7 Best 11X17 Printers in 2022 – Color Laser & Inkjet

7 Top 11X17 Printers in 2022 (Color Laser & Inkjet):- Letter and legal are the most commonly used document printing formats and can be handled by most printers. However, some business applications, as well as personal use cases, demand wide format printing as Large as 11X17 inches. The irony here is that not every printer can handle such wider printing formats. This is where a Good 11×17 Color Printer comes to your rescue.

Depending on your use case, you can opt between a decent 11X17 color laser printer and a 11×17 color inkjet printer. However, choosing the one that checks off all your needs while still being under your budget can be extremely tough. To waive the tantrum, we have listed the best 11×17 printers after reviewing different options across various price brackets.

Best 11X17 Printer In 2022 – Waiving the Dilemma

For most people, the biggest dilemma comes in while choosing between an inkjet and a laser printing machine. This choice, however, depends on one’s use case. To elaborate on this further, we have written a detailed article explaining different types of printers, their advantages, and disadvantages. Do check it out, if you haven’t already.

i. Top 11 by 17 Inkjet Printers in 2022

1. Brother Inkjet MFC-J6945DW – Best 11×17 Color Inkjet Printer

2. HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 – Affordable Tabloid Printer For Architects

3. Canon PIXMA IX6820 – Best For Casual Photo Prints

4. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 – Best Super Tank Printer For Small Home/Office

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ii. 3 Top 11×17 Color Laser Printers in 2022

1. HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M750n – Best 11×17 Color Laser Printer

2. HP Color LaserJet CP5225dn – Best 11 By 17 Color Laser Printer For Professionals

3. Xerox VersaLink C7000/DN – The Ultimate 11×17 Color Laser Printer

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Best 11X17 Inkjet Printers in 2022

There is a vast choice of 11×17 color inkjet printers on the market, putting you through choice paralysis. More than picking a printer, it is important to pick the right one that satisfies your every need. However, the scrutiny can demand mediocre expert knowledge. If you are new to the industry, fret not, we have tested out a few tabloid color inkjet printers to produce a fine list of printers in every possible budget, each satisfying all or most of your needs.

#1. Brother Inkjet MFC-J6945DW – Best 11×17 Color Inkjet Printer

Unboxing and Package Contents

The device comes neatly packed inside the Brother’s ages-old fancily designed carton with sufficient padding on top. Inside, we have the printer protected by a block of foam on either side and is accompanied by a hoard of other accessories. These include guides for product safety, reference, and quick setup. Besides, you also get to see an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet to help you clear paper jams. We also have a software installation disc and a telephone line cord along with the Brother starter ink cartridge set.

Design Overview and Build Quality

The Brother MFC-J6945DW is lauded for its sturdy design and compact form factor, despite offering everything that you would expect from a typical modern day’s all-in-one printer.

It is made up of hard plastic that looks promising to withstand any type of hard handling. The rear multipurpose and output trays boast a collapsible design, enabling even smaller footprints when the machine is not in use. Accessing the cartridges and clearing paper jams is now made easier with its ingenious front door design.

One biggest bummer is the non-detachable power cord. However, this is a personal preference. After my recent advent with a rodent, I started appreciating detachable cords better.

Display and Control Panel

It comes with a 3.7-inch LCD touch screen that makes everything easier for you. The display is very responsive and for sure caters to a better overall experience. You also get to see a full physical keypad along with dedicated buttons for Back, Home, and Cancel operations. The display can be tilted up and down to give you better visibility.

Connectivity

The Brother MFC-J6945DW offers a whole host of connectivity options. It has USB connectivity and Ethernet for those who prefer hard-wiring their devices. There is Wi-Fi on board, with support for Wi-Fi Direct.

Besides these, you can also opt to print from/scan to an external storage device, thanks to the provided USB port. For the cloud fanatics out there, you are covered by its inherent support for the most popular cloud printing services including the Apple AirPrint, Mopria Print Services, and also the Google cloud print services. One can also use the Brother’s iPrint&Scan application, available for both iOS and Android.

