- Top Pick: White Cardstock 8.5 x 11, 230gsm Cover Cardstock Paper, 85 Lb Heavy Card Stock for Printer, Card Stock Paper for Invitations, Scrapbooking, Crafts, Diy Cards, Decoration, Drawing (30 Sheets)
- Best Value: 8.5×11 Colored Cardstock 30 Sheets, 230gsm/85lb Assorted Colors Heavy Craft Paper for Inkjet Printing, Card Making, Construction Paper, Scrapbooking, DIY Crafts, Double-Sided Heavyweight
- Premium Choice: MECCANIXITY 25 Sheets Colored Sticker Paper Printable, 8"x12" A4 Self Adhesive Cardstock Paper Assorted Colors 250gsm for Craft Scrapbooking Inkjet Printer
For most crafters, an Epson EcoTank such as the ET-2980 is the sensible everyday inkjet for scrapbooking, cardstock and Cricut print-then-cut; step up to the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 or Canon PIXMA G620 if you print stickers and photo-heavy pages, choose the EcoTank ET-15000 or a 13 x 19 inch Canon if you scrapbook on 12 x 12 inch layouts, and keep a budget tank like the ET-2800 for light use. This guide is about crafting needs specifically: media thickness, print-and-cut compatibility, ink behaviour on vinyl and iron-on sheets, and running cost.
- Craft Printers at a Glance
- What Crafters Actually Need
- Tank Printers or Cartridge Printers for Crafting?
- Printable Sticker Paper, Cardstock and Transfer Media
- Common Craft Printing Problems
- Inkjet Printer for Cricut: What Print Then Cut Needs
- Printable Vinyl and Iron-On
- Scrapbooking: 12 x 12 and Photos
- Running Cost Without Numbers
- Setup and Compatibility
- Pick X If… Decision Table
- Alternatives
- Care Tips for Craft Printers
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Craft Printers at a Glance
| Model | Best for | Key stated specs | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2980 | Everyday crafting, cardstock, letter-size stickers | 4800 x 1200 dpi, 100-sheet rear tray, automatic two-sided printing; Epson says it prints on cardstock and tested up to a 79 lb photo paper | Four-colour ink; Epson advises trying a sample of third-party paper first |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 | Budget tank for light crafting | Named as a budget choice by Jennifer Maker | Fewer features than the ET-2980 |
| Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 | Stickers, art prints, photo pages | Maker lists six colours, 13 x 19 inch borderless, media up to 1.3 mm thick | Large; higher outlay |
| Epson EcoTank ET-15000 | Wide-format crafts and 12 x 12 inch scrapbook layouts | 13 x 19 inch maximum, borderless up to 11 x 17 inches | Described as slow by PC Guide |
| Canon PIXMA G620 | Photo-rich stickers and colourful crafts | Six-colour dye MegaTank (black, cyan, magenta, yellow, red, gray), 4800 x 1200 dpi, letter-size maximum | No wide-format output |
| Canon PIXMA PRO-200 | Premium 13 x 19 inch art and sticker sheets | Eight dye inks, borderless up to 13 x 19 inches | Cartridge ink; Canon lists it as unavailable on its US shop |
| Canon PIXMA TS8820 / TS9521C | Cartridge alternatives; TS9521C for 12 x 12 inch paper | Austin Gallery cites a rear feed for thick vinyl on the TS8820 | Cartridge ink costs more per sheet |
What Crafters Actually Need
A straight paper path
Cardstock, sticker sheets and printable vinyl dislike tight curves. A printer with a rear tray or straight-through feed handles them best. Epson describes the ET-2980 as able to print on cardstock and notes that thickness and texture of third-party paper vary, so test one sheet before buying a large pack.
Borderless printing
Sticker sheets and full-page backgrounds need borderless output. Check that the printer supports it for your paper size, as the ET-8550 does up to 13 x 19 inches.
Cheap ink
Craft printing is ink hungry. Refillable-tank models are far cheaper per sheet than cartridge models. One review estimated that a full sticker sheet costs a small fraction as much to print on an EcoTank as on a cartridge Canon, which shows the gap, though exact figures change.
Tank Printers or Cartridge Printers for Crafting?
Crafters tend to print in bursts: a weekend of party signs, a batch of planner stickers, then nothing for a month. Tank printers handle the heavy bursts cheaply, but they can clog if left idle for a long time, so print a small colour test every couple of weeks. Cartridge printers are cheaper to buy and sit well in a small space, yet each cartridge swap costs more and large sticker sheets drain colours quickly. Think about how much you print in a typical month before choosing. If the answer is a few sheets, a basic tank such as the ET-2800 is plenty. If you print a full sheet of stickers every week, a six-colour tank pays for itself in lower refill cost.
Printable Sticker Paper, Cardstock and Transfer Media
- Matte sticker paper: soaks up ink well, resists fingerprints, and is easy to cut with a Cricut. Dye inks look vivid on it.
- Glossy sticker paper: richer colour but slower to dry; let it rest before cutting or laminating.
