Top Rated Printer Models : Expert Reviews by ZDNet

Thanks to hybrid working schedules, it’s likely that you have a home office set-up of some sort – and a part of that set-up should include a printer. Students also need a printer to print out those essays, notes, and other assignments. If you don’t have one or are looking to upgrade, you’ve come to the right place.

Also: The best cheap printers (starting at $105)

When it comes to printers you can utilize in your home, it’s best to stick to inkjet, photo, or laser printers. Any of these three printer types are great for work, school, crafts, or general household operations like printing out recipes or to-do lists .

“Determine the purpose of the printer and the volume of printing you expect to do.”

Jordi Hilpert, 10printers

What is the best printer right now?

Our top pick for most people is the Epson Ecotank ET-3850 printer for its long-lasting ink bottles, smartphone and tablet printing, and waste efficiency, but I also included photo printers and laser printers to give you plenty of options for your printing needs.

The best printers of 2024

Epson Ecotank ET-3850 Wireless Color All-in-One Best inkjet printer overall

Epson/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Long-lasting ink bottles
Zero cartridge waste
Smartphone and tablet printing

Cons

Installer software can be difficult

More Details

Epson EcoTank ET-3850 features : Functions: Scan, copy, and print two-sided | PPM rate: 8.5 ppm (color), 15.5 ppm (monochrome) | Connectivity: Wi-Fi

The Ecotank printer comes with ink tanks that can be refilled from bottled ink. Epson estimates that one set of ink bottles provides the equivalent of about 90 cartridges. Customers who have bought this printer say that if you print often, especially in color, this cartridge-free approach can save you a lot of money in the long run.

The Ecotank’s print speed is 15.5 pages per minute for black and white, and 8.5 pages per minute for color. Additionally, this unit includes Wi-Fi direct so you can print without connecting to a router. A big advantage is that it includes enough ink to print 7,500 pages in black and 6,000 in color, which may justify the printer’s upfront cost. In addition, it has an auto-document feeder, two-sided printing, and activation compatibility for even more productivity.

Also: The best inkjet printers

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HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Wireless Printer Best inkjet printer for cartridge replacements

HP/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Mobile printing with HD smart app
Ink delivery to your home
Copy and scan

Cons

Not touchscreen
Low paper capacity

More Details

HP DeskJet 3755 f eatures: Functions: Scan, print, copy | PPM rate: 5.5 ppm (color), 8 ppm (monochrome) | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, smart assistant compatible

While the standout feature of this printer is its price, it’s worth noting that you’ll never have to run to the store when you run out of ink again. This printer already includes two full cartridges in the box, and with the HP Instant Ink subscription, you can get your first four months free. After the trial period, you’ll pay less than $1 per month, with shipping and ink cartridge recycling included.

This Deskjet 3755 printer is cloud-enabled and connects via Wi-Fi. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa, allowing for voice controls. You can scan documents directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud. It can print from 3.5 inches all the way up to 8.5 x 14 inches, and it can even handle envelopes.

Also: The best cheap 3D printers under $300

Plus, it features a 60-sheet paper tray and can print eight pages per minute in black and 5.5 pages per minute in color.

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Canon Pixma MG3620 Wireless All-In-One Color Inkjet Printer Best budget inkjet printer

Canon/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Under $100
Lightweight
Fast scanner

Cons

Two-sided printing could be higher quality and faster

More Details

Canon Pixma MG3620 f eatures: Functions: Scan, print, copy, two-sided printing | PPM Rate: 5.7 ppm (color), 9.9 ppm (monochrome) | Connectivity: Wi-Fi

If you’re looking for a quality printer for less than $100, this is the one. You can print from your Android or iOS device, as well as your computer, via Wi-Fi. Additionally, you can quickly scan and copy documents.

The Canon Pixma can print at a speed of 9.9 pages per minute for black and white and 5.7 pages per minute for color. It also has a larger 100-sheet paper tray.

Also: This Anker 3D printer blew me away with how fast and easy it is to use

Additionally, the printer’s wireless setup is seamless and easy, allowing you to start printing quickly.

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Canon ImagePrograf Pro-1000 Best photo printer overall

Canon/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Wide color gamut, separate matte black and photo black inkwells
1.28-inch print nozzle head for an increased printing surface
A plugin, print studio for last-minute enhancements

Cons

Expensive

More Details

Canon Imageprograf Pro-1000 f eatures: Functions: Print photos | PPM Rate: 1ppm | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB

The Canon Imageprograf Pro-1000 printer is for those looking to maximize the quality of their images in hard copy. The 17-inch wide-format printer comes with an 11-color setup, the Chroma Optimizer ink system, air feed, and nozzle monitor to improve the print speed and hardware performance.

