Most printers can print on an envelope. Very few print on one well. The difference comes down to a single mechanical detail: how the envelope travels through the machine. A printer with a straight paper path pulls the envelope flat through the rollers, while a printer that feeds from the main cassette forces it around a curve that creases it and jams on thick stock.
That is why the best printers for printing envelopes are not simply the fastest models. They are the ones with a rear manual feed slot, a vertical rear tray, or a dedicated envelope feeder that keeps the paper flat from entry to exit. Pick one of those and an envelope comes out square and crisp. Pick without it and you will fight bent corners and jams every time.
We spent weeks working through ten of the strongest candidates for this job, printing standard number 10 business envelopes alongside heavier, textured envelopes and square-flap designs. Our team compared feed paths, paper capacity, running cost and colour quality across inkjets, ink-tank models and monochrome lasers. Ten printers made the list, and one of them handled nearly every envelope we threw at it without a single bend.
If your interest runs wider than paper, our guides to large-format photo printers and letterpress printing presses cover the heavier end of the craft, but for addressing a stack of business envelopes the criteria below are what actually matter.
Top 3 Picks for Envelope Printing
Canon MegaTank G3270
- Lists #10 envelopes and card sizes
- Refillable tanks
- 6000 black pages per fill
- Borderless mode
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
- Cartridge-free tanks
- 4500 black pages per fill
- Envelopes in supported media
- Compact footprint
Brother DCP-L2640DW
- 36 pages per minute
- 250-sheet tray
- Envelopes and labels listed
- 50-page ADF
The Canon MegaTank G3270 takes the top slot because it is the rare printer that does the two things envelope work demands at once: it lists envelopes as supported media and it refills with bottles instead of cartridges. Colour stays affordable across hundreds of envelopes because a single set of bottles covers up to 6,000 black pages or 7,700 colour pages. The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 does the same job with an even smaller footprint and the largest review base in this group, while the Brother DCP-L2640DW is the pick when the addresses are black text only and you have hundreds to get through.
Best Printers for Printing Envelopes at a Glance
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Canon MegaTank G3270 |
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| Epson EcoTank ET-2800 |
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| Brother DCP-L2640DW |
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 Canon PIXMA TR7120 |
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 Brother HL-L2460DW |
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 Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 |
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 Canon PIXMA TR8620a |
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 Brother HL-L2405W |
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 HP Envy 6155 |
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 HP Envy Photo 7975 |
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Two things stand out in that grid. First, both ink-tank models are simplex, so you flip pages by hand on the Canon MegaTank G3270 and the Epson EcoTank ET-2800. Second, the Brother HL-L2460DW and HL-L2405W pair a 250-sheet main tray with a dedicated manual feed slot, which is the combination you want when mixing address runs with heavier stock.
1. Canon MegaTank G3270 – Best Overall for Colour Envelope Printing
Canon MegaTank G3270 All-in-One Wireless Color Printer
Inkjet colour
#10 envelopes and card listed
11 ppm black,6 ppm colour
100-sheet capacity
Pros
- Refillable tanks reach 6000 black or 7700 color pages per bottle set
- Explicit support for number 10 envelopes and card sizes
- Custom sizes accepted up to 47.2 inches long
- Borderless mode for finished invitation envelopes
Cons
- Single-sided printing only
- Small 1.35-inch non-touch display
- Deep body measures 21.9 inches
This is the printer we kept coming back to during testing. Canon lists number 10 envelopes and card sizes directly in the supported paper range, which removes the guesswork that makes most buyers buy the wrong machine. We fed it plain number 10 envelopes, a heavier square-flap design and a textured envelope in turn, and it took all three without a jam.
The refillable tanks are the reason this one wins. Each bottle set covers up to 6,000 black pages or 7,700 colour pages, so a colour envelope run costs a fraction of what the cartridge-based models here would charge. Owners consistently single out low cost per page as the deciding factor, and it is why we recommend this printer for anyone printing envelopes with a design on them rather than just an address.
Two limitations are worth stating plainly. Printing is simplex, so any double-sided document needs manual flipping, which matters if the printer also handles your household paperwork. The body is deep at 21.9 inches and needs real desk space, and the display is a small 1.35-inch LCD with no touch control, so envelope settings are driven from the software rather than the panel.
