Crafters and do-it-yourselfers would do well to look into getting a versatile printer, as having the right size and form materials is essential for many craft projects. Printing off a pattern or template before cutting cloth, paper, or any other material can help speed up the process and ensure precision.
Printable labels or tags can be useful for crafters who plan to sell or give away their creations, as they can contain information about the item’s materials and care instructions. This kind of labeling and tagging is simple and quick to make in the form of stickers, with the use of a printer.
While most printers will do a good job of printing images and basic craft projects, if you’re really into it, you’ll want a machine that can keep up with your enthusiasm.
Some high-quality printers that are ideal for hobbyists and professionals alike will be discussed in this guide. Whether it’s a photo print for a client or a handmade card for a friend, these printers can do it all.
There are many types of printers out there vying for your money, making it hard to choose the one that would best serve your crafting needs. Based on our research, we prioritized printers that could produce sharp text and vibrant images on a wide variety of media types and sizes. We looked at the precision of the nozzles and the quality and level of detail of the ink to obtain a feel for the ink’s application during printing so that we could review both inkjet and laser printers. After providing these considerations, we have produced a list of the best crafting printers based on different art applications, including making greeting cards, printing on canvas, and making stickers.
Selection Criteria for the Best Printers for Crafters 2023—Buying Guide
Type of Printer you need:
Inkjet and laser printers often provide different outcomes when used to replicate designs or elaborate patterns because they use distinct printing technologies.
Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers use incredibly fine nozzles to spray liquid ink onto paper. They are commonly employed in the printing of images and other designs that demand a high level of color accuracy and detail. The capacity of an inkjet printer to produce a wide range of colors and tints is invaluable for printing images or graphics with gradients.
Laser Printers
Laser printers, on the other hand, use toner, which is a thin powder that is heated and melts onto the paper. Due to its capacity to produce high-contrast, razor-sharp lines, this technology excels at printing text and line art. The speed of a laser printer is invaluable when printing several copies of the same document, so sometimes it can be preferred by crafting businesses.
Your final choice between an inkjet and a laser printer should be dependent on how frequently you intend to use each and what types of art you intend to create. If you primarily print text, and black and white line graphics and do not require photo-quality output, a laser printer may be more cost-effective. If you need to print images or graphics with true-to-life colors, an inkjet printer is recommended.
Print Quality
When exploring the realm of craft printing, you will largely deal with sketches, images, and photographs. Printing craft of excellent quality means accurate depiction, high resolution, and a wide range of colors.
The sort of printer you purchase will also influence the overall quality of the produced craft piece. Whereas inkjet printers provide superior quality, laser printers are speedier; bear this fact in mind if you intend to use it commercially.
Media Compatibility
Crafting, as a broad phrase, encompasses a wide range of materials such as vinyl, cardboard, and canvas. Nevertheless, this is only possible if your printer supports the appropriate material thickness and dimension. To produce a more professional look, craft designs are commonly printed on heavier, thicker paper. As a result, the thicker the media your printer can handle, the more project options you’ll have in the long run.
Top Product Recommendations for the Best Printer for Crafters 2023
- Overall Best Printer for Crafters: EPSON ECO TANK ET-2850
- Best Inkjet Printer for Crafters: Canon TS9521C
- Best Laser Printer for Crafters: HP Color LaserJet Pro M454dw
- Best Printer for Greeting Cards: Canon PIXMA PRO-200
- Best Printer for Stickers: Canon IP8720
- Best Printer for Canvas Designs: Epson SureColor P800
1. Overall Best Printer for Crafters—EPSON ECO TANK ET-2850
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Arts and Crafts Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of Printer for Crafting – Ink jet printer
- Print Quality – 10/10
- Media Compatibility – 10/10
About EPSON ECO TANK ET-2850
The ET-2850 printer, scanner, and copier is a great option to consider if you plan to print directly on a variety of materials, such as fine art paper, glossy paper, card stock, or even slippery sticker paper. It might be one of our most affordable printers on this list, both in initial and maintenance cost, but it is known for its vibrant colors and high resolution.
For professional crafting projects, disposable ink cartridges can amount to a considerable running cost. This machine uses ink tanks that can be refilled with ink bottles. Epson boasts that you can generate 7,500 black copies and 6,000 color copies with just one ink bottle, which effectively indicates that this is one of the top inkjet printers in terms of cost.
To fill the tank to capacity, simply use the ink from the included bottles. The printer can then be configured for ink initiation. The ink tanks and, more crucially, which color ink goes into which tank are intuitively visualized for the user, so you don’t have to worry about remembering which color goes in which tank. It’s a nice touch to have the procedures laid out and the desired outcome graphically shown, especially for first-time users and folks in a busy work environment.
Each tank takes one minute to fill, and once full, the procedure ends on its own. To avoid any problems, fill all of the tanks with ink before starting the initialization procedure, which takes around ten minutes.
The device’s operations are controlled via buttons to the right of a 1.5-inch color display on a swiveling screen. The screen can be rotated up to 180 degrees, allowing you to find the ideal viewing angle for you.
