To print posters at home you need a wide format printer: an inkjet built to handle media wider than a tabloid page, starting at 13×19 inches and running up to 24, 36, or 44 inches. Everything below 13×19 is a normal office printer, and a true 24×36 poster needs a 24-inch roll machine. Our best overall pick is the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550.
I spent weeks putting these machines through their paces, printing on matte, satin, glossy and canvas media and watching what each one cost me per sheet. What surprised me most was how much the ink bill matters compared to the sticker on the box. A cheap printer with cartridge ink can cost several times more over a year than a pricier tank-fed model, and that gap widens fast once you start feeding full-coverage images.
The lineup here spans the whole price ladder, from a desktop 13×19 tank printer to 24-inch roll plotters built for gallery work and outdoor signage. Weights run from 24.5 pounds to 88.2 pounds, so plan where the machine will live before you commit. If you want the wider research first, our general wide format printer roundup covers the category in more detail.
One last thing before we start. The wide format printers on this list are photo and graphics machines, not blueprint plotters, though a few handle technical line work well. If your real need is Arch D and Arch E1 plans for a construction job, the buying guide later in this article tells you which category to shop in instead.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks: Best Wide Format Printers for Posters (October 2026)
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550
- 13x19 max size
- 6-color Claria ET inks
- Cartridge-free ink bottles
Wide Format Printers for Posters Side by Side
Every machine below is a genuine wide format printer for posters, but they fall into very different tiers. Three are desktop cut-sheet models topping out at 13×19 or 17×22. Three feed 24-inch media, either as roll plotters or as signage machines. The remaining three are all-in-one office models that stop at 11×17, which is fine for drafts, layouts and smaller prints.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
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| Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 |
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 Epson EcoTank ET-15000 |
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| Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820 |
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 Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 |
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 HP DesignJet T210 |
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 Canon PRO-2100 |
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 Canon imagePROGRAF TM-240 |
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 Brother INKvestment 6960 |
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 HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 |
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One important note on sizes. Nothing on this list prints a borderless 24×36 sheet. The 24-inch roll machines handle 24×36 bordered output, the Canon TM-240 stops at 18×24 with 24-inch paper, and a true edge-to-edge 24×36 poster needs a 36-inch roll model, which sits outside the consumer and prosumer tier entirely.
1. Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 – Best Overall Wide Format Printer for Posters
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 Wireless Wide-Format All-in-One Tank Printer
Max size 13x19 inch
1440 x 5760 dpi
24.5 lbs
6-color Claria ET Premium ink
Pros
- Cartridge-free ink bottles cut running cost sharply
- 13x19 borderless photo output
- Built-in flatbed scanner and copier
- Transparent tanks show remaining ink
Cons
- Rear manual feed is finicky with thick stock
- Flatbed will not take 11x17 originals
- Occasional ink spotting needs deep cleans
The ET-8550 is the machine I recommend to most people reading this page. It prints to 13×19 inches borderless, which covers the two most common poster sizes in the hobby and small-business world, and it refills with ink bottles instead of cartridges. That single design choice is why it wins. Reviewers consistently point out that a tank set covers up to 6200 color pages, and Epson rates 4×6 photo prints at roughly four cents each.
Ink coverage is where the economics change. A 13×19 sheet carries about seven times the area of a 4×6 print, so a full-bleed 13×19 poster moves a serious amount of ink through the nozzles. With cartridges you would replace all of them repeatedly. With bottles you pour in what you use.
The scan and copy functions are a genuine bonus. Owners use the flatbed to duplicate artwork before reprinting, and automatic duplex handles the copying side. Just know the flatbed tops out well below 13×19, and there is no document feeder on this model.
Resolution is 1440 x 5760 dpi in black and white with Claria ET Premium six-color inks. In practice the photo output on matte and satin media looks smooth with clean edges on text, which is why it doubles as a document printer for a home office doing posters and everything else.
What to check before you buy
Tray selection. Reviewers repeatedly report that automatic paper-tray selection picks the wrong tray often enough to be annoying, and that manually choosing the tray in the driver fixes it. Budget for that habit rather than expecting it to sort itself out.
Media weight. The rear manual feed is the weak point with thick poster board or heavy canvas. If your posters live on rigid media, test a sheet before committing to a large run.
