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Its really difficult to print on heavier-weight papers, like cardstock. Many printers are not compatible with handling the extra weight of the cardstock, resulting in paper jams and paper waste.
The foe that cardstock printing requires high-quality printers that can handle heavyweight papers.
Usually, these printers take more toner ink than the regular printers but with fewer paper jams. Therefore, cardstock printers are specially made for printing cardstock.
Confused about buying the best cardstock printer? If yes, then you are not the only one. Many users also get stuck trying to choose a printer that can handle cardstock paper and produce high-quality printing.
But we are here to help you in choosing the best Cardstock printer which may be overwhelming some times.
We have compiled a list of most popular cardstock printers available in the market and a buyer guide on how to choose the best one for your cardstock project.
Best Printers for Cardstock
| Printer Name | Type | Quality (DPI) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Canon TS9120 | All-In-One | 4800x1200 | |
| 2. Brother HL-L2300D | Duplex Printing | 2400 x 600 | |
| 3. Canon PIXMA PRO-100 | Wireless | 4800 x 2400 | |
| 4. WorkForce WF-7710 | All-in-one Inkjet | 1200 x 2400 | |
| 5. Canon Pixma iX6820 | Wireless - For Business | 9600 x 2400 | |
| 6. HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 | With 8 Month Ink | 4800 x 1200 | |
| 7. Canon MX532 | Wireless - All-in-one | 4800 x 1200 | |
| 8. HP Envy 114 | All-in-One | 1200 x 1200 |
If you are in a hurry, you can pretty much use above table to make a quick buying decision. But if you want to go much deeper, let’s review each model in extreme detail and study the nitty-gritty to see if it is a good fit.
It can give you a pretty good overview of what it looks like and if you should really buy it or not based on your needs.
1. Canon TS9120
- Designed to meet all your needs, from...
- Connect your smartphone, tablet and all...
- The Pixma Tr8520 is the compact Wireless...
- With intuitive features like the 4.3...
- Memory capacity: Approx; 250 pages....
- 5 color Ink system
- LCD touchscreen works perfectly
- Can print 250 pages from memory
- Tray sheet capacity isn’t good
- Ink cost can be pretty high
Canon has one of the best wireless printers on their list. Canon TS9120 Wireless Printer is an all-in-one printer that meets all your home copying, printing, and scanning needs. The printer comes with an extremely compact design that doesn’t occupy all the space in your home office.
It delivers stunning print quality with its excellent features. The printer comes with a 6-color individual ink system with Photo Blue Ink which helps in reducing graininess on your prints. It also enables you to achieve photo lab printing results.
This model form Canon also supports wireless connectivity along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies.
This wireless connectivity enables you to directly connect your smartphone, tablet, or any other mobile device for easy printing which is pretty handy if you want to get prints on the go.
Even though, you can get a normal wireless printer under $100 but this is not the basic one, it can print on cardstock which makes it special and more expensive as compare to a normal printer that you can get pretty cheap.
The built-in SD memory card reader also enables you to print directly from memory cards. Based on my research, a lot of print shops in 3rd world countries use this model to get color print for their costumer because if it’s memory card reader features.
Moreover, many users who have used this printer loved its larger %-inch color screen. Such a perfect screen size makes the device easier to operate effectively.
You can also add creative filters to your images on this screen to further enhance your printing results. For all your cardstock printing needs, this printer will never disappoint.
It occupies little space in your office because of its compact design while delivering excellent quality and fast printing results.
Let’s have a look at some silent features worth considering:
Ink system: It has 6 color individual ink system which never compromises on speed or quality.
Connectivity: It offers wireless connectivity and easily connects to your smartphones, tablets and all your favorite devices. It is always a plus for quick printing needs.
Display: Canon TS9120 features 5.0 inches LCD touchscreen which enhances the user interface. You can run it pretty much from LCD screen entirely which is pretty cool.
DPI: It has print resolution Up to 4800 x 1200 dots per inch. Don’t know what the heck is DPI? watch this Youtube Video learn.
Tray: The printer is always ready to print with its Auto Expandable Output Tray. It can be very very handy for fast speed printing, especially in office and commercial locations.
- Screen Size: 4.3″ LCD Touchscreen
- Modem Speed: Up to 33.6 Kbps
- Weight: 17.5 pounds
- Print Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 dpi
2. Brother HL-L2300D
- Prints up To 27 ppm, automatic duplex...
- 250 Sheet Capacity Paper Tray. A4...
- Windows 10 Compatibility: If you upgrade...
- This machine uses a USB connection...
- It prints sharp, professional black and...
If all your cardstock projects are about black and white than this laser printer form brother is best for your job.
