Best A1 Plotter – Our Top Picks

No 2 – HP DesignJet T230

The HP DesignJet T200 series features 2 desktop models – the T250 & the lower priced T230, both great choices & hugely popular with users who have previously owned HP. Directly replacing the HP T120 / T125 which held our top position for 5 years running, the T230 comes from a sound platform of printers that have dominated the AEC space for 25 years.

This model has been a hit since it’s Q4 2020 launch and 2025 has seen a refresh that see the T230 made of over 40% recycled plastic and includes 5% recycled metal. Packaging is fully fibre-based with a 73% reduction in plastic compared to previous designs, and ink maintenance routines use up to 96% less ink. Additionally, the built-in auto on/off scheduler contributes to energy savings of up to 65%, helping to reduce operational costs and environmental impact. It also now includes HP Wolf Security for protection against unauthorised access and cyber threats.

With a compact design you can sit the DesignJet T230 on it’s optional stand & basket, a bench, plan chest or even on a suitable sturdy wall shelf & with reliable wi-fi connectivity you need only to worry about the power cable. As with all products the roll feed is standard and takes up to 50 meter A1 / A2 paper rolls but optional extras include a handy cassette tray for either A3 or A4 sheets, you can even finish the look off by adding an optional dust cover to protect your media.

TIP: If you’re buying an extended warranty then opt for the T250 as warranty extensions are at lower cost and therefore its better value + the T250 is 5 seconds quicker per A1

Entry Level 1-2 User Work Group

Expect to pay around £500

Ink Cost: Black 60p CMY – 64p per millilitre

No 4 – Canon imagePROGRAF TM-255

Our headline of “Busier users with bigger files”, conveys this is the first unit in our lineup featuring an inbuilt hard drive. Not only is it quick at processing files onboard, but also great at handling full colour larger files.

Critically, it should be noted that it has a relatively low total life cost, considering the cost of ink per millilitre is lower than that of all other top 5 rivals. Additionally, it also ships with more free ink than all other options – in fact, in real terms, Well over £200 of ink is included & when this is taken into account, early investment costs are lower.

The Canon TM-255 comes with a stand & basket but most importantly it’s the only plotter in our top 5 which can take longer, better value for money 175m rolls of paper, giving users less downtime and less operator interventions.

Canon redefined their entry level platform with the TM-200 series and they made this line smaller than the previous model & also made significant changes to sound levels – the Canon TM-255 is exceptionally quiet.

With water resistant & light proof inks you not only print construction drawings but also posters & site signage. Aimed at busier work-groups who want A1 & A2 plots from the roll feed, options wise you can add a scanner making this printer a Copy / Scan MFP solution as well.

Tip: Typically the cheaper the purchase of the printer the more expensive the lifetime cost. Yes you’ll pay more upfront for our 4th, 5th and 6th choice but save on running cost and you’re likely to see many more years service.

Small To Medium Work Groups

Expect to pay around £999

Ink Cost: Black + CMY – 38p per millilitre (LOWEST PRICED ink for entry level plotters) 

No 6 – EPSON SC-T3700  

What a printer this is!

EPSON have shook the market up with a departure from their old architecture with a completely new chic design that is not only attractive but also robust and functional. It’s designed to back up close to a wall with everything accessible from the front and designed for productivity.

The 3700 features ink choices of 700ml, 350ml & 160ml so the cost per page can be kept down. It can also take 175m 3″ core paper, again underlying it’s robust nature. In addition from the standard Black and CMY ink you expect to see, there is also a red ink – this is a great addition for renders, logo’s and for posters, increasing colour gamut and brilliant of you ever need solid red fill such as sale posters or construction site signage.

The machine is available in 3 versions – single roll, dual roll and dual roll with postscript

Tip:  Buy with the EPSON COVERPLUS warranty, it’s the only warranty which not only includes print heads but also sends an engineer to fit for you and is great value over 5 years

Mid Level for busier Work Groups

Expect to pay under £2,000 for the basic model

Ink Cost: Black + CMY – from 28p per millilitre

No 8 – EPSON SC-T3100 M MFP

Launched in Feb 21, this new variant of the highly successful and popular SC-T31 series brings users 3-in-1 multi-functional capability with the addition of a 600dpi scanner. You can copy, print and scan, all from a neat compact footprint. Scan direct to Copy, USB, Network Destination and even Email, making this the most functional A1 unit in the market. It didn’t knock the T830 A1 out of 4th position as running costs are higher but for light users it’s a great feature rich choice. If you’re tight on space & want to bench mount then it’s the one to choose as the stand is optional. 

Entry Level 1-2 User Work Group

Expect to pay around £1,100 (without stand)

Ink Cost: Black 75p CMY – 84p per millilitre 

No 10 – HP T870

Full review pending – Launched October 2025.

As the smaller sibling of the acclaimed HP DesignJet T850 36-inch printer, the T870 delivers the same outstanding performance in a compact footprint—perfect for studios, classrooms, retail or venues.

This is a stunning addition to the HP line up and with pigment inks, embedded Adobe Print Engine and top speed of 21 seconds per A1, we’re sure it will be a hit!

Low Volume Cad, Education & Retail

Expect to pay around £1,400 

Ink from 50p per millilitre