Seed Packet Printers: RENA AS-150 vs AS-450 vs AS-650 — Which One Prints Your Packets
Seed companies, coin dealers, and anyone else printing on small packets end up talking to us for the same reason: most address printers were designed around a #10 envelope, and a 3″ seed packet is a different animal. We’ve run a lot of them. Three RENA printers handle the job — the AS-150, the AS-450, and the AS-650 — and the right one depends less on speed than on two things most spec sheets never mention: how the printer moves the packet, and how much print path it has. Here’s how we choose.
Why transport matters more than print width
A fixed-head printer doesn’t move its heads. The packet moves under them, and each bank of cartridges paints a stripe down the piece as it passes. That only works if the packet is flat and moving steadily through the print zone. Big envelopes take care of themselves. A small packet doesn’t — it needs something holding it the whole way through. Two of these three printers use a transport belt that stays in contact with the piece; one uses feed wheels. That single difference decides most seed packet jobs.
For the full explanation of print banks, the stripe, and the layout rules, watch the video on our guide: What Can a Fixed-Head Address Printer Print?
RENA AS-150 — the small-media specialist
This is the printer we sell most for seed packets and other small media. Three cartridges give it a 1.5″ print path across the piece, and a single transport belt carries the packet under the printhead from the moment it’s fed until it’s out the other side. That belt is why the AS-150 does such a good job on small pieces — the packet can’t wander, tilt, or stall under the head. Standard HP 45-type cartridges (MRH45A). See the RENA AS-150 product page and our AS-150 seed pack printer page.
RENA AS-650 — production volume and both edges in one pass
The AS-650 does what the AS-150 does — belt transport — with several belts side by side, at production speed. Two independent print banks of three cartridges each give it two 1.5″ paths that can be stacked into one 3″ block or split to print near opposite edges of the same packet in a single pass. When a client wants variable data on both edges of a 3–3.5″ packet, this is the machine. Chipped AS-series cartridges. See the RENA AS-650 product page.
RENA AS-450 — prints seed packets, with three conditions
The AS-450 prints a 2″ path, but it has no transport belt in contact with the piece — feed wheels carry it. A seed packet works on it when:
- The packet feeds short edge first, with the text printed across it in that orientation. Turning a standard packet to feed long edge first usually isn’t an option; it gets stuck under the wide printhead.
- Everything you print sits inside the 2″ band. That’s fine when all the text lives near one edge. If the job needs printing on opposite edges of a packet that’s 3–3.5″ across in that orientation, the AS-450 can’t do it in one pass — that’s an AS-650 job.
- Text at a right angle to the direction of travel stays under 0.5″ tall, so it sits inside one cartridge and never crosses a seam. (That rule applies to all three printers.)
Within those limits it’s a capable, economical envelope-and-packet printer. Outside them, we’ll steer you to the AS-150 or AS-650. Chipped AS-series cartridges. See the RENA AS-450 product page.
Side by side
| AS-150 | AS-450 | AS-650 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Print path across the piece | 1.5″ (3 cartridges) | 2″ (4 cartridges) | 3″ as two 1.5″ banks (6 cartridges) |
| Transport | Single belt in contact with the piece | Feed wheels — no belt in contact | Several belts side by side |
| Small packets | Excellent — its specialty | Short edge first; must stay on the wheels | Excellent; production volume |
| Print on both edges of a 3–3.5″ packet | No (one 1.5″ path) | No (2″ band) | Yes — split the banks |
| Rotated (90°) text | Under 0.5″ | Under 0.5″ | Under 0.5″ |
| Media size (manufacturer spec) | 2.125″ × 4″ up to 6.5″ × 9.5″; up to 0.020″ thick | 3″ × 5″ up to 13.5″ × 15″; up to 1/4″ thick | 3″ × 5″ up to 13.5″ × 17″; up to 3/8″ thick |
| Cartridges | Standard HP 45-type (MRH45A) | Chipped AS-series | Chipped AS-series |
| Speed | See product page | See product page | See product page |
Layout rules that apply to all three
Text reads along the direction of travel; upside-down (180°) is free — that’s how flap text is done; anything rotated 90° stays under 0.5″; 12-point type at 12-point spacing puts three lines in each cartridge; and lay the job out in Bulk Mailer Designer or FlexMail so you can see which head prints each line. Full write-up and transcript: What Can a Fixed-Head Address Printer Print?
Which one for your packets
- Small packets, print near one edge or across the face, modest volume → AS-150.
- Same, but you already run envelopes and postcards and want one printer for both → AS-450, if the packet can feed short edge first and the print fits in 2″.
- Print on opposite edges in one pass, or production volume → AS-650.
- Not sure → send us samples. That’s what we do. We often steer small-packet and both-edge jobs to the AS-150 or AS-650.
Send us your packets — we’ll run samples
The fastest way to answer “can it print this?” is to run your actual piece. Email us a few blanks of what you mail — envelopes, postcards, seed packets, cards — plus a marked-up copy showing what goes where and roughly how many you run. We’ll lay it out in Bulk Mailer Designer or FlexMail, print your samples on the right machine, check every bank and cartridge seam, and email you photos or a short video of the result before you spend a dollar.
Email us your samples request — we reply by email with photos or video of your pieces.
Ink for your seed packet printer
- RENA AS-150: MRH45A standard black (compares to HP C51645A) — the standard HP 45-type cartridge. It does not fit the AS-450 or AS-650.
- RENA AS-450 and AS-650: chipped AS-series cartridges.
Parts and supplies for every machine we sell are at SuppliesForMailers.com.
Seed packet printer FAQ
Can the RENA AS-450 print seed packets?
Yes, fed short edge first with all printing inside its 2″ path and any rotated text under 0.5″. It can’t print both edges of a 3–3.5″ packet in one pass; the AS-650 can.
Why does the AS-150 handle small packets better than the AS-450?
Transport. The AS-150 carries the packet on a belt that stays in contact with it under the printhead; the AS-450 moves the piece on feed wheels, so a small packet has to be big enough to stay on them.
Can I print on both edges of a seed packet in one pass?
On the AS-650 — its two print banks split to reach opposite edges. The AS-150 has one 1.5″ path and the AS-450 one 2″ band.
Can text run sideways on the packet?
Yes, if the sideways element is under 0.5″ tall so it stays inside one cartridge. Taller than that it crosses a cartridge seam and prints broken.
Which ink cartridges do these printers use?
The AS-150 uses standard HP 45-type cartridges (MRH45A). The AS-450 and AS-650 need the newer chipped AS-series cartridges.
What should I send for a sample run?
A few blank packets, a marked-up copy showing what prints where, and roughly how many you run. We print them and email photos or video back.
James Angst — President, All For Mailers, Inc. In the mailing equipment industry since 1991; founded All For Mailers in 2006. Veteran-Owned · BBB Accredited A+ · Authorized RENA by Quadient dealer. About us.