This model is suited for home and office use while capable of producing crisp black and white documents at a high speed of up to 27 papers per minute.
Brother printers are best known for their quality and this monochrome laser printer is not an exception.
These printers are widely used by students and in office settings.
Because it is simple to set up and you can get quality print outs without paying a hefty amount for maintenance, troubleshooting, and ink cartages. I suppose you already know, card stock printer can get super expensive if you are a heavy user.
It is capable of producing your prints at an amazing high resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi, placing itself above most of the units in its same range. I was really impressed by it’s DPI. However, it isn’t recommended for photos, it is best for printing notes, and other official documents.
The printer provides you excellent features such as automated double-sided document printing and Toner Save mode that provides you ease when dealing with less critical business documents.
Its Double-sided printing option can save you 50% on ink and paper alone. Even though you can pretty much print on double sides without using this feature but it can be a time suck and using this model puts you into a habit of using the same paper over and over again if it make sense.
Moreover, it also has an adjustable 250-sheets paper tray capacity that helps meet all your cardstock printing needs.
However, you must have to look at the thickness of the cardstock you’ll be printing to ensure you feed the printer with the right amount of sheets for smooth printing.
The printer also offers excellent connectivity as this printer is easy to hook to your computer with an integrated USB 2.0 interface. The compact design of the printer enables it to take less space in your home office while meeting your cardstock project needs.
This printer is one of the best laser printers for black and white projects so just get this amazing printer for your cardstock projects. This is different from your day to day black and white printer because it can print on cardstock which is totally a different ball game so don’t confuse it with a normal printer.
Printing Mode: With Automatic Duplex Printing, you can print u to 27 ppm which is pretty good in this price range if you are a speed geek.
Sheet Capacity: The printer has a 250 sheet capacity paper tray which automatically does 2 sided print. You can save a lot of money on paper.
Before upgrading to Windows 10 uninstall all drivers and software in Windows 7 or Windows 8.
The high-speed USB connection ensures the smooth working of your printer.
The printer prints sharp with professional black and white resolution up to 2400 x 600dpi resolution.
Wifi: The Brother HL-L2300D doesn’t have Wi-Fi capability which makes it pretty old school, but it still works perfectly fine if you are not into moving stuff here and there every couple of months.
You just have to fit it in one place and use it without messing it with its settings. The manufacturers provide a one-year limited warranty with free phone support for the life of your printer. It seems too good to be true! Realistically, you can pretty much use this printer for 10+ years if you handle it with care.
Brothers’ support isn’t great, but they can good enough job to get your problem solved. You can always use google if you encounter something you can’t you or your support can’t figure it out on their own.
Majority of problems are pretty easy to solve if you spend some time learning about it.
If you are still having issues with printing and some other stuff, you can get help from their support which isn’t great as I said before but it isn’t a surprise because it isn’t cost-effective for these companies to hire full-time support staff because their lifetime customer value isn’t high enough.
- Color: Black
- Connectivity Technology:USB
- Duplex: Automatic
- Print Speed: 26 pages_per_minute
- Operating System: Windows, Mac
3. Canon PIXMA PRO-100
- 8 Dye based inks for amazing gradients...
- The Optimum Image Generating System...
- Compatible with individual CLI 42 ink...
- 4800 x 2400 dots per inch with fine...
- Weight: 43.2 in bullet point. Number of...
Canon Pro 100 is one of the most suitable printers for very thick cardstock with a capability to handle a wide variety of papers.
It has 8-dye based ink printing and image optimizer for image quality that makes it to printout high-quality prints with a printing resolution of 4800 by 2400 DPI.
This printer is designed to handle a maximum paper weight of 110 lbs. and the maximum paper size of A4 legal.
The printer can handle a wide range of common cardstock papers. The machine is up to the task for any moderate printing jobs with a paper input capacity of 150 and a standard output of 2.
It comes with front-loading cartridge and a rear paper tray which can hold up to 150 sheets of the standard A4 papers.
It also has a cover to prevent dust. The excellent feeding design of this printer makes it possible to print cardstocks without bending and folding.
The canon PIXMA pro-100 can print an 11*12-inch image in 90 seconds and an 8*10 inch image in 51 seconds. The printer is equipped with an 8-ink system which provides a variety of color range for printing.
The ink system also includes three black ink cartridges for the quality of excellent black and white photo. The printer can also print 13*19-inch borderless media as it works with various types of media including glossy, luster matte photo paper and a lot of other fine art papers.
The paper tray of the printer can accommodate 150 sheets at a time. Furthermore, you can print directly from various devices as it offers multiple connectivity options.
