Best A0 Plotter – Our Top Picks

Canon imagePROGRAF TM-350 6246C003AA

Canon remain at the top of our line-up with the imagePROGRAF TM-350, which replaces the TM-300. It costs a little more than other budget options up front. But it comes with bigger inks in the box and better value per ml afterwards, so over its lifetime it’s the better return on investment.

Large, well-priced 300ml inks (or a smaller 130ml option) keep the total cost of ownership lower than the alternatives. A newly formulated magenta ink gives deeper reds, and in testing on our showroom unit we saw more vibrant colours across the board, even on low-cost 80gsm paper.

It’s the first in the range with Apple AirPrint, alongside Wi-Fi, USB and network connections. It’s the quietest unit in our line-up, so it suits open-plan offices and small studios. It’s also more compact and quicker than the old model, delivering A1s as fast as 3.2 per minute.

The online roll feed takes 110-metre rolls, so you change paper less often. It can take rolls of up to 175 metres, but at 12–13kg these are harder to handle on this model. You can also add an optional scanner to make it an all-in-one MFP with copy and scan, for no more than an off-the-shelf A0 scanner – and handy brackets mount it on top, so it needs no extra space.

It’s designed for sub-contractors, small businesses and studios. Its water-resistant, light-fast ink also makes it great for print shops producing signage, point-of-sale and renders.

• Suited to Entry level, workgroups of 4–5
• Price guide Around £1,700
• Ink cost 38p per ml (black + CMY)

View the TM-350

HP DesignJet T1600

HP’s strapline says it all: “Simply Brilliant”. There are four variants of the T1600, so we’d recommend talking to us to go through the options.

The top stacking of prints is a joy, with no messy basket delivery. The ink system has a light-fast, water-resistant pigment black, a dye-based black and a grey, which is ideal for architects who want to reproduce building plans quickly and accurately. Inks come in large, good-value 300ml cartridges, or 130ml for lighter users – and ask us about pay-as-you-go ink plans.

For IT managers, the T1600 and above offer much higher security than other options on the market, with HDD erasure, whitelisting, PIN encryption and SIEM integration. Need a security guide? Just contact us.

Choose a single or dual-roll model for all popular sizes. Crucially, it has genuine Adobe PostScript – not only for Mac users, but for Windows users who want to submit batches of PDF construction drawings. This is our pick for the best HP A0 plotter. Also consider the MFP version, the HP T2600, which copies, prints and scans.

The T1600 is more ink efficient than most, so its cost per ml isn’t a like-for-like comparison with the others.

• Suited to Medium to large workgroups
• Price guide From £2,500, or on a contracted ink plan
• Ink cost Around 39p per ml (36p on a contracted plan)

View the T1600

HP DesignJet T850 2Y9H0A

The T850 ranks above the cheaper T630, T650 and Studio because it uses larger inks. You soon recoup the extra outlay through bigger inks in the box and a better cost per ml on later purchases. It also delivers fine line detail and vivid colour, with a host of security features.

It takes A0/A1 rolls plus an optional A3 sheet feed, and the bundled HP Click software picks the best media source for each job. Emulated PostScript makes printing PDF drawings easy, and HP Click helps prevent print errors from corrupt files.

It’s made with at least 35% recycled plastic and comes in plastic-free packaging. HP’s trade-in programme takes your old plotter away for recycling, and HP can recycle the T850 itself at the end of its life. You can schedule automatic power on and off to save energy, and return spent cartridges free through HP Planet Partners.

Be aware that HP also sells a multifunction T850 MFP with scan, print and copy, which we love. It costs more, so make sure you order the right machine. The T850 is ideal for environmentally minded, lower-volume users who want a bit more flexibility, and comes with a two-year warranty as standard.

Tip: the T850 is the basic version of its series. If you want more speed, more memory and accessories such as a sheet feeder, choose our No 4 pick, the XT950.

• Suited to Entry level, small workgroups
• Price guide Around £1,500 with a trade-in (print only)
• Ink cost 48p per ml (black + CMY)

View the T850

HP DesignJet XT950 2Y9H1F

IT and facilities managers love the XT950. It looks like a white T850 because it’s built on the same robust platform, but it adds efficiency gains and more service and ink options.

The fabric basket is replaced by integrated output trays for large sizes and A3. The large stacker holds up to 30 pages flat, and both trays come as standard, keeping pages sorted by size.

On service and ink: as an HP warranty provider with our own engineers, you come straight to us rather than an HP call centre. Our plans include HP Care Packs, which we support directly, and our own service plans, paid monthly or quarterly. You can include ink on a usage basis with automatic replenishment through HP Partner Link, and extend cover to printheads and preventative maintenance rather than just break-fix.

HP Wolf Pro Security protects your printer, network and data from cyberthreats without any effort from your IT team.

Tip: there’s also an MFP version with scan, print and copy, which is hugely popular if you need more from your printer.