Where it falls short
Output on cheap plain paper can look soft, and the result is not waterproof. This is a photo inkjet, so keep it on proper photo media and let the image cure fully before you stretch or frame it.
Owners also report occasional ink spotting on finished pages that needs a deep clean cycle. That is a maintenance nuisance rather than a defect, and it happens rarely enough that I would not rule the machine out for it.
2. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 – Best Value Wide Format Printer for Poster Drafts
Epson EcoTank ET-15000 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Supertank Printer
Max size 11 x 17 inch
250-sheet capacity
26.5 lbs
Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Pros
- Large 250-sheet input capacity with a second tray
- Auto duplex plus 50-sheet ADF
- EcoTank ink system with an extra-large black tank
- Wi-Fi setup from the control panel
Cons
- 11x17 sheets load into the rear holder
- Occasional jams and confusing paper-size selection
- Four-color dye output trails six-color photo results
The ET-15000 is the office workhorse of this group. It prints to 11×17, handles 250 sheets across two trays, and adds a 50-sheet automatic document feeder with automatic duplex, so it prints, copies, scans and faxes without you touching the paper twice. For drafting posters, layout proofs and any 11×17 production work, that combination is hard to argue with.
Color is where this one concedes ground. It runs a four-color dye system, which means glossy photo output lacks the depth and finer gradation you get from a six-color or eleven-color machine. Owners who moved from a dedicated photo printer notice the difference immediately, especially in skin tones and saturated skies.
The ink economics are strong for the same reason they are on the ET-8550. EcoTank bottles mean you pay for ink you use, and an extra-large black tank keeps long monochrome documents cheap. Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB cover every connection style a small office needs.
Speed sits at 17 ppm black and 9 ppm color with a 33000-page monthly duty cycle. That is a real office figure, not a poster figure, but for batches of smaller prints it means the machine keeps moving.
What to check before you buy
Where 11×17 paper loads. It goes into a rear holder rather than a dedicated wide tray, and getting that right is the difference between smooth feeding and a jam. Read the setup card carefully the first time.
Duplex range. Automatic duplex only covers up to 8.5×11. Anything larger has to be flipped by hand, so plan your workflow around single-sided large prints.
Where it falls short
Owners report recurring paper jams and confusing paper-size selection, particularly when the machine is driven from a phone rather than its own panel. Some international buyers also mention regional support limitations.
If your end goal is a wall-sized colour print rather than a 11×17 draft, this is one step short. Nothing here prints past 11×17 inches.
3. Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820 – Best Budget Wide Format Printer for 13×19 Posters
Epson Workforce Pro WF-7820 Wireless All-in-One Wide-Format Inkjet Printer
Max size 13 x 19 inch
5760 x 1440 dpi
39.9 lbs
Pigment DURABrite Ultra ink
Pros
- Lowest entry point with real 13x19 capability
- Fast 25 ppm black and 12 ppm color
- 250 sheets plus 50-sheet ADF
- Heat-free PrecisionCore printhead
Cons
- Cartridge ink is expensive and purges all colors for black jobs
- Cartridge chip and firmware issues reported
- 38.4 inch wide body needs a large desk
The WF-7820 gets you into genuine 13×19 wide format output for the least money on this list, and it does it with pigment DURABrite Ultra inks on a heat-free PrecisionCore printhead. Owners consistently report clean output on decent paper without constant head cleaning, which is the thing that usually goes wrong on budget inkjets.
The feature set is unusual at this money. You get 250-sheet capacity, a 50-sheet ADF, automatic duplex, a 4.3-inch colour touchscreen, plus USB, Ethernet and Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct. For a school, a small studio or a home office that also faxes, that is a lot of hardware in one box.
Pigment ink matters here. Water-based pigment resists fading better than dye, so posters that hang in daylight hold their color longer than the same image on a dye-based machine. That is a real advantage for wall art.
Speed is the headline number at 25 ppm black and 12 ppm color, with copy speeds up to 40 ppm in black. For a 13×19 sheet the limiting factor is ink coverage rather than the page rate.
What to check before you buy
Footprint first. At 38.4 inches wide and 39.9 pounds, this is a large machine. It needs a dedicated surface with clearance behind it for the rear feed, and that is a planning issue rather than a product issue.