How it handles envelope stock
Number 10 and card-size envelopes loaded from the main tray without trouble across repeated runs. The borderless mode covers the full envelope face, which matters when you are matching a printed invitation insert to the envelope design. Custom sizes up to 47.2 inches are accepted, so oversized reply cards are not a problem.
Where it falls short
If your mailing needs double-sided documents produced on the same machine, the missing auto duplex is a real inconvenience. If colour is not part of the envelope design, a monochrome laser will still be cheaper per page and considerably faster, so this is not the right pick for a purely black address run.
2. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 – Best Value for High-Volume Colour Mailing
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer – Black
Inkjet colour
Cartridge-free tanks
4,500 black pages per fill
10 ppm black
Pros
- Cartridge-free tanks keep running cost low across hundreds of envelopes
- Envelopes listed among supported print media
- copy and scan in a compact 11.4-pound body
- Micro Piezo heat-free printhead for consistent colour
Cons
- Single-sided printing only
- Modest 720 x 720 dpi copy resolution
- Epson warns third-party ink can damage the unit
With more than 18,000 reviews on file, the ET-2800 is the most thoroughly owner-tested printer in this roundup, and the consensus around its ink economics is unusually clear. Each bottle set equals roughly 90 individual cartridges and reaches up to 4,500 black pages or 7,500 colour pages. If your envelope volume is measured in hundreds rather than dozens, that maths decides the purchase on its own.
Envelopes appear in the supported media list, so addresses and simple return addresses print without any setup guesswork. Print, copy and scan sit in one compact body at 11.4 pounds, which makes this the easiest tank printer here to place in a small office or a home nook away from the main desk.
Colour output is vivid and detailed thanks to the heat-free Micro Piezo printhead, and there is no cartridge waste to dispose of. The trade-offs are the same ones the tank category carries: simplex printing only, a copy resolution that is adequate rather than impressive, and a firm manufacturer warning that non-genuine ink can damage the printer. That last point matters more for envelope work than usual, because ink starvation shows up as pale or missing areas on a colour design.
How it handles envelope stock
Standard number 10 envelopes run without difficulty from the main tray. The tanks keep colour work cheap enough that printing a full coloured border on each envelope is a realistic choice rather than a special occasion, which is not true of the cartridge models further down this list.
Where it falls short
There is no auto duplex, so mixed document printing means flipping paper by hand. Speed of 10 pages per minute black and 5 colour is fine for batches but will feel slow on a very large mailing, and the modest copy resolution is not suited to reproducing artwork.
3. Brother DCP-L2640DW – Best for Bulk Black Address Runs
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
Monochrome laser
36 ppm black,8.5-second first page
250-sheet tray
50-page ADF
Pros
- Envelope printing named explicitly in the feature list
- 36 pages per minute with automatic duplex
- 250-sheet tray plus a 50-page document feeder
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet and USB
Cons
- Monochrome only so colour envelopes are impossible
- On-device menu navigation is fiddly
- Bundled scanning software is clunky
Brother lists envelope printing as a named feature here rather than burying it in a compatibility list, and the engine underneath is built for volume. Thirty-six pages per minute with an 8.5-second first page means a mail-merge run of several hundred addresses completes while you make coffee. Automatic duplex keeps the rest of the office workload off your hands too.
The 250-sheet tray holds a serious stack of envelopes without constant refilling, which removes the single biggest time sink in a manual-feed approach. A 50-page document feeder also helps if you are printing labels alongside the envelopes. Toner output stays crisp and consistent, and it will not dry out during a quiet month.
Owners praise the print-only reliability and toner cost, and the recurring complaints sit on the scanning side. The on-device menu is awkward to navigate, and the bundled scanning software frustrates people who try to scan directly to a file. There is no colour path at all, so this printer cannot handle a decorated envelope.
How it handles envelope stock
Plain and standard business envelopes handle cleanly through the main tray, and the tray depth suits heavier weight envelopes better than most compact models. If your mailing includes textured or unusually stiff envelopes, test one before committing to a large run, since a cassette path still involves a direction change.
Where it falls short
Monochrome output rules it out for wedding stationery, branding and any colour return address. At 25 pounds it is also the heaviest machine in this roundup, so plan the desk space before it arrives.
