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I’m constantly asked “What is the best printer for heavy cardstock paper?” And because I had the hardest time finding the best printer for 110 lb cardstock, I thought I would tell you about my printer. I believe it is the Best Printer For Heavy Cardstock Paper.
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All of the information in this blog is now in this YouTube video, in case that works better for you 😉
If you’re looking for a cardstock printer, it might be because you want to print on that damn heavy cardstock paper that you got at Michaels. And let me guess, your printer won’t feed it through the machine!? Therefore, you need the best printer for thick paper!
I can relate! I’m always printing on cardstock (like the heavy cardstock listed below) for my business and for my Etsy shop, and it is frustrating finding the right printer for cardstock printing.
Yes, I was there too. And I searched ALL over the internet for a printer that would print on heavy cardstock paper. During my search, I learned WAY too much about paper weight. I know things about paper that I shouldn’t, like how the United States bases it’s measurement of paper weight on the weight of 500 sheets of a paper size in its uncut form. Um, what?
I’ll explain. If a sheet of paper is 17 x 22 inches before it’s cut to letter size, you take 500 of those sheets of paper, and weigh it. And that is where they get the pounds that you see on the front of the paper you are buying. Ya, not confusing at all. 😉
Although it literally makes no sense, as long as you know the weight of the paper that your printer will actually print, you’re golden. And that’s a whole other rabbit hole. Why? Because to find this information about your printer takes a little digging.
So let me walk you through it. That way, you can figure out if your printer (or the printer you’re looking to buy) will be the cardstock printer for you.
First thing’s first. Make sure to check the weight of the paper you want to use. In the case I used above, it’s 110 lbs. As you’ll see, that’s an extremely heavy paper weight, and there are going to be very few retail-grade ink jet printers that can do the job.
Find your printer (or the printer you are thinking of buying) on Amazon. Take the HP ENVY Photo 7855 All in One Photo Printer for example. You will probably scan the page to see what it will print, but you’ll soon find out its hiding from you!
Do a search for the “Specification sheet”, and click to open the PDF (See Screenshot below). I have also found it under “Product Documentation”. However, I have noticed that some printers don’t have either of these listed. In that case, you’ll likely have to do more digging on the HP website, or whatever company your printer is from.
Once you click to open the PDF, you need to find the “Media Weight Supported” or something similar. See on the screenshot below that this printer supports up to 72 lbs of paper weight.
How to find the best printers for cardstockThat means that this HP Envy IS NOT the cardstock printer for you if you plan to print on that 110 lb paper because it won’t feed the heavy cardstock paper through the feeder. Listen, you can attempt it, but I come from experience by saying, it will leave you frustrated and wishing you had a better heavy cardstock printer 😉
After scouring the internet, I have put together only two printers that I found that seem to be good for printing on heavy cardstock. I am so sorry it’s so limited. (If you know of others, please reach out to me!)
One is mine, and the other I am a little iffy about. So take my word with a grain of salt and save your receipt!
Best Printers for CardstockI believe the Canon Pixma Pro-100 is the best cardstock printer. I personally own this printer and use for all my printing for personal and business cardstock printing. My husband found it on Slick Deals and got a way better price than this – to the tune of $75.00! (Yes, he’s my hero).
PROS:
CONS:
The HP Office Jet 3830 Printer claims that it prints up to 145 lbs – but I can’t tell if it’s regular sized paper, or only 4 x 6 cardstock paper. I recommend reading into it a bit. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pros or cons, since I don’t own this printer, but I’d love to hear from you if you do purchase this one so I can update this blog for everyone! (DM me on Instagram!)
I think it’s pretty clear that the best printer for heavy cardstock is the Canon Pixma Pro-100, since it’s great for cardstock printing. It has already paid for itself. Not only is it good for printing on cardstock. But it also prints AMAZING quality prints, photos, and invitations. The reviews on Amazon are mixed, but in my experience it’s been a gem.