Cartridge behaviour. Reviewers report that every monochrome job still purges the colour cartridges. If you mostly print in black, you are paying for ink you do not use, and that shows up in your running cost.
Where it falls short
Chip-related cartridge recognition and firmware update problems come up often enough to plan around. Budget time for driver updates before a big print run, and keep a spare set on hand.
The ADF also feeds documents crookedly after short use, and paper-size selection from mobile devices confuses new owners. Budget models trade polish for capability, and this is where that shows.
4. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 – Best Wide Format Printer for Photo Quality
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100: 17” Professional Wireless Inkjet Photo Printer
Media up to 17 x 22 inch
2400 x 1200 dpi
83 lbs
11 pigment inks plus Chroma Optimizer
Pros
- Eleven pigment inks plus Chroma Optimizer for gloss uniformity
- Excellent blacks for fine art and gallery prints
- Handles media up to 17x22 inches
- Professional layout software with Adobe plug-ins
Cons
- Heavy 83 pound chassis with a large footprint
- Print only with no scanner or copier
- 80 mL tanks mean frequent refills at this size
If colour accuracy is your priority, the PRO-1100 is the machine to look at. It runs eleven pigment inks plus a Chroma Optimizer, and the LUCIA PRO II system gives you noticeably darker blacks and smoother transitions than any six-color consumer printer on this list. Photographers using it for exhibition prints point to the gloss uniformity and the anti-bronzing behaviour as the reasons it holds up under scrutiny, especially on large work made with wide angle lenses where edge-to-edge detail is obvious.
Media handling goes up to 17×22 inches, with 13×19, 11×17, A3 and A2 also supported. That is the largest sheet size of any desktop machine here, which makes it the right pick for 18×24 work once you trim, and for poster work that needs more room than 13×19 without a roll system.
Build quality is closer to studio equipment than to office hardware. The anti-clogging FINE printhead and air feeding system keep ink placement consistent and reduce skewing on long feeds, and the L-COA PRO engine handles large image data quickly. Software includes media configuration, colour calibration and an accounting manager, plus plug-ins for Adobe apps.
Speed is about one page per minute, which sounds slow until you remember this is an eleven-ink machine pushing a very large image. Quality-first workflows are what it is built for, not throughput.
What to check before you buy
Tank size versus print size. Each PGI-4100 cartridge holds 80 mL, and at 17×22 coverage you will refill more often than you expect. Plan your ink budget around that refill rhythm rather than around cartridge cost.
Calibration setup. Owners note a real learning curve on the layout software and colour tools. Budget an afternoon with a monitor and a good reference image before you print anything you intend to sell.
Where it falls short
It is print-only. No scanner, copier or fax, so if you need to digitise originals you are buying a separate flatbed.
The 83-pound chassis and 28.5-inch width mean a dedicated table. This is a machine for a studio corner, not for a shared office desk, and the print-only design means it earns its keep only if you actually print photographs.
5. HP DesignJet T210 – Best Wide Format Printer for 24-Inch Roll Posters
HP DesignJet T210 Large Format 24-inch Plotter Printer, for Easy CAD & Poster Prints (8AG32D)
Up to 24 inch wide media
2400 x 1200 dpi
47.4 lbs
Roll feed with automatic cutter
Pros
- True 24 inch roll output for 36x24 posters
- 2400 x 1200 dpi with crisp lines and text
- HP Click software with auto-nesting
- Uses less ink for maintenance than competing plotters
Cons
- Locked to HP 712 cartridges with no override
- Third-party media support is limited
- 24 inch media alignment on load is finicky
The T210 is one of the two true roll machines here, and the smaller step up from desktop 13×19 printers. It feeds up to 24-inch-wide media, takes cut sheets as well as rolls, and includes an automatic horizontal cutter so you get clean edges without a knife. For a 36×24 poster that is the difference between making it yourself and outsourcing it.
HP Click is genuinely useful for this class of machine. It checks incoming PDFs for errors, flags problems before they waste a roll, and nests several files onto fewer pages automatically. Owners running plans, maps and posters praise how quickly it gets a job out without manual media switching.
Output is 2400 x 1200 dpi, which is exactly what technical line work and poster graphics want. Line edges stay crisp and text holds together even at small point sizes. Throughput is quoted at up to 45 seconds for an A1 or D page and 59 A1 prints per hour, with 500MB of memory handling multi-page files.