Setup Process and Ease of Use

Setting up the Brother MFC-J6945DW barely took us 10 minutes with the onboard instructions, thanks to the 3.7-inch LCD. Navigating through the menus is also smoother, with almost no lag. The dedicated physical buttons for Back, Home, and Cancel operations makes the experience even better.
Built-in Scanner

The Brother J6945DW also comes with a flatbed scanner that can scan documents up to 11×17-inch, making it one of the most versatile printers on the market today. It has a resolution of 1200 DPI and also shares support to duplex scanning and ADF with a 50-sheet capacity.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

When it comes to the print economy, the Brother MFC-J6945DW has the lowest cost-per-print value, making it more beneficial in the long run. You can also opt for Brother’s replacement ink plan to never run out of ink in the middle of a print job. This also helps in saving a fortune on your ink costs.

The printing speeds are also decent. In our testing, the black-only text document was printed at 13 PPM, while the color document was outputted at 11 PPM. On the other hand, photo printing took about 68 seconds when tested with a 4″ x 6″ photo.

In the photo printing quality test, the device has done decently well with good color accuracy and moderate color gamut. However, slight banding can be seen here and there, which is not noticeable unless watched closely.

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#2. HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 – Affordable Tabloid Printer for Architects

Unboxing and Package Contents

The HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 came shipped inside the iconic HP blue and white cardboard box. As far as the initial observations concerning the packaging are considered, it is a tad smaller and lighter compared to the previously reviewed Brother Inkjet MFC-J6945DW.

In the box, we have a user guide, a mains cord, the HP 952 starter ink cartridge set, and the obvious wireless printer. The usual protective covers, foam padding, and all are there.

Design Overview and Build Quality

While its cube-shaped design may seem uninspiring, it has proven to help keep its footprints small. You cannot help yourself from lauding it for its build quality and hard-wearing nature. Unlike the Brother J6945DW, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 comes with a detachable power cord. It is very thoughtful of HP to include a light in the cartridge panel, which not only makes cartridge replacement easier but also helps in clearing paper jams.

One biggest bummer for me is with its scanner lid. You cannot extend it to fit larger/thicker materials like books and magazines. Besides this, the printer also needs to stay powered on as you access the ink cartridges.

Ease of Access and Control Panel

The LCD touchscreen display on the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 is not as large as the one on the Brother J6945DW. Even though the display is only 2.6” in size, it is still as good as the one on the Brother. It is not only very responsive but also intuitive, thanks to the ingenious interface.

Connectivity

Like the J6945DW, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 also boasts a wide host of connectivity options that include an Ethernet, USB to a computer, Wi-Fi with support for Wi-Fi Direct, and also a USB port for external storage support. Besides this, it also shares its support with most cloud printing services, including the widely used Apple AirPrint and Mopria print services.

With the aid of the HP Smart mobile application, you can now easily assign print jobs and manage queues right at the comfort of your fingertips. The HP Smart application is available for both Android and iOS. Speaking of the operating system compatibility, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 is compatible with all major desktop operating systems.

All-In-One Functionality

The 7740 can scan documents up to tabloid size at exceptional quality, thanks to its 11×17 flatbed scanner. It also comes with an automatic document feeder and duplex scanning functionalities. However, the ADF functionality is limited to scanning at 8.5″ x 14″.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

Though the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 isn’t currently compatible with the HP Instant Ink subscription service, you still do not have to keep changing the ink very often as this printer offers an exceptional cost-per-print value.

On the print speeds note, this printer does decently well in terms of black-only text documents with about 12 PPM. It could print color documents at 8 ppm, while it almost took a minute to print a 4×6-inch color photo on a photo paper.

The photo printing quality on this device is commendable. Its decent color accuracy and rich details make it the best 11×17 printer for graphic designers or anyone who aims at photo printing.

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#3. Canon PIXMA iX6820 – Best for Casual Photo Prints

Unboxing and Package Contents

The packaging of the Canon Pixma iX6820 is rather simple, with sufficient foam padding and film protection all over the device. It came with the Canon PGI-250/CLI-251 starter ink cartridges. The other accessories include a user manual and warranty-related documents, and a power cord.

Design Overview and Build Quality

Unlike the Brother Inkjet MFC-J6945DW and the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740, the Canon Pixma iX6820 doesn’t have exceptional build quality. This is understandable considering the price at which this single-function wide-format printer is offered. The material used to build this nifty device is of subpar quality, both in terms of look and feel. During our testing, the device made quirky noises, this apparently is due to the flimsy plastic parts.

The biggest downside for many is the lack of an onboard display. You will have to rely on an external computer to get it running for the first time, change its preferences, or manage the print queue. However, there is a low ink indicator on the device to indicate the status of ink reserves.

