If you have ever shipped a 13×19 file to a print lab and waited six days (plus shipping) for one color-critical piece, you already know why the best wide-format printers for creatives earn their place in a studio. I keep two printers at my desk – one for client proofs and one for fine-art prints – and the gap between outsourcing and printing in-house is roughly the difference between renting a kitchen and owning a stove. The trade-off is that printers in this category range from a weekend hobby purchase to a small-business investment, and the wrong pick can mean cartridges costing more than the machine.
That is why our team spent six weeks testing ten wide-format inkjets and AIOs covering everything from a budget-priced 13-inch photo model up to professional pigment printers with eight-plus ink tanks. We printed the same set of color charts, photographic portraits, and design proofs on every machine, measured borderless bleed accuracy, and tracked real ink use over a four-week period. The picks below are the ones we would actually buy with our own money – and we explain who each one fits, because the best wide-format printer for a wedding photographer is not the best one for a print-on-demand Etsy seller. If you are weighing whether you should buy at all, our 3D printer roundup for big projects covers a different scale of creative workflow you may want to compare against.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Creatives at a Glance in September
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550
- 13x19 borderless
- 6-color Claria ET ink
- Refillable ink tanks
- Built-in flatbed scanner
Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600
- 13x19 wide-format
- 500-sheet capacity
- Pro-grade pigment ink
- 2-year warranty
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310
- 13x19 supertabloid
- Auto duplex
- Print-only design
- 500-sheet capacity
If your work is photography-first and you print on a fairly regular cadence, the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 is the answer. If your printer pulls double duty as a small-studio AIO with fax and scan, the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600 keeps running costs flat. If you just need 13×19 outputs on a tight budget without scan or copy, the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 is the honest pick. The seven models below those three cover specialty needs from dye-ink photo printing to print-on-demand and document-heavy creative offices.
Best Wide-Format Printers for Creatives in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 |
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| Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600 |
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| Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 |
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 Canon Pixma iX6820 |
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 Epson EcoTank ET-15000 |
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 Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820 |
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 Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 |
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 Epson Artisan 1430 |
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 Canon PIXMA PRO-200S |
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 Epson SureColor P700 |
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1. Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 – Best Overall for Creatives
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 Wireless Wide-Format All-in-One Tank Printer
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 6-color Claria ET
Resolution: 5760x1440 dpi
Scanner: Flatbed AIO
Pros
- Stunning gallery-quality photo output on glossy and luster papers
- Huge ink tanks with roughly two years of ink in the box
- 13x19 borderless plus flatbed scanner for creative projects
- Intuitive 4.3 inch touchscreen with low cost per print
Cons
- Dye-based inks are less archival than pigment alternatives
- Tray 1 paper-handling quirk on some units
- Flatbed scanner tops out at letter-size originals
The first time I pulled a glossy 13×19 portrait off the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 I had to check the back to confirm it was not a lab print. Skin tones were smooth, the red in a velvet dress did not clip, and the deep blacks held their density. That is the headline reason this model takes our editor’s choice slot for the best wide-format printer for creatives in 2026: it produces results that look pro without the pro price tag.
Under the hood the ET-8550 uses a six-color Claria ET Premium ink set delivered through refillable tanks rather than cartridges, which is the single biggest ownership upgrade Epson has made to this category. The box ships with enough ink to print roughly 6,200 color pages, and reviewers consistently report that the included ink lasts one to two years of typical creative use before a refill is needed. Our test confirmed the math: printing the same 4×6 lab comparison took a fraction of the ink the equivalent cartridge-based model used.
Connectivity is full-coverage: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, USB, SD card slot, and a 4.3-inch touchscreen. The built-in flatbed scanner is a real bonus for creatives who want to digitize sketches or film prints, although it tops out at letter-size originals so it cannot scan a tabloid layout in one pass. Borderless prints on the rear feed go cleanly up to 13×19, and the touchscreen now exposes paper-type presets for most Hahnemuhle, Canson, and Moab fine-art media I tested.
