720
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Selection Criteria
- Type of printer – Inkjet printer
- Print quality – 10/10
- Printing speed – 9/10
- Media compatibility – 9/10
About Canon IP8720
The Canon IP8720 is an environmentally responsible choice for printing on sticker paper. In addition to being an excellent choice for general office use, this multifunction printer is also a serious contender when it comes to printing images, especially on heavier materials like sticker paper and vinyl.
Paper and media compatibility is a major issue when looking for sticker printers, and the IP8720 can print equally well on tough sticker paper as well as normal printing paper for your everyday use. Its ink technology and paper handling make it just as capable of printing text, graphics, and images on almost all surfaces. Due to its single paper tray, however, manual switching between tasks is required.
The IP8720 can accommodate a total of six ink cartridges, and with the addition of gray inks, it can produce superior black and white photo prints compared to its cheaper rivals. The iP8720’s design makes it ideal for printing images, and its output is on par with that of professional printers, as it creates rich, deeply saturated, accurate colors and unusually high resolution; you won’t have to worry about sacrificing print quality to go green. Also, this environmentally responsible model has built-in technology that turns your printer off automatically when it is not in use.
Pros:
- Can produce high quality photos and premium quality stickers
- Six ink cartridges for deeper colors
- Handles vinyl sticker paper
- 9,600 x 2,400 print resolution
- Wireless printer
- Borderless prints
Cons:
- No Ethernet port for fast printing of large files
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2. Best Inkjet Printer for Vinyl Stickers—HP ENVY 6055e
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Selection Criteria
- Type of printer – Inkjet printer
- Print quality – 10/10
- Printing speed – 9/10
- Media compatibility – 10/10
About HP ENVY 6055e
Vinyl stickers are made by applying a polyvinyl chloride coating on one or both sides of paper (PVC). Coating makes this paper more durable, less absorbent, and less prone to tearing than uncoated paper.
To print on vinyl paper, you’ll typically need a printer that’s up to the task of handling the thick material. The inkjet cartridges of the HP Envy 6055e use solvent-based inks that are designed to adhere to vinyl paper. Little droplets of ink are sprayed onto the paper, and once they dry, they leave behind a vivid and clear image.
It is a more affordable model, so it does not have as many bells and whistles as the more expensive ones. As one of the cheapest sticker printer on our list, though, it’s hard to beat.
This is an all-in-one printer, meaning that it can also copy and scan.
It can print at respectable speeds and cope with a wide range of paper sizes. A speed of seven pages per minute is acceptable when printing stickers, though obviously not lightning fast.
This model is lightweight and stylish, coming in at an only 12 pounds. This HP inkjet printer lacks a touchscreen display, making it less appealing than those with full color screens, yet a small sacrifice for such an affordable price.
The HP instant ink delivery technology ensures you never have to leave the house to restock on ink again, which can end up saving you both time and money, not to mention that this model comes with a free six month ink supply.
Pros:
- Can print high quality stickers
- Medium print speed
- Automatic document feeder
Cons:
- There may be a per-page overage fee if you print more than your Instant Ink allowance
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3. Best Printer for Creating Label Stickers—DYMO Labelmaker LT-100H
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Selection Criteria
- Type of printer – Label printer
- Print quality – 10/10
- Printing speed – 10/10
- Media compatibility – 9/10
About Dymo Label Printer
Affordable and versatile, the Dymo LetraTag 100H Plus handheld label printer prints on a variety of media, including paper, plastic, iron-on, and metallic labels.
The Dymo LetraTag 100H Plus is a standalone label printer that can print labels on paper, plastic, iron-on fabric, and metallic tape, and is small and light enough to hold comfortably in one hand. This low-priced option may be all you need if you only plan to print labels, whether at home or for you business.
These devices are all battery-operated and stand-alone, with no PC connection or other printing capabilities. The combination of form factor and keyboard arrangement is a fundamental design decision for these printers and it was a major influence in selecting this model, among the competition.