Don’t tell Canon, but this knockoff ink works perfectly with this printer. It’s basically the same and is INSANELY cheaper than the original. I have also purchased this black and grey ink to go into the Canon Pixma Pro-100 if you are really only printing in black and white.
I need to mention one more thing before you purchase the Canon Pixma Pro-100 printer for heavy cardstock printing. The heavy cardstock paper that I mentioned above (the Michaels paper that is 110 lbs) doesn’t print the most quality prints. In fact, I wrote about The Best Paper for Invitations, that breaks down why your paper is actually more important than your printer, which I think will be helpful to you!
Some of my readers have asked if I have any recommendations for printers that will print on up to 130 lb cardstock. I had no idea they made paper that heavy, but it’s true! One of my readers did recommend the Pixmo Pro-200 for 130 lb cardstock. I personally cannot attest to this printer, but given that I love the 100 so much, I think the the pro- 200 would be the next best thing if you’re looking for VERY heavy cardstock.
If you get this pro-200, please let me know your experience!
You might also be interested in the following articles:
The Best Printer for Invitations
Printing Invitations at Home
Print Invitations Online
Best Printer for Invitation Business
So there you have it! I taught you the very useless knowledge of understanding how paper is weighed, and the very useful knowledge of how to look up what weight of paper your printer will actually print. I really hope this was helpful to someone. If so, leave me a comment below so I know about it or send me a DM on Instagram!
Lastly, thank you so much for taking the time to read about the Best Printer For Heavy Cardstock Paper! I hope this gives you some ideas about how to easily print on heavy cardstock paper or heavy cardstock invitations at home. Tell me below what you thought! I love to help you celebrate life through party decorations and beyond. Above all, I’d love to connect with you. Reach out to me on Instagram and let’s chat, or continue celebrating your life with The Celebration Effect.
xoxo
Lindsay
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It's safe to say that having a good printer is essential for the small business owner, and for crafters, makes things a lot easier.
It's important to determine your specific needs before purchasing a printer. Are you looking for a printer that can handle heavier cardstock, like 300gsm? Or do you need a printer specifically for greeting cards or other crafts?
Maybe you're looking for an all-rounder that can handle a variety of tasks. Whatever your needs, make sure to do your research and choose a printer that will meet your expectations.
There are a few key factors to consider when you are choosing the printer that is right for you:
Have questions about your printer? Jump to: Craft Printer FAQs.
Specs at a glance:
The Canon PIXMA TS9550 printer series is often hailed as 'the crafting printer', and it's easy to see why. It's a borderless printer, printing up to A3 in size, and it's also a scanner and copier.
This printer is compatible with 12" x 12" papers, which makes it hands down, the best printer for scrapbookers. It's Wi-Fi-enabled, but you can also print directly from memory cards (there's a slot in the front for memory cards) or from your smartphone and tablet.
It takes cardstock and photo paper up to 300gsm easily and even has built-in patterns for you to create your own patterned paper straight from the machine, and can print double-sided.
Although this is an A3 printer, it only has the footprint of an A4 machine, so it's not going to overwhelm small spaces. This does however mean that the scanner is only A4 size, so keep that in mind if you want to scan artwork larger than A4 size.
It takes five ink cartridges, two of which are black and it costs around £20 for a replacement pack of all five inks - which is not bad at all.
Unfortunately, the Canon PIXMA TS9550 is not yet available in the States, although we regularly update our list to ensure we're bringing you the very best products, so check back!
Overall, this is a great choice of printer and my number one printer choice for printing on cardstock.
Pros: The top printer for cardstock, A3 size, best for scrapbookers.
Cons: Quite chunky in size.
Specs at a glance:
Want to do your bit in helping to save the planet? The EcoTank from Epson does exactly what you might expect it to from the name. It uses ultra-high-capacity ink tanks to completely remove the need for cartridges and you can go up to three years without buying more ink.
This printer has an extremely low cost-per-page and produces 14,000 pages in black and 5,200 in colour with the included ink. The ink comes in bottles, and thanks to the front ink-level display, you can physically see when it’s finally due for a refill.
