Selecting the Best Metal Print Company
Earlier this year, we embarked on a test to determine the best metal print company.
In case you missed it, we gauged a handful of popular printing companies on a variety of factors using the exact same print. Once the prints arrived in the mail, they were closely inspected and compared to one another. You can read our 2020 best metal print company shootout to see the full results.
For the purposes of this article, I want to do a quick dive into the parameters we used to determine the best mental print company of 2020. These are just a few things to look out for, that way you can avoid the shortcuts that some printing companies make.
Let's get to it!
Quality of Metal
The back of the Nations Photo Lab metal print we evaluated.
As I noted in the summary of our metal print shootout, some of the companies we tested had far better metal than others.
In some cases, the metal felt (and looked) flimsy, as though a stiff breeze might bend the print.
But in other cases, the metal had some heft and weight to it and a rigidity that translated into a print that felt like it could stand the test of time.
Unlike canvas prints, there's no frame to give a metal print a robust stiffness, which makes the quality of the metal used all that more important.
When looking for the best metal print company, start by examining the quality of the metal they use. With a solid foundation of good-quality metal (like the ChromaluxeTM aluminum sheets used by Artbeat Studios) you're more likely to get a high-quality metal print. After all, that's one of the reasons why they're our 2020 best metal print company!
The Printing Process
A glimpse at the printing process at Artbeat Studios.
Most metal prints are made using one of two processes.
First, metal prints can be made via a direct print method. This occurs when the image is printed onto the metal sheet.
Second, metal prints can be made using a dye sublimation process. This process results in a higher-quality image with improved colors and luminescence.
The difference between these two processes was quite evident in our metal print comparison. Artbeat Studios, which uses the dye sublimation process, took top honors with a print that had beautiful colors, vibrancy, and luminescence. The clarity and sharpness were also much better than prints that were made using the direct print method.
Image Quality
Image quality of the Bay Photo metal print we evaluated.
Naturally, we inspected each print in our metal print shootout for image quality.
A lot of this has to do with the printing process discussed in the previous section...
Images were scored on overall image quality, which included features like quality of colors, sharpness, clarity, and dynamic range.
Image quality of the Costco metal print we evaluated.
The range of image quality in our testing was quite astounding. There were some prints - like those from Artbeat Studios and Bay Photo - that were impressive. Others, though, like the prints we got from Costco and Shutterfly, had colors that were off, a lack of sharpness, and loss of detail in shadowed areas of the test print.
It's hard to determine the image quality a metal printing company offers without ordering a print. In this case, rely on reviews like this to help you narrow the field of possible printers to those that have a reputation for high image quality.
Mounting Hardware
Mounting hardware on the Artbeat Studios metal print we tested.
Another factor we looked at when ranking the best metal print companies of 2020 is the type and quality of mounting hardware.
Sure, you don't see the mounting hardware, but it's what determines how the print hangs on the wall. If the mounting hardware is well designed and centered on the print, it will enhance the viewing experience.
However, if the mounting hardware is an afterthought, the print might hang crooked or the hardware might fail altogether.
So, don't get caught up in only what you see on the front of the print. Instead, investigate the mounting hardware to ensure that your print will hang nicely on your wall.
Price
Photo by sutlafk via iStock
Obviously, price is an important factor when you buy anything, including metal prints.
The price variation of the prints we ordered was fairly slim, given that we gave ourselves a $100 budget.
That said, some of the prints were over $100 by the time tax and shipping were added in.
Some metal print companies offered coupons to reduce the price of the print. Others had free shipping while some printers charged a surprising amount for shipping.
Price doesn't always equate to quality. Artbeat Studios managed to come out on top with high-quality prints with reasonable prices. So, don't let price be the end-all, be-all of your search. Instead, look at all these factors to help you determine the best metal print company.
If you missed our metal print shootout, here's the companies we tested:
And, again, if you want to explore our full head-to-head review, be sure to read about the best metal print companies of 2020!
