What Is The Maximum GSM That Laser Printers Will Accept?

by Adam Whitehead28 January 202328 January 202397 9240

All laser printers have varying GSM limitations set by manufacturers to optimise the quality of your prints and also extend the life of your printer. GSM, in short, “grams per square metre” is the weight or thickness of your paper or print media. Starting from the standard 70 to 90gsm paper to business cardstock 400gsm and over. A higher GSM number means thicker and heavier paper.

Using The Correct GSM Paper

Paper weights go as low as 40gsm for tracing paper and the optimum for most laser printers is 80gsm general-purpose printing paper. General users don’t worry about GSM limitations as they mostly print standard documents using the 80gsm reams of paper, which is recommended.

Using the recommended paper weight has a good impact on a printer and quality of the final print job. The effects of not doing so range from bad quality prints to printer damage. High on the list of issues is “paper jam”, which then evolves into multiple other issues with varying error codes and messages on your printer. Below are some examples of the maximum GSM recommended for the most common printing scenarios.

74gsm to 90gsm – This is the basic standard office paper, used in your laser printers.
100gsm to 120gsm – This is stationary paper used for standard letterheads, complimentary slips.
130 to 170gsm – Mostly used for leaflets, posters, single-sided flyers, and brochures.
175 to 200gsm – Quality paper with a card feel. For welcome pack covers, front & back flyers, and posters.
250 to 300gsm – High gsm quality card for basic crafting, hobbyist photography, book covers.
350 to 400gsm – Perfect weight for photography, business cards, invitations, and commercial flyers.
400gsm and over – Very durable and good quality card for serious crafters or artists.

*Most laser printers have a maximum of 220gsm limit

How To Check Maximum GSM Of Your Printer

Laser printers are very versatile machines, capable of printing on a range of paper and media types. Knowing your printer’s GSM limits will make printing easy and trouble free. The best and easiest way to determine your printers maximum GSM is through the printer PDF specification sheet which is always available on each printer page on our website.

You will also find this information from the user guide and other documentation delivered in box with your new printer. Alternatively, if you are unsure, please contact our ever helpful sales team, by phone, email or live chat and they’ll be happy to give you this information.

At Printerbase, we stock a wide range of paper to suit all printers, projects and print jobs with a wide variety of paper weights and types, from drafts through to fine art. See our full range of paper.

What is GSM or GM/2

View All Printers Suitable for Card

Need Help or More Information ?

If you need any further help or more information, reach out to us by leaving a comment below or through one of the many ways on our Contact Us page.

Alternatively you can contact us by Phone on 0161 308 5800 or by Live Chat on our main Website Monday to Friday and our team will be happy to help or answer with any questions you might have.

You can also find all the various ways to connect with Us at the bottom of this page. Please share this post if you found it helpful.

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Adam Whitehead

Adam Whitehead establishes and builds strong working relationship with customers to ensure the best possible service Printerbase can offer. Adam Whitehead is currently our Online Support & Marketing Assistant and has very good all round knowledge of everything printer related. We enjoy reading Adams charismatic blog posts and so should you.

97 comments

Carole Barrett 12 January 2021 at 4:31 pm

I am looking to buy a Ink jet printer that will print color on 120 gsm paper any advice

Adam Whitehead 12 January 2021 at 4:37 pm

Hi Carole

Thank you for getting in touch.
All inkjet printers can reach 120GSM, i’d have a look at something like the Canon PIXMA G2501
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-g1501-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Freya Roberts 22 January 2021 at 1:02 pm

Hello, I’m looking for a mono laser printer for home use that can take cardstock up to 320gsm, do you have any suggestions?

Adam Whitehead 1 February 2021 at 12:51 pm

Hi Freya

Thank you for getting in touch. With Mono printers they do not print as high as 320gsm, the highest we stock is 230gsm on some of our Brother printers, such as the Brother HL-L2350DW
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2350dw-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam

Stephanie 14 February 2021 at 4:25 pm

Hi,
Do you have any colour laser printers that print on 300gsm card and are also good for foiling please?
Thanks,
Stephanie

Adam Whitehead 17 February 2021 at 5:13 pm

Hi Stephanie.