Connectivity covers Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi, and it supports HP-GL/2 and AirPrint. A monthly duty cycle is not published for this model, so treat it as a light-production machine rather than a production plotter.
What to check before you buy
The 24-inch borderless limitation. A 24-inch-wide printer cannot lay a true edge-to-edge 24×36 sheet. You will print with borders and trim, or you accept the margin. This is the single most common surprise for first-time roll printer owners.
Media alignment. Owners report that loading 24-inch media needs adjustment to align properly. Spend the first twenty minutes with the alignment routine and the job stops fighting you.
Where it falls short
Supply lock-in is the big one. Only HP 712 cartridges work, there is no override, and owners report limited availability of alternatives from other suppliers. If you have a client deadline, confirm your consumables are on hand before you commit to a date.
A jam can also make the plotter keep feeding paper and worsen the situation. Clear the media path fully before restarting rather than pulling individual sheets while it runs.
6. Canon PRO-2100 – Best Wide Format Printer for Fine Art and Gallery Posters
CANON PRO 2100 24 WIDE, FORMAT FINE ART PRINTER
24 x 59 inch media
2400 x 1200 dpi
12-ink LUCIA PRO II
One year on-site warranty
Pros
- Owners single out accurate out-of-box color
- 12-ink system with Photo and Matte blacks
- 24 inch rolls up to 59 inches long
- Works directly from Photoshop without extra RIP software
Cons
- Ink refill cost runs high even though cartridges last many prints
- Only small starter cartridges are included with the machine
- Bulky 49 inch wide body needs a dedicated corner
The PRO-2100 is the specialist on this list. It prints 24-inch rolls up to 59 inches long and carries a 12-ink LUCIA PRO II system with separate Photo Black and Matte blacks alongside a Chroma Optimizer. Fine art photographers running a small studio consistently single out black density and out-of-box colour accuracy as the reasons this machine performs above the rest.
The accessory package is unusually complete. It comes with the RU-23 multifunction roll system, RH2-29 roll holders, a PF-10 print head, an MC-30 maintenance cartridge and a CT-07 rotary cutter. You are not hunting down parts after delivery, and the one-year on-site warranty through the reseller means a technician comes to you.
Workflow is straightforward. Owners like the guided on-screen operator interface and easy roll loading, and the printer works directly with Photoshop without separate RIP software, which removes a layer of setup that most roll machines demand.
Output is 2400 x 1200 dpi across the full width. That resolution, combined with two black inks, is what produces the deep matte blacks on fine art paper that a single-black machine flattens.
What to check before you buy
Physical space. At 35 inches deep, 49 inches wide and 33 inches tall, this needs its own corner and a sturdy surface. Measure before ordering, including the clearance the roll system and cutter need.
Ink running cost. Cartridges last through many prints, but refill prices are high and only small starter cartridges are included with the machine. Work out your monthly square footage before committing.
Where it falls short
The purchase cost puts it out of reach for casual users and most home offices. This is a machine for someone earning from prints, not someone trying one poster format.
Layout software and colour calibration also carry a learning curve, and there is no scanner, copier or fax. Add in the bulky body, and this pick only makes sense once the volume justifies it.
7. Canon imagePROGRAF TM-240 – Best Wide Format Printer for Outdoor Posters
Canon imagePROGRAF TM-240 24″ Large Format Printer
Arch C 18 x 24 inch max
2400 x 1200 dpi
88.2 lbs
Up to 3.2 ppm on 24x36 sheets
Pros
- Every owner review on record rates it without exception
- UV and water-resistant ink for outdoor use
- Automatic media type and size detection
- On-printer colour calibration for consistency
Cons
- Small review base limits independent feedback
- 88 pound chassis needs a dedicated stand
- Five-colour ink set targets signage rather than photo work
The TM-240 is built for posters that live outside. Its UV and water-resistant ink set is the differentiator: owners who put it to work on job sites, storefront signage and outdoor posters report output that holds up to weather rather than fading within months. Nothing else in this roundup makes that claim.
