- Top Pick: Brother INKvestment 6960 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with 11”x17” Capabilities and 3.5” Color Touchscreen | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1) (MFC-J6960DW)
- Best Value: HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide-Format Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Print, scan, Copy, fax, up to 11×17 ADF, Duplex Print/scan, Best-for-Office, 3 Month Trial of Instant Ink Included(C2WH0A)
- Premium Choice: HP OfficeJet Pro 9720 Color Inkjet Printer | Wireless | All-in-One | Office Printer | Color Documents | Mobile Compatibility | Print, Scan, Copy & Fax | Ideal for Office Use | HP Smart App
For most offices that need 11×17 (tabloid or A3-class) output, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide Format and Brother MFC-J6955DW are the practical all-in-one choices, the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 is the pick if you also want 13×19 prints with pigment ink, and a true A3 color laser such as the Xerox VersaLink C7100 series is the step up when volume and durability matter more than purchase price. Which one fits depends on whether you need tabloid scanning, how many pages you print, and whether the wide-format side is occasional or daily.
- At a Glance: 11×17 Printer Comparison
- 11×17, Tabloid, A3 and Wide Format: The Terms
- HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide Format
- Brother MFC-J6955DW
- Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840
- A3 Color Laser Options
- Which Type Fits Which Workload
- Running Cost and Ink Notes
- Setup and Fit Notes
- Decision Table
- Alternatives
- Frequently Asked Questions
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At a Glance: 11×17 Printer Comparison
| Model | Type | Best for | Stated specs | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide Format (9730e) | Inkjet MFP | General offices with occasional tabloid | 22 ppm black / 18 ppm color, two 250-sheet trays, 35-sheet 2-sided ADF, 11×17 printing and copying, 4.3-inch touchscreen | Slower than lasers; sources differ on whether the ADF takes 11×17 |
| Brother MFC-J6955DW | Inkjet MFP | Design studios and busy offices | Up to 30 ppm, 11×17 support, 2 x 250-sheet trays + 100-sheet multipurpose, 50-sheet single-pass duplex ADF, 40,000-page duty cycle | Cartridge ink; larger machine |
| Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 | Inkjet MFP, pigment | Posters, drawings, 13×19 output | Prints up to 13×19, 25 ppm black / 12 ppm color ISO, 500-sheet capacity, 50-sheet ADF, 50,000-page duty cycle | Reviewers report it blocks third-party ink |
| Xerox VersaLink C7100 series | A3 color laser MFP | High-volume workgroups | 20, 25 or 30 ppm by model, recommended 5,500 to 7,000 pages a month, tabloid support | Large, dealer-sold, bigger investment |
| Xerox VersaLink C8000 | A3 color laser printer | Print-only A3 volume | 45 ppm letter, up to 22 ppm on 11×17 one-sided, 1,140 sheets standard, recommended up to 20,000 pages | No scanner; very large |
11×17, Tabloid, A3 and Wide Format: The Terms
Tabloid (also called ledger) is 11×17 inches. A3 is slightly smaller at about 11.7×16.5 inches, so A3 printers handle 11×17 with minimal trimming. “Wide format” on consumer inkjets usually means up to 13×19 inches (Super B), while true large-format plotters print on rolls and are a different class. Check three things: the largest paper the printer accepts, whether it can scan or copy that size, and whether the automatic document feeder can handle it. On some machines the 11×17 original must go on the flatbed.
HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide Format
RTINGS names the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730e the best 11×17 printer it has tested and describes it as a versatile all-in-one for offices with varied printing and scanning needs. Reported specs: 22 ppm black and 18 ppm color, two 250-sheet input trays, a 35-sheet two-sided ADF, automatic duplex printing, copy up to 11×17, Ethernet, USB and Wi-Fi. HP’s page notes the product is now named the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide Format All-in-One.
One thing to confirm before buying: retailer and review sources disagree on tabloid scanning. B&H and Digital Trends point to the flatbed (up to about 11.69×17 inches) for 11×17 originals, while other sites say the ADF accepts it. Treat the ADF as letter/legal-oriented unless the maker’s spec sheet says otherwise. The 9730e is also an HP+ enabled model, so read the program terms during setup.
Brother MFC-J6955DW
Brother’s page lists documents up to 11×17 (ledger), up to 30 ppm in black and color, 4800 x 1200 dpi, two 250-sheet trays plus a 100-sheet multipurpose tray (500 sheets total), a 50-page ADF, single-pass duplex copy and scan, and dual-band wireless, Ethernet and USB. It includes an NFC card reader and a monthly duty cycle of up to 40,000 pages. Ink is rated at 3,000 pages (standard black) and 1,500 (standard color), with XL cartridges at 6,000 and 5,000. Brother says it ships with up to one year of ink in the box, based on about 300 pages a month. ThatPainter calls it the best all-around pick for small design studios, and Accio highlights its full A3/11×17 scanning for technical offices.
The smaller Brother MFC-J4535DW does not belong in this category. Brother’s spec page lists letter and legal duplexing and an ADF limit of 8.5 x 14 inches, with no 11×17 support mentioned.