Unfortunately, we do not. We no longer have any laser printers which have been tested for foiling. However, it’s mono printers which would be capable and these have a maximum of 230 gsm

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Alin 17 February 2021 at 3:07 pm

Very useful information!

I was looking for a 250 GSM laser printer but did not found anything good. Now thanks to this new information I am rethinking everything.

Please help me decide for a HP colored laser printer that can print 180-200 GSM paper (cardstock).

My only request is that i do not want to feed the printer one paper at the time. As I think I have to do for the hp 283 in the tray 1.

We want to use the printer for wedding invitations, stickers pritnig on vellum if possible, contracts and others. The price cand be up to $500–$700.

Also the copy/scan/fax are not useful to us.

Adam Whitehead 17 February 2021 at 4:58 pm

HI Alin

Thank you for getting in touch. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great number of Laser printers which reach 250GSM. The Oki C824DN would be capable just about. https://www.printerbase.co.uk/oki-c824dn-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

For up to 220GSM the Xerox C400DN would be suitable too: https://www.printerbase.co.uk/xerox-versalink-c400dn-a4-colour-laser-printer.html

These printers have not been tested on Vellum, but would accept any media supported for Laser printers

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Linda Bugg 19 March 2021 at 1:15 pm

Hi, would HP Officejet Pro 9010 print on 220 gm card stock

Adam Whitehead 22 March 2021 at 1:35 pm

Hi Linda

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9010 can print on media up to 220gsm
The maximum it supports is 280gsm

Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Bianca 26 March 2021 at 8:33 am

Hi, what is the best quality colour laser printer with the highest cardstock gsm?

Adam Whitehead 29 March 2021 at 9:58 am

Hi Bianca

Thank you for getting in touch.

The top-rated laser printer for card is currently the Xerox Versalink C9000DT, capable of 350gsm
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/xerox-versalink-c9000dt-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Moby 15 April 2021 at 8:05 pm

Hi, can you recommend a printer that can handle 250gsm 3″x5″ cards at around 10000 monthly volume?

Adam Whitehead 20 April 2021 at 1:03 pm

Hi Moby

Thank you for getting in touch. We don’t have a printer we could recommend for the size of prints you’re doing. It’s advised to use an A4 sheet of paper and cutting it down to reach this size.
It would be a higher format laser Printer though for the yield. Such as the Xerox C8000DT
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/xerox-versalink-c8000dt-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

shane 20 April 2021 at 10:08 am

Looking at printing on 400gsm. Only printing black so would prefer a printer with the least amount of inks if possible but as long as it prints on the thick card i don’t mind

Adam Whitehead 20 April 2021 at 1:09 pm

Hi Shane

Thank you for your question.
From the sounds of it, a photo printer would be your only option. But these have at least 10 inks, at 400GSM. I recommend the Epson P700: https://www.printerbase.co.uk/epson-surecolor-sc-p700-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Mar 29 April 2021 at 3:18 am

Hi, I am looking for printer that can print 200 gsm and can scan legal paper. Thank you.

Adam Whitehead 29 April 2021 at 10:46 am

Hi Mar,

Most Inkjet Printers can handle this media, but I recommend checking out the HP OfficeJet Pro 7740.
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/hp-officejet-pro-7740-a3-multifunction-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thanks
The Printerbase Team

Daniel Meier 19 May 2021 at 1:41 pm

Hello,

I have a Lexmark CX310dn printer, but I am unable to ascertain the maximum gsm this printer can deal with. Would you be able to offer any insight?

Adam Whitehead 20 May 2021 at 2:00 pm

Hi Daniel

Thank you for getting in touch.
The Lexmark CX310DN takes a paper weight 60 – 176 gsm

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Shaz 21 May 2021 at 7:23 am

Hi could you please recommend a brother laser printer for upto 220gsm please (cheapest option) x

Adam Whitehead 24 May 2021 at 1:46 pm

Hi Shaz

Thank you for getting in touch!
Brother Laser Printers in colour only reach up to 163gsm.

