If you’re in search of the best printers for screen printing, then you’ve come to the right place. Today, it’s quite easy to get a printer for almost any printing need. If you are keen on using transparencies to design screens to print and sell clothing like T-shirts or for presentation instead of a PowerPoint presentation, finding one to get the job done the right way is very important.
However, screen printing isn’t as easy as most people think it is. This is because most printers available in the market haven’t been designed for screen printing. However, all hope isn’t lost. To ensure you have a smooth printing experience, it’s important that you find a quality printer that can handle screen printing resulting in high quality, crisp imprints.
This will not only help keep your business going, but it will help build your business’ reputation. That said, we’ve reviewed some of the best printer for screen printing to ensure you make the best buying choice.
Canon Pixma ix6820 Printer
The one thing that we love about Canon is that they have a wide variety of printer models suited for various printing needs. The Canon Pixma ix6820 printer is an affordable printer choice if you are on a budget but still looking for a good screen printing printer.
Pros
- It’s available in two different styles – as a printer and a printer and ink bundle
- Very affordable
- It’s one of the most highly rated printers that you can get in the market that allows for large format printing
- Can print media of up to 13 by 19-inches and 9600 by 2400 dots per inch
- It’s compatible with various versions of Windows and Mac, such as Windows 8, 8.1. 7, Vista SP1, Mac OS X v10.6.8, etc.
- Print from your mobile device using Apps like AirPrint or via Google Cloud Print as well as PIXMA Printing Solutions
- Delivers excellent printing quality
- It has five individual ink tanks that ensure you get excellent colors and that you only replace the colors that run out instead of everything
- Allows you to download exclusive solution templates that you can use to create your various documents
- Choose the most suitable place to place your printer thanks to its wireless printing option
Cons
- Some customers have complained about software glitches and its output speed
HP Designjet T120 Printer
Now, if you are not on a budget and you’ve got quite the number of orders, then the HP Designjet T120 printer is the perfect choice for you. This printer, though expensive, has some major advantages compared to other screen printing printers in our review.
Pros
- This printer allows you to save both money and time by giving you full control of your printing jobs
- Ability to quickly and easily print your technical documents at home
- Unlike the Canon PIXMA ix6820, the HP Designjet allows you to print transparencies of up to 24 inches
- It has a small size that can fit in your office or studio making this printer the most compact printer to print a 24-inch document without requiring so much space
- It can use rolls of transparency film instead of sheets which helps save you money in the long run
- Produces amazing prints and features the HP thermal inkjet technology that allows you to enjoy a smooth printing experience
- It has an LCD touchscreen display for easy navigation and a sturdy and professional look and feels
- Has several environmental certifications that make it an energy saver as well as fast processing speed
Cons
- It’s very expensive and doesn’t work with third-party cartridges
Epson Expression XP-15000 Printer
Besides having been in the business for years and creating quality printers while at it, Epson has a wide variety of printers that are suitable for small businesses. The Epson Expression XP-15000 is a wide format printer that produces high-quality prints that are vibrant.
Pros
- Similar to the Canon PIXMA ix6820, this printer can print wide-format documents that measure up to 13 by 19 inches
- The output is not only vibrant but high quality
- Epson produces various printers that are well suited to the needs of most small businesses
- Designed to print high-quality transparencies, quality studio photos, and artwork
- The output images and prints boast of a 5760 by 1440 dpi, and the prints come out grain free
- Features the Clara ink system that has six individual colors which means that you can replace an individual ink color when it runs out instead of the whole batch
- Can be used to seamlessly make heat transfers
- Has a 50-sheet rear paper tray that accommodates specialty media such as cardstock paper, different paper finishes as well as borderless sizes
Cons
- Slightly expensive and some customer shave complained of frequent paper jams especially when using better, thicker quality paper
Brother MFC-J985DW Printer
Another affordable and excellent screen printing printer has got to be the Brother MCF-J985DW printer. It’s a general-purpose office printer. However, that doesn’t mean that you get shortchanged on the features. It comes packed with some excellent features that help save you money.
Pros
- You can print as well as scan using this printer
- Thanks to the INKvestment program by Brother, you can spend way less money and get more pages, i.e., five cents a page for color printing and one cent a page for black and white
- Comes with a two-year limited warranty and free unlimited email, chat and phone support
- Enjoy various wireless printing options such as Google Cloud Print, AirPrint and Brother iPrint&Scan
- Has a maximum printing speed of 10 pages per minute
- Save paper with the two-sided printing feature
- The printer automatic document feeder can hold up to 20 sheets of paper
- Print or scan your documents from any location wirelessly using Wi-Fi Direct
- Comes with the Amazon Dash Replenishment feature that ensures you never run out of ink
- It’s quite affordable and has a maximum paper capacity of 100 sheets – though not much can last you a while
Cons
- Doesn’t work without a wireless network and it’s not suitable for wide format printing
HP ENVY 4520 Printer
Another excellent all-in-one printer that results in quality prints is the HP Envy 4520. Because it’s an all-in-one printer, it means you can use it to do more than screen printing. It’s a lot cheaper than the HP Designjet T120 but still manages to do a pretty decent job and can handle almost any printing need that your business may need.
Pros
- It’s affordable and a good printer choice for screen printing
- It’s an all-in-one printer meaning you can do much more than screen printing
- This printer interfaces with Alex for your various voice command needs
- It’s not only simple to set up and use, but it’s also cheap to run
- This printer has received high-performance remarks from both reviewers and consumers who’ve tested or used it
- Has two-sided printing and a touchscreen display screen
- Enjoy mobile printing from anywhere using your tablet or tablet or smartphone or print from your iPhone or iPad with AirPrint
- Has various printing connectivity options such as Wireless Direct that makes it easy and fast to print
- This printer supports various paper sizes and comes with a one-year limited hardware warranty and 24/7 web support seven days a week
Cons
- It’s not a wide format printer, and you may want to reconsider the ink replenishment program
Epson Artisan 50 Inkjet printer
The Epson Artisan 50 Inkjet printer helps bring all your imagination to life with vibrant prints that are of high quality. This printer is not only excellent for regular printing, but it’s a great option when you need to print high definition photos.
Pros
- Features the rich Claria six-color ink that allows you to only replace the ink color that runs out
- Perfect printer for screen printing, regular printing as well as high definition photo prints
- Printouts dry up very quickly and are also shielded with fade and water resistance
- Enjoy prints that are scratch and smudge free
- It has a separate tray as well as software that is exclusive for printing onto DVDs and CDs with a professional finish
- It has a compact and sleek design and fits perfectly in a home studio or office
- The photo auto correction feature not only evaluates but also rectifies digital images by itself
- The advanced face detection feature accurately captures natural skin tones and erases red eyes
- Claria ink has a high capacity version that gives 60 percent more printouts compared to regular cartridges
- Has fast printing speeds of 38 pages per minute with the first print out in just 11 seconds
Cons
- It’s not a wide format printer
Final Thoughts
The best printers for screen printing not only vary when it comes to the feature sets but also the cost. Your budget will help you decide which printer to go for. However, one of the most important things to consider before buying a screen printing printer is whether it’s automatic or manual. An automatic printer will free up your time and make it easy for you to concentrate on other parts of your business instead of spending hours feeding screen printing sheets.
Other important factors to consider include the space you have, colors, the screen size as well as dryer size. If you choose the right printer for screen printing, you should be able to enjoy seamless printing from your home or work studio.
As such, some common challenges you may have to deal with include frequent paper jams, ink smudges, and opacity.