Jersey Plotters is a certified KIP dealer, which means we sell KIP equipment, service it, and stock parts for it. We have a financial relationship with the brand. We are telling you that upfront so you can weigh what follows accordingly.
That said, we also service HP, Canon, Ricoh, and Epson equipment. We see what fails on all of them. Here is our honest take on where KIP stands in the wide format market.
What KIP Gets Right
Toner-based output at a competitive cost per page.
Most wide format printers for AEC work use aqueous inkjet technology. KIP uses dry toner. This matters for a few reasons. Toner-based output is generally faster for monochrome technical drawings. It is also more resistant to smearing when drawings get handled on a job site. Cost per page for KIP toner systems tends to be lower than inkjet for high-volume black and white output. If your firm prints 100 or more technical drawings per day, the economics of toner versus ink add up over a year.
Build quality that holds up in professional environments.
KIP machines are not consumer-grade. The internal components are designed for continuous production use. Our technicians service these machines regularly, and the main takeaway is that they fail less often than mid-range inkjet plotters at similar price points. When they do need service, the parts are available and repairs are straightforward.
Integrated scanning that actually works.
The KIP 770 and KIP 860 come with integrated scanner modules that handle large-format documents well. Scan-to-email, scan-to-network folder, and scan-to-USB all function reliably. The software is not flashy, but it does what it needs to do without requiring a dedicated IT setup. For reprographics workflows, this matters.
Speed for technical print jobs.
The KIP 770 can produce roughly 6 D-size prints per minute in monochrome. That is fast enough to run a full set of construction drawings without making someone stand at the machine for 45 minutes. Inkjet units in the same price range typically hit 2 to 4 pages per minute.
Where KIP Falls Short
Color quality is not its strength.
KIP machines do monochrome technical output well. Color prints, especially photographs, marketing materials, or anything with gradients, are not what these machines are optimized for. If your office needs to produce high-quality color renderings or client-facing presentation graphics, an inkjet plotter will serve you better. Many firms run a KIP for their production drawing output and an inkjet plotter for color work.
Software and user interface lag behind the competition.
The touchscreen interfaces on KIP machines feel dated compared to HP’s DesignJet series. Firmware updates come infrequently. Integration with cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive requires more setup than it does on some competing systems. This is not a dealbreaker for most users, but if you want a plotter that connects easily to modern cloud workflows out of the box, HP or Epson are ahead of KIP here.
Upfront cost is higher than comparable inkjet units.
A KIP 770 starts around $14,000 to $18,000. An inkjet plotter with similar paper width and scanning capability might be $8,000 to $12,000. The cost-per-page economics can justify the premium for high-volume users, but for a firm printing 20 to 30 sheets per day, a less expensive inkjet may be the better financial choice.
Which KIP Models We Recommend
KIP 770 is the most popular unit we sell in New Jersey. It handles 36-inch output, includes a scanner, and is fast enough for most AEC firms. It sits at a reasonable price point for its capability level. This is the machine we recommend to most mid-size firms as a first or replacement KIP.
KIP 860 steps up to 42-inch width and adds higher volume capacity. For larger contractors, engineering firms with multiple disciplines, or offices printing more than 100 sheets per day, this is where we point people.
KIP 7170 is a production-class system with multi-function capability. This is a machine for print shops, municipal engineering departments, or large construction management firms running full project sets on a daily basis. It is a serious investment, priced accordingly, and it earns its keep at high volume.
Who KIP Makes Sense For
KIP is a strong fit for:
- Architecture and engineering firms with consistent high-volume monochrome output
- Construction companies printing drawing sets on tight timelines
- Reprographics shops looking for a durable production machine
- Any office where cost-per-page over a 5-year horizon matters more than upfront price
KIP is probably not the right choice for:
- Small offices printing fewer than 20 to 30 sheets per day
- Firms that need high-quality color output from a single machine
- Users who want modern cloud connectivity without IT involvement
Our Recommendation
KIP makes reliable, fast, cost-effective machines for the right use case. They are not the flashiest option on the market, and they are not the cheapest. But for a New Jersey engineering or construction firm with serious print volume, KIP competes well with anything else in its class.
If you want to see a KIP 770 in action or compare it directly against an HP DesignJet option, come visit our showroom or ask us to bring a demo to your office. We will give you a straight comparison.
Contact Jersey Plotters to discuss which machine fits your workflow.