However, there are Mono options which can reach up to 230gsm: https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2310d-printer.html

Hope this helps

Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

harriet kanyunyuzi 31 May 2021 at 12:37 pm

hello I am looking for a printer which can print on paper of 250 to 300gsm

Adam Whitehead 7 June 2021 at 1:56 pm

Hi Harriet

Thank you for getting in touch.
Laser Printers get rather expensive, the cheapest 300gsm laser printer is the Xerox C8000DT
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/xerox-versalink-c8000dt-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

For a suitable Inkjet, I’d have a look at the Canon IP8750:
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ip8750-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps

Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Adam AL Hamidi 31 May 2021 at 2:06 pm

Hello Sir Adam ,

i need your help to have the best printer for printing Certificate , as per customer request following the Specs:
Heavy Stock digital Print System
500GSM
print speed up to 50
2400 Resolution
LED Print Head

Adam Whitehead 7 June 2021 at 3:15 pm

Hi Adam

Thank you for getting in touch.
500gsm is very thick for supporting media, no laser printers do.

However, with an inkjet, how does the SC-P700 look?
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/epson-surecolor-sc-p700-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Sam 11 June 2021 at 9:16 am

Hi, does the Canon Pro-300 print on 350gsm card?

Adam Whitehead 14 June 2021 at 2:38 pm

Hi Sam

Thank you for getting in touch.
the Canon ImagePROGRAF Pro-300 can print on 350gsm card. It supports media up to 380gsm

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Josh 16 June 2021 at 11:14 am

Can HP InkJet 315 print on 230gsm a4 sized card? if not what inkjet printer would you recommend?

Adam Whitehead 16 June 2021 at 11:24 am

Hi Josh

Thank you for your comment, we’ve not seen or tested the HP InkTank 315 on the UK Market yet. However, the Canon PIXMA G3560 can support up to 275gsm: https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-g3560-a4-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Alex 17 June 2021 at 4:35 pm

Hi Adam,

Please could you advise on a digital printer that would print on 300gsm card in black ink. Thanks very much!

Adam Whitehead 18 June 2021 at 4:12 pm

Hi Alex

Thank you for getting in touch.
300gsm is quite high for a laser, we usually recommend Inkjets first such as the Canon PIXMA IP8750
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ip8750-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

However, if you’re set on a Laser, the Xerox Phaser C8000DT can print 300gsm
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/xerox-versalink-c8000dt-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam

Courtney 8 July 2021 at 2:21 am

Hi, I recently purchased an Epson Ecotank 2710, I was wondering if it could print on A5 160gsm paper?

Thank you.

Adam Whitehead 8 July 2021 at 9:48 am

Hi Courtney

Thank you for getting in touch. The EcoTank ET-2710 can print A5 at 160gsm.

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Karl 16 July 2021 at 8:16 am

Hi,

I am looking for a mono laser printer that will accept custom paper size.

I will mainly be printing a4 size but occasionally i will be printing paper that is the same width as a4 size, but shorter (as i would have horizontally trimmed a portion of the a4 paper from the top).

Do you know of any printers that will accept this?

Adam Whitehead 16 July 2021 at 4:00 pm

Hi Karl

Thank you for getting in touch.
I’ve looked at your requirements, what do you think on a Canon LBP223DW?
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-i-sensys-lbp223dw-printer.html

This can support custom sizes Min. 105 x 148 mm – Max. 216.0 x 355.6 mm

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Karl 18 July 2021 at 6:11 am

Hi Adam,

It looks good but i also need to be able to print on 180gsm paper. It says on the specs that it prints up to 163 GSM.

Do you know of a mono laser printer that will support custom print size and 180gsm paper?

Misko 18 July 2021 at 11:24 am

Hi,

I am looking for an inkjet or laser printer that can print on 50gsm. bank paper. It seems, most of laser printers are rated to 64gsm. The only inkjet I found that can handle 60gsm. is HP Printwide series. Is there any printer that can handle 45-50gsm. paper?

Thanks and regards
Misko

Adam Whitehead 19 July 2021 at 10:13 am

Hi Misko

Unfortunately, we don’t have a printer that can take 50gsm, it’s too thin. You would need a specialised printer.

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Mostafa 20 July 2021 at 12:37 pm

Does hp smart tank 515 print on a 180 GSM paper?