You get the Ethernet and USB wired connections in this printer. The USB port allows you to print from a compatible digital camera with PictBridge compatibility.
It is an excellent inkjet wireless printer that is compatible and performs versatile functions. This printer is photo-dedicated even though it comes at affordable prices.
INK QUALITY: The printer has an amazing 8 dye-based ink system with 3 grayscale inks for beautiful black and white prints.
The Optimum image generating system reproduces color by logically selecting optimum ink combinations and replacements.
This model comes with an output tray capacity with an auto sheet feeder. It can be very handy if you are a frequent printer and looking for a speed printing option.
It has 4800 x 2400 dots per inch resolution with is pretty average for this type of printer in this range. I won’t call extraordinary but it is pretty normal.
- Output Tray Capacity: 150 Sheets of Plain Paper
- Connectivity:Wifi
- Mobile Printing: Yes
4. WorkForce WF-7710
- Storage Dimensions: 22.3" W x 19.1" D x...
- Epson all-in-one printer can print,...
- PrecisionCore technology lets you create...
- 250-sheet paper tray can also hold up to...
- Automatic 2-sided print speeds of 8.7...
Epson is one of the renowned manufacturers of amazing printers. The Epson WorkForce line is usually designed for use in the business office.
You can consider this workforce-7710 as the best printer for heavy cardstock printing jobs. Like many other models, this printer is also an all-in-one printer that enables you to copy, print, scan, and fax in one single device.
This inkjet printer uses all its features to meet your cardstock printing needs. It can handle up to 192 gm/m2 for a cardstock which is quite satisfactory for any business. It can print at an impressive speed of 18 papers per minute (for black) and 10 ppm (for color prints).
This model of Epson comes with multiple connectivity options as you expect from any high-end inkjet printer for business use.
The printer supports Wi-Fi capability which means that you can directly print from your smartphones, iPad, tablets, and other devices.
You can also use the Ethernet port or USB 2.0 interface integrated into the printer for wireless connections.
Both wireless and ethernet connectivity give you more room if one form of connectivity isn’t working, it is always great to use alternate.
Furthermore, the printer has the feature to supports automatic two-sided printing. It also has a 35-sheet automatic document feeder for your convenience. The WorkForce WF-7710 comes with 2 paper trays, each has a maximum capacity of 250 sheets.
Two-sided printing of pretty important things if you are an environmental friendly person and you want to save trees.
It is a great way of doing it by investing some money upfront on a printer with a double side print option. For sure, you can put documents upside down yourself to get two side print but who has the time to do that? This feature save you a lot of time.
A two-sided printing option is also good if you are buying it for kids. Because they don’t need to print official documents. it is just for fine plus learning and it is fine to have one document printed both sides.
The printer has the feature of the rear slot with the help of which you can easily feed specialized paper into the printer.
The intuitive 4.3-inch color screen also makes the operating and monitoring of your printer ease. So don’t waste your thing in looking around and just get his amazing printer for your business office.
It is perfect model for business use. It is built for heavy use. I won’t recommend this model for home use because you might end up paying more without using it on it’s full potential.
DOCUMENT FEEDER: It has a 35-page auto document feeder which increases the printer efficiency.
It won’t make a huge difference if you need a few prints every other day. But it can be really helpful for someone who prints document day in day out, auto document feeder can save a ton of time.
It an economical printer that uses 80 percent less power than other color laser printers. Again, it can be handy if you are a power user.
The printer has versatile paper handling with a 250-sheet tray, rear feed for specialty paper and 125-sheet output.
The printer has ultimate wireless printing and networking as it can print from iPad, iPhone, Android tablets, and smartphones.
- Storage Dimensions: 22.3″ W x 19.1″ D x 13.4″ H
- Capacity:250-sheet paper tray
- Weight: 40.8 pounds
- Automatic 2-sided print speeds: 8.7 ppm
5. Canon Pixma iX6820
- OS compatibility: Windows 8, Windows...
- Utilizes Air Print, Google Cloud Print...
- Fine print head technology (Full...
- High performance 5 individual ink tank...
- 9600 x 2400 dots per inch maximum print...
Canon one of the well-known name in the printing industry. The company has a track record of producing top of the line printers that meet all the needs of various users.
This Pixma iX6820 from Canon is a great choice for business people looking for the printer for business cards and flyers or any other cardstock projects.
The printer has a 5-ink color system which also worked with dyed inks to help you produce more detailed prints.
The fifth ink in the ink system is a pigment-based black ink material that produces detailed text in the works you want to create. The inks can produce 1-picoliter droplets for more detailed photo printing.
