In my experience as an architect, what the client sees greatly affects their trust in me. Be it rendered on my computer or a blueprint on paper, and I can not take chances with my visuals. Presentation is the game's name, so I recommend this list of the best 11x17 printer for architects that will make your paper trays worth the pile.
Before we proceed, it is fair to point out that there are two types of printers. Laser and inkjet printers. We will explore the differences between the two later in this article.
Best 11x17 printers for architects
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1) Brother MFC-J6545DW
- Print, Copy, Scan & Fax: The MFC-J6545DW all-in-one color inkjet...
- Unit Dimensions: 22.6" W x 18.8" D x 12.2" H | Unit Weight: 44.3...
- Includes: Color Inkjet MFC-J6545DW Printer, BK/C/Y/M Starter Ink...
- Upto one year of ink in box: the Brother MFC-J6545DW investment...
- Versatile paper handling: The 250-sheet capacity paper tray, up...
Brother printers are the best to save on ink cost and usage. Every plain paper you put in this printer comes out with a quality print that no other printer matches up to easily.
image source: BHphotovideo.com
The Brother printer pushes the inkjet technology to the next level. While the printer is not a dedicated photo printer, you can get the best out of the printer with color photos.
Here is the best part about this printer. When I made the purchase, I got a year's worth of ink, and I never had to worry about buying printer ink for a good while. This was good for my business because I knew just how much ink I would use every month before needing a refill.
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2) HP Officejet Pro 7740
- Main functions of this all-in-one wide-format printer: copy,...
- The power of your printer in the palm of your hand: The HP Smart...
- Up to 50% less cost per page than color lasers with fast print...
- Print, scan, and copy in standout color on a variety of paper...
- Use Original HP 952 & HP 952XL ink cartridges for great result...
Cloud printing is one of my first features when picking or suggesting a printer for someone. Printing documents has never been easier than doing it offline.
image source: deus.com.gh
The printer is all in one, and you can do multiple tasks simultaneously. You are getting the best option in the printer world from scanning, faxing, copying, and wide format printing. Being one of the best wide format printers, the speed places the printer right at the top. For example, the printer has a speed of 22 ppm when printing photos in monochrome.
The HP Officejet pro 7740 trays hold 500 pieces of paper, with each tray holding 250 pieces. In addition, the printer has a color touchscreen that you can use to control the printer.
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3) Canon Pixma ix6820
- The PIXMA TS9520 has a 5 Color Individual Ink System, that means...
- You can print from all your favorite devices, whether that is a...
- With 11 inches x 17 inches paper support, booklet layout copy,...
- For numbers listed in product description see “specification...
- Scanner Type Flatbed & ADF (Auto Document Feeder). Max. Document...
Canon is known for its photo printing quality and has stayed at the top of the game for a while. When I interacted with this printer, I knew it was the real deal. The printer has a great image quality, with blacks coming out as they should. Various paper types are one thing I insist on when buying or recommending a printer.
image source: BHphotovideo.com
Connectivity on this printer includes mopria print service, Wi-fi, Ethernet, Airprint, and more. There are wireless options to connect to the printer, including USB. Printers for architects need to be flexible because work needs to always continue without hitches, and the Canon Pixma ix6820 is the printer for a small architectural office. The Canon Pixma ts9520, which is the cousin to the Canon Pixma ix6820, is just as good, and the Canon family are
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4) Brother MFC j6945dw All in One Printer
- BUSINESS SMART ALL IN ONE INKJET: The Brother Business Smart...
- 250 SHEET PAPER TRAY: The MFCJ5330DW Color Inkjet has a 250 sheet...
- SHARP INKJET PRINTS: The Brother Business Smart Series All in One...
- AMAZON DASH REPLENISHMENT ENABLED: Upon activation, Amazon Dash...
- FOR USE WITH BROTHER GENUINE INKS: LC3019Y, LC3019M, LC3019C,...
This printer sits in my office and has been helpful for a long time. The Brother MFC j6945dw is a wireless printer that has, wait for it, an automatic duplex printing capability. The Brother printer is by far one of the best decisions I made for my office as an architect.
image source: BHphotovideo.com
The Brother MFC printer is a smart business printer for efficiency and speed. The paper tray on the Brother printer can hold 250 sheets, and you will not be replacing the papers any time soon. Brother MFC is an all-in-one printer, and you get a good deal from this purchase. Included are a scanner, fax machine, and copier. In addition, you can use wi-fi direct, Dropbox, and Google Drive to connect to the printer.
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5) Hp Laserjet
- Refurbish HP LaserJet 5200N Printer/Toner Value Bundle Pack...
- We replace all parts and consumables to ensure that you have no...
- Professionally Refurbished and Fully cleaned inside and out...
- Comes with New Generic Consumables ; Drivers and/or User Guides...
The biggest selling point of this HP printer is its speed. Laser printers are a bit faster, which can be an advantage in most situations. While this printer is wired, the speeds are faster and there can never be issues with the internet lagging. Wired technology has remained relevant for a long time and this printer is a testament of its efficiency.
image source: printershop.com
Most times, all we need is a monochrome-only output. This printer is compatible with a pc and is suited for most homes. As an architect who might want to print things from home occasionally, the hp laserjet works perfectly.