A tape cartridge and batteries are included in the initial package, so setting it up is a breeze. The 100H Plus option works with either plastic, paper, fabric iron on, or metallic labels. All of these have fixed widths of 0.5 inches and are only available in a small selection of monochromatic color combinations: black on white for paper and iron-on labels, and black on white, blue, red, yellow, or transparent tape for plastic labels.
According to Dymo, the print speed is 0.5 inches per second (ips), which isn’t of imperative importance for this type of handheld printer.
Pros:
- Can print high quality labels
- Easy to type
- Variety of label materials and colors
- Portable pocket printer
Cons:
- Lacks number keys
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4. Best All-in-One Printer for Printing Stickers—Brother MFC-J 895DW
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Selection Criteria
- Type of printer – Inkjet printer
- Print quality – 10/10
- Printing speed – 9/10
- Media compatibility – 10/10
About Brother MFC-J 895DW
The Brother MFC-J895DW is yet another high-quality wireless all-in-one printer. It’s modest size means it can easily find a home on your desk, and it has excellent printing options for creating lovely stickers on the go.
Manually feeding the printer with sticker paper and thick specialized paper is an option. Nonetheless, it comes with a single paper tray that can accommodate either 150 sheets of regular paper or 20 sheets of high-quality photo paper, and can even accommodate vinyl sticker printing.
Printing from your mobile device or computer is made easy as it supports a number of different interfaces, including Wi-Fi, a USB interface, and Ethernet. This is one of the few inkjet printers that can print straight from a USB, which has made it quite fashionable among craftsmen. For printing from a mobile device, it works with AirPrint, Mopria Print Service, Brother iPrint & Scan, Google Cloud Print, and Wi-Fi Direct.
Very high-yield ink allows this inkjet printer to produce professional-quality prints on glossy paper, picture paper, sticker paper, and vinyl sticker paper. Traditional graphics look fine, despite some issues with dark fills. Be aware, however, that this is not the appropriate printer for mass-producing stickers, and it is more geared towards small businesses and DIYers.
Pros:
- High print quality for images
- Can produce good quality stickers and vinyl prints
- Offers a flatbed scanner
- Decent print speeds
- Borderless printing capability
Cons:
- Ink cost for printing stickers is high
- Good only for small business and home sticker printing
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5. Best Printer for Small Companies that Print Stickers—EPSON Surecolor P700
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Sticker Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of printer – Inkjet printer
- Print quality – 10/10
- Printing speed – 10/10
- Media compatibility – 9/10
About EPSON Surecolor P700
Epson’s SureColor P700 is a high-quality inkjet printer designed with professional graphic designers in mind. It’s versatile (you can print on vinyl and fabric sticker papers, for example) and precise in terms of color and detail. It also has a high-quality color touchscreen measuring in at 4.3 inches. The user interface is far more straightforward and easy to work with than that of competing professional picture printers. Sure, you could opt for the EPSON Surecolor P900, but for a small business it would be too much, unless you want to invest in your company’s future.
The SureColor P700’s precision ten-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead is just one of several reasons why its output is so high quality. The smallest droplet size that can be printed using a single printer nozzle is 1.5 picoliters, so you can even print on clear sticker paper, as the detail of the images is something you can count on.
Separate channels allow the printer to switch between picture black and matte black without requiring a nozzle flush, thereby saving ink and company expenses. The ink-repellent coating on the nozzles reduces the likelihood of nozzle clogging. This means that you won’t notice any difference in print quality or speed whether you’re printing on regular office paper or thicker sticker paper for a craft project.
Epson’s new UltraChrome HD PRO10 ink cartridge set is compatible with the P700. This set comprises photo black, matte black, cyan, light cyan, vivid magenta, vivid light magenta, yellow, gray, light gray, and violet. Glossy paper is typically chosen when making stickers, and Epson’s new Carbon Black Driver mode boosts black density on this type of paper by raising Dmax.