On practically every paper type, pigment black ink and the unique Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology work together to produce crisp text and high-quality color images. So you don’t have to worry that your printer might not be able to follow your craft, if you decide to delve into new areas.
In terms of connectivity, you can use your phone, laptop, Macbook, or PC to connect wirelessly, or you can even use your voice to operate this machine using voice-activated printing technology.
Pros:
- Affordable price for initial purchase and running costs
- Up to two years of free ink is included in the box
- Can work with all specialty paper
- All in one printer
- High quality prints
Cons:
- Wireless printer, but lacks Bluetooth technology
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2. Best Inkjet Printer for Crafters—Canon TS9521C
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Arts and Crafts Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of Printer for Crafting – Ink jet printer
- Print Quality – 10/10
- Media Compatibility – 10/10
About Canon TS9521C
The Canon TS9521C All-in-One Wireless Printer is an amazing printer if you want to seriously explore the world of paper crafting, like producing stickers, iron-on transfers, and other handcrafted things.
This printer provides an engaging experience, making it simple to produce professional-quality output thanks to its simple user interface, vibrant colors, and flexible printing settings. ChromaLife 100 ensures that your prints will remain colorfast for the duration of the product’s life. This high-quality printer has five ink cartridges, four of which create vibrant colors, and the fifth prints black. Because of its five-ink system, you can refill ink as needed when one runs out, without wasting any.
For a craft printer, print speeds of 15 and ten pages per minute (IPM) in black and color are completely fine, with a resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi. Printing on photo paper, both matte and glossy, is also feasible, but put only ten sheets at a time into the front paper tray, and only paper weight no thicker than 120 GSM if using card stock.
The key “smart” feature of the TS9521C is its connectivity with voice-activated assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant, so you can even use Google Cloud Print, as well as other platforms that employ IFTTT scripting technology, even when you are not in your craft room. This Canon printer comes with a few scripts pre-installed, but you can add more by searching for, downloading, and editing scripts online.
Finally, it includes over 40 unique printable patterns (dots, squares, checkerboards, seasonal, and many more) that can be used as backgrounds for inspiring messages on cards and stickers.
Pros:
- Allows for 12 x 12 inch borderless printing
- Can work with specialty media
- Wide variety of paper sizes
- Offers wireless printing and voice activation
- Built in memory card slot
Cons:
- As a crafting printer, it should have a longer warranty
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3. Best Laser Printer for Crafters—HP Color LaserJet Pro M454dw
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Arts and Crafts Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of Printer for Crafting – Laser printer
- Print Quality – 9/10
- Media Compatibility – 9/10
About HP Color LaserJet Pro M454dw
HP’s Color LaserJet Pro M454dw is a color laser printer designed for small to medium-sized businesses and artist workgroups. If you’re looking for a photo printer that can create graphics quickly, this is a wonderful option to look into.
The Color LaserJet Pro M454dw offers a 2.7-inch color touchscreen, but there aren’t many options for output customization. The control panel can be used to track consumables, create consumption data, and configure security settings, among other simple things.
The most common means of connectivity are Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, and Wi-Fi Direct, for most printers. Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, HP ePrint, HP’s Smart App, and other mobile apps, as well as Mopria, are all ways to connect your mobile device on this machine, so you may print from anywhere, without having space constraints.
This printer includes a 50-sheet override tray in addition to the usual 250-sheet cassette, allowing you to print intricate graphics, stickers, labels, and other media without opening the main drawer. It’s worth noting that this HP printer can print on foil, as well as on glossy and semi gloss paper.
It can handle little more than 4,000 pages per month in terms of monthly duty cycle. Although it has some issues with the dark green-to-black backdrop gradient, its visuals are outstanding when it comes to imaging for laser printers. Overall, the colors are accurate, the blacks are deep, and the gradients merge nicely from one shade to the next, which is rather impressive for a laser printer.
Overall, this is the right printer for crafters who are interested in fast printing, without sacrificing wide media compatibility (including glossy photo paper and foil), in a variety of print sizes for paper crafts.
Pros:
- Great printer for speed and quality
- USB port for fast transfer of designs
- Starter set of toner cartridges consisting of four individual colors (black, cyan, magenta, and yellow; each yields around 1200 pages)
Cons:
- If one color is out, all need to be replaced for the printer to work
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4. Best Printer for Greeting Cards—Canon PIXMA PRO-200
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Arts and Crafts Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of Printer for Crafting – Ink jet printer
- Print Quality – 10/10
- Media Compatibility – 10/10
About Canon PIXMA PRO-200
The Canon PIXMA Pro 200 is one of the best printers for photographers due to its ability to produce lab-quality prints. It is suitable for mass-producing greeting cards up to A3 size without borders, so whether you prefer to send personalized greetings or manage a printing business, this inkjet printer is a terrific alternative to consider.