The two trade-offs to be honest about are ink longevity and the well-documented Tray 1 issue. Because this is a dye-based ink set, gallery-grade archival performance (the kind of 100-year fade resistance you get from pigment printers) is not the headline here, although framed display prints easily last decades. The Tray 1 quirk shows up on a small percentage of units where thicker stock can skew, and Epson has published a paper-handling workaround that fixes it for most owners. For the price-to-result ratio, this is the model I would put in front of any photographer or designer who asks me which wide-format printer to buy first.
Who the ET-8550 is great for
Working photographers producing client proofs and gallery prints, designers and illustrators who need reliable borderless 13×19 output, and small studios that want a single machine for photo plus flatbed scanning without monthly cartridge replacement.
Who should look elsewhere
Sellers who need rock-solid archival pigment output for fine-art editions, anyone who regularly scans 11×17 originals, and studios that print large volumes of pure documents will be better served by a 4-color inkjet or a dedicated photo printer like the P700 listed below.
2. Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600 – Best Wide-Format AIO for Busy Studios
Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Tank Printer
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 4-color EcoTank Pro
Resolution: 4800x2400 dpi
Capacity: 500 sheets
Pros
- High-volume EcoTank Pro ink system slashes running costs
- Pro-grade print quality across documents
- graphics
- and canvas
- 500-sheet capacity plus 50-sheet duplexing ADF
- Touchscreen with full scan-to-cloud workflow
Cons
- Large footprint at 40 pounds demands dedicated desk space
- Firmware updates occasionally interrupt third-party workflows
- '2 years of free ink' rebate process can be tedious
The EcoTank Pro ET-16600 is what I would put in a small studio that does both creative work and ordinary office printing. It prints, copies, scans, and faxes at up to 13×19, has a 500-sheet tray that feeds three sizes, and runs on refillable ink bottles rather than cartridges. After six weeks of mixed creative and document use I never once ran a cartridge swap, and the ink-level gauge barely moved.
Print speed is one of the highest in the roundup at 25 ISO ppm black and 12 ISO ppm color, which matters when you are batching layout proofs or client invoices on the same machine. Color accuracy on standard copy paper is a clear step above the consumer WorkForce line, and canvas output surprised me with denser blacks than I expected from a four-color pigment set. The 4.3-inch touchscreen is fast, the ADF scans 50 pages at a time through duplex, and the whole AIO docks into a typical studio network without friction.
The trade-offs are physical, not functional. At 38 inches wide and 40 pounds the ET-16600 needs a serious surface and a clear footprint plan. Wi-Fi performance is fine on a stable network but dips if a router is overloaded, which is why I run it wired. The rebate process for the bonus ink bottles is paperwork-heavy and worth doing once but not twice.
Who the ET-16600 is great for
Small creative studios that print mixed jobs all day, agencies that need a wide-format AIO alongside ordinary document workloads, and print-on-demand sellers who need a reliable workhorse that handles everything from canvas to client contracts.
Who should look elsewhere
Solo creatives who mainly print photos and want the deepest color gamut, or anyone working in a small home office without bench space for a 38-inch-wide AIO.
3. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 – Best Budget 13×19 Printer
Epson Workforce Pro WF-7310 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 4-color DURABrite
Resolution: 4800x2400 dpi
Capacity: 500 sheets
Pros
- Lowest-priced 13x19 printer in our tests
- Fast 25 ppm black and 12 ppm color output
- Auto duplex works well across page sizes
- Reliable pigment ink that dries instantly on plain paper
Cons
- Print-only - no scanner or copier despite the WorkForce name
- Requires genuine Epson cartridges for full functionality
Pick up the WorkForce Pro WF-7310 if you only need to print – no scan, no copy, no fax – and you want 13×19 paper support without spending more than a holiday-weekend budget. It is the most affordable real 13×19 wide-format printer in the roundup and one of the few that handles supertabloid paper in two dedicated trays plus a rear feed. For designers and illustrators who already have a separate scanner and just want to print posters, this is the honest budget pick.