• Suited to Entry level, small workgroups
• Price guide Around £2,400, less with a trade-in
• Ink cost Let's talk about your needs

View the XT950

Epson SureColor SC-T5100

There are three versions: the SC-T5100, the SC-T5100N (which ships without a stand) and the SC-T5100M, an all-in-one MFP with copy and scan.

This is Epson’s first entry-level A0 plotter. We usually find the total cost of ownership on Epson machines higher than we’d like. But this one ships with a two-year warranty that also covers the printhead, and a choice of 26ml and 50ml inks, so the running cost looks more attractive than usual. Its white design is more attractive than most, too.

Like the Canon, its inks are water resistant and light fast.

• Suited to Entry level, 1–2 users
• Price guide Under £1,400 (standard version)
• Ink cost Black 65p, CMY 71p per ml

View the SC-T5100

Canon imagePROGRAF TM-340 6248C003AA

The TM-340 is built on the same quiet platform as our No 1 pick. It’s the best priced of all our options and suits lower-volume environments with its smaller 55ml inks. It can still take larger, longer media rolls, so you change paper less often and can choose better-value media.

We call it our lowest-priced option because, unlike the Epson, it comes with the stand and basket included – and if you’re buying an A0, we’d consider those essential.

It’s a great choice if you need an A0 but want to keep the capital cost down. You can add a scanner, too.

• Suited to Entry level, 1–2 users
• Price guide Under £1,300
• Ink cost 65p per ml (black + CMY)

View the TM-340

HP DesignJet Studio A0 5HB14A | 5HB14C

Great for environmentally conscious customers. It also comes in an A1 version, and as most architectural practices print at A1, it’s ideal there – see our best A1 plotters round-up for alternatives. For A0 users printing higher volumes it scores lower, as it isn’t the cheapest to run – but that shouldn’t put off low-volume users, because it’s a well thought-out product.

It’s the world’s first net carbon neutral A0 CAD printer, designed for style-conscious studios with a green-led design that suits contemporary workplaces without losing functionality.

Software makes it easy to use, with automatic media switching: A0 and A1 plots default to the roll, and A3 to the built-in 50-sheet feed. It costs more than the alternatives, but it’s a viable option if you care about your carbon footprint. Choose a wood-effect or metal top to suit your office, in A1 or A0.

• Suited to Entry level, small workgroups
• Price guide From around £1,850 (A0)
• Ink cost Black 55p, CMY 60p per ml

View the DesignJet Studio

HP DesignJet T630 / T650 5HB11D / 5HB10D

Our No 1 choice for rental, if you’re a low-volume user who needs to rent an HP plotter. Plans start at 40 A1 (20 A0) prints a month and go up to 200 A1 (100 A0). They’re flexible enough to add volume at peak times or roll unused volume over (terms apply), from £60 + VAT a month on a three-year plan. You’ll need a company registration number, and onboarding is subject to credit checks.

The T630 36″ is HP’s lowest-priced A0 plotter, so don’t rule it out if you simply want the cheapest HP. Also see the T650. The T600 series has great green credentials too, using recycled plastics – including ocean-bound plastics – as part of HP’s drive for a greener world. It isn’t net carbon neutral like the Studio, but it’s still impressive.

• Suited to Entry level, small workgroups
• Price guide Under £1,450, or rent from £60 a month
• Ink cost Black 55p, CMY 60p per ml

View the T630

Canon imagePROGRAF TX-3000

If you’re looking at higher volumes, larger workgroups and a lower cost per print, the TX-3000 – or the wider-than-A0+ TX-4000 – should be your go-to choice.

These are workhorses built for quick processing and less downtime, with large 700ml inks (also 130ml or 300ml) and up to two rolls online – almost 600 A1 prints before a paper change. You can add a scanner to make it an MFP, and there are options for extra paper stacking.

We’ve installed more than 50 of these for one customer reproducing civil engineering drawings. It’s streamlined their group workflow, they have more uptime across offices, and their IT team manages the whole fleet remotely. They also pay for ink by the ml after it’s used, so there are no cartridges to buy – new ones simply arrive before they’re needed.

• Suited to Medium to large workgroups
• Price guide From around £3,000 (basic model)
• Ink cost From under 30p per ml

View the latest TX-3200

HP DesignJet XL 3600 6KD23A | 6KD25A

If our list were based on revenue rather than unit sales, the XL 3600 would be near the top – we sell a lot of them. It’s HP’s flagship DesignJet, giving large workgroups robust printing, copying and scanning, with enhanced IT security and software tools to streamline and monitor printing.

It’s hugely efficient, with up to two 175-metre rolls online. Its six-colour ink set includes a grey ink, like our No 2 pick, which is ideal for black-and-white site drawings. It also delivers market-leading quality, with fine lines and vibrant colours for architectural renders.

It’s the only A0 plotter in our line-up with an optional OEM integrated folder that cross-folds drawings – underlining its focus on productivity.

• Suited to Medium to large workgroups
• Price guide Contact us for pricing
• Ink cost Ask about pay-as-you-go ink and service

View the XL 3600