It not only prints in full colors but also prints with an impressively high resolution of up to 9600 x 2400 dots per inch.
The maximum resolution setting of the printer ensures you to produce more detailed features in your papers.
The printer provides you dazzling prints for your clients’ flyers, business cards, invitation cards, greeting cards and many more.
If you always receive multiple orders involving cardstock printing than you will appreciate the high printing speed that comes with this unit. The printer can handle 14. Inches per minute for black prints and 10.4 inches per minute for color prints.
It can also print borderless media measuring 13 x 19 inches or 4 by 6-inch color photos. Moreover, the printer has an image analysis feature which produces appropriate settings for how well a printout may be produced.
You can also use this feature to create a better image at any time.
The My Image garden feature provides facial recognition and spatial analysis points to adjust the printer settings.
The printer has multiple connectivity options and it can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi or the Ethernet port. You can also connect the printer with your mobile device and print directly from your smartphone, iPad, and tablets. This is one of the best printers you can ever come across.
Compatibility: This model is compatible with Mac and Windows. It can work as a plug & play device. It also supports wireless connectivity such as AirPrint, Google cloud print.
It has a 5-ink system that provides full-color printing.It allows you to use different setting templates based on the media you are using.
You can print several pounds of paper at a time.
The printer has fine print head technology which provides quality print.
The auto sheet feeder enhances the performance of the printer.
The manufacturer guaranteed 100% satisfaction of the users.
- OS Compatibility: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
- Print resolution:9600 x 2400 dots per inch
- Connectivity:Wireless
- Weight: 17.9 pounds
6. HP OfficeJet Pro 8035
- Upgrade your office – Replacing the HP...
- Eight months of ink, delivered – This...
- Organize documents 50% faster –...
- Print remotely using HP smart app –...
- Self-healing Wi-Fi – ensures you stay...
Our next printer on the list is from a highly reputable name in the printing world which is HP. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 comes engineered to handle the cardstock print media.
It makes the best printer for cardstock invitations for your home office or small business. This all-in-one printer many functions except printing such as print, copy, scan and even fax.
The printer has an excellent handling capability, with the input tray holding as many as 250 sheets while the output tray holds up to 60 sheets.
Moreover, the printer doesn’t disappoint its user regarding the speed as it can print your cardstock papers at a speed of 10 pages per minute for black and 10 pages per minute for color printing.
The HP printer also offers unique features such as smart tasks and scan-to-USB capabilities which saves your time and increases productivity in your business.
It also supports 2 sided printing and copying and automatic document feeder for user convenience.
Furthermore, the printer comes with self-healing Wi-Fi which ensures you the connectivity and minimizes interruptions while working on your projects. The printer also features a built-in security essential to safeguard your privacy on the internet.
The best part of the printer is that while purchasing this printer you will get a code to redeem up to 8 months of ink delivered to your doorstep.
So get this printer and save your money on the ink. The wireless printer comes with a code to redeem 8 months of instant ink delivered.
HP smart app helps to print, copy or scan on a go.
Security: The built-in security protects sensitive data like basic encryption, password protection, Wi-Fi security, and document protection. it is great if you work on a classified or a sensitive project and you don’t want to compromise on what you are printing.
The printer is made from recycled plastics that why it is a sustainable design. However, it is only recommended to be used indoors.
The printer is compatible with all windows.
- Print speed (up to): 20 ppm black
- Auto 2-sided printing:Yes
- Auto document feeder: 35 Sheets
- Display: 2.65″ color touchscreen
- Includes ink: 8 months of ink
7. Canon MX532
- Air Print: print wirelessly and...
- Built-in auto duplex printing:...
- Fully-integrated, 30-sheet auto document...
- With Google cloud Print, you can print...
- Compatible with CL-241 XL ink tanks &...
Another printer from the same Canon makes printing a lot more convenient with its all-in-one printing features.
This printer is an ideal one for those who are on the move. It has amazing features such as the PIXMA Printing Solutions which makes it easier for one to print or scan photos from any of your compatible mobile devices.
The AirPrint allows you to print straight from your iPad, iPhone without the need to press any button form the printer.
The printer has an auto-in build duplex printing functionality which lets you print from both sides of the paper. The auto-duplex feature also saves paper up to 50 percent as well as ink usage.
The printer has a fully automatic document feeder that can handle up to 30 sheets of paper makings your printing experience without the need to load papers every so often. You can even use the printer for fax other than scanning and copying.
Moreover, the printer is compatible with three different ink tanks giving you a variety of options. With AirPrint, you can print wirelessly from your compatible iPhone, IPad.
The printer does not need a driver for connectivity. It works like a plug and play device which is pretty handy if you change computer often.