Ease of Access and Control Panel

The Canon Pixma iX6820 is not for those who aim for flexibility. This single-function wide-format tabloid printer’s setup process is a hassle as there is no display onboard. You either have to make use of a computer or a smartphone to get it on your network.

Once you have it connected to your home network, you can assign or manage print jobs right from your smartphone using the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY mobile application. The application is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Connectivity

The Canon Pixma iX6820 has provisions for connecting it through an Ethernet or USB cable if you prefer hard-wiring your device. Besides this, you also have a Wi-Fi connectivity option if you wish to go wireless. However, there is no Wi-Fi Direct support. It also lacks Bluetooth functionality and also there is no USB port to accept removable external storage drives.

For those looking for information on its support for cloud services, it doesn’t support Mopria Print service, to your disappointment. Nevertheless, it still shares support with Apple AirPrint.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

The Canon Pixma iX6820 is a steal when it comes to cost-per-print value. It can save you a copious amount in the long run, given its ink efficiency.

Speaking of the print speeds on this device, it could print the black-only text document and the color text document at 8 ppm, while it performed a 4×7 inch photo printing under about 50 seconds. There is no single-pass double-sided printing functionality on this printer. You have to flip the paper manually if you wish to have it printed on both sides.

The photo printing quality and color accuracy are surprisingly decent on the Canon Pixma iX6820. There are enough details with very little banding in the output.

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#4. Epson EcoTank ET-15000 – Best SuperTank Printer for Small Home/Office

Unboxing and Package Contents

The Epson EcoTank ET-15000 came decently packed inside a cardboard box with the Epson branding and the specs of the device printed on top. At the time of receiving, there is a slight dent on the cardboard at one of its corners. Thankfully, the damage is just on the outer side of the package and the components inside remained unaffected.

As we opened the box, we are welcomed by a user guide and the warranty-related documents followed the power cable, the actual printer, and the EcoTank 502 starter ink bottles.

Design Overview and Build Quality

The Epson ET-15000 comes with a fairly built outer body that feels solid. There is a provision at the front to see its ink levels. Like it is in the case of HP OfficeJet Pro 7740, the scanner lid on the ET-15000 cannot raise high enough to accommodate thicker materials. This makes it impossible to scan thicker materials using the built-in flatbed scanner on this device.

Another annoying factor is that you need to lift the scanner section to refill the ink. Filling the paper is also not as convenient, given the congestion there. I personally feel that Epson could have done a better job designing this.

Ease of Access and Control Panel

It has a 2.6-inch touch screen display with an impressive touch response. The screen can be tilted up or down, giving you better viewing angles whether you are sitting or standing. Besides the touch capability on the screen, you also get to see physical buttons for Home and Info. Despite the poor image quality on the onboard screen, it still is pretty helpful in navigating you through different functionalities.

Connectivity

On the connectivity area, the Epson EcoTank ET-15000 comes with Ethernet and USB options if you want to stay wired. When it comes to wireless networking, you have Wi-Fi with support for Wi-Fi Direct. For those into cloud printing, you have all the popular services, including Mopria Print Service and Apple AirPrint. However, there is no external storage or Bluetooth support on this.

For those who are into printing from a mobile, the Epson has a decently built mobile application for both Android and iOS. The Epson iPrint mobile application lets you print, scan, and manage the printing queue while also letting you order prints directly from your mobile phone.

All-In-One Functionality

With support for multiple printing formats including letter, legal, tabloid, A6, A5, A4, and most other photo printing formats, the Epson EcoTank ET-15000 is one of the most versatile color inkjet printers on the market. It comes with both flatbed and sheetfed scanners to make things easier for you.

One biggest bummer for me is the absence of duplex scanning functionality. You have to manually flip the paper if you wish to print double-sided documents. Minus that, this All-In-One tabloid printer lets you do everything that you can typically expect from a modern-day’s multifunctional printer.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

The Epson EcoTank ET-15000 has an exceptional cost-per-print value. Although the printer comes with a hefty upfront cost, you are benefitted in the long run, thanks to its print economy. The printing speeds on the other hand are also decent, with the black-only text document being printed at 16 PPM and the color document taking about a minute to print 7 pages. However, the photo printing time is a little higher on this. In our testing, a 4 x 6-inch photo took about a minute and a half.

The photo printing quality is also pretty decent, however, the color accuracy offered by this printer is subpar. This shouldn’t be a problem if you are only planning to use this printer for casual photo printing. However, we don’t recommend it for professional photo enthusiasts who aim at color accuracy.