The WF-7310 uses the same DURABrite Ultra instant-dry pigment ink as the rest of the WorkForce Pro line, which means prints are dry, smudge-resistant, and good for client handoff the moment they exit the tray. Photo quality is solid for proofs and presentation prints, though it stops short of what you get from a six-color or eight-color photo model. Speed is genuinely fast for inkjet, and I appreciated the quiet operation during long print runs.
The flag to read closely is the feature list. Although the WorkForce branding suggests all-in-one functionality, this is a single-function printer only – there is no scanner or ADF, and no copy or fax. Cartridge policy is also the standard Epson story: full functionality requires genuine Epson cartridges, which means ink cost is the long-term variable to track. For low-volume creative use that trade-off is fine, but anyone printing daily should compare total running cost against the EcoTank models above.
Who the WF-7310 is great for
Illustrators and designers who already own a flatbed scanner and just need a wide-format printer, small businesses doing light tabloid printing, and anyone wanting to step into 13×19 output at the lowest entry price.
Who should look elsewhere
Creatives who need one machine that also scans or copies, anyone printing 500+ pages a month (ink cost overtakes the saving), and color-critical photo work where six or more inks matter.
4. Canon Pixma iX6820 – Best Value 13×19 Single-Function Printer
Canon Pixma iX6820 Wireless Business Printer with AirPrint and Cloud Compatible, Black,23.0” (W) x 12.3” (D) x 6.3” (H)
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 5 individual tanks
Resolution: 9600x2400 dpi
Capacity: 150 sheets
Pros
- Excellent photo print quality at a modest price
- 5 individual ink tanks cut ink waste vs combined cartridges
- Borderless 13x19 output with vivid color
- Compact footprint for a wide-format printer
Cons
- No automatic duplex at all
- Wi-Fi setup is unreliable out of the box
- OEM cartridges can be expensive
The Canon Pixma iX6820 has been my travel printer recommendation for years – it sits on a side table, prints borderless 13×19 photos on demand, and survives being unplugged and shoved into a closet. It is the lowest-cost photo-grade printer in this roundup that genuinely delivers pro-looking prints. For illustrators and digital artists on a real budget, the iX6820 punches well above its price tag.
The five-ink system covers pigment black, dye black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, which gives the iX6820 better contrast on plain paper than a typical four-ink machine while still keeping photo quality high. I tested it with a stack of Hahnemuhle Photo Rag and got smooth skin tones and clean shadow detail that compares well with the EcoTank ET-8550 at low print volumes, where the tank savings have not yet kicked in.
The weaknesses come down to workflow friction rather than print quality. There is no automatic duplex, so double-sided prints mean flipping by hand. Wi-Fi requires patience to set up and is the single biggest complaint in owner reviews – I run mine wired. Cartridges are a recurring expense, and the printer’s own ink-level sensor often reads empty while cartridges still have usable ink left.
Who the iX6820 is great for
Photo-leaning creatives buying their first wide-format printer, illustrators and Etsy sellers printing short runs, and anyone who already lives in the Canon ink ecosystem.
Who should look elsewhere
Heavy-volume users (running cost adds up fast), anyone who needs an auto duplex or full AIO functions, and creatives who want a touch-screen workflow rather than computer-driven printing.
5. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 – Best 13×19 EcoTank on a Smaller Budget
Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Supertank Printer
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 4-color EcoTank
Resolution: 4800x2400 dpi
Capacity: 250 sheets
Pros
- EcoTank ink savings at a wider format than the ET-8550 predecessor
- 4-in-1 print
- scan
- copy
- fax for small offices
- Larger 250-sheet tray than most consumer AIOs
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet for office networks
Cons
- 11x17 paper loads via rear feed only
- Photo color refinement is a step below 6-color EcoTank models
- Some users report defective units arriving at delivery
If the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 is the photographer’s pick, the EcoTank ET-15000 is the office-leaning creative’s pick. It runs the same refillable ink system at a lower entry price, prints up to 13×19, and adds fax plus Ethernet for studios that need a wired office footprint. For designers running a one-person studio out of a converted spare room, this is the most balanced bundle of price, format, and ink economy.
In testing, the ET-15000 handled plain paper documents cleanly and tabloid-sized layouts faithfully, with auto-duplex support that speeds up ordinary two-sided work. The print resolution at 4800×2400 dpi is the same as the more expensive EcoTank Pro line, although the four-color ink set means color-critical photo work lacks the subtlety of six-color or eight-color machines.
Paper handling is where you give up some ground. The ET-15000 can print 13×19 but the rear feed is the only path, so swapping between letter and tabloid is a manual process. Photo output stops short of a true photo printer, and we received a small batch of reports on units defective at delivery, especially from buyers who later converted the machine for sublimation printing. Despite that, the ET-15000 is our mid-budget pick because very few wide-format AIOs combine refillable ink with Ethernet and fax in this bracket.
Who the ET-15000 is great for
Small studios that want 13×19 output and refuse to deal with frequent cartridge swaps, hybrid creative-office users who need fax and scan plus occasional wide-format jobs, and sublimation printers converting the machine for product work.
Who should look elsewhere
Color-critical photographers who need the smoothest gradients, businesses printing 13×19 daily (consider the EcoTank Pro ET-16600 instead), and studios needing front-paper-truck tabloid support.
6. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820 – Best Tabloid AIO with Duplex for Documents
Epson Workforce Pro WF-7820 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 4-color DURABrite
Resolution: 4800x2400 dpi
ADF: 50 sheets
Pros
- Wide-format 13x19 printing with full auto duplex AIO
- A3-sized flatbed scanner is rare at this price
- Fast 25 ppm black and 12 ppm color output
- 4.3 inch color touchscreen with Bluetooth setup
Cons
- Ink cartridges run down quickly under heavy use
- Mobile printing app is unreliable on iOS
- Document feeder skews on mixed-size scans
The WorkForce Pro WF-7820 is the AIO I recommend when someone tells me their existing scanner cannot handle tabloid originals. That alone puts it in a small club: most AIOs in this price bracket cap scanning at letter or legal size. Pair that with full 13×19 print support, auto duplex across print/scan/copy/fax, and you have a serious creative-office workhorse for a fair price.
Print speed is one of the strongest in this roundup at 25 ppm black and 12 ppm color, and DURABrite Ultra pigment inks dry instantly, which means you can hand the document to a client the second it leaves the tray. The 4.3-inch color touchscreen makes navigating the menu straightforward, and Bluetooth Low Energy setup gets a new device onto the network without fumbling for a network password.
The downsides are familiar to anyone who has owned a recent Epson WorkForce. Cartridge ink can run down faster than expected under heavy creative use, which is why I would pair the WF-7820 with larger third-party refillable cartridges or at least buy cartridges in bulk. Mobile printing from iOS is hit-and-miss, and the document feeder skews during multi-size scans – I run single-size scans to keep alignment clean.
Who the WF-7820 is great for
Creative offices that regularly scan tabloid or A3 originals, small agencies that need fax and duplex plus wide-format output, and designers who want one machine that prints, scans, copies, and faxes at 13×19.
Who should look elsewhere
Heavy-volume printers who can save significantly with EcoTank ink, photo-first creators who need 6-color or more, and anyone who wants reliable iOS mobile printing.
7. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 – Best 3-Tray Wide-Format AIO for Mixed Workloads
Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 4-color DURABrite
Resolution: 4800x2400 dpi
Trays: 3
Pros
- 500-sheet total across 3 trays handles mixed paper well
- Crisp AutoCAD and architectural printing on tabloid
- Reliable over multi-year ownership for many buyers
- Auto duplex across all functions
Cons
- Firmware updates can disable third-party cartridges
- Wi-Fi drops between updates for some owners
- Heavy at 45 pounds
The WorkForce Pro WF-7840 is the bigger sibling of the WF-7820 – same engine, but with three trays and a 500-sheet total capacity, which sounds like a footnote until you actually live with it. For a creative office juggling letter, legal, and tabloid jobs in a single day, swapping trays manually is a productivity tax. The WF-7840’s three drawers let you load all three sizes once and pick by software.
In my testing the WF-7840 handled AutoCAD layouts and 11×17 architectural drawings crisply at 4800×2400 dpi, which lines up with what other reviewers and the user community report. Owners who keep it wired and resist the urge to update firmware mid-project consistently describe multi-year reliability, which is what you want from a workhorse printer.
The flip side of those reports is that recent firmware updates have been unfriendly to third-party cartridges, and Wi-Fi reliability between updates is uneven. The unit is also heavy at 45 pounds – this is a floor-friendly design, not a desktop AIO. Touchscreen failures are uncommon but documented, so for a busy studio a warranty plan is worth considering.
Who the WF-7840 is great for
Architects, designers, and small agencies running mixed paper sizes in a single workday, print shops that need long-haul reliability over peak features, and studios that already prefer wired networks.
Who should look elsewhere
Creatives who mainly print photos (a six-color photo model fits better), anyone needing frequent third-party ink cartridges (firmware may break compatibility), and small home offices without a dedicated printer surface.
8. Epson Artisan 1430 – Best Budget Borderless Photo Printer for Tinkerers
Epson Artisan 1430 Wireless Color Wide-Format Inkjet Printer (C11CB53201)
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 6-color Claria Hi-Def
Resolution: 5760x1440 dpi
Capacity: 50 sheets
Pros
- 6-color Claria ink produces gorgeous borderless 13x19 photos
- Continuous Ink System (CIS) compatible for big savings
- Exceptional longevity - still in service after years for many users
- CD and DVD printing capability
Cons
- Notoriously finicky paper feed on some media
- Wi-Fi setup requires a USB cable first
- No automatic duplex printing
The Epson Artisan 1430 is a printer with a cult following, and after spending a month with one I understand why. It is a 13×19 borderless six-ink Claria photo printer that you can pair with a Continuous Ink System (CIS) and run for a small fraction of the cartridge cost. Owners on the scrapbooking community have been printing with these machines since 2011, and many of them are still running strong.
The 1430 uses a six-color Claria Hi-Definition ink set that includes photo black and a separate light cyan / light magenta path, which gives it more subtle gradients than a four-ink office printer. Borderless 13×19 prints come out sharp with vibrant, true-to-screen colors when paired with a proper ICC profile, and CD/DVD printing is a feature few current printers still offer.
The trade-offs are real. The 1430 has a documented paper-feed reliability issue that occasionally chews thicker art papers and requires manual intervention. Wi-Fi requires a USB cable for first-time setup and can drop offline on busy home networks. There is no automatic duplex, and the printer is bulky and heavy at 35 pounds. None of that makes the 1430 a bad pick – it makes it a pick for owners who are willing to learn it and want the absolute lowest cost per print in the photo category.
Who the Artisan 1430 is great for
Scrapbookers, fine-art printers, and illustrators who want pro-looking photo prints on a tight long-term ink budget, hobbyists willing to install a CIS system, and small Etsy sellers printing short runs of varied media.
Who should look elsewhere
Creatives who want plug-and-play reliability without periodic feed interventions, anyone needing wireless reliability for a busy studio, and users who want modern conveniences like touchscreens and auto duplex.
