If you prefer to handle your finances via checks, you will probably need quite a lot of blank ones for the variety of purchases you make.
Now, the thing about checks is that many people think that you can only get them from a specific place where they are printed and that any other blank check could be declared invalid.
This, of course, is not true, as you can use a wide variety of papers to make your checks. What’s more, you can perfectly legally print your checks.
As far as the blank checks you print have the prescribed form and dimensions, you can print as many of them as you want and use them to your heart’s content.
You may be wondering now what the best printer for these checks may be.
The answer is that many different printers can be used for this purpose. It’d be difficult to find a printer that cannot print checks nowadays.
In this article, we will present a list of the ten best printers for checks you can use for this purpose. As you will see, each of these has its set of features that are slightly different from the other, so you can rest assured there’s something here for everyone’s taste and needs.
Right then, without further ado, here’s the deal.
Our Favorite Printer For Checks
10 Best Printer For Checks- Buying Guide
1. HP – MICR Toner LaserJet Pro
Representing one of the most famous technical appliance-producing companies globally, HP is, among many other products, also responsible for a long line of high-quality laser printers. As our entry number one, we’ve decided to include one of their best printers for checks in the recent MICR LaserJet Pro period.
The Starter toner you get when you buy this gadget is already preloaded, so you can pretty much use it right out of the box. All you need to do is connect a cable or two, press the ON button, wait until your computer recognizes the printer as a peripheral device, and you’re free to print to your heart’s content.
The limit to how many pages you can print with this model stands at about 1,500 pages, which is a pretty decent yield that can probably get even more extended if you use it to print checks exclusively.
As far as the connectivity of this model is concerned, you can use either a USB port to connect it to your computer, or you can connect the two via Wi-Fi.
Pros:
- Preloaded cartridge (meaning you can start printing right away)
- Excellent print speed of up to 40 pages per minute
- Wi-Fi and USB connectivity
- 6-month warranty for the printer
- Lifetime warranty for MICR cartridges
- Magnetic toner specially designed for MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) prints
Cons:
- A tad expensive
2. HP – Renewable Toner LaserJet M15w Check Printer
Representing the second laser printer on this list coming from HP, this model gives you a powerful toner with a great yield. What’s more, as the name of this product suggests itself, you can refill this printer fairly easily, so technically speaking – you don’t need to buy another printer or a toner ever again, as long as you can keep this one neat, tidy, and in good working order.
This HP model represents one of the smallest printers in the HP roster and the market. This compact model can be an attractive feature for anyone who’s already got a cramped desk and wants to save space. Also, its small size can be an excellent plus for traveling – especially if you need to take it with you on a business trip, for example.
In terms of connectivity, you can easily connect this gadget with your PC, tablet, or any other contraption that has Wi-Fi built-in on it. The toner yield numbers are pretty decent, too, as you can print out about 1,000 regular pages with a single toner or about 3,000 checks – if you’re printing only checks and if each check is one-third of a page.
Pros:
- Wireless connectivity
- Compact size
- Pre-installed cartridge
- 1,000-page yield (standard pages); 3,000-check yield
- Refillable cartridge
- 3-month warranty for the printer
- Lifetime warranty for the cartridge
Cons:
- Some users may not like the speed of printing (which is about 18/19 pages per minute)
3. Canon – Renewable Toner Image CLASS Printer
When it comes to printing checks that your bank can accept, it is important to keep in mind that you have to pay attention to the type of ink you’re using. The ink used for printing checks needs to have unique magnetic features, so to speak, it can be easily read by the automated machines the tellers put the checks in. If the ink is not ‘readable,’ the check won’t get scanned properly, and it won’t be accepted.
As far as this model is concerned, the folks at Canon made sure that the ink in the toner of this model is precisely the type you need for printing checks. So, if you decide to buy this printer, you don’t need to worry about whether or not your bank will accept the checks.