Adam Whitehead 20 July 2021 at 4:41 pm

Hi Mostafa

The HP SmartTank 515 can support 180gsm paper

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Maxine 8 August 2021 at 2:11 pm

Hello I am looking for a printer that’s good for a small business. I’m planning to print cards with 200-300 gsm. What is the most economical option you can offer?

Adam Whitehead 9 August 2021 at 10:32 am

Hi Maxine

Thank you for getting in touch!

Our top card printer is the Canon ImagePROGRAF Pro-300
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-imageprograf-pro-300-photo-inkjet-printer.html this is capable of prints up to 370gsm

However, if printing on a budget, the Canon PIXMA IX6850 is also a great option.
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ix6850-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Riz 11 August 2021 at 2:51 pm

Hi Adam,

I have tried laser printers previously such as HP M148FDW, however when using any type of paper above 180gsm, the toner seems to leave spots on the paper, like the toner has been pressed up against the paper and left ink on it?

Can you recommend a cheap laser printer which can take up to 230gsm card paper? Does not have to be in colour.

Kind regards,

Adam Whitehead 17 August 2021 at 4:45 pm

Hi Riz

Thank you for getting in touch. 230gsm is thick for a laser printer. There are a few Brother Printers who take a maximum of 230gsm, however.
A great option would be the Brother HL-L2350DW
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2350dw-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Tony 26 September 2021 at 2:05 pm

Hello Adam,
I have a HP Envy 4500 which in the past printed on glossy photo and CD label papers of around 120 to 130g/m2.
If I try now the printer takes the paper in but doesn’t start to print in the same place on the page?
Perhaps I was lucky but can’t do anything other than normal 80g/m2 plain paper anymore.
I am looking to buy something to print some photo’s and CD labels.

Adam Whitehead 29 September 2021 at 10:04 am

Hi Tony

Thank you for your question. It sounds to me like the Printer needs realigning. This can be done through the printer itself.
If that doesn’t work, please get in touch via LiveChat or our sales team and we can see on assisting you further.

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam

Erica 4 November 2021 at 12:17 am

Hi Adam,

Would love your input –
I’m looking for a color laser printer that can handle 200gsm (250gsm if possible) synthetic paper – melting temp of the media is 302F
Image quality is important

Thanks!

Adam Whitehead 4 November 2021 at 11:58 am

Hi Erica!

Most printers could handle the melting point of your media, but we do always recommend checking compatibility with the media supplier.

However, a recommendation that sounds ideal to you would be the new Oki C650:
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/oki-c650-a4-colour-laser-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Dave Newton 5 November 2021 at 10:26 am

Hi Adam I am looking at the Epson eco tank ET-2720 printer would you know if this can print card. I am not sure of the card thickness I buy it in Asda in packs of 20 A4 size and it doesn’t state the thickness.Thanks Dave.

Adam Whitehead 5 November 2021 at 10:42 am

Hi Dave!

The Epson EcoTank ET-2720 can print up to 300gsm. However, this hasn’t been tested on all cardstock.
I can’t say for definite on the ASDA brand media as we don’t know the GSM however, 300gsm is quite thick Media.

Thank you
Adam

Dave Newton 5 November 2021 at 12:43 pm

Thank you for that Adam. Regards Dave.

Juanita 8 November 2021 at 12:08 am

Is there a bypass tray for the HP Officejet Pro 9015? I’m trying to print thicker items that just won’t feed from the tray. Any suggestions??

Adam Whitehead 8 November 2021 at 10:33 am

Hi Juanita

The HP Officejet Pro 9015 can support media up to a maximum of 280gsm from the paper tray. We wouldn’t recommend loading anything thicker than this

Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Brad 22 November 2021 at 3:43 pm

Hi Adam,

Can you recommend a laser colour printer that can handle 200 GSM paper?

Adam Whitehead 23 November 2021 at 5:23 pm

Hi Brad

Most Laser printers can handle 200gsm colour when printing through the bypass tray.

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

jen 24 November 2021 at 8:11 am

Hi,
Adam,
Do you know that the Canon E4200 Series and Canon TS300 Series can handle maximum gram paper?

Adam Whitehead 24 November 2021 at 10:39 am

Hi Jen

These printers take up to 105gsm plain paper. Or supported Canon papers of various weights. They have not been tested using alternative brand photo paper.