The pigment black and dye colour inks produce prints with crisp, clear text and vivid colours, so it's a really good option for crafters with a side hustle. And yes it prints on card, too – up to 300 g/m2.
Pros: Eco-friendly high-capacity ink tanks, low cost-per-page, prints on card up to 300gsm.
Cons: More expensive, although will save money in the long run.
Specs at a glance:
The Epson Workforce WF-7840 is another all-in-one printer and is able to scan, copy, print and fax. It prints slightly larger than A3 if needed, which is brilliant for scrapbookers and the 10.9cm colour touchscreen is a nice feature that makes it more user-friendly.
It offers double-sided (duplex) printing, scanning and faxing all up to A3 , and its automatic document feeder can process up to 50 double-sided A3 pages.
This printer is also compatible with individual inks which are 50% more efficient compared to tri-colour cartridges, and importantly, helps to keep costs down. It has three paper trays to accommodate a range of speciality papers, including photo paper and cardstock up to 255g/m2.
You can connect via a wired ethernet cable, but it also offers a wireless connection and is compatible with smartphones and tablets.
It takes Epson’s quick-drying Durabrite Ultra Ink, which is water, smudge and highlighter resistant, making it a good choice for using with digi-stamps or printable colouring pages.
Pros: Prints slightly larger than A3, 10.9cm touchscreen, double sided print compatible with individual inks.
Cons: Chunky footprint may not be suitable for some crafters.
Specs at a glance:
Another in the Canon PIXMA range, the PIXMA Pro 200 is a great choice for photo enthusiasts, as it prints at professional photo lab quality.
Printing up to borderless A3 in size, it's the best printer for anyone wanting to sell art prints or batch-made greeting cards. It also has fine art and panorama options so you can focus on finding the perfect shot.
It stores up to 150 sheets in the tray but also has a manual feeder for cardstock up to an impressive 380g/m2 (0.6mm) making this a great choice for artists as well as crafters. It even has a third feed option - a multipurpose tray that can be used for printing directly onto discs, or even nail stickers!
Connectivity-wise, it has all the usual options of connecting via wired or wireless methods, as well as with smartphones and tablets.
It takes 8 ink cartridges (black, grey, light grey, cyan, photo cyan, magenta, photo magenta and yellow), making this a pricier option, but in terms of photo printing, this printer is top-of-the-range and worth the investment, especially if you’re selling your work.
Pros: Professional photo lab quality, borderless A3, 380gsm, third feed option, 8 ink cartridges.
Cons: Expensive!
Specs at a glance:
If you’re looking for something cheap and cheerful, then the HP Envy 6032 is a good place to start. It comes with 5 months of instant ink. Just make sure you take up the offer straight away once you get your machine as the offer has quite a short window (around 7 days from purchase).
Instant Ink is HP’s ink delivery service – once you sign up, your machine will automatically reorder when you’re running low and it will be delivered to your door. It should be noted, however, that this machine does not take ink substitutes, it will only work with cartridges that have the original HP electronic circuitry.
The lower price point of the machine means that it doesn’t have an LCD control panel like some of the others, but it still offers an all-in-one machine that prints, scans and copies at A4.
Wireless or wired, it is compatible with smartphones and tablets via the HP app, and it can print on cardstock up to 200 g/m2 and photo paper up to 300 g/m2.
Unfortunately the HP 6055e is currently unavailable in the UK, but for our friends across the pond, this one's a great choice!
Pros: Machine automatically orders ink when you're running low, cheap and cheerful.
Cons: No LCD control panel, only prints up to 200gsm cardstock, unavailable in the UK.
Specs at a glance:
The Brother MFC-J4340DW Printer is a (relatively) compact A4 printer, scanner, copier and fax machine all rolled into one.
It takes up to 150 sheets of paper in the main tray, but also has a manual feed for speciality papers and cardstock as well as a 20-sheet automatic document feeder.
You can also print directly from USBs, which is a brilliant feature for crafters (picture all those Create & Craft USBs stuffed full of digi papers).