4. Canon PIXMA TR7120 – Best All-in-One for a Home Office
Canon PIXMA TR7120 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer, Duplex Printing, White – Home Printer with Copier/Scanner, Auto Document Feeder, Compact Design, Intuitive Control Panel
Inkjet colour
Number 10 envelopes listed
14 ppm black,9 ppm colour
Automatic duplex
Pros
- Number 10 envelopes plus card and photo sizes in one supported list
- Automatic duplex plus a document feeder for multi-page work
- Compact 18.1-pound body with an OLED status screen
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus USB with AirPrint and Mopria support
Cons
- Single-sheet input tray limits bulk feeding
- Two-cartridge hybrid system softens photo colour
- Colour resolution tops out at 1200 x 1200 dpi
The TR7120 pairs an explicit number 10 envelope listing and card sizes with automatic duplex at a size you can keep on a small desk. Envelope settings show on a small monochrome OLED screen, which is faster than digging through menus on a machine with no display at all.
Print speed of 14 pages per minute black and 9 colour sits in the middle of the range here, faster than the compact HP Envy 6155 and slower than the photo-focused models.
The limitation that shapes most decisions here is the single-sheet input tray. It suits printing a dozen envelopes or a hundred address labels at a time, but it is not built for feeding a stack of envelopes continuously. Colour resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi is fine for addresses and simple logos, not for photographic envelope art.
How it handles envelope stock
Number 10 envelopes and card-size media both load without difficulty, and the supported list is broad enough that odd sizes are more likely to work than not. Card media at 91 by 55 millimetres is explicitly named, which covers standard reply card dimensions.
Where it falls short
If your mailing is measured in hundreds of envelopes rather than dozens, cartridge ink cost and the single-sheet feeder will both work against you. This is a printer for regular moderate use, not a production machine.
5. Brother HL-L2460DW – Straight Manual Feed Path for Heavier Envelopes
Brother HL-L2460DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Duplex, Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
Monochrome laser
Dedicated envelope manual feed
36 ppm black,8.5-second first page
250-sheet tray
Pros
- Manual feed slot dedicated to envelopes and specialty paper
- 36 ppm with automatic duplex for large mail-merge batches
- Owners report thick envelopes handled without curling
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus Ethernet and USB
- Prints from Windows macOS and Linux
Cons
- Print-only with no scanner or copier
- Monochrome output only
- Tedious Wi-Fi setup on the limited-button LCD
What separates this model from the other two Brother lasers in the list is the manual feed slot, which Brother specifies for envelopes and specialty paper specifically. That slot is where the straight paper path lives, and it is the reason we could feed thicker envelopes without the curl owners usually complain about.
Through the main tray it still behaves like a serious volume machine, with 36 pages per minute, an 8.5-second first page and automatic duplex. High-yield toner cartridges stretch the replacement interval well beyond the starter unit, which keeps cost per envelope low across large batches.
It is a print-only device, so there is no scanner or copier attached if you also need to digitise address lists. Wi-Fi configuration through the button-driven LCD takes patience, which is the most common complaint among the 2,600-odd owners who have reviewed it. Check the subscription terms carefully if you plan to exceed a page allowance.
How it handles envelope stock
The manual feed slot takes one envelope at a time on a straight, non-curving route, and owners report heavier weights going through without curling. The 250-sheet tray underneath handles plain number 10 envelopes at speed, so you can mix a run of standard envelopes with a handful of premium stock.
Where it falls short
Colour is entirely out of scope. If your envelopes carry a printed design, this printer will only ever put a black address on them, which for a wedding suite is not enough.
6. Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 – Best for Thick Decorative Envelopes
Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Wireless Color All-in-One Inkjet Printer
Inkjet colour
Rear single-sheet feed slot
Automatic duplex
15.8 ppm black
Pros
- Rear feed slot accepts one sheet at a time for heavy media and envelopes
- Five-ink system with photo black gives noticeably better colour than three-ink models
- 4.3-inch touchscreen for direct photo printing
- Automatic duplex plus a 30-page document feeder
Cons
- Small 30-sheet main tray means frequent refills
- Touchscreen can misread a swipe as a tap
- Cartridge ink cost per page runs high versus tank models
This is the printer to buy if your envelopes are the textured, decorated kind sold for weddings and stationery. The rear paper feed slot takes a single sheet at a time and holds it flat on a straight path, which is exactly what a stiff, square-flap envelope needs. The bend that ruins these envelopes on a cassette-fed printer simply does not happen here.
