Question Printer recommendation

[bobbee25]

I have an hp officejet pro 8710, went to buy ink, $150. Open to any brand except HP (can't afford their ink any longer)
I am trying to print a graphic on a store bought xmas card, but the hp jams So maybe it is time for a new printer.

Able to print on a xmas card, standard xmas card thickness.
Under $500 Must be able to print card stock *store bought xmas card)
Muilti function, scan fax copy, photo and connect via internet
paper 8.5x11 to 8.5x14
Desecnt size input tray ( 100 sheets)
Able to print both sides, auto feeder would be nice but not required.

I have been searching the internet, but it is frustrating,
I noticed : Brotherj4535dw Epson et4760 Epson 4850 Canon Pixma T59521c I am sure there are others and don't know if they can print the card.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[Paperdoc]

Many printers will jam on card stock if their paper travels a path with at least one tight curve. I suggest you look for two features. One is whether the printer claims it can print "card stock" or not. I HAVE had success printing on plain card stock sheets with some printers that do NOT make such a claim, but some cannot. AND my success was not with REALLY thick stiff paper.

Another feature that MAY be available and help is called a "straight through" paper path option. For example, I had one printer fed from a front tray that turned the paper over at the back to feed to a top output, printed side down. BUT it also had a door one could open at the back to let the printed paper emerge there with NO turn-around inside. No tray there, though, so you had to catch it!

You should be aware also that IF you get the printer to handle that paper, the print quality may not be great. Ink jet printers put a LOT of water (from the ink) onto the paper surface. Simple plain paper lets that water spread out quickly, carrying the ink pigment with it, and making the result blurry. The original papers made especially for inkjet printers had special surface coatings that grabbed the water instantly and prevented spread. Modern "All-Purpose" papers have less sophisticated surface treatments on them you cannot see, but they work pretty well for this job. The special Photo papers for inkjets very definitely have fancy coating on them (whether the surface is glossy or matte) to guarantee the ink does NOT soak in and the pigment stays right up on the surface where you can see it. The risk you face is that the paper your commercial greeting card was printed on is NOT designed for use in an inkjet printer, so the soaking-in and spread of ink may make your result fuzzy.

I worked for years in the Coated Fine Papers business in technical roles, making and designing papers for a wide range commercial of printing applications, so I understand the technologies involved.

 

[USAFRet]

My 4 year old brother MFC-L3770CDW (laser) prints on card stock just fine.
Getting ready to print my annual xmas run.

But, that one IS 4 years old, and am not sure what a 2024 equivalent would be.

 

[BFG-9000]

HP has been raising the price of ink on "legacy" cartridges (i.e. those that no longer fit in currently produced printers) by about 10% per year for at least 10 years now, to encourage people to buy newer and ever more strict DRM-equipped printers. I suppose this wasn't fast enough for some so they just up to doubled the price of their "Instant Ink" subscriptions for their current printers. I won't suggest doing business with a company like that, but for now even a new HP won't have the wildly overpriced cartridge problem your 10 year old multifunction office printer does.

Just about any photo printer should be able to print on pretty stiff cardstock because many photo papers are quite stiff. Most however aren't multifunction.

Back when I used inkjet more extensively, I used easily refillable Canon or CISS tanks which honestly plugged a lot less with dye inks than pigment. However dye looked much better with swellable photo papers and unfortunately all the commonly available ones have been discontinued, so the only reasonable option nowadays for photos is to use microporous papers with pigment-based inks.

If you are only printing graphics on uncoated papers then a color laser may look about as good and has the real advantage of never drying out. You could unplug the printer and store it for 10 years, then go use it again and it will print like new with no clogged jets or anything.