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

James 10 December 2021 at 3:35 pm

Hi Adam,

Thanks for all the info on this thread, it’s very useful! From what I’ve read it seems like the OKi C650 is the best colour laser printer for heavier Cardstock e.g. 250gsm. I was wondering if there is anything similar in the mono space?

Thanks,
James

Adam Whitehead 10 December 2021 at 3:37 pm

Hi James!

Thank you for the feedback. Mono printers usually have a lower GSM rating than colour. However, there is a couple of Brother options which can take up to 230GSM
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2370dn-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

James 16 December 2021 at 6:27 pm

Hi Adam,

Thanks for your reply. Would you have time for a call at some point? I’d love to pick your brain on this topic. I’m working for a company that’s looking to potentially buy a large number of the right type of printer to help us scale a particular use case.

If you can ping me over an email and we’ll get some time in.

Thanks,
James

Benedict 7 January 2022 at 2:55 am

Im using brother t420. Can i use 60 gsm paper on this kind of printer?
I notice also that it was keep in eating 2 to 3 paper at the same time

Thanks

Adam Whitehead 19 January 2022 at 10:08 am

Hi Benedict

The Brother T420 isn’t available in the UK at the moment so information is limited. From what we’re seeing, the minimum GSM support is 80, this could be what causes the feed issues.

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

ANNIE BORLAND 3 February 2022 at 4:03 pm

Hi, I am looking for a printer that can print on 110lb (up to 300 gsm) paper but can also take a white ink toner. I’ve been able to find white ink toners for printers listed on Ghost White Toner’s website, but none of the ones listed above seem to be compatible. Do you know of a printer that can do both?

Thanks,
Annie

Adam Whitehead 7 February 2022 at 1:14 pm

HI Annie

Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, Printerbase does not offer a printer suitable for your needs. But we do work with Sunangel Imaging, who can provide a White Toner printer.
https://www.sunangelimaging.com/

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam

Mazvi 9 February 2022 at 9:05 pm

Hi Adam,

I’m looking for a color printer that can print on 110 lb, 300 gsm and also semi- affordable. May you kindly assist on which one to go for.

Adam Whitehead 10 February 2022 at 10:30 am

Hi Mazvi

For media at this weight we do recommend looking at an Inkjet Printer. My top current recommendation is the canon IP8750
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ip8750-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Robyn 10 March 2022 at 10:23 pm

Hello,

I’m looking for a coloured printer that can print up to 300gsm, I have been looking at Epson EcoTank ET-2720, is this a good choice? My budget is £250

Thanks!

Robyn

Emmanuel Myers 27 May 2022 at 4:45 pm

Hi Robyn,

Thanks for reaching out. Just a few questions to enable us help pick the right printer.

1. Is the printer going to be used solely for 300gsm printing ?
2. Are you looking to print on 300gsm photo paper or card stock ?

Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Carol 15 March 2022 at 2:47 pm

Hi Adam

I am looking for advice on a colour laser printer that will be able to handle a full range of media from 40gsm to 250gsm and that it has a bypass tray?

It will be used for reproducing napkins, tracing paper designs along with normal printing a card stock and as I understand an Inkjet printer can ‘bleed’.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated

Adam Whitehead 6 October 2022 at 5:17 pm

Hi Carol

Thanks for getting in touch.

There are no printers we would recommend for printing on tracing paper due to how thin it is, it could cause issues with the printer. The same would apply to Napkins due to being fragile.

Printing on Cardstock wouldn’t be an issue though, looking up to 250gsm on a laser, I’d recommend the Oki C824n. It has a maximum GSM support of up to 256gsm. However, the minimum GSM support would be 64gsm. I have included a link to the Oki C824n printer below for you.
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/oki-c824n-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

Inkjets are also worth considering, using Dye-based inks on textured cards can cause the bleeding effect, however, on a normal card, this wouldn’t be an issue. For textured media, a Pigment-based ink would be more suited as the ink dries a lot quicker.
I’ve got two options, the Canon PIXMA IX6850, this can print up to 300gsm but uses dye-based inks. I’ve attached a link for you to look at below.
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ix6850-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

The Pigment-based ink option is the Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300, which can print up to 380gsm too, again there’s another link for you to see below,
http://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-imageprograf-pro-300-photo-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Rohan Konge 28 June 2022 at 8:12 pm

Hello,

I am an Europe based artist and looking for a home-use printer that can take high-quality art prints on up to 300gsm paper and A4 size paper at least. Currently, for every order, I need to make a run to the print shop and get it printed. Any recommendations in this regard will be highly appreciated.