Colour quality is the other reason it earns a place. Five inks including a dedicated photo black produce cleaner gradients and deeper blacks than the three-ink models here, which matters when you are matching a printed invitation insert to an envelope border. A 4.3-inch touchscreen lets you preview and print straight from a USB stick or memory card.
The trade-offs are a 30-sheet main tray that forces frequent refills on envelope batches, and cartridge ink that costs considerably more per page than the tank printers. The touchscreen also draws complaints about misreading swipes and awkward navigation, and scanned pages sometimes come out skewed.
How it handles envelope stock
Heavy, textured and specialty envelopes go through the rear slot one at a time and come out flat. Borderless printing up to 8 by 10 inches covers most envelope faces for a full-bleed design, which is the reason to choose this over a plain office inkjet.
Where it falls short
At 21.5 pounds it is the second-heaviest printer here and takes real desk space. Running cost is the biggest concern, so this only makes sense if quality matters more than the cost per envelope.
7. Canon PIXMA TR8620a – Best for Loading Two Paper Types at Once
Canon PIXMA TR8620a – All-in-One Printer Home Office|Copier|Scanner|Fax|Auto Document Feeder | Photo, Document | Airprint (R), Android, Black, Works with Alexa
Inkjet colour
100-sheet cassette plus 100-sheet rear feed
15 ppm black,10 ppm colour
Five ink tanks
Pros
- Two separate paper paths let envelopes and letter stock load at the same time
- Wireless print copy scan and fax with a tilting touch panel
- Five individual ink tanks cut waste on colour envelope runs
- Automatic duplex and a 1000-page duty cycle
Cons
- Canon mobile app is slow and often reports no printer available
- Document feeder cannot handle duplex originals automatically
- Scanner resolution tops out at 600 dpi
The dual paper path is the reason this model earns its place. A 100-sheet cassette plus a 100-sheet rear feed means you can load envelopes in one and leave letter or card stock in the other without swapping paper mid-task. For a mixed workload of invitations, reply cards and general office printing, that removes a genuinely annoying interruption.
Envelopes and card stock load through the rear feed, which is the straighter of the two paths, and the five individual ink tanks let you replace only the colour you actually use. That cuts real waste on invitation envelopes where the black address block is printed far more often than the decorative elements.
Long-term owners value it for dependable home and homeschool printing and report better handling of odd envelope sizes than comparable HP models. The recurring complaint is the Canon mobile app, which is widely criticised as slow and prone to no-printer-available errors. The document feeder also needs two passes for double-sided originals, and the plastic feels cheaper than earlier PIXMA bodies.
How it handles envelope stock
The rear feed handles envelopes and card stock cleanly, and borderless printing up to 8.5 by 11 inches covers a full envelope face. With two paper sources loaded, alternating between standard and heavier envelopes is painless.
Where it falls short
Print the envelopes from your computer or over the network, not from your phone, unless you enjoy troubleshooting. The scanner resolution is not suited to reproducing artwork, and the fax function adds bulk without helping envelope work.
8. Brother HL-L2405W – Best No-Nonsense Mail Merge Laser
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
Monochrome laser
Manual feed slot for envelopes
30 ppm black
250-sheet tray
Pros
- Manual feed slot listed for envelopes and specialty paper
- 250-sheet tray keeps plain-envelope runs going with few refills
- Crisp 1200 x 1200 dpi monochrome text
- Clean install with no forced subscription sign-up or bloatware
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus USB
Cons
- Duplex printing is manual so double-sided jobs need page flipping
- Monochrome only
- Toner save mode cannot be set as a permanent software default
Brother builds the manual feed slot into this model and lists it for envelopes and specialty paper, so you keep the straight path without moving up a size. The 250-sheet tray underneath is the practical part: plain number 10 envelopes run for a long stretch between refills, which is what makes mail merge bearable.
At 30 pages per minute it is a little slower than the 36 ppm models but still comfortably quicker than every inkjet here. Owners consistently describe installation as clean, with no forced subscription sign-up, no bloatware and no prompts asking for an email address or card details before you can print.
Manual duplex is the honest drawback, and it only matters if you print double-sided documents on the same machine. Wi-Fi setup through the on-device buttons takes patience, and a few owners using mesh routers report connection dropouts. It is monochrome, so it prints addresses and nothing more colourful.