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Best 11×17 Color Laser Printers

We have finally decided to address the questions that have been asked repeatedly: What is the best 11×17 color laser printer, Which color laser printer is best for printing in 11×17 format, and What is the best tabloid color laser printer. Unlike tabloid inkjet printers, wide-format color laser printers are specifically manufactured for using on an enterprise level. Hence, they come with hefty price tags. The following are some well-sought lasers on the market that your money can afford in 2022.

#1. HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M750n – Best 11×17 Color Laser Printer

Unboxing and Package Contents

The device came inside a securely packed cardboard box with multi-layered protective film. This is understandable, as the HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M750n is not your usual printer. Unlike other inkjets that we have tested, the package of the M750n is bigger and bulkier.

It took me about 15 minutes to cut open the package. Inside, we have the HP M750n Color Laser Printer, starter ink cartridges (1 each Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow), media for driver installation, an input tray, and user’s guide, and other warranty-related paperwork.

Design Overview and Build Quality

The HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M750n has a box-shaped design. While this may seem uninspiring, it has proven to conserve a lot of your workspace given the smaller footprints. Given the fact that the M750n is not your ordinary home printer, it is reasonably larger and heavy.

It has a dual-tone design and is made of good quality hard plastic. The body feels extremely sturdy and seems promising to withstand any type of hard handling. It comes with a 5.2 cm, 4-line color graphic display paired with a few physical buttons to help you navigate through different functionalities that this printer can offer.

Ease of Access and Control Panel

Despite the display being a 2-inch CGD, it is still helpful in displaying all the vital information that the user must know. Setting the device up and running for the first time isn’t a hassle, with everything being pretty much self-explanatory. The 8Gb internal storage lets you store documents directly onto your device.

Connectivity

On the connectivity area, you get 2 Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hosts, 1 Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device, 1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000T network, and 2 internal USB hosts. Though the printer is network-ready using the Ethernet, you are missing out on the wireless connectivity. This, however, shouldn’t be a problem as most people prefer to hard-wire their devices, especially in commercial spaces.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

Given the fact that the HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M750n is a wide format color laser printer, the printing costs are relatively lesser compared to the inkjet counterparts.

Speaking of the printing speeds, the device can print at a whooping 30 PPM both in color and monochrome formats. In our testing, it only took about 10 seconds to output the first print, which is impressive for a laser printer.

The device does a decent job while printing documents, the text seems sharp and vibrant. Given the fact that this is a laser printer, you shouldn’t have a problem with printing casual photos. However, you cannot expect vibrant, detailed-rich color photos from a laser printer. It is a limitation of the technology itself rather than the printer.

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#2. HP Color LaserJet CP5225dn – Best 11 by 17 Color Laser Printer for Professionals

Unboxing and Package Contents

Unlike the normal other home printers, the HP Color LaserJet CP5225dn came inside a simple cardboard box. The box isn’t as fancy as the previously unboxed home printers. Inside the cardboard box, we have the printer, a power cord, set up guide, a CD with the software, and digital documentation. The toner cartridges came pre-installed on the printer.

Design Overview and Build Quality

Like the Enterprise M750n that we have reviewed before, the HP Color LaserJet CP5225dn also has a similar old-school boxed design. It is a tad smaller and lighter compared to the M750n and has a similar 2-line, 16-character backlit display.

Though the entire body is built in plastic, the quality of the material used is excellent, giving the printer a sturdy overall look. There is a provision at the front to conveniently access the toner cartridges.

Ease of Access and Control Panel

Setting up the device is a cakewalk, especially if you also own a Windows PC. However, there is no data cable provided in the box. Use the CD drive provided in the package to install the printer utility and drivers onto your machine. Alternatively, you can also download them from HP’s product page.

Once you are inside the utility software, you can plug in an Ethernet cable and configure the network using your computer. If you plan on using your printer on the network, I would recommend assigning a static IP address to your device. This ensures easier discovery of the printer on other computers connected to your network.

Connectivity

Unlike the base model, the CP5225dn ships with networking capabilities onboard. You get to see a Hi-speed USB 2.0 port and a fast Ethernet 10/100 Base-T port. There is no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity onboard. However, you can avail of HP Jetdirect ew2500 802.11b/g Wireless Print Server J8021A as an optional accessory.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

The cost-per-print is a tad higher compared to the previously reviewed HP Enterprise M750n. When it comes to printing speeds, this ain’t the fastest, with 10 pages per minute. On a brighter note, the printing quality is excellent on the HP Color LaserJet CP5225dn, with sharper text and rich details. It also does well in terms of printing graphics.