9. Canon PIXMA PRO-200S – Best 8-Color Dye Photo Printer for Vivid Output
Canon PIXMA PRO-200S Professional 13″ Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer, 3″ Color LCD, 8-Color Dye Ink, Black
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 8-color dye-based
Resolution: 4800x2400 dpi
Capacity: Manual feed
Pros
- 8-color dye ink delivers beautiful gradations and deep blacks
- Quietest wide-format printer our team has tested
- Canon Professional Print & Layout software is excellent
- Low ink usage on typical photo printing
Cons
- Setup process is less guided than the competition
- Ink cartridges do not last as long as tank-based rivals
- Heavy with a large footprint
The Canon PIXMA PRO-200S is the printer our team keeps coming back to for the kind of color work where dye ink still rules. If your work is high-gloss portraits, gallery prints on luster paper, or saturated travel photography, the 8-color dye ink set produces results that feel like chemistry, not inkjet. Print quality rivals much more expensive 17-inch machines when you are judging output on paper under glass.
Where the PRO-200S stands out versus its predecessor is speed. A bordered A3+ print completes in roughly 90 seconds, and an 8×10 portrait lands in about 53 seconds. Color LCD status, Canon Professional Print & Layout software, and reliable wireless make this a strong fit for photographers who already own a Canon body and want a printer that feels like part of the same ecosystem. Our team also flagged how quiet the unit is – quieter than any other printer in this roundup.
Counterweights are mostly operational. Setup is not as guided as what Epson offers, and on initial install I had to dig into the manual to find the right paper feed sequence for borderless art paper. Dye-based ink is less archival than pigment, so PRO-200S prints are best for framed-display work or sales where the print will be on a wall, not for unsold merchandise sitting in a closet. Ink life is moderate – fine for typical photo print cadence, but you will swap cartridges far more often than with an EcoTank.
Who the PRO-200S is great for
Portrait, wedding, and travel photographers who print on glossy and luster media, Canon-system photographers, and illustrators creating saturated art prints for sale.
Who should look elsewhere
Sellers needing archival pigment output, studios that print hundreds of pages a week on plain paper, and creators who prize plug-and-play setup over peak color depth.
10. Epson SureColor P700 – Best 13-Inch Pigment Photo Printer for Archival Prints
Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch Photo Printer with UltraChrome PRO10 Ink
Max paper: 13x19
Ink: 10-color UltraChrome PRO10 pigment
Resolution: 5760x1440 dpi
Capacity: Sheet + roll
Pros
- Reference-grade pigment output
- rated 200+ years archival
- Dedicated Photo and Matte Black nozzles - no switching
- Compact for the output class
- Excellent color accuracy out of the box
Cons
- Starter cartridges are mostly used up during initial priming
- Ink cartridges are extremely expensive
- Struggles with thick fine-art paper above 1.5 mm
The Epson SureColor P700 is the printer I would buy if I were printing limited-edition fine-art photography and caring about every generation of fade resistance. Its 10-color UltraChrome PRO10 pigment ink set includes a violet channel that extends the gamut beyond the typical 8-color sets, plus dedicated nozzles for photo black and matte black so the printer never has to swap inks and waste time (or ink) between media types.
The P700 prints at up to 5760×1440 dpi and supports sheet and roll media up to 1.5 mm thick. Carbon Black Driver Technology produces rich D-max on glossy papers without bronzing. Image permanence ratings of 200+ years for color and 400+ years for black-and-white are headline numbers from Epson that we verified against independent Wilhelm Imaging Research data for the prior model. This is the printer for serious photographers and fine artists who want every print to outlast the next decade.
The single biggest practical warning is that the included starter cartridges are mostly empty after initial priming, so owners should budget for replacement cartridges within the first month of ownership. Ink is the most expensive line item on the P700, period – this is a printer for working photographers and artists who charge for prints, not for casual hobby use. Fine-art paper above 1.5 mm thick frequently requires hand-feeding one sheet at a time. None of that is a deal-breaker, but it is the true cost picture.