TIA!!
Rohan

Emmanuel Myers 8 August 2022 at 11:46 pm

Hi Rohan,

Thanks for getting in touch.

We would recommend 2 printers. The Canon PIXMA iX6850 or Canon PIXMA TS9550 printers depending on your budget.

Although the iX6850 is print only and the TS9550 Print Copy & Scan, both will print up to 300gsm and at least A4 size paper, as per your requirements.

Please find links to both printers below, in case you need further information.

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ix6850-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ts9550-printer.html

I hope this helps

Thanks
The Printerbase Team

Khush 3 August 2022 at 10:45 am

Hi, I am looking for a Brother HL-L3270CDW color laser printer, can it print on 300gsm matte paper?

Emmanuel Myers 8 August 2022 at 11:03 pm

Hi Khush,

Thanks for getting in touch.

The maximum recommended paper weight for the Brother HL-L3270CDW printer is 163gsm.

Unless your printing project specifically requires a laser printer, we would not recommend this for 300gsm matte paper printing.

The best printer for this paper weight and texture is the Canon iX6850. I have provided a link to the Canon iX6850 printer below.

https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ix6850-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

Alternatively, please let us know what you are looking to print, so we can help you find the right printer.

I hope this helps

Thanks
The Printerbase Team

Richard 28 September 2022 at 11:21 am

Hi There,

Im looking for a printer that can print duplex on 180 or preferably 200gsm card. Its for a bar menu we change regularly. Must be colour and fairly cost effective re ink usage, fairly good speed. Cost up to $2000… ???

Im thinking laser from what I can tell would be better than ink jet?

Appreciate your help. Thank you! Richard

Adam Whitehead 6 October 2022 at 10:00 am

Hi Richard

Thank you for getting in touch.
I’ve had a look at your requirements and the best option I can find is the Oki C824dn, it can print up to A3 but Duplex up to 220gsm through the Multipurpose Tray which can hold up to 80 sheets. I’ve attached a link below for you
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/oki-c824dn-a3-colour-laser-printer.html

I hope this helps

Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Le-Anne Toe Yit Loh 5 October 2022 at 4:56 pm

hi, Can you recommend me one laser printer that can support 120 to 150 Gsm , mainly to print certificate and as well as poster.

Adam Whitehead 5 October 2022 at 5:01 pm

Hi Le-Anne

Thank you for getting in touch.
I’ve had a look over your requirements and found the Xerox Phaser 6510DNI to suit your needs. It offers great print quality and handles paper up to 220GSM at A4. Please see the link below.
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/xerox-phaser-6510dni-a4-colour-laser-printer.html

If there’s anything more we can assist with, please let me know.

Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Nataly Mejia 8 October 2022 at 5:27 am

Hi adam,

First off, wow thank you for answering everyone’s questions!!! you have no idea how helpful you are.

Unfortunately my save-the-date order got canceled the day I expected them to arrive. I’m in crunch mode right now and don’t have the time to reorder.
I have done SO much research on wedding stationary and paper but i think im at the point where my brain will not understand/ convert wedding stationary unit (lb or 10pt) versus gsm vs gm/2.

I have a cannon pixma TS5320 – i’ve read every compatible paper weight but i am still confused on the weight limit the rear tray can handle.
Pretty much what’s the highest GSM this printer can handle? I’m looking to print double side (one side photo other side text) on reasonably thick card stock. (can’t be picky haha) (and if you know the LB or PT this usually converts to that would be AMAZING)

One more question if you let me pick your brain! Going through this experience has really caused a lot of stress I almost want to just buy a new printer!! What printer would you recommend that is under $300-350 that will allow me to print decent wedding invitations/ stationary?