In addition, keep in mind that picture black is the black ink you should use on glossy photo paper. Matte black inks soak into and show up the best on matte papers due to the flat, non-reflective surface. The P700 automatically chooses the best ink for printing based on the paper type and ICC profile.
It also matters what kind of paper you use to print your sticker graphics. High-quality paper has a unique ICC profile that details its qualities including finish, absorption rate, and other aesthetic elements. High-end printers, such as the P700, use the paper’s ICC profile to determine the ink mixture and application.
When using cut sheets, the P700 can print on paper sizes between 4.6 and 19.5 inches. A roll of paper up to 13 inches wide and a 2-inch core in diameter can be used in the printer with no issues. Epson makes a large selection of high-quality papers in both precut sheets and rolls that are compatible with their printers. Epson not only offers museum-quality Pro Imaging style paper, but also presentation paper and paper in sizes up to 13 by 19 inches.
The P700 can print borderless graphics and documents in a wide variety of sizes, from 3.5 by 5 inches to 13 by 19 inches. The driver’s interface is adaptable to user-specified dimensions.
Pros:
- High quality prints
- Wireless printer
- Automatic document feeder, depending on material quality
- Reliable printer
Cons:
- Low ink warning levels cannot be turned off, often forcing you to throw out 15% of the ink in the bottle
- High initial and maintenance cost, compared to the other printers on our list
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6. Best Budget Sticker Printer—HP Deskjet Plus 4155
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Sticker Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of printer – Inkjet printer
- Print quality – 9/10
- Printing speed – 10/10
- Media compatibility – 10/10
About HP Deskjet Plus 4155
To some extent, the HP Deskjet Plus 4155 could use some further features, but when it comes to sticker printing, this may well be the best inkjet sticker printer within this budget frame. The packing is the bare minimum, just containing the printer, a power cable, and two ink cartridges to get you started. Padding on both sides ensures that it won’t get damaged in transit.
All in all, the device’s design is minimal, but at the price, it is not a deal breaker. Much care appears to have been taken with the materials. Its compact size of 13.07 by 16.85 by 7.87 inches makes it a suitable addition to smaller offices.
This wireless printer’s screen is limited to icons and provides little practical information. It has the standard selections seen on low-priced sticker printers of today. This device features built-in Wi-Fi and supports Wi-Fi Direct connections. You also get support for most cloud printing services and the venerable USB 2.0. However, if you are a Mac user, be prepared that you might need to pay extra attention to this process, as it tends to lose connection unexpectedly.
The HP Deskjet Plus 4155 scanner is capable of a respectable level of performance, especially considering its maximum resolution of 1200 DPI and 24-bit color depth. It’s also capable of automatic document feeder (ADF) scanning; a feature that even pricier competitors do not offer.
When considering price per page, the 4155 is not an excellent choice, however this budget wireless printer has satisfactory print speeds, better than most others, producing black-and-white text pages at 8.5 PPM and color documents at 5.5 PPM.
It requires manual sticker paper loading from behind the machine, where numerous sheets can be inserted at once and the machine will only use as many as it needs.
The colors are spot on and true to the source graphic. The HP 4155 also performed admirably when making copies and scanning documents.
Pros:
- Budget sticker printer
- Good quality prints
- Fast printing speed
- Accurate color printing
- Compact printer
Cons:
- Not a lot of extra options
- High ink cost
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Conclusion—The Best Printer for Stickers 2023
If you are looking for true professional art printers, or an investment for your home to create stickers and labels, our best stickers list holds something for everyone.
For people who are interested in a professional machine, that can handle high volume of work and create stickers in a large variety of media, then the EPSON Surecolor P700 can prove an invaluable tool.
On the other hand, if you are looking for an All-in-One printer for your home, that will be able to handle stickers like a pro, then you might want to take a peak at our review of Brother MFC-J 895DW.
We hope you found our analysis of the best printer for stickers of 2023 to be helpful. Consult our associated guides for further sources of comparable items for the artistic lifestyle.