I’d classify this one as best for connectivity, if you have a lot of different devices that you need to connect to your printer, this model is great because you can connect pretty much any device without using a wire which is pretty cool.
It has building auto duplex printing which prints on the bot sides of the page without any hassle. As I discussed it several time before, double-sided printing can save you a lot of money if you are a student or you’re are buying it for your kids and you don’t mind having prints on both sides of the paper.
The auto documented feeder can easily copy, scan and fax multiple documents without any load.
- Drivers: Not Needed!
- Connectivity:High Speed USB
- Reduction/Englargement: 25% – 400%
- Weight: 18.7 pounds
8. HP Envy 114
- Stylish innovation with a premium print...
- Complete versatility and photo printing...
- On-the-go printing and Web-connected...
- Outstanding paper savings, easy energy...
The printer brings a stylish innovation with a premium print experience.
Another printer from HP is one of the amazing printers which performs many functions. The HP Envy is an all-in-one wireless printer that is packed with a long list of useful features.
I am not a big fan of all-in-one printers, but if you are a guy or gal into this. It can be a great pick for you. I know some people do need to scan and photocopy documents some times and I get it.
You have to keep in mind, other extra features can be used moderately. This printer is designed specifically for printing cardstocks and documents, scanning and photocopy feature is just an extra feature for you if you need to do it in an emergency. But the majority of your use should be printing documents. As you may imagine, all-in-one models can be messy sometimes.
It can print a wide range of paper stock including; photo paper, plain paper, and cardstock. The high-quality inks and papers stock help the Envy to deliver detailed prints.
The printer is capable of scanning and printing while it also used a built-in auto feeder which makes it possible to scan and copy multiple pages at once.
The unique and elegant design of the printers makes them all look extremely stylish. The top cover of the printer conceals the flatbed scanner which is used for scanning and copying functions.
The LCD touch screen also plays an important in the overall functionality of the printer. This printer is one of the best printers for printing pictures and professional-looking artwork.
It has complete versatility and photo printing in one.
The printer has outstanding paper savings and energy savings. All-in-one printer which performs many functions other than printing.
- Color:Black
- Connectivity Technology:USB
- Duplex: Automatic
- Weight: 15.98 pounds
What to look for?
I reviewed all models in extreme depth, but there are lot of things to learn. There are some basic characteristics that you can check against your requirements and budget. it can make your buying decision a lot easier.
We will take a look at the things which we have to take into consideration while purchasing a cardstock printer for your home or business cardstock printing needs.
- Printing quality
The first thing you should have to look for in a cardstock printer is the quality of prints a printer produces. You have to make sure that the printer you choose can produce excellent quality prints.
It is pretty common to ask for sample print if you are buying locally. If you are buying online, you can pretty much read reviews and figure out print quality, but I know it can be tough to see print quality if you are buying on Amazon and any other retailers.
But still, it is pretty much the same experience. You can get seller on the phone and ask questions if you aren’t familiar with what they are saying on their sales page.
Apparently, you can’t touch the prints but you can get a pretty good handle on how it would look like and make a better buying decision at the end.
The quality of the print is usually expressed in dots per inch. With the increase in the number of dots the quality of prints also increases. You don’t have to confuse yourself and over complicate it. Just keep it as baseline of how much quality print out you can get.
The more dots per inch the higher quality print you get. Depending on how to clean print you need, you can opt for higher DPI.
Some manufacturers also expressed the quality of print in terms of inches per second which contributes to the overall print quality.
- Print media size support
The size of the print media is also important in the case of cardstock papers as the printer must be able to handle the size of cardstock papers easily. Cardstock paper is pretty hard as compare to normal paper.
And cardstock printers can print on both normal and cardstock paper.
We will recommend going for a model that can print various sizes of cardstock sizes and shapes. The cardstock paper comes in different sizes and you might not know what sizes of cardstock you might need.
It totally depends
- Connectivity options
You also have to look at the connectivity options offered by the cardstock printer you are planning to buy. The modern printer comes with USB which makes it easier to hook up with your computer.
Some models have wireless capabilities and it comes integrated with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies which enable them to wirelessly connect to other devices. Printers with many connectivity options are more convenient to use as they can easily print from anywhere.
It might not be a big deal if you are set and forget type of person but it is a huge problem for those with multiple devices and they want to get prints on the fly.
Concluding Thoughts
All the printers listed above are very reliable and perform quite well in general. You just have to make sure which printer can works best for you.
Printer aren’t that expensive but you have to get the baseline knowledge to at least understand what manufacturer and seller are telling you and interpret the information and figure out how useful it is in your circumstances.