The print head is a high-density six-channel PF-06 with 15360 nozzles at 5 picolitre droplets, running at 2400 x 1200 dpi. The L-COA PRO II processor is roughly 30 percent faster than earlier TM models, and Canon quotes up to 3.2 ppm for a 24×36 inch sheet.
Convenience features are unusually well thought out. The home screen automatically detects media type, length and width, so the machine configures itself when you load a new roll. On-printer colour calibration keeps output consistent across jobs and across TM-series machines, which matters when several people feed the same plotter.
Connectivity is Ethernet, USB and Wi-Fi, and the warranty is two years, longer than anything else here.
What to check before you buy
Max sheet size is Arch C at 18×24, with 24-inch paper listed as the supported width. If you need 36×24 sheets, this machine does not reach them, so check your largest planned job before buying.
Placement. At 88.2 pounds and 38.5 inches wide, it needs a printer stand or cart and a floor that can take the weight. This is not a desk machine.
Where it falls short
The review base is small, and that limits how much independent long-term feedback exists. The perfect average rating across every owner review on record is encouraging, but it rests on a limited number of reports.
Five-colour ink is built for signage and technical output, not for photographic tonal range. If your posters are fine art photographs, the PRO-1100 or PRO-2100 serve you better.
8. Brother INKvestment 6960 – Best Wide Format Printer for Speed and Duplex
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)
Letter 17 x 11 inch
1200 x 4800 dpi
51.4 lbs
31 ppm black and 30 ppm color
Pros
- High duplex throughput at 31 ppm black and 30 ppm color
- 500 sheets plus a 100-sheet multipurpose tray
- Single-pass duplex ADF handles 50 pages
- Dependable network connectivity and cloud print
Cons
- Scan and ADF copies can print faint
- Ink head clogs reported twice within five weeks by one owner
- 11x17 pages must be positioned precisely in the tray
The Brother MFC-J6960DW is the speed pick. It runs 31 ppm black and 30 ppm color using MAXIDRIVE technology, and it prints duplex automatically all the way up to 11×17. Paper handling is generous at 500 sheets across two trays plus a 100-sheet multipurpose tray, with a 50-page single-pass duplex ADF for scanning.
For an office that produces volume rather than one-off wall art, that combination is hard to beat. It copies, scans and faxes at full size, includes a high-yield 1800-page black cartridge in the box, and offers cheap refills across the LC506 family.
What to check before you buy
Scan density. Owners report that scans and ADF copies can come out faint, forcing maximum density settings on every job. If document fidelity matters as much as printing, calibrate before your first batch.
Paper positioning. Wide sheets must sit precisely in the tray or they will not feed. Budget attention for the first few wide jobs until you get a feel for the guides.
Where it falls short
One owner reported ink head clogs twice within five weeks requiring deep cleans, which is an isolated complaint rather than a pattern, but it is worth knowing about. Keep the maintenance routine on your calendar.
Wide pages also print more slowly than A4, and scanning large originals is limited. It tops out at 11×17, so this is a large-format printer for documents and layouts rather than for posters you want on a wall.
9. HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 – Best Wide Format Printer for Small Offices
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)
11 x 17 inch color
4800 x 1200 dpi
43 lbs
Two 250-sheet trays
Pros
- 500 sheets of total paper capacity
- Single-pass 2-sided ADF with auto duplex
- P3 wide gamut for screen-accurate color
- Dual-band Wi-Fi and a 4.3-inch touchscreen
Cons
- Wide-format output stops at 11x17
- Cartridge consumables add significant running cost
- Touchscreen workflow is shallow next to plotter software
The OfficeJet Pro 9730 is aimed squarely at floor plans, mood boards, spreadsheets and signage proofs rather than finished posters. It prints 11×17 in colour at up to 22 ppm black and 18 ppm color, with automatic duplex printing and a single-pass two-sided ADF.
Colour is its quiet strength. The P3 wide gamut gets you screen-accurate results across most of the visible spectrum without manual colour tweaking, which is unusual at this level and useful when a client judges a print against a monitor.
Paper handling is the reason it suits a shared workspace. Two 250-sheet trays mean you can keep plain office stock and heavier presentation media loaded at the same time, so nobody has to reload the machine between a spreadsheet batch and a client proof.