Another great thing about this printer, or rather – the cartridge built-in this printer, to be more precise, is its excellent yield. With a single fully charged cartridge, you can make about 1.6 thousand copies with regular paper. If you print checks exclusively, the number increases threefold so that you can get about 4.8 thousand checks with a single cartridge.
Pros:
- Great cartridge yield of about 4.8 thousand checks (or 1.6 k regular papers)
- Comes with a high-quality magnetic toner
- Features a special Canon printing mobile app
- A 6-month warranty for the printer
- Lifetime warranty for the MICR cartridge
Cons:
- The printing speed could be a tad quicker (this one does 19 pages per minute at maximum speed)
4. HP – Desk Jet Versa Check Printer
If you’re on the lookout for a compact, easy-to-use printer with a strong cartridge that will last you for a long time, this small HP Versa Check Printer could be just the thing.
What makes this model stand out from the majority of the other printer models out there on the market would certainly be that this one was specifically developed by the folks at HP for printing checks. So, if you only need a printer for checks and you don’t want to print anything else, purchasing this model could save you money and be a worthwhile investment in the long run.
In terms of connectivity, this model is a piece of cake to connect to a wide variety of devices. As long as the devices in question support Wi-Fi connectivity, you can easily network this model with your laptop, mobile phone, tablet, or whatever other device you may have that can be connected to Wi-Fi.
Another great thing about this model is that you can print checks and copy and scan other checks or documents. This makes copying something much easier, as you don’t need a separate scanner or a photocopier to get this done.
Pros:
- Special Versaink magnetic black ink for printing checks
- Can also print in color
- Scanner and copier built-in
- Comes with free VersaCheck Gold software and check paper
- Compact and lightweight design
Cons:
- Some users may not like the small size of this model (although it generally is regarded as a plus)
5. Xerox – Renewable Toner & Check Printer Bundle
For those of you who need a medium-yield printer with a renewable toner, this Xerox model can be just the thing for you. What you get with this model is a starter pack toner that features special MICR-type ink, so you can rest assured that every bank will accept your check if you’ve printed it using this printer.
The cartridge with the toner inside it has already been preloaded in this printer, so you can pretty much use this thing right out of the box, that is – as soon as you’ve figured out how to configure it and connect it to your computer or some other device.
While we’re on the topic of connectivity, this printer is relatively easy to set up as it comes with a built-in Wi-Fi sender and receiver. So, all you need to do to get this thing up and running is to turn it on and connect it to your device of choice via Wi-Fi.
Pros:
- Comes with a MICR starter toner cartridge
- The cartridge and the printer are already preloaded for your convenience
- Standard page yield at about 1,000 pages (3,000 if you’re printing checks only)
- 1-year warranty for the printer
- Easy-to-set-up Wi-Fi connectivity
- Lifetime warranty for the MICR cartridge
Cons:
- A tad pricey
6. HP – International LaserJet Enterprise with a MICR Cartridge
Representing possibly the largest and the most powerful printer on this list, this heavy-duty model from HP can be an excellent solution for a person running a company or a private business.
The cartridge on this printer is of MICR variety, so to speak, so you can rest assured that you will be able to print checks with this thing with ease. Another great touch this model is concerned with would undoubtedly be that the toner comes preloaded, so you won’t have to worry about setting anything up. (Other than the software part, of course.)
This model can produce up to 5,000 regular pages for page yield, which is more than the vast majority of printers currently available on the market. If you want to use it for printing only checks, this yield number jumps up to 15,000 copies, suitable for a larger company with plenty of employees, for example.
Pros:
- Large, juggernaut build (perfect for companies and large-scale printing)
- An impressive, 5,000-page yield (15,000 pages for checks)
- Comes with a high-quality MICR cartridge that’s preloaded
- 6-month warranty for the printer
- Lifetime warranty on the MICR cartridge
Cons:
- Fairly expensive
- Not perfect for individual users or smaller businesses
7. HP – Color LaserJet Pro Check Printer
As our entry number seven, we’ve got another giant in the world of laser printers. This model, also coming from the famous HP company, comes with a potent MICR cartridge that will print checks accepted in whatever bank you go to.