Also: The best photo printers

At $900, it’s obviously an expensive printer, but it prints high-quality photos. So if you’re a professional or photographer, this is the photo printer to get.

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Fujifilm Instax Mini Link smartphone printer Best mini photo printer

Fujifilm/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Portable and lightweight
Print photos from camera roll
Add filters and frames to photos

Cons

Small photos
Pricey film

More Details

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link f eatures: Functions: Print photos | PPM rate: 12-second printing | Connectivity: Bluetooth

This portable printer is more for fun than anything else. It spits out snapshot-sized prints, similar to the size of old-fashioned Polaroid photos. You can add fun filters and frames to your photos, and you can even print photos from videos, making it a fun option to bring to parties or on vacation.

It takes about 12 seconds for a photo to print, and then 90 seconds for it to fully dry. Approximately 100 photos can be printed continuously when fully charged.

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Kodak Dock Premium Best photo printer for 4x6 photos

Kodak/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

4 x 6 photo size
Great photo quality
Border and borderless printing

Cons

Paper and ink replacements add up

More Details

Kodak Dock Premium f eatures: Functions: Print photos | PPM Rate: 1 ppm | Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB

If you’re looking for a mobile printing solution to produce hard image copies on the go, the Kodak Dock Premium instant photo printer is the best portable option. This mobile printer connects to your Android or iOS mobile device via Bluetooth and is able to print color images at a 4 x 6 ratio, which is arguably one of the most popular image sizes for displaying photos.

This photo printer is for those looking to print photos at a reasonable size with reasonable quality, rather than for professionals or on-the-go fun.

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Brother HL-L2350DW compact monochrome laser printer Best laser printer overall

Brother/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Great ppm rate
Voice-assistant compatible
Decently priced

Cons

No scanner

More Details

Brother HL-L2350DW f eatures: Functions: Print | PPM Rate: 32 ppm | Connectivity: Amazon Alexa compatible, Wi-Fi, and USB

This is a monochrome laser printer. That’s it – no faxing, copying, or any of that fancy stuff. It just prints lots of pages quickly and efficiently. The printer itself is relatively compact, offers a 250-sheet paper capacity, and a print speed of 32 pages per minute.

Also: The best laser printers

This powerful little printer can connect via USB or Wi-Fi, and you can even print directly from your smartphone. It’s also reasonably priced at $150 on Amazon.

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Brother HL-L2300D monochrome laser printer Best budget laser printer

Brother/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Compact
Fast
Easy to set up

Cons

No Wi-Fi connection
Doesn’t copy or scan

More Details

Brother HL-L2300D fe atures: Functions: Print, automatic two-sided printing | PPM Rate: 27 ppm | Connectivity: Amazon Alexa compatible, USB

This printer is an inexpensive workhorse. If you need to print a lot of black and white pages for a reasonable price, this is the printer for you. The Brother printer costs roughly $120 and offers duplex printing at 27 pages per minute. With a 250-sheet paper tray, it’s a capable device.

However, it only connects via USB 2.0 – no Wi-Fi, AirPrint, or Google Cloud Print, not even Ethernet. You just need to plug in a USB cable from your computer to the printer and print away.

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HP Laserjet M110w Wireless Monochrome Printer Best compact laser printer

HP/ZDNET

Pros & Cons

Pros

Lightweight
Compact
Simple to use

Cons

Resolution isn’t the best
Wi-Fi connection issues

More Details

HP Laserjet M110w f eatures: Functions: Print, scan, copy | PPM Rate: 21 ppm | Connectivity: USB, HP Smart app

Most laser printers are pretty large, but if your home office is a smaller space, this printer is only 7.45 x 13.63 x 6.26 inches, meaning it can fit comfortably on your desk.

Review: HP Laserjet Pro MFP

It connects over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB, and can print up to 21 ppm. This printer utilizes the HP Smart App so you can print, scan and copy from your phone – from anywhere.

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What is the best printer?

The best inkjet printer is the Epson Ecotank ET-2760 Wireless Color All-in-One, the best photo printer is the Canon Imageprograf Pro-1000, and the best laser printer is the Brother HL-L2350DW.

Printer	Price	Speed (pages per minute for monochrome)	Type
Epson Ecotank ET-2760	$397	15 ppm	Inkjet
HP Deskjet 3755	$105	8 ppm	Inkjet
Canon Pixma MG3620	$80	9.9 ppm	Inkjet
Canon Imageprograf Pro-1000	$900	1ppm	Photo
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smartphone Printer	$99	12-second printing	Photo
Kodak Dock Premium	$149	1 ppm	Photo
Brother HL-L2350DW	$150	32 ppm	Laser
Brother HL-L2300D	$120	27 ppm	Laser
HP Laserjet M110w	$169	21 ppm	Laser

Which printer is right for you?