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE

Adam Whitehead 10 October 2022 at 11:28 am

Hi Nataly

Thank you for getting in touch.

I’m glad to hear you’re finding use in our posts and I’m sorry to hear your save-the-dates were cancelled.

There’s a rule of thumb when it comes to the measurements.
First off GSM & GM/2 are the same, they stand for “Grams Per Square Meter”
In LBS this measures in 1ib = 1.48gsm.

I’ve looked at what your Canon TS5320 supports, from the online user manual provided by Canon, it takes the following: From 17 to 28 lb (64 to 105 g /m2) this is from the main and rear tray.

It can print double-sided, this would be activated in your printer settings too.

Looking at your requirements the Canon PIXMA IX6850 would fit your needs. It prints up to A3 but supports up to 300gsm media. It is also under your budget.
I’ve attached a link below for you to view:
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/canon-pixma-ix6850-a3-colour-inkjet-printer.html

I hope this helps, but if it’s an unsuitable option please let me know

Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Beatriz Pereira 20 November 2022 at 11:38 pm

Hi! I’m currently looking for a laser printer that’s small since I don’t have a lot of space, and I’ll be using it for foiling. I’m also hoping to use cardstock, so it should also be able to print maybe until 230 gsm, if a bit more that would be perfect! Do you have any suggestions?

Adam Whitehead 21 November 2022 at 9:07 am

Hi Beatriz

Thank you for your question!

Foiling is a tricky one, we no longer have any printers which we have tested for compatibility ourselves. But to my understanding, you need a mono laser printer.
We do have the Brother HL-L2370DN, which can handle media up to 230gsm through a manual feed slot. This is also a small, desktop printer.
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2370dn-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Jerry Mclaughlin 31 December 2022 at 5:34 am

Hello Adam,

Thank you for this Q&A forum. It is a terrific resource.

I print greeting cards commercially. We are somewhat fanatical about producing great looking images (photography on some of the greeting cards).

For the past 7 years we have printed on the Epson P400 and the Canon Pixma Pro 200. Both produce a beautiful output but we are exploring possible laser solutions for three reasons: 1) the coated paper we have to use with inkjet is expensive (relative to uncoated papers of the same wight), 2) printing is slow – about 2 minutes per page (0.5 ppm) and 3) the inkjet printers we use cannot duplex print.

We have been printing on a 300 gsm matte finish paper. (Our concern is not with weight per se but with delivering a product that feels high quality in the hand).

Do you know of a laser printer / paper wight combination that might meet our goals? (You mentioned the Xerox C8000 in a reply a couple of years ago).

Do you see a better approach?

All my best,

Jerry McLaughlin

Adam Whitehead 3 January 2023 at 10:15 am

Hi Jerry

Thank you for your question!

From the sounds of it, the Xerox C8000 would still be a good option for your printing. It can handle up to 300gsm media and print at great quality. These can take uncoated papers too however, when it comes to specialised media you would need to use papers designed for a laser printer.

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Jerry Mclaughlin 4 January 2023 at 10:49 pm

Hi Adam,

Thank you for your reply. That is helpful.

Other than the Xerox C8000, and given my requirements, are there any other laser printers that you would suggest I consider?

All my best,

Jerry

Angela 14 February 2023 at 6:56 pm

Hi! Can you recommend a printer, preferably laser, for 285 gsm cardstock. I really only need black ink but color is ok too.

Adam Whitehead 15 February 2023 at 10:17 am

Hi Angela

Thank you for your comment. We don’t have a Mono laser printer which can reach higher than 230gsm. This can be found on the Brother HL-L2350DW printer: https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2350dw-printer.html

For 285gsm, I’d recommend looking at a printer on our Card Printing page: https://www.printerbase.co.uk/printer-by-feature/card-printing.html?customFilters=stock_status:1

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam
The Printerbase Team

Paul 15 June 2023 at 10:19 pm

Hi. Can you please recommend a printer for Printing book covers. It should be colour. Able to print A3 and cost efficient.
I will really appreciate if I can get a response