This printer prints on cardstock up to 220g/m2 (grams per metre squared, which is another way to write GSM), as well as glossy paper and photo paper, and envelopes.
The box includes up to 1 year of ink, with enough ink in-box to print 1500 colour pages included with the machine. That's a lot of digital papers!
Pros: Compact design, comes with plenty of ink, print directly from USB.
Cons: Cardstock only up to 220gsm , A4.
Specs at a glance:
Print up to A3 at an impressive 9600 x 2400 DPI print resolution with the Canon PIXMA iC6850. Like all the printers in this list, you can choose between wired ethernet connectivity or wireless printing from your computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet. It has a 150-sheet tray capacity and can support photo paper up to 300g/m2.
One thing to is note that this printer does not have an SD card or USB slot, so if you’re printing craft papers or templates from USBs, you’ll need to interface with a computer or laptop first. Also – if you want double-sided, or duplex printing you’ll need to do it manually as the machine doesn’t support automatic duplex printing.
That said, the print quality is excellent, and given it’s an A3 printer, it takes up a remarkably small footprint.
Pros: Very high print resolution, prints A3, compact footprint.
Cons: Doesn't support automatic duplex printing, no SD card slot.
Specs at a glance:
The Brother HL-1212W is a compact A4 monochrome (black and white) laser printer with wireless connectivity. It prints quietly so is ideal for the home office of 2024!
It takes one standard toner cartridge, black ink, that costs around £30 with a page yield of 1200 pages. But it’s important to remember you get a lot more printing from your laser printers than you do inkjets – so one cartridge goes a long way. Plus this bundle comes with 5 cartridges, so that should be up to 3 years worth of printing!
Pros: Prints quietly, up to 3 years worth of printing included in bundle, more compact.
Cons: Doesn't print in A3.
Specs at a glance:
Like we often say, to hoover something – when we really mean vacuum, it’s not unusual to hear someone say they’re going to Xerox something when we really mean to photocopy. Founded in 1906, Xerox has had well over a century to establish itself in our language. And so, included in the line-up for best printers for hot foiling, is the Xerox B235 multifunction printer.
If you want to do away with computers altogether and create hand-drawn hot foil projects, then all you need do is photocopy your creation with a laser copier like this one, and the copy will be ready to be foiled.
This black-and-white machine prints onto a variety of different media types, including plain paper, cardstock, transparency, envelopes, thick envelopes and more, so you can foil away without worry. And of course, it hooks up to your computer too, via ethernet or wireless if you do want to print out digital designs to use with your hot foil machine.
It also scans and faxes as well as all the usual functions you would come to expect from an established brand like Xerox (although it does not offer automatic double-sided scanning). It comes with a pre-installed starter cartridge with a yield of 1200 pages.
The Xerox B235 is the latest model of the discontinued B215 (which is also recommended if you can get your hands on it).
Pros: Trusted brand, can print on a variety of materials,
Cons: If you also want to be able to print in colour, it might be frustrating to need two machines.
Specs at a glance:
The HP LaserJet Pro series has long been the go-to printer for use with hot foil machines. The M234DW is a monochrome (black and white) printer that takes cardstock of up to 120g/m2 in Tray 1, so it’s a good option for use with hot foil systems.
Like the inkjet HP printer featured above, this HP LaserJet Pro will only function with genuine HP toner cartridges. But unlike the inkjet, toner for this model is expensive – you’ll need the HP 149A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge.
Pros: Fast print speeds and scanning, HP Wolf Security protects network.
Cons: Only uses HP cartridges.
Specs at a glance:
This is a nice little black and white printer, and it comes in at a brilliant price point. It's the ideal Christmas or birthday gift for your crafty friends and fits neatly in the palm of your hand.
Weighing just 190g, it's brilliant for taking to scrapbooking meet-ups and requires only three steps to print. It operates via the Phomemo app, where you can easily insert texts or upload images to the app with a user-friendly interface. There are also various templates available, as well as different types of paper to print on.
