I'm looking to buy a printer for edible images. My question is can you purchase a regular printer and use it or edible images? I know you need edible ink and paper. I have no idea which printer is better epson or canon's for edible images. HELP PLEASE-SO CONFUSED

I think you can go to the kopykat website and they will tell which regular printer would be compatible with the ink cartridges. If you do use a regular printer it can not used for any other uses.

I have a regular Epson and as tiawanna mention... it is for edible images only. It works fine, my only complaint is that it is harder to find catridges for the epson than the cannon (I get mine at Sugarcraft)

I just bought a Canon IP3600 printer from Amazon.com a few months ago for less than $50 and it works great. I haven't had any problems with it and prints great pictures. I also read that with the Canon you can order replacement print head but you can't with the Epson.

i have an epsonstylusnx400. Never had a problem with it. I get all my extras from kopykake. I dealt with them from the begining. Icingimages on this site is very helpful also. Also a c/cer from photofrost. hth

You should really like the Canon printers. Use only if they have never been printed anything other the edible ink. PhotoFrost has a really good package kit and has some of the best deals on cartidges and sheets. Great customer service. A big plus , they are made in house and not somewhere else and shipped in. I like that I know where they are coming from.. I have seen them making the icing sheets and food cartidges , right there in his business shop.

Lots of Youtube on lots of information thru PhotoFrost also, on the Canon's also.. I don't think you will be dissapointed... I have had my 7 or 8 years and never a problem. Just do your regular printing and keep the printhead clean...

Happy Decorating

THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH. YOU HAVE ALL BEEN VERY HELPFUL!!

You can purchase a regular printer, but it must be compatabale as well as exclusively used only for edible printing. Canons are the best by far. They have the removable printhead which allows you to remove the printhead and clean it if necessary. The Epsons printer is attached so if you get a clog, you are stuck. I would specifically recommend either the Canon mp560 or the Canon ip3600. Both of them are equally good, however the mp560 has a scanner attached. There are two types of cartridges out there. The sponged cartridges, which have a sponge inside the cartridge. The sponge is used to manage flow as well as filter. But the problem is it takes up about 60% of the ink space and holds on to the ink when your cartridge is "empty", so that ink is unused. The new sponge free cartridges which are in the gold label ink series, do not have a sponge. The cartridge is the only cartridge made with food grade plastics, designed specifically for edible use (not empty non edible ink cartridges used for edible ink) all the ink is used...100% of it. They are also refilled direclty in the printer. The colors are amazingly beautiful. Also, there are three types of paper out there. The KK or PF brands which are the thinnest of all. The Lucks which is in the middle level off thickness. These three brands have a margin around them that does not icing sheet. The Premium Icing Sheet is the only edge to edge icing sheet with only a 1/4 inch tab on the leading edge. Make sure when you pick an edible company that you call them and talk to them. Ask them questions and see how knowledgable and supportive they are.
Best of luck. Imaging is a lot of fun and is only limited by your imagination. If you have any questions please feel free to PM me.

thanks so much for this info I want to buy a printer and try my hand at printing on cakes. 

thanks so much

And of course, that rules out used printers, even reconditioned: any cleaning method capable of removing all traces of conventional ink from the machine (not just from the printhead), e.g., an industrial high-pressure steam hose, would also turn the printer into a large paperweight.

And you're not going to be printing on the cake (they haven't invented THAT technology yet!); you're going to be printing on (most likely) a sheet of bland, frosting-like material with a backing sheet.

AThanks you are awesome

Go to icingmagic.com. I bought the large format Canon just because it's easier to print smaller images on it than to print larger images on a small printer. Also they have a starter package that has all of the cleaning tools you will need for the printer maintenance. Hope this helps!!!!