As far as the yield this printer can muster is concerned, you can count about 2,400 regular pages, but if you’re only printing checks, you can get that number to about 7,200 copies. This rather generous yield can be great news for a company with plenty of employees and needs to print checks reasonably regularly.
Connectivity-wise, you can connect this printer to your computer or device of choice via Wi-Fi or with the help of an Ethernet cable. Thanks to the built-in color touchscreen, once you’ve connected everything and plugged this thing in, you can easily set the different printing parameters.
Pros:
- A rather large printer perfect for teams and medium-to-large companies
- This model comes with an inbuilt scanner, copier, as well as a fax machine
- Perfect for workgroups of up to 10 users
- Comes with a preloaded MICR cartridge
- 2,400-standard page yield (7,200 check yield)
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity options
- 1-year warranty on the printer itself
- Lifetime warranty for the MICR cartridge
Cons:
- Not the best option for individual users due to its size
- Quite expensive
8. HP – MICR Printer Bundle with Two HP Cartridges
This model from HP combines excellent functionality with a decent yield per cartridge, representing a laser printer that could fall into the mid-range price category. The thing that makes this offer stand out from the rest on this list is that this printer comes with not one but two cartridges.
This means that when the first cartridge comes with stops working, you can switch to the second one and continue printing checks. (Or whatever else you may want to print with this thing.)
When it comes to the yield of each cartridge, you can rest assured that you will be able to print out as many as 2,500 regular pages with each. If you print only checks, this number grows threefold, so the total figure can be something like 7,500 checks you can prepare and print just with one cartridge.
Pros:
- LCD control panel
- The generous yield of about 7,500 checks (if you’re printing only checks)
- This offer features two cartridges
- 35 pages per minute printing speed
- 6-month warranty on the printer
- Lifetime warranty for MICR cartridges
Cons:
- Both cartridges are monochromatic
9. Lexmark – Check Printer Bundle with 4 MICR Toner Cartridges
If you are after a printer that you would only use occasionally and for printing checks, too, this Lexmark model can be an excellent solution for you. While the yield of this model is fairly modest, the fact that this bundle features four cartridges makes up for it in a way.
The yield itself is about 750 pages for regular paper, but if you want to print only checks, this number goes up to 2,250 checks – and these figures only refer to the black-only ink. This particular bundle also features color ink for the record, which would give you another 500 pages, or about 1,500 checks.
Connectivity-wise, this Lexmark model gives you several options to choose from. First of all, you can use the USB cable to connect the printer to your computer or some other device you are using. On the other hand, you can also use the Internet to connect the two devices. If this is your preferred way of connecting your computer to your printer, then you can do so either via an Ethernet cable or via Wi-Fi.
Pros:
- This bundle features 4 different cartridges
- Connectivity via Ethernet cable, USB cable, or Wi-Fi
- Features a touchscreen display
- Can print either in color or in black-only ink
- 6-month warranty for the printer
- Lifetime warranty on the MICR cartridges
Cons:
- The page yield of a single cartridge isn’t that great
10. HP – Laserjet Pro MICR Check Printer Bundle
If you want a relatively simple-to-use printer to print out checks easily, this model from HP can be just the thing for you. With a rather solid page yield of about a thousand pages per one cartridge, this thing can be a great option for people who only need to print checks occasionally.
To be more precise regarding the yield, the thing to keep in mind would be that the 1,000-page yield only applies in cases where you want to print regular pages. If you’re going to print only checks, you can rest assured that this number will increase three-fold, about 3,000 pages.
As far as connectivity is concerned, you can easily connect this model with your computer as long as you have a Wi-Fi router in your house. This way, you don’t need any cables to make the printer work to complete your printing tasks quickly and easily.