Adam Whitehead 16 June 2023 at 3:22 pm

Hi Paul

Thank you for your comment.
When it comes to printing book covers, these usually require large, specialised machines. For infrequent use I’d recommend an Epson EcoTank Et-8550, it has a low running cost and high GSM support of 800. However, for longer print runs this could cause issues with the book covers.
http://www.printerbase.co.uk/epson-ecotank-et-8550-a3-multifunction-inkjet-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Sandra macallister 12 August 2023 at 9:08 pm

Hi your forum is great but I am still confused I need a colour laser printer to print on 230gsm pearlised cardstock for card making I am currently using a Samsung clp680dw but at 5 years old it is having issues so will be looking to replace it with a budget alternative under £400 if possible, any suggestions

Adam Whitehead 14 August 2023 at 9:09 am

Hi Sandra

Thank you for your comment
We don’t have any colour laser printers available within your budget that can print above 220gsm. There is only a range of Brother printers which have a maximum of 230gsm, but they are mono (Black & white print) only
https://www.printerbase.co.uk/brother-hl-l2350dw-printer.html

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Anita 29 October 2023 at 6:37 am

This article was soooo helpful – straight to the point and more info if needed, such a refreshing change! Thank you!

Salvatore 27 November 2023 at 11:35 pm

Hello Adam,
can you suggest a high-precision laser printer?
I am working on a project that involves printing labels and applying gold foil laminating. For this, I first need to use a laser printer. However, before the laminating step, I also do a round of printing with an inkjet printer. Post-printing, the labels are cut using a professional label cutter, and then laminated.

My challenge is that the laser printer I’m using (Brother MFC-L2800DW) tends to stretch the images or text, leading to misalignment and a messy final product (especially the Y-axis is always a bit longer or shorter what it should be no matter what I print). I’ve been trying to find a laser printer that offers greater precision in printing dimensions, but I’m struggling to locate this information, or perhaps I’m not familiar with the correct technical term for this feature.

Any laser printer that yo would suggest?
Thanks

Adam Whitehead 28 November 2023 at 4:17 pm

Hi Salvatore.

Thank you for your question.

First off, Foiling is a difficult process, there are no printers guaranteed to work on the foiling process and none which are tested by the manufacturers.

From the sounds of it, the issue with your stretched or misaligned text could be down to one of multiple things:
The media you’re using is too thick for the printer, the maximum a Brother MFC-L2800DW can accept is 230gsm, through the manual feed tray. Anything thicker could cause jamming or poor-quality print.

Another option could be the settings and tray you’re printing from, it’s safest to print from the multipurpose tray.

Finally, the toner. Foiling needs a Polymerised toner, which are only found in Genuine Brother, or Oki cartridges, 3rd Party (Compatible ones) will not be polymerised.

We can offer many great printers, but there is nothing we can guarantee will work with foiling.

Hope this helps
Thank you
The Printerbase Team

Salvatore 28 November 2023 at 4:43 pm

Hello Adam and thanks for your reply.

Maybe I didn’t explain myself too well. I do the foiling with a different machine, not the laser printer. I need the laser printer becuase, for the foiling to work, it needs toner (and not ink) on the paper.
Basically:
1. print on a standard A4 80gsm (Navigator) with the laser machine;
2. take the result and print on it with a ink-jet;
3. process this paper with a professional cutter;
4. apply the foiling with a plastifier.

If I replace step 1 with a ink-jet printing (a different machine then on point 2), everything works perfectly. Of course the point 4 won’t work due to the use of the ink and not toner.

The problem is due to the laser printer not being precise on the Y-axis. I’m not sure if I simply got a defective brother printer or it’s a common issue. Searching online it appears many brother printers have similar issues, they never really print on ‘Actual size’.

Is there any good laser printer that you would recommend?

Adam Whitehead 1 December 2023 at 10:04 am

Hi Salvatore

My apologies for misunderstanding the original post.

I see your points more now though. Personally, we’ve not heard any issues with Brother misalignment. Another laser brand I’d recommend would be Oki, they’re designed for high-quality prints and built with accuracy in mind.
Standard paper should be suitable from any tray, but I’d always recommend checking any specific requirements with the paper packaging or supplier first.

My personal top recommendation would be the Oki C650, as this is built for highly accurate, marketable print material in mind.

Hope this helps
Thank you
Adam

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