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Laser Printer Vs. Inkjet Printer
Before you buy a printer, you have to know the kind you want for your office. This way, you can create a fool proof and seamless workflow with the most efficient results when there is a lot of work. Here are the differences you should note in the features of inkjet or laser printers.
a) Laser Printer
As the name suggests, the laser printer uses an electrostatic charge to transfer the toner/powder to the paper's surface. The powder is then bonded to the surface of the paper using heat. While this is an interesting process, it works just as efficiently, or even better in some cases, than inkjet printers.
A laser printer relies on an electromagnetic powder to print on the surface of the charged paper.
b) Inkjet Printer
The inkjet printer uses ink to print on the surface of the paper. As the name suggests, jets of ink from ink cartridges are sprayed on the paper's surface. You can get a combination of different colors to get a colored print.
Factors I Considered when Buying My Printer
a) Price
The price of a laser printer is higher than that of an inkjet printer upon purchase. However, in the long run, the price of a laser printer is bound to be cheaper because laser printers are economical.
When not used for a while, inkjet printers' ink cartridges tend to dry. This can have an impact on cost per page. On the other hand, the efficiency of laser printers is a bit higher than that of an inkjet printer, making the laser printer more economically viable.
b) Print Volume
The print volume is how much a printer can print in a period. A laser printer can do large pages faster than the inkjet printer, which is preferred for home use. If you are considering buying a printer as an architect, I would advise getting the laser printer.
c) Print Speeds
Printing speed is directly related to the print volume. Laser printers can do up to 100 pages per minute. For this reason, I did not think twice when buying a printer for my office and went straight for the laser printer.
I have an inkjet printer at home for light work, serving me diligently.
d) Print Quality
Print quality directly depends on the resolution of the printer. The resolution is the number of dots a printer can do per inch. The more the dots, the clearer the image will be. A printer with a higher resolution is one you should set up in your office.
Is it possible to have a resolution that is too high? Yes. Resolution can be more than required. If you have more than the required amount of resolution, you will have images that are too sharp, and this does not look good.
e) Colored Images
It is important to have quality colored images when making a presentation. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that laser printers do not print color. However, you can find color laser printers, just not as good as the inkjet printer. First, you need to know what you will use your printer for most, and there you will find your answer on which printer to go for.
If you are out to print photos in color, go for the inkjet printer. But, again, it is a give-and-take in this case.
f) Page Yield
When undertaking bulk printing, page yield becomes a big deal pretty fast. This feature caught me by surprise once I started using my printer regularly. Page yield is the amount of work a cartridge is capable of doing. After a few months of observing the printers at my place and the one at my office, I realized that the toner cartridge was more efficient than the ink cartridge. Ink costs tend to be a lot pretty fast.
Here is how you calculate the cost per page when printing:
Cost of cartridge/ page yield of one cartridge= cost per page.
More Features to Consider When Buying a Printer
i) Wired vs. Wireless Printer
Gone are the days when we would have to run wires across the office to get the printer to function. Instead, I can use the printer wirelessly in my office using compatible mobile devices. This saves me the time I have to walk up to connect or operate the printer.
Once you get a good printer with built-in printer software, you will have the most efficient workflow possible.
ii) Simplex vs. Duplex Printing Capability
A simplex printer prints only one side of the paper. A duplex printing machine makes prints on both sides of the paper. It was hard to justify a duplex printing machine in my office because I did not need it. My office needs are mostly little needs that the simplex machine can satisfy.
Getting a machine that supports duplex printing is a good bet compared to getting one that is strictly simplex.
iii)Price
While the word out there is that the laser jet printer is more expensive, the printer makes up for its price after a while of use. So the printers we have highlighted above will probably be within your price range, and you can trust that they are good printers.
iv) Size
As an architect, making good use of space is at the core of my mantra. Therefore, I got a sizeable printer that was not more than enough for my office space. I got an 11x17 printer, which was more than enough. I am sure the printer will be for you if you are starting. If you are well established, here are printers for established architecture offices you can go for.
v) Multifunction Printers
Some printers can both have the fax and printing function. These printers will eliminate the need to buy a scanner for your office and a printer because they can do both. Getting a printer that can care for your scanning needs is the way to go.
vi) Connectivity
What mode of connectivity does your printer use? My first printer used a USB, which was convenient at the time. However, what good is a USB when you can use a wireless printer? Some printers connect via ethernet. Ethernet transfers data rather fast and can be useful in certain situations.
The other option you have is wi-fi. Connecting the printer to the same wi-fi as your device can create a connection through which you can print files. A connection that is related to the wi-fi is the wi-fi direct. In this type of connection, you connect the printer directly to a device using a local network.
You can use Google cloud print to get files printed. Some printers allow you to print files straight from the cloud. In addition, most printers have a slot for an SD card where you can access files and print them.
Once you have a laptop for creative and efficient work flow, there is no need to get stuck at the printing stage.
vii) Automatic Document Feeder
You do not want to hang around the printer in the office. It does something to your image. Getting an auto document feeder printer will save you tonnes of time and energy that you would otherwise use to push papers into the printer.
viii) Specialty Paper
There are moments when you need to use a different type of paper from the normal paper that everyone uses. When that time comes, your printer should be able to get the job done. For example, a printer that can print glossy photo paper or index cards will soon come in handy.
Final Thoughts
Having a printer as an architect is one of the responsible things to do. Apart from printers, there are other architecture tools you need to have to make your profession more exciting. A printer will save you a lot of time and costs that you might spend on going to a printing shop to print pictures that you could print by yourself.
We have highlighted great printers to go for, and your experience working in an architectural firm will improve tremendously.