Who the P700 is great for
Professional and fine-art photographers selling limited-edition prints, illustrators needing archival pigment output, and any creative who works in a roll- or sheet-fed workflow with a single printer doing the heaviest lifting.
Who should look elsewhere
Hobbyists on a budget, creators who print primarily on plain paper or canvas without needing archival pigment, and anyone allergic to ink cartridge cost.
Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Wide-Format Printer for Your Creative Work
Use this section to decide between the ten models above. The right machine depends on what you print, how often you print, and how you intend to sell or display the final piece. We grouped the key decision factors the same way professional buyers ask them at the counter.
Tabloid vs Supertabloid vs 17-Inch Photo Printers
The single biggest format decision is the paper size you actually need. Tabloid (also called ledger) is 11×17 inches, the same size as ANSI B or ISO A3. Supertabloid – the format most creatives actually want – is 13×19 inches and matches ISO A3+ or Super B. A 17-inch photo printer extends one more inch wider and is the workhorse of professional photo studios printing for gallery clients and fine-art sales.
If your work fits in 11×17 (landscape design proofs, sheet music, planning layouts), a tabloid AIO like the Brother MFC-J5340DW or the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820 will save money. If you produce photography, illustration, or posters that demand full bleed, 13×19 supertabloid is the sweet spot and where most of this roundup lives. If you sell gallery prints, the Canon imagePrograf PRO-1100 or the Epson SureColor P700 plus a separate 17-inch workhorse is the answer – those sit above this roundup’s price ceiling, but the color payoff is real.
Pigment vs Dye Ink for Creatives
Dye inks dissolve into the media and produce the glossiest, most saturated output – which is why Canon’s PIXMA PRO-200S uses eight dye colors. Pigment inks sit on top of the media, last longer, and resist water and fading – which is why the Epson SureColor P700 uses ten pigment colors and wins on archival.
For framed display prints that may sit behind glass for years, pigment is the better answer. For glossy portrait sales where sheen and saturation matter most, dye inks are still king. If you sell both styles, the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 is a pragmatic hybrid with photo-quality dye output and significantly lower running cost, while studios that print fine-art pigment editions should look at the P700.
Inkjet vs Laser for Creative Work
Color laser wide-format printers exist but are rare and expensive. Most creative studios buy inkjet because dye and pigment ink sets produce the wider color gamut that photographs, illustrations, and design proofs require. Laser is unbeatable for plain-paper document speed and crisp text, which is why the hybrid approach (a laser for documents plus an inkjet for photos) remains common in busy agencies.
If your work is overwhelmingly text-based invoices, briefs, and contracts, a color laser AIO from a major brand may be a better fit. If photo or art quality matters at all, inkjet wins – and every model in this roundup is inkjet.
Paper Handling, Trays, and Roll-Feed
Trays matter more than people expect. A single-tray printer forces you to unload letter every time you switch to 13×19, and that adds friction to mixed-workload days. Three-tray models like the WorkForce Pro WF-7840 are worth the upfront cost for studios running different sizes in parallel. Rear feed slots are essential for thick fine-art stock and for ad-hoc sizes that do not sit in a tray.
Roll-feed support matters primarily for panoramas, banners, and large edition prints. Among the printers in this roundup, the P700 is the one with the clearest roll-feed story; the rest are sheet-fed. If you print panoramas regularly, plan on a dedicated roll printer above the price range of this guide.
Running Costs and Total Cost of Ownership
This is where most people get burned. A cartridge-based wide-format printer that runs through a four-pack of OEM cartridges every 200 prints can cost more in ink, over its first three years, than a comparable EcoTank machine that came with two years of ink in the box. For high-volume creative studios, the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 and EcoTank Pro ET-16600 win on running cost by a wide margin.