This craft printer uses ink-free thermal printing, generating patterns on the thermal paper by heating, requiring no ink or any other consumables apart from the paper itself.
This mini printer offers printing quality in 203 dpi for black & white texts and images (it does not print in colour), and is great for scrapbooking or bullet journaling as you can also use it to make stickers!
It's rechargeable, and will work continuously for 8 hours - but also while charging, so no need to worry if you get caught out with a flat battery.
There is a huge range of different papers available in different colours, even gold, transparent and semi-transparent. These are brilliant if you want to create your own black and white washi stickers at home.
Pros: Very lightweight, ink-free thermal printing, affordable price.
Cons: Only prints in black and white.
Specs at a glance:
Polaroid-style photos have been popular for years, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down. Great for scrapbooking, handmade cards or even decorating Uni accommodation, the Canon Selphy Square QX10 Printer also makes a lovely gift in itself.
Available in mint (pictured), pink, black or white, this palm-sized gadget connects wirelessly to your smartphone to print square 2.7" x 2.7" prints (68mm x 68mm), which last up to 100 years (although this hasn't been tested!).
It charges via USB and uses the Selphy Photo Layout App where you can also add stamps, filters, borders, text and overlays to your photos. It's worth checking the price of the different colours of this craft printer as you can often make big savings by choosing a different colour.
Pros: Includes cute Polaroid-style border, useful for on the go.
Cons: Heavier than other options on the market.
Specs at a glance:
Take your craft projects to the next level with this super-portable Design ‘n’ Craft colour label printer. The printer works with a free app where you can create and print your own unique designs all in full colour on glossy adhesive paper.
Choose from hundreds of icons, frames, filters, fonts and brilliant backgrounds in the free app, or print photos directly from your camera roll. With five different roll widths available, this little gadget is a really versatile product, ideal for card making, journaling, scrapbooking, home decor and, of course, organising all your crafty storage.
There’s no ink required as it uses Zero Ink (or ZINK) technology, where the ink is included within the rolls, so you can avoid having to buy and change ink cartridges.
The Brother Design 'n' Craft Printer is a fun addition to your craft room and makes printing pocket-sized photos a piece of cake.
Pros: Print your own stickers in a variety of sizes, all without ink.
Cons: More pricy than other label printers.
Specs at a glance:
Okay, okay, okay. So we know this isn't technically a printer but look how cool it is! This tiny gadget is the LaserPecker 1 is essentially a mini engraver. It's operated via an app where you can upload a picture, type text, or a G-code file and engrave your design with a blue laser.
Due to the small work area, it can only work with sizes up to 3.9’’x 3.9’’, but this makes it ideal for craft projects and making decorations on items like wallets, notebooks, and phone cases. And if you're worried about safety, it comes with various safety features including goggles, a password lock, motion detection, laser indicator and overheat shutdown.
It has a 0.01mm accuracy so you can get super fine details, and it will engrave onto paper, card, leather, bamboo, wood, cork, plastic, cloth, felt, acrylic - even fruit peel!
Pros: Unique design, portable, engraves on any surface.
Cons: The price makes it a commitment, so only worth it for those who will definitely get use out of it.
Specs at a glance:
The Polaroid Pocket Printer is a fun and easy way to print sticker photos directly from your smartphone. Simply choose which photo you would like to print, customise using stickers, frames, or filters, print, and stick!
For more like this, check out our roundup of the best printers for stickers.
Pros: Cute design, reasonable price, portable.
Cons: Doesn't include classic Polaroid border.
We focused on printers that nail colour accuracy and deliver sharp images, making your cards pop with life.
We made sure to include printers that accommodate with different cardstock thicknesses and specialty papers, giving you creative freedom.
We handpicked printers that balance cost and quality, ensuring you get the most bang for your crafting buck.
We love printers that are a breeze to use, with friendly interfaces and wireless printing options for hassle-free card creation.
Our top picks are not only sturdy and reliable but also cover a range of sizes - perfect for any crafting nook.
