Which home inkjet printer won’t dry out between uses and what paper should I buy for coupons?

For print jobs that sit between uses, you want a cartridge design that is forgiving and easy to recover if you do get a clog. I would go with the Canon Pixma TS6420a. Its black cartridge uses pigment ink for crisp coupon text, and the FINE cartridges have the print head built in, so if a nozzle ever dries you can fix it instantly by swapping a cartridge instead of fighting a permanent head. Leave it plugged in and it will run light self maintenance now and then. Ink cost is higher than tank printers, but for a handful of pages a month it is stress free and reliable.

For coupons, use bright white 24 lb inkjet paper around 96 to 98 brightness. It feeds more reliably than flimsy 20 lb and gives coupons a sturdier feel without risking jams. If you want extra durability, 28 lb plain inkjet paper is usually fine, but avoid card stock. One small tip that helps any inkjet sit happily is to print a quick black and color test once every few weeks.

Pigment black resists smearing and looks sharper on plain paper which is what you want for barcodes and small coupon text.

Dye colors are fine for the occasional recipe photo.

The big thing is to let the printer do its idle maintenance by leaving it on, otherwise dried nozzles and banding show up until you run a cleaning.

Simple fix.

For paper, 24 lb bright white is the sweet spot for reliable pickup and clean tearing.

If your printer has a rear feed, 28 lb plain inkjet also works well because it bends less through the path.

Glossy sheets are overkill and can slow drying on coupons.

I live in a very dry climate and learned that any inkjet gets grumpy if it sits with the power off :) tbh I leave mine on so it can do its little housekeeping once in a while, and when I know it has sat for a few weeks I run a nozzle check before printing something important so yeah... a tiny desktop humidifier nearby during winter also helped reduce dust and static, which surprisingly affects paper feed. No magic, just habits.

For coupons, bright white 24 lb has been the sweet spot for me. Recycled content is fine but some brands shed more paper dust and that can lead to hesitations in the feed, so give the stack a good fan before loading. I use 28 lb only when I want a stiffer cut since it can slow the front tray.

For scannable coupons the most important thing is crisp edges on the bars and text... Use a printer that lays pigment black on plain paper and set the driver to plain paper normal quality. High quality modes dump more ink and can feather on cheap sheets. No more misreads.

Paper choice is simple. Bright white 24 lb around high 90s brightness gives good contrast and smooth feeding. If you go thicker, make sure your printer supports that thickness and use a straight rear feed if available.

Honestly if your coupons are mostly black text, a small mono laser avoids the drying issue entirely but then if you do want inkjet, pick one where the head lives on the cartridge and keep it powered. Dye only heads that are permanent are the fussy ones when they sit. Paper wise I like 24 lb bright white since 20 lb tends to curl and misfeed, and it gives coupons a nice cut edge feel. I tried 28 lb and it worked but you need to tell the driver you are using heavier paper so it slows the feed, otherwise you can get a little skid and a crooked top margin, which drove me nuts.

For light use the easiest life is a cartridge based inkjet where the head is part of the cartridge but then it is much easier to recover from a clog because replacing the cartridge refreshes the head. If you can, set a calendar reminder and print a quick black test every few weeks. Works great.

Coupons look and feed better on 24 lb bright white plain inkjet. It is stiff enough to track straight through the rollers, and it does not jam the way cheap 20 lb sometimes does when humidity swings.

Choose an inkjet where the print head is in the cartridge and run a tiny color test every few weeks with a phone reminder since permanent heads prefer frequent use, if you print about once a month and sometimes need color. For paper, 24 lb plain inkjet stock hides duplex show through and feeds smoothly, while 28 lb feels sturdier but may fuss in some front trays unless you fan the stack and tell the driver it is a heavier sheet.

I would look for an inkjet that uses cartridges with the print head built into each cartridge. If it ever clogs after sitting swapping the cartridge refreshes the nozzles and you are back in business. Leave it plugged in so it can do its light self maintenance, since cutting power can skip that. Pigment black is best for crisp coupon text and barcodes, and running a tiny nozzle check once a month keeps things happy. For coupons, bright white 24 lb inkjet or multipurpose around 96 to 98 brightness feeds smoothly and looks clean. 28 lb works if your printer supports it through a rear feed, but skip card stock. No drama.