We Ranked the 5 Best Printers for Envelopes in 2024

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By

Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
Updated Jun 10, 2024 6:43 PM
best envelope printers guide that shows the top best printer model

A whopping 75% of electronic and appliance reviews are untrustworthy. That’s why every reviewer gets a Trust Rating so our True Score System filters out the fake reviews. See how we do it.

When you’re looking for the best printer for envelopes, several features are key. Printers that handle high volumes of envelopes need to excel in paper handling, print quality, and speed. Reliable feed mechanisms, minimal jams, and clear, sharp printing are essential to ensure professional-looking envelopes every time. Versatility in handling different envelope sizes without compromising speed is also crucial​​​​.

In our guide, six printers stood out from over 30 analyzed and certified as tested. We scrutinized 149,577 reviews, filtering out fake ones using our proprietary Trust Score. Notably, 67% of so-called experts failed to meet our standards. The winning models showcased superior performance in our rigorous tests, ensuring they provide consistent, high-quality results for all your envelope printing needs. We’ve selected these printers not just for their envelope capabilities but because they stand out as some of the best printers overall, balancing quality, speed, and reliability for various printing needs.

How Did We Rank the Best Printers for Envelopes?

Our buying guide for the best printers for envelopes is the result of analyzing over 200 sites. We meticulously evaluated testing methods, scrutinized customer reviews, and considered expert insights. By focusing on key pain points and essential criteria, we identified 2 required test results, 2 nice-to-have test results, and 1 must-have specifications. This comprehensive analysis ensures that our recommendations are both accurate and highly relevant to your envelope printing needs.

Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.

?️ Minimum Specifications

  • Must take envelopes.

? Test Criteria

  • Print Speed: Black & White Printing Speed exceeds 20 pages per minute (ppm).
  • Printing Costs: Printing costs are less than 7 cents per page.

? “Nice To Haves”

  • Color Accuracy: Color accuracy is maintained with a deviation (dE) of less than 6.
  • Print Speed: Color Printing Speed surpasses 12 pages per minute (ppm).

Latest Updates

  • 06/10/2024:  Republished the list to include the best wireless printers based on our True Score system.

Top Printers for Envelopes For 2024

Prices accurate at the time of publishing

See how we test the testers

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Brother MFC-L8905CDW

    • Best For Small Business

    Ideal for speedy, high-quality envelope printing, the Brother MFC-L8905CDW balances performance with cost-efficiency, making it a top pick for small businesses and home offices.

    Brother MFC-L8905CDW Review →

    True Score

    90
    92
    2

    Experts

    86
    3k

    Customers

    $699.98
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Canon imageCLASS MF455DW

    Ideal for envelope printing, the Canon imageCLASS MF455DW is a versatile monochrome solution that combines fast printing, efficient operation, and eco-friendly features.

    Canon imageCLASS MF455DW Review →

    True Score

    89
    90
    2

    Experts

    88
    1k

    Customers

    SAVE $150
    $369.99
    $219.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson Ecotank ET-5850

    • Best For Wireless

    The Epson Ecotank ET-5850 is a premium printer that excels in efficient, high-quality envelope printing, offering unmatched cost savings and versatility for diverse printing needs.

    Epson Ecotank ET-5850 Review →

    True Score

    89
    90
    3

    Experts

    88
    805

    Customers

    SAVE $50
    $849.99
    $799.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Canon imageCLASS MF753CDW

    The Canon MF753CDW is an excellent mid-range printer that shines with top color speeds and versatility, though cost per page and color precision may sway the cost and quality-focused.

    Canon imageCLASS MF753CDW Review →

    True Score

    88
    88
    2

    Experts

    86
    2k

    Customers

    SAVE $221
    $649.99
    $429.00
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Brother HL-L2325DW

    The budget-friendly Brother HL-L2325DW excels in high-volume, monochrome printing with fast output and straightforward functionality, ideal for document-heavy tasks.

    Brother HL-L2325DW Review →

    True Score

    79
    77
    2

    Experts

    87
    2k

    Customers

    $189.99

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Printers for Envelopes?

By focusing on these criteria (2 required, 2 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these printers and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase a printer that will print with Wi-Fi.

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
B&W Print Speed> 20 ppmYesHow fast a printer can produce purely black and white pages while printing.
B&W Printing Costs< 7 centsYesHow much a black and white page costs to print.
Color Print Speed> 12 ppmNo (Nice to have)How fast a printer can produce color pages and photos while printing.
Color Accuracy< 6 dENo (Nice to have)How much the color printed by a printer deviates, on average, from the reference color.

Our Trusted Data Sources

We looked at 80+ printers reviewers and found that 23 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for printers.

  1. Ryan Lim – Rtings, LinkedIn
  2. Lesley Robinson – TechGearLab, LinkedIn
  3. Ben Keough – Wirecutter, MuckRack, LinkedIn

Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every printer review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

Printers Test Data & Results

1. Print Speed, Black & White (PPM)

The primary job of a printer is to print out pages, and black & white print speed tests are just measurements of how long it takes a printer to produce pages that are purely black and white. The better a printer is at printing in black and white, the more pages it’s able to produce in a minute.