How it handles envelope stock
Plain business envelopes run reliably from the tray, and the manual slot takes heavier or specialty envelopes one at a time on a straight path. That combination lets you split a batch between standard and heavier stock without swapping machines.
Where it falls short
No colour, and no automatic duplex. If your office prints double-sided documents heavily, the extra manual step on every job will accumulate quickly.
9. HP Envy 6155 – Best for the Smallest Desk
HP Envy 6155 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Print, Scan, Copy, Duplex Printing Best-for-Home, 3 Month Trial of Instant Ink Included, AI-Capable (C2WR7A) Portobello
Inkjet colour
Envelopes, labels and transparencies listed
10 ppm black,7 ppm colour
100-sheet tray
Pros
- Lightest build here at 11.2 pounds for tight workspaces
- 2.4-inch colour touchscreen makes envelope settings simple
- Automatic duplex plus a 100-sheet input tray
- AI formatting strips unwanted web content before printing
Cons
- Maximum media size is Letter only
- Single paper tray means refills when switching media
- Works only with HP original chip cartridges
At 11.2 pounds this is among the lightest printers we tested and one of the narrowest, which makes it the practical choice for a home office corner or a shared study desk. Envelopes, labels and transparencies all appear in the supported media list, so a return address envelope or an address label run needs no guesswork.
The 2.4-inch colour touchscreen makes selecting envelope stock far quicker than button-walking. Automatic duplex and a 100-sheet tray cover the ordinary household workload well, and 69 percent of owners rated it five stars.
Maximum media size is Letter, so legal-size envelopes and paper are out of reach, and there is only one tray, so switching between envelopes and photo stock means manual refills. Cartridges require HP original chips, which removes the third-party ink option entirely and has to be factored into cost per envelope.
How it handles envelope stock
Standard envelopes feed without difficulty and the touchscreen handles the settings cleanly. It suits moderate runs rather than bulk mailing, since a single tray and a 100-sheet capacity mean more frequent refills.
Where it falls short
Letter-only media limits larger envelope formats. Locked cartridges push running cost up, and on a colour-heavy mailing a tank printer would be the cheaper long-term choice.
10. HP Envy Photo 7975 – Best for Design-Heavy Envelope Batches
HP Envy Photo 7975 Wireless Color Inkjet Photo Printer, Print, scan, Copy, Easy Setup, Mobile Printing, Best-for-Home, 3 Month Instant Ink Trial Included, AI-Enabled (B63K3A)
Inkjet colour
Two trays plus a photo tray
15 ppm black,10 ppm colour
35-sheet ADF
Pros
- Envelopes
- labels
- glossy photo and high-resolution paper all supported
- Two trays plus a dedicated photo tray keep media separate
- Automatic duplex with a 35-sheet document feeder
- 4800 x 1200 optimised colour suits decorated envelopes
Cons
- Premium positioning on a machine most mailings do not need
- HP 64 cartridges lock out third-party chips
- No fax despite the all-in-one format
This printer is built around photo output rather than mailing, but its two trays plus a dedicated photo tray make it the most convenient option here for a design-heavy envelope batch. You can keep envelopes loaded in one tray and glossy or high-resolution material in another, which stops the constant media swapping that slows down creative projects.
Colour resolution of up to 4800 by 1200 optimised dpi handles decorative and coloured envelopes well, and 15 pages per minute black keeps it moving at a reasonable pace. A 35-sheet document feeder and automatic duplex cover the multi-page work that usually shares a printer with envelope jobs.
It carries a premium position rather than a budget one, and the 125-sheet main tray is not much larger than smaller models. The cartridge restriction is the recurring complaint alongside the outlay, and the body is heavier than routine mailing work needs. For plain address printing, most of this capability is wasted.
How it handles envelope stock
Envelopes are explicitly supported alongside labels and glossy photo paper, and the separated trays mean you can alternate stock types in a single session without reloading anything. Borderless photo printing and the dedicated photo tray make matching an envelope design to printed inserts straightforward.
Where it falls short
You are paying for photo capability whether you need it or not, and locked cartridges limit your ink options. There is no fax function, despite the all-in-one format, which some small offices will notice.
Buying Guide: The 6 Specs That Decide Envelope Performance
Start with feed path, because it overrides every other consideration. A printer with a straight manual feed slot will handle any envelope a compatible printer can handle, while a cassette-only machine may crease or jam on exactly the stock you bought.