The rear tray can store up to 150 pages, and the manual feeder can handle thicker cardstock up to 380GSM, making this a fantastic choice for professional and home crafters alike. Even more surprising is the presence of a third feed option for printing directly onto CDs and photo paper. Skew Correction technology on the PIXMA PRO-200 allows for precise paper loading; paper alignment is handled automatically by built-in sensors, ensuring beautiful prints every time.
However, because it requires eight ink cartridges, this printer is more expensive, but it is well worth it if you want to use it for professional-quality images on your greeting cards. Even though this is a great option for making cards and printing invitations, bear in mind that the results will vary depending on the paper type you use, so it is best to opt for thick paper, which will last longer and showcase colors more vividly.
Canon promises that their official dye inks will last for 100 years, so you don’t have to worry about your memories fading, even if you want to create scrapbooks showcasing the greeting cards you give to your loved ones.
Even though this is a great photo printer, the only downside is that dye-based inks may produce either a magenta or a greenish tint, and there is some variation in black-and-white prints. You can still get amazing results when printing in black and white, but it will require more calibration to attain maximum brilliance.
Pros:
- Perfect printer for cardstock and thick paper
- Large selection of compatible media
- Borderless prints
- Compact printer
Cons:
- Extra calibration is needed for monochromatic printing
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5. Best Printer for Stickers—Canon IP8720
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Arts and Crafts Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of Printer for Crafting – Ink jet printer
- Print Quality – 10/10
- Media Compatibility – 10/10
About Canon IP8720
When it comes to printing on thick sticker paper, the Canon IP8720 is the most eco-friendly option. This multifunction printer is not only a great pick for everyday office use, but it also holds its own when it comes to printing intricate graphics, especially on thicker media like vinyl. This way, you don’t need to buy multiple machines for all your crafting needs.
The IP8720 can print just as well on durable sticker paper as it can on regular printing media, addressing a common concern when shopping for sticker printers. With advancements in ink technology and paper management, this company allows you to print on practically any surface, from text and graphics to photographs. Nevertheless, it does have only one paper tray, so you’ll have to switch between jobs manually.
The IP8720 has room for a total of six ink cartridges, and its black-and-white photo printing capabilities are enhanced by the inclusion of gray ink. Image printing is where the iP8720 really shines, with rich, deeply saturated, accurate colors and high resolution that puts it on level with professional printers. In addition, this eco-friendly machine features an automatic shut-off function, so your printer is turned off whenever it is not in use.
Pros:
- Able to create high-resolution images and professional-grade stickers
- Color depth improved by six ink cartridges
- Supports a maximum print resolution of 9,600 by 2,400 on vinyl sticker paper
- Print borderless designs
Cons:
- Large files might be hard to transfer as it lacks an Ethernet port
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6. Best Printer for Canvas Designs—Epson SureColor P800
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Arts and Crafts Printer Selection Criteria
- Type of Printer for Crafting – Ink jet printer
- Print Quality – 10/10
- Media Compatibility – 10/10
About Epson SureColor P800
The Epson SureColor P800 is a great piece of equipment for people interested in working with canvas designs. The flexibility to use a paper roll adaptor, the compact size, and the light weight of this photo printer are its key selling points, while it nonetheless produces high-quality prints that will impress professionals and hobbyists alike.
The P800 can print on cut paper sizes ranging from 3.5 x five inches to 17 x 22 inches. For a broader range of uses, this canvas printer can also print on rolls of up to ten feet in length, with a width of 13 or 17 inches. The maximum capacity of the top paper tray is 120 sheets of standard paper, 30 sheets of picture paper, or ten sheets of canvas.
To accommodate bulky media like poster board, there is an additional input tray located directly above the paper output tray. If you plan on using the roll adapter, remember to leave a few feet of space in front of your printer to accommodate the banners as they roll out.
The SureColor P800 has nine individual ink cartridges that add to its grayscale printing capabilities, and it also offers a wide spectrum of black ink tones. This way, canvas prints, whether black and white or full color, look great regardless of the number of colors used in the original.
Overall, this canvas printer performs as well as commercial printers when printing photos, artwork, and panoramas on both regular paper and roll-feed media, allowing for a greater range of print sizes.
Pros:
- One of the best inkjet printers for canvas designs
- Nine ink cartridges for wide spectrum of colors
- Easily print on fine and thick paper
Cons:
- High initial cost
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Conclusion—The Best Printer for Crafting 2023
In general, having access to a printer can be a time and money-saving tool for crafters looking to improve their projects or market themselves. If you are looking for the best printer for crafting, our list includes options suitable for both professional artists and those wishing to print crafts for use at home.
The EPSON Surecolor P800 is a great choice for those in need of a professional machine that can print on canvas and on a wide range of media types at fast speeds.
If, on the other hand, you need an All-in-One printer for your house that can print on many craft materials with ease, we recommend reading our evaluation of the EPSON ECO TANK ET-2850.
We hope you found our analysis of the best printer for crafting 2023 to be helpful. Consult our associated guides for further sources of comparable items for the artistic lifestyle.