Print speed is largely a matter of convenience, so while we have a minimum speed we suggest (generally around 20 pages per minute) there’s no real downside to a printer being slower if you’re using it at home – you’ll just end up having to wait longer to finish printing out a document. However, printers in professional settings need to be snappy because they’re going to be used constantly, and the faster a printer is able to produce documents, the better.

Print Speed, Black & White (PPM; higher is better)

2. B&W Printing Costs (Cents per page)

Using your printer uses up ink, which means it costs money. Printing costs are usually measured as cost per print (or page) and are gauged by calculating how much each print costs by comparing the cost of an ink or toner cartridge to the total number of pages printed by the cartridge.

Print costs should ideally be as low as possible, with the greatest number of pages per cartridge being the obvious “goal” to aim for. Black ink, being the cheaper ink, means that black and white printing costs are usually lower on a per page basis. If you’re printing constantly, getting the cost as low as you can means you’ll be spending less on cartridges in the long run.

B&W Printing Costs (in cents per page; lower is better)

3. Print Speed, Color (PPM)

Much like black and white print speeds, color printing speed is simply a measure of how long it takes a printer to print out color documents and photos. If you’re purely printing photos, you’ll see an ever further reduced speed (given the size of photographs and the detail they demand.)

Color print speed is less important (generally) than black and white speeds, simply because it’s usually done less. However, if you’re constantly printing photos at home or in the office, higher print speeds are good to keep you from waiting around for a print job to finish.

Print Speed, Color (PPM; higher is better)

4. Color Accuracy (dE)

Color accuracy with printers uses a mix of standardized references (like the Adobe ColorChecker) and a color control sensor to check the accuracy of the colors printed by a printer and then grades the accuracy on a 10-point+ scale. Unlike most scales, where 10 is good, color accuracy scores are reversed, with 0 and 1 being the most desirable score, as it indicates little to no deviation from the reference color.

Generally speaking, color accuracy should be at least a 5 or lower to be considered “good.” At 6 or higher, the colors are noticeably different, which is an issue if you’re printing photos and hoping for accurate colors.

Color Accuracy (lower is better)

Best Printers for Envelopes: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Envelope Compatibility: Not all printers can handle envelopes effectively. Ensure the printer explicitly states support for envelope printing and can accommodate the size and thickness of the envelopes you plan to use. Similarly, when searching for the top printer for cardstock, it’s crucial to check that the printer can handle heavier paper types. Look for models that specify their capacity for cardstock to avoid paper jams and ensure high-quality prints.

  2. Neglecting Print Quality: Envelope printing may require different settings than standard paper. Make sure the printer can produce high-quality prints on envelopes without smudging, smearing, or misalignment. Look for printers with dedicated envelope printing settings or features.

  3. Overlooking Paper Handling Features: Envelope printing may require special paper handling features such as a rear paper feed or manual feed tray. Check if the printer has these features to ensure smooth and reliable envelope printing without jamming or misfeeding. When aiming to print legal size paper, ensure the printer supports this size directly in its standard or optional paper trays to avoid manual adjustments. Additionally, when printing on photo paper, verify that the printer has settings that adjust to the thicker, glossier texture of photo paper to achieve optimal image quality.

  4. Underestimating Printing Speed: If you frequently print large batches of envelopes, printing speed becomes crucial. Ensure the printer can handle envelope printing at a speed that meets your needs without sacrificing print quality or reliability.

The Best Printers for Envelopes Tests Compared

Product
True Score
B&W Print Speed
Color Print Speed
B&W Printing Cost (per page)
Color Printing Cost (per page)
Color Accuracy

Brother MFC-L8905CDW

  • Best for Small Business

90
  • 23.15 ppm

  • 18 ppm

  • 2.75¢

  • 18.3¢

  • 9.02 dE

$699.98

Canon imageCLASS MF455DW

  • Best for Best Overall

89
  • 24.95 ppm

  • No Data ppm

  • 3.6¢

  • 6.8¢

  • 0

$219.99
$370
$150

Epson Ecotank ET-5850

  • Best for Wireless

89
  • 23 ppm

  • 18.1 ppm

  • 0.5¢

  • 2.15¢

  • 7.02 dE

$799.99
$850
$50

Canon imageCLASS MF753CDW

  • Best for Black And White

88
  • 23 ppm

  • 36 ppm

  • 4.9¢

  • 23.6¢

  • 6.68 dE

$429.00
$650
$221

Brother HL-L2325DW

  • Best for For Mac

79
  • 25.3 ppm

  • No Data ppm

  • 3.8¢

  • No Data¢

  • 0

$189.99

Printers for Envelopes Questions (FAQ)

What features should I look for in a printer for envelope printing?

Look for printers with specialized feed mechanisms such as rear paper feeds or manual feed trays that can handle varying thicknesses and sizes without causing jams.

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