Feed method. A rear manual feed slot or vertical rear tray gives the straightest path and handles thick, textured and square-flap envelopes one at a time. A dedicated envelope feeder handles many at once on the same straight path and is the fastest option available.
Paper path geometry. This is the bend. If a spec sheet or manual mentions a straight or rear vertical paper path, the machine will not curl your envelopes. If nothing is mentioned, assume the cassette path curves.
Envelope size support. Look for number 10 named explicitly rather than assumed. Monarch, A2, A6, square-flap and reply-card sizes need a manual slot, because cassette guides are set for flat paper.
Colour or monochrome. Monochrome laser printers here print addresses only. Colour inkjets handle return addresses, logos and decorative designs, and a tank model keeps that affordable at volume.
Tray capacity. A 250-sheet tray handles plain business envelopes with few refills. A 30 or 100-sheet tray means more interruptions on a large batch, which adds up faster than the speed rating suggests.
Cost per envelope. Divide cartridge or toner cost by usable pages. The tank printers here work out dramatically cheaper for colour runs; the monochrome lasers win on black-only address runs over a few hundred pieces.
Two secondary specs are worth checking. Automatic duplex matters if the printer shares duty with double-sided documents, and it is missing on both ink-tank models in this roundup. Speed matters far less than people expect for a one-time wedding suite, and far more than manufacturers suggest for a monthly mailing of a thousand pieces.
Envelope Sizes and Flap Styles: What Each Pick Handles
Envelope naming confuses more buyers than any other part of this decision. A number 10 is the standard business envelope at roughly 4.125 by 9.5 inches, and it is named outright in the supported paper list on the Canon MegaTank G3270 and the Canon PIXMA TR7120. A number 9 is the smaller business reply size, while monarch and its equivalents are the long narrow formats used for guest addressing.
European formats run larger. A2, A6 and C5 envelopes exceed what Letter-sized media support comfortably, which is why the HP Envy 6155, with a Letter-only maximum media size, cannot take them. Anything from the A2 or A6 families needs a printer that lists envelopes separately from its plain paper sizes, and the Canon MegaTank G3270 does that while also accepting custom sizes up to 47.2 inches long.
Flap style matters more than size for print quality. Square-flap envelopes place the address print over a wider area of card, so any bend shows badly. Strip-and-seal designs have a gummed strip that can catch on rollers if the printer pulls the envelope around a curve, and Canon community members report exactly this problem when their printer could not handle the design graphically. Textured and embossed stock has the same effect at a lower intensity: stiffer paper means the rollers have to grip harder, and a curved path turns that grip into a crease.
Our rule of thumb after all this testing: standard number 10 envelopes can go through any printer in this roundup without worry. Anything textured, square-flap or heavier than about 24 lb belongs in a manual feed slot, and that is the spec that decides between the remaining options. If your project is the second kind, our guide to screen printing carousels and professional screen printing equipment cover the finishing side once your printing is done.
How to Print on Envelopes in Word, Google Docs, and Mail Merge
In Microsoft Word, open Mailings, then Envelopes, then choose the stock size from the dropdown. Word then inserts a new document containing a single merged page sized to the envelope, with the address block positioned correctly and the font automatically shrunk if the name is long. Type into that page, then insert the printed sheet into the manual feed slot or load envelopes into the tray and print.
In Google Docs there is no envelope feature, so you build the layout yourself. Insert a table with one cell for the return address and one for the recipient address, size the page to match your envelope, and set margins to nothing so nothing spills off the edge. Printing to PDF first, checking the layout, then printing to the physical printer is the reliable route.
For mail merge, prepare your list as a spreadsheet with one column per field, typically first name, last name and full address on separate lines. Connect the data source through Mailings, select Start Mail Merge, and use Preview Results to check the whole batch before printing a single envelope. Print five test envelopes first, check alignment on all of them, then run the batch.
Two settings matter more than the rest. Set the envelope stock explicitly in the printer dialog rather than relying on the driver default, and use plain paper in place of heavier envelope material for the first test run. A test on cheap envelopes tells you whether the alignment is right before you commit expensive decorated ones.
Fixing Smears, Jams, and Misaligned Envelopes
Smears near the return address corner are usually ink that has not had time to set, and the fix is straightforward. Let the printed envelopes sit face up for a minute before stacking them, and choose plain uncoated envelopes rather than coated ones, which stay wet far longer. If smearing persists, running a cleaning cycle through the printer and confirming you are using pigment-based ink where available resolves most remaining cases.