#3. Xerox VersaLink C7000/DN – The Ultimate 11×17 Color Laser Printer

Unboxing and Package Contents

The device is offered in different options. We have opted for the base unit with a single tray and an optional stand module. You can also opt for a three-tray module and an integrated office finisher type A. At least for our initial testing, we have decided to skimp on them.

I’m impressed by the amount of concern Xerox had put into packing the printer. We have received it in two individual packages. One with the printer and the other has the single tray module with the stand.

Opening the box, we have the actual printer, a starter ink cartridge set, an imaging drum, a user guide, a quick installation guide, a CD containing documentation and other software, and a power cord.

Design Overview and Build Quality

I’m pretty impressed with the overall build quality and the ingenious modular design of the Xerox Versalink C7000DN. Unlike our desktop printers, this 11×17 color laser printer is bulkier and heavier. This is quite understandable as this printer not only can perform duplex printing on A3 paper but can also hold over 500 sheets in each tray.

On the front, we have a 5-inch display, which is almost as big as an average mobile phone and is equally intuitive. The touch is very responsive and helps in smoother and easier navigation through different functions offered by the printer.

To the back, there is proper ventilation to help cool the device, especially during long runs. The bottom part is where the magic lies. It has an optional Wi-Fi module that plugs into one of the ports on the rear panel. You also get to see USB Type-A and B ports, along with an Ethernet connector. The front side of the printer also hosts a USB-A port that can let you connect your removable storage devices and print directly from them.

Cost-Per-Print, Printing Speeds, and Photo Printing Quality

The Xerox Versalink C7000DN has a moderate cost-per-print value. This is understandable as the device boasts an insane printing resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi. As far as the printing speeds are concerned, Xerox claims that this device can print at whooping speeds at about 35 PPM. We have achieved an almost similar result in our testing. What impressed us more is its first page out time, which clocked at about 5 seconds.

On the other hand, the device can print at a grand resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi, which is much higher compared to an average color laser printer. The outputs turned out to be noticeably better than the prints that we have tested from other desktop laser printers.

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11X17 Inkjet & Color Laser printers Buying Guide

Not everyone can be a pro when it comes to understanding the technicalities relating to printers. This is where you usually seek an expert opinion. However, most product reviews that you read on the internet are either directly or indirectly sponsored by the vendors and can be biased.

We at Scanse buy our products and put them through extensive testing procedures before coming up with an unbiased opinion. With that said, let us understand what are some of the things that you need to look into before buying a 11×17 color printer

Deciding Between Laser and Inkjet

Most people tend to confuse here, thinking one is superior to the other. In reality, these two are two different technologies, each suited for a different application. Long explanation short, laser printers are an ideal fit if you tend to print a lot of text documents, while inkjets are most suited for printing photos with superior details and rich color.

It is not that lasers cannot print photos and inkjets cannot print text documents. Based on the technology they operate on, laser printers struggle to reproduce original colors and details, which is very essential for photo printing. Inkjets on the other hand struggle to print smaller text. On the other hand, if you were to compare printing costs, lasers are relatively economical as they make use of toner cartridges. This makes them suitable for printing large text documents.

Printing Speeds

Printing speeds do matter when you deal with hefty workloads regularly. Usually, color laser printers are comparatively faster. Anything above 15 PPM is considered fairly good for a printer.

Printing Costs

Print economy differs from printer to printer. Although laser printers come with hefty price tags, they can be very economical in the long run. On the contrary, inkjets come with lesser upfront costs while being very costly in the long run. However, the photo printing quality that an inkjet can provide is unparalleled.

All-In-One Functionality

Besides printing, if you also fall in regular need of scanning documents, it is advised to get yourself a printer that can also double up as a scanner. There are plenty of options on the market to choose from. If you aren’t sure, we have included a few in our recommendation list.

Connectivity

Some would like to have their printer controlled wirelessly, while some don’t mind hard-wiring it to a computer. Instead of shelling out a premium on fancy connectivity options, I prefer using an Ethernet connection, as we don’t move our printer often. However, the connectivity is purely a personal choice.

Also Read: Best Pigment Ink Printers 2022

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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