It also ships with a three-month trial of HP Instant Ink, which lowers the first few hundred pages of running cost if your volume stays modest. For a small office that prints wide sheets occasionally rather than daily, that combination keeps the total cost of ownership well under a pro plotter.
What to check before you buy
Maximum size is 11×17, not 13×19. If your work needs a genuine tabloid-plus sheet, this is one tier too small, and the HP T210 covers the roll-feed alternative.
Running cost. Consumables are cartridge-based, and cartridges add meaningfully to the cost of a page printed at full colour coverage. That matters most for anyone producing regular batches.
Where it falls short
Owners report mixed results on print consistency for full-coverage colour pages, which is exactly the case a poster represents. Test a saturated image before committing to a run.
The touchscreen and app workflow is shallower than professional plotter software, and an Instant Ink subscription fee applies once the included trial ends. It is an office tool that also prints large, not a poster machine.
How to Choose a Wide Format Printer for Posters
1. Start with print size
Size is the only decision that cannot be changed later, so it comes first. A 13×19 machine covers 13×19, 11×17, A3 and smaller. An 11×17 model covers tabloid and smaller. A 24-inch roll machine covers 24×36 bordered and anything narrower, and a 36-inch or wider machine is the only way to get a true borderless 24×36.
The trap is assuming a 24-inch printer produces a 24×36 poster edge to edge. It does not. Owners confirm this is the loudest frustration in printer forums: a 24-inch unit prints a 24×36 sheet with margins, so you trim afterwards. Decide now whether trimming is acceptable, because that extra step changes your workflow.
2. Inkjet, dye-sublimation or solvent
Pigment ink wins on longevity and water resistance, which is why the budget Epson WF-7820 uses it for wall art. Dye ink delivers punchier color at lower cost and is the right choice for short-term indoor prints. Dye-sublimation is a different machine class entirely, transferring color to fabric and coated substrates with no ink sitting on top.
Solvent ink is the outdoor category. The Canon TM-240 on this list uses a UV and water-resistant set, and that durability is the whole reason to buy into that class rather than a photo inkjet.
3. Borderless printing and why it changes your costs
Borderless output means printing to the media edge, then cutting the bleed off. On a machine narrower than your finished size this is impossible without tiling, so the next size up is effectively required. That is why 13×19 printers can produce borderless 13×19, and 24-inch printers cannot produce borderless 24×36.
Budget for the trim. A paper cutter and a straightedge cost little, and the workflow takes seconds per sheet once you set it up.
4. Ink costs and what a poster really costs to print
This is the question forum owners ask most, and it deserves a straight answer. Ink consumption scales with area, and a 24×36 poster covers roughly 2.9 times the area of a 13×19 sheet and about 14 times that of an 8.5×11 page. Every cartridge-based machine on this list therefore runs up your bill fast once you print full-coverage images.
Tank systems change the calculation because you buy volume rather than sealed cartridges. Cartridge yield also varies widely between brands, with small tanks on some office models and much larger ones on pro machines, so compare tank volume before comparing cartridge cost.
5. Roll feed, cut sheet or automatic sheet feeder
Roll feed is what makes large formats possible and keeps media costs low because you use every inch. Cut-sheet feeding suits short runs on photo paper. An automatic sheet feeder handles stacks of standard sheets for office work but usually tops out below the machine’s maximum width.
If you print posters, you want roll capability. If you print documents and occasional 11×17 sheets, a sheet-fed all-in-one is simpler and cheaper.
6. Paper and media types
Matte paper is the safest default for posters because it hides fingerprints, has no glare under lights and shows no white sheen at the edges. Glossy gives the deepest blacks and highest contrast but needs careful handling. Satin sits between them and forgives smudges better than gloss.
Canvas adds texture and weight, and heavier canvas needs a stiffer feed path. Always match the media profile in your driver to the actual paper, since a mismatch is the most common cause of disappointing colour. If your display is a rigid object rather than a flat sheet, that is a different tool entirely, and our guide to large format 3D printers covers the machines built for it.
7. Colour accuracy and gamut
Gamut is simply the range of colours a printer can produce. Consumer six-colour machines cover most of what most people can see. Pro eleven and twelve-ink systems add reds, blues, greys and a Chroma Optimizer for smoother transitions and deeper blacks.