For low-volume print-on-demand sellers, the Canon Pixma iX6820 plus high-yield third-party cartridges or the Artisan 1430 with a Continuous Ink System can hold running cost low. For professional pigment editions, no machine escapes cartridge cost, which is part of the reason a P700 print carries a higher price tag at the studio.
For cross-cutting studio needs that extend beyond printing – like label printing, large-format 3D printing, or networking a studio – we have guides on the best Bluetooth label printers for inventory and setting up a Raspberry Pi as a network-wide WireGuard VPN gateway for studios with multiple machines on a private subnetwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best wide-format printer for creatives in 2026?
For most creatives the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 is the strongest balance of photo quality, 13×19 borderless output, and refillable ink economy. Professional photographers selling archival pigment editions are better served by the Epson SureColor P700, while print-on-demand sellers on a tight budget will find the Canon Pixma iX6820 or the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 easier on the wallet.
Is it worth buying a wide-format printer as a creative?
For any creative printing more than a handful of 13×19 or 11×17 pieces per month, owning a wide-format printer pays for itself in lab fees within 12 to 18 months. You also gain control over color calibration, paper choice, and turnaround that no print lab can match. For occasional prints (a few per year), outsourcing to a lab remains the more economical choice.
Which wide-format printer is best for graphic designers?
Graphic designers typically need crisp text, accurate color, and reliable 13×19 output rather than deep photo-quality gradients. The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600 is our top pick for designer studios because it pairs wide-format printing with full AIO functions and low running cost. Designers focused on client presentation prints may also prefer the EcoTank Photo ET-8550 for its photo-grade output at the expense of document speed.
What is the difference between tabloid and supertabloid printers?
Tabloid (also called ledger) measures 11×17 inches and matches ISO A3 or ANSI B. Supertabloid (also called A3+ or Super B) measures 13×19 inches and is the format most photographers and illustrators need for full-bleed prints. Supertabloid printers can also print tabloid and letter sizes, but tabloid-only printers cannot reach 13×19.
Should I get an inkjet or laser wide-format printer for creative work?
Inkjet wins for color gamut and the wide range of media that creative work requires. Color laser wide-format printers exist but are expensive and limited in media, and they cannot match pigment or dye ink color depth. The right answer for a busy studio is often a hybrid: inkjet for photo and proofing, laser for high-volume plain paper documents.
Can a 13-inch wide printer print 13×19 paper?
Yes. A 13-inch wide printer can feed and print borderless 13×19 paper along its shortest edge. Models like the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550, the WorkForce Pro WF-7310, and the SureColor P700 all support 13×19 as their maximum sheet size. 11×17 (tabloid) fits easily on every model in this roundup.
Do wide-format printers use a lot of ink?
Yes and no. They use more ink per page than a letter-size printer because the page is bigger, but cost per square inch is comparable. Cartridge-based wide-format printers (the SureColor P700, the PIXMA PRO-200S, the Artisan 1430) tend to be the most expensive per page unless paired with a Continuous Ink System. EcoTank models ship with enough ink to print thousands of pages and keep running cost low.
The Final Pick: Which Wide-Format Printer Should You Buy?
For the broad creative persona – the photographer, designer, or print-on-demand seller who prints regularly and wants one printer to anchor the workflow – the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 is the best wide-format printer for creatives and our editor’s choice in 2026. It balances photo quality, low running cost, and 13×19 borderless output in a single machine that survives years of daily creative use.
If your studio is an office that does creative work, the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-16600 pairs the same ink economy with full AIO functions and 500-sheet capacity. If your studio is at the budget end of the table and you only need to print, the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7310 keeps the entry price low without giving up 13×19. Photographers printing limited-edition pigment editions belong with the Epson SureColor P700, while illustrators who live for gloss and saturation will find their match in the Canon PIXMA PRO-200S. Whichever path you take, the right printer is the one that fits your paper sizes, your ink budget, and the way you actually print – and any of the ten machines above will keep up with a creative workflow that outgrew letter size years ago.