Pros:
- Fast Wi-Fi connectivity
- Ethernet connectivity
- 6-month warranty for the printer
- Lifetime warranty for the MICR cartridge
- 1,000-page yield for regular pages (3,000 copies worth of checks – at three per page)
Cons:
- A tad pricey
Best Printer For Checks Buying Guide
Wireless Connectivity
When it comes to the way you can connect your printer with the computer or some other device you’re using, one of the most common ways this can be done nowadays (and which is also one of the most efficient ways) would be using Wi-Fi connectivity.
The reason why using Wi-Fi to connect your printer to your computer is that you won’t need to use any cables and that you can use your printer usually even if your computer is not close to it.
Other than Wi-Fi, some printer models also use Ethernet cables for this purpose and USB cables. Both these options will do the trick just fine, but in terms of convenience and ease of use – it should be said that Wi-Fi connectivity would probably be the best overall solution.
Page Yield
This parameter, while reasonably necessary, is more related to the specific ‘ability’ of the cartridge rather than a printer as a whole. Still, the page yield of a printer often determines whether or not the thing is worth buying.
Depending on how large the cartridge is, it can give you a page yield of some 750 pages, all the way up to 5,000 pages. Of course, if we’re talking about printing only checks, this number is tripled (since three checks can fit on a single page). So, a printer that yields 5,000 regular pages will be able to muster about 15,000 checks.
Another thing worth mentioning here is that the price goes up for printers to print more pages. The better the page yield of the toner, the more expensive the printer will be.
Touchscreen Control Panel
While a touchscreen control panel isn’t necessarily the most crucial part of a laser printer, it still can be a valuable addition – especially if you want to set some printing parameters quickly, without having to use a mouse or the keyboard.
Now, if a printer doesn’t have one of these touchscreen panels, this doesn’t have to mean it’s terrible, as many excellent printers don’t come with one of these panels.
Still, if you like the page yield of a printer, its connectivity options, the quality of the ink, as well as its other features, a touchscreen control pad on top of that would undoubtedly be an excellent last touch.
Warranty
Whenever you have a technical appliance with many small parts that can go wrong, it’s always helpful to have a warranty to go with it.
Typically, the deal with warranties and laser printers is the following – the printer itself has a warranty of about half a year, while the cartridge has a lifetime warranty. The reason behind this is – if you’re taking good care of your printer cartridge, it can last you for years, and since it can be refilled, it can technically be good to go forever.
On the other hand, when it comes to the printer itself, its parts are more complex, so the likelihood of something going wrong is higher – hence the shorter warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What Kind of Printer Do You Need to Print Checks?
Many Different Kinds of Printers Can Be used to Print Checks.
The most important thing is to check what sort of ink a printer uses. This matters because if you want to print checks, you will need a special ink cartridge that those check-reading machines at the bank can recognize. So, if the printer works on a cartridge with MICR ink, you can use it to print checks.
2) Can I Print Checks without MICR Ink?
No, you can’t.
The thing about MICR ink is that it’s readable by the bank’s automated check reader. If this reader cannot recognize the check, the bank will decline it. The MICR ink can be read by these machines so that the bank will accept a check printed with this ink.
3) Can I Print a Check on Plain Paper?
Yes, you can.
As long as you’re using MICR ink, the type of paper you’re using isn’t that important. So, even regular paper you would use to print some page or the other on your computer will do fine for this purpose.
4) Is Magnetic Ink Still Required on Checks?
Yes, it is.
As a part of anti-fraud regulations, banks require that their users use checks printed with magnetic ink. So, yes, if you want to print your checks at home, make sure you’re using magnetic ink for this purpose.
5) Do Banks Accept Printed Checks?
Yes, they do.
For the most part, banks don’t care whether you bought a bundle of premade checks or you printed them yourself.
As long as the check can be read by the little reader machine they’ve got, you can rest assured that the bank will accept it.
Conclusion
All in all, whether you’re running a business with employees to take care of or want to be able to print your checks, having your laser printer can be a great way to bypass having to buy already made bundles of the check paper. We hope you found this article helpful, and we wish you the best of luck with your printing ventures.
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