While each of these printers is a great pick for your home office, it ultimately depends if you want an inkjet, photo, or laser printer. Plus, is speed or printer size more important to you? Consider how you’ll use the printer and how much you’re willing to spend, too.

Choose this printer…	If you want…
Epson Ecotank ET-2760	The best overall option that will save you money on ink cartridges. One set of the included ink bottles provides the equivalent of about 80 cartridges.
HP Deskjet 3755	An all-in-one inkjet printer that has an ink cartridge subscription so you never run out. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa, allowing for voice controls.
Canon Pixma MG3620	A budget-friendly inkjet printer under $100 that prints fast. The Canon Pixma can print at a speed of 9.9 pages per minute for black and white and 5.7 pages per minute for color.
Canon Imageprograf Pro-1000	A photo printer for professionals for high-quality photos. It comes with an 11-color setup and the Chroma Optimizer ink system.
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link	A mini photo printer that’s portable and fun. You can even add fun filters and frames to your photos before printing.
Kodak Dock Premium	A printer that can print 4 x 6 photos and works with phones and tablets. This mobile printer connects to your Android or iOS mobile device via Bluetooth.
Brother HL-L2350DW	The best laser printer you can buy that prints at 32 ppm. It offers a 250-sheet paper capacity, and a print speed of 32 pages per minute.
Brother HL-L2300D	A laser printer with solid features at a low price of $120. It’s easy to set up and has automatic two-sided printing.
HP Laserjet M110w	A compact and wireless laser printer for small home office spaces. This printer utilizes the HP Smart App so you can print, scan and copy from your phone.

How did we choose these printers?

We chose these printers through a combination of extensive research and testing the products ourselves. We also spoke to several professionals who use and recommend our top picks. In addition, we paid attention to customer reviews and ratings, pricing, renowned brands, and different features each printer has. It also came down to the following factors:

Printer type: You may need a different printer based on your home or office needs, so we included three types of printers: inkjet, photo, and laser. These are the main types of printers on the market today.

PPM: Pages per minute or PPM is an important factor to determine a printer’s overall speed. The numbers will vary based on color or black-and-white ink, as well as the printer type. For example, laser printers are able to print much faster than inkjet ones.

Price: Printers vary in price range from affordable to expensive, so we considered different price points for different needs. The most expensive printer on this list is $849, but I also included one for $80.

What is an inkjet printer?

An inkjet printer is simply a printer that uses ink to print documents. However, these devices have come a long way from the frustrating days when you ran out of ink. Now, inkjet printers have zero-waste cartridges, connection to Wi-Fi and cloud services, and the ability to print directly from your smartphone.

What is a photo printer?

Photo printers offer a wide variety of formats along with some unexpected gimmicks. Interestingly, two of our top photo printers are from the old school film brands: Fujifilm and Kodak.

I’ve included smaller photo printers that are for more casual and fun printing, as well as one high-quality option for those photos that you want to frame and remember.

What is a laser printer?

The main difference between inkjet printers and laser printers is that inkjet printers use ink to print while laser printers use, you guessed it, lasers. Laser printers are best for handling heavy volumes of text-based documents since they print at faster speeds, and they are also more economical and eco-friendly, since you won’t have to worry about buying cartridges and the proper ways to dispose of them.

What image format is best for photo printing?

Most images are in JPEG format, and this is the best-compressed image format for photo printing, especially when printing photographs and artwork. TIFF and PDF formats are also excellent for photo printing.

How many years is a printer good for?

The average lifespan of a printer is three to five years, but that also depends on the printer type. For example, laser printers will usually last longer than inkjet printers.

If you do not use your printer often, be sure to turn it on once every two weeks to prevent the nozzles from clogging. If you leave a printer off and unused for too long, it is more likely to malfunction.

Are there alternative printers worth considering?

There are plenty more printers on the market aside from the ones listed above. Here are a few other options to look into for your home office from trusted brands.

Best fast inkjet alternative HP Officejet Pro 8025e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer This printer is one of the fastest inkjet printers at 20 ppm for black and white and 10 ppm for color. View at Amazon Best alternative for water-resistant photos Canon Selphy CP1300 Wireless Compact Photo Printer If you want photos that last, this printer from Canon prints water-resistant 4 x 6 photos thanks to its Dye-Sub Technology. View at Amazon Best affordable laser alternative Pantum P2502W Wireless Laser Printer At just $99, this laser printer is super cheap, but it also prints 22 pages per minute and comes with a 700-page starter cartridge. View at Amazon Best budget alternative Brother MFC-J1010DW Wireless Color Inkjet This printer can print, copy, scan, and fax, all in one device. It’s under $100 so the perfect budget option for your home office. View at Amazon