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840
The WF-7840 is the choice for oversized output. It prints up to 13×19, runs 25 ppm black and 12 ppm color (16 and 9 ppm duplex), takes two 250-sheet trays plus a 50-sheet rear tray, has a 50-sheet ADF, and is rated for 50,000 pages a month. It uses DURABrite Ultra pigment ink in the 812 cartridge series. Reviewers like its pigment ink for durability on documents and its value, though they note the cartridges are pricey and the printer rejects third-party ink. It also has a 11.7 x 17-inch flatbed scanner per reviewers, so it can scan and copy tabloid originals. Roundups from ArchiVinci and TheWearify pick it for architecture offices and general use.
Stock can be inconsistent. ThatPainter advises confirming the model is still on shelves before committing, and Epson’s support pages continue to list it with firmware updates.
A3 Color Laser Options
If you print tabloid pages in large quantities, a color laser will outlast an inkjet. Xerox’s VersaLink C7100 series (C7120, C7125, C7130) are A3 color multifunction machines with copy, print, scan and fax. Xerox lists 20, 25 and 30 ppm, recommended monthly volumes of 5,500, 6,250 and 7,000 pages, and duty cycles up to 87,000, 107,000 and 129,000 images. The print-only VersaLink C8000 is rated 45 ppm on letter, up to 22 ppm one-sided on 11×17, and has 1,140 sheets of standard paper capacity. These machines are big and heavy (the C8000 base unit is about 178 pounds) and are normally purchased through dealers with service contracts.
Some older true-tabloid color lasers still appear on lists, such as an HP Color LaserJet CP5225dn that print-technology.com rates for tabloid duplex at 20 ppm. Because it is an older design, supplies and support are worth confirming. Brother’s HL-L9430CDN is a fast workgroup color laser (42 ppm) but is not marketed as an 11×17 printer, so it does not belong on a tabloid shortlist.
Which Type Fits Which Workload
Offices that print tabloid pages a few times a week, such as spreadsheets, floor plans and flyers, are well served by an inkjet all-in-one: the purchase cost is moderate and there is no warm-up penalty. Studios printing drawings and proofs daily benefit from the Brother’s two trays and faster rated speed. Print shops and facilities that run hundreds of tabloid pages a day should move to the A3 laser class, where toner cost is lower per page and the machine is built for duty cycles in the tens of thousands. If wide-format is only a side need, a letter-size laser plus an occasional trip to a print shop is often cheaper than owning a wide-format device.
Running Cost and Ink Notes
- Inkjet cartridges: larger XL or XXL cartridges lower the cost per page. Check the yield figures on the maker’s page.
- Pigment versus dye: pigment ink (Epson WorkForce Pro, many office inkjets) resists smudging and fading better on plain paper. Dye ink suits photos.
- Laser toner: best for steady volume. Four toners plus drums and fusers add up, but the per-page cost is stable.
- Paper: tabloid stock is bulkier. Make sure the tray accepts it without needing a bypass feed each time.
Setup and Fit Notes
- Allow desk or floor space; wide-format all-ins are heavy. The HP 9730e weighs about 48 pounds.
- For Mac, use AirPrint over the network where supported and the maker’s scanning software when needed.
- Check that the paper path supports the stock you use (thickness and size) in the manual.
- If you print posters or banners, look at roll-fed large-format printers instead of 11×17 machines.
Decision Table
| Pick | If you… |
|---|---|
| HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 Wide Format | Want a general office all-in-one with occasional tabloid and an independent reviewer’s endorsement |
| Brother MFC-J6955DW | Need speed, two trays, a duplex ADF and tabloid scanning |
| Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 | Want 13×19 output and pigment ink at a moderate price |
| Xerox VersaLink C7100 series | Print tabloid in volume and want laser reliability |
| Xerox VersaLink C8000 | Need a print-only high-volume A3 color device |
Alternatives
- Standard letter/legal all-in-one plus a print shop: if you need tabloid only a few times a year, the supplies and space of a wide-format printer may not pay off.
- Canon or Epson large-format photo printers: for 13×19 art prints, see photo-focused models rather than office machines.
- Refurbished A3 office lasers: they exist, but check parts and toner availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 11×17 and A3?
11×17 is the US tabloid size at 11 by 17 inches. A3 is slightly smaller at about 11.7 by 16.5 inches. Most printers that handle one will accept the other, though the margins and paper trays differ.
Can a regular home printer print 11×17?
No. Standard printers handle letter and legal at most. You need a wide-format or A3 model, and the label “tabloid” or “ledger” on the spec sheet.
Do I need a flatbed that fits 11×17?
Only if you scan or copy tabloid originals. The Brother MFC-J6955DW lists full 11×17 scanning, and the Epson WF-7840 is reported to have an 11.7 x 17-inch flatbed. Confirm how each model handles tabloid scans and ADF use.
Is inkjet or laser better for 11×17?
Inkjet all-in-ones cost less to buy and are fine for moderate volume. A3 color lasers cost more but handle high volume and durable prints better. Pick by monthly pages.
Can these printers handle 13×19?
The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 is listed at up to 13×19. The HP 9730 and Brother J6955DW are 11×17 machines. For photo-grade 13×19, look at dedicated photo printers.
Are there ink restrictions on wide-format printers?
Reviewers report that the Epson WF-7840 rejects third-party ink, and HP’s HP+ program and some cartridge protections restrict supplies. Assume brand supplies when estimating cost.
