While almost everyone requires a printer nowadays, not everyone requires a giclee printer. These are ones especially used by artists and studios so they can create prints that will last more than a lifetime and will not lose its value.
The quality of these prints is a lot better than the regular ones we usually get, which also makes them a tad bit more expensive. But hey, that is the price you have to pay for these flawless and lasting prints.
So if you want to buy the best printer for giclee prints, you can take a look at our piece. Since this not something you get every day, we have made sure to put in even the smallest of details for your convenience.
From the ink quality to the print size, you will find all the details here that you need to know before purchase.
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5. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000
| PRODUCT | RESOLUTION (DPI) | MAXIMUM PRINT SIZE (INCH) | SPECIAL FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon Pixma iX6820 | 9600 x 2400 | 13 x 19 | 5-color ink system | |
| Epson HD XP-15000 | 5760 x 1440 | 13 x 19 | Auto duplex printing | |
| Canon Pixma Pro-100 | 4800 x 2400 | 13 x 19 | CD/DVD printing | |
| Epson SureColor P400 | 5760 x 1440 | 13 x 19 | Unique Gloss Optimizer chemistry | |
| Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 | 2400×1200 | 17 x 22 | Anti-Clogging Technology | |
| HP DesignJet T100 | 1200×1200 | 24 | Automatic cutter | |
| Canon PRO-2000 | 2400×1200 | 24 | 11-Color plus | |
| Epson Artisan 1430 | 5760 x 1440 | 13 x 19 | 6-color Claria ink | |
| Canon 9856B002AA | 2400 x 1200 | 36 | Sub-ink Tank System | |
| Epson Stylus Pro 3880 | 2880 x 1440 | 11 x 17 | - |
The Pixma iX6820 from Canon is a good choice of a printer when it comes to giclee prints. It features some high-quality specifications which allow the device to provide you with a fine print that will do justice to the copies and art you have worked on.
One of the finest things about this is the fine print head technology. With its unique engineering, this creates a good photo resolution, and the prints come out looking all-natural and mimics the soft copy exactly.
Speaking of resolution, this has an impressive 9600 x 2400 dpi, which creates smooth prints without any lines out of place whatsoever.
Moreover, there is a 5 individual ink tank system. This has 4 dye-based inks and a pigment-based black ink, all of which come together to create crisp and professional outputs.
Borderless photos are another addition here. While it is not a tough task cutting off the edges of a paper after print, it gets tough when you have more than a few to cut.
So for professionals, this feature is a must-have. And for regular users, you can definitely check this out to increase the overall productivity.
Connectivity options are just as diverse here. There is a wireless connection built-in, so as long as you have Wi-Fi, you can work from other devices around the home or office.
With the Pixma Printing Solution (PPS) app you get to use a cellphone to scan documents and photos.
And of course, there is AirPrint too! If you have Apple devices, you will certainly want to look for this feature.
The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is the printer to go for if you wish to make giclee prints and are looking for an Epson printer in general. This comes with a lot of positive points which make it suitable for the job at hand.
The printer also comes with 6 color Claria photo HD ink. Here you get red and gray that increases the color gamut you have while enhancing the white and black colors in the print.
If you are a professional, you will love features like the specialty media 50 sheet rear tray, 200 sheet front tray, and duplex printing. All of these work to make lives easier in this industry, and speeds up the process by a lot.
You do need to keep in mind though that this printer only works with Epson cartridges.
But you do not need to worry too much about running out suddenly, because this comes with the Dash Replenishment service. This means, when you have almost run out, the printer will automatically place an order so you never have to face a zero ink crisis.
This Pixma Pro-100 by Canon is undoubtedly one of the finest printersout there, regardless of where you plan on using it.
The 8 dye-based inks are one of the primary reasons why this is such a good model.
3 of these inks are solely for grayscale prints, so you can get all those dimensions and shades even in monochrome prints. This is definitely unique because black and white prints usually tend to be terrible, but here it will look natural with every shade in its own place.
Another cool feature of this is the Optimum Image Generating System. This feature logically selects colors and combinations and places them in the most optimum manner for the best results.
There is an auto sheet feeder added here as well. This can hold 150 sheets of regular paper, 10 sheets of letter paper, 20 sheets of photo paper, and 1 A3+ paper. While all of these go into the auto feeder, a manual feeder has also been added where you can insert photo papers of any size you want.
Resolution plays a big part in how giclee prints come out, which is why this one has a high dpi of 4800 x 2400. It puts in a lot of details into the prints which the average document printer does not.
For archival prints, this SureColor P400 from Epson happens to be a good choice. It can print pages that are up to 13 inches wide. Plus, you can print borderless photos too! It takes out all the hassle of having to cut off edges afterward.
Another fine feature here is the 8 pigment-based inks. With the UltraChrome HG2 Archival Ink here, you can get really good and impressive archival photos that will last you ages.
Archival prints can be done which will last a good 200 years or so. And this goes for both colors as well as photos in grayscale.
If you have some panorama photos you want to have printed, this is also the right machine for it. Prints here can go up to 129 inches in length, covering the entire photo.
The printer also has come professional media options that are suitable for professionals working with these as a job. Roll paper handling and professional cut sheet for example are two, which make the job easier, especially when you have a lot of workload on hand.
And if you are not a professional, so do not see these features as convincing enough, then the individual ink cartridge feature will surely convince you.