Jams on thick envelopes almost always come from the wrong feed route. Move the envelope to the manual feed slot and set the paper thickness lever or guides to match the material, rather than forcing it through the cassette. A bent or already creased envelope will jam again every time, so discard damaged stock instead of retrying it.
Misalignment in one direction means the envelope guides are not touching the edges, and alignment in both directions usually means the paper size selected in the driver does not match the stock. Confirm the exact envelope size in the printer settings, and check that any print scaling is set to 100 percent rather than fit-to-page, which shrinks the address block unpredictably.
Slow single-envelope output, reported by owners as roughly five to eight seconds per envelope on a Brother laser printing from the tray, is normal rather than a fault. The printer is cycling the full paper path for one piece. If that pace is too slow for your batch, the answer is a higher-yield feed setup or a different printer class, not a faster machine in the same one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best printing machine for envelopes?
The best machines for envelopes combine an envelope feed path with a straight paper path. Our top pick, the Canon MegaTank G3270, lists number 10 envelopes explicitly and uses refillable ink tanks, so colour envelope runs stay cheap. For black address runs at volume, the Brother DCP-L2640DW handles 36 pages per minute from a 250-sheet tray.
Can any printer print directly on envelopes?
Nearly all inkjets and monochrome lasers sold today list envelopes as supported media, so yes in general terms. The practical difference is the paper path. A printer with a rear manual feed slot keeps the envelope flat, while a cassette-only machine forces it around a curve and creases it. Thick, textured or square-flap envelopes really do need the manual slot.
What is the best way to print on envelopes?
Use the Mailings tool in Microsoft Word, pick the correct envelope stock size, and let Word build the page. In Google Docs, build the layout yourself with a borderless table and set the page size to match your envelope. Either way, print five test envelopes on plain paper stock and check alignment before committing expensive decorated envelopes.
What is the best printer for printing wedding envelopes?
For colour designs, borders and decorative fonts, the Canon MegaTank G3270 is our pick because it lists number 10 envelopes, supports borderless output and refills with bottles covering up to 7,700 colour pages per set. If your envelopes are thick, textured or square-flap, the Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 rear feed slot holds them flat.
What is the best laser printer for printing envelopes?
The Brother DCP-L2640DW leads the laser picks here, with 36 pages per minute, an 8.5-second first page, a 250-sheet tray and envelope printing named in its feature list. The Brother HL-L2460DW is the alternative when you need a dedicated manual feed slot for heavier stock alongside the large main tray.
What is the best laser printer for home offices in 2026?
For a home office in 2026, the Brother HL-L2405W is the most straightforward choice, pairing a manual feed slot for envelopes with a 250-sheet tray, 30 pages per minute and a clean install with no forced subscription. It is print-only, so add a separate scanner if you need to digitise address lists.
Are laser printers being phased out?
No. Monochrome laser printers remain the standard choice for office documents and address-only mailing because toner is cheap per page, does not dry out during idle periods and cannot smear. What has changed is the share of home users moving to ink-tank models for colour work, not the availability or capability of laser printers.
Why does my printer smear on envelopes?
Ink smearing near the return address usually happens because ink has not had time to set before envelopes are stacked. Leave printed envelopes face up for about a minute, prefer plain uncoated stock over coated envelopes, and run a printer cleaning cycle. Pigment-based inkjets and any laser printer avoid the problem because toner does not sit wet on the surface.
Which Envelope Printer to Buy
Start with the envelope stock, not the printer. Plain number 10 envelopes at standard weight will run through anything in this roundup, so your decision really comes down to how many you are printing and whether the design carries colour.
For colour work at any real volume, the Canon MegaTank G3270 is our pick, because it lists number 10 envelopes, prints borderless designs and refills at a cost that stays sensible across hundreds of pieces. For black addresses and bulk mailing, the Brother DCP-L2640DW is faster and cheaper per envelope, and the Brother HL-L2460DW adds the manual feed slot you want when heavier stock is involved. If your envelopes are thick, textured or square-flap, choose a machine with a straight rear feed path and feed those one at a time, whatever else it does well.
Whatever you pick in 2026, test five envelopes on plain stock before running the real batch. Alignment is the one thing no specification will tell you, and five test prints cost less than one box of decorated envelopes.