Not always! If your printer tray is underneath where the paper comes out, then the card will need to feed through the rollers, and the card will need to bend almost in half to get through the printer mechanism. This means that the printer rollers will need to grip onto the card firmly so that it doesn't slip. The excess pressure caused by the thicker weight card means that a lot of printers just can't do this.
To get around this, some printers have a second feed at the back. This is often just a flap that can be folded down, where you can manually feed the card through, one sheet at a time. Having this second feed at the back of the printer means the card does not need to bend in half to get around the rollers, and therefore can be gripped better by the printer mechanism.
Most printers can handle lightweight card up to around 125gsm, but if you want to print on thicker cardstock then you might want to consider looking at the best printer for cardstock.
This A4 card is 220 gsm in weight, which is an ideal weight for going through your printer. It's sturdy enough to feel luxury, but not too thick that it can't get around the rollers. There are 50 sheets in the pack, and it's good value for money. There are over eight thousand reviews for this cardstock on Amazon, most being 4.5 or 5-star - check 'em out!
A lot of print manufacturers will proudly tell you how fast their printers can print. And that's great if you need to print a lot and are up against the clock. But what is the best printer for cardstock? This is quite often overlooked in product descriptions and it can be frustrating to find that your brand-new printer will only print on 90gsm paper.
Speaking from the perspective of an artist and designer, most creatives are less interested in how many pages a printer can spew out in a minute and more interested in the quality of the print, and what type of card it can print on.
It may seem obvious, but the main thing you want to look for (aside from budget) is whether or not it can print on cardstock. If you do a lot of hand-drawn art that you want to scan in (and perhaps sell as prints for a side hustle), then you'll also want one that has a scanner.
Next, you will want to think about the paper size. Are you happy with A4 or would you prefer something that can print 12x12" for scrapbooking? If it's the latter, then you will want an A3 printer. Not sure about paper sizes? Take a look at our standard card sizes article.
If you know you have a big project involving a lot of printing (for example, wedding invitations), then you might want to think about tray capacity. How many sheets can the printer hold? It's not the end of the world if it's only got a small capacity, you'll just need to refill it more often.
Technology has advanced a lot since the turn of the millennium, and printers are no different. Most now offer wireless connectivity and automatic software updates as well as computer-free printing via smartphone and USB connectivity. If you have a new mac without the USB ports or are planning to use it with a tablet or smartphone, then a wireless printer is the way to go (or you'll need to get a USB adaptor).
Print quality and ink are a big one. 300dpi (dots per inch) at 2480 x 3508 pixels is the recommended print resolution for printing on A4, so you will want a printer that can handle this. If you're looking at A3 printers, then at 300dpi again (remember, it's dots per inch so you do not need to double this to 600dpi when printing at A3) you'll want a printer that can handle 3508 x 4961 pixels.
Ink, of course, is a consumable, so you'll likely get through many ink cartridges in the printer's lifetime. Some printers are only compatible with their own brand of ink, which makes replacing ink expensive (and let's face it - annoying), while others are compatible with cheaper off-brand substitutes that are just as good.
What type of printer do you need for foiling? If you're looking at using your printer for use with hot foiling systems, then you'll want a different printer altogether - a monochrome laserjet.
As you're foiling your designs, you'll be covering up the ink with foil. So, although you can get colour laserjet printers, I do not recommend them for hot foiling. It's much more economical to go for a good monochrome (black and white) laserjet printer that prints onto card.
You can not use inkjet printers for foiling, as the ink on your printed page needs to react to the heat of passing through your foiling machine.
The ink in inkjet printers is not heat-reactive, so you'll need one that uses laser printer ink for the foil to stick to. This is why the paper from laserjet printers feels nice and warm when it comes out of the machine!
When choosing a printer it's best to think about what you will be using it for most of the time. That way you'll get the most bang for your buck!
Investing in a Cricut machine is a great way to make your cards look professional! Check out our expert guide for all the info and top tips!
You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.
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