This printer comes with high capacity ink cartridges, where they can store 14ml of ink. Once you run out of one, change that solely. Overall, it helps to reduce costs in the long run.
If you are on the hunt for a large format printer for giclee, then this one from Canon is worth your time. With a maximum print size of 17 x 22 inches, this device can give you those large and attractive prints you want, while having loads of other impressive features for other work as well.
There is an anti-clogging technology here that lets the ink flow smoothly onto the paper. You will not find any ink out of place, or too much clogged in a single space.
With the fine print head and its tubular ink delivery system, printing is not only made faster and more efficient, but more precise too.
Moreover, the air feeding system in this does not let pages skewback no matter what type of paper they may be. There is a series of openings which have an air force to grip onto papers as it goes through.
Besides having a wide print advantage, there is also a wide color gamut. The Chroma Optimizer along with the 11-color gives you an accurate color reproduction and representation on the prints to make it as natural-looking as possible.
This is where one of the biggest differences lie between an average inkjet printer and one for giclee prints. The ink quality has to be above par to be able to give you the desired prints.
Specifically, they should be pigment-based inks that have more color and density than the regular dye-based inks that you get.
Media support is another key point when buying the best giclee printer. Since this is used by professionals, chances are they will want some variation in their medium.
While most are compatible with regular paper, you should check to see if a certain printer is compatible with the kind you want. For example, some are compatible with envelope paper and card stock.
The maximum print size can affect the final print, making it a key point to check, especially for work purposes. Most printers have a maximum print size of 13 x 19 inches. But if you need a bigger size look for the 24- or 32-inch printers.
Print resolution is measured in dots per inch or dpi. It indicates the number of dots placed in an inch, meaning the more the dots, the denser the print. So naturally, we want a high dpi, especially with giclee prints since these need high quality.
But that is not the only reason here. When printing these, the soft copies also tend to be in very high resolutions. So if you do not get a high-resolution printer, the images will get distorted once printed. And this beats the whole purpose of spending more for better quality.
We recommend that you go with a 2400 x 1200 dpi for good prints. But if the budget can be stretched and the work demands it, go for a higher resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi or 9600 x 2400 dpi.
Necessarily having or not having this does not affect the picture quality in any way or form. But having it certainly makes the job a lot easier. Especially if you work around this industry and have to frequently print out copies.
Sometimes files are sent through the phone and having wireless features allows you to get straight to work without wasting all that time in between connecting devices.
When buying inkjet printers, one of the biggest costs faced is ink replacements. But a lot of newer models are trying to solve this issue by providing different solutions.
Some have higher capacity cartridges, which hold more ink and hence need to be replaced less frequently.
Others come with eco-friendly cartridges that do not add to the plastic pollution from the frequent replacements.
And some have cartridges where you can replace only what you need. Which is one of the most convenient forms of all.
So, depending on the frequency of work and requirements, choose the appropriate one for yourself.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 Professional Photographic Inkjet Printer, 17 x 22-Inches - Walmart Link
Epson SureColor P900 17-Inch Printer, Black - Walmart Link
Epson SureColor P800 17" Inkjet Color Printer,Black - Walmart Link
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 Wireless Color Wide-Format Printer, Prints up to 13"X 19", - Walmart Link
Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch Printer,Black - Walmart Link
Canon PIXMA PRO-10 Professional Photo Printer - Walmart Link
Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer, AirPrint and Cloud Compatible, Black, 6.3" x 23.3" x 13.1" - Walmart Link
1. Canon Pixma iX6820 - Walmart Link
2. Epson HD XP-15000 - Walmart Link
3. Canon Pixma Pro-100 - Walmart Link
4. Epson SureColor P400 - Walmart Link
5. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 - Walmart Link
6. HP DesignJet T100 - Walmart Link
8. Epson Artisan 1430 - Walmart Link
10. Epson Stylus Pro 3880 - Walmart Link
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 Professional Photographic Inkjet Printer, 17 x 22-Inches - eBay Link
Epson SureColor P900 17-Inch Printer, Black - eBay Link
Epson SureColor P800 17" Inkjet Color Printer,Black - eBay Link
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 Wireless Color Wide-Format Printer, Prints up to 13"X 19", - eBay Link
Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch Printer,Black - eBay Link
Canon PIXMA PRO-10 Professional Photo Printer - eBay Link
Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer, AirPrint and Cloud Compatible, Black, 6.3" x 23.3" x 13.1" - eBay Link
1. Canon Pixma iX6820 - eBay Link
2. Epson HD XP-15000 - eBay Link
3. Canon Pixma Pro-100 - eBay Link
4. Epson SureColor P400 - eBay Link
5. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 - eBay Link
6. HP DesignJet T100 - eBay Link
8. Epson Artisan 1430 - eBay Link
10. Epson Stylus Pro 3880 - eBay Link
We have reached the end of our discussion on the best giclee printer. These have much higher quality prints thanks to the ink, the technique, and of course these top-notch printers!
But even if you are not an artist, and still want one of these for good prints in general, go for it! Although they require a bit more investment than the average printer, they are every bit worth it for the quality prints they produce!
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About Dror Wettenstein
Dror Wettenstein is a software engineer and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of TechTreeRepeat, a company that enables technical writers to publish their work faster and share it with readers across the globe. Dror has a master’s degree in computer science from San Diego State University and a bachelor’s degree in physics from UC Irvine.
When he’s not working on software projects, Dror enjoys writing articles and essays on various topics. He also likes playing guitar and spending time with his wife and two young children.
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