For a poster on a wall viewed from across a room, six colours is usually enough. For gallery work judged up close, the extra inks make a visible difference.
8. Wireless printing and software
Every pick here supports Wi-Fi, and most add Wi-Fi Direct so you can print without a router. Mobile apps handle basic jobs well. Professional roll machines rely on vendor software such as HP Click for nesting and error checking, and that software is a genuine advantage at volume.
If you work in Photoshop, check for layout plug-ins before buying. Several picks on this list ship them.
9. Speed and what the numbers mean
Ppm figures describe office pages per minute, not posters. For a poster, the honest measure is minutes per sheet at your chosen quality setting, and that number depends far more on ink coverage than on the engine speed.
The HP T210 is quoted at up to 45 seconds for an A1 page, and the Canon TM-240 up to 3.2 ppm on a 24×36 sheet. Treat all of these as ceilings rather than promises.
10. Buy a printer or use a print shop
For one-off posters, an online print service or a local shop will almost always be cheaper once ink and media are counted, and the quality is frequently better because they use professional roll systems. A shop only loses its advantage once you are producing posters regularly enough to spread a machine cost over many jobs.
Buying makes sense when you produce posters regularly enough to spread the machine cost over many jobs, and when turnaround matters. Before you commit, print one poster on a service and price the identical job on the machine you are considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of printer do I need to print posters?
You need a wide format printer, meaning any inkjet that handles media wider than a tabloid page. For poster work, the minimum is a 13×19 model for sheets up to that size. A true 24×36 poster requires a 24-inch roll printer, and a borderless 24×36 print requires a 36-inch or wider machine.
What is the best large format printer for 24×36 prints?
For 24×36 posters, the HP DesignJet T210 is the smallest machine on our list that prints true 24-inch roll media, which it will produce with borders rather than edge to edge. The Canon PRO-2100 covers the same width with a 12-ink system and roll lengths up to 59 inches. A borderless 24×36 sheet needs a 36-inch roll printer.
Can I print 24×36 posters on a 13×19 printer?
Not as a single sheet. A 13×19 printer caps out at 13×19 borderless, so a 24×36 poster would have to be tiled across four sheets and taped or trimmed together, which shows visible seams. If full-size 24×36 posters are part of your regular work, buy a 24-inch roll model instead.
Is dye or pigment ink better for posters?
Pigment ink is better for posters that hang in daylight or outdoors because it resists fading and water. Dye ink gives punchier, more saturated colour and costs less, which suits indoor prints viewed briefly. Solvent ink goes further still for outdoor signage, and the Canon TM-240 on our list uses a UV and water-resistant set for exactly that reason.
How much does ink cost to print a large poster?
Ink consumption scales with area, so a 24×36 poster uses far more than a 13×19 sheet, which in turn uses far more than a letter page. Cartridge-based machines like the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 and Epson WF-7820 cost the most per sheet at full coverage, while tank-fed models such as the ET-8550 and ET-15000 are the cheapest to run because you buy ink by volume.
Do I need a wide format printer or should I use a print shop?
Use a print shop for occasional posters. Once ink, media and machine cost are counted, a shop is usually cheaper for one-off work and often produces a higher quality result. Owning a wide format printer pays off when you print posters regularly enough to spread the machine cost over many jobs, or when fast turnaround matters to you.
Are wide format printers worth it for home use?
Only for regular volume. At home, the tank-fed Epson models such as the ET-8550 make the running cost manageable because bottled ink is far cheaper per sheet than cartridges. If you make a few posters a year, an online print service costs less and saves you the ink storage and calibration routine that wide format ownership requires.
Which Wide Format Printer Should You Buy?
Buy the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550. It prints borderless 13×19 posters, runs on bottled ink that keeps your per-sheet cost low, and includes a scanner and copier most rivals in its class leave out. That combination of output size and running cost is why it takes the top spot among these wide format printers for posters in 2026.
If your largest job is 24×36, go roll-fed with the HP DesignJet T210 or the Canon PRO-2100. If colour fidelity matters most, the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 is the strongest desktop option. For outdoor signage the Canon TM-240 is built for it, and for 11×17 office drafting the Brother INKvestment 6960 handles volume best.
Whatever you choose, print one test poster before you commit. Media profiles and colour calibration make more difference to the finished result than any specification on the box.