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Self-weeding papers are printable heat transfer papers, which transfer only to the printed image. This is very desirable for t-shirt making, as it removes the need to trim away background after the print is made. Most transfer papers are a single-step process; the sheet already has adhesive on it, and is ready to press on. However, self weeding papers require two steps: the sheet you print on is not coated, and must be attached using a secondary sheet of adhesive. This makes self-weeding paper perfectly compatible with most mainstream laser printers – the challenge is in finding the one that most matches your needs for print quality, speed and paper handling capability. We’ve reviewed printers from across the market to find you the five best printers for self-weeding paper in 2022.
Product Comparison Table: Best Printer for Self-Weeding Paper
| Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
 | OKI Data MB562W Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer | $$ | 4 stars | Best for Business | Amazon |
 | HP NeverStop 1001nw Wireless Laser Printer | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Most Economical | Amazon |
 | Canon ImageCLASS D570 | $ | 4 stars | Best Value | Amazon |
 | Brother HL-2300D Laser Printer | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best Print Quality | Amazon |
 | Canon ImageCLASS LBP6230dw Compact | $$ | 4 stars | Best Overall | Amazon |
OKI Data MB472W Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer
The OKI MB562W Wireless Monochrome Laser printer is not just a printer, but a scanner, fax machine and copier too. Alongside this multifunctionality, it also boasts a 667 MHz processor, which runs extremely smoothly at speeds up to a blistering 47 pages per minute. As a mono printer, the OKI is only capable of printing in black and white, however it can output a resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi – enough to produce a very high standard of prints. As for paper handling, it comes with an enormous paper tray (530 pages), which can be combined with the top tray to hold up to 1160 pages. Connectivity is available via Wi-Fi, ethernet, USB 2.0 and the Cloud, via AirPrint and Google Cloud print. This makes printing possible not just from desktop computers, but from phones and laptops too. ‘
Pros
- Incredibly fast print speed
- Multifunctionality (scan, print, fax, copy)
- Connectivity options
- Very large tray capacity
Cons
- Extremely large and bulky
- Can only print in mono
Verdict
The OKI MB562W Wireless Monochrome Laser printer is a great choice for businesses looking to print a large number of self-weeding sheets in the shortest space of time. The huge tray capacity and incredibly swift print speed make this machine perfect for the job. However, the lack of colour capability means you would be limited to simpler or more text-based designs; if you were printing promotional or advertising shirts, this wouldn’t be likely to bother you.
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HP NeverStop 1001nw Wireless Laser Printer
The HP NeverStop 1001nw Wireless Laser Printer really does live up to its name; this machine has been designed to run for up to 5000 sheets on one cartridge set before needing to be replaced. Best of all, this start cartridge comes included with the machine, bringing down the cost-per-page drastically. Furthermore, its 150-sheet capacity tray is more than enough for most home users, and can handle media sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches, allowing you to print larger designs on larger shirts. The 21 ppm print speed is fairly admirable, however not the fastest. The 600 x 600 dpi resolution also leaves something to be desired. Negatives aside, it only takes 20 minutes to set up from the box, and is WiFi compatible. The design is very sleek, compact and attractive too.
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Pros
- Very low cost-per-page
- Efficient ink cartridges
- Large media size range
Cons
- Low resolution
Verdict
The HP NeverStop 1001nw Wireless Laser Printer is the most economical out of all the printers for self-weeding paper we surveyed; it may be more expensive on initial outlay, however this is quickly counteracted by the included starter cartridge set and lowered cost-per-page. The resolution may not be the highest – making this perhaps not the best choice for artists – but it is perfectly good enough for bold or text-based designs.
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Canon ImageCLASS D570
The Canon ImageCLASS D570 laser printer sells at a bargain price, yet shares several features with the previous few candidates in the crucial areas of resolution, speed and paper handling. Its best stats are in speed and handling: within a minute, it can print up to 28 sheets, and can hold up to 250 papers in its spacious tray of sizes up to 8.5 x 14 inches. Like the HP Neverstop, it prints at a serviceable resolution of 600 x 600 dpi. It also benefits from being versatile, as an all-in-one similar to the multifunctional OKI. This machine can scan and copy too, allowing you to transfer a design from conventional to self-weeding stock. Scanning, however, is quite slow; it takes several minutes per page, and has no option for multi-page documents to be scanned as a single file. Despite this, setup is incredibly easy, and the printer will easily connect to either phones, laptops or tablets via WiFi.
Pros
- Fast printing speeds
- Multifunctionality (scan, print and copy)
- Compact space-saving design
- Large paper tray
Cons
- Cumbersome scanning
- Low resolution
Verdict
The Canon ImageCLASS D570 laser printer is the best value printer available for self-weeding paper. At a bargain price, it combines features of the previous two printers in one compact, convenient package. The resolution may be low, but the other features more than make up for its shortcomings. Plus, although the scan feature may be rudimentary, it could still really make a difference in your t-shirt printing projects by allowing you to transfer pre-existing designs onto transfer paper.
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Brother HL-2300D Laser Printer
The Brother HL-2300D Laser Printer comes with a starter toner pack, enough to produce prints on around 700 self-weeding papers. If you put the machine into toner-saver mode, this could multiply up to 2500. If that’s not enough, the replacement cartridge claims to manage up to 10000. Although impressive, these are not even the best features of the Brother HL-2300D. Its real strength is in producing high quality prints; with a resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi, you can guarantee every image, piece of text or design you print will come out clear and true-to-colour. The print speed is very fast for the quality too, at 27ppm. The tray holds 250 papers, which seems a very decent size. Setup is fairly quick, but this is primarily due to the machine’s main drawback – it has no wireless connectivity features, only allowing you to print via wired USB 2.0 connection to a laptop or desktop computer. The cable isn’t included, either.
Pros
- High resolution for high quality prints
- Toner saver mode lowers cost-per-page
- Fast printing speed
- Quick and easy setup
Cons
- No wireless connectivity
Verdict
The Brother HL-2300D Laser Printer is the best for print quality on our list, even on self-weeding paper. Prints made with this very high resolution machine always come out clear and bright, even after transfer. The toner saver mode also means this professional-looking quality is surprisingly cost effective to achieve. However, this printer is really let down by its retrograde connectivity options, which could really cause a headache in modern workspaces.
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Canon ImageCLASS LBP6230dw Compact
The Canon ImageCLASS LBP6230dw Compact is budget-friendly, simple to use and produces impressive quality results despite its price and stats. It has a generous paper tray holding 250 sheets, in sizes ranging up to 8.5 x 14 inches. Plus, the 26ppm max print speed is on par with most of the other candidates on this list. The most unique feature of this machine is its resolution; listed as 600 x 600 dpi, prints made on this machine come out looking more like those made by the 2400 x 600 dpi Brother model. This is perhaps due to Canon’s extremely high quality inks, which are here delivered via an all-in-one single cartridge system. This combines the toner and drum into one unit, making cartridge replacement simple and cost-effective. As for connectivity, this printer provides both wired and wireless connections, plus easy printing from a mobile device through the free Canon mobile printing app. Setup is a little fiddly, though, so remember to read the manual .
Pros
- Impressive quality despite resolution
- Large paper tray and fast speed
- Economical ink system
- Sleek and compact design
- Wireless connectivity
Cons
- Fiddly setup
Verdict
The Canon ImageCLASS LBP6230dw Compact is our choice for the best printer for self-weeding paper in 2022. It combines features from all its competitors to produce the best product available, at a very decent price. Although it may not look like much statistically, this machine is capable of producing professional-looking prints that would satisfy even the most discerning user.