- Cardstock: check the weight against the printer’s stated media limit, and feed one sheet at a time if the tray struggles.
- Iron-on transfer sheets: made for inkjet, with separate versions for light and dark fabric; mirror the artwork and follow the sheet maker’s heat settings.
- Waterslide and specialty film: usually inkjet compatible, but read the pack, as some need a clear sealing spray.
Common Craft Printing Problems
Streaks on sticker sheets usually mean a clogged nozzle; run the printer’s cleaning cycle once and print a test grid. Registration marks that the cutter cannot read often come from a smudged print or from paper that curled while drying. Colours that look different from the screen are normal, because screens glow and paper reflects; choose the printer’s photo or best quality setting for stickers and use the paper type that matches your sheet. If a sheet feeds crooked, flatten it, fan the stack, and try the rear tray if your model has one.
Inkjet Printer for Cricut: What Print Then Cut Needs
Cricut print-then-cut works by printing a design with registration marks and letting the cutter read them. The usual advice is that almost any inkjet will work. Jennifer Maker notes that most, and possibly all, inkjet printers are compatible. Cricut limits the print area for print-then-cut, so use the maker’s help pages for exact dimensions. The practical points are: use a printer that feeds the sheet flat, print at the highest quality setting for crisp marks, and avoid glossy paper that confuses the sensor unless Cricut says it is supported.
Printable Vinyl and Iron-On
For printable vinyl, use an inkjet and a vinyl sold for inkjet printers; dye ink sits on top, and pigment-black text often looks sharper. For iron-on, printable heat-transfer sheets for inkjet are available, and you must mirror the image before printing. Follow the transfer maker’s instructions for temperature and time. A laser printer is not suitable for inkjet-only vinyl or transfer sheets.
Scrapbooking: 12 x 12 and Photos
Scrapbook pages often use 12 x 12 inch paper, which a letter-size printer cannot hold. Options are a wide-format printer like the ET-15000, a Canon with 12 x 12 support such as the PIXMA TS9521C, or printing elements in letter size and layering. For photo printing, a six-colour model like the G620 or ET-8550 gives smoother skin tones than four-colour tanks, which matter if you print many photos.
Running Cost Without Numbers
Tank printers (ET-2980, ET-8550, ET-15000, G620) are the cheapest to run. Cartridge Canons give richer photo colour for premium models like the PRO-200 but cost more per sheet. Sticker paper and vinyl are often the larger cost than ink. Budget buyers should choose an ET-2800 or ET-2980; mid-range buyers might choose the G620 or ET-8550; premium buyers can consider the PRO-200.
Setup and Compatibility
- Install the maker’s driver and choose the correct paper type before printing.
- Load one sheet at a time for vinyl and heavy cardstock.
- Let ink dry fully before cutting or laminating.
- Use a plain paper test to confirm registration marks before wasting vinyl.
- Keep ink away from children and pets; follow the maker’s bottle-filling guidance.
Pick X If… Decision Table
| Pick this | If you… |
|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank ET-2980 | craft regularly with cardstock and letter-size stickers |
| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 | craft occasionally on a tight budget |
| Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 | print sticker sheets, art and photos at 13 x 19 inches |
| Epson EcoTank ET-15000 | need wide-format sheets for scrapbook layouts |
| Canon PIXMA G620 | want vivid six-colour prints with cheap refills |
| Canon PIXMA PRO-200 | want premium colour on large sheets |
| Canon PIXMA TS9521C | need 12 x 12 inch paper support in a cartridge printer |
Alternatives
- Sublimation printers for mugs and fabric blanks, which need special ink and paper.
- Print shops for 12 x 12 inch pages or large jobs.
- Pocket sticker printers for small journaling stickers.
Care Tips for Craft Printers
Keep the printer covered between projects to limit dust, use the maker’s ink only, and avoid tilting a tank printer when moving it unless the manual allows it. Wipe up any ink spills right away, and store sticker and vinyl sheets flat in a dry drawer so they do not curl. If a nozzle test shows gaps, run the built-in cleaning routine rather than refilling, and stop if the manual says repeated cleaning wastes ink.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best inkjet printer for Cricut?
Reviewers commonly name the Epson EcoTank ET-2980 for everyday use and the ET-8550 or Canon G620 for photo-rich stickers. Most inkjets work with print-then-cut, so choose by media and running cost.
Can I print on cardstock with an EcoTank?
Epson says the ET-2980 can print on cardstock, but results vary by brand, thickness and texture. Test a sample sheet first.
Which printer is best for printable vinyl?
A printer with a straight paper path and cheap ink works best. Use vinyl rated for inkjet and allow the ink to dry before cutting.
Is a laser printer good for crafts?
Not for inkjet vinyl or iron-on sheets. Laser toner can melt on some specialty media, so use the maker’s compatibility list.
What size printer do scrapbookers need?
Letter size works for elements; 12 x 12 inch pages need a wide-format printer like the ET-15000 or a model with 12 x 12 support.
Do I need a photo printer for crafts?
Not necessarily. A four-colour tank does well for graphics and text. A six-colour model gives better photo colour.
